Spring Break is in full swing at Disney World, and Disney is relaxing social distancing on another ride at Magic Kingdom.
Health Protocols
Masks, temperature screenings, and park passes. Those are just a few of the ways Disney is keeping Guests and Cast Members safe during this recovery period. Disney also uses plexiglass barriers and physical distancing in the queue lines and on attractions to help with their efforts.
While these can be a nuisance in the parks, they seem to be here to stay for a while. CEO Bob Chapek mentioned masks will likely be required through 2021 and park passes currently go through January 2023.
However, it seems Disney is relaxing some health and safety standards, especially as crowd levels increase.
Magic Kingdom
Several outdoor rides are now loading at full capacity without barriers in between rows. Big Thunder Mountain, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Barnstormer are the most recent attractions.
Compared to other rides that do use plexiglass, these rides are all outdoors and relatively short. Barnstormer seems to end as soon as it begins, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train lasts about 2-3 minutes. Compare that to Splash Mountain which is mostly inside and over 10 minutes in length.
Today, we have seen that Prince Charming Regal Carrousel is now loading every row. Previously, Disney Cast Members ensured they skipped rows when loading. A seat remains empty in the event an entire party does not fill a row.
How will this affect your trip?
Animal Kingdom recently installed plexiglass dividers on Na’vi River Journey, and in doing so they drastically cut wait times for the attraction.
By filling each row with a party, you will find that you do not spend as much time waiting for the ride. Going from 50% capacity to almost 100% (depending on the party sizes) is a huge step in providing a better experience during this busy time at the theme parks.
Less time waiting in line = more time to enjoy the park!
As a reminder, Guests are still required to wear masks to keep everyone healthy so be sure to follow the rules while visiting Disney World.
Do you like that Disney is relaxing physical distancing on attractions? Or, do you prefer that some space is left in between parties? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook.
So if you happen to need surgery one day, make sure you tell your surgeon not to wear a mask since you find it unnecessary. Science isn’t perfect, but where do you think all the life saving drugs, procedures and surgeries come from? I’m guessing at some point in your life you have needed an antibiotic right? Umm, thanks to science we have particular antibiotics for particular germs. Science saves lives. There is science behinde masks, that’s why the Medical community has worn them for decades. My N95 is the reason I didn’t catch COVID taking care of all the naysayers and poor Nursing home residents who came down with it. The CDC did an awful job at educating the community, told too many half truths, so I understand why people are skeptical. But the mask thing isn’t all bull.
This is utterly ridiculous. When we went during Thanksgiving it was not like that .
It was horrible for me. Universal was way ,way better!
I did this because I was over wearing a mask! I bought a vanilla latte and sat and watch an entire football game on my phone. Only way cast members wouldn’t harrass me.
I’m sorry…have not ,will not ever believe in the mask theory..no real science behind it ..if you believe in science. I thank God I live in Texas and the ridiculous mask mandate is lifted.
Yup. I was there on an 85 degree day and everyone was running around and carrying on just fine
I went during Thanksgiving and never again with masks. The cast members were harassing and the protocols ridiculous! Zero social distancing. Universal was a much better experience.
Don’t want to abide by the rules? Don’t go. I went earlier this month. Lines were fine, wearing a mask was fine. In 6 days I rode RotR twice, Flight of Passage3x. Big Thunder, Exp Everest, Space Mt, RnR all 4x and finally rode Mickey & Minnie RR with only a 45 minute wait. Life is good.
Oh and eating and drinking in the parks and in the restaurants was just fine andthe rules felt reasonable to me.
The “commie” comment above made me snort coffee out my nose – lol!! Some people….smdh. Glad that pp is staying at home.
Have fun everyone!
I wish COVID was simply a “cold”. Until you are the unfortunate one to have a family member struggling to breathe on a ventilator for weeks (and eventually die anyways) you’ll have your head in the clouds. I’ve seen patients age 40 to 60 become severely ill with little to no underlying health conditions. Why them? Why someone else with similar age and health have only a mild case. Why did the 80 year old fella next door recover? We DON’T Know yet. And the only thing we can do is implement as many safeguards as possible to hopefully minimize EVERYONE’S risk. That only works if everyone is willing to be safe for each others sake. COVID is like something the medical community hasn’t dealt with. Typical treatments and ventilator support aren’t working in most of the severe cases. You’re not truley protecting your family if you can’t understand my mask is FOR YOU. Your mask is FOR ME. (Yes, and masks aren’t foolproof or perfect, I know) My Sincerest sympathy to all the families who have lost someone far to soon to COVID and know what I’m talking about. I want more than anything else for this Madness to end so we can go back to pre COVID life.
Having friends that are cast members… it’s because people “camping ” at the tables for way longer than you need to eat. With less tables open
Just eat and go
We were there 2 weeks ago and I felt totally safe. I think it is ridiculous to have space between people on the rides. I am glad they are opening them up, or some of them. We need to get back to not being afraid to go out and do things in our world. If you don’t feel comfortable, then that is totally your choice, and it is fine. But let those who want to start enjoying things again be able to do it!
they might get rid of face masks by the summer 2021 at WDW is Orange County get rid of theirs too at the same time
Disney should not stop the social distancing. If we want to get through this pandemic we must wear masks we must sanitize and we must social distance. if you don’t like the rules don’t go to Disney world. If you or a loved one ever came down with covid-19 you would know what I’m talking about. It is awful to watch somebody die on a ventilator.
