We all love to see this…It’s been almost 18 months since all the Disney Parks around the world shut down due to COVID-19. Even though things have reopened, the pandemic isn’t over yet. One day it will look like we have a handle on the situation, and the next day numbers are rising quickly. This is not meant to be an argument on masks or vaccines. Instead, I’d like to give you a couple of tips on how to plan during a pandemic.
I think that the most important planning tip is that you need to be flexible. If at all possible, don’t have your dates set in stone. Consider purchasing travel insurance so that you can easily change your plans if you need to. Make sure you read the fine print before you purchase the insurance, you’ll want to know what is covered.
Another tip is to book as late as possible. I’ve mentioned several times that I hope to go to Disneyland in December. I still haven’t booked that trip. Things have been too up in the air the past couple of months. I’ve canceled this trip twice already, I don’t want that to happen again!
If possible, book directly instead of using a third party site. I’m talking about things such as flights, hotels, and rental cars. It will be much easier to change your plans if you can contact the company directly. If you booked through a third party site, the company might not be willing (or able) to work with you.
Keep an eye on the situation. We will get past this, but things aren’t going to change overnight. If you or a member of your travel party is high risk, you might want to wait a little bit longer before traveling. Talk to your doctor. Walt Disney World has done a great job of keeping guests safe, but you can’t necessarily say the same thing about the airport, the gas station, or the random restaurant that you might stop at on your way to or from Central Florida.
Finally, it is never a bad idea to work with a travel agent. It shouldn’t cost you anything extra, and a TA is trained to help his or her clients. The TA will think of things that you might never consider. If you’re headed to Walt Disney World, work with a travel agent who specializes in all things Disney. This will help to take some of the stress out of planning, even during a pandemic.