Last week, I had the pleasure of travelling to Florida from Canada for the first time since the pandemic began. My previous trip was in late February of 2019, so it had been about 20 months since I was there last.

The purpose of my trip was to attend an industry conference that was held at Universal Orlando Resort, staying at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. Of course, I couldn’t spend time in Orlando without also getting in a little time at Walt Disney World Resort, so I also spent some time in the Disney theme parks and one night at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

Travelling to Florida from Canada on Air Canada Rouge via Toronto Pearson International Airport

I flew to Orlando out of Toronto on an Air Canada Rouge flight on Sunday, October 17 and returned the afternoon of Friday, October 22. The flight was full. Masks were required on the flight at all times unless actively eating or drinking. Air Canada provided a small packet containing an extra face mask, hand wipes and antibacterial wipes for the tray table. Full snack and drink service was offered.

Observations about Travelling to Florida from Canada

• I would definitely recommend arriving to the airport early, especially if you’re departing on a weekend morning. If flying out of Terminal 1 at Pearson into the United States, I would recommend arriving four hours early rather than the recommended three.
• You’ll wait to be called to enter the line for security. Your flight will be called in order of departure time. Once this line got moving, security went pretty quick.
• You’ll wait in another line for United States Customs and Border Protection. The process to clear customs on that Sunday morning took me a full TWO HOURS. I was prepared early and assumed I would have to wait. Be patient. Bring a book. 
• When travelling to Florida from Canada, Canadians require a negative rapid antigen test within 72 hours of boarding. I had mine done at a local Shopper’s Drug Mart for $40. (I hear Walmart Pharmacy is now doing them for $20.) I uploaded my test result when I checked into my flight online. The approval of my document arrived by e-mail while I was in the customs line. I was not asked to show my test result because they airline had received it digitally.
• When travelling home to Canada from the United States, Canadians require a negative PCR test completed within 72 hours of their return flight home. I was asked to provide my result upon check-in at the airline. I provided proof of my vaccination status and other travelling information via the ArriveCAN app. The company I used for my PCR test was called Fast Test Now. They weren’t cheap but they guaranteed my results by 11 pm the next day. The result came about 30 hours after my test.
• When I landed in Toronto, customs took mere minutes and I was out the door very quickly. 

My Observations about Theme Park Destinations in Florida

• Although Florida’s coronavirus Delta wave has been particularly brutal, their numbers are reportedly declining at a rapid pace.
• In general, people in Florida seem very comfortable without face masks in public places since it is not mandated. However, I wore my mask in busy spots, even outdoors, and nobody seemed to even notice. I was very comfortable to wear my mask at any time.
• The theme parks are busy. The days of very low capacity are likely behind us. However, it’s still easy to find a spot where you’re comfortable. I continued to avoid large crowds, for example, the fireworks crowd at Magic Kingdom. Instead, we used this time in the shops and headed out of the park as the fireworks were finishing up.
• Universal Orlando Resort encourages mask use everywhere, while Walt Disney World Resort requires masks to be worn in all indoor locations unless you’re seated to eat a meal. Masks are still required on Disney attractions. Continue to check the Universal Orlando Resort Safety Guidelines and Walt Disney World Resort Know Before You Go documentation for the most accurate and up-to-date information about public health guidelines in these destinations.
• Social distancing really isn’t happening at the theme parks, although in some places you’ll still see some signage. 
• While walking around outdoors at the resort, near the pool, etc. I was very comfortable without a mask. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and in areas where there weren’t many people around, it felt just fine.

• At Walt Disney World theme parks, mobile ordering is being used almost exclusively for quick service meals. This actually works great, because it means you’re not standing with a crowd while you wait to order and wait for your food. We showed a cast member our mobile orders were ready, and they allowed us to enter to pick up our meal and take it where we chose to eat outside. 
• At Universal Orlando Resort, mobile ordering is available at some locations but we saw and waited in several different lines for quick service food. For our table service meal, we chose to eat at a restaurant that offered outdoor seating.

I hope that this round-up of information is helpful to you! While we will all have our own comfort level, I want you to know that I really did feel very safe during my time in Florida. Common sense goes a long way! I believe in the science behind vaccination and public health measures. When vaccination is layered with wearing a face covering, being aware of my surroundings, not doing anything I wasn’t comfortable with and washing my hands regularly, I felt very safe. The Canadian government has also dropped its blanket advisory against non-essential travel for vaccinated Canadians.

The magic is still there at our favourite destinations. 

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or you want to chat about what to expect on your next vacation to Universal Orlando Resort or Walt Disney World Resort.

Booked for Next Year?

In December, my family will be coming back down with me for our vacation at Walt Disney World Resort, so I will get another more in-depth look at what’s happening so I can guide you through your vacation.

Not Yet Booked?

If you’re feeling ready to start travelling to Florida from Canada again, I’d love to help you get started. As always, there’s very little risk with your deposit fully refundable up to 30 days prior to your scheduled check-in. (45 days for Universal Orlando Resort.) I’ll be your personal advisor on what’s happening in the parks and prepare you for your vacation.