Why we need Disney in the midst of a pandemic

Today, we visit the WHYs that everyone is asking us, my fellow Disney friends.

Why would anyone choose to visit a theme park, a breeding ground for germs, during a pandemic?

Why would anyone want to travel to a hot, muggy climate and wear a mask all day in the unrelenting sun?

Why would anyone pay for a lesser Disney experience, with so much of the parks closed and unavailable?

Why can’t you just wait till this pandemic passes and go then?

These are all legitimate questions, ones that I even questioned myself a time or two recently, especially in light of so many talented Cast Members being let go.

But before we dig into the WHY, let’s take a look at WHAT the parks are REALLY like right now. We’ll take a virtual pandemic Disney day together, visiting several parks in one day like a virtual “park hopper” pass (even though we can’t actually park hop right now!).

* I want to preface this by saying that I LOVE Disney as much as you do, and none of this is meant to be a criticism of how Disney is managing this unprecedented time, but rather an accurate snapshot of what it is like to visit the parks right now.

We’ll begin by waiting for our bus transport, wearing our masks. I’m also next to you not so patiently waiting for my camera to de-fog after moving from my air-conditioned room into the Florida humidity.

We may start out in a long line of everyone going to the same park. Not terribly unusual from pre-pandemic, but instead of waiting wherever you please, we’ll need to follow the social distancing markers and wait in the queue.

Once you get to the front of the line, a Cast Member or the bus driver will assign your party to a number (or two, depending on the size of your party), and you’ll board the bus to sit in that zone, labeled on each seat. There are also dividers between the sections.

On my solo travels, I was asked once (and only once) during my travels if I minded sharing a zone across from another couple, just so we could get one more tired family on the bus at the end of the day. I agreed since we were all masked and I wasn’t directly next to anyone.

Maybe instead of the bus, we’re taking the monorail line this morning (woohoo!). The monorail to Epcot is not currently running, only the resort loop, so we are probably headed to the Magic Kingdom in this circumstance. The monorail has temperature checks before you board and a line just like the busses where you wait to be assigned to a car. Only one party is allowed per bench, though you will likely share a car section with another party.

Flying in via gondola? They are also one party per car at the moment. Sit back and enjoy the view!

We’ve arrived! Man, it’s HOT already today, but it’s a sunny Disney day, so it’s a good day! Of course, we are up early because everyone knows the shortest wait times are in the morning, and this is still true during COVID. In fact, we arrive well before the official park opening time (30-45 minutes at the very least), because some rides are operating early and we still need to navigate through a health check, security screening, and the tapstiles. It seems everyone else has the same idea because the lines are a bit long to get in right now.

First, the temperature check. A simple temporal scan before moving forward to security, done quickly by standing next to a healthcare professional from AdventHealth. You may have to remove your hat or brush aside your bangs for this. Looks like your temperature is under 100.4 degrees, so you’re good to go!

Next, security. You may find this a slightly different experience than last time pre-COVID…go ahead and keep your bag on you as you walk through (holding any cameras or umbrellas out before you), because they are doing as few hand-checked bags as possible. When you’re traveling solo, be forewarned it seems that makes you a target for bag searches every time (or at least it did for me).

We also need to pass the tapstiles, which do not currently have fingerprint scanning, which does make it go faster than usual.

Ok! We’re in! Let’s be in the Magic Kingdom for a moment. You’ll see a closed Newsstand (the first of many closed locations), hand sanitizer, and signs reminding you to stay at least six feet apart everywhere.

Here’s where you fade out from the outside world and pass underneath the berm to fade into Main Street USA! This, blessedly, hasn’t changed too much, except instead of everyone crowding together for rope drop, they are are spread out into the park. It isn’t a “ghost town” like the early post-pandemic opening days, but you have space to stroll (though quickly, because it is prime morning hours, after all!).

On your way to Fantasyland, you stop and snap a few (masked) pics in front of the castle. You also take advantage of the light crowds by waiting for the perfect moment to take that all-important “no other people in it because of the pandemic” shot!

You are also delighted to find Princess Merida is passing by on her horse, one of the many unique ways Disney characters are saying hello (safely) these days. In fact, today already you’ve happened by a cavalcade of Winnie the Pooh friends AND a large float with several princesses on it, all unmasked and waving from above.

