Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[BrianR]

I would really hope they reevaluate comp magic bands for kids at resorts. Those key card + a phone interaction for a family at the gate is a total regression from the MB system. Unless you can scan from your phone all of the kids media, which hasn't been the case.

 

[Pens Fan]

That all makes sense and it’s a bad situation. If they don’t have tickets yet, you should at least be able to know what the reservation availability is like by the time they are able to buy tickets again.

Agreed. Originally my plan was to follow the boards and hope to get some feel for availability before advising them to buy tickets. However, as I type this it just occurred to me that as my son actually has tickets, even though he plans on making his reservations ASAP, he will still be able to log in and see what's available later on. So that's something, at least! I didn't even think of that before - duh!!!!

I guess we just keep kicking this can down the road.

 

[Ninjagrrl]

I had a 2020 trip I purchased tickets for that are good until 2030 that I purchased from the Military Base I work at and Shades of Green. Those tickets aren't date based.

Adding to that, I have complimentary tix that have 10 year expirations and convention tix that expected 12/21 before the ticket extension. So although I'm going this year, I could in theory go next year and still have tickets.

 

[Bibbobboo2u]

I haven't seen any yet either... looking like I will be up early Monday!!

Yes - you, me, and 25,000 of our best friends!!!

 

[MrsBooch]

I know I am reading the info and when are Resort only guests able to buy tickets???

Yeah - apparently if you have a resort only reservation you are on the same level as someone with no resort reservation and no AP or ticket.

So we will all be allowed to buy tickets at the same time and then we will ALL be trying to get park reservations at the same time - EVEN THOUGH they do not have a resort reservation. I haven't seen anything to the contrary.

 

[MouseEarsMom33]

I already have to take a battery pack to keep my phone from dying while I'm in the parks. No way do I want to have to use it for anything else. Although without FP+ I guess the only thing I'd need it for after I get into the to park is for payment.

I would imagine you would need to use your phone every time you use Memory Maker.

I hope Disney plans to add more charging stations.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Perhaps, perhaps not.

GETTING the reservation might not be a big deal, the difficulty of getting the reservations may or may not improve.

But if "timed entry" is permanent, that would be very disappointing and maybe a dealbreaker for us.

But, what would be a big deal is for people who come down wanting to come and go as they please, have a more relaxed vacation, DVC members who are used to popping in the parks as they desire. Is Disney really going to take away the ability to have a relaxed "no plans" kind of vacation?

If the limits on capacity are removed, theoretically people should just be able to book a spot immediately before going to the park (kind of like you could do with FP and ADRs).

The parks rarely if ever actually filled to capacity before this. The problem with the reservations isn’t the reservations themselves it’s that Disney will be opening with what we’ve heard is very low capacity compared to your average day (which itself is still not near a sell out).

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

Won't lie, I called 6 military bases this morning to see if any were still selling tickets (a few still were initially after the pause, but I was holding out on a cruise that now looks nearly impossible).

It was a no from all of them for anyone wondering Time for my late August trip to take a turn being the one stressing me out!

 

[mattpeto]

I have a vacation package reservation (bounceback) scheduled for December that I was going to push back to the late Fall of 2021. If I'm being honest with myself, I'd say there is no way I'd go back right now.

• Not with Covid-19 out there and potentially traveling with elderly parents
• Not with forcing you to wear to mask
• Not with park reservations that time your arrival
• Not with missing park hopper
• Not with ADR changes and lack of FP+
• Not due to lack of complimentary Magicbands

But here's the thing....I don't blame Disney for any of these changes!

I also hope selfishly that there people that can overlook these changes to help Disney muddle through the hard times. If this is the new norm (like Covid is still here - God I hope not) several years from now, I probably would relinquish my position eventually and return.

 

[jen7233]

So, would it be more beneficial to buy a hotel package that includes tickets then if by June 28, all guests will be able to purchase new Disney Resort hotel packages and theme park tickets and make their park reservations for arrivals starting in 2021 as our phased reopening continues? So that would seem wanting to stay offsite in early 2021 may be a bad idea, because I have quite a lower chance of getting a reservation in the parks?

 

[Farro]

Is it in 2021? Per the website: "If you have a room-only reservation at a Disney Resort or other select hotel for a stay in 2021, please call the Disney Reservation Center or call your travel professional beginning on June 24 to upgrade to a vacation package with tickets—and then make your theme park reservations."

Upgrade - meaning room-rate that I'm guaranteed now for 2021 will go up if I have to switch to a package.

Waiting to buy tickets separately later in the year like we planned could now pose the problem of not getting park reservations, which is ridiculous to even have to think about for next year.

 

[Bibbobboo2u]

Terrible...just terrible.




Will they be offering gift cards for people who end up with the later times? I say this because I cannot see how, in any stretch of the imagination, that someone who gets 10 hours in a park paying the same amount as someone who has 7 hours in the park (involuntarily) is fair.

Could it be that you only get a block of time in the park? Like they tried to do with SWGE AP previews?

 

[mmackeymouse]

I’d say the bands are somewhat mixed on terms of “love.”

I truly do see this as the beginning of the phasing out of them. Not now but say 2022-23ish.

I think Disney Genie is the future and they are gearing up for it.

But what about people (older people especially) who don't use smart phones. Or maybe teens who don't have smart phones.

Or people who choose to do a more unplugged type of vacation?

Would Disney really take a "Too bad, so sad" take it or leave it kind of approach?

Yes - you, me, and 25,000 of our best friends!!!

I dunno....remember that not everyone is as informed and passionate as the people on these boards. There is a pretty good chance that a lot of people don't even know about this yet.

Now, I tend to believe that most people that are still on the books for 2020 are probably pretty loyal die hards, and will be in the loop. But...you never know.

 

[MaC410]

Could it be that you only get a block of time in the park? Like they tried to do with SWGE AP previews?

There's no way they could manage that on the scale of an entire park.

 

[focusondisney]

Maybe it's me but this sounds insane to deal with. People don't even know if they have somewhere to stay or where they are staying yet but they want them to make park timing reservations? When they expected me to think about where I wanted to eat on a particular day 6 months ahead of time, I thought, surely Disney can't make this any more complicated. Then Disney was like, "Hold my beer."

I’m sorry, I just had to quote you. I LOVE this! Post of the month!

 

[hereforthechurros]

If it’s a rolling window you’d think they’d want that known NOW so 100k people aren’t logging in Monday morning to make park reservations for the next 15 months.

 

[2letterwords]

Could it be that you only get a block of time in the park? Like they tried to do with SWGE AP previews?

I was told by a chat CM that park re-entry would be permitted so I would be surprised by blocks of time.

 

[rockpiece]

With these announcements Disney basically told APs they don't care about us. Unreal.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

Good grief.. when I left for the garden center we were on page 1514... I just made myself lunch so I don’t starve while catching up on 17 pages,,

I guess it is now SOON,, .....

Going back to catch up...

 

[Knaedudley]

Ummm so what I’m reading is i need to pick the parks for my December trip and I have to know what time I want to enter.... ?? On the 22nd?