Visiting Disney World During Coronavirus Outbreak
Should I cancel my Walt Disney World or Disneyland vacation due to coronavirus? With three Disney theme park complexes closed due to COVID-19, this is now a common question–both from the perspective of whether travel is safe and what the likelihood is that the Florida and California parks will close. (Updated March 9, 2020.)
I’ll preface all of this by stating the obvious: I’m not a scientist, pandemic expert, or even in any way knowledgable of public health. I hate going to the doctor, and am irrationally scared of needles. (Like a brave trooper, I get the flu shot anyway!) I’m a staunch advocate of specialized expertise over internet fear and rumor-mongering. Accordingly, this should not be viewed as a credible source of information regarding staying safe and healthy.
For all of that, we recommend consulting the World Health Organization’s basic protective measures against the new coronavirus (COVID-19) and advice for the public, the U.S. Department of State’s Alert Bulletin about the Current State of Novel Coronavirus, and Centers for Disease Control’s Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Situation Summary. The perspective this post will offer is how coronavirus might impact travel to Walt Disney World, and what you can do to be prepared…
Let’s start with the latest updates as of March 9, 2020. Currently, there are 18 positive cases of COVID-19 tied to Florida, including one in Central Florida. There have been 2 deaths in Florida due to coronavirus, both patients were in their 70s with underlying health conditions. It’s worth noting that just over 200 people have been tested in Florida, so those numbers could be underreported. (All per the Florida Department of Health).
At Walt Disney World, we’ve noticed a significant increase in hand sanitizer stations throughout the parks, plus at the entrances of every resort, and inside most restaurants. That’s definitely a good start. Beyond that, things mostly seem like business as usual at Walt Disney World. There have been no reductions in meet & greets, buffets, or queue changes as a result of coronavirus.
Conferences and special events are already being cancelled throughout Florida, including at Walt Disney World. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings has stated that several major conferences have already canceled, which were expected to bring $154 million to the local economy.
This extends to Walt Disney World. Cancellations are up at the resorts that host large amounts of special event business. This is being felt hardest at Coronado Springs Resort, which is heavily dependent upon conventions. Other resorts likely to be impacted include the All Stars, Yacht Club, Contemporary, and potentially others. Keep an eye out for deals at all of these.
With that said, local officials and Visit Florida both have indicated that there has yet to be any impact on leisure travel. However, that could change as we approach the spring break season. Anecdotally, we’ve heard from several readers who intend upon cancelling or postponing trips, which is why we’ve lowered attendance projections for the next few months in our 2020 Walt Disney World Crowd Calendars.
Disney’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pamela Hymel has released a coronavirus statement, indicating that the company is monitoring the situation in light of recent developments with the spread of the virus in Florida. Here’s what Disney released, which is intended to address guest questions about coronavirus:
As part of our commitment to the health and well-being of our cast, guests and the larger community, we are carefully monitoring this evolving situation and are in regular contact with health agencies for information and guidance. Our parks and resorts are welcoming guests as usual and we continue to implement preventive measures in line with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health agencies.
Our parks and resorts have high standards of cleanliness, which assists with illness prevention, and we have health and safety protocols in place, such as:
- Training for cast members, with ongoing reinforcement on a regular basis
- Defined cycles for frequent cleaning and disinfection of targeted areas
- Easy access to handwashing facilities and hand sanitizers
- Quick response to spills, trash and other situations
- End of day sanitation procedures for restroom, kitchen, and other facilities
- Frequent cleaning and “wash down” of outdoor locations, including walkways and queues
Additionally, our onsite health teams and leaders are communicating with our cast members about illness prevention, including the guidance of the CDC. The CDC recommends everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs, such as staying home when sick, washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, following proper respiratory cough etiquette, avoiding close contact with people who are sick and avoiding touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
For our part, we’ve been closely monitoring coronavirus for over the last month-plus to see how it’d impact our potential trips abroad this spring. I’ve become obsessive, reading about a half-dozen articles per day. If I’ve gleaned one thing from those resources, it’s that the coronavirus situation continues to develop. Quite simply, there’s a lot of fluidity to this. The status of coronavirus today almost certainly won’t be the same next week.
At present, there no limitations or advisories for domestic travel within the United States. Nor, to my knowledge, have other countries issued bulletins or elevated risk levels for the US as a result of coronavirus. Public health experts are only advising proper precautions: frequently washing hands, avoiding touching unwashed hands to the face, maintaining social distancing from anyone who is coughing or sneezing, following good respiratory hygiene, and using hand sanitizer to reduce risk.
Public health experts also state that the biggest health risk for domestic travel right now is the flu. While some areas do have more reported coronavirus cases and preventative measures are being taken in some cities, no part of the United States is considered higher risk for coronavirus than any other. That could change if or when more sustained person-to-person spread in the community occurs.
When it comes to travel, the World Health Organization has indicated that an airplane cabin by itself isn’t more conducive to spreading infection, but proximity of passengers does matter. Flights by themselves aren’t considered higher risk, except that they are crowded situations. Consider, wiping down surfaces you are going to touch on airplanes or other public spaces, such as hotel rooms.
Paper surgical masks are effective at keeping you from spreading disease if you are sick, but not totally effective at blocking you from ingesting coronavirus. If you have a cough, consider wearing a mask out of common courtesy. Even before coronavirus this was incredibly common in Asian cultures, which is why it’s more common to see masks abroad. (But don’t hoard masks.)
When it comes to traveling during the coronavirus outbreak, some CYA advice you’ll commonly see is to purchase travel insurance with a “cancel for any reason” policy, and to use a travel agent. I don’t disagree with the latter part of this–they can deal with making cancellations or changing plans for you. In the case of Walt Disney World, that means waiting on hold for hours when call volume spikes. (As is always the case around hurricanes.)
In circumstances like this, I’m actually not a staunch advocate of travel insurance. If it’ll give you peace of mind, great. Go for it. Just be aware that if the situation deteriorates considerably and travel is interrupted within the United States, airlines will begin waiving change or cancellation fees (albeit usually with the caveat that you receive a credit for travel within a year, not a cash refund).
