Orange County, Florida (CNN) – I was one of the first guests at Disney World on Saturday after nearly four months of the parks closing due to Covid-19.
I have visited Disney parks in California and Florida too many times to count them.
But I put on my mask and packed my disinfectant because I was ready to see what this new Disney had in store for its guests.
My goal: to find out what has changed at Disney, what remains the same, and whether the magic of the experience was enough to make up for the discomfort of wearing a face mask.
Here are the top seven conclusions about what you need to know before your next trip:
1. The new Disney is not the old Disney
The Magic Kingdom opened on July 11, but capacity is limited and there are differences in the park’s pre-pandemic existence.
David Roark / Disney
In the already open parks, almost all the games were operational, but many of the stores, restaurants and food kiosks where it is easy to drink cold water and a hot Mickey-shaped pretzel were closed.
2. Entertainment is of the emerging variety
Guests are not allowed to get up close to the characters.
Julie Tremaine for CNN
Fireworks and parades are on indefinite hold to deter crowds that form in the parks. Due to concerns about social estrangement, Disney has also suspended character encounters.
However, you will still see some of your favorites.
On the opening day, the parade floats traversed Magic Kingdom at unannounced times, and characters appeared at safe distances away from the crowds, like the evil stepsisters on the terrace of Cinderella Castle.
3. Without mask, without entrance
At all locations in the Disney complex, masks are required at all times.
The only exceptions: do not use them in complex pools and while actively eating or drinking. Scarves and neck gaiters are not acceptable ways to cover the face: to enter, masks must be hooked behind the ears.
4. Hotel and restaurant options are limited.
Hotels like Disney’s Wilderness Lodge are open, and some of the hotels are available for stays only in the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) portions.
Even without a DVC membership, I was able to book a stay at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort for the opening weekend.
Captain Cook’s, the fast-service takeout restaurant, is open during modified hours, and Kona Cafe serves sit-down meals. Ohana and Trader Sam’s are currently closed.
5. Disinfection is a group activity.
Disney World is reopening as coronavirus cases in Florida increase. Still, some visitors say they feel safer in theme parks than anywhere else. CNN’s Natasha Chen reports.
On the day of the opening at Universal Orlando, an employee dispensed hand sanitizer to each person traveling. Its use was mandatory. At Disney, there are thousands of hand sanitizer dispensers, but there is no mandate that guests must use it.
A unique addition: sanitizing wipe dispensers, available in all parks and hotels, to clean any surface or personal table. The downside is that by assigning cleaning responsibility in part to the guest, it means that tables and benches are not necessarily cleaned by employees between each use.
This is especially evident in hotels.
At Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, at least, the cleanliness of the staff was spotty. During a Friday afternoon and all day that Sunday was spent at the two Polynesian pools, I saw a single employee clean chairs and tables once.
I noticed that my table at Captain Cook’s wasn’t clean just when I saw someone else’s spilled food underneath it.
At Disney’s Contemporary Resort, a friend reported that employees carefully monitor which beach chairs have been used, based on guests’ practice of folding their chairs when leaving the pool area. Judging by a couple of these details, they haven’t fixed all the bugs.
6. Some things have changed, others have not
At the 2019 D23 Convention, Disney announced a major Epcot makeover, including new attractions like Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind roller coaster.
An original trip from Epcot’s 1982 debut, Spaceship Earth was supposed to be closed for renovations this year, but due to Covid-19, that was postponed indefinitely.
Disney purists are likely delighted with this news, even as they sadly look at some of the other changes underway at Walt Disney World after its July 11 reopening.
7. The experience is worth it if you want it to be
Limited capacity in the parks is likely to be a boon to people who don’t like crowds and long lines.
Julie Tremaine for CNN
With the experience altered, many people have been wondering if spending a Disney vacation is worth it this year, or before there is a coronavirus vaccine.
In fact, hotel and ticket prices are the same as before parks closed, so don’t expect to find any savings there.
Occasional merchandise deals in early 2020 can be found in stores within the park, which is a rarity at this time of year.
However, short lines for walks and a small crowd may draw some.
The masks and temperature control requirements, no matter how hot and humid the day of your visit, may be unpleasant for others.
So is it worth it? My answer is yes, if you want it to be.
If you have never been to Disney and have been dreaming of visiting this year, it would be better to wait.
Disney veterans, on the other hand, may do better. We are more used to being flexible in changing plans to accommodate last minute places that have been released in the Disney app, which we are used to looking at.
I found a reservation for dinner the same day at California Grill, which overlooks the Seven Seas Lagoon and Magic Kingdom, on July 10, the first time it reopened the same day.
Ultimately, there is no easy answer to decide if a trip to Disney right now is worth it. The amount of Disney magic it takes to justify the cost, and adhere to improved health and safety protocols, is a matter of personal preference.
Ultimately, for me, it felt like an almost normal Disney vacation.
There were many things that I wish I had done. I missed not being able to have a tiki drink at Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar, where the decorations come to life, but this is what I found: When I was doing other cool things, it was easy to forget what I was missing.
That’s the magic of Disney: making it seem like everything you’re doing right now is the most magical thing on Earth.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story erroneously reported the opening dates for Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This has been modified.
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