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Disney Parks Commitment to Health & Safety Measures

As we continue the phased reopenings of our parks and resorts across the world, promoting health and safety for our guests, cast members, and the larger community is a responsibility we take very seriously.

On Saturday, we will continue the phased reopening of Walt Disney World Resort, marking the first of our domestic theme parks to welcome guests back to the magic. While we await California guidelines for reopening Disneyland Resort, and will adjust as necessary, we wanted to share more information on our approach to health and safety in the Disneyland and Walt Disney World theme parks.   

We remain deeply committed to focusing on your well-being when you visit or work at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts. From increased cleaning and disinfecting across our parks and resorts, to updated health and safety policies, we have reimagined the Disney experience so we can all enjoy the magic responsibly. We implemented our health and safety measures after considering the guidance of government and local health authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in addition to the U.S. Travel Association and Disney’s team of health experts.

Together, we are a Disney family, and while COVID-19, and the risk of contracting it, is present in public places, there are many important ways that we can all help promote each other’s safety.  As we implement our guidelines at our parks and resorts, we want to thank our guests and cast members for all they do to care for one another by doing their part.

1.  Health & Wellness

At Disney, our approach emphasizes a combination of measures to help reduce risk in the carefully managed environment of our parks and resorts. 

  • Limited and carefully managed attendance: All guests will be required to make advanced ticket purchases and reservations.
  • Reduced capacity and physical distancing: We’re reducing capacity by letting fewer people enter our parks and are adjusting experiences to allow for physical distancing, a key measure reinforced by the CDC. This includes physical distancing in dining experiences, attractions, queues and other locations. Additionally, physical barriers have been installed in areas where physical distancing may be difficult to maintain, like cash registers.
  • Temperature checks: Quick temperature checks are required for all guests at entry to our theme parks.
  • Face coverings: We will be requiring both cast members and guests ages two and older to wear a face covering – unless swimming or when eating or drinking – and enforcing this policy across our parks and resorts.
  • Handwashing and hand sanitizer: We have increased the number of hand sanitizer locations and handwashing stations throughout our parks and resorts.
  • First Aid locations: Our first aid locations are staffed by experienced nursing staff and have updated their protocols for responding to symptoms of illness.

2. Cleaning & Disinfecting

We’ve updated our already high standards for cleanliness across our parks and resorts, with a special emphasis on areas such as attractions, queues, dining, lobbies, transportation and other common spaces.

  • Increased cleaning & disinfecting: We’re increasing the frequency of cleaning, especially for frequently-touched surfaces and high-traffic areas. Following park close, each park will receive an enhanced cleaning before guests arrive the next day.
  • New procedures for resort stays: In addition to increasing cleaning in areas such as elevators and escalators, handrails, tables, handles, and restrooms, we’ve updated our procedures for guest rooms at our owned-and-operated Walt Disney World hotels. Before arrival, every room will be given an enhanced cleaning and a light cleaning service (including removal of trash and replenishment of towels and amenities) will be offered every other day during the stay.

3. Technology Solutions

We are tapping into Disney innovation to help promote health and safety for our guests and cast members.

  • Disney apps: With the My Disney Experience and Disneyland apps our guests already know and love, guests can view hand sanitizer and handwashing locations, explore digital menus, and more.
  • Limited-contact options: From Mobile Order and cashless payments, to Walt Disney World’s MagicBands and online check-in at select locations, we’re offering technology solutions that can make it easier for our guests to minimize contact and maintain physical distancing.

4. Cast Member Training & Workplace Safety

Safety starts with our cast, and we’ve adopted a number of new policies and practices for cast members at work. 

  • Training: Cast members are receiving additional training on both new measures and the continued importance of personal health and hygiene, such as handwashing and of course, staying home when ill. For some, this includes training on how to help everyone who visits to follow new health and safety measures, including wearing a face covering and maintaining physical distancing. 
  • Workplace health and safety: We’ve increased the frequency of cleaning in work areas, adjusted our work practices to promote physical distancing, and introduced new protocols for temperature checks and face coverings. 
  • Health screenings: Cast members will self-screen for temperature and symptoms of illness before each shift and will stay home if they are not feeling well.

