Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[1GoldenSun]

WOW - I've learned something else I didn't know about Disney. I knew they had the onsite boarding facility, but I didn't know some resorts allow pets!!

You missed the Great Dog Debate? It rivaled those of the M word and the need for children to wear pants at the dinner table.

 

[stayathomehero]

This just popped up today..so their back

Hello!

May we help you with questions about a Walt Disney World vacation?

Did anyone think to ask the fairies to make Covid-19 disappear?

 

[Eric Smith]

I’m assuming you mean wasn’t. I think it’s clear they had no intentions to open when they are. This has all the indications that they’re flying by the seat of their pants and scrambling to get it all together. And it’s one of the reasons I’m furious we were misled when they allowed reservations. I’d give them the benefit of the doubt if there was any possible way I could, but there isn’t.

It’s a month and a half away. They don’t need to have every detail worked out right now. It’s a very unique situation. I’m sure they didn’t have a worldwide pandemic plan just sitting on the shelf for a rainy day.

 

[rpb718]

You missed the Great Dog Debate? It rivaled those of the M word and the need for children to wear pants at the dinner table.

Pants at the dinner table? That's crazy talk.

 

[1GoldenSun]

Pants at the dinner table? That's crazy talk.

I know, right? But unless you followed that thread you'd be surprised at the number of people who feel differently.

 

[gottalovepluto]

WOW - I've learned something else I didn't know about Disney. I knew they had the onsite boarding facility, but I didn't know some resorts allow pets!!

Well... for a fee. And it and you better follow the pet rules.

 

[cakebaker]

Well... for a fee. And it and you better follow the pet rules.

There’s always a fee.

 

[Eric Smith]

Makes sense. Consolidate the resorts.

Pick two

Pop Century/All Star Movies/All Star Sports/All Star Music/AOA

Pick one of each

Beach/Yacht
Port Orleans/Riverside
Riviera/CBR
OKW/Saratoga

I think all the Monorail Resorts will open

Just my guess

Beach and Yacht make sense. Port Orleans and Riverside make sense. Riviera, OKW and Saratoga will need to full open because they’re DVC. CBR will probably be open since CSR is going to be closed for the NBA.

 

[Cdn Jeff]

Haven't received any emails but two of the people going with me have. Odd since the reservation is booked under me

Same situation here

 

[mhautz]

I know. I honestly don't think Disney anticpated as many people wanting to cancel as are. They thought everyone would still want to come.

Do we know this is actually happening? I say this as someone who has a valid reservation and will likely cancel, but we don't know if that's actually widespread.

 

[1GoldenSun]

What I'm most interested in--besides the hierarchy of reservations-- is how they're going to manage the logistics of park entry. They're surely not going to allow everyone to show up at rope drop. If they stagger entrance times that'll make already shortened park days even shorter.

I signed up yesterday for the AP preview at Universal for June 3 (boy what a mess THAT was, but they fixed it pretty quickly) and you had to sign up for an entry time. I think the earliest was 8:00, I got 9:45, and I don't know what the latest time was; I didn't scroll down that far but now I wish I had. People will be upset if MK opens at 9:00 but they're not allowed to enter until 11:00, especially with it closing at 7:00.

Do they have any extra entrances they could use? I did the Dark Side Half Marathon a couple years ago and it seemed like we ran into and out of the parks through various CM/delivery entrances I never knew were there. If they could set up temporary guest entry points at different parts of the parks and have buses drop them off at the different locations, this might work. I'm just hypothesizing, though; this probably isn't what they'll do.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I think you’re mostly right. Based on the DVC announcement, we know they’re going to open the three DVC standalone resorts (SSR, OKW, Riviera). Here are my guesses:
Pop (largest value)
Beach (already will be partially operating because of DVC so why not open the rest)
BW (already will be partially operating because of DVC so why not open the rest)
AKL (assuming they open AKV-Jambo. If not, AKL stays closed probably)
GF (already will be partially operating because of DVC so why not open the rest)
CR (already will be partially operating because of DVC so why not open the rest)
Polynesian (already will be partially operating because of DVC so why not open the rest)
WL (already will be partially operating because of DVC so why not open the rest)
CBR (if Skyliner operates. If not, POR may open instead because of its large size)

I think they might also open AoA (especially if they use the Skyliner), but I’m not sure. I think the hotels will be top-heavy initially not only because they want the most money possible but also because they can really only consolidate up, not down. If they find there’s a night where there are a few too many reservations for CBR for example, they can’t downgrade people to Pop but most would be thrilled if they were upgraded to a Deluxe).

That said, I think it’s unlikely YC and POFQ reopen initially. Same for CSR and the All-Stars.


