{"id":40179,"date":"2026-03-14T06:00:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T10:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/?p=40179"},"modified":"2026-03-14T16:07:21","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T20:07:21","slug":"when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/","title":{"rendered":"When Walt Disney World Closed for COVID (2020\u20132021 Timeline &#038; What It Was Like)"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"It_began_as_a_temporary_closure_and_turned_into_one_of_the_most_unusual_chapters_in_Walt_Disney_World_history\"><\/span>It began as a temporary closure and turned into one of the most unusual chapters in Walt Disney World history.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Around this time six years ago, Walt Disney World was preparing for something none of us had ever seen before. In early March 2020, the news was filled with uncertainty, but even then, most Disney fans assumed any closure would be brief. Two weeks, maybe a little more. Temporary. Manageable. Routine.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#It_began_as_a_temporary_closure_and_turned_into_one_of_the_most_unusual_chapters_in_Walt_Disney_World_history\" >It began as a temporary closure and turned into one of the most unusual chapters in Walt Disney World history.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#The_Day_Walt_Disney_World_Closed\" >The Day Walt Disney World Closed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#Disneyland_Closed_Too_and_Stayed_Closed_Much_Longer\" >Disneyland Closed Too, and Stayed Closed Much Longer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#The_First_Signs_of_Life_Disney_Springs_and_the_Resorts\" >The First Signs of Life: Disney Springs and the Resorts<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#Walt_Disney_World_Parks_Reopened_in_Phases\" >Walt Disney World Parks Reopened in Phases<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#My_First_Trip_Back\" >My First Trip Back<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#The_Mask_Rules_Were_Brutal_in_the_Summer_Heat\" >The Mask Rules Were Brutal in the Summer Heat<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#Temperature_Checks_Became_Part_of_the_Routine\" >Temperature Checks Became Part of the Routine<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#The_Crowd_Was_Different_Too\" >The Crowd Was Different Too<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#The_Quietest_Walt_Disney_World_Most_of_Us_Will_Ever_See\" >The Quietest Walt Disney World Most of Us Will Ever See<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#What_Was_Created_During_the_Reopening_Era\" >What Was Created During the Reopening Era<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#What_Went_Away_and_Whether_It_Ever_Came_Back\" >What Went Away, and Whether It Ever Came Back<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#How_the_Shutdown_Affected_Military_Travelers\" >How the Shutdown Affected Military Travelers<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#A_Timeline_of_the_Shutdown_and_Recovery\" >A Timeline of the Shutdown and Recovery<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#Military_Disney_Tips_Coverage_of_the_2020_Walt_Disney_World_Shutdown\" >Military Disney Tips Coverage of the 2020 Walt Disney World Shutdown<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/#Looking_Back_on_It_Now\" >Looking Back on It Now<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-20338\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Epcot-Entrance-Flag.jpg\" alt=\"Military Disney Tips Our Return to Walt Disney World\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Epcot-Entrance-Flag.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Epcot-Entrance-Flag-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Epcot-Entrance-Flag-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Epcot-Entrance-Flag-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Instead, Walt Disney World shut down in a way it never had before for a non-weather-related event. The last time Walt Disney World had closed for anything significant had been <strong data-start=\"1928\" data-end=\"1953\">September 11\u201312, 2001<\/strong> what followed changed the vacation experience for months and, in some cases, permanently. Looking back now, it is hard to believe just how strange that period was. And yet, for those of us who were there when the parks reopened, it is impossible to forget.<\/p>\n<p>Personally, I was TDY to a military conference when the announcement came. I called WDW Media Relations, and they said they had no other information and that it would only be through the end of the month. As time stretched on, I had to cancel 2 research trips to WDW in April and May.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Day_Walt_Disney_World_Closed\"><\/span>The Day Walt Disney World Closed<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>On March 12, 2020, Disney announced that Walt Disney World would close beginning March 16, 2020. At the time, the closure was described as lasting through the end of March. That sounded temporary enough (remember Two Weeks to Stop the Spread?), even if it still felt shocking.<\/p>\n<p>But once the parks closed, it quickly became clear this was not going to be a short pause. For the first time in modern history, not related to weather, <strong>Walt Disney World\u2019s four theme parks went dark:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Magic Kingdom<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>EPCOT<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Disney\u2019s Hollywood Studios<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Disney\u2019s Animal Kingdom<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>All Closed! The parks would remain closed for nearly four months.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Disney Resort hotels, Disney Vacation Club resorts, and Disney Springs also shut down.