Somehow I don’t think that the code was a Star Wars reference… Recently I told you that a testing location for COVID-19 had opened on Walt Disney World property. It is run by the state of Florida, not by Disney. The Maingate Complex location makes it easy for Cast Members to get tested if they feel the need, but it is open to the public. The testing site is free to all.
For personal reasons, I decided to get tested. I’ll state right off that I have no symptoms, and as far as I know I have not been exposed. Since the Maingate test site is close to where I live, I figured that would be the best place to go.
Before heading to the site you should make an appointment. You can do that at Do I Need a COVID-19 Test. The site is currently open 8:00-5:00, seven days a week. You will need to make an account on the website, and that is the email address that they will send the results to. When you make the appointment, there is a short video to watch about how to take the test. Once you’ve registered, there is a voucher for you to print and bring with you. If you can’t print it they will take care of it for you once you arrive.
Our appointment (my daughter went with me) was for 8:30am. We followed the signs along Route 192, and then the signs on how to get to the actual site. There were no other people getting tested at our time. We approached the first set of people. If you take the test make sure that you have your mask on before you roll down the window. I was instructed to roll the window back up to 3/4 closed, and to put the printed vouchers on the dashboard. We were then instructed on where to drive next. At some point they wrote something on the windshield.
A couple of people directed us on where to drive for the actual test. We were then greeted by some very friendly people. One woman explained the test to us and what we needed to do. (It’s a self-swab nasal test.) Another woman went to the other side of the car to my daughter. They gave us the swabs and we rolled up the windows. Then we could take off the masks, and they loudly talked us through it. The entire test took less than a minute. We then put the masks back on, opened the windows to 3/4, and put the swaps in the tubes. The woman who was assisting me made sure my information was correct. That was it!
There are many states that require a test before entering (instead of a self-quarantine), since Florida has been a hotspot. You do not need to be a Florida resident in order to get the test at the Maingate Complex. It is fast and easy, and unlike early COVID-19 tests there was no pain or discomfort. We should have the results via email in three to five days. The numbers in Florida have improved dramatically, but it is still a good idea to be safe
If you have symptoms or think that you might have been exposed, I urge you to find a test wherever you are. Many places offer them for free, and you don’t have to have symptoms in order to be tested. It’s better to be safe than to spread it to others without knowing it.