With COVID-19 cases increasing, Orlando International Airport (OIA) is making adjustments as needed, along with other international airports. The latest news is that OIA is adding two new COVID testing sites at the airport. If you have plans to fly to or from the OIA, you’ll want to stay in the loop on what this may mean for your flights.
As shared by OrlandoSentinel: Orlando International Airport will begin to provide COVID tests this month for travelers and for people who aren’t flying, including airport workers, but has yet to work out many details, including how to handle positive results.
“We need to be available to help manage those consequences,” said airport director Phil Brown, which could include assistance in rebooking flights and finding accommodations. “That is a critical element of making this successful.”
“Many people will have a difficult time if they test positive and they have to isolate,” said Kidd, who lauded Orlando’s airport for recognizing that challenge. “Many of them are going to have limited resources.”
There will be no Orlando International Airport requirement for any departing passengers to be tested. Brown said the testing service is generally for travelers destined for locations that require a test result, including some states, such as Hawaii, and to other countries.
For a pilot program through July, Orlando’s airport will contract with AdventHealth’s Centra Care clinic service and Orlando Health. The testing clinics will occupy vacant space in the main terminal outside of the TSA secure areas, and passengers will be tested before making their way to departure gates.
South Florida residents are well on track to a high-speed rail to Orlando.
Brightline, soon to be known as Virgin Trains, posted a photo of freshly-laid track leading to their future station at Orlando International Airport on Tuesday. Construction has continued on the line during the COVID-19 pandemic, with adjustments made to take precautions against the virus.
When complete, the route will take riders from Miami to Orlando in three hours. For comparison, it typically takes four hours to drive between the two cities. Air travel typically takes an hour, but factoring the time needed for going through security and seating, the time difference is significantly shortened.
Virgin Trains signed a letter of intent with Walt Disney World in 2018 to establish a station at the resort, with engineering and design work for the station currently underway. Virgin Trains president Patrick Goddard said last year about the Orlando line, “It’s our expectation to get it done and to build out to Disney.” Currently, Brightline operates stations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.
The Orlando International Airport station is expected to open in 2022.
Today, park hours at Walt Disney World were shortened across the resort to accommodate for the incoming effects of Hurricane Dorian to the east coast of Florida, with bands of storm-like activity affecting the Orlando area.
It appears that tomorrow, parks will open and close as normal, with the exception of morning Extra Magic Hours, which have been canceled. The hours for tomorrow, September 4th are as follows:
As a reminder for today, Epcot’s hours have been extended until 7:00 p.m. tonight.Disney Springs will also be open today until 8:00 p.m., but many restaurants are closed.
Orlando International Airport has suspended all commercial flights for today and has not released an expected time of resumed operation.
The National Hurricane Center has issued their 5 PM update and Hurricane Dorian has become nearly stationary this afternoon. A slow westward to west-northwestward motion is expected to resume overnight and into early Tuesday. The hurricane will move “dangerously close to the Florida east coast late Tuesday through Wednesday evening.” This means that life-threatening storm surge and dangerous hurricane-force winds are expected along portions of the Florida east coast and Georgia and South Carolina. Dorian’s hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles and tropical storm winds extend out 150 miles from the center.
A hurricane warning and a storm surge warning have been issued for parts of Florida’s east coast. What part of the coast experiences hurricane conditions remains uncertain and is dependent on the exact track.
The track has caused changes to Walt Disney World Resort, Disney Cruise Line and Orlando International Airport.
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort has issued a statement and is adjusting their operating hours beginning Tuesday, September 3.
Magic Kingdom Park: 8 AM – 3 PM (7 AM Opening for EMH)
Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9 AM – 2 PM (6 AM Opening for EMH)
Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 8 AM – 2 PM (7 AM Opening for EMH)
All Disney Resort hotels remain open. Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground will be closing on September 3 at 3 PM and will reopen when safe to do so.
Special Events
Disney After Hours at Animal Kingdom – Cancelled on Tuesday, September 3
Dining & Other Experiences
On September 3:
Theme park dining reservations will behonored up to one hour prior to park closing
Resort dining reservations will be honored until 5:30 PM
Effective immediately, Disney will not be enforcing cancellation policies for dining and other experiences.
Pre-paid dining and other experiences outside of the modified operating hours for September 3 will be automatically cancelled and refunded.
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport will stop operation on Tuesday September 3 due to Dorian’s track. Please check with your airline for update regarding your specific flight.
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line has issued an advisory and changed the itinerary of the Disney Dream sailing on Friday August 30 to extend another day and cancelled the Monday September 2 sailing of the Disney Dream.
Disney Dream – Current Sailing
Disney Dream’s current sailing was scheduled to return to Port Canaveral on Wednesday, September 4. However, after careful review of the currently forecasted path, and conversations with port officials in Florida, it does not seem likely that Port Canaveral will be available for our return on Wednesday.
Because of this, we will need to further extend this sailing and now expect Disney Dream to return to Port Canaveral one day later, on Thursday, September 5.
Since Disney Dream will now have additional time at sea, we have arranged a port call for tomorrow, Monday, September 2, in Grand Cayman.
Disney Dream – Monday, September 2 changed to Wednesday, September 4
While we had hoped to preserve some portion of the voyage for our Guests’ enjoyment, we have had to change our plans given the inherently unpredictable nature of tropical storms and hurricanes. After careful review of the currently forecasted path, and conversations with port officials in Florida, we have decided to cancel the sailing completely.
We understand this may be disappointing news, but we feel this was a necessary decision. The safety of our Guests and crew members is always our foremost concern.
Castaway Cay – UPDATED
Many of our Guests have asked questions about Castaway Cay. Some of our Crew remained on the island and their care and safety is our highest priority. As forecasted, sustained winds on the island did not extend beyond tropical force strength and our Crew has returned to their living quarters after spending a few hours in our storm shelter yesterday. Our thoughts continue to be with the people in areas of The Bahamas that are being impacted by this storm and we stand ready to contribute to recovery efforts.
