Disney World Ending Temperature Checks & Universal Also Dropping Distancing
In what appears to be a coordinated move, Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort announced within hours of one another the dropping of one health safety measure, while Universal took that a step further with the relaxation of another. In this post, we’ll offer a rundown of the changes, when they’ll occur, and what else might be the on the horizon–and when.
It’s been a whirlwind week on the health safety front. It started with Orange County’s announcement that physical distancing would be relaxed immediately to 3 feet as part of a phased plan with vaccination and positivity metrics that would allow the gradual lifting of all mandates.
Then came the recommendation from the Florida Department of Health that businesses within the county no longer need to perform temperature checks on guests prior to entry. The Orange County Department of Health Director Dr. Raul Pino said too many places are wasting resources on something that “makes no difference.” Based on these county-level recommendations, our expectation was policy changes from Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World in the coming weeks…
The biggest change, effective immediately, comes from Universal Orlando Resort, which issued the following “New Safety Guidelines: Getting Closer to Normal” on its Operations & Safety Updates:
“We’re excited to enhance your Universal experience with the latest safety updates from local health and government officials. There are no more temperature checks upon entry. And Social Distancing between travel parties is now reduced to three feet (1 meter). Still, most of our original safety protocols remain unchanged–from wearing face coverings across our Resort to our ongoing dedication to cleanliness and sanitization.”
For its part, Walt Disney World announced on its “Reopening & Update Experiences” the dropping of one health safety measure: “Since reopening, we have considered guidance from public health authorities, government agencies, and our own team of health and safety experts as we assess and update health and safety measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.”
“As this guidance continues to evolve, and with the support of local health and government officials, we are making some additional adjustments. Following the advice of the CDC and our local health officials, we will phase out onsite temperature screenings at Walt Disney World Resort for Cast Members beginning May 8 and Guests on May 16.”
Walt Disney World indicates it will “continue to follow the guidance of health and safety leaders going forward and most importantly encourage people to get vaccinated.” This is the second time in only a few days that Walt Disney World has publicly encouraged guests to get vaccinated, which is great to see.
As we pointed out previously, vaccine hesitancy comes in many forms and to varying degrees. Some people are unlikely to be persuaded; many others are simply on the fence, waiting to hear from voices they trust, like friends, family, or even their favorite theme parks. I got the shot because my personal hero, Jason Alexander, did. (Never mind the fact that he was vaccinated after me; that’s neither here nor there.)
In terms of commentary, both of these are solid moves in my view. Temperature checks are one of many things Walt Disney World has been doing in the name of “safety” that we’ve been deriding as “hygiene theater.” They’ve always been a waste of money that was not effective at much of anything except giving guests comfort. Even last year, the consensus was that they offered minor mitigative benefits at best, and an emboldening illusion of safety at worst.
Physical distancing is a bit of a different story. Nevertheless, we need an off-ramp for returning to normal as vaccination rates increase, cases/positivity/hospitalizations/deaths drop, and risk is objectively lower.
Even if you’re exclusively a Walt Disney World fan, Universal Orlando’s changes are noteworthy. As with traditional security, the health protocol plans developed by all Central Florida theme parks have been collaborative in nature. While some diehard fans of both Disney and Universal project their own aspersions and view the companies in an oddly adversarial light, that doesn’t reflect reality.
While competitors, it’s also true that Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando both exist in the same community and engage with one another and the same local leaders. In the past, we’ve seen identical changes and policies rolled out simultaneously at the two resort complexes, including 5 years ago when both (plus SeaWorld) installed enhanced security infrastructure overnight.
There have been some diverging approaches between Universal and Disney on the health safety front, but 95% of their rules and protocol have ended up being identical. This is not coincidence.
The main difference in the last year has been that Universal Orlando has been more nimble and faster moving than Walt Disney World in making changes. They’ve essentially offered a couple of weeks’ sneak peek at policies Disney would later implement. We’d expect the same here with 3′ physical distancing.
On that note, the Walt Disney Company has its fiscal second quarter 2021 financial results webcast on May 13, 2021. A portion of this is usually devoted to forward-looking expectations, with positive changes emphasized to create optimism among investors. That earnings call would present the perfect opportunity for Disney to announce plans to relax physical distancing and increase attendance.
