Tag: aerophile

On May 20th, Disney Springs began a phased reopening. And we’ve been there every step of the way to see how each business has been adapting to the changes.

In fact, we’ve been visiting every day so we can report back on all the dining, shopping, and safety info you need.

Since we’ve written A LOT on the subject, we wanted to provide you with the “ultimate guide” to navigating the newly reopened Disney Springs! We have the scoop on all of the health and safety measures taking place as well as where to eat, drink, and shop and how eating, drinking, and shopping will look! Here’s EVERYTHING you need to know!

Entering Disney Springs

In order to help enforce the new health and safety precautions in place, the process for entering Disney Springs is a bit different than we’ve seen in the past.

There are differences in parking, where you can enter, and what you need to know and do before you go.

Operating Hours

Disney Springs is officially operating with reduced hours (10AM to 10PM).

However, those hours are subject to change. To align with Orange County’s temporarily enacted curfew, Disney Springs is operating only until 7PM until further notice.

Parking

Surface parking lots and valet are unavailable. Currently, parking is only available in the Lime and Orange Parking Garages to help reduce capacity, and once these garages are full, guests won’t be able to park there and visit Disney Springs.

We have seen that the Orange Parking Garage has been opening well before 9AM most days. Of course, this is always subject to change.

Entrances

At this time, there are only five entrances open to Disney Springs, all of which have temperature screening checkpoints.

The entrances are at the Orange and Lime garages, the Marketplace Entrance, the bus loop near Town Center, and the rideshare drop off area.

All your questions about the reopened Disney Springs, ANSWERED!

Health and Safety Initiatives

Guests will notice a number of health and safety precautions throughout Disney Springs, some of which they’ll experience before they even have the chance to enter.

From what face coverings to wear to what temperature you cannot exceed to what social distancing you’ll see, we’re going to cover all of the protocols Disney has implemented below.

Face Coverings

All guests aged 2 and older are required to wear a proper face covering while visiting Disney Springs — guests without masks will not be admitted.

These face coverings should cover your nose and mouth, fit snugly, be secured with ties or ear loops, and be made of a breathable material. The face coverings can either be a reusable fabric mask or disposable.

It’s important to keep in mind you must wear your face mask for the entire duration of your visit. The only times you’re allowed to take it off are when you’re seated in a restaurant or walking around with a food or drink in hand, in which case you’re allowed to lower your mask.

Click here to learn when you will and won’t have to wear a mask in Disney World

Temperature Screenings

In addition to mandatory face masks, all guests are required to have their temperature checked before entering Disney Springs. Health care workers from AdventHeath are providing temperature screenings for guests to help ensure accuracy.

Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees and above will not be allowed to enter.

If a guest does test with an elevated temperature, they’re allowed to attempt a second screening a few minutes later after waiting in a tented “cool down” area. But if they still test above the maximum temperature, they will be asked to leave along with their entire party.

Though there is a temperature check, there is no bag check to enter Disney Springs.

Click here to learn more about temperature checks in Disney World

Increased Sanitation

Guests will find hand sanitizer stations throughout Disney Springs.

Portable handwashing stations are also located throughout Disney Springs. They’re highly visible and easy to locate, but if you need to use one and can’t find it on your own, ask a friendly Cast Member, and they’ll be happy to direct you!

Click here to see the handwashing stations in Disney Springs

Social Distancing Squads

Speaking of wonderful Cast Members, we’ve had our first chance encounter with the Social Distancing Squad at Disney Springs!

These Cast Members are on hand to provide guests with additional support while ensuring nobody is breaking any rules.

Click here to learn more about these Cast Members

Social Distancing

In order to reduce contact between guests, there are social distancing markers placed throughout Disney Springs.

While Disney has its own standard set of social distancing markers, other third-party businesses are using their own signage. For instance, Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company is using coffee bean floor decals to show guests where to stand and keep them at a six-foot distance.

Click here to learn more about the social distancing markers in Disney Springs

Dining in Disney Springs

While not all dining locations have reopened in Disney Springs, guests will find a wide variety of options to choose from, with new locations continuing to open.

From new utensil dispensers to contactless menus, and mobile order payment updates, we’ve seen a bunch of new procedures at some of our favorite places to dine in Disney World.

Table Service Dining

Since May 20th, we’ve eaten at STK, The Boathouse, Wine Bar George, Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, T-Rex, Frontera Cocina, and more table service spots to see what changes they’ve implemented.

Changes at table service locations include, but are not limited to: lower capacity, socially distanced tables, and single-use paper menus. We’ve also noticed some locations providing disposable bags to store our masks, and using contactless payment methods.

Note that at this time, reservations for Table-Service restaurants can NOT be made through the My Disney Experience app, but certain locations are currently bookable on Open Table or directly through the restaurants.

See what it’s like to dine at several Disney Springs restaurants that have just reopened here!

Quick Service Dining

We’ve also visited Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza, Chicken Guy!, D-Luxe Burger, B.B. Wolf’s Sausage Co., Pizza Ponte, Morimoto Asia Street Food, The Polite Pig, Earl of Sandwich, Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC, The Basket, 4 Rivers Cantina Barbacoa Food Truck, and The Daily Poutine. Yep — we’ve been STUFFED lately!