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 1920px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-40179-1\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/B-Roll-Flag-Raising-at-Magic-Kingdom-Park.mp4?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/B-Roll-Flag-Raising-at-Magic-Kingdom-Park.mp4\">https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/B-Roll-Flag-Raising-at-Magic-Kingdom-Park.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p>And yet, even while the parks were closed, one meaningful tradition continued. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/special\/walt-disney-worlds-retreat-ceremony-continues\/\">Disney Security cast members still raised the American flag at Magic Kingdom each day and performed the daily retreat ceremony<\/a>, quietly honoring that tradition even with an empty park.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Disneyland_Closed_Too_and_Stayed_Closed_Much_Longer\"><\/span>Disneyland Closed Too, and Stayed Closed Much Longer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Disneyland Resort closed slightly earlier, with Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure shutting down on March 14, 2020. But while Walt Disney World would reopen that summer, Disneyland\u2019s closure stretched far longer. California regulations kept Disneyland closed for more than a year, and the resort did not reopen until April 30, 2021.<\/p>\n<p>That made it the longest closure in Disneyland history by an enormous margin.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_First_Signs_of_Life_Disney_Springs_and_the_Resorts\"><\/span>The First Signs of Life: Disney Springs and the Resorts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Before the Walt Disney World theme parks reopened, Disney Springs became the first major sign that things were beginning to move again. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/outside-the-parks\/disney-springs-set-to-re-open\/\">Disney Springs started reopening on May 20, 2020<\/a>, with a limited number of third-party locations, followed by additional stores and Disney-owned operations in phases.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20356\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20356\" class=\"size-full wp-image-20356\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/DIsney-Springs-Temperature-Check.jpg\" alt=\"Military Disney Tips Our Return to Walt Disney World\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/DIsney-Springs-Temperature-Check.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/DIsney-Springs-Temperature-Check-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/DIsney-Springs-Temperature-Check-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/DIsney-Springs-Temperature-Check-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20356\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Disney Springs Bus Station Temperature CHeck<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The resort hotels also returned gradually rather than all at once, based on the number of rooms needed. Disney Vacation Club resorts were allowed to open first, which was because those properties involve ownership interests rather than simple hotel bookings. From there, additional Disney resorts reopened over time as demand returned and operations expanded.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Resort Hotel<\/th>\n<th>Post-COVID Reopening Date<\/th>\n<th>Notes<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Riviera Resort<\/td>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Part of the initial DVC reopening wave.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Old Key West Resort<\/td>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Part of the initial DVC reopening wave.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Saratoga Springs Resort &amp; Spa<\/td>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Part of the initial DVC reopening wave.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Fort Wilderness Resort &amp; Campground<\/td>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Reopened with the first wave.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Bay Lake Tower at Disney\u2019s Contemporary Resort<\/td>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>DVC tower reopened before the main Contemporary hotel.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Contemporary Resort<\/td>\n<td>July 10, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Main hotel side reopened ahead of the parks.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney\u2019s Wilderness Lodge<\/td>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>DVC villas reopened before the main Wilderness Lodge hotel.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Copper Creek Villas &amp; Cabins at Disney\u2019s Wilderness Lodge<\/td>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>DVC villas reopened before the main Wilderness Lodge hotel.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Wilderness Lodge<\/td>\n<td>June 6, 2021<\/td>\n<td>Main hotel side reopened much later than its DVC sections.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Animal Kingdom Villas \u2013 Kidani Village<\/td>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>DVC section reopened before the main Animal Kingdom Lodge hotel.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Animal Kingdom Villas \u2013 Jambo House<\/td>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>DVC accommodations reopened before the main lodge fully returned.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Animal Kingdom Lodge<\/td>\n<td>August 26, 2021<\/td>\n<td>Main hotel side reopened later.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Beach Club Villas<\/td>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>DVC villas reopened before the main Beach Club Resort hotel.