Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[DGsAtBLT]

Never saw a room rate calendar before.

Glad I didn’t just miss it.

A welcome addition, we all knows it’s expensive Disney you don’t need to be all shady about exactly how much

 

[New Mouse]

That's so sad. Everyone makes mistakes. The entire point of CM and AP previews is to gradually ramp up capacity and see how things work in a live environment, adjust and try again. We all knew Disney would be under the microscope, and I would absolutely bet the CMs were told to make sure they were on their best behavior, but one mistake of that magnitude should not be the reason anyone gets fired. A warning? Yeah, probably. It may have all been guests of CMs in that line, we don't know. I guess this is the sad truth behind the internet and the devastation a viral photo can cause

It was obviously more than just a photo when they checked the video and decided to take those measures.

 

[Mit88]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1281785394292563968

 

[nkosiek]

So, I'm here at BLT with the wife and kids, having arrived yesterday. Things I have noticed after a meal at Homecoming at DS and the AP preview at MK today.

People seem to be incapable of social distancing in stores. I've had people walk right in front of me when I'm 3 feet from a shelf looking at things as well as reach over me.

Also, exiting rides/attractions. Having a 5 year old means we walk slowly. That's not permission for you to come up my side. Just freakin' wait. There was no one there today, you weren't going to miss a ride (unless you were in Splash when it went down around 5:30).

There were 3 instances today where I saw people pulling their masks down to talk on their phones, specifically when they were in lines.

Way more often did I see people pull down masks once they were in rides in the dark or in lines. I think every ride we did except Barnstormer and Dumbo had this happen. IASW and Pirates were the worst as I noticed multiple people over multiple boats in front of us pulling down their masks. I also saw people pulling down their masks on the walk back to BLT once they crossed the street.

Ther hand sanitizers were great BUT they take too long to dispense at the end of the rides and it causes backups. They need more post-ride to avoid people tripping over each other/waiting right next to one another for sanitizer.

It was EMPTY. On and off Space in 16 minutes at 3:30. Did Pirates twice between 5:30 and 6. Mine Train a 30 minute wait at 12:30 but was not off in 20. It was very nice in that regard but I cant imagine it will stay like this.

Cavalcades were cute.

Weird seeing so many shops and food places closed.

The castle paint job really does change depending upon lighting and frankly some of the blue looks purple at times and I did not like it. Will be around for 9 more days if.people want more.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

So, I'm here at BLT with the wife and kids, having arrived yesterday. Things I have noticed after a meal at Homecoming at DS and the AP preview at MK today.

People seem to be incapable of social distancing in stores. I've had people walk right in front of me when I'm 3 feet from a shelf looking at things as well as reach over me.

Also, exiting rides/attractions. Having a 5 year old means we walk slowly. That's not permission for you to come up my side. Just freakin' wait. There was no one there today, you weren't going to miss a ride (unless you were in Splash when it went down around 5:30).

There were 3 instances today where I saw people pulling their masks down to talk on their phones, specifically when they were in lines.

Way more often did I see people pull down masks once they were in rides in the dark or in lines. I think every ride we did except Barnstormer and Dumbo had this happen. IASW and Pirates were the worst as I noticed multiple people over multiple boats in front of us pulling down their masks. I also saw people pulling down their masks on the walk back to BLT once they crossed the street.

Ther hand sanitizers were great BUT they take too long to dispense at the end of the rides and it causes backups. They need more post-ride to avoid people tripping over each other/waiting right next to one another for sanitizer.

It was EMPTY. On and off Space in 16 minutes at 3:30. Did Pirates twice between 5:30 and 6. Mine Train a 30 minute wait at 12:30 but was not off in 20. It was very nice in that regard but I cant imagine it will stay like this.

Cavalcades were cute.

Weird seeing so many shops and food places closed.

The castle paint job really does change depending upon lighting and frankly some of the blue looks purple at times and I did not like it. Will be around for 9 more days if.people want more.

I notice that (incapable of social distancing) in stores here too. I think a lot of it is habit that’s really hard to break, especially because a lot of people are still new at the whole being out and about thing.

Thanks for sharing! Enjoy the rest of your stay, 9 more days is awesome

 

[mshanson3121]

So you’re defending the lack of compliance and enforcement?

And you want, and encourage people to go to their local parks even if they’re almost ignoring CDC guidelines?

You're really grasping at straws tonight, aren't you? None of what you're accusing him of is even remotely close to what he was saying.

 

[nkosiek]

I notice that (incapable of social distancing) in stores here too. I think a lot of it is habit that’s really hard to break, especially because a lot of people are still new at the whole being out and about thing.

Thanks for sharing! Enjoy the rest of your stay, 9 more days is awesome

I won't lie, I'm still reticent while the wife is like, "Let's do this!" Total reversal from us normally. I'm hopeful.

