Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Jroceagles]

Not sure if it’s been mentioned but an update for BCV guests, they can now use the Boardwalk pool.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/experience-updates/resorts/#drawer-card-beachClub
edit: looks like I was late to the party. Y’all move too quickly with too many different conversations.

Soooooo. We can walk over and use the Boardwalk pool...so why not open SAB and keep the resort in its "bubble"? What am I missing?

 

[gatechfan99]

Ugh, I’m sorry. If it helps at all, I truly doubt that they will be policing the walkway between PVB and GFV. That just doesn’t make sense.

I don't see anyway they're spending effort policing a walkway. The only way it would work would be if they closed all entrances to the resorts except for one or 2 doors. Then, they could check Magic Bands as you walk in and turn you away if they needed. Of course, they'd also have to do this after exiting the monorail. It wouldn't do any good to check it in advance because if you left MK going to your room at GF, you could get off at Polynesian or Contemporary unless they blocked you at the monorail boarding area. It's all possible but is the hassle and the complications worth it when they have so much else going on?

I will say it's not an original idea though for Disney. At Disneyland you have to go through security to enter the Grand Californian. Even if you're staying at the Disneyland Hotel, you can't cut through there without a reason. I know part of the thought process was because day guests at the park were flooding the lobby at Grand Californian taking breaks during the day.

 

[Princess Merida]

Update: they were super firm and would not put the 13 points I need back into this use year. I’ve already purchased 22 OTU points so that won’t work. A supervisor will call me in a few days. LOL. I’ll be 12 days out by then. I asked about availability disappearing (in the next three days while I wait for my phone call) as they upgrade cash guests. The answer was the situation is fluid. I hate that word!

 

[Arym]

but you can't get a park reservation unless you have a ticket so you'll need to purchase something.

But how can you buy a ticket not knowing if you can even get a park reservation?

 

[skeeter31]

Soooooo. We can walk over and use the Boardwalk pool...so why not open SAB and keep the resort in its "bubble"? What am I missing?

I think it really has to do with lifeguard staffing. SAB requires so many more lifeguards than any other pool on property. In fact it probably has as many lifeguards as 3-4 other feature pools combined (with the extra deep ends in the lazy river, the whirlpool, etc). By keeping that 1 pool closed they’re able to open so many other feature pools by redistributing the lifeguards.

 

[cakebaker]

Soooooo. We can walk over and use the Boardwalk pool...so why not open SAB and keep the resort in its "bubble"? What am I missing?

$$$$$$

SAB is expensive to operate and with only BC DVC open, they probably don’t think they need to spend the money.

 

[rteetz]

Soooooo. We can walk over and use the Boardwalk pool...so why not open SAB and keep the resort in its "bubble"? What am I missing?

People are likely going to be walking around that area anyways for dining and such. I am expecting Yacht Club to be used by the NBA or MLS.

 

[jenjersnap]

Yep, agree entirely. I think the payoff is too small for what would be a temporary change.

I don't see anyway they're spending effort policing a walkway. The only way it would work would be if they closed all entrances to the resorts except for one or 2 doors. Then, they could check Magic Bands as you walk in and turn you away if they needed. Of course, they'd also have to do this after exiting the monorail. It wouldn't do any good to check it in advance because if you left MK going to your room at GF, you could get off at Polynesian or Contemporary unless they blocked you at the monorail boarding area. It's all possible but is the hassle and the complications worth it when they have so much else going on?

I will say it's not an original idea though for Disney. At Disneyland you have to go through security to enter the Grand Californian. Even if you're staying at the Disneyland Hotel, you can't cut through there without a reason. I know part of the thought process was because day guests at the park were flooding the lobby at Grand Californian taking breaks during the day.

 

[Farro]

I was just thinking - most likely this reserve a park each day is here to stay. While at first it seems like, okay, no big deal...it really has potential to take away freedom from your trip.

Normally if you make fast passes at a certain park, but decide that day you want to visit Animal Kingdom one more time before you leave, will this new system will inhibit that? No changing things on the fly anymore?

We stay 9 days and often the last few days are visiting whatever we feel like.
I just dislike the idea of being locked into a park for each day.

Where is the flexibility?

Do you think it's rare that a park will ever be at capacity and you will have ability to change your reserved park for that day - morning of from your hotel room?

Are parks going to be priced differently? Do you pick parks each day and are charged accordingly?

Will they now sell tickets for an increase that instead of hopping, you pay one price for ticket and can reserve whatever park you want whatever day?

 

[AmberMV]

I was just thinking - most likely this reserve a park each day is here to stay. While at first it seems like, okay, no big deal...it really has potential to take away freedom from your trip.

Normally if you make fast passes at a certain park, but decide that day you want to visit Animal Kingdom one more time before you leave, will this new system will inhibit that? No changing things on the fly anymore?

We stay 9 days and often the last few days are visiting whatever we feel like.
I just dislike the idea of being locked into a park for each day. Where is the flexibility? Do you think it's rare that a park will ever be at capacity and you will have ability to change your reserved park for that day?

Are parks going to be priced differently? Do you pick parks each day and are charged accordingly?

Will they now sell tickets for an increase that instead of hopping, you pay one price for ticket and can reserve whatever park you want whatever day?

All valid questions and none we have answers to

However I think the keyword used most these days is "flexibility". If you have high expectations you are more likely to be disappointed.