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Beach Club Resort<\/td>\n<td>May 30, 2021<\/td>\n<td>Main hotel side reopened later.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s BoardWalk Villas<\/td>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>DVC villas reopened before the main BoardWalk Inn hotel.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s BoardWalk Inn<\/td>\n<td>July 2, 2021<\/td>\n<td>Main hotel side reopened later.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Polynesian Villas &amp; Bungalows<\/td>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>DVC section reopened before the main Polynesian hotel.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Polynesian Village Resort<\/td>\n<td>July 19, 2021<\/td>\n<td>Main hotel side reopened later.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Villas at Disney\u2019s Grand Floridian Resort &amp; Spa<\/td>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>DVC villas reopened before the main Grand Floridian hotel.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Grand Floridian Resort &amp; Spa<\/td>\n<td>September 21, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Main hotel side reopened later than its DVC section.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Pop Century Resort<\/td>\n<td>July 10, 2020<\/td>\n<td>One of the first non-DVC hotels to reopen.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Caribbean Beach Resort<\/td>\n<td>July 29, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Reopened after the initial July wave.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Yacht Club Resort<\/td>\n<td>August 24, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Reopened in late summer 2020.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Coronado Springs Resort<\/td>\n<td>October 16, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Reopened in fall 2020.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Art of Animation Resort<\/td>\n<td>November 1, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Reopened in late 2020.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s All-Star Movies Resort<\/td>\n<td>March 22, 2021<\/td>\n<td>First All-Star Resort to return.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s All-Star Music Resort<\/td>\n<td>September 16, 2021<\/td>\n<td>Second All-Star Resort to return.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Port Orleans Resort \u2013 Riverside<\/td>\n<td>October 14, 2021<\/td>\n<td>Moderate resort reopening in fall 2021.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s Port Orleans Resort \u2013 French Quarter<\/td>\n<td>October 28, 2021<\/td>\n<td>Reopened two weeks after Riverside.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Disney\u2019s All-Star Sports Resort<\/td>\n<td>March 31, 2022<\/td>\n<td>Last Disney-owned Walt Disney World resort hotel to reopen.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Shades of Green remained closed longer and did not reopen until August 12, 2020. Even then, the reopening came with disappointment for many military families, because previously announced room discounts were removed for stays from August 2020 through January 2021.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Walt_Disney_World_Parks_Reopened_in_Phases\"><\/span>Walt Disney World Parks Reopened in Phases<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Walt Disney World parks reopened in mid-July 2020:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Magic Kingdom \u2013 July 11, 2020<\/li>\n<li>Disney\u2019s Animal Kingdom \u2013 July 11, 2020<\/li>\n<li>EPCOT \u2013 July 15, 2020<\/li>\n<li>Disney\u2019s Hollywood Studios \u2013 July 15, 2020<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>But the Walt Disney World that reopened looked very different from the one that had closed in March.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20340\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20340\" class=\"wp-image-20340 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-MK-Main-Street-Hub.jpg\" alt=\"Military Disney Tips Our Return to Walt Disney World\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-MK-Main-Street-Hub.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-MK-Main-Street-Hub-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-MK-Main-Street-Hub-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-MK-Main-Street-Hub-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20340\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Main Street USA with almost no people and Cinderella Castle with the awful new paint scheme in the background.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>There were masks everywhere. Temperature checks before entry. Physical distancing markers all over the ground. Plexiglass barriers in queues and on some attractions. Hand sanitizer stations were everywhere you turned. Transportation options had reduced capacity. Bus and boat seats were blocked off. Monorail cars were split into two with a canvas separator. Standing on Disney buses was not allowed. Dining room tables were spaced out, sharply reducing capacity. Skyliner gondolas were limited to a single travel party. Each park also had an outdoor relaxation station where guests could sit at a table and remove their masks for a while.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20345\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20345\" class=\"size-full wp-image-20345\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Bus-Zones.jpg\" alt=\"Military Disney Tips Our Return to Walt Disney World\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Bus-Zones.