If the closure is extended beyond 3/31, when do you think it will be announced?

[Groot]

Their announcement that all the resort hotels will close this Friday makes me wonder how much time they’ll actually give!

Yeah, cause getting through to SOME companies’ customer service is a pain.

 

[Lynne G]

Yeah, with all the travel restrictions, I can see them taking 60 days total, before reopening. Mid May, is my guess. And yeah, I am in a state, with the highest number in my county, and so much is closed. All are saying until the end of March, but I can see that being extended as well. Our governor has already said, the number of days requirement for school kids, is lifted. So, I would think the schools would be in no hurry to reopen fast. Such uncharted times.

 

[TeresaWen]

I hate saying it but I believe they will announce very soon that they will comply with the CDC and extend their closure from 2 to 8 weeks. My heart goes out to all the cast members & local businesses that may be suffering financial hardship from this.

 

[MommaBerd]

I think they had a very orderly plan. Close the parks first, to discourage any new arrivals. Then, announce closure of the resorts to allow guests enough time to make plans to get home. My guess is that sometime this week or the beginning of next, they’ll announce extended park closure. They can’t drop everything at once - all the people trying to get through to Guest Services would have overwhelmed the system even more than it was.

 

[Miffy]

The resort closures have been announced. In case anyone hasn't already seen this, from the WDW site:
Temporary Closures at Walt Disney World Resort
In line with state and federal guidance and in an abundance of caution, Walt Disney World theme parks are closed through March 31. Resort hotels will close at 5:00 PM on March 20. Disney Springs will close beginning March 17.

 

[bookwormde]

I can see them doing time based rolling closures 2 weeks at a time up to the 8 week out so that they do not overwhelm customer services all at once I am thinking that completing this process could take 2 to 4 weeks, but is likely to start this week

 

[ksdave]

Even Sin City is closing.
MGM Vegas

 

[Remy is Up]

Just coming to post this. Shocking that it is eight weeks.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/201...vents/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html

8 weeks is a HOPE. Reality is this is likely well into June/July in the states and many businesses and organizations are operating under worse case scenario possibility. I think essentially we were certainly thinking May, the people thinking two weeks or 4 weeks were out of their minds. But since cases went from zero to 150 in Florida in 2 weeks and the expectation is that due to exponential increases this could go from 150 to 2000 in the next 2 weeks and then 2k to 20K in the 2 weeks after that. This isnt going to be pretty

 

[elsbit]

When I originally called to cancel my reservation, the CSR tried to upsell me to keep my reservation by mentioning Disney Springs was still open to get us to come and stay. She admitted that she was required to say that and I could tell she felt awkward about it and she apologized (I felt bad for her and told her so).it makes me wonder if Disney had planned to close resorts and the springs or if they bowed from pressure.

 

[Krandor]

I can see them doing time based rolling closures 2 weeks at a time up to the 8 week out so that they do not overwhelm customer services all at once I am thinking that completing this process could take 2 to 4 weeks, but is likely to start this week

They definitely seem to be doing things in stages to allow time for one thing to finish before the next starts. So based on that, I'd expect they will announce the extension to the park closing after the resorts close. So probably looking at friday night or saturday morning.

 

[circus4u]

United Airlines has announced they are cutting their flights by 50% in April and May and expects its flight reductions to continue into the summer. I expect this would be similar to what the other airlines are also considering and a good indication of how long this may extend.

 

[allmousedup]

So just to be contrarian:

Why not announce the reopening (whenever it is) with short notice and in stages...parks open first with the resorts opening a week or more later...gets the local and short traveling crowds out of the way (which they will all want to be there upon reopening). Then the folks farther away start making their return as the resorts open and finally the normal 6-12 month planners start to return (some long term planners will be there from the initial reopening). Not sure if there is a personnel advantage to this - though there might be - definitely a reopening effort advantage (being able to re-man over time), a crowd advantage, and likely a shorter closing time for the parks (if they opened first)... just a thought, feel free to shoot holes as appropriate...

 

[rojen]

There may be Christmas parties this year, but no MNSSHP.

Theme parks will be the absolute last thing to reopen. Thousands of people standing in line is not something the government will allow until the crisis has been fully over for months.

