Disneyland Reopening Speculation Superthread

[littlea905]

Here are some speculation topics I have read/thought about while reading the WdW boards that relate to DL. They don't include the "M" word lol How would you think each area could be impacted once the parks reopen? If anyone has other topics, please bring them up!

1. Security- Security guards have to go through all guests' bags and strollers. Would this change so guards have to wear gloves or sanitize between each guest. I feel like that would make lines longer and slower. I know Universal has x-ray machines! I would like that at DL!
2. Shopping- I wonder what shopping will look like? Everyone is always touching everything, trying on shirts, ears, purses, etc. Most rides end in a gift shop, so the get touched a lot there as well. I wonder if they would have to do a "you touch, you buy" policy? I'm not sure if that is even feasible.
3. Buffets- I assume these will be out...but would character dining change to served meals?
4. Transportation- Hotel shuttles, monorail, and the tram are very hard to maintain social distancing on. How would this work?

I’d venture to say that security will ask you to touch and move things around in your bag. This way they don’t have to sanitize between each bag. X-ray would be a lot quicker but that’s not a quick change.

Are any of the shuttles Disney’s responsibility?

 

[DesertScorpion]

I have a feeling the shopping part is going to be hard. Not just for kids, but for adults. I know I touch everything lol. I'm weird. When I buy shirts I have to feel the material before purchasing. Same with spirit jerseys. They don't all feel the same...If the rule is to not touch, I will follow it, but it would for sure make me sad to not have the same shopping experience.

Yes, it would be a tough one to enforce for sure.

 

[midnight star]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1259637336024821760

Shanghai Disneyland is officially reopened.

 

[SeaDis]

Does anyone have any thoughts on the Dapper Days announcement about the cancellation letter for their June event?
I suppose it seemed unlikely for a park opening in June any way, at least one that they can count on for a gathering-type event?

I was surprised by the wording in the Dapper Day announcement because it didn't really match Disney's wording. It made me wonder if they know more, or just had their own interpretation:
"We're sorry to report our planned June events at the Disneyland Resort are now cancelled due to the resort recently announcing their closure is extending through June."

My opinion is the DLR statement did not rule out a June opening. And blocking out reservations in June could actually be a step toward limiting capacity, IF they are allowed to open. Makes sense. Worst case, they have fewer reservations to cancel/refund.

Shifting gears:
I haven't seen this discussed yet, unless I missed it. But this jumped out at me in the 5/08/2020 Disney announcement: "We reserve the right to cancel any reservations, admission media or purchases and provide applicable refunds."

That could be minor, meaning packages sold with tickets that were booked during the closure will be cancelled and refunded. Or it could be major, meaning they cancel all outstanding tickets and require new date-based tickets for entry. Or they may invalidate entire tiers of APs to move them to new Flex programs. We saw hints of different "levels" of the Flex Pass show up in the app in the last year (posted on DIS boards). I think it was "Gold Level" if I recall the wording. It looked like it was released by mistake, and soon disappeared. At the time it looked like DLR was heading toward a date-based or reservation model already anyways. They may already have technology in place for this.

The Shanghai process was to require AP's get reservations, and general admission tickets were not valid for the reopening period. That could be the case with DLR. But the bold above made me wonder.

 

[wingednike]

I have a feeling the shopping part is going to be hard. Not just for kids, but for adults. I know I touch everything lol. I'm weird. When I buy shirts I have to feel the material before purchasing. Same with spirit jerseys. They don't all feel the same...If the rule is to not touch, I will follow it, but it would for sure make me sad to not have the same shopping experience.

Sorry, I'm the germaphobe who would be happy if this happened. I always got a little squicked out by people putting on ears and hats for photos and putting them back on the shelf. I would love it if there were a sample for each item (including different sizes) on display and everything else was packaged.

 

[mentos]

Shifting gears:
I haven't seen this discussed yet, unless I missed it. But this jumped out at me in the 5/08/2020 Disney announcement: "We reserve the right to cancel any reservations, admission media or purchases and provide applicable refunds."

