Why I'm feeling excited about this year and what's to come!
Hey friends,
As we close out March and move past the year mark for all the Covid changes that have changed our lives, I must say I'm feeling much more optimistic for the future of the parks this year. Let me tell you why I'm excited...
Disclaimer: As I've said before, I do not have any insider knowledge or contacts (I wish!) so what I'm about to say is pure speculation and educated guesses, and personal opinion. As someone who tries hard to only share official, non-rumor reports, it's important for me to say this. However, there are several things happening right now that make me think Disney World will be moving toward pre-closure "normal" in the near future.
First of all, starting April 5th here in Orange County vaccinations will be open to anyone 18 and up. This is well ahead of the May 1st deadline given by the government.
That means that all Castmembers will be able to get the vaccine and by May/June most if not all of the CMs will have been vaccinated putting them at less risk, and also means a possible eliminating of the social distancing requirements in the onstage and backstage areas that have prevented many of the entertainment and shows from opening back up.
Bob Chapek said that going forward, changes in park safety protocols are "going to be determined by the rate of vaccination of the public.” So if we are ahead of schedule in our vaccination rates, and that's the new bar Disney Parks is using, that's very good news. The biggest thing that is keeping the shows and character meets from returning is the social distancing measures dictated by the CDC. If those change that means the return of shows and entertainment which is the biggest piece we are missing in the arks right now.
As for mask requirements, that's harder to say. Chapek did say in that same meeting that masks would be in place for 2021 in some capacity. That doesn't necessarily mean for the rest of this year they will always be mandatory as they are now. They could move to a "masks suggested" policy at some point during the year, depending on how things progress this summer and fall.
Another thing that is exciting is that Disney has a new job listing this week for a "Principal Fireworks Designer". This could bode well for the return of nighttime shows and fireworks like the new Harmonious show which will be debuting sometime this year, as well as the return of Magic Kingdom's Happily Ever After.
Again, all of this is editorial, but I wanted to share with you guys why I'm feeling really hopeful for the future of this year at Walt Disney World. With the 50th anniversary kickoff on October 1st, there's a lot to be excited about in the future! After the year we've all had, I think we all deserve to get excited about things to come, don't you?
Once things fully open back up it's going to be an exciting time you guys!. I think the travel and tourism industry is going to see a time of huge growth, and I hope that many of you who haven't been able to visit WDW in a while will be able to come back and make up for all the fun you missed! (As someone who very rarely uses exclamation points in my writing, I hope you can feel how pumped I am for the future! 😁)
Okay, let's take a look at the news from this week:
This Week's News
Main Street Confectionary Closed: Disney is doing a big refurbishment on the Main Street Confectionary at Magic Kingdom. During the construction, they've moved most of the treats to the Main Street Theater. The theater used to have the Art of Disney store, so those items have moved to Bonjour Gifts near Gaston's Tavern. The bakery case items like th cupcakes and the fudge won't be available in the temporary location. However, the new redo will be expanding the store as well as providing more custom options for their homemade treats. The refurb is currently listed through June, but no final date as been given as of yet. Here's Disney's article.
Walt Disney World License Plate: Florida residents now have the option of getting a new Disney license plate, with proceeds from sales going to Make a Wish. Check out the details here.
Women Running Disney Parks: I thought this story was really cool- for the first time ever, all four Walt Disney Parks are led by women. Disney shares some details about each of them as well as the head of security who's also a woman. Read the full article here.
In case you missed it:
Flower & Garden Festival Guide: Since this festival is going to be around until July 5th of this year, we've got lots of time to visit. I imagine it will be here while many of you visit Disney World so a good guide will be helpful to get the most out of your time. I put one together and I'll be adding to it as I find more tips or options. You can find that here: Festival Guide.
Easter Treats: It's almost Easter and there are tons of new options debuting in the parks including lots of adorable cupcakes and treats. Most of these are available now thru April 4th or 5th. Also returning this year- there will be Easter Egg displays at a few resorts:
Disney’s BoardWalk Resort – Lobby area (available for viewing Mar. 26-April 4)
Disney’s Grand Floridan Resort & Spa – Lobby area, concierge level, and Grand Floridian Café lobby (available for viewing Mar. 15-April 4)
Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort – Carriage House (available for viewing Apr. 1-11)
Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resort – Beach Club lobby, Yacht Club lobby, Ale & Compass Restaurant, The Market at Ale & Compass (available for viewing Mar. 18-Apr. 4)
You can see the full list of Easter treats as well as Easter brunch options here.
Upcoming Events
Mar. 3rd- July 5th: Epcot's Flower & Garden Festival
May 30th: Beach Club Resort reopens
June 6th: Wilderness Lodge reopens
Oct. 1st, 2021: Disney World's official 50th Anniversary begins
That's a wrap for this week- I always aim to be brief and write in a way that lets you guys get more details on the things you're interested in with the links provided, but not have a lot of filler. I know you're busy and as much as we all like to keep up with the news on places and people we love, we only have so much time in a day to read updates. It seems to be working for you guys since many of you read each week and I truly appreciate that!