 

[DisSurfer878]

8 weeks is a HOPE. Reality is this is likely well into June/July in the states and many businesses and organizations are operating under worse case scenario possibility. I think essentially we were certainly thinking May, the people thinking two weeks or 4 weeks were out of their minds. But since cases went from zero to 150 in Florida in 2 weeks and the expectation is that due to exponential increases this could go from 150 to 2000 in the next 2 weeks and then 2k to 20K in the 2 weeks after that. This isnt going to be pretty

Something I', very curious about if this DOES extend into June/July.... how will that effect all of the reservations that booked with free dining? Are they just SOL? Only available to rebook on the existing dates? How will this get handled?

 

[Lewisc]

So just to be contrarian:

Why not announce the reopening (whenever it is) with short notice and in stages...parks open first with the resorts opening a week or more later...gets the local and short traveling crowds out of the way (which they will all want to be there upon reopening). Then the folks farther away start making their return as the resorts open and finally the normal 6-12 month planners start to return (some long term planners will be there from the initial reopening). Not sure if there is a personnel advantage to this - though there might be - definitely a reopening effort advantage (being able to re-man over time), a crowd advantage, and likely a shorter closing time for the parks (if they opened first)... just a thought, feel free to shoot holes as appropriate...

I think you have a point, I think resorts may open at the same time as the parks BUT not all resorts at once. Some resorts wont reopen until bookings justify it. I can also see MK and DHS openings a few days before other parks. Timing based on staffing and guest demand.

 

[JasonH]

Something I', very curious about if this DOES extend into June/July.... how will that effect all of the reservations that booked with free dining? Are they just SOL? Only available to rebook on the existing dates? How will this get handled?

I would imagine they would honor existing bookings, and as long as you purchased the reservation during the promotional window, but had to defer due to COVID-19, they would still be valid.

Believe me, Disney wants people in the parks more than we want to be in the parks. Their Q1 and Q2 earnings calls are going to be brutal with Parks closing and movie theaters basically empty.

Or they could just not do any of that and make those people be SOL, but the PR blowback from such a move would surely be pretty brutal.

 

[Krandor]

I think you have a point, I think resorts may open at the same time as the parks BUT not all resorts at once. Some resorts wont reopen until bookings justify it. I can also see MK and DHS openings a few days before other parks. Timing based on staffing and guest demand.

I agree and some of the non-DVC ones are easy to do that with like only have 1-2 all-stars opens and only have one of PoP/AoA open and some places like that. So I could definitely see some resort consolidation short-term.

 

[jaredjohn4]

I have to keep watching for the closing announcement. I canceled my 3/24 - 4/5 trip and adr’s, but they won,t refund the Villians after dark ticket in April until the park is officially closed.

 

[elle21]

There may be Christmas parties this year, but no MNSSHP.

Theme parks will be the absolute last thing to reopen. Thousands of people standing in line is not something the government will allow until the crisis has been fully over for months.

Not picking on you but this idea in general. What crisis?? There hasn’t been one. The numbers haven’t jumped up and doubled in the US for the last few days like they are “supposed” to. (I’ve been following the official WHO tallies).
So clearly social distancing is helping. Many people have the virus and have very mild symptoms. It hasn’t reached any type of crisis level so I don’t understand why we keep seeing more and more intense closures and shut downs, and predictions that it will be six months until things are open again.

 

[J-BOY]

Not picking on you but this idea in general. What crisis?? There hasn’t been one. The numbers haven’t jumped up and doubled in the US for the last few days like they are “supposed” to. (I’ve been following the official WHO tallies).
So clearly social distancing is helping. Many people have the virus and have very mild symptoms. It hasn’t reached any type of crisis level so I don’t understand why we keep seeing more and more intense closures and shut downs, and predictions that it will be six months until things are open again.

We haven't seen a jump in numbers because the US is barely testing people. We don't have access to a lot of tests and the ones we do take a long time to receive results, so they're being used sparingly.

We're getting more recommendations for closures because officials are hoping to prevent an Italy-level crisis. There's no way to tell if we've been successful until a couple weeks from now when those who have contracted it begin showing symptoms.