I think Disney (and other parks, airlines, etc.) shouldn’t require toddlers 2 years and up to wear a mask. They’re too young to understand and to wear a mask all day. I don’t think kids under the age of 6 should be wearing a mask.
My daughter is 2 and I can’t just tell her “honey we’re in the middle of a pandemic, so you’ll have to wear a mask for 8 hours if you want to go to Disney” she would never understand. At 2 years they can’t understand the importance of wearing a mask, my daughter just pushes my hands away when I try to put a mask near her face and I would never force her. It honestly pisses me off that this country demands it, when you look at most countries in Europe the minimum age is between 6-12 years!
It sucks, as we, and probably many other families with toddlers, won’t be able to do pretty much anything (parks, travel) as long as the CDC guidelines say kids 2 and up have to wear a mask.
I do like that Disney is relaxing. Is distancing policies. We have been going every year for 30 years , missing last year of course. Heading there the day after Easter & happy that things are easing up a bit. I swore I would never go to Disney if I had to wear a mask. Never say never. I’m going but not thrilled especially since I already had Co-vid & still have the antibodies so I’m pretty safe. Let’s see how it goes!
I agree. You are smart to encourage this.
There’s no excuse for not knowing. Sorry. You don’t show up at disney completely clueless
Except that’s not true
You’re not allowed to remove them for pictures
I agree i went before this started wait times were far worse
This all driven by the almighty dollar. Next will be increased capacity at the parks, doing away with social distance, and then there will be a person test positive and it all comes crashing down. Why rush things??? PLEASE don’t make a mistake due to the desire for $$.
As ,dont go make the line shorter for me
It’s beyond ridiculous to distance on rides when the movement literally makes the gems come towards anyone downwind. It’s about time and it’s common sense!
It’s basically “until your drinks arrive”. Don’t over dramatize it. We were there last week and it was truly no different than it has been – they just clarified the rules.
People are making it sound like you have to put your mask in between bites and that’s way off base. We ate at 6 sitdown restaurants in park or at resorts last week. It was the same as its been. Keep mask in until you order and have drinks. Put them on if you leave the table.
It’s not hard.
75 minutes was the highest wait time we saw when there last week. That’s NOTHING compared to pre-covid waits. And the parks all thinned out later in the day and the wait times for nearly everything dropped below 30 minutes.
I waited 2 hours for mine train 2 years ago – and we hopped in line when the wait was at its low water mark during out trip.
I don’t understand people saying the waits are ridiculous. I have made 3 multi day trips since September and got to ride everything we wanted – some several times.
Over a third of the US has been vaccinated, and at least 30M have recovered. Either we’ll reach herd immunity or we’re going to have live with this forever (depends on immune response and virus mutation). We’re well on the way to herd immunity as long as immunity holds (fortunately data shows it has been so far). I’m not wearing a mask for the rest of my life on the off-chance I have an asymptomatic cold. If you’re that worried about it, learn to protect yourself. I’ll protect me and my family the way I see fit. It’s not that hard.
No loss here. I wear double masks for 6 hours a day with my work and have been for months…still breathing.
Or maybe don’t go to Disney World if this upsets you.
Disney WONT get our money as long as they are being part of the commie party
Lose the masks get back to normal as the rest of that state is doing
You can’t enjoy ur visit when u can’t breath
Wait til July and ppl start passing out
Do I hear LAWSUITS
Wdw opened last July. No one passed out from wearing a mask all summer.
It is safe when people take their mask for pictures and sitting down to wait for their food. Why not that
At a time when so many spring breakers are visiting FL I would rather they didn’t start to relax these measures. So many park visitors have not been vaccinated nor have the majority of Disney cast members. I think relaxing these measures now is not a good idea.
If you do that then,people can take pictures without their mask.
Keep the distancing. People aren’t listening to the drs I know this is annoying but rather be alive than the alternative. Remem.ber this is far from over
No keep your current rules for everything or people will be getting sick again. Let’s not start over again. Better to safe then sorry.
I think the rule of having to wear a mask while seated at your table when not actively eating and drinking is absurd! Especially when that rule just started a few weeks ago!
I agree with Nikki.. and bring back fastpass or something like it…. Wait times are crazy… I have also heard from friends that they know people who can’t even get into the park now that they are here… Yes maybe they should know u have to have a reservation but some people just don’t know. Up the capacity level and bring back fastpass…
I totally agree with you. As a person with asthma I need to have that water and be sipping on it while walking around in the heat all day.
we were just there (at start of SB & bike week), was awful. Waited over 2 hours in line for 1 ride. My grandson was rdy to go after that. I still don’t think they should relax them
What percent capacity are they allowing in the park now? Will they be relaxing/increasing that soon as well?
No they can’t because people will take advantage of the rule, like they did before. They’ll buy a drink and simply walk around the park with no mask.
If this is happening then Disney can certainly relax some of the rules about walking around the park while eating and drinking instead of being stationary.