In addition to single-use menus, quick service spots are also spacing out their tables, putting up plexiglass in front of cash registers, and limiting capacity in addition to other health and safety measures.

Check out our answers to ALL your questions about the reopening of Disney Springs here!

Snacking at Disney Springs

If you’re feeling thirsty or need a small snack, you’re in luck — plenty of outdoor pop-up bar and snack carts are now fully operational!

Beyond alcoholic beverages, there are carts selling Mickey Pretzels and Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bars! And if you’re jonesing for some Pineapple Dole Whip — the snack you voted as your most-loved Disney food — you can find it in Disney Springs right now too!

And for you folks at home with refillable popcorn buckets, you CAN still get ’em refilled at Disney Springs right now! If you forgot yours at home, Disney is selling some basic popcorn buckets so you can fill up on the good stuff!

Click here to see what it’s like snacking around reopened Disney Springs

Shopping in Disney Springs

World of Disney

As of May 27th, World of Disney is open daily from 10AM to close.

While the first day was CRAZY with over a three-hour wait and a new virtual queue system just to step foot in the store, the crowds have mostly calmed down since then.

Another thing we’ve noticed is the store has been opening earlier on certain days than its posted operating hours.

When we spoke with a Cast Member about why the store was already open (well before 10 AM) she told us they are trying to get a better handle on things and are taking it day-by-day. But your mileage may vary, so don’t count on getting in before the designated opening time!

Click here to learn more about the very busy reopening of World of Disney!

Store Capacity

Both Disney-owned stores and third party shops are limiting the number of guests allowed in a store at any given time. Shops such as Sephora, Under Armour, and World of Disney have reached capacity over the recent week, for example.

World of Disney has initiated a virtual queue for busy days, while other shops have guests wait outside in lines.

Click here to see our experience when Under Armour when hit capacity

Social Distancing at Stores

In addition to limiting the number of shoppers, plexiglass shields have been installed at most stores’ cash registers, and queues have been outfitted with social distancing markers.

Although contactless forms of payment are highly encouraged, most businesses are still accepting cash.

We’ve seen signage asking guests to limit the handling of products and we’ve also seen that many larger stores have defined entrances and exits.

What About Samples?

Smelling spices at The Spice Tea & Exchange, playing with Legos at the Lego Store, or trying on a little makeup at Sephora is half the fun of shopping! But what about samples and trying out new products right now?

Upon entering The Spice & Tea Exchange, we were offered hand sanitizer. However, we were still able to open jars to get a sense of the 140-plus spice blends! The jars and displays were being regularly wiped down by Cast Members.

As for Sephora, it’s offering freshly sanitized shopping baskets and wiping down counters, but testers are for display only and all Beauty Bar services are temporarily suspended.

We also recently stopped by the newly reopened Lego Store to get ourselves equipped for Legoland Florida’s June 1st reopening.

In addition to having just one working entrance, the shop’s interactive touch screen computers have been turned off and bins with build-your-own parts were unavailable.

Store associates were also on hand to give guests products — we were NOT allowed to grab items ourselves — and guests stood to the side of cashiers when purchasing items instead of in front of them.

Click here to see more of our experience at the Lego Store!

Where to Buy Face Masks at Disney Springs

While we haven’t seen any face masks for sale yet at Disney-owned locations, we have spotted some at American Threads, Vera Bradley, and The Polite Pig.

The stock at stores is always changing, so you never know what you’ll find at Disney Springs!

Read about our shopping experience at Disney Springs here!

Disney Springs Attractions

The new Cirque du Soliel show, Drawn to Life, has been postponed and other Disney Springs attractions such as the NBA Experience and The VOID are closed.

But there is one attraction you can still enjoy at Disney Springs!

Soar in the Sky on the Aerophile

The Aerophile, also known as the hot air balloon at Disney Springs, IS operating right now!

Aerophile flights are available for $20 per person. The attraction is enforcing social distancing both in the line and in the balloon. Whereas you could wander the balloon before, now you need to stay in a designated spot while in flight.

Cast members also told us they are wiping down the carriage area between parties to keep guests as safe as possible.

Click here to learn more about riding the Aerophile in reopened Disney Springs

Atmosphere

Normally, when you walk around Disney Springs, there are bands playing music and street performers entertaining crowds. But right now, those performances are on pause.

But not ALL is lost. In fact, we spotted some particularly intimidating guys enforcing social distancing! That’s right…STORMTROOPERS were patrolling above Uno de 50 recently! They’ve since relocated to the balcony above AMC!

While it’s a far cry from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, we’ll still take it!

Click here to learn more about these unique security guards in Disney Springs!

As you can see, we’ve been pounding the pavement at Disney Springs to bring you all the details you need for your next visit as well as spotting as much new stuff as we can find!

Be sure to plan ahead for the dining and shopping experiences you want to visit, and you’ll set yourself up for a fantastic day at Disney Springs — even if it does look a little different than your last visit.

What Will It Take For You to Feel Safe at Disney World? Here’s What Our Readers Said!

Have you visited Disney Springs since it has reopened? Share your story with us in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
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