Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[cakebaker]

We don't know if they're doing that or not.. members have the option to use their points on short notice. Say there was a run on DVC rooms by owners; what would Disney do for the confirmed cash reservations that they are intending to move to DVC properties? I don't see Disney playing that game.

Another good point- Disney can most likely only use the reserve they are entitled to for relocating guests. They have to have rooms they are guaranteed to have available. Depending on rooms that can be booked at any moment (and DVC are the only ones who can book right now) would be awfully foolish.

 

[cakebaker]

Did you have the free dining offer booked to get the 35%? My trip was affected by closures but I didn't have free dining so I assume they won't be giving anything to hotel/park packages?

Yup, you get nothing, just like me. Cancelled twice, had an AP discount so the free dining was not really an option. Lost the AP discount, don't get the recovery offer either. If you think that's unfair, email them. Probably won't help, can't hurt. I did.

 

[chicagoshannon]

This looks official to me

To me that looks like someone might have misunderstood the conference call. A conference call that most TA"s weren't even invited to. Was it even a conference call with Disney or with the owner of the agencey? Who knows.

I CAN tell you that there are not enough DVC rooms to move EVERYONE from other resorts to. Even if every single DVC owner had cancelled their vacation (which they haven't) there would not be enough rooms. No doubt they will most likely move people around. They may even be able to fit everyone in the delux resorts that have DVC attached to them.

So hang tight and don't freak out over something one agency may or may not have been told. Just a heads up my TA friend said she'd actually be breaking her contract with Disney if she devulged any information Disney gave her before they said she could.

 

[MrsBooch]

This looks official to me

is that on the disney website? or from a disney communication? where did it come from? It "looks" like a screen shot of someone's conversation - i'm not saying it isnt - i'm just saying based on what you shared it still doesn't appear to be coming from the actual company.

 

[Krandor]

As for the better deal part, Disney openly advertises and sells DVC at the assumptiom of a % off of actual room rates. Regardless of the situation, thats not something that can be ignored, unless those same folks are also accommodated....gift card, fb, tickets, etc.

That is going to be rack rate and theree have likely been many times when people have been in DVC resorts not paying rack rate and maybe even upgraded from another hotel. That doesn't automatically give everybody paying more money back. The difference is (if this happens) this time you just happen to know about it

 

[Brianstl]

Before people get too worked up about the DVC stuff we don’t know what dates this would even be for. This could just be for reservations from the time DVC is going to open until the parks reopen. They could be just trying to accommodate hotel guests with reservations that still want to visit before the parks open.

 

[alison228]

Yup, you get nothing, just like me. Cancelled twice, had an AP discount so the free dining was not really an option. Lost the AP, don't get the recovery offer either.

UGH that stinks! I'm sorry! You would think they would at least honor your previous discount. I can't go the rest of this year (having a baby in September lol) but planning a trip in February. Doubtful, but hoping they'll give us a bounce back offer later on. I probably will get an AP for that trip since we'll most likely go Fall 2021 too for the 50th depending what that's like by that time.

 

[cakebaker]

Just a heads up my TA friend said she'd actually be breaking her contract with Disney if she devulged any information Disney gave her before they said she could.

I have wondered if it's really something TA's should be revealing to their customers. I realize some are desperate to keep their guests from cancelling, but making this kind of information public before Disney does seems sketchy at best to me.

 

[runjulesrun]

When does everyone think we will hear about specific attractions that will be open/closed?

 

[cakebaker]

UGH that stinks! I'm sorry! You would think they would at least honor your previous discount. I can't go the rest of this year (having a baby in September lol) but planning a trip in February. Doubtful, but hoping they'll give us a bounce back offer later on. I probably will get an AP for that trip since we'll most likely go Fall 2021 too for the 50th depending what that's like by that time.

No, they refuse to honor previous discounts. We had an amazing Disney Visa discount for our March trip, AP for the last trip and my only option was to book at rack rate. We'll sit back and wait until Disney is begging for guests and see what they offer. However long that takes...we will not give them rack rate.

 

[yulilin3]

I have wondered if it's really something TA's should be revealing to their customers. I realize some are desperate to keep their guests from cancelling, but making this kind of information public before Disney does seems sketchy at best to me.

Bingo

 

[A2DisneyMom]

We’re now booked 7/13-7/17 for a Poly point stay (studio) and 7/17-7/24 for a Riviera cash stay (1br).

My hope is that, if Disney moves some people up, that they offer some sort of upgrade to everyone. For example, in the top tier of DVC resorts, point-wise, offer those already booked a larger room or better view at that resort or another within it’s class. Down the chain this could allow SSR, OKW and AKL to effectively become “moderates” and one remaining operational moderate, such CBR to become the “value” resort (with people having booked preferred view there getting upgraded to SSR or OKW). On the other end, paid for a Grand Villa? How about a one-night stay at Cindy’s place as a sign of Disney’s gratitude?

