Will park reservations impact people traveling to WDW?

[patty57]

I've been thinking about the impact of needing to have park reservations. I have a situation where my niece may not be able to take our trip in May. We have all our park reservations made. If she doesn't go, I can reassign her unused park ticket to someone else in my friends & family, but I can't reassign her park reservations. Of course, most of the days only have Epcot availability at this point, with some days completely grayed out. If I cancel her park reservations, maybe I will be able to pop someone else in her spot, but it's just as likely I may not be able to do that if others are stalking the reservations. I have no interest in constantly looking at the park reservations calendar to see if I get lucky and something opens up.
If she cancels, I will probably cancel the trip. Sometimes, we on the Dis, get worked up about changes at WDW and threaten to stop going, but I'm wondering if the park reservations system might actually impact their business. I believe that it will for me.

 

[Robo]

Will park reservations impact people traveling to WDW?

Yes.
That's what it is designed to do.

 

[patty57]

Yes.
That's what it is designed to do.

Yes, I realize that. I probably wasn't very clear. I mean in the longer term, especially since they have been extended through 2022 I think? Covid should be under control this year I hope.

 

[Robo]

Yes, I realize that. I probably wasn't very clear. I mean in the longer term, especially since they have been extended through 2022 I think? Covid should be under control this year I hope.

Regardless, the overcrowding in many times of the year -prior to the lockdown- was uncomfortable, and seemingly growing.
They had already taken the first steps of "control" by changing to date-based ticket pricing.

 

[TaraWasHere]

I do think that the rigidness of the current system, and the opportunity for people to essentially buy tickets that are worthless if they wait to long, will impact some travel for the time being. But for everyone that gets frustrated and cancels...three more will book in their place.

 

[kwdw]

The system is NOT friendly for the way my partner likes to travel, so it will mean less trips for us as a couple. He refuses to plan. Me, as a Disney fan, can deal with it and will still go even if the system stays in place. And "new" folks - don't know anything different.

As long as folks keep pouring into the parks, Disney can restrict/burden travelers any way they want!

 

[subtchr]

Yes, I realize that. I probably wasn't very clear. I mean in the longer term, especially since they have been extended through 2022 I think? Covid should be under control this year I hope.

But in the longer term, capacity won't be limited to 35%, so park reservations will likely not be so hard to come by, other than the few busiest times of the year.

All indications are that park reservations are here to stay. That is data that is incredibly useful to Disney, to help them determine park hours, manning, etc.

But once capacity limits are eased or removed, it just won't be that big a deal. I do think that the number of days APs can book will be increased or otherwise modified. That is a definitely downside for local APs.

 

[sponica]

But in the longer term, capacity won't be limited to 35%, so park reservations will likely not be so hard to come by, other than the few busiest times of the year.

All indications are that park reservations are here to stay. That is data that is incredibly useful to Disney, to help them determine park hours, manning, etc.

But once capacity limits are eased or removed, it just won't be that big a deal. I do think that the number of days APs can book will be increased or otherwise modified. That is a definitely downside for local APs.

Yeah but they need to make cancelling park reservations easier. I incorrectly assumed that when I cancelled my tickets, my park reservations would disappear as well. I know without tickets they are essentially phantom reservations, but if I can see them on my end, does that mean those "slots" were spoken for? I did cancel them when I realized they were still there.

 

[subtchr]

Yeah but they need to make cancelling park reservations easier. I incorrectly assumed that when I cancelled my tickets, my park reservations would disappear as well. I know without tickets they are essentially phantom reservations, but if I can see them on my end, does that mean those "slots" were spoken for? I did cancel them when I realized they were still there.

Eh, I don't see this as a big deal. Hopefully people will go in and cancel any park reservations they will not be using, as a courtesy to others. Only takes a minute.

It's the same as dining reservations. If you book dining for a trip, and cancel the trip, you still need to go in and cancel each dining reservation. Of course there is a penalty for not doing so ($10 per person no show fee), so that motivates people, but hopefully not everyone needs such motivation!

 

[bdiddy]

I think the people it is going to keep away and impact the most are the ones that want to come just for the day when they are passing through, etc....which we've done a few times in our past. One time we stopped for a day on the way back from Key West. Another time we went to MK one day, Sea World and Lego Land. Both times we just bought tickets at the gate and had zero plans and just winged it. But obviously we knew that it was just a one day, last minute thing. I don't know how that would be possible right now especially in the coming summer months. Especially for people that don't realize about the park reservation system.

 

[Adventureland]

There's a lot of planning involved with WDW as is, so this doesn't feel like something to be too annoying to people who plan out trips far in advance (August is quite busy, but everything was available when I chose my park days). I agree that the people it will impact are the spur of the moment and day trip folks.

 

[SteveH]

... I'm wondering if the park reservations system might actually impact their business. I believe that it will for me.

Not that it matters, but we bailed on going to WDW for 10 days for the 50th due to park reservations and tickets. Hawaii seemed to want us to visit more and we didn't have to buy tickets so far in advance and plan our days a year ahead... so we're going there instead.