Oh, bought a mask, Large and it is not comfortable at all. Heavier material than the ones my wife and others have made and the ear straps aren't long enough, really pulling at the ear.

 

[MegaraWink]

Things are nebulous right now. Am I understanding correctly that with the right amount of cash I could be in the parks next week? I'm not an AP holder, I have no pre-purchased tickets, and I live in GA.

 

[JacknSally]

By the way, has this always been there? Rate calendar?
View attachment 508423

Oooh! How did you get to this?

 

[AmberMV]

Things are nebulous right now. Am I understanding correctly that with the right amount of cash I could be in the parks next week? I'm not an AP holder, I have no pre-purchased tickets, and I live in GA.

Yup, money talks

 

[Marthasor]

I'm not one to usually do "this," but given the unique situation we all are in at the moment, I thought this might be helpful to some. Some thoughts from the last day or two being at WDW. I'm at Poly Villas (my second time staying in the Villas at Polynesian and love them), haven't been into a park yet (teleworking while here), but I've visited a few resorts, so I'll share a few tidbits. For those that don't want to read through my ramblings, I'll bold the important stuff.

Interesting trend I've noticed is that in the morning and afternoon mask compliance was basically 100% at the resort, but by evening, things had fallen to maybe 80% (though I saw quite a few groups on the Poly beach chatting and none were wearing masks). That said, I'm pleasantly surprised by how many are following the mask guidelines. I can also tell you, for obvious reasons, the crowds at the resort have picked up tonight relative to yesterday and even this afternoon, which leads to my other "concern" (I put this in quotes since it's easily corrected). There are a few Guests who don't seem to be totally onboard with the idea of physical distancing (i.e. getting in your personal space, sitting down right next to you, etc...). Of course, the solution is relatively easy: move to a new spot. While it's certainly disappointing that some folks can't respect personal space in the middle of a pandemic, most people were very mindful. This also isn't something at all exclusive to WDW; I've seen this multiple places. That said, I did see one gentleman at Kona Cafe literally step behind the host stand to talk to the hostess. During "normal" times, that's a no no. During a pandemic, that's a nonstarter. Overall, though, I felt very positive about what I've seen at the resort. Even at the usually bustling Captain Cook's, things were spaced out nicely and went smoothly.

Speaking of Kona, I also want to just make everyone aware that waits for TS dining may be a bit longer than expected. At Kona, I waited for 40 minutes after my reservation to be seated. I'm not complaining, as they're doing their best at the moment and the wait was absolutely worth it (food was delicious and staff was wonderful). This seems to be the case at a number of locations. I did speak to a CM friend about this and she mentioned that part of the benefit of the new 60-day ADR window is that it gives them a little more flexibility in adjusting restaurant capacity in both directions. They seem to have overestimated their capacity, but that should be corrected soon.

Below is the setup for the monorail at the Polynesian. The Resort Monorail will start tomorrow at 7am but won't stop at MK until 8:30am. CMs are saying this will continue to be the procedure until further notice. CMs aren't sure if temperature checks will happen here or at MK but most are guessing the latter. As previously announced, no Epcot monorail for the time being.

View attachment 508387

Some photos of the empty GF lobby.

View attachment 508388

View attachment 508392

I checked out the infamous blue tarps for myself (photos below). Worth noting they had to have had at least half a dozen security CMs guarding the fence.

View attachment 508389

View attachment 508390

I know there's been sizable media attention directed towards tomorrow's reopening, though interestingly enough, it's this story that seems to have some Disney leadership more annoyed. As Josh said in his NYT interview, Disney is looking at tomorrow as a chance to not only prove the naysayers wrong but also in a way lead the country down a path towards responsible reopenings (whether things go as well as planned remains to be seen of course; there are a lot of variables that are outside of Disney's control). But there seems be some sort of growing frustration (at least among WDW leadership) that NBA players' tweets and posts just make them look bad (and remember the NBA is actually the one providing most of the chefs). As someone who has tried to telework, I did have to chuckle at the remarks about the in-room WiFi. If it takes the NBA to get that addressed, I'm here for it.

Unrelated but by the way, if this hasn't been officially reported, AP discounts are not valid for the Disney face masks.

I'll try to share any more info tomorrow from MK as it becomes available, but again just a reminder that these are all my personal impressions. If anyone has any questions, let me know.

Yes, I would imagine the NBA food tweets and probably Rajon Rondo's critique of his room were difficult for Disney to digest as they are a company that micro-manages (and that's an understatement) their PR and communications. I don't know how you avoid that though. NBA players are known for speaking their minds and other than the Lopez brothers, I don't think many of them are die-hard Disney fans. From what I've seen over the last few days, however, the tweets, reports and posts have become far more positive (Mavs holding a dance party on their GF balconies, Luka and Boban drawing Mickey heads, Meyers Leonard posting his Mickey waffle breakfast, Robin Lopez tweeting from his room watching the must-do's). Disney must be loving that stuff! I know I am!

