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If you’ve visited Walt Disney World Resort before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, you’ll know that each stage offered a totally different kind of experience.
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Pre-pandemic Disney consisted of normal operations without missing offerings or altered experiences. It feels so far away, now that it’s almost hard to picture!
Guests visiting Walt Disney World during the pandemic witnessed an entirely different experience. Masks were mandatory, even when taking pictures outside. Social distancing was enforced, making lines appear way longer than they really were.
Things Were Totally Differing During the Pandemic
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At first, character meet-and-greets, character dining, and live entertainment shows were missing entirely. Eventually, all three activities returned to Walt Disney World Resort, albeit in phased stages.
Three years later, character meet-and-greets, character dining, and live entertainment have all fully returned and operate precisely like they used to. But it took months of operating at half capacity.
Masks and social distancing are nowhere to be seen, along with another pre-pandemic offering: parking trams.
This Essential Aspect of a Disney Vacation Was Missing For YEARS!
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When Walt Disney World re-opened during the pandemic in 2020, parking trams were missing entirely. In December of 2021, the parking trams finally returned to Magic Kingdom. At this time, Walt Disney World announced that parking trams would return to each Disney Park in 2022…But this would not be.
In May 2022, nearly six months later, the parking trams finally returned to Animal Kingdom but would remain missing from Hollywood Studios and EPCOT for the remainder of 2022.
Despite Walt Disney World’s promises and insistences, the parking trams would not return to EPCOT or Hollywood Studios in 2022…nor would they return for the bulk of 2023.
These Disney Theme Park Essentials Remained Nowhere to Be Seen, Despite Disney’s Promises…
The parking lot trams have resumed service at EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. pic.twitter.com/hURLyjqudF
— Ashley Carter (@AshleyLCarter1) September 21, 2023
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For the remaining Disney World theme parks, it would take a whopping three years for the parking trams to return. But we’re happy to report that as of September 21, the beloved trams have returned to Hollywood Studios and EPCOT!
Parking trams are an essential Walt Disney World offering. Regardless of the Disney Park you’re visiting, you’re going to be in for miles of walking, often in the Florida heat or rain.
Credit: Disney
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We don’t need to harp on the details; visiting a Disney Park is exhausting! And it only gets more tiring as the Walt Disney Company continues expanding the theme parks.
It should also be noted that the parking trams are necessary for guests with physical disabilities regarding mobility or younger guests relying on strollers. To reiterate: they’re not just a convenience, they’re a necessity.
That’s why we’re so pleased to report they’ve returned and that Walt Disney World is finally operating at 100% again!
What’s your favorite mode of Disney transportation? Let Disney Dining know in the comments!
