It’s a whole new world of cleanliness and sanitation in Disney World and we’re still getting used to it!
Cast Members Cleaning
There are all sorts of new protocols for Cast Members and guests and we’ve been observing the way that these protocols work in the parks. We have to say, some things have definitely surprised us about the way that cleaning is handled for rides and attractions. Here’s what we WEREN’T expecting!
1. The Skyliner Cleaning Schedule
Hey, the Skyliner is TECHNICALLY a ride, isn’t it? As you can imagine, we’ve taken several trips on the Disney Skyliner in reopened Disney World by now. The biggest difference is that the ride is limited to one gondola per party — which we’ve actually really liked!
A Gondola Cabin All to Ourselves
Still, it’s the cleaning procedures that surprise us about this popular transportation method. A Cast Member we spoke to on the Skyliner’s reopening day told us that the gondolas are only being cleaned once a day. With so many guests passing through, we thought they might be wiped down more than that — and they could have changed it to more often by now. Luckily, with the vented design of the gondola, there’s ample airflow through each cabin all the time.
Disney Skyliner
But if you’re still a little put off by the once-a-day cleaning, there are things you can do to feel safer when riding the Skyliner. Keep your mask on even though you’re away from other folks and bring wipes or sanitizer to keep your hands clean after you’ve been in the gondola space.
Click here to learn more about riding the reopened Skyliner!
2. Most ride vehicles are only cleaned every few hours.
We kind of expected rides to be cleaned SUPER often, and it’s true that we have seen our fair share of cleaning going on. Still, we talked to a few Cast Members at different attractions who let us know that there is a designated period of time between cleanings that was a little longer than we were expecting.
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway Queue
For many attractions, Cast Members told us that the rides were being cleaned every two hours. If that makes you uncomfortable, keep an eye out for hand sanitizer stations and bring your own! Be sure to sanitize before and after each ride.
Disney’s cleaning protocols are based on guidance from health professionals but if you feel better with a little bit of back-up sanitizing — make sure you’re prepared.
Click here for more tips for a reopened Disney World!
3. High-touch surfaces aren’t always cleaned more often.
This one might be the BIGGEST surprise we’ve seen when it comes to cleaning procedures on the rides. There are some high-touch areas on rides that we expected to get some extra attention when it comes to cleaning — especially on the more interactive attractions.
Queue
We didn’t see any cleaning between individual riders on rides with high-touch elements like the pull-toys on Toy Story Mania, the blasters on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, the seats on Flight of Passage, and the controls on The Magic Carpets of Aladdin and Dumbo the flying elephant.
Magic Carpets of Aladdin
According to a Cast Member at Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, the ride was being cleaned every two hours like we’ve been told of some other attractions. Like the other items on this list, antibacterial wipes can definitely help to disinfect these surfaces and your hands.
Want to see what it’s like to ride Flight of Passage in a reopened Disney World? Click here!
4. Lines still move quickly even when the rides have to be stopped to be cleaned.
It wasn’t too surprising to us that the attractions occasionally close temporarily for cleaning but it WAS a surprise that it didn’t result in longer lines. There were several attractions, like Splash Mountain, that occasionally had an announcement while we were in the queue that the ride was paused for cleaning, but it didn’t slow the ride down that much.
Splash Mountain paused for sanitation
Overall, we haven’t found a back-up in lines and queues for cleaning or other health protocol Disney has implemented. So if that’s a concern of yours, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Wondering about the demand for Splash Mountain? Click here.
5. The spray cleaners they are using aren’t what we expected.
One of the main methods of cleaning that we’ve seen is a spray cleaner, which definitely isn’t what we were expecting. It IS Disney, so we almost expected some sort of high-tech UV light that didn’t cause any hassle to guests! But what’s ACTUALLY surprised us is that the sprays DON’T really impact guests.
Sanitizer for Splash Mountain
Our big concern was that our seats would be wet when we sat down, but we spoke to Cast Members at DINOSAUR in Animal Kingdom who told us that they run sprayed-down vehicles through the ride once before they load the vehicle with guests. With this and staggering the sprays, it allows the rides to keep moving without subjecting riders to wet seats! Smart!