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Bus-Zones-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Bus-Zones-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Bus-Zones-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-20345\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">WDW Bus Seating Zones<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Parades were gone, replaced by character cavalcades. Traditional meet-and-greets disappeared, replaced by characters waving from a distance. Nighttime spectaculars were suspended. Many shows were dark. Character dining was cancelled. And if you wanted a photo on Walt Disney World property, you were required to keep your mask on!<\/p>\n<p>Cavalcades were unannounced, drastically shortened parades with 1 or 2 floats and a few walking dancers. The surprise appearance and short duration prevented large crowds from gathering.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"My_First_Trip_Back\"><\/span>My First Trip Back<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>My first trip back to Walt Disney World after the closure was during the last week of August 2020 into the first week of September. It was one of the strangest and most memorable trips I have ever taken there.<\/p>\n<p>The first thing I noticed was how wonderfully empty the parks were!<\/p>\n<p>I have photos from that trip all over Walt Disney World with almost no one in them. Not \u201clow crowds\u201d by normal standards. I mean genuinely empty-looking walkways and sightlines that you just do not see at Walt Disney World. For a Disney fan used to navigating packed pathways, this part was amazing. There were views of the parks that felt almost private. Attractions that should have had long waits were close to walk-ons. It was surreal in the best possible way.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_18962\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Epcot-Food-and-Wine-Crowds.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-18962\" class=\"wp-image-18962 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Epcot-Food-and-Wine-Crowds.jpg\" alt=\"Military Disney Tips Our Return to Walt Disney World\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Epcot-Food-and-Wine-Crowds.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Epcot-Food-and-Wine-Crowds-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Epcot-Food-and-Wine-Crowds-100x100.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Epcot-Food-and-Wine-Crowds-600x600.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Epcot-Food-and-Wine-Crowds-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Epcot-Food-and-Wine-Crowds-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-18962\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, November 2014, Noon<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20309\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Animal-Kingdom-Food-and-Wine-No-Crowds-Covid.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20309\" class=\"wp-image-20309 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Animal-Kingdom-Food-and-Wine-No-Crowds-Covid.jpg\" alt=\"Military Disney Tips Our Return to Walt Disney World\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Animal-Kingdom-Food-and-Wine-No-Crowds-Covid.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Animal-Kingdom-Food-and-Wine-No-Crowds-Covid-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Animal-Kingdom-Food-and-Wine-No-Crowds-Covid-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/Animal-Kingdom-Food-and-Wine-No-Crowds-Covid-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-20309\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Taste of Epcot Food and Wine Festival 2020. Same Location (Monday 11:30 a.m.)<\/p><\/div>\n<p>But there was another side to that trip too, and that part was much less magical.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/walt-disney-world\/our-return-to-walt-disney-world\/\">My first trip back to Walt Disney World<\/a>. There are a huge amount great pics from that time in the post!<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Mask_Rules_Were_Brutal_in_the_Summer_Heat\"><\/span>The Mask Rules Were Brutal in the Summer Heat<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Wearing masks in late August and early September in Orlando was awful. There is really no softer way to say it. With real-feel temperatures around 102 degrees, the heat and humidity were already oppressive. Adding a face covering while walking all day through Walt Disney World made the experience stifling.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20946\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Steve-2020-Mask.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20946\" class=\"size-full wp-image-20946\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Steve-2020-Mask.jpg\" alt=\"Disney Drops Face Mask Requirement\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Steve-2020-Mask.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Steve-2020-Mask-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-20946\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The last time I hope to post this pic!<\/p><\/div>\n<p>At one point, I had my mask pulled down while walking outdoors with no one anywhere near me, easily 50 feet away in any direction, and I still got yelled at by a cast member. That moment captured a lot of what was frustrating about the rules. Outside, in the open air, with no one around, the requirement remained absolute. Yet once you sat down in a restaurant, the mask could come off. Apparently, the dining location provided magical protection against the supposed threat.<\/p>\n<p>That inconsistency made many of the policies feel performative rather than sensible. Looking back now, and frankly, even at the time, for many of us, a lot of these precautions simply did not hold up to common sense or real science (real science vs propaganda). Masks in oppressive heat outdoors, repeated temperature checks, rigid distancing rules in one setting but not another, and other highly visible measures often felt more theatrical than medically sound.