 

[sponica]

Eh, I don't see this as a big deal. Hopefully people will go in and cancel any park reservations they will not be using, as a courtesy to others. Only takes a minute.

It's the same as dining reservations. If you book dining for a trip, and cancel the trip, you still need to go in and cancel each dining reservation. Of course there is a penalty for not doing so ($10 per person no show fee), so that motivates people, but hopefully not everyone needs such motivation!

It's not intuitive or user friendly though...at least not how it was set up when I cancelled them. I had to go on the website and then into the details for every day and cancel the park, which was a pain for an 8 day trip. I think I tried on the app but the app exploded when I even viewed the park passes.
The difference with dining is that while I can book dining without a ticket, I needed a ticket entitlement to book the park passes, or at least I'm pretty sure I did?

I'm neutral on the whole is a park reservation a deal breaker thing. I think as capacity slowly returns to normal-ish, it will be less of an issue.

 

[rjb123]

I find the system annoying. I have platinum AP and am staying at the GF. Right now my days are green for AP but yellow for resort guests. But because I have a resort reservation I can't use the AP bucket. NOT OK! I have been on hold with Disney for an hour but still they are not answering! ARGH!

 

[scrappinginontario]

I don't mind the reservation system.

My one request would be to offer a 'change' option when looking to book another park. With parks running at or near capacity right now it makes it very difficult to find out if there is availability to change a reservation from one park to a different park. This option (in my head) would work similar to how we used to be able to change a FP+ reservation. It would show options and we could either keep what we had or change to what was being offered.

 

[subtchr]

It's not intuitive or user friendly though...at least not how it was set up when I cancelled them. I had to go on the website and then into the details for every day and cancel the park, which was a pain for an 8 day trip. I think I tried on the app but the app exploded when I even viewed the park passes.
The difference with dining is that while I can book dining without a ticket, I needed a ticket entitlement to book the park passes, or at least I'm pretty sure I did?

I'm neutral on the whole is a park reservation a deal breaker thing. I think as capacity slowly returns to normal-ish, it will be less of an issue.

That is the same process you would have to do for each dining reservation. Go into the reservation, then cancel each one. I still do not see it as burdensome. To cancel them all might take 5 minutes.

If it was too easy, people would complain because they “accidentally” canceled one. It’s best to make it a process that requires the guest to confirm it is what they really want to do.

And while it is true that you do not need a ticket or park reservation to book dining, I don’t see how that is pertinent in this discussion. If you have a reservation you want to cancel, either park or dining, it’s courteous to cancel it once you know you won’t use it.

 

[PaladinButters]

Yes.
That's what it is designed to do.

Yep. This is really a capacity issue and not a reservation issue. Can you imagine families being turned away at the gate instead right now? Chaos.

Regardless, the overcrowding in many times of the year -prior to the lockdown- was uncomfortable, and seemingly growing.
They had already taken the first steps of "control" by changing to date-based ticket pricing.

Give me an on-site perk of a jump start for reservations and you have a deal!

That is data that is incredibly useful to Disney, to help them determine park hours, manning, etc.

We were already telling Disney where we were going to be every day by our dining and fast pass reservations. This bumps them up to 100% knowledge on those guests that didn't have any. Smart move to keep it.

 

[ScrampShopper]

I think Disney has fully brainwashed me over the years that I don't mind the park reservation system because I already would decide what park we were going to each day many months before the trip. The only thing that I hate about the park reservation system is not having the option to change the reservation without first having to cancel it. That option was always available for FP+ bookings so why did they choose to leave it out for park reservations?

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

I would add to those who said, for many of us, ADRs and FP+ already served as a "park reservation" of sorts pre-COVID. Because we made FP and dining reservations in advance at a park, we were pretty much "locked in" to that park. So, Disney already knew to a certain degree where many people would be on what days.

I understand the need for reservations with limited park capacity. Once they increase to normal levels, availability of park reservations should be easier than getting a FP for a popular ride or an ADR at a popular restaurant.

 

[Kailani6]

That is the same process you would have to do for each dining reservation. Go into the reservation, then cancel each one. I still do not see it as burdensome. To cancel them all might take 5 minutes.

If it was too easy, people would complain because they “accidentally” canceled one. It’s best to make it a process that requires the guest to confirm it is what they really want to do.

And while it is true that you do not need a ticket or park reservation to book dining, I don’t see how that is pertinent in this discussion. If you have a reservation you want to cancel, either park or dining, it’s courteous to cancel it once you know you won’t use it.

I think what sponica is saying is that while yes it is the courteous thing to do and she did go in and cancel, not everyone will even realize that you need to take that extra step therefore taking up a park reservation they no longer plan to use.
I noticed this first hand when I cancelled our April trip a while back. I cancelled it and thought nothing of the park reservations until I went back in later to rebook for August and saw the April reservations in the system. I was surprised. I thought that by cancelling my package that included tickets the system wod automatically cancel the park reservations since there was no longer an actual ticket attached to them