If the worst happens and Walt Disney World is forced to close, you’ll receive a full refund. (In that scenario, a lot of Walt Disney World’s hurricane policy would likely be applicable–read our Tips for Visiting Walt Disney World During Storm Season for more elaboration on all of this.) Other travel providers will likewise follow suit. Travel insurance with the option to cancel for any reason is best for those who want to cancel before travel businesses start closing or canceling.
One thing I would recommend if you haven’t already booked a Walt Disney World vacation for 2020, is to consider something that can be modified or offers free cancellation. Not just because of the above concerns, but because both approaches will allow you to apply discounts or rebook if better deals become available. (Again, travel agents/Authorized Disney Vacation Planners can help with this.)
With the nonstop news coverage of coronavirus, Walt Disney World’s hotel occupancy rate and attendance is bound to drop irrespective of any actual threat levels. In other posts, we belabor the point that WDW doesn’t offer deals out of corporate benevolence, but to fill hotel rooms. It’s possible, if not probable, that discounting will become more aggressive as coronavirus fears grow.
We normally are strong advocates of Priceline Express Deals, Airbnb vacation home rentals, and other third party deal hacks. However, this is one scenario where you might want to stick with options that are easier to cancel or modify. There are obviously no guarantees, but you could end up saving more money that way.
There’s also the possibility that Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and/or Disneyland Paris will close at some point. Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland have each been closed for over one month, and likely will be for at least another. Tokyo Disney Resort is temporarily closed for 2 weeks, which is likely to be extended.
The difference with the Asian resorts is government involvement. Japan’s Prime Minister has “strongly encouraged” closures to curtail the spread of coronavirus but–more importantly–prevent Tokyo’s 2020 Summer Olympics from being cancelled. Oriental Land Company, the owner of Tokyo Disney Resort, acquiesced to these requests. The Shanghai and Hong Kong parks are both partially state owned or sponsored, meaning Disney also did not have the final say there.
Generally speaking, countries in Asia have employed more draconian quarantine measures. Culturally, it’s not as easy to see Americans being receptive to some of this. It’s also more difficult to envision the United States taking steps to stifle the economy or business interests.
This isn’t to say that Walt Disney World or Disneyland will or will not close. That could happen in the weeks or months to come as coronavirus spreads within the United States. Alternatively, if attendance plummets due to fear, closures of the parks or various resorts could become a business decision. We’re likely a while from that happening, though. (Disneyland Paris is a different story entirely.)
Or, nothing could happen at all. Walt Disney World and Disneyland could install more hand-sanitizing or hand-washing stations, in-room fliers and in-park signs about best practices, or even hand sanitizer bottles to hotel guests.
Recent precedent suggests these are the most likely scenarios, as variations of these things occurred during the peaks of H1N1 and the Zika virus. Coronavirus is obviously different than both of these pandemics, but best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. Neither Walt Disney World nor Disneyland closed during those outbreaks.
Planning a trip or visiting Walt Disney World or Disneyland in the near future ultimately comes down to comfort and your personal risk tolerance. Are you elderly, do you have a chronic medical condition, or are otherwise immunocompromised? Will you be nervous, stressed-out, or in a constant precautionary state that prevents you from enjoying your vacation?
Obviously, those are personal questions that only you can answer. We’d once again reiterate that there are currently no travel advisories or restrictions concerning domestic travel, and that it’s important to approach the decision rationally without being overcome by paranoia or hysteria. At the same time, traveling in a state of fear is not going to be fun, either.
My perspective is likely to be different than that of others. I have an incredibly high risk tolerance, and I’m not personally concerned about contracting coronavirus. On an individual level, it comes down to a risk assessment. This is something everyone is doing on a daily basis, and we all take measured risks–driving in a car, taking a flight, riding a bicycle, playing a sport, swimming, drinking alcohol, and so on.
Often, analysis is shaped by worries of catastrophic consequences, even when seemingly mundane everyday activities pose greater actual risk. For instance, you might now fear sinking on the Jungle Cruise, when overdosing on awesomeness while watching Country Bear Jamboree is an exponentially greater risk. And yet, one we all eagerly take multiple times per trip. (“Don’t be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin.” ~Big Al, probably.)
(UPDATE: After reading more about the importance of collective and individual measures to flatten the epidemic curve, I’m now reevaluating future plans.)
This isn’t to minimize coronavirus. By most reasonable accounts of public health experts, it poses a serious threat and likely will significantly impact daily life in the United States at some point. Dr. Nancy Messonnier, Director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, has warned that if person-to-person spread picks up, further measures might need to be taken, including school and workplace closures, voluntary home quarantines, implementing cleaning measures, and other things.
Ultimately, our recommendation is to trust public health experts and agencies, and make appropriate changes to your daily life and travel plans only if or when necessary. Unless the fear of coronavirus will ruin your vacations, there’s really no reason to act preemptively. To the contrary, you might be able to take advantage of deals or lower crowds if you simply follow pertinent official recommendations and don’t give in to hysteria by canceling your Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or other vacation plans.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Do you plan on cancelling or postponing travel plans to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or beyond as a result of coronavirus? Will you continue monitoring the situation and potentially cancel? Alternatively, will you book a trip because of coronavirus if prices or attendance drops? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Selfish fools. How irresponsible to go to a place of mass people and risk contracting the virus for entertainment. Think about the health care workers that will have to risk contracting it later to save your ignorant butt. And how about your elderly neighbors or family that you risk killing when you transmit to them upon return? Yes, there is also risk going to the grocery or work or school. However, the grocery, work and school aren’t packed shoulder to shoulder with people from all over the world watching a disney parade. That also leave after to return to all parts of the world. This is why the CDC is telling us to STAY HOME. Get your supplies and limit your contact. This would include vacations. Think about all the morons that are still going on cruises and can’t dock at any islands or getting quarantined in that giant petri dish. How about people that are still taking their overseas vacations? They are not thinking about possible border closures. What if you can’t come back to the US because Trump shut down borders? These are not ‘people spreading panic’, these are very real events that are happening. You will see when you chose to go on that vacation and risk health over finances. Stupid.
Hmmm
“Poor unfortunate soul
So sad
So true”
No need to name call like that. This IS a Disney BLOG.
No one on my end of this “small world after all” is saying stay home.
Kids are sick in schools and health personal is not sending them home. People are carrying on with precautions. If it’s so bad they would be closing airports.