 

[AmberMV]

Oooh! How did you get to this?

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Are local parks really a replacement for Disney for people? If we don’t go to Disney, we don’t go to any other park instead. Disney is the draw, and I know many others who are the same. We are not amusement parks fanatics, we are Disney parks fanatics.

I have no desire to go to my local Six Flags in general, and DEFINITELY not during a pandemic.

ETA: quoted the wrong post here, can’t insert the correct one - was commenting on @Jrb1979 post.

 

[one_cat]

So, I'm here at BLT with the wife and kids, having arrived yesterday. Things I have noticed after a meal at Homecoming at DS and the AP preview at MK today.

People seem to be incapable of social distancing in stores. I've had people walk right in front of me when I'm 3 feet from a shelf looking at things as well as reach over me.

Also, exiting rides/attractions. Having a 5 year old means we walk slowly. That's not permission for you to come up my side. Just freakin' wait. There was no one there today, you weren't going to miss a ride (unless you were in Splash when it went down around 5:30).

There were 3 instances today where I saw people pulling their masks down to talk on their phones, specifically when they were in lines.

Way more often did I see people pull down masks once they were in rides in the dark or in lines. I think every ride we did except Barnstormer and Dumbo had this happen. IASW and Pirates were the worst as I noticed multiple people over multiple boats in front of us pulling down their masks. I also saw people pulling down their masks on the walk back to BLT once they crossed the street.

Ther hand sanitizers were great BUT they take too long to dispense at the end of the rides and it causes backups. They need more post-ride to avoid people tripping over each other/waiting right next to one another for sanitizer.

It was EMPTY. On and off Space in 16 minutes at 3:30. Did Pirates twice between 5:30 and 6. Mine Train a 30 minute wait at 12:30 but was not off in 20. It was very nice in that regard but I cant imagine it will stay like this.

Cavalcades were cute.

Weird seeing so many shops and food places closed.

The castle paint job really does change depending upon lighting and frankly some of the blue looks purple at times and I did not like it. Will be around for 9 more days if.people want more.

I think people are so used to pulling their mask down the moment they exit a store or are social distanced. We do. At Disney you aren’t supposed to.

 

[Llama mama]

I'm not one to usually do "this," but given the unique situation we all are in at the moment, I thought this might be helpful to some. Some thoughts from the last day or two being at WDW. I'm at Poly Villas (my second time staying in the Villas at Polynesian and love them), haven't been into a park yet (teleworking while here), but I've visited a few resorts, so I'll share a few tidbits. For those that don't want to read through my ramblings, I'll bold the important stuff.

Interesting trend I've noticed is that in the morning and afternoon mask compliance was basically 100% at the resort, but by evening, things had fallen to maybe 80% (though I saw quite a few groups on the Poly beach chatting and none were wearing masks). That said, I'm pleasantly surprised by how many are following the mask guidelines. I can also tell you, for obvious reasons, the crowds at the resort have picked up tonight relative to yesterday and even this afternoon, which leads to my other "concern" (I put this in quotes since it's easily corrected). There are a few Guests who don't seem to be totally onboard with the idea of physical distancing (i.e. getting in your personal space, sitting down right next to you, etc...). Of course, the solution is relatively easy: move to a new spot. While it's certainly disappointing that some folks can't respect personal space in the middle of a pandemic, most people were very mindful. This also isn't something at all exclusive to WDW; I've seen this multiple places. That said, I did see one gentleman at Kona Cafe literally step behind the host stand to talk to the hostess. During "normal" times, that's a no no. During a pandemic, that's a nonstarter. Overall, though, I felt very positive about what I've seen at the resort. Even at the usually bustling Captain Cook's, things were spaced out nicely and went smoothly.

Speaking of Kona, I also want to just make everyone aware that waits for TS dining may be a bit longer than expected. At Kona, I waited for 40 minutes after my reservation to be seated. I'm not complaining, as they're doing their best at the moment and the wait was absolutely worth it (food was delicious and staff was wonderful). This seems to be the case at a number of locations. I did speak to a CM friend about this and she mentioned that part of the benefit of the new 60-day ADR window is that it gives them a little more flexibility in adjusting restaurant capacity in both directions. They seem to have overestimated their capacity, but that should be corrected soon.

Below is the setup for the monorail at the Polynesian. The Resort Monorail will start tomorrow at 7am but won't stop at MK until 8:30am. CMs are saying this will continue to be the procedure until further notice. CMs aren't sure if temperature checks will happen here or at MK but most are guessing the latter. As previously announced, no Epcot monorail for the time being.