I’m paying a hefty sum in points and cash (not to mention sweat and tears as I’ve already been canceled twice) for my stays, and an upgrade option for my family too would go a long way. I will, however, be pretty annoyed if a family paying 25% of what I’ve paid ends up getting the same experience.

Disney has trained me to equate $ with quality of experience. I’ve literally bought in to that system and don’t feel at all badly about expecting Disney to live up to their end of that bargain.

 

[yulilin3]

When does everyone think we will hear about specific attractions that will be open/closed?

End of June

 

[SwirlTheCitrus]

Well, I just read the terms and conditions:

Breakage Period Priorities. The “Breakage Period” is the period sixty (60) days before a given Use Day. During this
period, Club Members may contact Member Services to reserve Vacation Homes, subject to availability. Some or all of
this inventory may be made available for rental reservations if it is anticipated that the Vacation Homes will not be used
by Club Members. If a reservation request is not received by Member Services by the beginning of the Breakage Period,
Member Services’ ability to confirm the reservation request will be limited by and subject to the following:
a. Any reservations made by DVC Operator for Vacation Home maintenance.
b. Any reservation requests contained in the Wait List.
c. Any rental reservations made by third parties prior to Member Services’ receipt of a reservation request.


I guess this does mean that Disney reserves the right to rent out any DVC property not expected to be utilized at the 60-day mark...

 

[Krandor]

To me that looks like someone might have misunderstood the conference call. A conference call that most TA"s weren't even invited to. Was it even a conference call with Disney or with the owner of the agencey? Who knows.

I CAN tell you that there are not enough DVC rooms to move EVERYONE from other resorts to. Even if every single DVC owner had cancelled their vacation (which they haven't) there would not be enough rooms. No doubt they will most likely move people around. They may even be able to fit everyone in the delux resorts that have DVC attached to them.

So hang tight and don't freak out over something one agency may or may not have been told. Just a heads up my TA friend said she'd actually be breaking her contract with Disney if she devulged any information Disney gave her before they said she could.

That is why I was sceptical about this whole thing. First you have so many DVC owners now with points that expire in end of Nov chasing limited inventory. I wouldn't expect many DVC rooms to be open and certainly not enough for everybody.

Now if you add on the non-DVC hotels attached to DVC you might be able to do it.

 

[chicagoshannon]

I have wondered if it's really something TA's should be revealing to their customers. I realize some are desperate to keep their guests from cancelling, but making this kind of information public before Disney does seems sketchy at best to me.

right. Not only could that information just be wrong but Disney hasn't been able to inform all TA's yet so that causes ill will with other TA's. My friend isn't' allowed to say what details she's gotten but did say she hasn't gotten anything. So there was nothing to even disclose.

 

[JPM4]

Here’s a question for everyone. My AP expired on May 12th. I was going to renew when we went down but that didn’t happen obviously. I switched my trip to August because of the AP extension I figured ok I’ll renew when I’m down there then. Now I’m thinking should I renew now? I am concerned that my expired AP will come into play when trying to reserve parks or to be eligible for the AP preview. What do y’all think? Tia

 

[FreeTime]

Disney does not make people join a Union, in fact I believe they prefer for people not to

All companies that I have worked with that have had unions do not require their employees to join and like Disney, prefer they don’t. The union employees would often get mad when those not in the union would get extra spiffs. “What do you mean I can’t go on the special extra break walk for the first day of spring?“ “ Union rules say your break has to be at 10:15. We can’t go against those rules.” Pure pettiness both ways IMO

 

[Marionnette]

That's not the way it works. A certain amount of those resorts have to be available for cash bookings per Florida law. They're not reducing DVC availability by any stretch, they may be converting the non-booked DVC rooms to cash rooms so that they can have more DVC rooms in the future.

This is exactly what happens all the time with DVC, not just for the current situation. At 60 days out, any DVC villa that has not been booked can be turned over to CRO as breakage. CRO then sells the reservation to a cash customer and pays DVC for the room. This payment helps to offset the annual fees that DVC members pay. The amount of money that DVC receives from breakage which can be applied to dues is capped. So anything over that amount is “profit” for DVC.

 

[Krandor]

right. Not only could that information just be wrong but Disney hasn't been able to inform all TA's yet so that causes ill will with other TA's. My friend isn't' allowed to say what details she's gotten but did say she hasn't gotten anything. So there was nothing to even disclose.

Especially in a time like this. This could also be a "heads up - here is what we are considering but it isn't final so don't give it out yet". I work for a Cisco partner and soewimtes we get information in advance so we know what is coming and can plan but it is not supposed to be shared. Most of the time it comes out as originally told but sometimes things change and in the current environment change definitely has a high chance of happening