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Temperature_Checks_Became_Part_of_the_Routine\"><\/span>Temperature Checks Became Part of the Routine<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Another frustrating part of visiting Walt Disney World during reopening was how often you had to deal with temperature screening. It was not just a one-time inconvenience. Depending on where you went and how you moved around property, it could become something you dealt with multiple times in a day.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_20341\" style=\"width: 810px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Temperature-Screening.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20341\" class=\"size-full wp-image-20341\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Temperature-Screening.jpg\" alt=\"Military Disney Tips Our Return to Walt Disney World\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Temperature-Screening.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Temperature-Screening-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Temperature-Screening-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Temperature-Screening-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-20341\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Theme Park Temperature Check Station<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Universal Orlando handled this much better. Universal performed a single temperature check per day and then issued a daily, rotating-color wristband to show that you had already been screened. Universal also reopened earlier, never required park reservations, and dropped masks sooner than Disney did.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Crowd_Was_Different_Too\"><\/span>The Crowd Was Different Too<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>One of the most noticeable differences during that first return trip was the complete change in who was visiting Walt Disney World. At first, the crowd mix was not at all normal.<\/p>\n<p>There were no local guests and no international guests in any meaningful numbers, and you could hear that difference everywhere you walked. One of the subtle but unmistakable things missing was the usual amount of Spanish heard throughout the parks. When the parks first opened, they were only open to on-site guests; the parking lots were closed!<\/p>\n<p>The normal blend of guests simply was not there yet, and that added to the strange feeling of the whole experience, but this time for the better.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Quietest_Walt_Disney_World_Most_of_Us_Will_Ever_See\"><\/span>The Quietest Walt Disney World Most of Us Will Ever See<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-20360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-MK-Tomorrowland.jpg\" alt=\"Military Disney Tips Our Return to Walt Disney World\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-MK-Tomorrowland.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-MK-Tomorrowland-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-MK-Tomorrowland-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-MK-Tomorrowland-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There was something eerie about Walt Disney World in that period, but there was also something fascinating about it. Walkways that normally felt shoulder to shoulder were open and quiet. Sightlines were unobstructed. The parks felt physically bigger because they were not packed with people.<\/p>\n<p>For longtime visitors, it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see Walt Disney World in a form that will probably never happen again. The photos from that time almost do not look real. They look like staged publicity shots, except they were not. They were simply what the parks looked like when tourism, international travel, local park-goers, and normal operations all collapsed at once.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Was_Created_During_the_Reopening_Era\"><\/span>What Was Created During the Reopening Era<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>One of the easiest ways to understand how much changed is to look at what Disney introduced during that period. Some of these things disappeared as soon as normal operations started returning. Others are still with us today in one form or another.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WDW-Covid-Plexiglass.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-40190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WDW-Covid-Plexiglass.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WDW-Covid-Plexiglass.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WDW-Covid-Plexiglass-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/WDW-Covid-Plexiglass-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>What Was Introduced<\/th>\n<th>What It Was<\/th>\n<th>Status Now<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Theme Park Reservations<\/td>\n<td>Guests had to reserve a specific park in advance through Disney Park Pass.<\/td>\n<td><strong>Still used for all Military Tickets<\/strong> and Passholders at Walt Disney World and for everyone at Disneyland.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Hand Sanitizer Everywhere<\/td>\n<td>Stations appeared all over the parks, resorts, transportation, and dining locations.<\/td>\n<td>Some are still around.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Single Party per Skyliner Gondola<\/td>\n<td>Each gondola was limited to one party for distancing purposes.<\/td>\n<td>Returned to normal, multiple parties per gondola when busy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Distanced Dining Rooms<\/td>\n<td>Dining tables were spaced out, greatly reducing capacity.<\/td>\n<td>Returned to normal.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Blocked Bus &amp; Boat Seating \/ No Standing<\/td>\n<td>Seats were left empty between parties and guests could not stand.<\/td>\n<td>Returned to normal.