PHOTOS - A look inside World of Disney at Disney Springs with new social distancing measures

May 28, 2020 in "World of Disney"

Inside World of Disney reopening post COVID-19 shutdown
Posted: Thursday May 28, 2020 9:25am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

World of Disney reopened yesterday at Disney Springs with new social distancing measures in place including a virtual queue and significantly reduced capacity.

Stepping inside a COVID-19 World of Disney is a very different experience. Gone are the crowds of people - even though the store is operating at 100% of its new capacity. New signage asks guests to maintain 6ft of distance and to limit handling of products - a polar opposite to the old experience.

At the registers, markings on the floor indicate where guests can stand, and large plastic shields separate the guest and Cast member.

The capacity of the store has been massively reduced, which makes shopping in World of Disney a pleasure, once you get inside.

Guests arriving at World of Disney join a virtual queue and are given a return time via text message. Yesterday's opening saw an exterior queue of around 1 hour to secure a virtual queue spot with a return time about 4 hours later. 

World of Disney is scheduled to open at 10am daily. 

Click the gallery for more pictures inside World of Disney.

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zann285Jun 14, 2021

Are there certain times when they do security at Disney Springs or something? We were dropped off via bus there from our resort a few weeks back and did not have to go through any security other than a guy with a dog (they were off to the side of the entrance, not explicitly stopping guests). I remember going through the security there when arriving via bus before on past trips, but that was later in the day I suppose.

techgeekJun 14, 2021

The footprint has shrunk a little and there’s much less extended queue space, but it still knocks out a few rows of parking. Not sure what they can do about that really, especially in Lime there’s just no space for a checkpoint otherwise.

MisterPenguinJun 14, 2021

FTFY!

TrojanUSCJun 14, 2021

With temp checks gone, have they found a better way to streamline the security in the garages yet? It was taking up far too many spaces with the layout before.

Bullseye1967Jun 14, 2021

The "front porch" live music is back, but not inside yet.

Zummi GummiJun 14, 2021

Has live entertainment returned to the performance space inside of House of Blues yet? That and Cirque dumping large groups of people outside who were likely hungry and thirsty was a big driver of places staying open later.

TikibirdLandJun 14, 2021

Guessing so... No one standing outside of Enzo's saying, "I demand to be served" at 2am... :)

Little Green MenJun 13, 2021

More like demand is down at this time

UNCgolfJun 13, 2021

I'm usually only there at night. I've eaten QS dinner and then had gelato or something for dessert sometime between 9-10 several times. It's better food than eating anywhere in the parks.

ToTBellHopJun 13, 2021

Still coming.

GimpYancIentJun 13, 2021

What's up with Cirque Du Soleil? It was an item now the silence is defining.

ToTBellHopJun 13, 2021

Covid only spreads between 11:30 pm and dawn? Interesting.

Disstevefan1Jun 13, 2021

Whatever time DS closes is purely a business decision made by Disney. Closing DS early reduces costs for Disney, like so many other cost cutting decisions Disney made in the name of COVID. You do have to wonder, DS is a glorified mall with tenants. I have to imagine in the lease DS must agree to be open some minimum hours, but who knows, perhaps the lease contracts are heavily one sided to Disney because location, location, location..