Planning a Disney vacation all on your own can be difficult… add a pandemic on top of that and it might feel impossible. There have been countless changes to policies, capacities, ride closures, and ticket requirements. While these changes can make it difficult for us to plan, they’re all put in place in an effort to keep us safe. To make it a bit easier, we’ve put together our top 5 tips for planning your Disney vacation during the pandemic.
#1. Research Travel Restrictions
Varying infection rates make it necessary for us to research any travel restrictions we might encounter on our way to Orlando, FL. If you’re traveling from within the United States, you should be good to go booking your flight and either a rental car or an Uber on your way to your hotel. If you’re traveling internationally, as of January 2022, you must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test to the airline.
It’s always a good idea to get tested before any travel, regardless of where you’re coming from.
#2. Plan your Disney park days
One of the biggest changes Disney has implemented is visitors are now required to have both a park ticket and a Park Pass Reservation. Showing up without that reservation risks the park being at capacity and you may not be allowed in. Visitors are still allowed to park hop, but only after 2 pm.
This is likely a change here to stay as it was incorporated into the Annual Pass allotment.
#3. Make Reservations
Make reservations for everything you can! This isn’t an entirely bad change in our eyes…with reservation requirements, the parks aren’t as packed and the restaurants don’t have long wait times! Some visitors have been able to eat at restaurants that before we’re completely booked. Via Napoli, we’re thinking of you and your delicious wood-fired pizza.
#4. Utilize technology
In the last year, the parks have had some major technology updates that will make a Disney vacation even easier. From touchless security scans to facial recognition, they’re hoping to make it a safer place for us all to social distance and be more comfortable in general. Visitors can now use their smartphones as their MagicBand using the MagicMobile App. This makes it much quicker to enter the park, your hotel room, and pay for any souvenirs you’ve picked out.
#5. Mask Up 
Our last tip is to protect your safety and everyone else’s. Disney requires all visitors to have a mask on at any indoor attraction or indoor transportation. It recently announced attendees do not have to wear them outside. While it’s not the most comfortable, it’s the perfect opportunity to get creative! There are lots of Disney-themed masks to be found around the park. We’ve also seen a ton of fun sparkly Mickey ears paired with a matching mask.
You can find more details on Disney’s mask policy here.
We hope these tips were helpful reminders for those planning to visit The Happiest Place on Earth. Among all the chaos and confusion, the parks are still shining bright as a sign there is still magic to experience. We’re grateful for the employees who continue to work tirelessly to make sure we can all still enjoy the parks safely. Disney continues to update any major changes on its website.
Contact us to learn more about booking a custom itinerary for a Disney Vacation, or another magical location across the world. Our team is waiting to help you plan the vacation of your dreams.