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Outdoor Relaxation Stations<\/td>\n<td>Each park had a designated place to sit and remove your mask outdoors.<\/td>\n<td>Gone.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Plexiglass in Queues and Attractions<\/td>\n<td>Barriers were added throughout the parks and on some ride vehicles.<\/td>\n<td>Mostly gone.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Expanded Mobile Ordering<\/td>\n<td>Disney pushed more dining transactions into the app.<\/td>\n<td>Still very much here.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Character Cavalcades<\/td>\n<td>Quick moving mini-parades replaced traditional parade-style entertainment.<\/td>\n<td>Still around in limited fashion.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Distance Character Sightings<\/td>\n<td>Characters appeared from balconies, boats, and platforms instead of greeting guests directly.<\/td>\n<td>One-on-One Character Meet and Greets are back, but the balcony waves are still around too.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Went_Away_and_Whether_It_Ever_Came_Back\"><\/span>What Went Away, and Whether It Ever Came Back<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/WDW-Park-Hopping-Is-Back.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-20918\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/WDW-Park-Hopping-Is-Back.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"1376\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/WDW-Park-Hopping-Is-Back.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/WDW-Park-Hopping-Is-Back-131x300.jpg 131w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/WDW-Park-Hopping-Is-Back-349x800.jpg 349w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Just as important as what Disney added was what disappeared. Some of these offerings eventually returned. Some came back in altered form. A few are still gone.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>What Went Away<\/th>\n<th>What Happened<\/th>\n<th>Status Now<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Park Hopping<\/td>\n<td>Removed entirely at first when the parks reopened.<\/td>\n<td>Came back in stages, first starting on 21 January 2021, after 2 p.m., and subject to availability, then eventually returned to normal.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Package Delivery (to front of park &amp; to Disney Resorts)<\/td>\n<td>Guests could no longer send purchases back to their resort.<\/td>\n<td>Has not returned.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>180-Day Dining Reservations<\/td>\n<td>The booking window was reduced.<\/td>\n<td>Reduced to a 60-day window, where it remains.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Airline Check-In and Baggage Drop<\/td>\n<td>Resort airline services disappeared.<\/td>\n<td>Now back only in limited form (Southwest Only), only at DIsney Value resorts.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Nighttime Shows and Fireworks<\/td>\n<td>Suspended during reopening.<\/td>\n<td>Returned later.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Stage Shows<\/td>\n<td>Many remained closed during early reopening.<\/td>\n<td>Returned gradually, though not always in the same form or on the same timeline.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Character Meet and Greets<\/td>\n<td>Traditional close-up interactions ended.<\/td>\n<td>Returned later.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Character Dining Interactions<\/td>\n<td>Dining remained, but the normal character interactions disappeared.<\/td>\n<td>Returned later.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>FastPass+<\/td>\n<td>Suspended during the shutdown and never returned.<\/td>\n<td>Effectively replaced by Lightning Lane systems.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Extra Magic Hours<\/td>\n<td>Ended as part of the broader operational reset.<\/td>\n<td>Replaced by Early Entry and Extended Evening Hours.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Minnie Vans<\/td>\n<td>Service stopped during the shutdown period.<\/td>\n<td>Returned on <span style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;\">June 29, 2022<\/span><span style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;\">, though airport service has remained more limited.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Playgrounds and Pool Splash Areas<\/td>\n<td>Suspended during reopening.<\/td>\n<td>Returned later on<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Minnie Vans<\/td>\n<td>Service stopped during the shutdown period.<\/td>\n<td>Returned later, though airport service has remained more limited.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_the_Shutdown_Affected_Military_Travelers\"><\/span>How the Shutdown Affected Military Travelers<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>For military families, the shutdown and reopening period brought an additional layer of confusion and frustration. Travel planning was already complicated enough, and then many of the military-specific Disney systems started changing too.<\/p>\n<p>Disney Armed Forces Salute ticket sales paused for a period, and there were multiple updates on refunds, expiration dates, and extensions. Many families who had already bought tickets suddenly had trips they could not take. Disney eventually extended expiration dates into 2021, but the process was not especially simple, and there were several rounds of updates along the way.<\/p>\n<p>Shades of Green also paused Disney World ticket sales during the closure. When Shades finally reopened on August 12, 2020, the news was mixed. The resort was back, but a number of previously offered room discounts disappeared through January 2021. That included promotional discounts, package deals, and the Survivors\u2019 Family Program offer.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Shades-of-Green-Social-Distancing.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-40189 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Shades-of-Green-Social-Distancing.