Look it’s scary and reason to be on alert. I get it lady. But for the sake of happiness, please slow your role. No one asked to give optional rants and degrading comments.
Have a magical day! -Your Conscience
Oh Honey, If you haven’t learned yet that our country is more concerned about money than health issues, you have had your head in a hole. Airlines can’t stop flying, they would go out of business. Unless the government puts a stop on travel they will keep spreading the virus. Unfortunately, our government cares more about finances than health as well. PS – 7000 kids stayed home from school in Washington state today. Also, Italy has closed all schools in the entire country today, however, you can still fly to the US from Italy. I hope your magical day includes sparing a healthcare professional from having to catch your cooties. – Your Conscious (Little more important than your Conscience)
WOW, your delivery is just wrong and borderline hateful. Your message loses its’ point by how you rant and resort to degradation, name calling.
According to Newton’s third law it was bound to happen.
The equal and opposite reaction to Jack.
In the case of “Your Mom” I’m going to cry Troll and be done with this page.
I think at least Jack is sincere in his beliefs, but in this case: don’t feed the troll would be the best advice.
We are just on our way back from 7 days at Animal Kingdom Lodge. There are two suspected cases of virus in the entire State of Florida. If I actually thought I was putting anyone in danger by being there I certainly wouldn’t have gone but considering everything oh, I sincerely think the entire scenario is being overblown. We have had 11 deaths in this country so far, all on the West Coast. most of these people, if not all of them, have had underlying medical problems that contributed to their demise. I believe at least eight of them were in the same nursing home. Talk about a petri dish! So now what do we do, evacuate all the nursing homes? As I’ve said elsewhere, the general presentation of this disease is mild to moderate flu-like symptoms. secondary pneumonia seems to be what is killing Those who succumb. while we were in Disney I saw no inordinate coughing, sneezing or other things that would lead me to believe that there was any sort of contagious anything going around. In the final analysis, hiding in our houses for the next 12 to 18 months while a vaccine is developed is Impractical and downright stupid. as a microbiologist I spoke to stated, soap and water and normal precautions such as not touching your body above your neck and wearing sunglasses to shield your eyes are prudent and effective countermeasures. Masks as we all know do not work. If you want to cancel, if you are that worried, then call Disney and cancel or reschedule or whatever makes you feel better.
We tried to buy travel insurance (to cancel for any reason) the other day for a trip and were told that they are no longer including insurance for the coronavirus, including being sick or fear of being sick with it, or plans changing because of it. So, unfortunately, travel insurance for problems with the coronavirus is no longer an option.
Cancel For Any Reason benefits will always cover anything — it’s just not at 100% (usually 70-80%). It also depends on the insurance company.
Travel insurance needs to be taken ASAB, (as soon as you book). Any insurance policies taken out before 31st December when China first announced the Coronavirus, policies should cover Coronavirus. I’ve just checked with my insurance in UK, we are covered. We are staying on property in a deluxe resort and should Disney close when we are there, then we will argue it is not the holiday we have booked and paid for! Hoping that our health will remain good throughout our vacation, us British will just KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON!
Tom, I’m really disappointed to see you writing against travel insurance in such an irresponsible way. Airlines and other travel suppliers will only waive their change and cancellation fees within certain dates and according to certain terms, each of them different. It’s impossible to foresee if any given person’s situation would be covered. What if the cut-off date for a ticket re-issue or fee waiver policy is just one day off from someone’s travel dates? What if it’s weeks off? As the situation evolves, it’s impossible to know what will happen. Some airlines have actually revoked waiver policies which were formerly issued. So if someone didn’t take action while the policy was active, what then? And, each policy is destination-specific as well, so there is no guarantee that one would be issued for the desired one at all. There are simply too many factors. In fact, good cancellation insurance is essential!
Besides, without cancellation insurance, you have no trip interruption coverage. Why, oh why, would you want to risk paying more if things go wrong? With cancellation insurance, you’re fully covered all around. It’s a no-brainer, but people seem to think it’s not worth it. The day you need to spend thousands of dollars because your trip was interrupted for a non-medical reason, you’ll wonder why you didn’t spend the few extra bucks…
The advice here is to purchase a cancel for any reason policy if people do opt for travel insurance.
We’ve purchased travel insurance before a couple of times, but no longer do so. We have had to cover medical (and modification) costs out of pocket on a few occasions, but nevertheless, insurance ultimately is not for us. As with all types of insurance, travel insurance exists because it’s a profitable business. Personally, I’d prefer to incur costs out of pocket and pay those directly as they might arise rather than purchasing insurance for each trip. YMMV.
Cancel your trip, better to be safe than sorry… Until a vaccine is developed, surely you know this much, otherwise why do you have kids? Wow you need strangers to tell you this?
Actually Rick, I dictate these replies and that takes more seconds. I find people who, when they cannot make a fact based argument resort to name calling, a source of no small amusement. In any case, despite your totally incorrect assumptions about my life my wife and I just had a very relaxing and worry free seven days at Disney. We are looking forward to food and wine this fall and, to the best of my knowledge we managed to do all of this without causing a global catastrophe. Tens of thousands who were in the park with us apparently felt the same. Some day the guy with the “The World Ends Tomorrow” sign will be right. It just isn’t today. Don’t forget to refresh the garlic on your front door. Cheers!
Tom,
Super grateful that you did this article. I sent a message to my travel agent who basically gave me the SOL speech. Thinking about purchasing private travel insurance on top of what I bought from them. We rented doc points and while it’s been a smooth transaction. She just kind of danced around my questions. So this helped ease my mind a little. Thank you so much!
We have a trip in mid-May for our 10th wedding anniversary (no kids) and will be monitoring the situation for now. We rented DVC points and did buy the optional cancellation insurance so I will be looking into whether something like this will be covered in the even that things worsen. I sure hope things begin to improve soon.
Things will not improve- just a matter of time before life in the US is impacted. Social distancing should be practiced by all now- to mitigate the risk of the virus. Amazing that people can’t forsee this.
This is a great article describing “why” it is important to quarantine your healthy self. If you want to help prevent the spread – all healthy people can help by minimizing the curve.
