Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[CastAStone]

I need to look for this thread. I am super curious about the different language for each user case.

I believe 5 of them are

• Have priority paid for dining
• Have priority free dining
• Have priority no dining
• No priority paid for dining
• No priority no dining
• ???

I don’t think it’s possible to have free dining without park tickets so I’m not sure what the 6th is.

 

[cakebaker]

They are making their decisions based on the information currently available. Situations can change. Did anyone think the virus would shut down Disney World for four months back in March? I know I didn’t. The situation could get better to where they could hold parties. It could get worse and force another shutdown.

It’s easy to assume that this is some money grab by Disney, but that’s likely not the case.

It wasn't easy at all to come to the conclusions I have come to. You are free to come to whatever conclusions you like, I'm long past debating it.

 

[KDee]

Is you vacation paid in full? I have a half paid package and my email didn’t have that sentence

We rented DVC points.

 

[Bibbobboo2u]

I need to look for this thread. I am super curious about the different language for each user case.

Please let us know if you find it!

 

[Eric Smith]

I'm sure it's been discussed, but how do reduced hours improve safety? I'm sure it's obvious, I just don't know.

It gives more time to clean and sanitize the parks overnight.

 

[Eric Smith]

I’m disappointed thinking they won’t offer any future discounts. For example: I have November package reservations under rack rate that I booked in January. I assumed at some point there would be a fall discount offer which I would apply to my reservation. Now there probably won’t be and unfortunately will be paying rack rate for only potentially half the experience while others have 35% off for same experience. Bummer if that is the case.

I think you’ll see discounts announced again once capacity outpaces reservations. That might take a while.

 

[yulilin3]

More Union info
This is for hotels and restaurants

 

[bridgetbriarrose]

For people with resort reservations but no tickets, what is your game plan?

Well for my August, part of my party had tickets and others did not so I purchased base tickets from UT and was able to link them to the account today

 

[andyman8]

More Union info
View attachment 498023

Such great news! Thanks for sharing!

 

[gottalovepluto]

I could still purchase AP's this morning.

Paused the 365 day use counting. They can still be purchased/renewed.

 

[Arguetafamily]

Paused the 365 day use counting. They can still be purchased/renewed.

I see, thanks

 

[Dis5150]

I need to look for this thread. I am super curious about the different language for each user case.

News round up 2020 #5845

 

[Jiminy76]

I don’t know, I’m thinking a picture with everyone in Disney masks in front of a half painted castle could be iconic.

A post apocalyptic Disney family photo would definitely be a good conversation starter.

 

[wareagle57]

News round up 2020 #5845

Will there be anything work listening to on this for the GP? Will it possibly give us an idea of how many CMs they are expecting to call back or how soon their training and cast/ap previews might start? I have a feeling the previews will be over a much longer period than Universal. A week, maybe even 2.

1. It would give the cast more time to train and be ready to hit the ground running with paying guests.

2. It gives an opportunity for APs to come several times before the GP and them being potentially locked out only being able to reserve a certain number of days. It would soften the blow a bit I think to give them more than once chance to come before July 11.

 

[dismom58]

At the moment it appears Disney is really trying to thin their reservations on their books. They removed all Dining plans, ADRs and Fast passes through the end of 2020. Once they have thinned enough to meet capacity limits if there are availabilities under their determined capacity I expect, yes, you will be able to book a room.

There is one oddity I notice on MDE it only has park hours through October even though the calendar runs to the first week in Nov wondering if they plan on reviewing the situation and making updates for the holiday season

 

[andyman8]

There is one oddity I notice on MDE it only has park hours through October even though the calendar runs to the first week in Nov wondering if they plan on reviewing the situation and making updates for the holiday season

There will be plenty of adjustments/changes made by then. This will be a very fluid situation.

 

[wareagle57]

It doesn't seem as if they are really running with that updated guidance...

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression they reversed their decision on that.

I agree that cleaning between every ride sounds logistically impossible, but why can Disney get away with not taking a safety precaution that Fun Spot is taking? FS has the luxury of having less guests in an entire year than Disney sees in a single day, so they can run things at super low and slow capacity, so it's very very different. Just looks strange. If it's necessary 1 place it is at both.

 

[KrissyD715]

Will the ticketed early morning magic events still happen?

 

[mmackeymouse]

Phew.....just got through about 150+ pages. Thought about skipping to the end, but about halfway through it became a pride/badge of honor thing. It was my Tour de France moment, a feat of endurance.

It wont be fair to allow people to make dining reservations if they don't have a theme park reservation secured. Ex: I booked a ressie at Cinderella's Royal Table but I haven't reserved a reservation to visit MK that day. Wooo that would be a nightmare.

I don't really think it's necessarily UNfair either.

The absolute fairest thing to do would have been limiting to x-number, and the first x-number of people who booked chronologically keep the reservations. After all, is it fair that someone who booked their dining at 180 days, minute 1 are now in the same boat as someone who booked their dining 2 weeks ago? Not really.

Then, if those 25 families or 50 people or whatever the number is, end up not getting a park reservation, then it is opened up for people with park reservations to get.

