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Attraction Adjustments With Walt Disney World’s Reopening That You Should Know About

Walt Disney World started welcoming guests back into the magic in July of this year.  In order to help keep everyone safe and socially distanced, some adjustments had to be made in a few areas of the parks.  Before you head to the magic, make sure you are aware of these adjustments to some of Disney’s attractions.

1. No Stretching Room

In Magic Kingdom, the Haunted Mansion is a beloved ride by many.  Guests enjoy taking a ride through the spooky haunts of the mansion alongside their ghost host.  Right now, though, guests won’t be greeted by their host until they enter their buggy as the stretching room is currently a walk through.  A favorite experience for many as it helps create the atmosphere of the whole ride, right now this section just isn’t being used so guests can continue to be socially distanced.

Haunted Mansion Entrance

2. No Pre-Shows

Several pre-shows have adjusted as well.

  • Similar to the Haunted Mansion stretching room, is the Tower of Terror pre-show room.  Guests are typically brought into the small room where they watch a short introduction video setting up the storyline.  As with the stretching room, guests aren’t being kept in this room but instead allowed to walk through.
  • The newest ride in Walt Disney World is Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.  When this ride first opened, guests were able to experience a pre-show that helped bring them into the cartoon and storyline of the ride.  As with Tower of Terror, guests are no longer being held in this area or watching the pre-show. Guests now are able to quickly move onto ride vehicles and enjoy their adventure with Mickey and friends.
PRE-COVID: Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railroad (Photo: Disney)
  • Rock n’ Roller Coaster is also not using the pre-show at this time.  Guests are no longer invited to the party by Aerosmith, but instead they move through this room right to the backstage area to load the stretch limo.
  • In Animal Kingdom, guests might notice that on Dinosaur and Flight of Passage the pre-shows are either skipped all together or slightly adjusted to allow for guests to stay distanced while they prepare for boarding.

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3. No Interactive Queues

As Disney focuses on keeping guests and cast members safe and healthy, they are trying to limit the amount of high touch areas throughout the parks.  In most of the queue areas, Disney has blocked off or turned off any interactive features. For example, in Seven Dwarf Mine Train the gems are blocked from guests. Winnie the Pooh’s honey wall is covered as well and in the Haunted Mansion guests can’t reach the interaction sections either so no playing music while you wait.  The queues both still provide some fun visuals while waiting even without the interactiveness.

PRE-COVID Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

4. Play Areas Closed

One of the neat features that Disney created while updating Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom was to include a play area for Dumbo.  One of the most popular rides in Disney always brings waits, but this play area allowed parents to rest while kids ran off some energy.  Right now, Disney has shut down this area to help keep littles safe while visiting.

5. Other Adjustments

There are few other areas throughout the four theme parks that guests might notice a slight change in their experience. 

  • In Epcot, guests are currently not designing their own cars on Test Track.  This room has guests moving through and the touchpoint areas covered and blocked off.  Guests can still enjoy the thrills of this ride, but the completion between uniquely designed cars is temporarily on hold.  Also, in Epcot, guests might notice a change as they leave Spaceship Earth.  Typically, guests can experience numerous interactive activities as well as a big globe that projects pictures and locations on it.  Instead guests are encouraged to move through this area and out into the main area of Epcot.  This is to help prevent large crowds gathering inside as well as to limit high touch areas.
Exit of Spaceship Earth – Empty Globe Post-COVID
  • In Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests can experience a fun, unique experience as they fly the Millennium Falcon.  Typically seating up to six guests (two pilots, engineers and gunners) now only one party per Falcon is being allowed.  This means that guests can choose which of the six spots they want to experience.   

Walt Disney World has done a wonderful job making adjustments to their operation in order to keep guests and cast members safe.  This means that some experiences might be slightly modified or adjusted, but the magic is always present for all to enjoy on their vacation.

Jennifer Retzlaff

My name is Jennifer Retzlaff and I became a lifelong Disney fan during my first trip to Walt Disney World in 6th grade. From that moment, Disney became a big part of my life. I live in Iowa with my husband and two kids who are growing up too quickly for my liking. I started introducing my love for Disney early to my family with a Disney honeymoon and then trips when our youngest of 18 months. Since then, our family has been to Walt Disney World over five times and we continue to plan and dream for the next… More »

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