Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Sarahslay]

I have park pass reservations for thanksgiving week and the hours are amended as noted so I don’t know that there will be Holiday exceptions for typically more busy times

incidentally I don’t feel any kind of negative way about this - actually looking forward to a low key week for once. I don’t have to make fast pass reservations, we are essentially eating snacks and quick service bc usually I get a dining plan so i don’t have to worry about THOSE reservations- we are going to be in a one bedroom at Wilderness Lodge - I’m actually going to have a vacation at Disney instead of going into my normal multi tab binder planning psychosis.

DH and I were talking about this last night regarding our week over Thanksgiving. It's our rescheduled anniversary trip, no kids, and we might actually not feel like we're dying by the middle of the week this time! He was a little bummed about it at first, but I reminded him that this can change by November, and with lower crowds, no FP and limited ADRs we're more free to ride what we want and take our time. I can't remember the last time I spent 9-10 hours in a park, the 8 they are moving to actually seems a bit much for my park style honestly. As long as the parks aren't slammed I think we'll have a good time.

 

[Farro]

I feel the same way. Last weekend on our trip we were bored at night. You can only go to Disney Springs so many nights and get the last dinner reservation available to fill your evenings.

I’m kinda worried about our 9 night September trip. I would love the parks to be open later, but if they’re not then they need places to have cocktails, restaurants open later, or later feature pool hours. I’m not happy about spending thousands of dollars to sit in my villa at night when I should be out enjoying myself with my boyfriend.

But at this point I’m planning to secure the latest dinners I can, hit up the 24 hour leisure pools and enjoy a glass of Veuve on my balcony. Childless millennial problems I guess.

Exactly. They need to open all the hotel bars/lounges/restaurants (in hotels that are open), keep the bars on Boardwalk open, have late seatings at hotel restaurants...unfortunately we'd have to take Ubers as there will be no park to hotel and back options after 7.

I'm not going to want to be back in my room every night by 9.

 

[Vern60]

And to try to increase resort revenue, they could offer these rotating early/late hours as a perk for on-property resort guests only, and maybe come up with some catchy marketing name for the whole thing like "Magicially Extended Hours."

Yeah, I could be onboard for something like that. The reason I haven't booked a Dec trip yet is I just don't know what the hours will be. Definitely not worth it to me with the early closing hours, too many boring nights at the resorts, no thanks. But ... if they extended the hours, then maybe. Trouble is, with non refundable tickets (airline) etc, it's just too big of a gamble for me right now.
(Don't let my kids see this, they are still wishfully hoping on Dad's "might")

 

[Mit88]

I’m fairly sure those two already had their opening dates pulled. Someone correct me if I’m wrong, I can’t remember which resorts became indefinitely closed and which resorts had their opening pushed back.

You are correct. There might have been another one or two that have become TBD, but BC and BWI are two that are definitely TBD. Others have been delayed a few weeks.

I wish we’d get information on SAB. If its not opening when the NBA leaves YC, I might have to change my partial stay that I have at BCV

 

[JM23457]

After seeing the condition of Epcot and the lack of people there, I’m really surprised they are keeping it open at all...I wonder, would people trade one closed park for more hours at the others?

I certainly wouldn't. I agree that Future World isn't pleasant to stroll through right now, but some of Epcot's rides (particularly Soarin') are among our favorites at Disney World. And I really like World Showcase.

 

[Farro]

I certainly wouldn't. I agree that Future World isn't pleasant to stroll through right now, but some of Epcot's rides (particularly Soarin') are among our favorites at Disney World. And I really like World Showcase.

It wouldn't be Disney without Epcot! We wouldn't go if Epcot was closed.

 

[skeeter31]

You are correct. There might have been another one or two that have become TBD, but BC and BWI are two that are definitely TBD. Others have been delayed a few weeks.

I wish we’d get information on SAB. If its not opening when the NBA leaves YC, I might have to change my partial stay that I have at BCV

Resorts with no reopening date at all (resort side only, not DVC):
Boardwalk
Beach Club
All Stars (all of them)
Port Orleans (both resorts)
Animal Kingdom Lodge
Wilderness Lodge

 

[Farro]

Resorts with no reopening date at all (resort side only, not DVC):
Boardwalk
Beach Club
All Stars (all of them)
Port Orleans (both resorts)
Jambo
Wilderness Lodge

Gosh that's so many.

Where are the people who normally stay in values supposed to stay???

 

[skeeter31]

Gosh that's so many.

Where are the people who normally stay in values supposed to stay???

For right now it seems Pop and the cabins at the campground. AoA opens in November.