5. Working Together

Because each of us shares a responsibility for the health of our community, we’re making resources available to make guests aware of our new policies, so they too can do their part.

  • Guest communication: We’re proactively sharing information with guests about what to expect ahead of their visit to support their planning. In our parks and resorts, we have added signage about personal health and hygiene measures, physical distancing, and more. 
  • Following our guidelines: A special group of cast members will also be present in the parks to explain our new procedures, answer questions guests may have, and encourage everyone to follow these measures to promote the well-being of us all.
  • “Together We Can Make Today Incredible” campaign: In June, we introduced “Together We Can Make Today Incredible,” a health and safety campaign that spotlights healthy behaviors featuring fan-favorite characters from the Incredibles animated movies. The campaign emphasizes that everyone has an important role to play in health and safety while engaging guests in a uniquely Disney way.

We’re looking forward to upholding this plan each day, and to the return of our guests and cast members to our parks and resorts. 

If you have additional questions about a specific experience, we hope that you’ll explore the resources below:

When you’re ready to join us at your favorite Disney destinations, we’re excited to welcome you back. Until then, be well – see you soon!

Disney Parks Commitment to Health & Safety Measures signature of Dr. Pamela Hymel

Dr. Pamela Hymel
Chief Medical Officer
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, DLR, WDW

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Disney Merch Disney Parks

See All of the Splash Mountain Merchandise Available (For Now…) in Magic Kingdom

We are LIVE in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom today ahead of the park’s upcoming reopening to guests on Saturday, July 11th.

See All of the Splash Mountain Merchandise Available (For Now…) in Magic Kingdom

Splash Mountain

We are here thanks to a friend who brought us along for today’s Cast Member preview. So far, we’ve visited Happy Haunts in the Haunted Mansion, seen some old friends, and taken a splash on Splash Mountain. Of course, if you’ve been keeping up with the latest news about Splash Mountain, then you know the attraction will be closing to be reimagined with a full re-themeing inspired by The Princess and the Frog.

So, not only were the lines to ride Splash Mountain longer than those at other attractions we’ve ridden today… the nearby Briar Patch — the ride’s accompanying gift shop — was experiencing some lines all its own as fans were hoping to get some commemorative Splash Mountain merchandise!

Let’s take a look…

See All of the Splash Mountain Merchandise Available (For Now…) in Magic Kingdom

Splash Mountain merchandise

A small selection of t-shirts and hoodies can still be found.

See All of the Splash Mountain Merchandise Available (For Now…) in Magic Kingdom

Splash Mountain merchandise

And, as of this morning, there was still some plush available…

See All of the Splash Mountain Merchandise Available (For Now…) in Magic Kingdom

Splash Plushes

Frames for your PhotoPass picture to remember your BIG SPLASH on Splash are available, too.

See All of the Splash Mountain Merchandise Available (For Now…) in Magic Kingdom

Splash Mountain merchandise

You can also find the Splash Mountain Mickey Ear Hat ornament.

See All of the Splash Mountain Merchandise Available (For Now…) in Magic Kingdom

Splash Mountain merchandise

The Park Pal that we recently spotted in Disney Springs is here at the Patch, too.

See All of the Splash Mountain Merchandise Available (For Now…) in Magic Kingdom

Splash Mountain merchandise

And for all our fellow mug collectors… “Today’s Forecast” features a “High Chance of Showers…”

See All of the Splash Mountain Merchandise Available (For Now…) in Magic Kingdom

Splash Mountain merchandise

We can vouch for that!

See All of the Splash Mountain Merchandise Available (For Now…) in Magic Kingdom

Splash Mountain

Now, as far as getting the merchandise… guest are directed to line up outside of the store, so you can’t just stop in after riding the attraction. Once inside, you’ll notice things like distancing markers on the ground, and plexiglass installed in front of the registers.

