Reopening Information You Should Know About Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

In the past it has been easy as pie to enjoy a Walt Disney World vacation, even without heading to the Disney Parks. Disney hotels have offered guests a plethora of shopping, dinning, and entertainment options that over the years have made visiting multiple resorts something everyone does. However, in this new COVID-19 world health and safety precautions may just put a damper on your hotel hopping game. Here's what you should know about the reopening plans for Walt Disney World Resort Hotels.


Reopening Information You Should Know About Walt Disney World Resort Hotels


Let's start off with some basics, because your your Disney World Hotel Experience Will Be VERY DIFFERENT This Summer.

Front Desk Services - Walt Disney World Resorts already encourages guests to check-in online prior to their arrival, with your MagicBand and MyDisneyExperience (MDE) you can go directly to your room without Cast Member interaction. To further encourage social distancing, Disney will be launching a new Virtual Front Desk in the MDE app which will allow you to speak with a Guest Relations Cast Member directly without stopping by the desk.

Housekeeping - High-traffic areas and high-touch areas will be getting frequent "thorough cleaning" before your arrival. Rooms will receive a light cleaning service every other day of your stay, to refresh trash, towels, and amenities. Guests will also find extra linens and towels wrapped in single-use packaging, as well as individually-wrapped glassware and additional items that have been cleaned and wrapped in single-use packaging in your room before your arrival. Every other day service can be denied during your stay if you prefer to limit your additional exposure.

Activities - Arcades, campfires, character experiences, dog parks, the Electrical Water Pageant, Marina rentals, Pin trading, Playgrounds, Spas, salons, and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique will not be operating initially. Special classes and programs usually run through the activities department will also be unavailable when resorts first reopen.

Pool Hours - Relaxing by the pool is going to become an even more popular activity than it always has been, but pools will reopen with limited capacity to enforce social distancing. Feature pools may operate with limited hours, but leisure pools will be open 24 hours a day. Bad news for Yacht and Beach Club guests though as Stormalong Bay will not be reopening in these first phases.

Transportation - Both Disney's Magical Express and Disney's internal transportation system will be running at a reduced capacity in order to maintain social distancing guidelines, delays should be expected so give yourself plenty of time to get where you are going. Minnie Van Service will not be available during initial opening phases.


Longhouse at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort


That sounds like a lot, doesn't it? Those magical Disney extras have been stripped down to the minimum for the safety of both guests and cast members.
If you follow Disney communities on social media you can understand why many people are thinking that it is just going to be better to scrap this years vacation and wait. That's one of the reasons why Disney World is Asking Guests To Change, Confirm, or Cancel Reservations Between June 22 and July 4th.

Disney is doing its best to accommodate the caution of travelers and Guests Can Now MODIFY Disney World Reservations From Now to June 21st but you have to call order to get it done. Otherwise your reservation will simple be canceled. In addition, Disney World is also Waiving Cancellation and Change Fees Through October 3rd to make it a little easier for guests to be able to postpone and rebook their vacation to a later date without losing their financial investment.

All that being said,You're Not Even VISITING A Disney World Hotel If You Don't Have THIS. A reservation! Guests must have either a confirmed room reservation for your stay or a confirmed dining reservation to step foot in a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. At least through the the initial phases of reopening, monorail bar crawls are on time-out.


Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort


All Disney Dining Plans and 180 day Advanced Dining Reservations have been canceled over the past couple of weeks. Guests will be now able to book new dining reservations starting at the 60 day mark. This move allowed Disney to structure its restaurant reservation system for lower capacity seatings. There is quite a bit to know about the Dining changes that are going on, so be sure to read the Disney Food Blog's article How Disney World Dining is CHANGING This Summer.

Character Dining will not be available at first, with the exception of the One Character Dining Experience IS Returning To Disney World to operate in a modified fashion.

So just where can you eat? These Disney World Restaurants Will Be OPEN Starting June 22nd. In addition, many of the shops and restaurants over at Disney Springs are once again in operation with limited operating hours.


Lovely Trellis Design Grace The Interior


The Walt Disney World experience will be significantly changed for the foreseeable future. While I admire the steps being taken to keep both guests and cast members safe and healthy during this unusual time, I also understand those families that are choosing not to travel. It's OK, Disney will still be there when they are ready to venture out again.

Are these changes impacting your Walt Disney World vacations? Leave me a comment below and share your thoughts.