What’s life like in Orlando? An FAQ with a Travel Advisor
During this difficult time, I have received so many wonderful emails from my clients, many who aren’t currently booked to visit Walt Disney World, just checking on me, the status of Walt Disney World, and even our agency. It’s been wonderful to see how many people care about us!
I have been getting a lot of questions from people so I thought it would be a good idea to share them out for anyone who is curious about what life is currently like in Orlando. Here’s a quick FAQ I put together today while social distancing:
So how’s it going in Orlando? What’s it like down there?
Well, it’s like most places, almost everything is closed. Restaurants are either closed or take out only. All the entertainment venues on I-Drive and 192 like mini-golf and gift shops are closed. I-4 which is usually stop-and-go traffic is wide-opened. It’s really a ghost town. Most of the hotels are closed, all of the Walt Disney World hotels and restaurants are closed.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Is there anything to do in Orlando right now?
No. Literally nothing to do. I’m hearing that a lot of folks from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut want to come down and enjoy the Sunshine State. And those of you living in a stay-at-home community have that for a reason, right? This is not the Florida you would recognize and I would highly encourage people to save their money and come back when the time is right.
Have you been to Walt Disney World since it closed? What’s it like?
I live 2 minutes from Walt Disney World and drive through every other day just to get out to do something. There’s no one around except for security and police who are patrolling. Security has the hotel entrances blocked off with cones, no cars on the roads and parking lots are empty except for the fleet of WDW buses.
Is Disney using this time to get work done in the parks?
There are some small construction projects taking place, the old entrance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios is coming down for example. No work can be seen on the new Tron ride. I’m told that Disney is following CDC recommendations to avoid gatherings, so that would include most construction projects.
When do you think Disney will reopen?
I wish I could say for sure, we are all waiting on that news. The Orange County mayor will enact a stay-at-home order on Thursday March 25th. This means that all non-essential businesses, public parks, and government offices are to close through April 19, 2020. While we have not yet heard anything from Disney, Universal Orlando has announced it will adhere to the mayor’s order and remain closed.
Disney already canceled the Star Wars Half Marathon that was set to take place in May. But it’s worth noting that this event is poorly attended anyway compared to the other Disney races that sell out in minutes.
What do you think the parks will be like when they reopen?
Hard to say but I do know Disney is very good about making things work. When the time is right, Disney will have something in place to reassure guests that they are taking every precaution. I don’t think we are there yet, but once we see things getting back to normal, I expect to see some new policies in place.
Should I hold off on booking my summer or fall vacation to Walt Disney World?
No. I have so many clients rebooking and I am already seeing very limited availability in summer and fall dates, even without discounts. The cancellation policy on a package is 30-days prior to arrival for a full refund of the $200 deposit. On room-only reservations, the cancelation policy is 5-days prior to arrival for a full refund of the deposit. The deposit on a room-only reservation is equal to one night’s lodging.
I am still booking Walt Disney World vacation packages. Visit the Current Offers page to see what we have for special rates.
I know we cannot wait for all this to be over, to know that we are safe to travel again and to have fun once again at Walt Disney World. And please remember to support small businesses as much as you can, like restaurants, food delivery, mom and pop stores, and travel advisors! We are all eager to get back to work.
If you have a question, feel free to ask. I’ll do my best to answer it.