 

[Farro]

All valid questions and none we have answers to

However I think the keyword used most these days is "flexibility". If you have high expectations you are more likely to be disappointed.

I mean, say it's someone's first trip. They only book one day at Animal Kingdom and find out they just absolutely LOVE it!!!

Too bad, so sad? You can't go back this trip because you didn't reserve a second day?

This can't be possible that it would be this inflexible. I don't believe it.

And I'm not speaking of the time right now, the Covid-situation. I'm speaking if they keep this for next year and beyond.

 

[LSUmiss]

I was just thinking - most likely this reserve a park each day is here to stay. While at first it seems like, okay, no big deal...it really has potential to take away freedom from your trip.

Normally if you make fast passes at a certain park, but decide that day you want to visit Animal Kingdom one more time before you leave, will this new system will inhibit that? No changing things on the fly anymore?

We stay 9 days and often the last few days are visiting whatever we feel like.
I just dislike the idea of being locked into a park for each day. Where is the flexibility? Do you think it's rare that a park will ever be at capacity and you will have ability to change your reserved park for that day?

Are parks going to be priced differently? Do you pick parks each day and are charged accordingly?

Will they now sell tickets for an increase that instead of hopping, you pay one price for ticket and can reserve whatever park you want whatever day?

Yeah and one the criticisms has only been the lack of flexibility with fp plus & advanced ADRs so that will be even worse.

 

[chicagoshannon]

I mean, say it's someone's first trip. They only book one day at Animal Kingdom and find out they just absolutely LOVE it!!!

Too bad, so sad? You can't go back this trip because you didn't reserve a second day?

This can't be possible that it would be this inflexible. I don't believe it.

And I'm not speaking of the time right now, the Covid-situation. I'm speaking if they keep this for next year and beyond.

I would hope the reserving will eventually go away. However if it doesn't I would think that when parks are back to full capacity you'd be able to switch your park on the fly. I mean no reason to not be able to if they aren't full. I think at Shanghai it's a lot easier already to book days.

 

[Farro]

Yeah and one the criticisms has only been the lack of flexibility with fp plus & advanced ADRs so that will be even worse.

Oh, so much worse. You weren't locked into the above, you could cancel and do something else if you choose. This seems much more stringent.

 

[gatechfan99]

I was just thinking - most likely this reserve a park each day is here to stay. While at first it seems like, okay, no big deal...it really has potential to take away freedom from your trip.

Normally if you make fast passes at a certain park, but decide that day you want to visit Animal Kingdom one more time before you leave, will this new system will inhibit that? No changing things on the fly anymore?

We stay 9 days and often the last few days are visiting whatever we feel like.
I just dislike the idea of being locked into a park for each day.

Where is the flexibility?

Do you think it's rare that a park will ever be at capacity and you will have ability to change your reserved park for that day - morning of from your hotel room?

Are parks going to be priced differently? Do you pick parks each day and are charged accordingly?

Will they now sell tickets for an increase that instead of hopping, you pay one price for ticket and can reserve whatever park you want whatever day?

You would think once everything is back to full capacity, you could alter your park registration just like you could alter you previously made FPs as much as you wanted, as long as there's availability. And since nothing ever closes for capacity except for occasionally MK around Christmas, doesn't seem hard.

But there's probably a lot of the big picture we can't see right now. Throwing out Covid, I don't really see how a park reservation system helps them. Yes, they can plan workforce in advance for parks, but weren't they already doing that with FP? Given that it was likely only a small fraction of guests that entered a park in the morning without any FPs already booked, they already had a pretty good number for the visitors to each park every day. So maybe big changes involve a lot more than just knowing crowd numbers.

And if park hopping eventually comes back, how would that factor in? Would you have to make a reservation for multiple parks in advance for a single day? Put a time frame on when you would go to each park?

 

[SaintsManiac]

I am not willing to speculate that far into the future about a system that hasn’t been launched yet.

 

[AmberMV]

I mean, say it's someone's first trip. They only book one day at Animal Kingdom and find out they just absolutely LOVE it!!!

Too bad, so sad? You can't go back this trip because you didn't reserve a second day?

This can't be possible that it would be this inflexible. I don't believe it.

And I'm not speaking of the time right now, the Covid-situation. I'm speaking if they keep this for next year and beyond.

IMO I wouldn't want summer 2020 to be a 1st visit for anyone. It will not be the parks we remember. Next year I think you will be fine, 100% to expect a basically normal experience.

 

[CastAStone]

It would be nice if there was like a swap board. Although it will probably turn into 20,000 people trying to swap their Epcot reservations for anything else.

What’s going to really throw people’s plans off is if 30%+ of the spots are for Epcot. I think that’s likely.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I think it is way too early to assume that reserving park days ahead of time will stick around long term.

Do I think there will be long term changes post-covid? For sure. But I think it’s a pretty big leap to say that something that is being implemented for the specific purpose of limiting and managing capacity during a pandemic is going to stick around permanently.

 

[disneyfan150]

People are likely going to be walking around that area anyways for dining and such. I am expecting Yacht Club to be used by the NBA or MLS.

I have a reservation at YC and this just stinks. I go from just wanting to throw in the towel and cancel to rolling the dice and hoping for something good to come out of it. I hate Covid and how it has messed up our whole world.