What to Know About Distancing on Rides in Disney World Right NOW
If you’re headed to Disney World soon, there are a few things you need to know about like Park Pass reservations, which restaurants are open, and some tips for wearing a face mask in the parks.
New Distancing Markers for Slinky Dog Dash
But, another important thing you’ll want to be aware of is how Disney is handling loading its attractions while keeping social distancing in mind. Will you be sitting with another party on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run? Are there plexiglass barriers on this ride or the other? We’re breaking it ALL down for you today.
Keep in mind that these are all based on our recent experiences in the parks, but things could vary. So, while these are generally what we’ve seen, you might experience something different during your trip. And we will continue to update this post with new information as things change around the parks.
Magic Kingdom
We start our tour around Walt Disney World in Magic Kingdom.
“it’s a small world”
From our experience, “it’s a small world” will load more than one party to a boat, but they will leave about 2 rows between parties for social distancing.
“it’s a small world”
Astro Orbiter
At Atro Orbiter, just as before, each party gets their own rocket. In terms of actually getting to the rockets, you ride the elevator to the top, but Cast Members have typically only been loading one party per elevator.
Astro Orbiter Atop The PeopleMover
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
For Big Thunder Mountain, we have seen the socially distanced line stretch FAR out into the park, including into the Frontierland Train Station, so be sure to look for the Cast Member with the “End of Line” sign if there is a long queue that stretches far from the attraction.
Line for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
In terms of the actual seating on the attraction, parties are spaced out. Generally, guests are not seated in every row. Typically, only one party is loaded per cart (each cart having 3 rows), or at least one row is left between parties.
Big Thunder Mountain
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
For Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, again the line might go through some unexpected places — like through the queue area for Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, so be on the lookout for that.
Buzz Lightyear Line in
In terms of the ride itself, they have typically loaded every other car, meaning there is one car between your party and the next.
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Country Bear Jamboree
In the waiting room, there are social distancing dots on the floor, indicating where guests should stand.
Country Bear Jamboree
Within the theater itself, every other row is blocked off. In the rows where guests can sit, there are certain portions of the row that are marked as unavailable for seating.
Country Bear Jamboree Evacuation
Guests with large parties may need to split up as they won’t be able to sit in those areas that are marked as unavailable.
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Over at Dumbo, the interactive play area where guests would previously wait for the ride is temporarily closed. In terms of the attraction itself, each party gets their own elephant, like before.
Dumbo in Magic Kingdom
Jungle Cruise
At the Jungle Cruise, guests are no longer sat in the middle of the boat. Instead, guests sit only on the sides and are divided from other parties to the side of them by distancing barriers. There’s also a barrier separating guests from their Jungle Cruise Skipper.
Jungle Cruise
Mad Tea Party
At Mad Tea Party, only one party is seated per teacup. There really is no dramatic difference here in terms of seating.
Mad Tea Party Photo from 2019
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Guests must maintain social distancing from one another as they wait in the area just before the theater. Inside the theater, there are some rows and seats blocked off to help guests maintain their distance from one another.
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Peter Pan’s Flight
Want to soar above London on Peter Pan’s Flight? Plexiglass barriers have been added to part of the queue.
Peter Pan’s Flight queue
And, if it gets really long, sometimes the queue is looped through part of Columbia Harbour House.
Peter Pan’s Flight Line Redirected Through Columbia Harbour House
In terms of the attraction itself, each ride vehicle is being loaded, but it is (as always) limited to one party per ship.
Peter Pan’s Flight
Pirates of the Caribbean
Yo ho! At Pirates of the Caribbean, more than 1 party is typically seated per boat, but they are separated by several rows to maintain social distancing.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
On the Carrousel, guests are assigned a row and can select a horse from that row, and it is limited to one party per row. So, if you are a party of 1 and there are 4 horses in the row, you can pick whichever horse you want and no one else will be in that row with you.
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
At Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, there is again plexiglass in the queue areas.
Physical Distancing Barriers
In terms of seating, guests are generally being seated every-other row with an empty row of seats between each party.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Click here to see more about what it’s like to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train now!
Space Mountain
At Space Mountain, there are plexiglass dividers in some of the queue areas.