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/preparing-for-coronavirus-to-strike-the-u-s/
People keep forgetting that the issue with Covid-19 virus is that no one has antibodies to it like they do the flu – which is the real issue.
What an odd and disappointing stance to take, Jack. I can only hope that most folks heed the recommendations from scientists and public health officials to slow the spread of this disease.
Let’s share some facts:
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-incubation-period/ States that the incubation period can be up to 27 days.
On a bright note Covid-19 is devastating to older adults while children get a much milder form – so your kids may be just fine. Leave Grandma home.
Sure, but there appears to be a coronavirus case in Florida that was caught through the community. The last thing we need are people from other places traveling to Florida, contracting the disease, and carrying back to their home communities.
My guess is my tongue in cheek wasn’t as obviousi as was meant. To even consider putting your children no matter how slim or remote the chance is foolish. Just because it “will most likely” not harm your kids they will still have the virus and will infect untold scores of others.
That’s exactly what I was telling my wife today, tourism is fuelling this problem, if people just gave up pleasure travel for a few months till a vaccine was developed, would help.
How would this affect DVC bookings? IF DL closed, would I get my points back? It would be too late to carry them over to my next use year. Would I just lose them?
We have a trip to WDW booked for March 25. I have a 6 and 8 yr old and we WILL NOT cancel. My husband and I are in our 30’s. It is surprising to me the panic people seem to be going into. Yes it is a new respiratory virus and can be life threatening (it doesn’t automatically kill you) it is most dangerous for older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions, new problems and disease will emerge….it won’t deter our plans and I hope Disney doesn’t cave to PANIC at this point.
I love your attitude. Wish more people had it. Most of the panic is based on speculation fed by internet “truths.” Of course if I saw it on TV or read it on the net it HAS to be true. . . . .
We’ve been here seven days. People are not dropping in the queue lines and, to borrow a line from Monty Python, “We’re not dead yet!” I even chanced upon a PhD microbiologist who said the whole thing is largely a media creation.
As an Engineer twice over and having spare degrees in chemistry and physics, I plan to change nothing. If people don’t want to come down fine, but stop inciting fear and panic in others. Somebody once said that the two most common elements in the world are Hydrogen and Stupid! How right they were!
CALL DISNEY AND ASK! Good Lord! Is it that difficult to do? We don’t run DVC. They do. If anyone knows they will. My GUESS is that, given that at this time there are only two confirmed cases in the entire state of Florida, they have made no concrete provisions or policy for refunds.
LOL I’m loving your answers, Jack! It’s exactly what logic I would do if so concerned. Just came back a week ago with the huge marathon race crowds and Art & Food fest…and yet, I always take insurance knowing how hurricanes can pop up(living in the coastal south) or if our plans have to change for any reason. If Disney trip soooo important to people when planning due to costs or any concerns(schedules do change in lives)…then take the darn insurance. Even for the high end resorts on property with park hopper passes…it’s a cheap price for reassurance. And when in doubt………take the loss now and don’t wait until no % refund even possible. But do call and talk to them OR your physician if you’re that fearful. Otherwise wash wash wash…and remember to wipe down your room daily. Don’t be ignorant to the care of the cleaning staff…do some of your own.
Thanks Kelley. BTW is that a kitty or a pup? Pic is too small to tell. We have rescues of both. In any case, it would seem that logic and reason have taken a back seat to emotion and speculation. People seem to have abandoned their native intelligence and reason in favor of either wanting someone to tell them what to do or running around in fear of something they will probably not get or, if they do, they’ll easily survive. In my opinion this is a sad commentary on today’s society and level of education. We are truly becoming, as the old book title stated, a nation of sheep.
Jack, it’s a “tuxedo” cat and a Golden Retriever. “Lucky” and “Emma”. Hey, Emma also went to Disney this last trip. LOL She wasn’t worried about that virus. She goes for the advantage of hubby and I bringing her a turkey leg over to the Best Friends Kennel there. LOL The cat is also a rescue (state park find as an unopened eyed kitten while son was working there as a summer job 18 years ago).
Jack I wish you and your boyfriend a safe trip.
Jack…YOU ARE INCREDIBLY RUDE! See how the all caps things comes across poorly. I simply asked a question in case anyone here had been in a situation where they had a DVC booking and then the Park closed before they got there. Since you doubt they have a concrete policy, it likely wouldn’t do me any good to call DVC and ask. DUH!
Planning on a August week long stay at GC at the DLR. Any advice on time to book? Should I book now or wait/speculate to see if prices get discounted in the coming weeks/months due to coronavirus fears? If I book now and prices due get discounted will I still be able to receive the discount? Any discount could be considerate when booking two rooms at the GC for a week. I’d greatly appreciate any thoughts. Thanks!
Our “thoughts” don’t count. You know what they say about opinions ….. My advice would be to call Disney and ask. I’m betting the answer will be that they don’t have a policy at this time.
Surely, at the very least, you have an anecdote to share…
I COULD go into how to do a statistical analysis of the situation, what data to use and which to toss, but people are too busy bouncing off walls and citing cherry picked data from both sides to be rational. For instance, one person who has a child with an autoimmune problem asked us what to do. They have a doctor, I’m sure . . . . .
If people want information, CALL DISNEY!
Awwww Carmen, did I offend your tender sensibilities? Good! Maybe it’ll shake some of the rust off your logic system and motivate you to do something practical and productive about your situation instead of wringing your hands and asking questions that can’t be answered here. BTW, as I write this there are two, count em, TWO cases of Corona in the entire state of Florida.
🙂
Hi myself and my niece are due to fly on the 24th March we have both taken insurance on the holiday but I bought Disney tickets separate at the cost of £800 I took out insurance on these in case of lost but it say there was more expensive insurance for cancellation which I wasn’t offered. The whole holiday has cost over £3000. I’m happy to go and take precautions but if Disney shuts will I get my money back for the tickets? Or get to reschedule them? Thanks
It seems that you won’t know until and unless it actually happens. I’ve not seen a definitive answer yet. I’m not sure that Disney even has a concrete plan for U.S. or the Parisian parks. I’m thinking that, given the low rate of known infection here they are in a wait and see mode. The problem with allowing you to rebook at a later date may be with how to fit you in. Occupancy rates are ridiculously high for the foreseeable future.