That could be minor, meaning packages sold with tickets that were booked during the closure will be cancelled and refunded. Or it could be major, meaning they cancel all outstanding tickets and require new date-based tickets for entry. Or they may invalidate entire tiers of APs to move them to new Flex programs. We saw hints of different "levels" of the Flex Pass show up in the app in the last year (posted on DIS boards). I think it was "Gold Level" if I recall the wording. It looked like it was released by mistake, and soon disappeared. At the time it looked like DLR was heading toward a date-based or reservation model already anyways. They may already have technology in place for this.

The Shanghai process was to require AP's get reservations, and general admission tickets were not valid for the reopening period. That could be the case with DLR. But the bold above made me wonder.

I’m glad I’m not the only one who saw “admission media” and thought the exact same thing.

IMO it leaves open the possibility of a wholesale purge of the current AP program that we’ve discussed extensively here.

 

[mentos]

Sorry, I'm the germaphobe who would be happy if this happened. I always got a little squicked out by people putting on ears and hats for photos and putting them back on the shelf. I would love it if there were a sample for each item (including different sizes) on display and everything else was packaged.

that’s why I always buy the item all the way in the back of the rack...whether this is Disneyland or a box of cereal at the grocery store!

 

[Aurora0427]

Can anyone make a dining reservation for July? I tried yesterday and today, and while the date is "blue", indicating that it can be booked, literally nothing is available at any time at any restaurant.

There is about to be a lot of friction between the counties, cities and the governors office in regards to moving through these phases.... I know San Diego County has already notified the Governor’s office they want local control back. I think Orange County is doing something similar. My guess is Disneyland is watching and waiting and maybe that’s why dining is unavailable to book? If OC can get local control, Downtown Disney will be open in July and restaurants able to book. Doubtful on the parks.

This is in response to a below post:
Because meeting Newsome’s epidemiology requirements just to move to the second part of phase two could take up to a year in the bigger California counties, according the analysis performed by San Diego county officials last week. Obviously Iger is on the task force and won’t move forward until he believes it to be safe, but that doesn’t mean he and Newsome agree on what that is.

 

[Malcon10t]

There is about to be a lot of friction between the counties, cities and the governors office in regards to moving through these phases.... I know San Diego County has already notified the Governor’s office they want local control back. I think Orange County is doing something similar. My guess is Disneyland is watching and waiting and maybe that’s why dining is unavailable to book? I’m betting if OC can get local control, Downtown Disney will be open in July and restaurants able to book. Doubtful on the parks.

Iger is on Newsom's "Reopening Task Force" to determine what to open when. He is going to open only when they feel it is safe, regardless of what OC wants. I do think DTD will reopen sooner than later (probably in early-mid June. My own guess.) But I wouldn't be thinking "Oh, OC is going to sue to do their own thing, and Disney will open." Just like they closed prior to even the state shutting down.

 

[Aurora0427]

Iger is on Newsom's "Reopening Task Force" to determine what to open when. He is going to open only when they feel it is safe, regardless of what OC wants. I do think DTD will reopen sooner than later (probably in early-mid June. My own guess.) But I wouldn't be thinking "Oh, OC is going to sue to do their own thing, and Disney will open." Just like they closed prior to even the state shutting down.

That’s not exactly what I said or meant.

I edited my original post for clarity instead of continuing!

 

[alvernon90]

Two reports for a general idea on how SDL reopening day went:
All masks, no fireworks: Shanghai Disneyland in muted reopening after coronavirus closedownReuters

Shanghai Disneyland reopens with anti-virus controlsAssociated Press

Wow, the videos that accompany these articles are eye-opening! The people are crowded together more tightly than I would have expected. If the crowds are this thick in U.S. parks, where we know people are not going to keep their masks on all day, there is no way I would visit.

The real question is whether SDL will still be open a month from now, or whether it closes again the way South Korea is closing bars and restaurants again after a single individual infected 50 other people in one night of bar hopping. If Disney can keep SDL from accelerating the spread over the next four weeks, there should be no reason why they can't do it here (except the whole mask thing).

 

[Pamela M]

Earlier this week some construction resumed. I'm not sure if it was for just Avengers or all of the park. I'm hoping they slowly add more workers and can get things done while they are closed.

