Disney World Announces Official Reopening Dates
It’s a big day for Walt Disney World, which just announced reopening plans and official opening dates for Magic Kingdom & Animal Kingdom, followed by Epcot & Hollywood Studios. This came in a comprehensive presentation to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force. In this post, we’ll share the details, including temporary health safety protocol, rules, plans for soft opening opening, guest reservations, and more.
Regular readers of our Walt Disney World Closure & Reopening Updates know we’ve been following these weekly OC task force meetings since they began. It’s been an interesting albeit tedious process. These virtual meetings typically run over an hour, with early ones containing a bunch of nonsense and only a few worthwhile nuggets of info. However, even those provided insight into Walt Disney World’s plans days or weeks prior to the same announcements via Disney’s official channels.
The last couple of weeks, Orange County TV has become must-watch television (well, YouTube–watch for yourself here). It has gone from only a few dozen streaming viewers for each meeting to a few hundred last week to thousands this week. For good reason, as the stakes have gotten higher and the substance of the meetings more compelling…
Last week, the bulk of the meeting was devoted to Universal Orlando Resort’s comprehensive reopening presentation. Executives from Universal highlighted their preventative measures plan and laid out a “guest journey” that would stress the importance of communication, engaging guests and building confidence to encourage visitation.
More significantly, Universal dropped the bombshell announcement that Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay would open for employee previews on June 1 and 2, followed by an Annual Passholder soft opening on June 3 and 4, and then to the general public on June 5, 2020. This accelerated timeline surprised a lot of people, us included.
Although initially rumored to be presenting their own reopening plans at that meeting, both Walt Disney World and SeaWorld waited until this week’s meeting to do the same.
Rumors have since swirled that Disney leadership was caught off-guard by Universal’s announcement. Supposedly, this process has been less collaborative in nature than previous security and health safety plans, which were designed in tandem by the three major players in the Orlando theme park market.
We cannot speak to the veracity of those rumors, but it’s worth noting that Universal Orlando isn’t alone in moving fast. The same day of Universal’s big reveal, Legoland Florida announced it would reopen first on June 1, 2020. Last Friday, FunSpot Orlando announced it had already opened (you read that correctly), and Gatorland followed suit the next day.
Roughly one-dozen area water parks and smaller scale amusement parks or attractions have likewise received approval to open–before the end of this month or first few days of June.
SeaWorld Orlando presented its plans first during this week’s Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force. During this, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment announced a general public reopening date of June 11, 2020 for SeaWorld Orlando, Aquatica, and Discovery Cove. (With an operational employee appreciation day prior to that.)
SeaWorld also shared specific “enhancements” to park operations, including mandatory masks for guests & employees, physical distancing, temperature screenings, and more. (All pictured above–pretty much identical to what Universal announced last week.) Notably, SeaWorld will not have an advanced reservation system for entering the park–also the same as Universal Orlando.
As for Walt Disney World, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings appeared on CNBC late last week and confirmed that Walt Disney World would submit their proposal and plans this week, which would be scheduled for presentation at today’s task force meeting.
Disney further corroborated this yesterday, with a tweet confirming they would present phased reopening plans today. With SeaWorld’s presentation finished, all eyes turned to Walt Disney World…
Even though we know what health security & safety measures will look like thanks to the opening of Disney Springs (and due to announcements by WDW unions), a number of questions remained to be answered today.
Would Disney present plans for a TBD opening, or reveal a target date as well? Would all parks reopen simultaneously, or just Magic Kingdom at first? What limitations would be placed on park capacity? Would advance registration be required for entry? How would this work for Annual Passholders? What about the two dozen-plus resort hotels? Would Walt Disney World reopen to Florida residents first, or everyone?
Well, we now have answers to these questions. At least, some of them…
Presenting for Disney during the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force was Walt Disney World’s Jim MacPhee, Senior Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer. He shared Walt Disney World’s reopening plans, beginning with opening dates.
The big news here is that Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will officially reopen to the general public on July 11, 2020. Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot will officially open on July 15, 2020. Prior to these dates, Walt Disney World will host a series of Cast Member previews and soft opening days for select audiences to ramp up operations. The details of these preview days will be announced at a later time.
For the official opening dates, Walt Disney World will employ a new theme park reservation system for visiting, the details of which will also be shared at a future date.
Additionally, Walt Disney World will utilize the above health and safety protocols, including mandatory masks, temperature screenings, physical distancing, enhanced cleaning & sanitation, and the reduction of contact between Cast Members and guests (including encouraging Mobile Ordering, contactless payments, etc.)
We’re not going to linger on any of these details, as this is all pretty much identical to what’s already happening at Disney Springs and what was revealed weeks ago by the Walt Disney World unions.
If you haven’t read our previous posts about the reopening of Disney Springs, here are photos and videos of what it looks like, and here’s what you can expect in terms of temporary health screening & safety requirements.