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Shades-of-Green-Social-Distancing.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Shades-of-Green-Social-Distancing-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>For many service members, there was yet another issue on top of all of that: military travel restrictions. Even once Walt Disney World reopened, many in the military community still could not travel freely due to duty requirements, policy limits, or broader uncertainty.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, the parks&#8217; reopening did not mean military vacations immediately returned to normal.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Timeline_of_the_Shutdown_and_Recovery\"><\/span>A Timeline of the Shutdown and Recovery<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Looking back, the easiest way to see how drawn out this entire period was is to lay out the major milestones in order.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Date<\/th>\n<th>What Happened<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>March 12, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Disney announces Walt Disney World will close.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>March 14, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Disneyland Resort closes.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>March 15, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Final operating day for Walt Disney World theme parks before closure.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>March 16, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Walt Disney World theme parks officially close.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>March 2020<\/td>\n<td>Disney Resort hotels, DVC resorts, Disney Springs, and related operations shut down in phases.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>May 20, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Disney Springs begins phased reopening.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>June 2020<\/td>\n<td>Disney begins announcing phased Walt Disney World reopening plans.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>June 22, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Initial Disney Vacation Club resort reopening begins.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>July 11, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Magic Kingdom and Disney\u2019s Animal Kingdom reopen.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>July 15, 2020<\/td>\n<td>EPCOT and Disney\u2019s Hollywood Studios reopen.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>August 12, 2020<\/td>\n<td>Shades of Green reopens.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>January 2021<\/td>\n<td>Park hopping returns in a limited after-2-p.m. format.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>April 30, 2021<\/td>\n<td>Disneyland Resort finally reopens.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2021 and Beyond<\/td>\n<td>Fireworks, shows, dining, character experiences, and other operations gradually return, though not always in their previous form.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Military_Disney_Tips_Coverage_of_the_2020_Walt_Disney_World_Shutdown\"><\/span>Military Disney Tips Coverage of the 2020 Walt Disney World Shutdown<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As the situation unfolded in 2020 and 2021, Military Disney Tips covered the shutdown, reopening plans, and the impact on military travelers in real time. The posts below document how events developed and how policies affecting military families changed throughout the closure and reopening period.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/special\/disneys-us-parks-to-close\/\">Disney\u2019s U.S. Parks to Close<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/shades-of-green\/shades-of-greens-official-2020-disney-armed-forces-salute-ticket-policy-for-cancelled-trips\/\">Shades of Green\u2019s Official 2020 Disney Armed Forces Salute Ticket Policy for Cancelled Trips<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/outside-the-parks\/disney-springs-set-to-re-open\/\">Disney Springs Set to Reopen<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-armed-forces-salute\/disney-extending-expiration-dates-on-disney-armed-forces-salute-tickets\/\">Disney Extending Expiration Dates on Disney Armed Forces Salute Tickets<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-armed-forces-salute\/update-disney-itt-disney-armed-forces-salute-ticket-refund-policy\/\">Update: Disney ITT Disney Armed Forces Salute Ticket Refund Policy<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-armed-forces-salute\/2020-disney-world-disney-armed-forces-salute-ticket-extension-update\/\">2020 Disney World Disney Armed Forces Salute Ticket Extension Update<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/walt-disney-world\/walt-disney-world-re-opening-military-faq\/\">Walt Disney World Re-Opening Military FAQ<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/walt-disney-world\/disney-armed-forces-salute-ticket-sales-have-resumed\/\">Disney Armed Forces Salute Ticket Sales Have Resumed<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/walt-disney-world\/2020-disney-armed-forces-salute-room-discounts-are-back\/\">2020 Disney Armed Forces Salute Room Discounts Are Back<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-military-discounts\/2020-disney-armed-forces-salute-ticket-refund-cutoff-date\/\">2020 Disney Armed Forces Salute Ticket Refund Cutoff Date<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/shades-of-green\/shades-of-green-re-open-at-walt-disney-world\/\">Shades of Green Reopens at Walt Disney World<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/walt-disney-world\/our-return-to-walt-disney-world\/\">Our Return to Walt Disney World<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/walt-disney-world\/our-second-trip-back-to-walt-disney-world\/\">Our Second Trip Back to Walt Disney World<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/walt-disney-world\/our-third-trip-back-to-walt-disney-world\/\">Our Third Trip Back to Walt Disney World<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/walt-disney-world\/planning-and-executing-your-walt-disney-world-vacation-during-these-trying-times\/\">Planning and Executing Your Walt Disney World Vacation During These Trying Times<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-military-discounts\/orange-county-florida-ending-all-covid-measures\/\">Orange County, Florida Ending All COVID Measures<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These posts capture the timeline of how Walt Disney World closed, reopened, and gradually returned to normal operations.