Here’s another aspect of all this “should I cancel or take precautions and go.” If you go and catch the virus, it takes about 14 days to rear it’s ugly head and make you sick. Therefore, you will go home with the virus, go to work, the neighborhood grocery store, the bank and kids will go to school, visit friends, etc and bam your neighborhood is crawling with the virus. More people spreading it to more people. Sorry, I don’t mean to insult anyone but in my opinion this is selfish and very dangerous. There are already 2 cases of Coronavirus in Florida. Disney parks will always be there but if you spread this disease and people die, they are being robbed of life because you couldn’t postpone your trip for a few months. Trust me, I have reservations at DW for May 10 for 9 days and was so excited to go with my entire family. I even fantasized about the parks being almost empty because of the virus but in reality if my children or grandchildren got sick and God forbid died or we spread the virus when we get home, I could not live with myself, so we are cancelling, so we will get to go to Disney many more times. Shame on the people who are making fun of others who are worried. Only those who don’t have degrees in science and are worried about the upcoming presidential election are claiming this virus is like the flu. It isn’t! It’s much more dangerous. May God bless everyone and keep us all safe.
Amazing assumptions.
I’m with you this time boomer. This lady is the first commenter to really panic and go beyond the prevailing sensible advice from the government and Disney’s current policy.
My own family’s plan is to go if the parks are still open. They won’t be empty because Disney will find ways to fill them if necessary. As long as I can get my flight we go, we also have a cruise booked and the same applies.
Jack, we stayed in Kidani Village the last time were at WDW, Jambo House is nice but we prefer the pool at Kidani.
We come down to Disney two to three times a year. We don’t “Do” Disney on the traditional way, spending the entire day in the parks trying to cram ten pounds into a five pound bag. Yesterday we did a few attractions in an EPCOT that is torn up for construction like you never saw, hit a favorite pawn shop or two in the afternoon, (You never know what you will find!) and spent the late afternoon having a glass of wine and watching the animals from our Savanna View room in Jambo. (Ever see how long a giraffe’s eyelashes are?) We’ve also dined at Victoria and Albert’s and STK this trip with Cali Grille on tap for this evening. I’ve also dealt with a few business matters, kept up with the “news” and these blog comments. Yeah, being a “Boomer” is really horrible. You can actually multitask, work, play and relax at the same time. 🙂 We like Jambo because the under building garage at Kadani doesn’t allow parking close enough to the room area. Also think the Savanna animals are more diverse but just a preference of ours.
Well that’s great for you! I’m in the UK. We booked WDW last April 2019, it has cost us over £14,000 (that’s $17,900!) We are scheduled to arrive end March. I have insurance but because the Foreign & Commonwealth Office or the American Government are not restricting travel, nor flights being cancelled by the airlines, nor WDW closing, I have NO OPTION but to go, as the tour operator’s hands are held due to these organisations continuing as normal. Therefore, my insurance will pay me if I was to cancel. They only pay out if one of the companies involved cannot provide my family with the holiday I booked! There will be loads more people in my situation as it’s the Easter Break here in the UK at the end of March!
missed out the most important word LOL My insurance will NOT pay me if I was to cancel!
Hi Charlie
We are also due to visit in the Easter holidays, unfortunately we also have a cruise booked as part of the package – unless you are in one of the risk groups, see the worldometer link, you are still at very low risk even if you catch it. You just have to plan on going unless things change to you are prepared to take the loss – not ideal options when we are talking about holidays unfortunately it is where we are- the riskiest bit is probably the flights and at the moment the US has a lot less cases than Europe. I know going to the is a more expensive holiday but at the moment (and I know things might change) I would much rather be going there than or .
I’ve also checked my holiday Insurance medical coverage as well in case we get ill!!!
Charlie and Jo, your posts are essentially proving Rita’s point.
People are coming to Florida from areas with higher rates of infection (per capita), with little or no concern for their own safety or the safety of those who they may unwittingly infect.
With an incubation period of 14-27 days and asymptomatic transmission, they could be carrying the virus into the happiest place on Earth.
Many have already paid and can’t get their money back, so the monetary cost outweighs the potential risks to themselves and/or others.
There is another choice: Stay home and lose the money that was spent on travel, thus reducing the risk of spreading or contracting the virus.
The fact of the matter is: WE CAN ALL LIVE WITHOUT DISNEY WORLD, BUT NOT ALL OF US WILL SURVIVE THIS VIRUS!!!
Unfortunately, human nature (such as it is) will lead too many to choose that which benefits their own self interests with little regard for others who may be affected. Few will consider the many children with severe health complications who are visiting Disney World at the same time (many traveling with the Make A Wish Foundation and other charities) for whom this virus could be a death sentence.
I hope this serves as a lesson that every person must look out for themselves and their loved ones first during this outbreak because few (if any) will be willing to make even the smallest of sacrifices for the greater good.
No I am talking about going from the UK (as opposed to mainland Europe) where the number of cases are lower than the US (as you would expect with lower population) and not dissimilar rates to Florida so no greater risk than someone coming from another state. I didn’t realise emojis didn’t show up but I was comparing to Italy, France, Spain and Germany. I might actually not go myself due to health issues (plus we have been to Disney a lot) But if people are young and healthy everybody has to make their own decision about going and if this is a once in a lifetime trip that has been saved up for I can understand the reluctance to lose all the money. If they were coming from one of the hot areas like parts of Italy I think it is different but then the countries have to decide who they will let in as well. Also things are changing on a daily basis so we are likely to be in a very different Place at the end of March.
That’s the same thing that can happen anywhere. You can go to a supermarket in the next town and catch it, bring it home to your family unknowingly, bring it to your job, and spread it just as easily. Unless you are going to isolate yourself in your home until this outbreak is over, catching it and spreading it while still in incubation is a risk regardless of where you are.
There is a huge difference to going to the supermarket in your neighborhood to bearing the international crowds at Disney. The risk of infection normally is very high in Disney. Now couple that with people forced to take the trip because of financial investment or time obligations and yes you planned for 2 years to take little johnny when he was old enough you just have a little sniffle it’s probably allergies – there – you have a cesspool of germs. Add a pandemic on top of that.
Sorry the health of my family is worth more to me…we can wait.
