How to Expect the Best and Plan for the Worst On Your Trip To Disney World

With Disney parks worldwide taking the unprecedented steps to combat the COVID-19 virus and shuttering parks and having cruises remain in port for at least two weeks, guests have to have a plan in case things go wrong when visiting Disney World.  We always expect the best when we visit Disney World, but having a back-up plan and some understanding will help in case things go awry when visiting the parks in Florida.

Plan Ahead

As has been discussed before,  vacationing to Walt Disney World requires some degree of advance planning between securing resort reservations, planning your advanced dining reservations, as well as making your FastPass+ selections.  With the dining window opening 180 days before arrival and FastPass+ selections being able to be made 60 days in advance for resort guests, you need to take some time to make a rough sketch of what your vacation is going to look like. 

Will you want to sit down three times a day for meals or would you prefer to grab something quick so you can sneak another trip on Space Mountain?  As many high school teachers have quoted, failing to plan is just planning to fail!

Confirm Reservations

With all of your reservations displayed in the My Disney Experience app, it is pretty easy to make sure everything is on schedule with your reservations.  However, if you have selections that require advance payment or specialty tickets, it might be useful to confirm your reservations either through Disney directly by either calling them or checking with the front desk or concierge when you check into your resort.  By double checking that everything is ready to go, you’ll avoid last minute running around.

Have a Backup Plan

For much of the day when you are walking around the park, your time is unplanned.  While you might have FastPass+ selections for Thunder Mountain at 3 PM and Splash Mountain at 5 PM, you will need to find something to do between your selections.  You may think that jumping on Pirates of the Caribbean is a good option, but if the wait time is more than you’re willing to wait for, what else could you do?  Maybe catch a showing of the Enchanted Tiki Room or the Country Bear Jamboree or even climb around and take in the views from the Swiss Family Treehouse.

Better Safe Than Sorry

Guests will want to pack a backpack for their days in the park —having a backpack will help in case you have some kind of emergency in the park — maybe a rogue “wave” from Splash Mountain drenches your socks.  Having an extra pair of socks in your bag or a pair of flip flops will make the rest of your day a little easier and avoid an expensive trip to one of the gift shops.   You may also want to pack a disposable poncho, an umbrella, an empty water bottle, some bandaids, and extra sunscreen in addition to some snacks for standing in line for your favorite attractions.