Space Mountain Line
The rockets are generally being loaded with 1 party per each section of 3 seats. This is another ride, however, that can have a queue that backs up QUITE far from the attraction (we found it ALL the way back by Tomorrowland Speedway around New Year’s Eve), so that’s something you’ll want to keep in mind.
Space Mountain end of line
Splash Mountain
On Splash Mountain, generally, parties are loaded with several rows separating them from other parties in the same boat.
Splash Mountain
This is another one that can have a very stretched-out line.
Splash Mountain Line
The Barnstormer
At The Barnstormer, every other row is unavailable to ensure distance between parties.
The Barnstormer
The Hall of Presidents
In the Hall of Presidents, there are social distancing dots on the floor in the waiting area, indicating where guests should stand. Inside the theater, there are rows and seats blocked off for social distancing.
Haunted Mansion
In the Haunted Mansion, guests walk through the Stretching Room pre-show area as basically an extended part of the queue. The traditional spiel and waiting in this area has been eliminated. Each party is then seated in their own doom buggy (like before). At the moment, every doom buggy is being loaded (meaning they are not skipping doom buggies between parties).
Indoor Queue for Haunted Mansion
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
In the Magic Carpets of Aladdin, one party is seated per flying carpet.
Magic Carpets of Aladdin
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
The high-touch, interactive elements of the queue have generally been blocked off or turned off. Only one party is seated per honey pot.
Winnie the Pooh
Tomorrowland Speedway
At Tomorrowland Speedway, guests are generally stopped from entering their vehicle until the other drivers exit, so as to promote social distancing.
Tomorrowland Speedway
Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid
Sing and dance along with Ariel in your clamshell as you go under the sea in the Journey of the Little Mermaid. As always, the ride only loads one party per shell, and every shell is being loaded.
Under the Sea — Journey of the Little Mermaid
Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
At Carousel of Progress, every other row is closed, and in those rows that are open, some seats are marked as unavailable. Parties may have to split up as those seats marked as unavailable cannot be used.
Carousel of Progress
Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
The set-up is similar for Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, where certain rows are blocked off, and even on rows that are being utilized, certain areas are marked as unavailable.
Enchanted Tiki Room
Swiss Family Treehouse
For the Swiss Family Treehouse, guests are asked to maintain social distancing from one another while walking through the area.
Swiss Family Treehouse
EPCOT
Awesome Planet
At Awesome Planet, there are social distancing markers in the pre-show room, indicating where guests should stand and wait.
Awesome Planet
Inside the theater, just like many other shows, generally, every other row is closed and several seats are marked as unavailable to help promote social distancing.
Awesome Planet
Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360
Inside of the theater for Canada Far and Wide, every other row is closed and there are specific areas within rows that are open that are marked as unavailable.
Canada Far and Wide
Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
The situation is similar again at the Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival. There are distance markers in the pre-show room where guests are instructed to stand. Inside the theater, some rows are closed. Groups of seats in open rows are also marked as unavailable to promote social distancing.
Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
Frozen Ever After
On Frozen Ever After, there are plexiglass barriers in part of the queue…
Plexiglass Barriers
…and there are now plexiglass dividers between each row of the boat, and Disney is seating every row on the boats.
Plexiglass dividers on Frozen Ever After
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
At Gran Fiesta Tour, there is plexiglass in the queue line…
Plexiglass
…and different parties are spaced out on the boats. Generally, the boats are loaded similar to Pirates of the Caribbean, where there are around 2 rows between your party and another party in the same boat.
Gran Fiesta Tour
Impressions de France & Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along
At both of these attractions, social distancing markers are in the waiting area. Inside the theater, every other row is closed, and several seats within open rows are marked as unavailable so guests can maintain proper social distancing.
Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along and Impressions de France Theater
Journey Into Imagination with Figment
At Journey Into Imagination with Figment, one party is loaded per car, and some parts of the attraction have been modified. For example, guests are no longer blasted with air and that “skunk smell” in the Smell Lab. High-touch areas in the ImageWorks — The What If Labs are also not available.
Journey Into Imagination with Figment
Living with the Land
Some boats in Living with the Land have plexiglass barriers, and in those boats, guests are seated in every row. On any boat without plexiglass barriers, guests are seated with one row between parties.
