Walt Disney World Resort Update for March 24-30, 2020

Theme Parks

Closed March 16 through 31: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom.

All Fastpass+ reservations for March 16 to 31 will be automatically canceled.

Water Parks

Closed for the rest of the month: Disney's Typhoon Lagoon has been closed for its annual Seasonal Refurbishment since early this year.

Closed March 16 through 31: Disney's Blizzard Beach.

Tickets & Annual Passes

Unexpired multi-day theme park tickets with unused days, or date-specific theme park tickets with a valid use period during the period March 12, 2020 through March 31, 2020 automatically be extended to use any date through December 15, 2020. If you are unable to visit by December 15, 2020 you may apply the value of a wholly unused ticket toward the purchase of a ticket for a future date.

Florida Resident Discover Disney Tickets may be used through July 31, 2020.

Guests who have purchased tickets for Disney After Hours, Disney Villains After Hours and Disney Early Morning Magic from March 16, 2020 through March 31, 2020 will be automatically refunded.

Walt Disney World annual passes will be extended by the number of days the parks are closed, March 16, 2020 through March 31, 2020.

• Active Walt Disney World annual passes will be extended for the number of days the parks are closed.
• Passes with renewal windows ending during the closure will also receive an extension of time to renew.
• For Passholders participating in the Annual Pass Monthly Payment program, your monthly payments will continue as scheduled. Once your payments are completed, you will still have the extra days as provided above.
• Annual Pass details in My Disney Experience will be updated to reflect new pass usage information in the coming weeks.
• While the theme parks are closed, Disney is not accepting new MagicBand orders linked to Annual Passes.

Pass blockout and admission calendars will not be updated during the closure period. Additional details may be posted later.

As of March 20, 2020, all Disney Springs shops, restaurants and entertainment are closed.

These closures are expected to last at least until March 31, 2020. Where individual operators have listed different reopening dates, we have detailed them below:

• AMC Theaters announced it has closed all North American theaters for six to twelve weeks in response to the coronavirus pandemic. It previously had sought to continue operating at limited capacity. A-List Members may put their account on pause.

For other operational and venue information, Disney Springs website is: DisneySprings.com.

As of March 20, 2020, all Disney-owned and operated hotels at Walt Disney World, Disney's Vero Beach and Hilton Head Island Resorts are closed.

These closures are expected to last at least until March 31, 2020.

Guests who have not checked in for stays between March 16, 2020 through March 31, 2020 may modify or cancel their Disney Resort room reservation or Walt Disney Travel Company package up to their original check-in date. If no action is taken, Disney will automatically process a refund to the original form of payment within seven days of the original check-in date. If you did not book through Disney directly, please contact your travel professional.

For guests that have placed orders and received notifications that MagicBands have already been shipped to their homes, those guests will still receive their orders. For those that arranged for upgraded MagicBands be delivered to Disney Resort hotels for check-in dates between March 20 and 31, those orders will be automatically cancelled and refunded. While the hotels are closed, no new orders for Magic Bands linked to Annual Passes or hotel reservations will be accepted. For hotel arrivals after March 31, there may be further updates.

For stays after the parks re-open, Disney also says it will waive all Disney imposed change and cancellation fees up to the date of check-in through June 30, 2020.

NOTE: Refunds for Walt Disney Travel Company packages will be less cancellation fees imposed by 3rd party suppliers, including airlines, rental cars, third party hotels as well as non-refundable products like travel protection plans.

The Walt Disney World Dolphin hotel closed on March 17, and relocated guests to the Walt Disney World Swan hotel. Further information about existing and making new reservations is available at:https://swandolphin.com/importantinfo/index.html.

Shades of Green on Walt Disney World Resort, the hotel for U.S. Military Members and Families, is closed. The resort will continue to accept reservations for new arrivals after April 15th. More information on the resort's COVID-19 Update webpage at: ShadesOfGreen.org/your-stay/travel-information-covid-19-update. Guest questions may be emailed to: guestsupport@shadesofgreen.org.

Four of the seven Disney Springs Area Hotels are now closed: DisneySpringsHotels.com.

• Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace announced it has temporarily suspended operations, and will not accept reservations through April 30, 2020. Guests with reservations can contact the hotel for more information.
• The Best Western Lake Buena Vista is temporarily closed beginning March 20, 2020 until further notice.
• The Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista hotel will not accept reservations for arrivals before April 26, 2020.
• The Holiday Inn Orlando – Disney Springs Area is not booking reservations for arrivals before April 2, 2020

The Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort (adjacent to Golden Oak on Disney Property) is now closed, and will not accept reservations for guests arriving prior to April 6, 2020. More information is available on its website: FourSeasons.com/orlando/

We are not tracking the individual status of the 53 Walt Disney World Good Neighbor Hotels. You can find contact information for these off-property hotels on their association website: WDWGoodNeighborHotels.com

Neither Flamingo Crossings (which is on Disney Property but has hotels that are not Disney-owned and operated), nor Bonnet Creek Resort (which is not owned by Disney but is completely surrounded by Disney Property) have official websites that we have identified.

All active Tables in Wonderland members will be extended by the number of days the parks are closed.

Pre-paid dining and experience reservations (like Droid Depot) will be automatically refunded if scheduled between March 16 and March 31, 2020.

Character dining and dinner shows at Disney Resort hotel locations may have modified experiences and Characters present from March 16 through the morning of March 20.

Guests with dining reservations guaranteed by a credit card will not be charged cancellation or no-show fees during park closure.

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and all miniature golf locations at Walt Disney World Resort are closed from March 16 through March 31.

Walt Disney World Golf, including FootGolf operations, remain available on the regular schedule at all Walt Disney World Golf courses. Walt Disney World Golf is operated by Arnold Palmer Golf Management and its team says it is continuing “to closely monitor recommendations by health officials and have implemented measures to help ensure the well-being of all who visit and work at Walt Disney World Golf. For more information and updates, visit GolfWDW.com. Additional operational details released by management follow:

Due to the closure of Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, there will be a restricted access policy for Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course commencing Saturday March 21st. If a guest plans to visit this facility, they will be required to have a confirmed tee time reservation before entering the property. Access to the property will only be allowed from the security guard gate located across the street from the entrance to the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace resort. Guests that would like to make use of our driving range facilities, or purchase items from our golf professional shop are being redirected to visit Disney’s Palm, Magnolia, and Oak Trail Golf facility instead.

Due to the restricted access policy for Disney’s Lake Buena Vista Golf Course, we are inviting Player’s Club members to contact our reservations team within an hour of an available tee time, and pre-book at the Walk-up rate. This will add your name to the tee sheet, and therefore, security can grant you access to the property.

For those that are here in Orlando currently, and interested to play, please contact our reservations center at (407) WDW-GOLF to request additional information, or to confirm a suitable tee time. We recommend continuing to visit our website for further updates to our schedule.

The following experiences are all temporarily canceled.:

• All fireworks cruises
• Highway in the Sky Dine Around
• Pirates & Pals Fireworks Dessert Voyage
• Ferrytale Fireworks: A Sparkling Dessert Cruise
• Celebration at the Top – Savor, Sip, and Sparkle
• Day Cruise Around the World
• Disney Vacation Club Seven Seas Tasting Cruise
• Grand 1 Yacht Rentals

All Disney transportation will be suspended beginning the morning of Wednesday, March 18, 2020 through the end of March.

Disney's Magical Express concluded transfers to and from Orlando International Airport on Friday, March 20.

College and International Programs Suspended

Major news outlets report that Walt Disney World suspended its College Program, Culinary Program, Cultural Exchange Program, and Academic Exchange Program effective March 16, 2020. Participants in Disney housing must move out by March 18, will be paid through March 31, 2020, and will receive certificates of completion that give them the opportunity to seek future employment with the company.

On Sunday, Disney published an updated letter to their College Program participants, and encouraged those who would like to return to work for the company at a future date to keep in touch.

On March 16, Josh D'Amaro, President, Walt Disney World Resort further explained in a “MouseMail” email:

I want to acknowledge our hardworking college, culinary and exchange program participants. We made the difficult decision to suspend these programs, based on guidance from leading health agencies as these participants live in dorm-like housing here at our Resort. We believe it's the right thing to do and is consistent with the way college and university programs are prioritizing social distancing. We are actively working with each individual to help them get home, including finding the right solution to each of their unique circumstances.