They said they’d have a pool open at each resort, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be the feature pool, especially if they have a sizable Villas pool like BC (as @yulilin3 said). Could be a similar situation with BLT, BW, and other resorts that have a “Villa” pool. If it’s just BCV open, I’d imagine it may not make much financial sense to operate and staff Storm-Along Bay, but I don’t know. We’ll see. All they’ve promised is a pool; they haven’t said which ones.

I agree with you on all of these. I would add POR to the closures and keep both PO resorts closed. I also think they have to consider keeping AoA open, otherwise, where do you put the parties of 6 all with guests 3 and over? They will be hard to transfer to another resort unless they have a ton of cabins or 2-bedroom villas available which is entirely possible.

I never thought about the feature pools. Wow - close the deluxe pools, especially SAB, and cue further cancellations, IMHO. Especially in the summer, with the reduced park hours, so many people will want to head to the pools.

 

[Krandor]

What I'm most interested in--besides the hierarchy of reservations-- is how they're going to manage the logistics of park entry. They're surely not going to allow everyone to show up at rope drop. If they stagger entrance times that'll make already shortened park days even shorter.

I signed up yesterday for the AP preview at Universal for June 3 (boy what a mess THAT was, but they fixed it pretty quickly) and you had to sign up for an entry time. I think the earliest was 8:00, I got 9:45, and I don't know what the latest time was; I didn't scroll down that far but now I wish I had. People will be upset if MK opens at 9:00 but they're not allowed to enter until 11:00, especially with it closing at 7:00.

Do they have any extra entrances they could use? I did the Dark Side Half Marathon a couple years ago and it seemed like we ran into and out of the parks through various CM/delivery entrances I never knew were there. If they could set up temporary guest entry points at different parts of the parks and have buses drop them off at the different locations, this might work. I'm just hypothesizing, though; this probably isn't what they'll do.

people may not like it but they are going to have to stagger entry times. Don’t know another way to do it.

 

[Llama mama]

I agree with you on all of these. I would add POR to the closures and keep both PO resorts closed. I also think they have to consider keeping AoA open, otherwise, where do you put the parties of 6 all with guests 3 and over? They will be hard to transfer to another resort unless they have a ton of cabins or 2-bedroom villas available which is entirely possible.

I never thought about the feature pools. Wow - close the deluxe pools, especially SAB, and cue further cancellations, IMHO. Especially in the summer, with the reduced park hours, so many people will want to head to the pools.

They close SAB and we will cancel. We can except a lot of changes but not our pool in August. That’s a dealbreaker for us.

 

[tinkerhon]

This just popped up today..so their back

Hello!

May we help you with questions about a Walt Disney World vacation?

Thank goodness ! I was wondering when the bus drivers would get back to work !

 

[Sandisw]

Yea we had a June reservation that was blanket cancelled, but with us actually having a reopening date now, I don't see them cancelling peoples reservations like that. It would be a simple modification to just cut our dates by 1 day and let us check in the day of (July 11th). If they still do rolling cancellations like before, I foresee a Universal Vacation in our future and not Disney.

The key is that they are not allowing modifications right now so I would worry that if it is modified, it won’t be until they open it up again.

Hopefully, we get more soon!

 

[gottalovepluto]

They close SAB and we will cancel. We can except a lot of changes but not our pool in August. That’s a dealbreaker for us.

I would think once the hotel is running the feature pools will open. While only DVC is running for those 3 weeks I can see why they might only have DVC pools open. SAB is quite the operation to run just for BCV...

 

[chicagoshannon]

They close SAB and we will cancel. We can except a lot of changes but not our pool in August. That’s a dealbreaker for us.

I don't think they legally can keep it closed. DVC dues pay for partial upkeep of that pool. It would also be a really crappy thing to do with such limited park hours they have.

 

[Sandisw]

Makes sense. Consolidate the resorts.

Pick two

Pop Century/All Star Movies/All Star Sports/All Star Music/AOA

Pick one of each

Beach/Yacht
Port Orleans/Riverside
Riviera/CBR
OKW/Saratoga

I think all the Monorail Resorts will open

Just my guess

Initial plan is to continue with only having open the DVC resorts and move people there. For how long, that wasn’t known.

Guests wont be given a choice of where they are moved to either, unless, of course, Disney changes their mind...which everything is subject to change.

 

[Taylor'sMom]

The key is that they are not allowing modifications right now so I would worry that if it is modified, it won’t be until they open it up again.

Hopefully, we get more soon!

This is my concern. We have a reservation with the Free Dining promo for July 5-11. I WANT to modify to arrive on July 12.
I received the 35% off email, but I'm anxious to know if Disney will allow me to re-book before the daily reservations open for that period. I keep thinking they will, but some say no. Ahhhrrghhh. It is maddening!