Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[e_yerger]

It gives you an idea when they may open when a neighboring park says they may not open this year.

But that's still speculation for what Disney is doing.

Six Flags and Hershey Park are planning to open this summer. That may mean that the Disney parks will open this summer too!

Speculation swings both ways. I'm tired of swinging. I just want someone (Disney) to pull me off the swing and tell me what's straight.

 

[cakebaker]

Canceling my DVC rental for July in favor of a room I can cancel last minute.
DVC rental store is now offering a credit to be used by 2022.
Or I could use the PPP insurance to get refunded all but $450.
Tough call!!!
One thought I had is what if DVC rental store goes bankrupt after all this?? Wouldn’t surprise me!
Curious what others have done.

I'd take the refund, at least you're guaranteed to not lose it all. After this, these places are going to have to re-consider how they refund. I never used them just because of the inability to get your money back. After this, everyone is going to be gun shy about making reservations that aren't guaranteed money back. The savings isn't worth the risk.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Entire reservation is $4,275. A lot to have tied up and potentially lost if they go under!

Absolutely refund then!

 

[cakebaker]

It gives you an idea when they may open when a neighboring park says they may not open this year. @cakebaker the Knotts one was based on facts. When the Cedar Fair owner says they maybe closed for the year to me that's news.

Ok. You put some significance into what smaller parks are planning. You're entitled to that. I don't. Tell me what Universal is doing and my head will perk up. I'm fine with what importance you put on information you read, let's just let it go both ways.

 

[cakebaker]

Entire reservation is $4,275. A lot to have tied up and potentially lost if they go under!

I wouldn't think twice. I'd take the refund. I have almost as much tied up in Disney gift cards, but absolutely not the least bit worried I'm going to lose it. I don't think we can say the same thing about the rental store.

 

[Jrb1979]

Ok. You put some significance into what smaller parks are planning. You're entitled to that. I don't. Tell me what Universal is doing and my head will perk up. I'm fine with what importance you put on information you read, let's just let it go both ways.

Knotts is a big park. I take it you don't go to these " smaller parks" much.

 

[cakebaker]

Knotts is a big park. I take it you don't go to these " smaller parks" much.

In the words of Elsa....let it go...or was that Sven?

 

[merry_nbright]

In the words of Elsa....let it go...or was that Sven?

It was Flynn, guys! Geez!

 

[Jrb1979]

In the words of Elsa....let it go...or was that Sven?

It just bother me when people look down on parks like Knotts or Cedar Point. I will leave it at that.

 

[cakebaker]

It was Flynn, guys! Geez!

My world has just been up ended.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Personally until we get more than pure speculation with Disney, I’m interested in how other places are opening. I think it’s somewhat relevant to see the measures other theme parks will be taking, how major league sports plan to handle crowds and their bottlenecks, what malls do, how restaurants implement distancing, etc. Also will be nice if we can see what works and what doesn’t even if it’s on a smaller scale.

I get that stuff isn’t relevant to this thread and won’t be discussed, but I think it’s no less relevant to Disney in general than what they do in Shanghai. Especially since we know what happens there isn’t necessarily happening in the US.

 

[CAQDaddy]

Quite the opposite - prices for next year from the UK are ridiculously high now - the airlines are obviously trying to recoup money they are losing at the moment.

Southwest is only taking reservations through October 30, but there are tons of $99 flights from St. Louis to Orlando all summer and fall.

 

[rpb718]

Ok. You put some significance into what smaller parks are planning. You're entitled to that. I don't. Tell me what Universal is doing and my head will perk up. I'm fine with what importance you put on information you read, let's just let it go both ways.

It's owned by Cedar Fair Co. They own 13 parks across the US and 1 in Canada. Most are seasonal but Knotts is a year-round park. You can think it's small. Based on parks, and only parks, you can argue it's bigger. They just didn't stick them all in 1 or 2 spots.

 

[LSUmiss]

And yet it didn't stop theme parks from closing when the mass gathering rules went into effect. It really doesn't tell us much. I think the FL task force and governor saying theme parks can basically do what they want does tell us something. But the fact theme parks were excluded from mass gathering rules didn't end up meaning anything in reality for closure. Maybe it will be different for opening, it looks that way for FL, but maybe not.

They closed then b/c they did have mass gatherings then. When they reopen, they will not.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Entire reservation is $4,275. A lot to have tied up and potentially lost if they go under!

OMG REFUND

 

[JacknSally]

Entire reservation is $4,275. A lot to have tied up and potentially lost if they go under!

Oh, in this case I would absolutely take the refund. I wouldn't even think twice.

 

[JacknSally]

Southwest is only taking reservations through October 30, but there are tons of $99 flights from St. Louis to Orlando all summer and fall.

I'm getting daily emails from Southwest about $49 fares. A couple of weeks ago they were pushing $39 fares. Almost tempting.

Southwest flights from Memphis to MCO (and vice versa) are insanely low for October right now. $79-$93 a person, every day that month. Those flights are never that low in October.

SWA was supposed to drop flights for the rest of the year on April 28 and it got pushed to May 28 - we have a trip booked for the week after Thanksgiving and I'm itching to see those fares, even though we aren't sure right now if we'll be able to take the trip, or if we'd fly if we do. If they're low enough, we'll probably pick up tickets (hopefully with our SWA points) just in case.

 

[DavidHobart]

Everyone should read this article about Disney opening domestically...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/busi...it-will-be-lot-longer-before-that-happens-us/

I found this article to be simple-minded and un-persuasive. It simply assumes to be true factors that would make it hard to open--e.g that WDW can't make incremental money at 50% capacity compared to not opening at all, which is silly.

If Shanghai is opening with a planned activity of "well below 30%," that indicates that some executive, somewhere, thinks the marginal economics MIGHT add up, and that some executive, somewhere, thinks that enough customers MIGHT show up.

We all tend to think of Shanghai as a test bed of operational practices. Yup, it's that, but also a test of folks willingness to come to a theme park in the current environment with a contagious disease out there and those operational measures in place. Yes, there are lots of reasons why it's not close to being directly analogical. But these days, a partial test of concept is better than no test at all.

So keep your eye on Shanghai...

 

[cakebaker]

Southwest is only taking reservations through October 30, but there are tons of $99 flights from St. Louis to Orlando all summer and fall.

I'm not considering flying, but just out of curiosity, checked on prices for our area- Tulsa. We aren't a hub and never get really low prices. Right now, $113 each way- that's a pretty standard price for us, but about as low as it ever gets and a little unusual to have them at that price within 60 days. Still, not a steal by any stretch and I'm not the least bit tempted to jump on it. But when you consider that a great many of our flights to Orlando have a STL connection, it's odd it's not more if STL is $99.

 

[bebec22]

Entire reservation is $4,275. A lot to have tied up and potentially lost if they go under!

I would absolutely, without a doubt, take the refund. I canceled a Disney Cruise for August last week and I was super bummed. I got the credit on the CC today and it suddenly made me feel so much better