As we’ve pointed out ad nauseam, physical distancing is Disney’s biggest impediment to profitability. Don’t be surprised if CFO Christine McCarthy points to several “tailwinds” for Walt Disney World during the summer travel season, including safely increasing attendance thanks to higher capacity caps.
Of course, what’s good for the theme park operators is not always what’s good for the guests. It’s a given that Universal Orlando will raise its attendance limits as a result of this move. What’s not clear is how this will impact physical distancing on attractions, and whether the two increases will be proportionate to one another.
Our guess is that they will not. While most rides are not operating at or close to 100% efficiency, distancing on many attractions already has been reduced significantly since last summer. It’s unlikely ride efficiency can be increased right now to a sufficient degree to offset the attendance uptick.
Our expectation is that the length of lines will decrease, posted wait times will remain more or less unchanged, and actual wait times (which are often ~75% of posted wait times) will elevate slightly. It’s also entirely possible that many weekdays demand will be more of a limiting factor on attendance going forward than the park capacity caps.
One way reduced physical distancing would be mutually beneficial to park operators and guests is at restaurants. Decreasing table spacing and seating more people could relieve some of the burden on dining reservations, so long as those restaurants are sufficiently staffed to fill more tables (which may not be the case). Thus, whether this change is a net positive or negative for guests will depend in large part upon when you visit, what you do, etc.
Ultimately, regardless of whether or when Walt Disney World officially reduces physical distancing to three feet, that has become the de facto standard for most guests. One of the things we’ve stressed repeatedly is the importance of a pragmatic approach to health safety protocol, and the need for both health officials and businesses to comport with public expectations. Again, being fully vaccinated is effectively the end of this for most people, and they’ll behave accordingly without regard to what some marker on the ground says.
At some point, some of these measures and rules amount to Walt Disney World trying to swim upstream. In our view, that point has been reached with trying to enforce 6′ physical distancing. Making 3′ the official rule now would be advantageous for both Walt Disney World and guests, and should facilitate the return of more substantive offerings and be a big stride towards normalcy. It would also likely mean higher wait times in the short term, but that’s totally worth it for us as this is the roadblock for many other positive changes and the return of things we’re anxiously awaiting.
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
Any predictions on if or when Walt Disney World will reduce physical distancing? Would you view that move as a net positive or negative in returning to normal? Thoughts on both Universal and Disney dropping temperature checks? Do you think they were doing any good, or are viewed as a hassle at this point? Please keep the comments civil. This is not the place for arguing about efficacy, politics, and so forth—all such comments will be deleted, irrespective of perspective. You are not going to change anyone’s mind via the comments section on this blog, nor are you going to change Disney’s rules or public policy. If you wish to contest this, rather than yelling into the internet abyss, have your voice heard in a meaningful way by contacting Disney or your local elected officials.
@IthacaNYGuy, hoping the Blame Whitey movement plays out soon, or problems will continue to worsen across the nation and globally. How about we just all treat other people with respect, instead of screaming for attention and special treatment?
Single Rider Line, YEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
Disney has lost me as a customer forever with this move:
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/rebeccadowns/2021/05/08/disney-is-the-latest-corporation-called-out-by-whistleblower-employees-over-diversity-and-inclusion-program-n2589165
Until they remove this nonsense they will never see another dime of mine.
Best part is that SINGLE RIDER IS BACK!!! This is a MASSIVE return to normal and is the single biggest factor that makes me want to go back! Velocicoaster even opened its new single rider line today! We are almost on the other side of this!
I was very surprised–and pleased–to see Single Rider return. Makes my life a lot easier waiting for the many Universal rides Sarah can’t do!
My thoughts if I can’t cross a street safely I will wait untill I can so if you don’t feel safe to be in the parks without masks then stay home untill you can feel safe in doing so.
Hi Tom
Love reading all your blogs, I’m glad to see you and Sara are feeling more comfortable since being vaccinated, we all have choices in life without having too shout at those that have different opinions.
I can’t wait till Disney gets back to normal just hope those that don’t want higher capacity in parks or restaurants stay away or keep the moaning among them self .
