Disney Springs, Walt Disney World's shopping, dining and entertainment district, began a phased reopening May 20 after the COVID-19 pandemic forced a two-month closure.

As a Disney World regular, annual passholder, and Disney Vacation Club member, I couldn't wait to return to my happy place in Orlando with my husband and two sons. Like most, we had our reservations about going back out in the world, but we felt that if there were any place that would take the proper precautions to keep guests as safe as possible, it would be Disney World, so we decided to make Disney Springs our first post-COVID lockdown family outing.

There's no way around it, a visit to Disney Springs doesn't feel quite like it used to-but nothing in the world does right now. Disney is definitely doing its part to make the best of it while helping guests feel safe, and our family had a wonderful visit. Here's what it was like and what you need to know if you're planning a visit.

In order to control capacity, guests are only allowed to park in either of two Disney Springs parking garages, the Orange or Lime garage. We arrived on Saturday, May 23 at about 1 pm and there were plenty of spaces available in both garages. Guests can also arrive on foot or via rideshare.

Before guests are able to exit the parking garage and enter Disney Springs, they must pass through a health screening checkpoint. Masks must be worn, physical distancing must be observed, and guests need to undergo a temperature check.

A cast member told us hand sanitizing is recommended but not required before entry. We took advantage (and think it should be required!). More hand-sanitizing stations and hand-washing stations are also available throughout Disney Springs.

Disclaimer signs are prominently positioned in multiple places before screening and entrance and include the statement: "By visiting Walt Disney World, you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19."

Advent Health staff screen guests using a touchless thermometer. It took seconds and my kids didn't mind it at all. Any guest with a temperature above 100.4 will not be permitted to enter; neither will the rest of their party. After your temperature screening you're free to enter Disney Springs!

Masks must be worn by all guests over the age of 3. This includes while in stores, walking around, in restrooms, and in restaurants when not seated at your table.

I won't sugarcoat this: masks in the Florida summer sun are pretty uncomfortable. It helps to pop in and out of the air-conditioned stores to beat the heat, but I recommend doing everything you can to dress in cool clothing. It also helps to bring a personal fan, or maybe even wear a cooling gaiter instead of a mask.

There is one way to get a break from your mask. Guests are permitted to remove their masks when eating or drinking. This includes while seated at your table at a restaurant as well as while eating or drinking when walking or seated outside.

While I don't advocate using the eating and drinking loophole to beat the system, so to speak, it's definitely a good idea to keep a cool drink with you to get a quick "breather" from your mask. I carried drinks for my boys and found that allowing them to pause, pull their masks down, and take a quick sip made a big difference.

Once inside Disney Springs, the biggest change we were struck by was how empty it was. It was very easy to maintain more than enough physical distancing.

In more narrow spots like this bridge, painted arrows direct one-way traffic to support physical distancing. There was a cast member directing flow but it was fairly self-explanatory and everyone we saw was walking where they were supposed to be.

Stores control capacity and flow with designated entrance- and exit-only doors, distanced queuing spots outside, and encourage contactless pay methods. When we visited, only a select number of retail locations were open, but more continue to open on a rolling basis. Disney-owned World of Disney and the Marketplace Co-Op are both scheduled to open May 27.

Between the discomfort of wearing masks and the absence of entertainment and interaction with others as you wander around Disney Springs, we found that having a dining reservation and a nice meal to break up the mask time really helped to make our visit feel more special.

When we arrived for our reservation at The Boathouse, guests queued up at 6-foot increments to check-in. The restaurant had a wait for walk-in guests and we wouldn't have wanted to wait in the heat for a table so we were happy to have a reservation.

Inside the restaurant, guests must wear masks until seated at their table. Restaurant staff wear masks at all times. Other precautions include tables spaced at least six feet apart, disposable, single-use paper menus and guests must box their own leftovers at their table.

Walt Disney World's theme parks may be closed, but there's one Disney World ride in operation: the Aerophile at Disney Springs. This 8-minute, tethered balloon flight takes you 400 feet above Walt Disney World, giving you 360-degree views of up to 10 miles. The cost is $20 for adults and $15 for kids ages 3 to 9 and is open to guests of all ages. The ride is sanitized between each flight and physical distancing measures are in place.

They may be wearing masks, but you can see the smiling eyes of Disney cast members who are still bringing joy to guests. The cast members we engaged with were so animated and expressive, we hardly noticed the masks.

This has been a trying time for all of us, and we've certainly heard people say they have no interest in visiting Disney World during this time and while wearing masks. Sure, we'd give anything to go back to those carefree pre-COVID days, but we really think Disney has done a great job providing a safe experience that still enables people to tap into that Disney magic we've all been missing so much. So put on those masks and have fun! (And be sure to hit up Disney World's newest Instagram wall to memorialize the experience!)