Boat with Plexiglass, Living With the Land
Mission: SPACE
On Mission Space, one party is loaded per vehicle. All of the games and interactive areas in the post-ride area are temporarily unavailable.
Mission: SPACE
Reflections of China
At reflections of China, guests are instructed to maintain social distancing in the waiting area. Inside of the theater, certain rows are entirely closed and specific areas within open rows are marked as unavailable.
Reflections of China
Soarin’ Around the World
On Soarin’, plexiglass has been installed in certain parts of the attraction. Additionally, several seats are locked and unavailable.
Soarin’ Seating
Spaceship Earth
At Spaceship Earth, Disney is leaving spaces between parties. In other words, parties may be able to stay together but you generally won’t be seated with another party in the same vehicle.
Spaceship Earth
Test Track
Each party is given their own car at Test Track.
Test Track
The American Adventure
Just like other shows, at The American Adventure certain rows are blocked off. Within the rows that are open, several seats are marked as unavailable to maintain distancing.
The American Adventure
Additionally, it should be noted that the Voices of Liberty are no longer performing in the rotunda on the first floor. But, they did perform at the America Gardens Theatre during the Festival of the Holidays and are set to return there for the Festival of the Arts.
The Seas with Nemo & Friends
At the Seas with Nemo & Friends, we used to see Cast Members leaving space between parties, but they have recently been loading every single shell.
The Seas with Nemo & Friends
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Alien Swirling Saucers
At Alien Swirling Saucers it is, as always, 1 party per vehicle. There are social distancing markers throughout the ride and loading area, but other than that the ride’s loading hasn’t dramatically changed.
Alien Swirling Saucers
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy
At Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy, just like other shows, certain rows are closed off and some seats within open rows are also marked as unavailable to promote distancing.
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Plexiglass barriers have been installed in Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and Disney is seating every row.
Plexiglass Runaway Railway
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run just recently got a plexiglass makeover and adjustment to its boarding process. Now, there are colored dots on the floor directing guests where to stand when inside the Falcon. The loading process now ignores the pilot, engineer, and gunner markers on the floor. Instead, there are now the sets of corresponding colored dots.
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
There is also plexiglass in the cockpit around the gunners’ seats, separating the gunners from the engineers.
Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run
A Cast Member explained that this set-up could potentially allow for a group of 1-4 people plus another group of 1-2 at any given time.
Click here to see more about the changes at Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run!
Muppet*Vision 3D
Just like the other shows, at Muppet*Vision 3D, there are social distancing markers in the pre-show area, certain rows are unavailable in the theatre, and certain seats in available rows are marked off so that guests can maintain social distancing between their party and other parties.
Muppet*Vision 3D
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
At Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, there are plexiglass barriers between the loading rows…
Loading every row
…and the ride is now seating guests in every single row.
Loading every row
Slinky Dog Dash
At Slinky Dog Dash, there are some plexiglass barriers in the queue…
Slinky Dog Dash
…and guests are also now being seated in every single row.
Slinky Dog Dash today
Star Tours — The Adventures Continue
In Star Tours, every other row is not being used. There are also plexiglass dividers on the ride, and a number of seats between parties in available rows are skipped, again to promote social distancing.
Star Tours
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
On the Tower of Terror, like at the Haunted Mansion, the pre-show is being entirely skipped.
Tower of Terror Pre-Show Room
Also, plexiglass barriers have been installed on the ride vehicles, but Disney was still limiting capacity in the vehicles, by skipping rows and skipping certain seats between parties.
Plexiglass on Tower of Terror
Toy Story Mania!
At Toy Story Mania! there is plexiglass in parts of the queue, and guests are loaded as normal (since the guests face back-to-back, they have not been skipping rows or anything of that nature between parties).
Queue
Vacation Fun — An Original Animated Short with Mickey & Minnie
Just like at other theaters in Disney, essentially every other row is closed and some seats within available rows are marked as unavailable to maintain social distancing. Keep in mind, this might mean that you’ll have to split up your party as the seats marked as unavailable cannot be used.