WHO are not restricting worldwide travel. Some counties like USA have travel requirements amid the Coronavirus & these can be found on their governments websites. UK Insurance doesn’t pay out if the person has disinclination of travel, so people will still go if they are fit & healthy. Most UK Insurance covers illness & medical, catastrophes & quarantines. So we are coming – we will just be vigilant & adhere to the WHO hygienic guidance.
I am also going in May and have no intention of cancelling. It is not like Disney is the only place in the United States that may be infected. It could be your next door neighbor, grocer, mailman, teacher, etc. I will be responsible, wash my hands extra and be careful but I think that is a little extreme.
Rita, while I do not agree with everything that you posted, you raise an excellent point about being considerate of others and civic responsibility. The long incubation period (14-26 days, depending on reports) and asymptomatic transmission means that many will infect others without even knowing it.
I can’t help but think of all of the children with health complications that we frequently encounter while visiting WDW and I worry about how they will fare with this new virus.
At the end of the day, the USA is a free country and people will do what they will. I only hope that each of them has done enough research to fully comprehend the risk that they are taking and the consequences that their actions will have for their loved ones and their communities.
RJ,
By your logic those children should not be going. No one should be going because every one of us at this point may or may not have been exposed. Really no one should go…ever because we may always be carrying the flu or some other contagion that we aren’t aware of due to incubation periods which could cause someone else to die.
Who appointed you keeper of the “Greater Good?” Maybe it happened when you went up the mountain to get those tablets? People need to make their own decisions based on what is intelligent, rational, logical and right for them and their families. Stop trying to guilt them into more angst than they already have. We have no right to make or validate decisions for others.
TF –
I would agree with your assessment if this were a typical illness, but it is not. This is a new coronavirus, there is no immunity, there is no vaccine, and no officially recognized therapeutic treatments. They are working on therapeutics, but they are still months away and a vaccine may be ready for the public as early as next fall.
The WHO just announced that the fatality rate for COVID-19 is at 3.4% globally. That makes it more deadly than the Spanish Flu (@3% fatality rate), which was responsible for the most pandemic deaths in recorded history.
Before the virus spread outside of China the fatality rate hovered around 1.5-2%
For comparison, the typical flu fatality rate is around 1%, so the new virus is three times more deadly than the typical flu.
According to Dr. Fauci (head of the US task force), 80% of those who catch COVID-19 will have mild to moderate symptoms, while the remaining 20% will require hospitalization of some form.
Harvard epidemiologists estimate that 40-70% of the global population will contract the virus.
If this applies to America, somewhere between 28 to 49 million Americans will have need of a hospital bed at some point during the outbreak.
Currently there are around 950K hospital beds in the USA, approximately 150K of which are occupied at any given time.
We currently do not have enough hospital beds to meet demand (by a wide margin), and it is unknown if our health care system will have the surge capacity to do so.
All of the above information is available via a quick Google search, but few will bother with it because no one wants to let anything get in the way of their good time.
We should all take precautions to avoid unnecessarily spreading this virus, and a trip to a Disney park (while fun) is not necessary.
Jack –
You would be much better served if you spent more time reading up on the virus instead of writing snarky comments to strangers on the internet. 🙂
So far all you’ve provided on this subject is condescending snark without any substantive counterarguments.
If I were at a Disney park right now (or in the near future), I would be questioning whether or not I had made the right decision, especially given the worsening news about the virus.
While I agree that everyone should make their own decisions, it’s important for people to be as well informed as possible ahead of time.
Preventing the spread of a potentially deadly pandemic by limiting unnecessary exposure to others is well within the greater good, and a trip to a Disney park is an unnecessary risk to take at this time. During a global outbreak, the decisions made by individuals can have far reaching consequences for their loved ones, their communities, and the rest of the world.
I’m with Jack and Maria Mannello on this one, leave Grandma and Grandpa at home and go and enjoy yourself.
Rita I agree, people are selfish, and that’s why we will have a pandemic in the end… Nothing you or I can do, they will blame you for panicking, when we know for a fact it’s spreading and not slowing down and is 10 times more dangerous than the flu, people think it will be like the flu… Ok, good luck, it’s already killed 3 times as many people as MERS and SARS…which are even deadlier. So since these selfish arrogant know it all’s won’t stop, it will be a shame when innocent people who are wanting to act responsibly for the sake of everyone… suffer.
RJ, I’m being relatively kind with my comments. I don’t tolerate anyone preaching to me about the greater good and my civic responsibility. My responsibilities are determined by my own ethics, not yours. Nothing you have proposed will be effective, period. You totally ignore the uncontrollable segments of society such as the homeless. But then you’ve yet to make an intelligent comment. I’ll take REASONABLE precautions but I will not be intimidated by a disease I stand little chance of catching and less chance of dying from. Enjoy life under your bed.
Jack, you replied to the wrong post, but that’s alright, I will respond to this one.
If you truly believed what you’ve been preaching here for days, you wouldn’t have squandered your entire vacation talking to fellow park goers about the virus and trolling this coronavirus topic.
For someone who frequently accuses others of cowardice (“hiding under your beds”, etc.), it’s obvious to everyone that you are the one who is afraid. 🙂
In short, you are a hypocrite and your words ring hollow like an empty drum.
As for the rest of you, is this how you want to spend your vacation? Constantly obsessing over an unseen virus, agonizing over whether you’ve made the right decision, and seeking validation from strangers?
That doesn’t sound like my idea of fun.
Don’t be like Jack.
There are actually 15 cases in FL and that’s including 2 deaths.
My husband ad I planned a trip fo our 6year old daughter! I am freaking out! I did NOT get insurance on our tickets we are renting a condominium also I am SO UPSET! I don’t knight to do e leave March 22 nd for 8days. My daughter dose have an auto immune disease! I’m so upset! Confused AND MAD!!!!! Please any advice would be great!!
I have an auto immune disease.
Have traveled to Disney via plane many times and have not gotten sick. I believe the same precautions as suggested should always be taken, (Corona virus or not).