More significantly, Walt Disney World confirmed that it will temporarily suspend parades, fireworks, and other high-density entertainment during the first phase of its reopening.
Likewise, character meet & greets, playgrounds, water play areas, and other areas where physical distancing is impossible or impractical will be temporarily suspended during phase one.
All of this will be reinforced and effectively conveyed to guests well before they arrive at Walt Disney World via new education, communication, and engagement strategies.
Presumably, this will begin when guests book vacations or, if already booked, via push alerts and email notifications sent to guests. It will continue via the My Disney Experience app, in-park signage, and new Cast Member teams that will communicate with guests.
Walt Disney World concluded its presentation by reiterating some behind the scenes plans taking place to train Cast Members, educate the public, and prepare the parks for their soft opening dates and official reopening dates in July 2020. The approach was described as methodical and deliberate.
This still leaves questions unanswered for anyone contemplating a summer vacation to Walt Disney World. Most notably, they did not address its resort hotels in the presentation, nor did it offer even a vague timeframe as to when the soft openings will begin.
As we’ve said before, Walt Disney World’s two-dozen resorts will likely open in phases. Deluxe Resorts with Disney Vacation Club properties will likely be first, then non-DVC resorts connected to the parks by non-bus transportation (Caribbean Beach, Art of Animation, Pop Century, and Yacht Club), followed by everything else.
The process of hotels reopening could take a few months. There might even be some resorts that don’t reopen this year at all if there’s a lack of demand (think Coronado Springs, the All Stars, Port Orleans Resorts), in which case guests with bookings at those properties would be relocated elsewhere.
UPDATE: Walt Disney World Announced Opening Dates for Hotels & DVC Resorts!
With Walt Disney World starting its official process over a full month after Universal Orlando, it’s entirely possible that the “unofficial” opening will begin far earlier. This could include a few days of Cast Member previews followed by a couple weeks of the soft opening time that targets DVC Members, Annual Passholders, and Florida residents. This is an approach that has previously been discussed during these task force meetings, so it’s not exactly far-fetched.
During a longer preview timeframe, Walt Disney World could refine its approaches and have operations more polished before tourists with vacation packages arrive in full force (well, more like reduced capacity force). This would also give Disney more time to scale up operations, getting some of the hotels open for the bigger mid-July opening. The last few paragraphs here are merely our speculation, not anything discussed during Walt Disney World’s presentation. In any case, we’re expecting a deluge of additional news for Walt Disney World directly via official channels in the near future (possibly later today, possibly when Governor DeSantis approves the plan). We’ll keep you updated once we know more!
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
Will you be visiting Walt Disney World right away when the parks reopen in July or will you wait? Surprised by the details of Disney’s reopening presentation to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force? Optimistic that things will be “back to normal” at Walt Disney World sooner rather than later? A variety of viewpoints are welcomed here, but we will not tolerate insults, arguing, or politically-charged comments. Don’t ruin a 95% fine comment with an unnecessary cheap shot—that 5% will get it deleted. Additionally, please do not debate the efficacy of masks or other health safety policies–all such comments (for, against, otherwise) will be deleted. Those arguments are played out and isn’t the appropriate forum for that. (Saying you will or will not visit in light of certain measures is fine.)
Our July 1st Cruise was wiped out a few months ago. Now our July 5th land package has flown away with Donald. Hope there’s some return offer extended to us. Noticed only 2020 dates have been available to plan on Disney’s site for a few days. Makes evaluating a 2021 trip a bit difficult.
First, thanks for this great update. Has anything been said about when the pars will be open to all for people from across the country and also to foreign nationals. Thanks for your great information.
Disney has made no mention of restricting access to residents of particular states or countries or anything. Once the parks reopen to the public, anyone with a ticket & reservation can get in (as long as they wear a mask and pass the temperature check).
If their goal is to have the majority of people cancel their trips to drastically reduce capacity this sounds like a good plan. I don’t believe there are too many people out there that want to pay thousands of dollars for a trip that is missing much of the Disney magic. Holding out hope that Disney gets pretty much back to normal by our trip this September or we will be canceling.
Same. I know for a fact my children would not be able to keep a mask on with the hot temps. This would be their first trip there. We have tickets for September. We will probably end up canceling 🙁
As I said before, all the social distancing in the world won’t make a difference when everyone is huddled under an overhang during the daily Summer Thunderstorm.
No mention of an opening date or procedures for the waterparks?
Lol on the thunderstorm, especially Animal Kingdom where covered spots are a premium during the deluge.
We have a trip starting June 27th and I’ve been involved in a game of “chicken” with Disney that they aren’t aware that they are playing, waiting to see who cancels first. I want it to be them, just in case there is any sort of bounceback offer made to those that they cancel. I even made fastpass reservations and got my last payment in a few days ago.