View attachment 508387

Some photos of the empty GF lobby.

View attachment 508388

View attachment 508392

I checked out the infamous blue tarps for myself (photos below). Worth noting they had to have had at least half a dozen security CMs guarding the fence.

View attachment 508389

View attachment 508390

I know there's been sizable media attention directed towards tomorrow's reopening, though interestingly enough, it's this story that seems to have some Disney leadership more annoyed. As Josh said in his NYT interview, Disney is looking at tomorrow as a chance to not only prove the naysayers wrong but also in a way lead the country down a path towards responsible reopenings (whether things go as well as planned remains to be seen of course; there are a lot of variables that are outside of Disney's control). But there seems be some sort of growing frustration (at least among WDW leadership) that NBA players' tweets and posts just make them look bad (and remember the NBA is actually the one providing most of the chefs). As someone who has tried to telework, I did have to chuckle at the remarks about the in-room WiFi. If it takes the NBA to get that addressed, I'm here for it.

Unrelated but by the way, if this hasn't been officially reported, AP discounts are not valid for the Disney face masks.

I'll try to share any more info tomorrow from MK as it becomes available, but again just a reminder that these are all my personal impressions. If anyone has any questions, let me know.

So I will be staying at The Contemporary soon. We have TS booked at Chef Mickey and The Wave. Can we use mobile check at our room then start walking over from the Garden Wing? Since they seem to be running behind. That way we are not hanging around everyone else?

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Are local parks really a replacement for Disney for people? If we don’t go to Disney, we don’t go to any other park instead. Disney is the draw, and I know many others who are the same. We are not amusement parks fanatics, we are Disney parks fanatics.

I have no desire to go to my local Six Flags in general, and DEFINITELY not during a pandemic.

ETA: quoted the wrong post here!

For us, not even close! Disney has actually made us enjoy most other amusement parks less over time , we’ve kind of learned not to bother, except for a select few. We find ourselves just being like, this isn’t Disney. I want to be in Disney. Where’s my castle?? I’d rather save the money and wait for Disney.

We didn’t replace our Disney trip. Any money that came back went back into our Disney fund . We’re having a very chill summer (and spring, and probably fall...)

 

[AmberMV]

So I will be staying at The Contemporary soon. We have TS booked at Chef Mickey and The Wave. Can we use mobile check at our room then start walking over from the Garden Wing? Since they seem to be running behind. That way we are not hanging around everyone else?

We stayed at Riviera July 4 and we did Mobile order for QS from our room then walked down to get it. It wasn't ready yet when we got there so we had to wait until it was ready before they let us in to eat. You can check in for your TS reservation up to 30 minutes before your reservation time, and yes you can do it from your room if you want, but I'd suggest being just a few steps away when you check in. They did send us a text when our table was ready but you don't want to be in your room when your table is ready to eat

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Way more often did I see people pull down masks once they were in rides in the dark or in lines. I think every ride we did except Barnstormer and Dumbo had this happen. IASW and Pirates were the worst as I noticed multiple people over multiple boats in front of us pulling down their masks. I also saw people pulling down their masks on the walk back to BLT once they crossed the street.

In a vlog I was watching yesterday, I noticed the people sitting ahead removed their masks after they went under the “happiest cruise that ever sailed” sign on IASW. Predictable that people are cheating on the dark rides. Going to be tough to enforce that unless the CMs monitoring video notify the exit CMs. Why can’t people just follow the rules? So sadly predictable.

 

[andyman8]

So I will be staying at The Contemporary soon. We have TS booked at Chef Mickey and The Wave. Can we use mobile check at our room then start walking over from the Garden Wing? Since they seem to be running behind. That way we are not hanging around everyone else?

You should be able to do that if you have the most up-to-date version of MDE (make sure you update the app beforehand). It actually prompted me to check in about 5-10 minutes before my reservation (and I wasn't at the restaurant yet).

 

[mshanson3121]

Are local parks really a replacement for Disney for people? If we don’t go to Disney, we don’t go to any other park instead. Disney is the draw, and I know many others who are the same. We are not amusement parks fanatics, we are Disney parks fanatics.

I have no desire to go to my local Six Flags in general, and DEFINITELY not during a pandemic.

ETA: quoted the wrong post here, can’t insert the correct one - was commenting on @Jrb1979 post.

Definitely for us. The smaller local parks are far more affordable, cleaner, easier to get around, have lower wait times, and mechanically speaking, the rides are identical to the ones at Disney (MK). The only reason we go to Disney is the entertainment (shows, parades, fireworks etc...) and characters, basically the "magic". Take that away and there's very little appeal, especially at the prices they charge. We can get same/better rides elsewhere for less. As far as going to a theme park, local or Disney, that's a big fat no.