Me too!! I'm thinking they need as much construction projects done as possible to give the most space for people to disperse.

 

[alvernon90]

They might start off by requiring guests wear masks, but I am willing to wager that they will have to relax that and make it optional within a week. There will simply be no way to enforce it widely.

I think it is impossible to enforce it perfectly, but there is a simple solution for enforcing it and that is to tell people that if they are seen without their masks they will be ejected from the park without a refund. People will still complain because FREEDOM and 'MURICA and MY BABIES DESERVE 100% COMFORT AT ALL TIMES. But with rigorous enforcement they could probably get the level of mask cheating down to, say, the level of smoking area cheating.

The incentive to do so is very strong -- not government rules, but lawsuit exposure. Every time a grandmother dies and the source of her infection can be traced to DLR, Disney will find itself in a multi-million dollar lawsuit, plus news articles about how a day at Disneyland is killing people. The measles outbreak was horrible publicity and that wasn't even Disney's fault. I doubt they want more of that.

Sorry, I'm the germaphobe who would be happy if this happened. I always got a little squicked out by people putting on ears and hats for photos and putting them back on the shelf. I would love it if there were a sample for each item (including different sizes) on display and everything else was packaged.

Having all shoppers touch the exact same item could potentially be a problem.

 

[DLgal]

I'm thinking in park reservations are not available because they will be requiring reservations just to enter the parks, and they probably don't want to get into all the "but I have a reservation at Droid Depot already so I HAVE to be allowed admission that day" type scenarios.

 

[midnight star]

I'm thinking in park reservations are not available because they will be requiring reservations just to enter the parks, and they probably don't want to get into all the "but I have a reservation at Droid Depot already so I HAVE to be allowed admission that day" type scenarios.

True! I'm also wondering that it could be part of the "limited experiences" that disney has mentioned on their site when they reopen.

 

[littlea905]

I thought I read somewhere that they weren't allowing any new reservations until they had a reopening date. Maybe I'm wrong there... I'll see if I can find it.

 

[mentos]

So this isn't speculation anymore, Bob Chapek went on CNBC Squawk Alley today and basically confirmed that masks will be required of guests and CM's:

The success of the Shanghai reopening relies "heavily on the guest," Chapek said, explaining it was vital that personal responsibility be taken to ensure social distancing. That will also have to occur at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Chapek noted that guests and staff of the U.S. parks would be required to wear masks, which he knows could be an issue. "So that will be something that will be a little trying for some of the guests, particularly in the hot, humid summers that we tend to have."

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/n...ai-park-sold-limited-capacity-opening-1294158
Also, Shanghai park capacity of 27,000 (which, at 30%, gives a maximum capacity of that park to be 90,000)... previously quoted maximum was 24,000, which gives a max. capacity of 80,000. He said they are "far below" that but are +5,000 per day until that gov't imposed capacity is reached.

 

[AndrewC]

Confirmed by CEO Bob Chapek today (5/11/2020) that masks will be REQUIRED for guests and CM's upon domestic (US) park reopen.

Source: appearance on Squawk Alley, CNBC.
Article Link

Please plan accordingly if masks will be an issue for you/your family.

(first discussed in the unrestricted DL reopening speculation thread)

Very curious have any food service will work, has anyone seen information from the Shanghai park on this? (IE if table service is closed but quick service is open, etc)

 

[littlea905]

Will Disney supply the masks?

I wonder what this means for pool decks at the hotel pools. I would think that you cannot have the masks on in the pool for Obvious reasons. I think for safety reasons you wouldn’t need to on the pool deck either in case you fell in.

While we would consider still going in August if you had to wear a mask in the parks, if the pools aren't even open we will definitely reschedule.

 

[alvernon90]

Very curious have any food service will work, has anyone seen information from the Shanghai park on this? (IE if table service is closed but quick service is open, etc)

I have seen photos of QS locations with spaced out tables where people can sit. Seems to be working because of the low crowds, so not a lot of people trying to eat at the same time. From what I can tell of SDL photos so far, people seem to be crowding together only in queues and when there is something to see like characters. The food service locations appear to be OK so far.