Category Archives: Blog Posts

Countless considerations await those planning a Walt Disney World Vacation: weather, pricing, and crowds to name a few. But, if you’re thinking of planning a Disney Trip for 2021, you are left with even more to consider, from health and safety concerns to how the re-opened Disney might stack up against your expectations.

As Walt Disney World parks dropped their ropes after four months of closure, health and safety guidelines have been the driving force behind many of the changes we will see in 2021. Some regulations include mandatory mask wearing for all guests older than 2 years, and no eating or drinking while strolling through the parks. Disney takes these precautions very seriously, and it’s been frequently reported that the rules are being strictly enforced. You can get the most current information straight from Disney, here. Once you have the facts, only you can evaluate them and decide if you feel safe and comfortable with a Disney Vacation. If not: full stop. You have made your decision.

If, however, you can accept the protocols in place, you’ll want to know what Walt Disney World is going to be like in 2021. While only Madame Leota has a crystal ball, we can tell you what we know about Disney’s plans for 2021 thus far, and what we Disney enthusiasts are speculating.

First, when will you go? Disney is currently accepting reservations at most resort hotels through September 27, 2021. This date is not insignificant as it falls just before Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration on Oct 1, 2021. While many expansion projects set to debut by the anniversary celebration have been delayed by the pandemic, we do expect to see Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, TRON, and Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind open in time for the big anniversary. No official dates have been released, but it’s probably safe to say that this is a goal timeline for the release of these and possibly other new experiences as well. 

If the 50th Anniversary Celebration is important to you despite not knowing what it will look like just yet, we suggest waiting until Fall 2021. But, keep in mind that even in a Covid-19 Disney, crowds will likely be higher during this once-in-a-lifetime event. If avoiding large crowds is more important, book earlier in the year. 

Next, where will you stay? Not all resort hotels have been released for booking. All three All-Star Resorts, Animal Kingdom Lodge, both Port Orleans Resorts, and Wilderness Lodge (except DVC villas) are NOT available. With so many resort hotels at Walt Disney World, you should still have no problem finding a great option in your budget.

Once you have decided when to go and where to stay, you can start looking at the details of your trip. Park reservations are still required, so as soon as you book your package, use your My Disney Experience account to reserve your park days. Currently, even though Park Hopper tickets ARE being offered in 2021, you can only reserve one park per day. We will be watching closely to see how this changes. 

We will also be closely watching changes to park hours. Initially hours had been significantly reduced, but we are seeing slow expansion to these times recently. This may be tightly correlated with the increase in crowds we have been seeing lately as well. To be clear, we are not seeing crowded Disney parks, but we are seeing some parks reach their limited capacity maximum, and therefore not accept new park reservations. We are seeing this most at Hollywood Studios, where higher attendance and suspension of FastPass+ opportunities have led to wait times of over an hour at headliner attractions on some days.

Dining reservation windows now open up 60 days in advance, vs 180 days prior to reopening. Dining Plans are not being offered, but can always be added to a package if available later. Right now, a dining plan may be hard to justify, anyway. Several restaurant locations are not open yet across all 4 parks and Disney Springs, and character dining is extremely limited with modified experiences. Character meetings in the parks are now socially distanced as well, so don’t expect that big old hug from Mickey on your camera roll.

Similarly, there will be no special event parties, shows, parades, or fireworks either. But Disney announced special Holiday décor and there have been spontaneous character cavalcades down Main Street, which are pretty enjoyable.

For trips starting January 1, 2021 and later, MagicBands will no longer be included with resort reservations packages. If you have MagicBands from previous trips, you can still use them. They will also still be available for purchase with a package at a discounted rate compared to purchasing separately at a WDW gift shop or online at shopdisney.com. A silver lining here is that Disney is working to expand the functions of the My Disney Experience app on your smartphone to offer the same features as your MagicBand and more.

While all of these changes can be disappointing, let’s focus on those silver linings. Planning a Disney trip had gotten to be pretty complicated: Early openings for Dining Reservations, FastPasses, Daily Itineraries, etc. The modifications to this process might force us to stop planning the details and start just enjoying them instead….smell the Queen of Hearts’ red roses, if you will. Spontaneous, but distanced, character appearances are actually really fun and can add a much-needed whimsical spontaneity to your vacation. Shorter park hours may give those of us who visit the parks from rope drop to close the time to enjoy all that the WDW resorts have to offer outside of the parks. Let’s just say that with SO much regularly offered at WDW, it was impossible to do it all, and FOMO was real. Maybe now, we can all learn to relax a little bit more.

That said, there is still a lot to keep track of when planning your WDW vacation. With so much changing so frequently, a Disney Vacation Planner will keep you abreast of any new policy changes and can be your one point of contact for any plans or modifications you need to make. We highly recommend booking early with one. As long as capacity restrictions are in place, there is a chance that park reservations will fill up, or that WDW will halt new resort package bookings altogether. Booking early is the best way to ensure you will get the resort hotel room of your choice and the park reservation days you want. You can always make changes. Remember, Disney’s modification and cancellation policy for 2021 is still very lenient, so there is little risk. 

If previous marketing trends are any indication, and if crowds continue to stay away from theme parks, we do anticipate a potential for steep discounts for 2021 resorts stays. Your Disney Vacation Planner can always get available promotions applied to your existing trip, and you won’t have to wait on hold for hours to do it yourself.

The best reason of all to book your 2021 Walt Disney World Vacation is that studies show that the act of simply planning a vacation can boost happiness. I think we can all agree that we could all use a little more happiness and magic these days. 

Air travel has undoubtedly taken one of the hardest hits since the Coronavirus began. As the nation begins to slowly come out of quarantine and look to some sort of normalcy, we begin to wonder- how safe is it to fly now? 