See All of the Splash Mountain Merchandise Available (For Now…) in Magic Kingdom

The Briar Patch

A manager informed us that items are going fast (and we noticed in particular that folks were really going for the plush).

See All of the Splash Mountain Merchandise Available (For Now…) in Magic Kingdom

The Briar Patch

But there is no limit as to how much guests may purchase… at least not now. We’ll be keeping you posted on all the goings on around Magic Kingdom today and again later this week as Walt Disney World prepares to welcome guests again to the parks this weekend!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: disney merchandise, disney parks, Featured, magic kingdom, Walt Disney World, briar patch, splash mountain, Splash Mountain Closure, splash mountain merchandise

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Disney Parks

First look at the Discovery River Character Cruise in the Animal Kingdom

First look at the Discovery River Character Cruise in the Animal Kingdom Discovery River

Today, Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened for a special preview day for Cast Members to visit the theme park. Due to the new social distancing procedures, Disney has temporarily changed how we will see popular Disney characters in the park. For instance, those visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom will now see characters aboard watercraft in Discovery River instead of the former meet and greet opportunities for guests.

Below you can watch a demonstration of the new character cruises at Discovery River. A visitor, Tradzak, shared a video of their experience today on Instagram. We see popular Lion King characters Timon and Rafiki saving to passengers as they journey down the river.

More characters!!  Swipe to see both videos! #discoveryriver #discoveryrivercharactercruise #charactercruise #discoveryisland #reopenwaltdisneyworld #castmemberpreview #castmemberpreviews #covid19 #facemasksrequired #dak #animalkingdom #disneysanimalkingdom #disneyanimalkingdom22 #dak22 #treeoflife #thetreeoflife #wdw #waltdisneyworld #disney #disneyboy #disneyparks #disneyside #disneyworld #passholderlife #ilivewhereyouvacation #disneygram #instadisney #nowmorethanever #disneymagicmoments #disneymagicalmoments

A post shared by Thomas Radzak (@tradzak) on Jul 7, 2020 at 8:09am PDT

Seeing the characters from afar is certainly both entertaining and great for Disney fans who missed seeing their favorite characters. This new procedure helps ensure the health and safety of Disney guests by maintaining an appropriate social distance.

First look at the Discovery River Character Cruise in the Animal Kingdom

We also see Mickey Mouse and his friends are cruising down the river as well! Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto were joyfully greeting guests as they walked through the park.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom officially reopens to the public on July 11, 2020. We hope our fans stay tuned as we provide coverage on the reopened theme park!

Photo Credit: Tradzak

From our friends at chipandco.com
Filed Under: Parks & Resorts, Characters, Walt Disney World, animal kingdom, discovery river, Disney characters, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Kilimanjaro Safari

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Disney News Disney Parks Disney Vacations

Select Disneyland Hotels Are Now Accepting New Reservations Starting August 1st

Last month, Disney announced its proposal to reopen Downtown Disney on July 9thDisneyland Park and Disney California Adventure on July 17th, and select hotels on July 23rd.

Select Disneyland Hotels Are Now Accepting New Reservations Starting August 1st

Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland

And while Downtown Disney will be moving forward with its plans to welcome back guests starting this Thursday, the other Disneyland Resort reopenings have been delayed.

Since it is unknown when Disney’s Californian Hotel and Disney’s Paradise Pier Resort will reopen, we chatted with a Disneyland Resort Cast Member who confirmed these hotels are no longer accepting new bookings for the month of July. The earliest new reservation you can now make is August 1st. It is also still unknown when the Disneyland Hotel will reopen.

Select Disneyland Hotels Are Now Accepting New Reservations Starting August 1st

Screenshot From Chat with Disneyland Resort Cast Member

The Cast Member also informed us that the standard reservation cancellation policy has been re-instated.

