Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Disney Bobby]

I'm starting to feel like this is going to be too much of a compromise for all the money I'm going to be spending. I don't mind spending the money if I get the premium experience, but this doesn't seem to be worth it for me. We go to Disney to escape and relax, not to deal with a bunch of restrictions and compromises on top of worrying about whether or not I'm putting myself at risk to get sick. Might have to do the annual pass refund and wait for this mess to go away so I can go back to the Disney we love, not the most magical Contagion experience on earth.

 

[Devil13]

You get a whole 5 months if you dont want a refund lol

Yep sorry, I forgot about that. If I only had a one day pass I would be good until September 2021.

 

[Mit88]

I'm starting to feel like this is going to be too much of a compromise for all the money I'm going to be spending. I don't mind spending the money if I get the premium experience, but this doesn't seem to be worth it for me. We go to Disney to escape and relax, not to deal with a bunch of restrictions and compromises on top of worrying about whether or not I'm putting myself at risk to get sick. Might have to do the annual pass refund and wait for this mess to go away so I can go back to the Disney we love, not the most magical Contagion experience on earth.

Not to be rude, just curious, but how are you just starting to feel that way? There hasn’t been any indication since early April that the experience at Disney wasn't going to be altered in a big way.

I definitely feel like anyone that has any reservation whatsoever about the protocols that will be in place should PPD their trip. I dont like reaching into people’s pockets or make their plans for them, but I fear the people that dont think these protocols are serious and go down to WDW thinking that its a normal vacation and then taking it out on CMs more than I do people that may potentially have the virus

 

[Mit88]

Yep sorry, I forgot about that. If I only had a one day pass I would be good until September 2021.

I’m just irritated that they’re not giving concrete information on the AP refund. At this point I feel like the cutoff date is going to be a secret and it’ll end before we even know the window began.

 

[Disney Bobby]

Has anybody actually gotten their refund yet?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Yet my AP only gets 4 months

As pissed as I am about the AP situation (and that is VERY) they absolutely are owed this extension. I feel there is no comparison between their career and my AP anger...

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Yep sorry, I forgot about that. If I only had a one day pass I would be good until September 2021.

My kids date based tickets have turned out to be more flexible than my AP.

Regular tickets: Trip was cancelled? Okay, come by mid December. Actually, we have extended that until September 2021! Oh and if you don’t use it, no worries apply it’s value to a future ticket.

The AP: Here’s an extension for not much longer than we were closed that may or may not be very helpful to you. If you want an undetermined amount of money back tell us in early July that you definitely for sure can’t make it before March 2021 (my new expiry).

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I’m just irritated that they’re not giving concrete information on the AP refund. At this point I feel like the cutoff date is going to be a secret and it’ll end before we even know the window began.

I would really appreciate if they could somehow say if you don’t use it before it expires, you can then apply for the refund. Big ask for their systems though

We probably won’t be able to make it back, but a lot could change before we expire next spring.

 

[Disney Bobby]

Not to be rude, just curious, but how are you just starting to feel that way? There hasn’t been any indication since early April that the experience at Disney wasn't going to be altered in a big way.

I definitely feel like anyone that has any reservation whatsoever about the protocols that will be in place should PPD their trip. I dont like reaching into people’s pockets or make their plans for them, but I fear the people that dont think these protocols are serious and go down to WDW thinking that its a normal vacation and then taking it out on CMs more than I do people that may potentially have the virus

As we find out more details, my opinion is starting to change. Disney has done a poor job of communicating the changes, and the more that becomes fact, the less I'm willing to fork out that kind of cash.

 

[kylenne]

I fear the people that dont think these protocols are serious and go down to WDW thinking that its a normal vacation and then taking it out on CMs more than I do people that may potentially have the virus

Thinking about how some “guests” treat CMs even in regular times...yeah. It’ll be ugly and I hope management actually has their back for once.

Anyone who is going down there, please be sure to treat them with some extra kindness.

