3 Things NOT to do at Walt Disney World Right Now

While Disney World was abuzz the last few weeks with Spring Break crowds, we are still living in a Covid world.  For park goers, this means that Disney is still not offering its full assortment of services and attractions.  Live shows continue to be largely shuttered and nighttime entertainment is still suspended.  Hot dog enthusiasts continued to await the return of Casey’s at Magic Kingdom.  

And while there is still plenty to do at Walt Disney World as we wait through the end of this pandemic, some venues and services just aren’t what they used to be.  These are 3 things we would suggest skipping if you are visiting the resorts this spring: 

Disney's Boardwalk 

Walking around the Boardwalk on a warm evening is one of the most picturesque things to do while visiting Walt Disney World.  The lights hanging over the wooden walkways, the Friendship Boats jetting in and around Crescent Lake, the smell of pizza emanating from the window - all make this spot special.   

But with all of the continued closures as a result of Covid and reduced capacity, the Boardwalk feels hollow.  Spring break crowds did bring more presence to the Boardwalk, but the ESPN Club, Flying Fish, and Dance Hall are still closed.  As you stroll along, you see dark empty restaurants and buildings instead of the recreation of a buzzing Atlantic coastline community.  

 

As capacity continues to increase, and the anticipated rollout of the Covid_19 vaccine reduces the number of cases, it would be great to see these restaurants and bars return.  Until then, unless you are staying at Swan/Dolphin, Yacht/Beach Club, or the Boardwalk, don’t worry about making your way over quite yet.     

2. Cinderella’s Royal Table 

For many, the ultimate character dining experience is Cinderella’s Royal Table.  Your table is visited by Cinderella (duh), Snow White, Ariel and Aurora (and on occasion, you might see Princess Jasmine).  Your princess or princess also receives a magic wand or a sword.  Oh, and you are literals eating INSIDE Cinderella Castle.  

That was before the pandemic.  While you can still eat inside the castle, guests are “visited” by Cinderella.  The word “visited” is doing a lot of heavy lifting in this sentence because Cindy stands at the entrance of the restaurant and waives to everyone.  If you are seated near the entrance, you can snap some nice pictures and maybe even work in a selfie with Cinderella in the background.  But iIf you are seated near the windows or away from the entrance, you can forget taking any type of distanced selfie.  

This also isn’t a criticism.  The princesses cannot wear a mask or face shield and still maintain the illusion.  These distancing measures are necessary until vaccinations are widespread and case counts plummet.  But if you are planning on visiting the parks again in the future, this might be a dining reservation that you make when things return to normal.  

Oh, and Disney has stopped giving out the magic wands and swords.  This seems more like a cost cutting measure than anything else because I can’t think of a health and safety reason that would prevent them from giving each child their own sword or wand that isn’t going to be shared with someone else.  

3. Disney’s Photopass & Memory Maker   

We’ve heard a lot of criticism that Disney’s Photopass is a waste.  While some are turned off by the price, I’ve always thought of Photopass as a must-have park service and souvenir.  Not only are all of your ride photos captured for you, but there are dozens of Disney photographers scattered around the most iconic spots of each park waiting to take photographs of you and your party.  

Unfortunately, the mask requirement (again - a total necessity) has made Photopass a less desirable option especially since Disney is still charging full price.  Very recently, the ability to remove masks while stationary has made this a more viable option,  However, ride photographs will still capture you in a mask.  And other rides, such as Frozen Ever After which have plastic partitions, will block you out entirely if you are not seated in the front row. 

Until the mask requirement can be safely abandoned, we would recommend not investing in Photopass right now.