Click here to see the full list of EVERYTHING that has reopened!
Overall, we saw most of the cleaning measures in Disney World coming, but these were surprising. We’ll continue to report from a reopened Disney World so keep an eye out for everything new and alllll the tips in the coming weeks!
And note that Disney World is changing protocol regularly based on feedback from healthcare professionals and the day to day activity in the parks. So if you’re seeing a different cleaning protocol, let us know!
Disney Park Reopening Details and Info
Click HERE for the All Latest Updates
Click HERE To See FULL LISTS of the Rides, Attractions, Shopping, Entertainment, and Restaurants Opening in Disney World!
TUTORIAL: How To Use Disney World's NEW Park Pass Reservation System
ALL Disney World Reopening Procedures
Disney World Hotel and Ticket Booking Information
We’re Visiting ALL the Reopened Disney World Hotels and Have All the Need-to-Know Details
We’re LIVE in Disney World's Magic Kingdom For the FIRST Time Since the Closures
We’re LIVE in Disney’s Animal Kingdom For the FIRST Time Since the Closures
We Got a FIRST LOOK at Disney World’s New Character Cavalcades and Entertainment!
Everything You NEED To Know About Wearing Masks in Disney World
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What has surprised YOU about Disney World’s reopening? Tell us in the comments!
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What type of sanitizing formula are they using, is it a premixed, or do the cast members have to mix it, what is the alcohol level of the sanitizer 80,90 % can you get this information or not thanks say hello to aj
Shouldn’t it say one party per gondola instead of one gondola per party?
Do we know what they’re using to sanitize surfaces? If they’re using products like Microban, I wouldn’t be concerned with how frequently they are sanitizing, since those products create an antimicrobial surface for 24 hours.
Gwen, I’ve seen the Microban ad a lot lately (they seem to be sponsoring a lot of Animal Planet streaming). Microban kills bacteria and viruses, but the lingering effect is only for bacteria, not viruses. It’s in the small print at the bottom of their video ad.
Gwen, the team has seen EcoLab Peroxide Multi Surface Cleaner and Disinfectant.
I am not alarmed that they clean “only” every 2 hours in many areas. We should use our common sense, follow posted and verbal instructions and use sanitizer and wash hands frequently. As you say, keep your own sanitizers on hand. Staying safe is our own responsibility, not all Disney’s. Thank you.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned that it doesn’t appear to be social distancing in the photo of Mickey’s runaway train ride above. Shame on Disney. And depending on what they use, if you are allergic (as I am), you could be covered in a rash. If they used alcohol or alcohol mixed with hydrogen peroxide, then no worries. But if they use some chemical or fragrance, that can cause reactions. And they should be cleaning way more frequently like we’ve all heard that Universal does. Anyone who visits now is upping their chances of getting and spreading the virus–no wonder the U.S. is in the state that it is.
NIH has released a study on the virus and how long it remains on different surfaces. The time is different for different surfaces.The key to contamination is cleaning .However , it would be impossible to clean every surface after each and every person . I feel confident that WDW is doing it’s a best to disinfect the parks. The best practice is to sanitize or to wash your hands properly, that is wash for 20 seconds and dry thoroughly ( children are taught to say the alphabet while washing their hands ) But just as important is not to touch you face , nose or eyes even after washing your hands. This area is referred to as ” The Triangle of Death ” in medical jargon. It is also important to wear your mask covering both nose and mouth . The mask should fit snuggly under the chin and lay flat , without puckering , against the sides of your face. I don’t
mean to sound as if I am pontificating I just want everyone to stay safe and healthy
As a highly allergic person, I would really like to know what Disney is using to spray and sanitize. 90% alcohol would be best. Chemicals and fragrances make me extremely sick, and repeated exposure ride after ride will ruin my Disney vacation. I have seen this concern mentioned above but with no reply. I would love for DFB to help us find some answers. Thank you for all you do to help us enjoy our Disney World experiences, but most especially for helping us to stay safe and healthy.
