I was worried when going to Magic Kingdom on Tuesday that there would be a good deal of people even though the park is at limited capacity. When I got there, I saw that wasn’t the case. I don’t even think the limited capacity had been met and I truly believe Disney’s attendance is way down from what they were expecting. That being said, I did feel pretty safe on Tuesday’s visit. There were a few differences in procedures that I noticed from my visit at Animal Kingdom which I will highlight below.
Parking
Cast members were having guests park in every other row so that social distancing can be maintained while exiting the car. Once they fill up every other row that they then start filling in the spaces, so don’t be alarmed if you see a car parked next to yours when you’re leaving the park.
Security
Unlike Animal Kingdom’s fun scanners that allow you to alleviate the bag search process, Magic Kingdom still has their metal detectors. Security guards ask you if you have anything metal in your bag such as reusable water bottles and if the scanner goes off and they need to search your bag, they ask you to remove the items for them and place them in a clear bin so they can see what you have. The security guard never actually touched any of my things which was nice! If you forgot to bring your mask, they have a mask vending machine just before you go to get your temperature checked.
Entering The Park
Turnstiles are open so you can scan your ticket or magicband, however, Disney has eliminated the finger print scanning process. Also, you don’t need to show your ID along with your magicband scan in order to enter the park.
Relaxation Stations
Magic Kingdom offers three relaxation stations throughout the park. They can be found at Tomorrowland Terrace in Tomorrowland, Golden Oak Outpost in Frontierland, and Pete’s Silly Sideshow in Fantasyland.
Facial Coverings
Face Coverings are required everywhere on property except when utilizing the relaxation stations and standing in one spot while eating or drinking. Neck gaiters are prohibited. Wearing face coverings in this Florida weather is no joke! We brought along fans and plenty of water to stay hydrated and it definitely helped.
COVID-19 Signage
There is signage from the moment you start walking towards the entrance and all throughout the park and rides. Signs are also located on trash bins throughout the park as well. When it comes to social distancing signage, they have it throughout all their typically heavily congested areas (ex: ride lines, restaurants.)
Mobile Ordering
Cast Members will no longer be taking your order at the fast sit-down restaurants in the park. Signage and cast members are outside the front of the restaurant directing guests to scan the QR code and order through the app. Just an FYI, no discounts are accepted through the mobile app ordering system.
Unlike our experience at Animal Kingdom, a cast member allowed us to step inside of Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe and mobile order while inside so that we can escape from the brutal heat.
The Emporium Gallery Update
The multiple entrances for the Emporium Gallery are no longer. Now there is one entrance and exit to the gallery. The entrance is located in the middle of the gallery off of Main St.
Restaurant/Snack Stand Closures
During our visit we noticed that a lot of snack stands and restaurants are closed. The following food areas are also closed:
- The Diamond Horseshoe
- Plaza Ice Cream Parlor
- Tortuga Tavern
- The Lunching Pad
- Gaston’s Tavern
- Columbia Harbour House
- Casey’s Corner
- The Crystal Palace
Photopass
We arrived at Magic Kingdom around 9:00 am, Photopass photographers were few and far between. The later in the day it got, the more photographers were available. All rides we went on in Magic Kingdom allowed us to scan our Magicbands for photos at the end. We did the photopass that is located on the roof in front of the castle, and if you’ve never done it, I definitely recommend getting a photo there at least once!
Line Wait Times
The longest waits that we experienced during our visit were Splash Mountain at 35 minutes and Jungle Cruise at 35 minutes. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad also had a 30 minute wait, but we had to be escorted off of Splash Mountain due to it breaking down and were given a fast pass which we immediately used on Thunder Mountain Railroad. Other than that, most other waits were either walk-on or fairly short.
Fast Passes
At this time, fast passes are not available for rides. However, DAS (Disability Access Service) cards ARE still available for those who have disabilities.
Park Re-Entry
At this time, park hopping is not available. However, you are allowed to enter and exit the park you have a reservation for in the same day as you please. This is perfect for those who prefer to have lunch or dinner off property and save some money.
Line Partitions
Some ride lines have partitions in the queue’s for guest safety. Rides that I went on where I saw partitions in line are: Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain and I believe Mine Train.
Rides that don’t have the partitions in the actual line are Peter Pan and Jungle Cruise. On the Jungle Cruise boat, there are plexiglass partitions that separate parties from one another.
Ride Pre-Shows
The one pre-show I noticed that is no longer happening at the moment is the Haunted Mansion Pre-Show. Guests now walk through the room and straight onto the ride.
Ride Seating Arrangements
Parties were seated in every other row on all rides.
Hand Sanitizer and Hand Washing Stations
Hand Sanitizer is located at the line entrance, right before going on the ride and at the exit of each ride and all throughout the park. There are also hand washing stations throughout the park. One hand washing station we found was outside of Jungle Cruise.
Character Cavalcades
There are character calvacades that are going on throughout the day so that you’re able to see some of your favorite characters from a distance. During our visit we were able to see Piglet and Eeyore, Mickey, Minnie and Pluto. You can also see the princesses, goofy and Fantasyland friends throughout the day, however we missed them.
Spots That I Noticed Social Distancing Was Hard
There were a couple of spots that I wasn’t necessarily comfortable with the social distancing. During Peter Pan, there weren’t dividers between the lines so some people in the next line over were only a couple of feet away as opposed to the recommended 6 foot distance. The other time was in the Jungle Cruise line, although people were better about distancing themselves out.