Wipe down the seats, arms rests window, tray,and seat pockets. Elderberry and vitamin supplements, lots of water and rest, and wash hands frequently. I take wipes and sanitizer everywhere. My kids stay in the stroller to avoid touching railings and other high contact surfaces. They are 8 and 2 years old. We go and have a blast but are mindful that germs are always around us. I hope you go, and have a great time. Stay well and get rest. Autoimmune issues flare and peak the most when stress is high and rest is low. Be well. Hakuna Matata! â¤ï¸
You win the internet Beth! I stand with you and support your attitude and moxie. I hope you and your family has a wonderful and safe time at the magic place. Go and feel like a child again. Does wonders for the soul… 😉
Have you contacted your pediatrician? If not, I’d suggest you do so and follow their advice.
Your daughter should be your only priority. Don’t go . Money or daughter? No question.
I’m sure you have a pediatrician and or a doctor for your child. Call them and ask them for their advice
I’m so sorry that you are going through this, as a parent of children a little younger than yours, I feel your pain! We go to WDW about 4 times per year, and even though we love it, at least one of our children gets sick about 90% of the time (even though neither is immunocompromised).
Our last trip was in January, and although we had read reports of higher than usual flu activity, we decided to go anyway. Unfortunately, my son came down with the flu and became so sick that he ended up in the Orlando ER unresponsive and with an extremely high fever. Take it from me, when you have to carry a limp toddler into an ER far from home in the middle of the night, no amount of Disney rides, merch, and memories are worth it! At that point, you would give any amount of money for your child to be well again, and you are filled with regret.
My son is better now, with no apparent lasting damage from battling the flu, but without the excellent care that he received it could have been a life threatening situation. The cost of his emergency medical treatment far exceeded that of our week long WDW trip.
The Disney parks are simply too overpopulated and insufficiently staffed to maintain sanitary conditions on all of the rides and common surfaces on a good day, much less if you throw a new virus into the mix. In addition, people visit WDW from all over the world, and this exposes your child to new illnesses they’ve never encountered before.
I’m a scientist (outside of the health field) and I’ve been reading many of the medical journal articles on the subject of COVID-19. Based on the early research, there is reason to believe that this new virus may be worse (possibly much worse) than the flu.
While much is still unknown, the early research indicates:
1) COVID-19 may end up being 10-20 times more fatal than the flu virus
2) It can survive on untreated surfaces for up to 9 days
3) It has an incubation period of 14 days, during which it can be spread without symptoms (although some incubation outliers have been as high as 26 days).
4) There is currently no vaccine and no officially recognized therapeutic regimen to ease symptoms
5) The USA is behind on testing for the virus, so we do not yet have a full picture yet of where the virus is spreading
All that said, most young children are simply incapable of practicing the hygienic precautions that many adults take for granted and they lack the ability to comprehend abstract concepts like virus transmission. Many adults without small children either don’t know or have since forgotten how little impulse control small children actually have (touching/playing with everything in sight, touching their faces, etc.).
We have an obligation as parents to do everything we can to protect our children from these hidden dangers, even if it comes at great expense, inconvenience, or disappointment.
Given the level of uncertainty now about this new virus, combined with our previous health scare at WDW, under no circumstances would we take the risk of bringing our (non-immunocompromised) children to WDW within the next month. Too much about this new virus is unknown at this point to take the risk. We have a trip booked for May that we have not yet cancelled, but we’re watching the situation unfold before making our decision.
Good luck to you and your little one, I’m so sorry that you have to go through this disappointment, but there will be much better days for you to visit WDW! Also, perhaps some good will come of this outbreak if the Disney parks improve their sanitation practices, which would benefit the health of all children who just want to explore everything that the parks have to offer and experience the Disney magic!
Does Disney have a precedent for a long period of time (say more than a month) for annual placeholders? My question is do they extend the annual pass renewal date by whatever the outage period Is? Are placeholders just out of luck ?
There is not outage yet, nothing is closed.
Sorry I was not more clear, I realize they are not closed at this time. My question was really meant to say “What if they had to close…” Does Disney extend the length of the annual passes by the same amount of the outage period?
Darin – Based on past experience, we’ve had a few Disney vacations which were cut short due to unplanned events (illness, injury, hurricanes, etc.) and each and every time the amazing staff at Disney has done a phenomenal job of taking care of us. This is the reason that we continue to make Disney parks our vacation destination year after year! 🙂
In our case, the excellent staff offered park tickets which could be used for a later visit free of charge. These tickets were good for 1-3 years, depending on the reason they were issued.
Our APs were not extended, but we did receive the day-for-day equivalent in tickets, sometimes with additional perks (gift cards, extra fast passes, etc.). I would imagine that they would offer a similar option in the event of park closures due to the coronavirus outbreak for guests who are not interested in a refund.
My husband and I will be arriving in WDW tomorrow (March 3) for a brief stay. We decided to go now, before coronavirus gets rolling and the parks close. Our ages (we’re both 66), put us in the high-risk category for the virus, but we’re in good health and and love visiting Disney World. We’ll be washing our hands obsessively and practicing other elements of good hygiene, and I’m confident we’ll return home healthy.
You will be more than likely just fine. Hubby and I just came back from the prior long weekend/week of their marathon races…those are packed with people(17K) just for the events and all the stuff…let alone the park populations. We are 62/60 and no health issues…but I took the spray Lysol, wipes, hand sanitizer for the hotel room and while in the parks I had it on my cell phone crossbody…and honestly, I used sanitizer after bathroom washings, before eating/drinking anything…and probably (LOL) about every half an hour in a park. Keep your hands clean, don’t touch your face/eyes/mouth, etc. and you will be fine. (Wipe then spray the tv remotes, light switches on walls and lamps, phone..even if you don’t use room phone…and anything in the bathroom…daily. Even if they come in and clean…do it daily.)
You’ll be fine. Biggest shock will be how badly EPCOT Future World is torn up and how much simultaneous construction is going on elsewhere. Now I know why Iger got pushed out!
LOL when we hit last week, since I personally am not a “front side” Epcot fan…didn’t even do that. I stick on the “countries” side. And yes, hubby and I do the better restaurants for the pleasure of a good meal…not a counter or snack. The Story Book at Wilderness’ Artists Point has been a lovely change…always liked Artists Point but the addition of the Queen, Snow White and Dopey & Grumpy, was fun. Food is always fab there.
