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The Real Method To Tackling Walt Disney World During the Pandemic 

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCF chapter.

Silence fell. Happiness paused. Doors closed. In March, the Walt Disney Company had no other option but to close their gates to the golden palace. However, the sun began to rise as smiles were back to the Happiest Place on Earth in July. For those who are planning on taking a trip to Cinderella’s Castle, a handful of safety precautions have been put in place to ensure the health of guests. Hand sanitizers at every corner, virtual queues and socially distanced stickers are just some of the new implementations. 

close up image of the Epcot Ball in Disney
Photo by David Buchi from Pexels
However, one particular regulation has brought many concerns — masks. Florida is known for its weather: hot and humid. Yet, Disney isn’t hesitant with its policy. At the entrance of every park, you can see that there is always at least one staff member holding a sign that reads “Masks required at all times.” Of course, there were a couple of times that my family and I tried to sneak some photos without our mask on, but magically, a Cast Member would appear out of nowhere to remind us of the policy. Masks were a priority, making guests feel a lot more safe and comfortable.

In addition, hand sanitizing stations are strategically placed all throughout the parks, especially in ride lines. While waiting to ride Buzz Lightyear in Magic Kingdom, there were a total of four different stands: three before you hopped on the ride, and one for when you got off. The only problem that could arise from these machines being placed around is them running out of sanitizer, which is something that we encountered a couple of times. I recommend taking at least two to three handy bottles of sanitizer just in case situations like this occur more than once.

Galaxy's Edge at DisneyLand
Photo by Rod Long from Unsplash
Overall, as long as you maintain 6 feet apart in lines, keep your hands sparkly clean often and have your mask on at all times, you should be able to enjoy a wonderful day at Walt Disney World. All it takes is a little “faith, trust and pixie dust.” 

Jackie is a current sophomore at UCF who plans on majoring in Journalism with minors in Digital Media and Sociology. Since being a little girl, Jackie knew she wanted to be on TV one day. As time progressed, she realized her dream would be to become a storyteller as a news reporter and hopefully land her dream job on Good Morning America. She also enjoys the art of photography and has a huge love for film (her favorite movie is The Truman Show).
UCF Contributor