Hi Jan!
So glad you charted a course to planDisney to ask your Disney cruise question. You sound like me in trying to figure out all the possible outcomes before sailing. I want to know all the scenarios! But I can assure you that the testing process at the port prior to boarding is very smooth, and typically the results are posted within 45 minutes to an hour after testing on the Safe passage website. Fingers crossed that there will be no positive test results in your party!
Here’s
how it currently works: Disney Cruise Line says that Guests with positive COVID-19 test results, as well as those sharing the same stateroom and their close contacts will be denied boarding.
The good news is that having reservations linked online is different from actually being considered close contacts. Guests
join their reservations together so they can enjoy rotational dining together and to streamline coordinating additional reservations. That does not immediately mean that you will be considered a close contact if someone tests positive for COVID-19 that you are linked to on separate reservations.
As it sits right now, what I recommend is that you plan on arriving at the cruise terminal with just your immediate stateroom party together, and if possible, using different modes of transportation from the people in the second stateroom. If using
Disney Cruise Line ground transportation, make sure that you are all seated separately and be sure to wear masks on the motorcoach (which is required).
Additionally, you should also go through the testing process separately. This may sound a bit over the top, but there’s plenty of time later to be together once cleared to sail. These things will mitigate you and your stateroom being identified as close contacts in the event that someone does test positive for COVID-19 in the second stateroom.
These rules are evolving, so keep checking the
Experience Updates page for the most up to date details. Jan, ask away if you think of anything else before your February cruise.
Happy Sailing!
Sherry