Credit: Inside the Magic Kelly C.
Walt Disney World is one of the most popular vacation spots in the world. It’s no secret that visitors come from everywhere just to step on Main Street, USA, and get a close-up view of Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom.
And as we move forward in 2021 and we are in the middle of spring break, more and more people are starting to visit the theme parks again.
However, with that said, crowds are becoming the new norm, especially in Florida’s theme parks, which is a concern for some.
Alvina Chu, Florida Department of Health epidemiology program manager in Orange County, said Orlando Sentinel, “As we are in a pandemic, I am concerned about the spread of COVID and Central Florida, which is why even for visitors and residents, we still ask for precautions against the pandemic while trying to build that immunity in our community.”
Within the Magic fan, Marla D. also expressed her concern about the current levels of crowd on spring break, saying “There is no social distance. People are packed there like sardines […]”.
Another ITM reader, Grace P. said the spring break crowds were alarming for her and her family as well, writing, “I’m going next week. The increase in crowds worries me because of the long lines. But on the other hand, I went last August and it is strange to be at Disney without many people. “
And Peter G. shared his views on a recent Inside the Magic article, writing “Going to WDW the week after Easter Sunday. We are concerned about the possibility of being crowded. The wait times of 1h are very bad and there is no option for fast passage. “
Orlando Sentinel contacted Disney for comments on attending spring break, but the company declined to respond. However, spokeswoman Erica Ettori said in a statement: “We are excited about what our guests are telling us about experiences in our parks and resorts with our focus on health and safety. With the power of our brand and the magic of our cast members, we remain optimistic that even better days are ahead. “
In fact, Inside the Magic reader Janet P. shared that on her recent visit to Walt Disney World, she still had a lot of fun, although it is different from before the pandemic. “I was there on 01/22 – 01/26. Amazing experience. Of course it’s different, but I had a lot of fun, ”said Janet.
She continued, “Thanks for all the attention to security details and I still love to hear, Welcome home every time I scan my Magic Band. Even with COVID restrictions I still managed to do all 4 parks in one day. Our first park on Saturday was Hollywood Studios and before 11am we had completed 6 tours. “
Another Inside the Magic follower, Marie, shared with us that the cast members are very attentive and enforce safety protocols, saying “I have fun and I love the way the cast members are very attentive to the guests and ask them comply, unlike other theme parks I visited. “
Aszkara, another reader and follower of Inside the Magic, said that one of her favorite things to do at the theme parks now is to watch horseback rides for pop-up characters! She said: “It is definitely different, but I honestly had a lot of fun. The queues seemed to be MUCH longer than they really were, and even the waiting times posted were longer than the actual waiting times for almost everything. My favorite new / different thing was the random character rides. So funny!”
“We are the puppy here. We ran around the dogs’ feet trying to catch crumbs. And they don’t drop a lot of crumbs, that’s for sure, ”said McHugh Orlando Sentinel. “But when they have these capacity limits they have, it works very well for smaller attractions, because people are looking for something else to do.”
It is not just Disney World that is drawing crowds. Universal Orlando’s theme parks have regularly reached their maximum limited capacity in recent weeks.
And at Legoland, hotels have seen an increase in occupancy. In fact, it is the biggest since it reopened last year, which is great, especially for employees. “We have been bringing employees back since we reopened on June 1,” said Rex Jackson, general manager of Legoland Florida Resort Orlando Sentinel. “We are currently hiring 225 positions, so we are looking to the future.”
Orlando Sentinel he also had the opportunity to speak with theme park analyst John Gerner, managing director of Virginia’s Leisure Business Advisors, who expressed that Disney is doing a great job in the midst of the pandemic. “I think Disney is doing as good a job as you can expect,” said Gerner.
And inside the Magic fan, LeAnna B., also explained how, although the parks look crowded, they are not as bad as they look: “I just got back yesterday from our week-long trip,” wrote LeAnna. “As crowded as it sounds, it took us just 20 minutes to get out of the park every day! In fact, we took the first ferry boat every night that we were in the magic kingdom. Now it never happens !! It is because all the line queues are outside. The moment you place the line inside the building, you are entering the promenade very quickly. “
On the other hand, theme park analyst John Gerner also expressed how difficult it can be to eliminate all problems, including face masks and issues of social detachment. “People are not paying attention to this,” said Gerner Orlando Sentinel. “You are giving people instructions on what to do, even when it is in their own interest, it will always be a challenge when people are out there wanting to have fun and are not thinking straight.”
Within the range of Magic, Joan also noticed this, explaining that on her recent trip, although many were following the rules, there were a few who did not listen. “The rules are clearly set and I agree that if you don’t want to wear a mask all day, don’t go,” wrote Joan. “I saw some pictures being taken without the masks and an entire family eating while waiting in line, but usually people kept the masks on.”
She continued: “What I had a problem with was that people did not distance themselves properly. I’m an older person and I don’t walk as fast as some people. I have experienced many cases of clients walking from behind and practically breathing down my neck, forcing me to walk away to avoid exposure. People don’t really understand the rules of social detachment. “
If you are planning to visit a public place, such as the Walt Disney World Resort, remember to practice safety and health protocols to keep yourself and others safe during this time. Keep your distance from other guests, use appropriate facial coverings at all times, wash your hands frequently, try to use paperless payment methods and cover your mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.
Do you have plans to visit Central Florida? What theme parks do you plan to visit? Let us know in the comments below.
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