After bidding Merida goodbye, let’s pass through Cinderella’s castle, all the while admiring the 15-foot-high murals designed by Dorthea Redmond. Don’t forget to stop and wave to Cinderella herself as she dances back and forth on the back balcony!

We’re heading into the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and observing some of the social distancing efforts, including “Please Wait Here” markers on the ground, plexiglass dividers in parts of the queue, and do not touch signs on all the interactive touch elements. There are also hand sanitizer stations everywhere.

The sign at the entrance says the queue is a 30-minute wait, but we only wait for about 20. Most rides are like that right now… the queues are stretched out because everyone is six feet apart, making the line look much longer than it actually is.

That is not to say the lines aren’t long. Though the parks are currently operating at 25% capacity, not having the Fastpass option means you must wait stand-by for every ride (or choose not to ride at all). So, we decide to skip a few attractions today simply because it’s now 10:30 AM, one of the busiest times in the day, and many of the rides are now a 30-minute plus wait.

We do, however, walk by Be Our Guest and gaze nostalgically at the closed gates, remembering with fondness the a-la-carte breakfasts we ate in the ballroom while watching it snow through the windows.

But it’s not time to eat quite yet, so let’s experience some more attractions!

First, since it’s close, we visit Winnie the Pooh, seeing all the activities for kids blocked off and the honey touch wall not accessible.

Next up, the Haunted Mansion! The stretching room pre-show is currently not running, with no dire voices talking about finding a way out. You simply walk through the room to the loading area for the doom buggies. I imagine this would be harder to do at Disneyland since that room is an actual elevator that goes down a level to access the show building under the berm versus the Disney World version that simply lifts up to create the stretch illusion. Today, it’s currently set in the “fully stretched” position.

This modification is also true of any ride with a pre-show, including Tower of Terror, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Flight of Passage, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, to name a few. The pre-show is simply skipped or set at the ending scene.

It’s lunchtime, so let’s head to Casey’s for some mini corndogs with cheese!

Looks like Casey’s is closed. In fact, so is the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor across the street. And Columbia Harbour House with those amazing lobster rolls with homemade chips. Actually, there’s hardly any great places to eat open right now (you’d have to pay me to eat at Cosmic Rays or Pinocchio Village Haus again). We could go to the Skipper Canteen or Liberty Tree Tavern, but let’s just head on over to Animal Kingdom for a quick service Flame Tree BBQ meal instead.

Ok, time to mobile order! This looks intimidating, but it’s the BEST change for Disney in the pandemic, if you ask me. Simply choose your order via the My Disney Experience app, purchase, and when your order is ready, approach the window that appears on your screen! We even have a friendly Cast Member helping us if they notice we are waiting too long, checking to see why our food is not up yet.

Before long, we are digging in! I have my favorite, Baked Mac n’ Cheese with Pulled Pork, topped with an onion ring. ?

After grabbing pre-packaged condiments and utensils, we take our food all the way down to the water’s edge, sit at a table not marked “closed”, and enjoy our meal. Timon and Rafiki sail by on a boat and we wave hello, and we hear the echos of the Discovery Island Drummers from another boat across the water as we finish up our food.

Heading over to Pandora, we’re grateful to find that the wait for Flight of Passage has reduced to 40 minutes this afternoon from the 90-minute line this morning that stretched all the way to Africa! We find that this ride also skips the first pre-show room with the body scan and avatar matching. It’s not a HUGE deal, but it makes me disappointed for those who have never experienced the full ride before as it’s a pretty interesting experience.

It’s hot and muggy outside, and we’ve already switched out our masks twice because they are damp. I brought some plastic bags to keep the used ones in for washing in the sink at my hotel room this evening, and also a bag for when I’m sitting and eating so my mask doesn’t touch the table (folding it inside out as I place it in the bag).

We can’t remove our masks except when we are stationary and actively eating and drinking, which means no more snacking in queues or drinking water (or my Starbucks) while walking. It makes for some leisurely meals and more sit-down breaks, but with the limited park hours, it can be frustrating at times to not be able to stroll and eat, as it saves time.

