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Photo Tour: Magic Kingdom with Social Distancing


Have you been wondering what's different since the 2020 reopening of Disney's Magic Kingdom? Today let's take a photo tour through the park and see what's changed. 

New Castle Colors
First, let's talk about that iconic castle pic that everyone takes.  No, you may not take your mask off for it. Yes, a Cast Member will see you and discipline you. No, your photos won't be ruined!  Make sure you like your mask and snap away :) I wore a Mickey snack mask to match my outfit on this particular day. 

Next let's talk about the crowds.  We were there on a Sunday but still didn't really feel that it was too crowded at any point.  It was a little rainy in the morning and there was a pretty significant afternoon downpour, so that could have kept some of the crowds away, but still, we were able to accomplish so much! Seven Dwarfs Mine Train did have a bit of a line throughout the day, but we only ended up waiting about 25-30 minutes for it. Everything else was about 15 minutes or less (and a lot of walk right ons!) We rode Space Mountain twice in a row and Splash Mountain three times in an hour! 

Tip: Check wait times on the My Disney Experience App throughout the day if you are looking for the big rides, we noticed them ebb and flow quite a bit.  
Main Street USA
Tomorrowland
New Fantastyland
Liberty Square
There were lots of great safety measures in place throughout the park, from plenty of reminder signs, to one-way directions in stores, and of course social distancing in lines and on rides.  
You can see the spacing of parties
Every other row and groups of seats blocked off
Directional arrows for stores
Distance Markers for Lines
Parties wait on green dots for distance 
Safety Info
Dividers on Jungle Cruise boats
One of my favorite things about the changes is actually the random character encounters.  There's no lines to wait in, and it's just a bit magical to see a float with your favorites coming around a corner. There were even some dancers accompanying the Fab Five through Liberty Square! Anastasia and Drizella were hanging out at the castle reminding us how long it had been since Cinderella last cleaned. They were my favorite character interaction of the day and great to stop for a laugh! 

Tip: We could usually hear the music before we could see the characters, so keep an ear out for the music changes!
 
For when you need a little break from your mask, there are Relaxation Stations set up throughout the park where you can sit with your party, take your mask off, and take a breather.  You don't have to be eating or drinking to take off your mask in these areas, but you do still need to be stationary.
The food options are a bit more limited than you may be used to, but there are still plenty of great places to choose from.  We love Pinocchio Village Haus for a Quick Service and Liberty Tree Tavern for a Table Service meal. 
While things might look different in the parks, the rides are still just as magical as ever. 
 
 
Queue Play Areas are currently closed
As always, there is lots of great merchandise to be found in the parks.  Most shops weren't crowded, but as typical the Emporium did see a bit of an influx of people at the end of the day.  Make sure you find the correct entrance door for the bigger shops, and don't be surprised if a Cast Member holds you outside on a busier day until someone leaves to ensure there's plenty of space for everyone inside. 
Here are just a few more pictures to round out our photo tour through Magic Kingdom.
What questions do you have about Magic Kingdom since reopening? Have you been and have more tips to share? Let us know in the comments!



Maci Schau
Maci is an avid foodie and loves trying out new restaurants and seasonal food offerings in the parks.  You can email Maci at maci@kingdomkonsultant.com.

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