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Looking_Back_on_It_Now\"><\/span>Looking Back on It Now<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It is still a strange period to think about, and honestly, one many of us would rather forget. At the time, there was constant uncertainty, changing rules, and a lot of frustration. Some of the policies were annoying. Some were inconsistent. Some, in my view, were outright ridiculous. And yet, at the same time, there was something unforgettable about seeing Walt Disney World that empty.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-20339\" src=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-AK-Entry.jpg\" alt=\"Military Disney Tips Our Return to Walt Disney World\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-AK-Entry.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-AK-Entry-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-AK-Entry-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-AK-Entry-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Those nearly deserted parks, the odd quiet, the altered entertainment, the distanced characters, the empty buses, the mask break stations, the temperature checks, and the complete change in crowd patterns all combined to create an experience that was unlike anything Disney fans had ever seen before.<\/p>\n<p>Eventually, the parks came back to life. Fireworks returned. Crowds came back. Entertainment reappeared. Characters got closer again. The noise and energy of Walt Disney World returned.<\/p>\n<p><strong>But for a brief window, Walt Disney World became something it had never been before: nearly silent, strangely empty, and historically unique.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>And if you were there during that period, you probably have some remarkable photos to prove it.<\/p>\n<p>Do you have memories of this time at Disney? Share them in the comment section below!<\/p>\n\n<div id=\"milit-3751751040\" class=\"milit-after-content milit-entity-placement\"><br>\r\n<div align=\"center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/ncp\/payment\/4V6YWP2M2DNAU\">Send Steve a Tip<\/a><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It began as a temporary closure and turned into one of the most unusual chapters in Walt Disney World history. Around this time six years ago, Walt Disney World was preparing for something none of us had ever seen before. In early March 2020, the news was filled with uncertainty, but even then, most Disney [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":20349,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[325,119],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-40179","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-disney-history","8":"category-special","9":"entry"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>When Walt Disney World Closed for COVID (2020\u20132021 Timeline &amp; What It Was Like) - Military Disney Tips<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A firsthand look at Walt Disney World\u2019s 2020 COVID closure, reopening timeline, empty parks, and how the shutdown affected military travelers and Disney vacations.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"When Walt Disney World Closed for COVID (2020\u20132021 Timeline &amp; What It Was Like) - Military Disney Tips\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A firsthand look at Walt Disney World\u2019s 2020 COVID closure, reopening timeline, empty parks, and how the shutdown affected military travelers and Disney vacations.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/blog\/disney-history\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Military Disney Tips\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MilitaryDisneyTips\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MilitaryDisneyTips\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-14T10:00:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-14T20:07:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.militarydisneytips.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/WDW-Covid-Empty-DHS-Hollywood-Boulevard.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Steve Bell\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@MilitaryDisney\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@MilitaryDisney\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Steve Bell\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"18 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.militarydisneytips.com\\\/blog\\\/disney-history\\\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.militarydisneytips.com\\\/blog\\\/disney-history\\\/when-walt-disney-world-closed-for-covid-2020-2021-timeline-what-it-was-like\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Steve Bell\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.militarydisneytips.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5dd4928c6708aa4f00cc1b128fdb8560\"},\"headline\":\"When Walt Disney World Closed for COVID (2020\u20132021 Timeline &#038; 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