 

[A2DisneyMom]

Yeah, evening entertainment was definitely the downside when we stayed for 2 weeks last month. With the parks closed early and the feature pools closed at 9pm, there really wasn’t much to do unless you wanted to go to DS (which we avoided due to social distancing concerns). We had the entire boardwalk to ourselves one evening. Another evening we rode the Skyliner around just for fun, given it stays open so much later than the parks.

Don’t get me wrong, we still had a great time, but were forced to create things to do, rather than the normal having many options to choose from. With the hours shortened even further, we’ll hold off going back for a while (we’re late park people).

 

[xuxa777]

Not sure i understand your point. Epcot usually closes at 9pm anyways. They have been open for a month with 9pm and it's obviously not getting people visiting in the evening. I think the biggest problem with epcot is the lack of park hopping. Not a lot of people want to commit to a day at epcot with how the parks looks like right now. Not only all the walls but lack of entertainment. This is why I was surprised that they opened at all.

That and no fireworks show to hang around for

 

[Princess Merida]

Gosh that's so many.

Where are the people who normally stay in values supposed to stay???

My parents normally stay value and they won’t be visiting anytime soon. Even with Pop and AoA open the prices are about $200 a night now. It’s just out of their price range.

 

[cristen72]

For right now it seems Pop and the cabins at the campground. AoA opens in November.

Actually it’s only Pop. The cabins are not values.

 

[anthony2k7]

Was reading last night and this article really makes it seem more and more unlikely that Disneyland CA will open anytime soon. I know it’s highlighting LA county not Orange but they are basically the same.
https://apple.news/AkCukQeCfTbiS9ouPnATV3AView attachment 516589

What a mess. Difficult to see how they will have much of a film or tourist industry left after this if they prolong this many more months. Surely a full lockdown for a month or even two would have been a better idea.

 

[JM23457]

Actually it’s only Pop. The cabins are not values.

Maybe they meant campsites?

 

[anthony2k7]

There's no Pop bus to DHS or Epcot unless the skyliner is not running. People have been lining up at the skyliner to make dhs rope drop around 8:30am


I was at epcot in the evening this past week and there were maybe 100 people around world showcase after 7:30pm. Super empty, cannot even think how much food is being tossed at the end of the night.

Someone said many pages ago that Epcot was averaging only a few hundred at any one time throughout the day adding to just a few thousand in total each day. It may have been a quote from that guy on the other place with the dire predictions though.

 

[AmberMV]

What a mess. Difficult to see how they will have much of a film or tourist industry left after this if they prolong this many more months. Surely a full lockdown for a month or even two would have been a better idea.

I know some of the shows I watch have managed ways around the restrictions there. For instance Expedition Unknown on Discovery does a full show from the spare room of his house with the occasional trip out with masks and they actually make a great show of it IMO with celebrity guest interviews and such. Big Brother was able to do their season by mandatory quarantining the contestants for 2 weeks prior to entering the house and they don't have outside contact anyway. There is always a way, but the tricky part is the theme park industry there, and filming. That one is probably a long ways off from viably returning.

 

[ryanpatricksmom]

“Doing everything” isn’t my objective. My point was that after easily spending over 13 hours at Epcot doing very little, 8 hours might not feel like much time. And they cut 2 hours, closing at 7 pm rather than 9 pm.

Honestly, we were there yesterday, and it's hard to envision how lifeless it is unless you are there (and that was a Friday). So much is closed between COVID and construction, the ambiance doesn't really lend itself to meandering. I bet that you'll find 8 hours more than enough. We had lunch at Coral Seas at noon. There was one other party of two in the restaurant. We noticed that even the sharks seemed missing from the tank.

 

[anthony2k7]

Not sure i understand your point. Epcot usually closes at 9pm anyways. They have been open for a month with 9pm and it's obviously not getting people visiting in the evening. I think the biggest problem with epcot is the lack of park hopping. Not a lot of people want to commit to a day at epcot with how the parks looks like right now. Not only all the walls but lack of entertainment. This is why I was surprised that they opened at all.

Its almost as if they should treat it as a 2nd DS in the evenings. DS had no tickets, no reservations and no limits. Close the rides. Just open the gates for people to come and shop and eat. More revenue and takes some of the pressure off DS.

Crazy idea that wont happen, but seems to have some potential benefits as well.

 

[anthony2k7]

Just seems weird to be canceling (or moving) so far out

I wonder if there is some cost reason that requires further out planning, like they can reduce some kind of insurance coverage or tax if they have it shut down for much longer?