They should (when the ticket reservation system comes online) be selling tickets at a huge discount since it appears we'll be getting "half" a park with reduced hours for months. But I doubt they will .. again .. they don't want to necessarilly encourage their capacity limits to be hit.

See, I don't think this would be that hard to do. I agree with you whole-heartedly that tickets should be discounted.

And, no, you don't want it widely advertised that you are discounting tickets, for the reasons you said about capacity. But, for people who already have resort stays booked, for people who are already going to have park reservations anyway...offer them reduced tickets.

This is a great idea for two reasons: one, it's the right thing to do.

For two, and are you listening Bob?, those people with existing tickets that have their expirations pushed out to 2021 will say, "Hey, maybe we can save these for next year, and buy the discounted tickets now." In a sense ensuring a bounceback. Some people might be coming every year anyway. But some people may have not planned to come back for several years, but may be enticed to come back next year because they have tickets to use.

My guess? Tickets will be limited to x-amount of hours, so maybe 5, 6 hours. That would allow them to spread out the entries. So, take MK with park hours from 9-7. You could choose a 6 hour block from 9-3, 10-4, 11-5 etc...

I'm not sure what our deal breaker is, but this is probably as close to one as I can think of.

Unless they are planning on offering massive refunds on the tickets or some insanely great incentive...that would be a really stinky thing to do.

I have to make a sad confession. I actually just took screenshots of my ADRs for Oct trip that we probably won't be taking now. It was the best I've ever been able to get - restaurants and times we wanted - sadly taken away. They will serve as an Ode to the Vacation that Will Never Happen.

I did the EXACT same thing.

That is one bit of good news in all this.

Is it? Is it good news?

In my mind, the good news would be "MNSSHP tickets discounted" No parade, no fireworks, no characters. Uhhhhhh.

Desantis stated on Outkick radio this morning that NBA players should not be in a bubble at WDW.

Well, that's a little confusing. And kind of dumb, frankly. The whole reason they came to WDW in the first place was for the bubble.

The bubble is what sold them on Disney.

oh my lanta the DRAMA.

People. It's still Disney. We're still going to be able to visit the parks, see the characters (from a far), ride the rides, and be in the atmosphere! If you don't like how Disney is going to look in July, or for the foreseeable future - DON'T GO! No one is forcing you to go.

Disney will return back to normal operations once it's safe to do so. We don't know what this virus is going to look like next week, or next month. We're just along for the ride and adapting life to be able to survive. That's what we do as humans, we adapt. And Disney is adapting their business to survive. We're even lucky that they are trying to open to the public and taking these extreme measures to keep us safe.

Yeah it burns to be have to cancel you "once in a lifetime" trip, and your children wont be as little next time you go, and maybe the princesses wont be "real" next time, but unfortunately it's what has to happen. I'm so sorry for everyone who is struggling with the process right now, but the drama surrounding "DISNEY WILL NEVER BE THE SAME" is ludicrous.

Gotta love the vintage DJ Tanner.

The second point is something we are struggling with, real bad. The kids are 5 and 2, so they are at the perfect age for the magic, for the characters, for the fantasy.

Sure, we could defer till next year, but there's no guarantee that some of that stuff will be back by then. And, it will be doubly crowded.

And yes, Disney will always be there. But, in 5 years, some family members may or may not be with us any longer, and the kids won't necessarily be in that sweet spot where they are in awe of the characters.

I asked me 2 year old niece last night where she wanted to go. "Disney World." Then I asked her what she wanted to do most at Disney World. "Meet Minnie Mouse"

As for my guesses on closed rides (aside from shows):
Soarin (agree that pre show loading will be hard and once the ride starts moving through the cloud that others were sitting in previously)
Flight of Passage (again pre show loading rooms and each “motorcycle” would have to be cleaned)
MFSR
Buzz
Magic Carpets and Dumbo (the handles and scarabs to make the ride vehicles rise and fall - too touchy)
Mission Space (too close together)

Its going to be rough.

That would be pretty terrible.

That said, I think offering/requiring disposable gloves is definitely an option at the touchy touchy rides, like Buzz, Midway Mania, SR, things like that. Yes, it may add a minute or two to the process. But, I don't think it's completely out of the question.

Flight of Passage would be a gut punch.

looks like there will not be. However, I wonder if they open some character dining restaurants without the characters. Tusker House for instance could easily still make money without characters. Boma, with a similar menu as Tusker House, makes plenty of money with no characters.

Tusker House is a GREAT restaurant. And it would be a great restaurant with or without characters. But, my question at that point is....is it really worth it to pay the same amount or higher for a meal without the characters? After all, the premium is FOR the characters. Is it really *fair* for Disney to charge the same or more for a lesser meal?

So....are they going to lower the prices to make it a more non-character price point? Go ahead, laugh, I'll wait.



Still waiting.....


Out of your system now? Good.

I honestly feel the REAL reason of them having shorter hours is to limit staff shifts (save money) under the guise of safety measures

I think you're right. Which stinks.

 

[hereforthechurros]

I was going to say that I don't think a lot of hard core Disney fans like Chapek much but Wall St seems to like him and whether we like that or not it is a very important thing for a CEO of any public company

Whenever he talks I feel like that’s who he’s talking to (Wall Street). Stock was down this week but probably viewed as stable overall.