Vacation Fun at the Mickey Shorts Theater
Walt Disney Presents
At Walt Disney Presents: One Man’s Dream, guests can walk freely through the space but should maintain an appropriate social distance from others. In the theater show at the end, every other row is closed and some seats in open rows are also marked as unavailable.
Walt Disney PresneOne Man’s Dream
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
The Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance line is another one that can stretch QUITE far from the actual entrance of the attraction, so keep an eye out for that.
Rise of the Resistance Queue Redirected to Muppet Vision 3D Queue
Inside the actual attraction, there are various pre-show areas, all of which have some measure of social distancing markers…
…and/or plexiglass.
Plexiglass
You’ll also find social distancing markers and plexiglass in the transport ship…
Plexiglass
…and plexiglass on the ride vehicles themselves. On the vehicles, due to the addition of the plexiglass, Disney is now loading every single row.
Rise of the Resistance
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
At the Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, there are social distancing markers in the waiting area…
Guests Waiting to Enter the Frozen Show Theatre
…and inside the theater, every other row is skipped, and some seats within open rows are marked off to maintain distance between parties.
Frozen Show Seating
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Avatar Flight of Passage
In the Flight of Passage queue, there are (again) some plexiglass barriers.
Plexiglass in the Flight of Passage queue
Guests are also now being loaded in every single seat in the link chamber without any kind of barrier between them.
Flight of Passage loading every bike
DINOSAUR
At DINOSAUR, there are plexiglass barriers on the attraction vehicles behind the first row, and Cast Members are generally only seating rows 1 and 3, leaving an empty row between parties.
Plexiglass Barriers on Dinosaur
Discovery Island Trails, Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail, Maharajah Jungle Trek
On the trails at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you’ll find a number of social distancing markers and lines, particularly in areas like the Gorilla Falls viewing area as the number of guests being allowed into that area at any one time is being limited.
Line to see Gorillas at Gorilla Falls
There are similar things in place in the area of the trail where guests can see the naked mole rats and other, smaller creatures.
Line at Gorilla Falls
Generally, for the trails, you should expect to maintain social distance from other guests at all times, and keep in mind that you cannot eat or drink beyond certain points in some of the trails, so you’ll want to finish your coffee and snacks before entering.
Expedition Everest — Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
At Expedition Everest, Disney is loading every single row, meaning there will be no empty rows between you and the party in front or behind you.
Expedition Everest
It’s Tough to be a Bug!
At It’s Tough to be a Bug! there are social distancing markers in the pre-show (just like other rides), and inside the theater itself, some rows are marked as unavailable. On the rows that are available, there are some seats that are unavailable for use, and there are also some plexiglass barriers between some seats.
Tough to be a Bug
Kali River Rapids
At Kali River Rapids, generally, every other pair of seats is left empty for social distancing between parties.
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
At Kilimanjaro Safaris, there are plexiglass barriers between every row, and guests are being seated in every row, but rows are limited to one party.
Cleaning Cycle at Kilimanjaro Safaris
Na’vi River Journey
At Na’vi River Journey, Disney is generally only loading one party per boat.
Na’vi River Journey
The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
At the Animation Experience, guests are more spread out to ensure social distancing, and capacity is limited.
The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
TriceraTop Spin
Much like Dumbo, TriceraTop Spin hasn’t seen any major changes. The ride is loaded with 1 party per dinosaur, but, like with the other rides, there are social distancing markers throughout.
Triceratop Spin
Wildlife Express Train
As you wait for the Wildlife Express Train, you’ll find social distancing markers on the floor indicating where you should stand or sit.
Social Distance
Once on the train, you’ll see that certain rows are closed and specific areas have been marked off as unavailable for use to maintain social distancing.
Affection Section
Affection Section reopened in November of this year with hand-sanitizing stations, hand-washing stations, and distancing measures.
Affection Section
We may not have stated it in each of the attractions above, but note that attractions in Disney World generally all have some form of social distancing markers in their queue areas. There are generally also sanitizing stations at various points near the attractions — mostly just before the attraction, just before you actually load into the attraction, and as you exit the attraction. Attractions are also being regularly sanitized. As always, these loading procedures are subject to change, so stay tuned to DFB for more updates!
Is this Disney World restaurant actually BETTER because of social distancing? Find out here!
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