Right now, Disney guests with on-property hotel reservations are able to reserve Disney Parks Passes, which are required (in addition to valid theme park admission) for guests to visit Walt Disney World theme parks in 2020. And though this system has had a rough few opening days with system crashes and jammed phone lines filled with frustrated guests, things are about to get even crazier as this system has now officially opened to all guests, including annual passholders and ticketholder.
And right now it looks like these groups will want to act fast, because several parks are hitting capacity limits during the theme parks’ first week back to operation. As of this writing, there is no parks pass availability for any Walt Disney World theme park for annual passholders on July 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 25, and August 1, 7, 8, 15, & 22. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is also unavailable for most weekdays in July and August.
Though it looks like some spots “reserved” for Disney hotel guests still remain, it looks like annual passholders and guests with just theme park tickets without a hotel reservation will have a hard time getting into the theme parks this summer if they haven’t already made reservations. And with tickets now available for purchase for guests visiting Walt Disney World in 2021, it looks like guests wanting to visit next year will want to finalize their plans as soon as possible.
Should Walt Disney World’s reopening move forward?
Of course, all of this comes amid growing calls for Walt Disney World to delay their reopening as Disneyland Resort did in response to rising COVID-19 cases in the state. With Florida seeing over 30,000 new cases in just the last week, is looks like the virus is showing no signs of slowing down between now and July 11, and many are nervous not only about the spread of COVID-19 to guests, but also Cast Members as well.
The local actor’s union has even gone as far as to say that they don’t know how Walt Disney World could “responsibly” reopen as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the state and is demanding regular testing for the actors who can’t use face masks when doing their jobs before union workers can return to work at the resort.
And though Disneyland Resort delayed its theme parks’ opening due to guidance from the local government, Orange County has cleared the way for Walt Disney World to stick to their current reopening strategy, issuing a statement that the county will not be issuing any mandates for Walt Disney World’s opening, and any kind of delay or additional restriction would have to come from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Another fall event is cancelled
Though Walt Disney World already cancelled Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party earlier this year, it looks like D23, the official Disney fan club has announced that it will be postponing its Destination D: Fantastic Worlds event until 2021. The event was originally planned to take place in November at Walt Disney World, and will now move to sometime next year at a date still to be announced.
Right now the only 2020 event still on the calendar at Walt Disney World without modifications in Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom, but if the moratorium on characters, parades and fireworks continues we’d imagine Disney would have to cancel this event as well unless they have a plan to completely re-imagine it.
Plans for Walt Disney World’s reopening are moving full steam ahead, and though there have been calls for Disney to delay or reconsider opening, it looks like the resort is moving forward, undeterred for the time being, and guests are more than ready to return to the theme parks, as evidenced by the selling out of parks passes for the summer.
Will you be returning to Disney Parks in the near future?
Theme Park Tourist COVID-19 Complete Coverage: The 16 Major Theme Park Projects Now Officially Cancelled, Delayed or Slimmed Down (June 27, 2020) I Disneyland Theme Parks Will NOT Open Next Month I Disneyland Paris Will Begin Phased Reopening On July 15, 2020 I Disney Parks Pass System Has Rough First Day as Disney Announces Which Hotels Are Reopening I Disney Park Pass System Opens Next Week, Availability to be VERY Limited I Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Cancelled at Walt Disney World I Free MagicBand Program to End in 2021 at Walt Disney World INBA Details Resorts, Perks, and Restrictions for Players at Walt Disney World I Walt Disney World Sets Additional Reopening Policies I Could Theme Parks Shut Down Again in Orlando?