I am honestly nervous. We fly out on Saturday the 6th. We have had this trip planned for about a year and I didn’t get insurance so I am preparing myself and bringing disinfecting wipes, masks and hand sanitizer hoping we can take precautions and still enjoy our trip but if I had insurance I would 100% cancel ASAP. I am praying we can have a good time and come back home without any issues. I just hope everyone else is taking precautions and not further endangering others as well.
Mask won’t help. Those paper masks are not good unless YOU are sick from a normal virus it might help keep it from others around you. The proper masks have the filters on them. Wipe down the armrests, drop down tables and even the seat back in front of you. I’ve read where that will help…but since that airplane is “canned air recirculating”…I’d spray(but I bet you can’t spray or have a full sized can) the air vent above you. For your mind rest…wear the mask on the plane if you want…but the parks won’t help with the mask. Most people even with this alert last week…were not good at washing their hands when in any of the parks’ restrooms……………watched more leave without instead of bothering. More Purell stands are up everywhere even in the shopping area of Disney Springs…randomly placed.
Have actually booked yet, but planning on going back to Florida in Sept. Hopefully, this will blow over by then, but I might still go unless restrictions are in place. I don’t have kids and am healthy. My cousin, however, was going to go to Disneyland for Spring Break with her 8 year old son. I think she is currently rethinking that, rightfully so, at the moment.
We going to disney Orlando 4th may for 2 weeks and I’m dredding that my parents will have to end up cancelling our hoilday, I’d be completely gutted. But I am worried to for my son and parents. I’m just hoping we can still go . 🙁
I’m concerned yes I am I have a 8 year old with duchenne muscular dystrophy any sickness like this or the flu can kill him so we are monitoring it our trip is not until September hoping this is over by then if not I will cancel because his health is way more importanted than Disney World it will be there my son may not be so ppl bashing others for being concerned well people like me has to be bc of my child with weak immune system!!!
People really should take the insurance any time with Disney World travel, if you have kids, or a family size group. I always took it simply because of hubby’s business travel could be an issue suddenly……………or weather issues(it is hurricane zone). We now live close enough and actually live more coastal than Orlando/Kissimmee, so we’ve actually bolted for Disney World when our area gets the hurricane evacuations. But honestly, it’s a small price to pay and peace of mind…when doing an expensive trip like this. And we tend to go the higher end resort hotels/meal plans/club level stays. If I had any person in my family that was 70+, or with health issues…Disney would not be where I’d go with worries. It’s hard enough with normal seasons and no health watches. Hubby and I did just come back and I would have cancelled if we had any worries. I just wish people would respect personal space and be just practiced hand washers…………problem is……….even outside Disney…people are bad about that and there is no escaping touching doors/handles/counter tops, etc. ANYWHERE. Heck the darn coffee baristas don’t wash enough or wear gloves and they snap your cup lid on with their whole palms. 😉 It may be less or it could be more by fall. If it takes research and production…….18 months is common in pharm industry.
Good for you! I agree completely, no amount of money is worth your child’s life, and shame on those who put down others for being concerned!
We go to WDW frequently throughout the year and I agree with Kelley regarding the personal hygiene shortcomings that we’ve observed (mostly among other park guests).
Perhaps this will improve after this crisis? Hopefully this will force everyone to begin taking personal hygiene more seriously.
Also, the customer service and staff at Disney Parks are amazing, so I’m sure that they will be doing a much better job of cleaning and sanitizing everything from now on. Undoubtedly, there will be better times to visit the parks in the future, and when you do, I hope that you and your child have a fantastic time!
We are not visiting WDW this spring break but going on Disney Cruise. We just got an email from Disney Cruise Line on who they will be allowing on the ship, on the island and guidelines etc. I am so happy they are on top of this and keeping us informed. We are also happy that we got travel insurance for our trip from the time we booked our trip 14 months ago.
Hey, I would be interested to know the Coronavirus related guidelines for boarding the cruise. We will be coming from the UK in April and I wondered if they have country exclusions presently as, of course, this thing can get worse by them
EM, this is part of the email we received. I will be happily to follow those guidelines to reduce exposure! Looking forward to our cruise.
“Thank you for choosing Disney Cruise Line. We are excited to welcome you aboard and look forward to hosting you for a spectacular vacation at sea.
As you prepare for your cruise, you probably have questions and concerns about Coronavirus Disease 2019, and you should know that we are taking precautionary steps to protect our guests and crew members. Your health and safety, as well as that of our crew, is our primary focus. We are also committed to keeping you informed and updated, and are happy to address any questions you have in advance of your cruise and once you’re onboard.
Across our fleet, Disney Cruise Line is closely monitoring global developments and following the advice of public health authorities and medical experts. We are also closely tracking guidance from our ports of call regarding who they will allow into their ports based on travel history. Therefore, the following guidelines are in effect and may continue to evolve as more information becomes available:
Any guest or crew member who has traveled from, to or through China, including Hong Kong and Macau, South Korea, Italy, Iran or Japan, within 14 days of their sailing’s departure will not be able to board our ships.
Any guest who has been in contact with someone from these areas, including guests with connecting flights in these locations, also will not be able to board, nor will anyone who has helped care for someone suspected or diagnosed with coronavirus, or who is currently subject to health monitoring for possible exposure. Guests who have air travel booked through Disney Cruise Line will automatically have their flights rebooked on an alternate route. Guests who booked their own air travel arrangements should contact their airlines directly to make the appropriate changes.
As is always our practice, we screen all guests before they board and anyone who feels unwell with gastrointestinal or flu-like symptoms (fever over 100.4º F, chills, cough or difficulty breathing) will not be permitted to sail.
If your cruise includes a stop in Nassau or Castaway Cay, please note that The Bahamas will not allow anyone to disembark in any Bahamian port if they have been to China in the past 20 days prior to arrival. These guests may be able to sail but will be unable to visit The Bahamas.
If your cruise includes a stop in Jamaica, please note that in addition to the locations noted above, officials there also will not allow guests who have visited Singapore within 14 days of arrival to come ashore. These guests may be able to sail but will be unable to visit Jamaica.
If any of these situations apply to you, please contact us at 1-866-325-2112 or 407-566-3510 so that we can discuss your options.“
Safe travels!