So clearly the trip is not happening; now I guess I just wait for them to formally cancel me, I guess? I wonder if there’s really any benefit to me continuing to wait for them to act, but I guess there’s no harm, either.
We will live to Disney another day 🙂 In the meantime, I’ll go cry silently in my homemade dole whip that’s not at all the same thing…
I thoroughly enjoyed your comment, not because of you potentialy losing your game of “chicken”, but in the spirit if you can’t find some laughter in all of this you truly will just sit and cry.
I think that I actually won the game of chicken! Disney cancelled first 😉 And laughing is far more pleasant than getting angry so I try to do it where I can.
I just read the Disney Parks blog reopening announcement and it has much more information on the reopening than the presentation this morning. You might want to check it out. It includes reopening dates for the DVC resorts.
Thanks Michelle great info about the resorts
Hopefully there will be exceptions for those of us who cannot handle masks. This is ADA issue. I want to know what will be required for us. social distancing and all is okay and we do cover our mouth if we cough or sneeze. We need information on this as we have a reservation for this November.
it’s been said that public health concerns outweigh ADA protections.
There is no ADA accommodation for masks, save maybe a face shield. You are legally required to be accommodated *only* if doing so doesn’t harm other people.
Sorry, very much doubt that’s going to happen.
If you cannot handle mask-wearing, then don’t go to WDW until the mask requirement is abolished. As has been discussed extensively here on the blog, ADA accommodations are *NOT* required in situations where making those accommodations could pose risks to health and safety.
My spouse has a poly carbonate face shield she teaches in (she’s in health) that thing is freaking awesome. Get a face shield.
Oh dear, Cheryl,
I’m not sure you should leave your house, let alone travel to a theme park where there’s little chance they could keep you safe right now. I’d opt out if I were you.
I listened in on the meeting too. He didn’t mention water parks either- right?
I can live without parades and fireworks and I will even put up with a mask. However I am very concerned about our favorite restaurants (especially buffets) and the resort refillable mugs. All these things together will probably make me cancel my late August trip.
Additionally, Disney Vacation Club properties at Walt Disney World and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground will begin to reopen to Members and Guests on June 22. Disney Vacation Club properties in Vero Beach, Florida, and Hilton Head, South Carolina, will open on June 15. Disney Springs has begun a phased reopening. Upon reopening, theme parks, Disney Resort Hotels, restaurants and other offerings may be modified, limited in capacity and subject to availability or closure. Learn more.
I cancelled our late July trip, as I’m not convinced that the Canada/US border will even be open for Canadians to visit (currently closed until June 21, with speculation that the closure will be extended). Just couldn’t take the risk of being turned away before even setting foot on US soil.
So I have at the end of July our vacation scheduled but coming from Louisiana which currently not allowed without doing a 14 day quarantine. If you know the answer could you share with me where you are getting the information. Also staying at the All star which according to the info you provided is not one of the hotel to immediately open. Probably going to change to Pop Century because the Transporation information you provided in an earlier blog makes plenty of sense.
So my question to you is do you know when the quarantine will be lifted for Louisiana. So many obstacles.
I have an early December trip planned. No discounts in sight yet, I wear a mask, but won’t all day every day at Disney, and want a discount if not the full experience. So I will book my dining next week and wait and see. I have three seniors planning to go for the FIRST time. Want them to enjoy it and trust Disney to make it safe and comfortable. Crossing fingers!
Unless the US Congress outlaws lawsuits against corporations, masks are here for a while in all corporate work environments. Griping and threats of not renewing passes will not change that fact.
But now that we know that EPCOT and DHS are opening in the stifling heat of the summer, maybe it’s time to bring back the most polarizing topic from 2019. That is – how many of us will self-combust on the Skyliner if and when it stops for more than 3 minutes?
Whatvis with Fisneyvand their freaking obsession with face masks! We had planned a Drcember trip but if they do not drop the illegal insane stupidity of face masks I will never go back. Why do they not care about people with asthma, clsustropho is, autism that can not wear the mask of stupid? D
absolutely nothing regarding face masks is illegal.
Someone please explain to Tammy why the mask requirement is not illegal.
What about annual pass holders ???
The Disney Parks Blog says that it is temporarily pausing new ticket sales to focus on guests with existing tickets and reservations but that Annual Passholders will be able to make reservation requests in phases before new tickets are sold.
Any thoughts as to when U.K. visitors might be allowed to enter ? We had a trip cancelled in May Pop century and have a second one in September which is looking very doubtful. We have booked for two weeks at the all star sports . No way would we enjoy a trip with no shows and fireworks . They are the reason we come ! Also we have 14 day park to park tickets for all 6 parks . If only two are open we would find it hard to justify the price we have paid . Very sad times . I wish we could get an answer to our concerns as soon we have to pay the balance which is thousands of pounds , and I fee like we have been largely forgotten as visitors from the U.K. Would welcome your thoughts Tom , we follow your blogs regularly and find you very reliable
UK visitors can enter the parks as soon as they reopen to the public. The real question is when UK visitors can enter the USA again, which is WELL beyond the scope of this little ol’ Disney blog.
