The first step in reopening Walt Disney World is coming next week, and it will all start at Disney Springs. On Wednesday, May 20, Disney Springs will begin a phased reopening with some third-party vendors allowing guests back into their establishments with new guidelines and restrictions. The list of locations opening next week is continuing to grow, and things are picking up even more at the beginning of June.
Last week, the Disney Parks Blog let everyone know that Disney Springs will start the phased reopening of Walt Disney World. There will be a limited number of shopping and dining experiences available to guests, but none of them will be Disney-owned locations.
All of the parks and resorts are going to remain closed as of this time. Disney has not announced an opening date, only simply saying that they are shuttered “until further notice.”
Fans are excited at what is to come, though, and they are looking forward to heading out to Disney Springs in one week. All of the locations are going to have several operational changes with increased cleaning procedures, the use of appropriate face coverings, and social distancing measures in place.
Wine Bar George is one of the locations opening on May 20, and their doors will swing wide at noon. Their new procedures detail all the safety measures put in place for the health and safety of both guests and employees.
As of Tuesday afternoon, seven locations in Disney Springs will reopen on May 20. More announcements will likely take place before next week, but the list has grown considerably since the original report.
- The Polite Pig
- Wine Bar George
- Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC
- STK Orlando
- Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill
- YeSake
- Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. – located in The Landing
Not all third-party vendors are choosing to open on that first day, but they will be opening shortly after.
On Tuesday morning, the official website of Walt Disney World lit up as numerous restaurants made reservations available to book. Locations such as Rainforest Cafe, T-REX, Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, and Splitsville all have reservations times available beginning June 1.
Those reservations continue to be available throughout June even with Walt Disney World announcing that no new resort reservations will be taken until July.
No one knows when the other Disney theme parks will join Shanghai Disneyland in reopening their gates. The restaurant openings in Disney Springs are a huge first step, which will allow the company to practice new safety measures before hordes of guests arrive.