At the parks for a few days May 4-7. The crowds are thick and heavy. There are attempts at following the suggested spacing in most cases. My greater concern was overfilled trash cans and so many piles of what is termed “polite” litter. Used cups and bottles are tucked in nooks and crannies near attractions and seating. I was also disappointed to find masks trash all over, most disappointedly; floating or submerged in fountains. I have always enjoyed high standards of cleanliness at Disney parks. Sadly, cleanliness in places like the bathrooms, are really slipping. I see paint splatters, dirty tiles, sloppy repairs, stickers, dirty windows and scraps of trash when boarding ride vehicles at the parks. Temperature checks don’t really matter, but losing the magic of Disney due to sloppy upkeep does matter. Hopefully, the return of more staff with alleviate the trash dilemma.
Just another comment has anyone else noticed that cheap lightbulbs have replaced those that once flickered? Again, it’s a little thing, but the result is a loss in magic.
For those unhappy that Tom is feeling less “at risk”, with respect, we can’t continue doing these pandemic protocols forever. Many of us have had it and recovered or been vaccinated or both, and at some point, life must go on. There will always be people who can’t be vaccinated for one reason or another, or who simply are scared of getting sick, but there will always be diseases, and there have always been tons of people out there who are immunocompromised and are more susceptible to any number of illnesses. If you feel you or a loved one are at risk of getting sick from any virus, then you have to decide how “worth it” a trip to somewhere like WDW is for you. Nothing is guaranteed and tons of people get sick at amusement parks every day. If you are truly that worried about catching covid, or are worried about any member of your party catching it, then I find it hard to believe you’d risk it by going to a busy, packed amusement park right now whether they require masks or not, or have people 6 ft apart or 3 ft apart. We could all use a break from the craziness of the last year plus, but if you fear for your safety or the safety of someone in your party, a trip to WDW doesn’t sound very relaxing. I truly mean no disrespect and I absolutely respect anyone who is afraid and wants less risk, but personally I’m hoping like heck masks, distancing, and every other covid protocol is gone and we get fast passes, dining plans, and fireworks back by winter!! I’ve got my fingers crossed!!!
Glad the restrictions are easing up….. patiently awaiting the announcement of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas dates!!
Should be soon I hope??
Ding is a total lunatic who decried opening schools yet loves his doom and gloom enough that they moved to Austria so his kids could be educated in person. He was really auditioning hard with his hysteria for the Biden task force! I really hate that guy. He is a psycho grifter who should be banned from social media, sowing fear and hysteria with every emoji-laden tweet. He should be held responsible for them but he will not be.
We should have always looked at this through a lens of society behaving as normally as possible as were the pandemic plans before March 2020 assuming an insanely high death rate comparable to the Black Plague (Covid’s IFR is, on average, 0.15%; for my age group it is 0.015%, for my child’s it is 0.002%!). It is all about individual risk. Vaccines work. We should be so glad for them, get vaccinated if you’re at risk for a more serious illness or if you feel you should be vaccinated, and MOVE ON with life! So many people buy into the myth peddled everywhere that they do not work, they do not prevent transmission, etcetera – which is TOTAL nonsense. The messaging has been abhorrent from day 1 from the WHO, CDC, so on.
According to temp checks I had a 91 degree temperature so I should be dead. 🙂 All hygiene theatre just like plexiglass, sanitizing (which I’m worried about: remember superbugs?!), and masks.
I appreciate you taking the time to share these links. Thank you.
Hi Becky S,
Good to hear from you. You will have a great time at WDW.
We went 3 times between August 2020 and Jan 2021 for a total of around 40 – 42 days. During this whole pandemic Disney is the safest place I’ve been to and I traveled to every supermarket, mall store and Church.
If I may make one suggestion no matter what Disney chooses to do you have to live in your own skin. If masks are lifted outdoors that doesn’t mean you can’t wear yours. In fact a tip I tell everyone is don’t be afraid to speak up. You’ll have no problem controlling the distance between you and the people in front of you BUT you are going to have to actively control the distance between you and the people behind you. We found that usually you only had to ask politely once and they stayed back. They may make a face but that’s their problem. If you have to ask a second time feel free to use my line (which was the truth ) that you have emphysema/COPD and you have to be extra cautious. Say it nicely, let them feel like they are doing you a favor and thank them. Just keep them 3 feet behind you. This is the one thing you will have to handle. Also, there were signs up about one family to an elevator and one late night a couple tried to get in with us and we had to stop them. Take the stairs if you need to or ask for a ground floor.