To combat the heat and the stifling feeling of the mask after hours of wear, we bust out our personal fans. Having one that hangs around the neck is so helpful for providing some air movement. I also swear by my cooling towel to beat the heat, but that is a personal preference. Whatever you do, make sure to drink lots of water! Having a mask on all day makes it so you automatically drink less because you can’t do so on the go. So we make frequent stops for water as it’s so needed to cool down!

Before we leave Animal Kingdom, let’s go on Kilimanjaro Safaris and see some wildlife! You are lucky enough to spot some zebras on the savannah as we sat in the jeep with plastic dividers in every row. They didn’t impede the view.

It’s getting late in the day, so it’s a great time to head on over to Epcot! The crowds are lighter here, probably because of all the space and all the construction. Much of this park is closed right now due to construction alone, and even more of it is closed because of the pandemic. However, if you compare this park to the small footprint of Hollywood Studios (which feels absolutely PACKED even at 25% capacity,) Epcot is spacious and roomy, a bonus during a time of social distancing.

Luckily, many of the Food and Wine Festival booths are still open till November 22nd, and they are as amazing as ever! I highly recommend the Pork Tostada. Note though that some booths are not open at certain times, and some favorites are not open at all this year.

Epcot also has the benefit of being less popular right now because of the construction, and the fact that no one can park hop (except us today virtually!). Because you have to lock in a full day at this park which is more of a half-day park at the moment, more people are choosing other parks for more bang for their buck UNLESS this is the only park left open in the park reservation system.

Whereas people used to head over to Epcot after dark to eat (and drink) around the world, with the current earlier hours and no park-hopping, this park is emptier than the other three. While Disney has tried to combat this by having this park open later and stay open later than the rest (11-8PM), it remains a fact that there is simply not as much to do here right now.

BUT, there is still SOARIN’, which is worth admission in itself, some would say. So we head down an eerily empty loading area into a socially-distanced queue, tuck our Minnie ears and hats under our seats, and, with plexiglass between us, take to the skies for our flight,

It’s park closing time! What, already? Yes, a sad part of the pandemic parks is the very, very short hours, even shorter than off-season hours were pre-COVID. Most parks are open only about 7-9 hours, give or take depending on the park and the day. So sunset photos are replacing our fireworks ones, as there are no fireworks or nighttime spectaculars happening at the moment. There are also no parades, large shows, or character meet and greets (outside of the drive-by cavalcades).

As we close our Disney day together, it’s time to talk about why. Why would we visit when so much is closed, changed, reduced, and inconvenienced?

Because we need to be reminded of all that hasn’t changed in our world.

You can still get a dole whip at Aloha Isle.

You can still ride Peter Pan and be delighted by the ant-like cars zooming around on the London streets below.

The music of Main Street USA can still bring a giddy thrill to your heart.

Walking into Adventureland still feels like you’re off to an exotic land where anything could happen.

The Mark Twain still sails around the Rivers of America.

And, most of all, you can still gaze at castle and still believe anything is possible.

Because we haven’t given up dreaming.

Our WHY is because we have this safe place that reminds us of how one man’s dream in the face of impossibility became something that inspired the entire world.

Walt didn’t give up.

Neither should you.

If you’re feeling like nothing will ever be the same, you may be right. We’re different now on the other side of this pandemic already, and we aren’t even all the way through it yet.

But here’s what I know, Disney friends. There’s a Disney side to us that can’t ever be erased. The one that sings “The Bare Necessities” in the shower and thinks about making a wish when we see two stars together, because Neverland is just on the other side of the second from the right.

The one that will always double tap a castle photo on Instagram.

The one that knows they can’t order us to stop dreaming.

And that… that is our WHY. We go to be inspired, to laugh freer, to remember that no matter who we are when we come out of this, dreams will be what builds our new reality.

So go to the parks, friends. Ride your favorite attraction (with a mask on), mobile order your churros, and take all the time you need gazing at the castle until you remember what you were made for in a time such as this.

You were made to dream.

I’m on this journey right alongside you in this pandemic as I write about why we love Disney. I’d love to hear what you think about the park changes (and/or any questions you may have about traveling to the parks) in the comments!

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