Over the last few weeks, we have all been waiting for Disney to announce the date Walt Disney World theme parks are going to reopen and it was Wednesday May 27, that the official announcement finally came. We were unsure if all four theme parks would reopen at the same time and it has now been confirmed that Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will reopen on July 11, closely followed by Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15.
Ever since Universal Orlando Resort announced that they would reopen on June 5, there had been a lot of speculation as to Disney’s reopening date plans and for some July 11, is later than expected and for some it won’t be late enough. Interestingly, 51% of our readers who voted in our poll, When Do YOU Think Walt Disney World Theme Parks Are Going To Reopen? voted for July as the opening date which we now know is spot on.
Not only were we waiting for the date but also to be given a finalized list of the safety measures we can expect to see and have to adhere to, in order to comply with government guidelines. It has come as no shock that mandatory mask wearing is on the list for all cast members and guests alongside temperature checks.
It has also been announced that there will be no character meet and greets, parades or firework shows. Capacity at the parks when they reopen will be greatly reduced to aid social distancing measures and ride capacity will be reduced as well as capacity to travel around the resort on bus, monorail and SkyLiner. All play areas are also to remain closed.
Yesterday, we also learned that the following changes are being made at Walt Disney World as they prepare for reopening. There will be no more Fastpass+ or Extra Magic Hours for the foreseeable future and all current dining reservations have been cancelled. They are going to be implementing a new reservation system online soon for ticket sales.
Although it currently seems like guests are losing a lot, in the eyes of many Disney fans who have been severely missing their theme park fix during the lock down, a July 11 reopening will come as welcome news, whatever the restrictions.
Just before we get into our new poll, let’s recap on the results so far to Poll 19 which covers the most contentious issue from the reopening plan, mandatory mask wearing…
Results Poll 19 – Do You Think Mask Wearing Should Be MANDATORY At Theme Parks?
As I discussed in Poll 19, our original poll on mask wearing asked, Would You Wear A Mask If You Had To, When Visiting Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld? and the results ended as a 40% yes to 60% no. Now we know mask wearing will be mandatory for all, including all children over 2 years old, I thought it would be interesting to ask the question, Do You Think Mask Wearing Should Be MANDATORY At Theme Parks?
This has had a massive response and the current results are as follows:
- Yes – 40%
- No – 60%
The percentages are exactly the same, showing that with all the extra information there now is on the internet and media regarding mask wearing we still see 40% saying a clear yes, with the majority (60%) sticking to a definite no.
Don’t worry if you haven’t voted yet, there is still time, so CLICK HERE to cast your vote and don’t forget to share this with your friends and family.
Poll 20 – Walt Disney World Is Reopening July 11, Are You Planning To Go To The Parks?
Just as Poll 19 was, if you have been following my articles from the start, you may remember that back in mid April (Poll 9) I asked you, Walt Disney World: When the gates reopen are you planning to go? This has actually been our best responded poll, in terms of votes, out of the 19 that have been done so far.
Now in Poll 9, I gave you the following options:
- Yes – I can’t wait to go!
- Yes – but it will depend on what measures are put into place so I feel safe.
- No – Not until a vaccine is sorted and I know it is safe.
- No – I won’t be able to afford it.
- Maybe – I really can’t make a decision at the moment.
Now, I think this is going to be a very intersting comparison, the ‘Yes – but it will depend on what measures are put into place so I feel safe.’ option is going to be the percentage which will shift to either choice yes or no. I think to get the best idea of what readers currently think of Walt Disney World’s reopening plans and whether you are planning to head to Walt Disney World when the gates reopen in July, I will have the following choices for this poll:
- Yes – I can’t wait to go!
- No – I will wait until the restrictions are lifted.
- No – Not until a vaccine is sorted and I know it is safe.
Now we have the full knowledge of what is going to be required of us as guests and what restrictions will be in place when the gates do reopen, I hope those three options are all that is needed.
I guess, with the news today that Walt Disney World Confirms Annual Passholder Capacity Will Be Extremely Limited, some Anuual Passholders may well want to go but won’t be able to when they want to due to the extremely limited capacity. We are really hoping this isn’t the case.
To vote to let us know what your current plans are, CLICK HERE. Don’t forget as always to share this with your friends and family. The results will be discussed in my next article which is coming soon!
We love to hear your comments, we ask you remember that everyone has a right to their own opinion and whilst it is good to debate and discuss this, abuse towards others is unnecessary, especially at a time when it is so important to try to stay kind and positive to each other no matter what peoples opinions are. I ask for everyone to be respectful of each other.
Poll 18 Results – Do You Think Universal Orlando Resort Is Opening Too Soon?
After Universal announced the June 5, reopening date for Universal Orlando Resort, I think many of us gasped as we weren’t quite expecting a June date, let alone one an early as June 5. For some inevitably this came as a surprise and for others, not so much. The reasoning for reopening in early June is discussed in our feature, Here’s Why Universal Orlando Resort is Pushing to Reopen So Quickly. Here are the final results:
- Yes – 51%
- No – 49%
With opening now only a week away, it will be very interesting to see how successful Universal Orlando Resorts reopening is.
Be sure to check out our News Page and Facebook Page daily to keep up to date with all the latest announcements from Disney, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld as well as other theme parks across the world.
We understand that our readers are missing the parks and we know the news is swamped with COVID-19 updates and information so we have been trying to continue to publish interesting and relevant features for you to read during this time. If you fancy a chilled few minutes, here is a list of our most recent features:
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Imagine Being Quarantined Inside ONE Disney Parks Land… Which Would You Choose? Here Are Our Picks…
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The Real Pizza Rat: How Chuck E. Cheese Revolutionized Video Gaming and Created Family Entertainment
- Remember Any of These 8 Video Games That Brought Disney Parks to YOU/ You Might Be Surprised…
- 8 Things That 2000’s Kids LOVED at Walt Disney World
- Forget Trapped Tigers… Here are 12 Roadside Attractions For Any Theme Park Fan’s Bucket List
- Search for GIANT Hidden Mickeys in This Google Maps Scavenger Hunt from Home!
- 9 Things Every 90’s Kid LOVED at Walt Disney World
To see all of our latest features visit our Features Page.