Musical Acts End at Epcot

Orlando Sentinel tourism reporter Dewayne Bevil reports that Matsuriza, the drummers at the Japan pavilion, and British Revolution, the vocal quartet at the United Kingdom pavilion perform for the final time at Epcot, March 15, 2020.

Credible social media posts suggest that several other contract Epcot musical acts at World Showcase also had their final performances on March 16; credible social media reports that Epcot musical acts comprised of Disney cast members have not been impacted beyond the temporary park closure.

The 27th Annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival began on March 4, and, though currently suspended due to the park's temporary closure, it is scheduled to run through June 1. This longest running Epcot festival is the one that started them all back in 1994 as “a 38-day celebration of Disney-style gardens and topiaries.” The official website for the festival is FreshEpcot.com.

The 2020 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival began on March 4 and is scheduled to run through June 1. File Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

The Festival includes the Garden Rocks Concert Series, three times nightly at America Gardens Theatre. The list of scheduled performers released ahead of the Festival included both returning and new names including: STARSHIP, Sister Hazel, Rick Springfield, Plain White T's, Don McLean, Herman's Hermits, Tony Orlando, Air Supply, Christopher Cross, Daughtry, and Survivor. Some of those acts have been cancelled due to the closure, and, of course, the remaining schedule is subject to change. As of this Update, performers scheduled starting April 1 are shown on our Calendar below. The Festival also sells Garden Rocks Concert Series Dining Packages where booking a breakfast, lunch or dinner package at select Epcot restaurants provides guaranteed concert seating for a 5:30, 6:45, or 8 p.m. show. Those that booked packages for dates the park is closed will receive refunds in accordance with Disney's policies discussed in the news sections above.

Singer Peabo Bryson took stage at the America Gardens Theatre as the opening act of this year's Garden Rocks Concert Series on March 4-5, 2020. File Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

This is the Festival that features the most topiaries and gardens around the park. New this year is a Remy topiary that is the centerpiece of Ratatouille Garden at France pavilion. Remy's Ratatouille Adventure attraction is scheduled to open at France pavilion during the summer, but a specific opening date has not yet announced. The full list of topiaries and gardens announced for this year's Festival is on this page of the official FreshEpcot website.

The new Remy topiary stands among the hedges along World Showcase Promenade at France pavilion.

Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy topiaries are in the planter box in the remaining plaza at the center of Future World that is not surrounded by construction walls, and share a garden with nods to their construction surroundings.

The Donald Duck topiary (with Spike buzzing about) stands in World Showcase Plaza, along with Daisy, Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

The Tinker Bell topiary has an updated look this year and it stands in a fairy garden near the band gazebo toward the back of the United Kingdom pavilion.

File Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

The Goodness Garden Butterfly House returned in a new location this year. It is located further west in Future World West than in past years—between The Land and Imagination pavilions. There are also two playtime areas for kids: Bo Peep's Playtime Training Ground is near the Test Track walkway in Future World East, and the Health Full Trail along the Imagination Walkway includes the Play Full Garden. The Floating Mini-Gardens, Flower Towers, and more bedded blooms are back as well. Behind the scenes tours are available during the Festival from the no-additional-charge 20 minute English Tea Garden tour to the Spring edition of the 3 hour Gardens of the World tour ($85/person plus tax).

The Goodness Garden Butterfly House is located near the butterfly topiary outside The Land pavilion in Future World West.

Health Full Trail is located along the walkway between Imagination pavilion and World Showcase.

Tea Garden tours highlight plantings and traditions of tea on display around the United Kingdom pavilion.

File Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Like the other Festivals, Flower & Garden Festival includes food and beverage kiosks. This year, 16 “Outdoor Kitchens” and other “stops” include three Florida-centric locations: The Honey Bee-stro, The Citrus Blossom, and Florida Fresh. The full list of Outdoor Kitchens and other special food offerings, along with their menus, is available on this page of the official FreshEpcot website. Disney Parks Blog has published a Foodie Guide to the Festival, and published more suggestions to “Taste Your Way Around” the Festival when it opened on March 4. There is also a new “Garden Graze Stroll” (like the Holiday Cookies and Arts stroll varieties) where guests purchase five festival dishes from select locations, receive Passport stamps, and then, rather than more food like the other strolls, there is a keepsake for completion.

The Honey Bee-stro Garden decorates the area near The Honey Bee-stro outdoor kitchen along the walkway from World Showcase to Future World West.

Honey-Peach Freeze is available in a Souvenir Spike the Bee Sipper Cup (while supplies last).

A Spike the Bee reusable spork is available from Outdoor Kitchens this year as well ($2.50 plus tax).

As usual, spring merchandise, including Flower & Garden Festival exclusives, are available at Mouse Gear and at other locations around the park.

File Photos by Alan S. Dalinka.

Spike's Pollen Nation Exploration scavenger hunt also returns for the entire run of this year's Festival. Purchase maps for $7.99 plus tax (Passholder discounts available) at Port of Entry and other marked locations, search for Spike the Bee around the park (like one we showed in the photos of the English Tea Garden above), and return your completed map to Port of Entry for a prize. The Egg-stravaganza Scavenger Hunt will also return for a limited time during the Festival, from March 27 through April 12, and the maps for the Easter-themed scavenger hunt will be available at Disney Traders, Pin Central (in its new location under Spaceship Earth on the west side), and World Traveler; completed maps will be redeemed at Disney Traders for its prize.

The new location of Pin Central is under the western legs of Spaceship Earth. File Photo by Alan S. Dalinka.

New to this year's Festival is the expansion of Disneyland's Disney Channel Fan Fest. Guests at Disney's parks in California will have a one-day-only opportunity to mix and mingle with the casts of several popular Disney Channel shows and a cavalcade down Disneyland's Main Street U.S.A. will feature many Disney Channel celebrities which will be live streamed on Disney Parks Blog and on Disney Channel YouTube on Saturday, May 9. After that, kids and families at Epcot during three of the Festival's weekends—May 16-17, May 23-24, and May 30-31— will experience Fan Fest events as well. The details and schedule have not yet been announced, but Disney Parks Blog says:

Fan Fest events include stars from “ZOMBIES 2,” “Gabby Duran & the Unsittables,” “Raven's Home,” “Just Roll With It,” “Sydney to the Max,” “Coop & Cami Ask The World, “BUNK'D,” and the upcoming “Disney Fam Jam” and “Upside-Down Magic.” The learn-to-draw sessions will feature the creative teams behind “Big City Greens,” “The Owl House,” “Amphibia” and “DuckTales.”

Disney Parks Blog lists the 25th anniversary edition of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival among the 20 Reasons to Visit Walt Disney World Resort in 2020, but the park has not yet announced its specific dates. The hugely popular festival ought to return for a near 90 day run in the late summer/fall. The official website for the festival is TasteEpcot.com.

The runDisney Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend which traditionally takes place during the Festival has been scheduled for November 5-8, 2020.

The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic is scheduled to be held November 6 to 7, 2020.

Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, including its three times nightly presentation of Candlelight Processional should also return late in 2020. In recent years, we have started getting specific details to share in the summer with a Christmas in July media event or promotion. The Festival's official website is: EpcotHolidays.com.

For the convenience of our readers, the scheduled performers for this year's Garden Rocks Concert Series are shown in our Google Calendar of Epcot Events. You can add the entire Event calendar to any calendar that supports the iCal format (like iPhone and Mac) by copying this link and, as we get additional information and update the calendar, the calendar will update on your subscribed device as well.

While our Google Calendar of Epcot Events lists announced performers, it is still always best to check the My Disney Experience app, Times Guide, and, yes, sometimes even signs posted at the park entrances and at the theater noting any last minute changes. The calendar is provided as a courtesy “as is, where is” without any guarantees. We do respectfully request that you do not post our entire calendar on another site without first asking our permission. Walt Disney World Resort does provide schedules in the My Disney Experience app, but does not allow you to add dates to calendars outside the app itself.