Select Disneyland Hotels Are Now Accepting New Reservations Starting August 1st

Screenshot From Chat with Disneyland Resort Cast Member

Previously, the policy stated Disney would waive cancellation fees through July 22nd. Now the policy says they will work with guests that may have been impacted by the closure with no specific date listed. As of today, here’s how Disneyland Resort’s cancellation fee policy now reads on its website.

Select Disneyland Hotels Are Now Accepting New Reservations Starting August 1st

Screenshot From Disneyland’s Website

The friendly Cast Member also informed us it is still unknown at this time when Disneyland Resort’s theme parks and hotels will reopen. We’ll continue to keep an eye on Disneyland’s homepage for the most up-to-date information regarding Disneyland’s phased reopening and we’ll let you know as soon as Disneyland releases more information soon!

Are you thinking about going to Disneyland this summer? Let us know if you’re hoping the theme parks and resorts will be reopening soon in the comments below.

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: disney california adventure, Disney News, Disneyland, Disneyland Column, Disneyland Resort, Featured, Grand Californian Resort, Paradise Pier Hotel, august 1st, cancellation policy, Disneyland Hotel, Grand Californian Hotel, hotels, pardise pier resort, reopening, theme parks

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Disney Parks

Here’s What It’s Like to Ride the Monorail in a Reopened Disney World!

This is a big week for Disney fans as Walt Disney World is preparing for its phased reopening of the Resort’s four theme parks which begins this Saturday, July 11th with Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, followed by EPCOT and Hollywood Studios on July 15th.

Here’s What It’s Like to Ride the Monorail in a Reopened Disney World!

Monorail

One big topic we’ve been exploring is what getting around the property will look like. We’ve taken a look at buses with the recent reopening of select Resort hotels, but what will it be like to ride the Disney Skyliner, the boats, and (of course) the Monorail? Well, we took our first cruise on a reopened Monorail today (with thanks to a friend who invited us to a Cast Member preview which is currently taking place) and we’re here to tell you what it was like!

We took the Monorail from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom. The Transportation and Ticket Center (or TTC, for short) serves to offer parking for Magic Kingdom guests in addition to transportation options to the park itself. (The picture below, just for reference, was taken during a previous visit.)

Here’s What It’s Like to Ride the Monorail in a Reopened Disney World!

Monorail Station at Walt Disney World Ticket and Transportation Center

It’s worth noting that the Tram vehicles — which guests can ride from the parking lots to the TTC in order to shorten the walk — were not in operation this morning. However, we’d like to remind that today is a cast member preview, so things may work differently when the parks officially reopen. (P.S. Ferry Boat transportation was also available.)

Approaching the Monorail station, numbers are placed on the ground, giving guests the ability to easily spot where they may stand in order to keep a safe distance from other groups. (We’d like to thank @aleyafromdisney on Instagram for sharing the picture below with us!)

Here’s What It’s Like to Ride the Monorail in a Reopened Disney World!

Physical Distancing Stickers

Number signage is also put in use as guests await the arrival of the next Monorail to carry them along the “Highway in the Sky” that leads to the Magic Kingdom.

Here’s What It’s Like to Ride the Monorail in a Reopened Disney World!

Monorail stickers

A cast member gave us a number to stand on prior to boarding, which helped not only with traffic flow but also with the ultimate purpose of dispersing guests — keeping appropriate distancing in mind — throughout the cars themselves.

Cars are now split with physical distancing barriers, and our car was limited to us and one other party of four.

Here’s What It’s Like to Ride the Monorail in a Reopened Disney World!

Monorail partition

Overall, it was nice to ride along the “Highway in the Sky” once more. We’d like to state again that, because today was a Cast Member preview, things may change when Magic Kingdom reopens to guests this weekend. So be sure to stay tuned to DFB this week for all of the HUGE new Disney World updates!

Have any specific questions about riding the Monorail in a reopened Disney World? Ask them in the comments and we’ll do our best to get you answers.

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, disney parks, Featured, magic kingdom, Walt Disney World, disney transportation, Disney World reopening, health measures, monorail, monorail health measures, monorail reopening, transportation and ticket center