PS Skyliner is great and you can get it from POP also. Last trip we stayed in the Little Mermaid rooms at AOA. Loved the theming but it really was no better than our stays at POP. You can save money there and still get the Skyliner.
One of my trips was beginning of Dec with the grandchildren and their cousins. A couple of them were 9. Your daughter will be fine. Just tell her not to touch stuff needlessly and use the hand stuff after every ride. Bring your own to be sure you don’t run into a hand sanitizer that’s between fill ups.
We never minded the masks but we didn’t have the luxury of dropping them for photos. That’s a nice bonus now available. Take advantage of that.
The thing is (if I may quote Mr. Monk) Disney has not been swift, groundbreaking or reckless as they move forward making changes. Universal has been outpacing them every step of the way. When Disney makes a change towards normalcy it is a cause for celebration because they are not leading the way but following, Slowly.
You’re right about Tom’s attitude but I’ve noticed it has evolved over time with the improving scientific facts and medical advancement not just his vaccination. We went from nothing to tests to vaccines and treatments. The CDC has changed rules and Tom has changed with them. In NY in l3 days vaccinated people will be able to sit next to strangers in the ballparks. No social distancing! They do have to wear masks. There will be a special section for the unvaccinated. (Not going into the politics of that.)
Sidebar: all three times we went we drove and slept in our car. Only got out to gas up and used gloves to do that. Stayed in the Disney bubble where we felt safe. If we go in August we will stay one night in a good hotel. Things are improving every hour.
Don’t be afraid to enjoy your trip.
Another PS: there were a few indoor restaurants like Beaches and Cream where we asked if we could sit outside and they accommodated us.
I just keep praying I don’t get caught up in that “short term” situation. I feel like summer guests will be the sacrificial lambs with no shows, parades, fireworks, fast passes or ADRs but with long lines and increased capacity. Everything just keeps changing so quickly that it makes it difficult to manage expectations for a trip that you have been planning for so long. Disney is Disney though, we will take the good with the bad because we love, miss, and support it.
@Melody I was replying to ‘Mel’ not you! And it was a bit tongue-in-cheek about the personal space issue. You know how it is, no such thing when folks from around the world are pushing and cajoling for a view or to get to the load area.
@MrNico – I’m not sure what your comment had to do with mine, which discussed personal risk tolerance levels. In fact, we seem to be in agreement that there should be greater caution, so perhaps you misunderstood my comment entirely.
Yes, I have been to WDW (and also Disneyland) many times. I live on the East Coast and was an annual passholder until last year when I cancelled it, and am also a DVC member. The fact that I read international news to keep up with a global virus doesn’t make me any less knowledgeable about Disney World. Please don’t make assumptions about people or their experiences.
@Mel, have you ever BEEN to WDW? 3 feet of personal space is quite the luxury during non-panic times. This concept of personal space is apparently a North American thing only. That’s been nicer on the recent trips, not having random people trying to push past you and kids squeezing in front of you. But we really need fireworks back, now!
@Becky S, I just wanted to say that you’re not alone. I have been reading Tom’s posts for years and have felt the same regarding his recent posts. I would hate to be pegged as one of those “doom and gloom” folks, but I am aware that there are still a lot of unknown risks out there. I am waiting for my second dose, but even once I am fully vaccinated, I plan on taking some precautions against future variants of Covid-19.
Just yesterday, the Singapore government reported nine positive cases of the Indian variant (B.1.617) in fully vaccinated folks, of which seven of them were healthcare professionals. Of those vaccinated, all had asymptomatic or mild infections, and none required oxygen support, but mild Covid can still be very difficult and may still cause “long Covid” symptoms. The vaccine seems to have been effective at preventing death, but it is also too soon to tell. Singapore has been very strict about travellers entering into the country (in light of the recent news, they upped their mandatory quarantine from 14 days to 21 days) and the country has extremely good contact tracing and healthcare.
I have made the person decision to not let my guard down so soon. I appreciate that others have a different risk tolerance level than my own, and that I can only make my decision based on my own health needs and risk tolerance. After vaccination, for instance, I plan on finally seeing my friends, but still likely only outdoors.
Totally understand your perspective. Looking back, I’ve been praising incremental steps towards ‘normalcy’ since last fall when the seasonal character cavalcades debuted and more character dining returned. Even then, my stated view was that lapses in physical distancing were “no big deal” and praised Disney for loading people closer in ride vehicles because the experiences were fleeting and moving. With that said, it’s entirely possible that my current view is colored by my own, personal change in circumstances.