As a fellow UK resident: Disney do not have any rules on UK residents entering, these come from the US government. Remember that technically you are allowed to enter the US – as long as you first spend 14 days in a country not subject to a US travel ban and travel on from there. (I say “technically” as though no reasonable person would consider it, but I am…)
As for when it will be possible travel directly and freely between the UK and the US, I’d say there are a few things to consider. Against it is the fact that tourism is not a very significant part of the US economy – so there is not the same urgent national impetus to reopen as has been seen in other places. There’s also the fact that the Trump administration seems rather keen on travel bans at the best of times. However, there are a lot of things in favour of easing of restrictions too.
The political relationship between the US and the UK is extremely important – and it is noteworthy that the travel ban introduced on the EU exempted the UK for several days despite the UK being in a similar situation. It therefore *may* stand to reason that this reluctance to ban UK residents would translate into the UK being one of the first countries to be permitted to re-enter. The UK is also talking about relaxing its own arrival quarantine rules based on countries in similar situations via “air bridges”. The initial focus on such country pairs has been nearby EU countries but I expect the US would be near the top of the list.
These air bridges could in theory be applied or removed unilaterally by the UK – and thus be irrelevant to your question about US entry – but the UK government has spoken about “negotiating” these with other countries implying that a degree of reciprocity might be expected between countries in similar situations. They are therefore highly relevant in gauging when the US travel ban might be relaxed for the UK.
The UK will conduct the first review of quarantine rules (including air bridges) every three weeks from the 8th of June, meaning the 29th June is the very earliest date at which air bridges might be put into place. I personally do not believe that the US will be in the first wave (due to the initial EU focus) so my personal bet would be a reinstatement of UK/US travel on the 20th July or the 10th August. It’s possible all these dates (including the EU air bridges) could be moved on by 3 or 6 weeks, or it’s possible that it could not happen at all (if the situation worsens again in either the UK or the US), but hopefully that’s a useful guideline.
I have reservations for a week in September and a week in December. I hope some of these requirements (masks) are relaxed by then.
Me too. Masks in 95 degree Florida heat to me does not sound fun. I understand the importance, but yikes.
We had free dining plan reservations for the beginning of July, so hopefully they will offer us the same plan for a future reservation. We were going to cancel the reservation if they opened with a mandatory mask requirement anyway. Disney should absolutely be giving a discount to anyone returning to the parks. They aren’t offering fireworks and parades, and are imposing masks in the hot humid Florida summer. No way would we pay normal prices with these abnormal restrictions and we are regular visitors to the parks.
Unlikely they will relax them during cold and flu season.
At least it won’t be as hot?
We have reservations the 20 of July through the 8th of August at Coronado Springs and our daughter at Riverside. It will be the first time our daughter’s family will be there and they don’t want to miss some of the characters or night time shows.
Tom, do you think that they will be giving us information on the resorts opening or not opening bu the end of June?
i would honestly look at rescheduling if there are small kids. you don’t want them to miss out on those experiences. i say this as a mom with small kids- if i had a trip planned we would reschedule for a future date. i’m totally fine with any and all safety and health measures, but i would not want to miss out on a lot of the things being altered drastically or just canceled.
I’m wouldn’t say All Star Movies isn’t under high demand. The week I have booked in October is sold out at that resort.
I guess we will see how the phases go. I have a back up trip for May 2021 scheduled if there are too many restrictions in October (masks, no character meets, etc)
We’re holding off until 2021/2022. Not spending a small fortune for half an experience plus mandatory face masks.
I appreciate what you say about rolling out resort openings in phases, but I wonder if you could have it backwards. It seems like the lower-tier resorts allow more social distancing because resort room entrances are outside. You don’t need to go through interior hallways and such to get there. In theory, you could do contactless check in, and then when your room is ready, just scan your magic band to get in and never see anyone or walk in any shared indoor space.
I also think Fort Wilderness could open the earliest to RV users but keep communal restrooms closed.
I wonder if deluxe resorts with their shared interior spaces could actually be the last to open! Although, admittedly, it would be a lot harder to “downgrade” someone from a place like Grand Floridian to Pop Century than would would be to upgrade someone.
It’s the transportation to the parks that is the issue. Skyliner is safest followed by mostly empty monorail. Bus drivers didn’t not do very well during lockdown. It turns out that’s a highly dangerous job. I would expect the resorts that use bussing to the parks to open last.
One thing about the Epcot Deluxe Hotels though is you can walk to 2 of the 4 parks so that would be good but you are right about having to walk the halls and riding elevators.