Six months after the initial crisis began in our country, the TSA reports that they’ve definitely seen a rise in air travel since Labor Day, but that rise is still only about a quarter of the volume they see in typical years. And let’s examine the facts. First, there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 transmission on any US flights. This begs the question, does that mean there is no risk? What are the odds of getting sick in the air? One common fear is the notion that the recycled air throughout the cabin will be a natural breeding ground to quickly transmit the virus among all of the passengers should a COVID positive passenger be on board. This is FALSE. According to the CDC, most viruses in fact do NOT spread easily on flights because of the way the air is filtered and then circulated from the ceiling to the floor. Carriers have been using HEPA filters on board since well before the Coronavirus pandemic.  These filters capture at least 99.97% of airborne microbes by circulating the cabin air once every 2-4 minutes. Combine this with the strictly enforced policies of wearing a mask for the duration of the flight, leaving the middle seat open, limiting passengers, enhanced cleanings, temperature checks and health screenings and the probability of contracting COVID in flight goes down even more. 

The bottom line is use your common sense. Research the various airline carrier to make sure you’re comfortable with their health and safety protocols. Maintain a social distance in the airport. Wash your hands often. Use hand sanitizer. Wipe down the arms of your seat, your window shade, tray table and control buttons. Wear your mask at all times. Don’t touch your face. Apply for your TSA Pre-Check to minimize the need to stand in line for security.  Pack lightly so that you don’t need to go to a crowded baggage claim carousel. And, most importantly, be vigilant.  Travel will come back and we will all be ok.

I spend a lot of time on my Facebook page talking about and promoting vacations in Walt Disney World. This is mostly because, of all of the Disney vacation options, this is the most popular destination.

However, I’ve realized that this means that I neglect the other amazing vacation destinations and that is not my intent.

Without further ado, let’s talk about cruising—Disney style!

Of all of the Disney vacation destinations, THIS one is actually my favorite. I actually even gave my kids a choice for our next Disney vacation- Walt Disney World or a Disney Cruise—and they unanimously opted for the cruise.

So here we are planning for our next sailing in the Western Caribbean with a Star Wars Day at Sea, and my whole family couldn’t be happier.

What sets Disney apart from other cruise lines (and other vacations for that matter), is their attention to detail and their impeccable reputation and customer service. People see the Disney brand and know to expect all of those things. Disney Cruise Line is no exception.

Clearly, the cruises excel in their ability to truly cater to families. Staterooms are designed to accommodate larger parties with a split bath option, allowing for more space and for several people to get ready at the same time.

Obviously, there are no other cruise lines that can compare to the quality of children and teen programming on the Disney Cruise Line. This programming even extends to Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, with exciting activities and even a private, teens-only area of the beach!

Speaking of Castaway Cay, I have sailed on other cruise lines and none of those private islands even remotely compares to that of Disney’s. There are more options for excursions on this island than I can even list. You can even participate in a fun 5k run!

Guests feel so strongly about Castaway Cay that I’ve even heard of people booking shorter back-to-back cruise itineraries in order to get multiple days on Castaway Cay.

The quality of the ships themselves is spectacular. Disney’s attention to detail is evident at every turn. The food is the best I’ve had on any ship. The pools are clean. The activities are plentiful and the stage shows are Broadway quality. The theming throughout the ships is elegant: still giving the Disney fan a taste of Disney theming, but in a way that is classy, not cheesy.

And these cruises are not just for families! Adults can enjoy an adults-only pool, restaurants, the spa, bars and nightclubs, and an adults-only section of the beach on Castaway Cay which is truly secluded from the noise of the family section.

And finally, shore excursions offered on Disney Cruise Line are top notch! The Disney Company is fiercely protective of its’ brand name and requires partner companies to meet very stringent requirements in order to even be eligible to offer services to its’ clients. What does this mean? It means that you know that in every port, the excursions will not only be fun, they will be safe, organized, and top rated.

This is just a brief summary of all of the options and opportunities awarded to guests aboard the Disney Cruise Line. As always, please contact me if you’d like more information or a no obligation quote. Happy sailing!!!

Look… the decision to travel during this time of uncertainty is DEEPLY personal. I can’t tell you what to do. But I CAN help you access the information you need in order to make the decision that’s best for you and your family. Here are the top things to consider to keep you (and your wallet) safe:

1. Be sure you understand all cancellation policies. Know, in advance, the deadline for cancelling and make sure you read the fine print about fees. Always pay with a credit card so that you have an extra layer of protection in your corner. For even more security, consider adding travel protection. HOWEVER, be sure you understand the policy completely and know what they do and do not cover. Oftentimes, cancellations due to the pandemic are excluded.

2. Keep track of any possible travel restrictions both in your home state as well as any regulations or restrictions in your destination. Some states require a quarantine period. Florida, for example, has imposed a mandatory 14 day quarantine for visitors from New York. And New York requires a mandatory 14 day quarantine upon return.

3. Familiarize yourself with the sanitation and safety regulations at your destination. How are they cleaning and disinfecting between guests? How are they minimizing interactions with staff and enforcing social distancing in public spaces? How is the area, in general, handling their COVID cases and what is the ratio of positive cases?

4. Do your research regarding dining, entertainment and amenities. Are restaurants open for dining in or are they still limited to take out? Are tourist locations open for business? Are they limiting admission to parks and beaches? Will there be enough options for you and your family during your stay?

5. Now, more than ever, it is critical that you book your vacation with a travel agent. At Kingdom and Cruise Travel, we make it our business to keep up-to-date with the ever changing rules and regulations that impact your travel. We know the individual policies of each destination- policies that are changing sometimes DAILY. We will navigate the sea of information for you. You’ll have us in your corner!