With that said, I also absolutely respect those who are taking things slower, have a lower risk tolerance, or just aren’t yet comfortable with X or Y for whatever reason. It has been an incredibly difficult and downright traumatic year. Many people are going to have a hard time easing back into “normal” situations, and they should be given that grace. In general, we’re going from a time of unprecedented collective action and societal efforts to one of individual mitigation and risk tolerance. It isn’t going to be easy.
Woops, can’t figure out how to correct my post… I meant it stressed me out to read about the possibility restaurants and attractions INCREASING capacity, not reducing capacity.
@Mickey – Thank you. I read Disney Tourist Blog semi-religiously, and I appreciated all of Tom’s posts about safest restaurants and restaurants with outdoor patios. I appreciated his input on COVID protocols in queues (and what to do if RoR went down while in line!). He was a stickler for safety, and his approval of the strong COVID protocols at WDW are what gave me the nudge to book my upcoming trip. I tried to plan as safe a trip as possible. For example, we’re paying the extra money to stay at AoA so we can take the Skyliner to most of our parks.
Since being vaccinated, Tom’s attitude has changed. I totally understand that he and Sarah are now willing to dine indoors and take a few more risks. He had his ideal Disney day planned post-vaccine, and that makes sense because they are almost certainly immune to the virus now. I totally get being excited to do more activities now that they’re vaccinated, but I felt like he forgot that not everyone can be vaccinated. Many people are still in the position he was in a month ago when he was talking about why masks are so important and a minor request/inconvenience for guests during a pandemic. His attitude of the pandemic has changed post vaccination, and now he seems to celebrate every time Disney takes steps toward normalcy. I just wanted to remind him that not everyone is in his position where their travel group can all be vaccinated. We’re still in the position he was in earlier this spring when he reported on safety protocols and shared safety tips with his followers.
I feel stressed out. My trip is now less than a month away, so it’s totally paid for. I’m going with my daughter who is 9 and won’t be eligible for vaccination. I felt we could do a safe trip when I booked, and I felt this way because of reading blogs like this one. Instead of feeling excited, I’m starting to feel dread as people talk about how social distancing should go away in lines soon, and that people aren’t wearing their masks properly. Tom was just writing about dining areas possibly reducing capacity soon. Personally, I just feel like this isn’t what I signed up for. This isn’t what I paid for. Currently, masks and social distancing are still required, so I’d like to keep my trip. Yet, I’m scared that Disney will change it days before we leave. In my opinion, that isn’t fair to the people who planned trips expecting the COVID protocols to be in place.
And, to your point, I know social distancing has been reduced in schools. I also know outbreaks at schools are increasing now, and cases among children are skyrocketing. This week alone, I’ve had two students from two different classes I teach test positive for COVID-19. Nationwide, children currently account for 22% of all positive cases. Studies say this is NOT just because older adults are getting vaccinated but because the new variants are more transmissible and people/businesses/schools are becoming more lax with COVID protocols.
https://twitter.com/drericding/status/1390112727822176256?s=21 I honestly am uneasy with the idea of masks going away knowing that the vaccines don’t provide enough protection against one of the more troublesome variants. Being in a theme park that attracts the amount of international guests that WDW does it seems likely that a person would encounter it at some point while there.
This dude is an alarmist grifter who routinely presents inaccurate information. To be fair, he got a lot right early on, but as the pandemic trajectory has shifted towards optimism, he’s stayed the course trying to sell people doom and gloom. Here’s a good read on him: https://undark.org/2020/11/25/complicated-rise-of-eric-feigl-ding/
Not that anyone cares, but here are some balanced voices I’ve found incredibly insightful:
https://twitter.com/j_g_allen
https://twitter.com/JuliaLMarcus
https://twitter.com/jljcolorado
https://twitter.com/zeynep
https://twitter.com/MonicaGandhi9
https://twitter.com/DFisman
https://twitter.com/linseymarr
@Andy I had the same thought, why delay the temperature checks especially stopping cast members first then waiting a week for guests. Seems random. The only thought I had is that they need to give those who are doing the temp checks a heads up kinda like a 2 week notice?