food IS a theme park
Thinking about making your very FIRST trip EVER to Disney World this year?
Walt Disney World Gateway
The theme parks and some of the hotels at Walt Disney World are open, but LOTS of things are different than they used to be. From masks to dining options, there are a LOT of things you should be thinking about. ESPECIALLY if you’ve never visited before! So, should you visit Disney World for the very first time this year? We’re breaking it all down for you.
Things are constantly changing at Disney World.
Cinderella Castle
In 2020 alone we saw TONS of changes (like the temporary suspension of fireworks and the suspension of the Disney Dining Plan) and — oh yeah — the parks CLOSED for the longest time in history! All of these majorly changed how you plan your Disney vacation. BUT, Disney has made many major changes like this over the years that dramatically impacted how trips are planned. Today, we’re taking a trip back in time to go through some of those BIG changes. Plus, we’ll make a quick trip to the future to see some changes that are on the horizon!
When Disney World reopened in July of 2020, there were some pretty MAJOR changes in place. These include mask mandates, physical distancing guidelines, the cancelation of fireworks, parades, and character meet and greets, and the temporary suspension of FastPass+ and the Disney Dining Plan, just to name a few (not to mention the parks reopened with a freshly-painted pink castle!).
Magic Kingdom
Since then, however, there have only been MORE big changes that could have major impacts on your upcoming Disney World vacation. Some of the guidelines that were in effect last summer are no longer the case in 2021 while others have changed since inception! Let’s take a look at some of the biggest changes in Disney World SINCE July 11th, 2020!
Things are constantly changing at Disney World. Over the past few months, we’ve seen various restaurants reopen, Park Hopping has returned, some drink stations are back to being self-serve again, and some things at the parks have returned to “normal.”
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom
But, when we think about things that are still missing from the parks since the reopening, there’s one BIG thing that comes to mind — FastPass+. When Disney World reopened, FastPass+ was suspended. Will Disney bring back FastPass+ anytime soon? We’re going to break down where we’re at now with FastPass+, what we know so far, and where we think Disney is headed.
With crowds increasing over the past few weeks in Disney World, we’ve been hearing from readers how much they hope FastPass+ returns in the coming months. And today we got a little surprise!
FastPass Mention on Disney World website — Screenshot 9-20-20
A page popped up on DisneyWorld.com discussing guests using FastPass+ for their trips in January and February. And you may have seen or heard some reports that it meant FastPass+ was returning in just a few months.
FastPass mention on Disney World website — screen shot 9-20-20
But we want to clear up any confusion. This page may have been put up in error. Or it possibly may not yet have been updated with 2021 information. But there are several things that show this content is from 2019.
With limited capacity and no FastPass+ being two major changes in a reopened Disney World, many have wondered exactly what the impact has been on the average wait time for the many rides and attractions at the four theme parks.
Crowds at Magic Kingdom
After visiting the parks nearly every day since the phased reopening began and checking out the various wait times for ourselves, we wanted to share some insight on what expected wait times have been versus what the reality ACTUALLY was!
FYI, there are a lot of Disney World acronyms you might run into during your vacation planning!
Walt Disney World
Ever found yourself scouring the web for Disney World info only to come across folks talking about why you should skip SSE first thing in the morning and hit up TT before going to WS?
HUH?!
While some of these shortened terms for Disney rides and concepts are pretty easy to decipher, others might leave you scratching your head, tbh. If you don’t speak this rare and exotic language of Disney-isms, we’re here to help! So, let’s rank 23 of the most common Disney World acronyms from NBD to OMG! And on your next Disney planning foray, you’ll be an EXPERT!
It’s easy to have a LOT on your mind during your Disney day.
Cinderella Castle and Main Street USA in Disney World
There’s no shortage of things to think about in Disney World! While you’re having a blast jumping around to all the best attractions and chowing down on the yummiest snacks, you’ll want to make sure that you’re having the best time possible. Here are 9 questions you should ALWAYS ask in Disney World to make the most out of your Disney day!
Disney is a pretty massive company, and that means they’re constantly making big decisions — especially right now.
Magic Kingdom
These decisions are ESPECIALLY controversial when it comes to the theme parks. With the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney World coming next year and the global health crisis causing unprecedented changes, it can be easy to feel a little (or a LOT) mad at how Disney is handling things. We’re taking a look at some things you SHOULDN’T be mad at Disney for…and some things you maybe SHOULD!
When it comes to Disney World, the only constant is change! And due to the historic closures that started in mid-March, we anticipated some pretty BIG changes were on their way.
Really, Disney World??
Some of these, however, completely blew our minds! Even WE didn’t see some of these changes coming! Let’s dive into the weirdness, shall we??
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