Eileen, what we have seen in use is EcoLab Peroxide Multi-Surface Cleaner and Disinfectant. They may be using others, and we’ll keep watching for that information.
I was just at Disney for 4 days, stayed on property and used their transportation. Everything is clean and they are adhering to social distancing measures. I felt nothing but safe being there. I finished all the parks in just a few hours! The crowd levels were low and the new temperature and bag check screenings were super quick! Disney is doing a great job and I’m already planning my next trip!
I was just there Aug 1 thru Aug 8.2020 and I think the cast member only saw what they saw at the park they worked at. Maybe. We saw cleaning quite often. In fact out of the 17 rides we did at Magic Kingdom literally all were stopped for cleaning which took no longer than 5 or 7 min. We definitely had no issues there. There are hand sanitizer stations EVERYWHERE!!! I had plenty at hand but it was glorious to see them using the good stuff. We went to all parks and it was the same… Social distancing, cleaning, reminders of masks to be kept on etc. The buses were also social distanced and sanitized. We encountered a few that asked we wait a few min for the stuff to dry. We rode the Skyline, and there’s nothing to touch, but it’s nice to have sanitizer at hand regardless if it doesn’t get cleaned. Yes, the vents do circulate outside air. One big issue i thought was inconvenient for me was having to do our own beds. But I get it it’s all about minimal touching the rooms and guests stuff. But as always ask for what you need extra of and you’ll be fine. Also fyi they only clean your room every 4 day or not at all. Also visited Disney Springs and there it was a bit crowded but still easy to shop at. Oh and it’s all about mobile ordering Or reservations. Plan ahead.
Every day and everywhere we went our temperature was checked, you can’t slide in at all without being noticed.
What are the doing to verify that they are actually killing viruses on surfaces? There are test kits available to test the high touch surfaces for COVID-19. I wonder if Disney is utilizing this technology that is available. Seems like the responsible thing to do.
Stephanie, that’s an interesting question. I’ll see if the on-site team has heard anything about this.
I’ve seen some comments expressing concern about disinfectants and allergies. My family and were at WDW for 12 days when the parks opened in July. My son and I suffer from allergies, but I honestly can’t recall a moment when I noticed the cleaning agents. No smell, no feel. I can remember at least one occasion being the first to ride Haunted Mansion immediately after a cleaning. Totally non issue.
Hope this helps.
We spent 10 days at WDW the week after everything opened. It seemed every line we ended up in they made an announcement that they were sanitizing the vehicles and that there would be a delay. They did it quickly and efficiently. There was no residue, and nearly no delay. Social distancing was in place everywhere, and a ridiculous abundance of hand sanitizer stations. I can definitely say that WDW was 100% cleaner than any of the airports we had to use to/from there. Disney has the safety locked in, and for the first time ever our entire family came home without getting sick from a Disney trip!! Also worth mentioning was that the safety measures did not distract from the fun that we all had. Great job Disney, keep up the great work!!
Thanks for sharing, TD!
I have sat on a few rides after the cleaning and yes my bottom got wet from the seat. They do use someone that made my shorts tie dyed after washing so I will not wear cloths that I care to much about to disney in the near future.
I have tons of faith in Disney. My daughter goes to a science and medical based college. Once a day they use the misting disinfecting spray. Not sure of exactly what type. But it works for 10+ hours. And the classrooms are sprayed each night. With Disney doing it every couple hours, requiring social distancing and masks they are definitely keeping us safe. I cant wait to get back there
This is really interesting. I never thought about how and when they are cleaning the rides but I would have thought it would be more often than every two hours. I would love the one party per gondola idea, even though it might mean having to wait longer. Thanks for posting the articles. I love all of your Disney secrets and tips! It’s fun to visit vicariously!
If the cleaning protocols and schedules have remained pretty much the same since they reopened (based on CDC guidelines, etc.), and Disney has not become a ‘super spreader’ sight, I think it’s ok to say that what they are doing is obviously working and people shouldn’t worry too much about it. Enough time had passed for things to go ‘wrong’ with their protocols and they certainly would have self corrected by now.
I believe you mean Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, not Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.
Thanks, Michael!