Let’s face it.
2020 has been a crazy year with tons of restrictions. BUT, can’t we all use a little Disney magic in our lives?
I was hesitant to travel to such a crowded place, but after doing some research, I decided that the safety precautions that Disney put in place would allow me to feel safe. And, I’ve been ITCHING to get back to that magical land.
I spent two days at Disney. Since there are no park hoppers at the moment, I decided to have one day at Magic Kingdom and one day at Hollywood Studios.
My first day, I drove from Tampa straight to the ticket and transportation center (TTC). Parking was so easy, and since I arrived very early, I got a pretty great parking spot. The trams were not running at the time, so a good parking spot was important.
Pro tip: Make sure you take a picture of where you are parked. You want to avoid that embarrassing moment where you have to set off your car alarm to find your car.
When I arrived at the TTC, they took my temperature. The lines were not bad at all and the process was super quick. I went through security and then to Will Call to get my credit card like ticket to use for my stay.
To get to Magic Kingdom, you could take the bus, the ferry, or the monorail. I chose to take the monorail, but all three seemed like great options. The lines were short and there was adequate social distancing in each. I had an entire monorail car to myself!
Once I arrived at Magic Kingdom, I was greeted by Mickey and his friends. They were on top of the train station waving to all the guests. I immediately had a smile on my face. I headed straight to one of my favorite rides – The Haunted Mansion.
I spent the whole day riding all the rides and eating all the snacks. It was definitely a different experience than I’ve ever had, but I still felt so much magic.
The second day I went to Hollywood Studios. The crowds and lines definitely felt longer here, but it is a smaller park with fewer rides. Unfortunately, I did not get a boarding pass for the new Star Wars ride, Rise of the Resistance. BUT! I did get to ride Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway TWICE, and it is now my new favorite ride.
There is just something so fun being surrounded by all the Disney magic. I felt SO safe and really enjoyed every moment of my solo vacation. The parks were at 25% capacity at the time of my visit, which allowed me to get some amazing pictures without a ton of people in them.
THINGS THAT WERE DIFFERENT
There are no parades or fireworks. I thought I would be SO upset by this, but I really didn’t miss it. They do have several motorcades throughout the day with characters riding along the parade route, but those times are not announced.
There are also no character meets.
All the rides are socially distanced. On rides like Peter Pan and The Haunted Mansion, they only put people in every other car. On Splash Mountain, I had the entire boat to myself, which led to this fun picture that I will laugh at for the rest of my life.
The lines for the rides are also socially distanced. They have markers where you should stand with your party, and for the most part, everyone abides.
All quick service meals must be ordered in the app. There are tons of cast members around to help with this, and I actually enjoyed it way more than waiting in line. You order your food, tell them when you want it, and they notify you to come pick it up. So easy!
You must wear a mask. The only times it is not required are when you are eating or drinking while stationary. The cast members are super nice, but also firm in making sure that everyone abides by the mask rules.
If you’re ready for some Disney magic, make sure to fill out my contact sheet, or message me on any of my social media!
Kristina B.