 

[Disney Bobby]

Thinking about how some “guests” treat CMs even in regular times...yeah. It’ll be ugly and I hope management actually has their back for once.

Anyone who is going down there, please be sure to treat them with some extra kindness.

Everybody needs to work in customer service for a while in their life. It would change their perspective.

 

[Mit88]

Thinking about how some “guests” treat CMs even in regular times...yeah. It’ll be ugly and I hope management actually has their back for once.

Anyone who is going down there, please be sure to treat them with some extra kindness.

While we’re at it, can we just make this a permanent change? Always treat them with extra kindness. Not just for the reopening. If we love them, they’ll love us back. The less love the CMs get, the less magic you’ll receive

 

[Mit88]

I would really appreciate if they could somehow say if you don’t use it before it expires, you can then apply for the refund. Big ask for their systems though

We probably won’t be able to make it back, but a lot could change before we expire next spring.

We paid for 12 months. I want 12 months. I dont want 5 months and be forced to cancel the trip that I have planned in August just to get the refund for the 4 months they were going to be closed. I had a trip planned during the closure. I dont currently, and I would not book a trip during the 4 month extension window they’re giving me. I don’t go to Florida between the months of November-March. So its pointless for me.

Now if they allowed us to choose an extra 4 months at our choosing over the course of the next calendar year, then I’d be all for that

 

[kylenne]

While we’re at it, can we just make this a permanent change? Always treat them with extra kindness. Not just for the reopening. If we love them, they’ll love us back. The less love the CMs get, the less magic you’ll receive

Amen! I’m one of those folks that really believes in Cast Compliments. So many are quick to complain and cast blame when things go wrong, but it’s sadly a lot less common to give praise when things go right.

CMs make the parks what they are. When I think back on really great times I’ve had there, a CM was at the center of so many of them. I don’t understand how some have so little empathy for them.

 

[Mit88]

As we find out more details, my opinion is starting to change. Disney has done a poor job of communicating the changes, and the more that becomes fact, the less I'm willing to fork out that kind of cash.

Most of the changes were announced at the task force meeting a month ago, and hinted at even before that. I think it would be overly optimistic to assume that things would be anywhere near normal when they reopen. Hoping for restrictions to be lifted in a timely matter after the reopening is one thing.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

We paid for 12 months. I want 12 months. I dont want 5 months and be forced to cancel the trip that I have planned in August just to get the refund for the 4 months they were going to be closed. I had a trip planned during the closure. I dont currently, and I would not book a trip during the 4 month extension window they’re giving me. I don’t go to Florida between the months of November-March. So its pointless for me.

Now if they allowed us to choose an extra 4 months at our choosing over the course of the next calendar year, then I’d be all for that

100% with you. We bought an AP to cover October 2019 and March/April 2020, not October 2019 and some undetermined point in time where we feel safe, things are normal-ish, and before our APs expire. I would cry happy tears at this point if they let me apply my remaining time when it works for us. I’d plan a bonus trip, take my money!! Like most of us, all I really want is the trip I planned. I can wait for it if they’d let me.

IIRC you expire in the fall like I do, can’t you take the partial refund for the closure and still take your August trip? They don’t make you cancel immediately for that do they?

 

[Mit88]

Amen! I’m one of those folks that really believes in Cast Compliments. So many are quick to complain and cast blame when things go wrong, but it’s sadly a lot less common to give praise when things go right.

CMs make the parks what they are. When I think back on really great times I’ve had there, a CM was at the center of so many of them. I don’t understand how some have so little empathy for them.

Its really not difficult to have a mature conversation with a CM, even while you’re stressed out. They’re far more likely to help out guests that treat them like humans than the ones that are degrading to them.

A simple Thank You, or Good Morning/afternoon/night, or even a simple wave can brighten the day of a CM.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Amen! I’m one of those folks that really believes in Cast Compliments. So many are quick to complain and cast blame when things go wrong, but it’s sadly a lot less common to give praise when things go right.

CMs make the parks what they are. When I think back on really great times I’ve had there, a CM was at the center of so many of them. I don’t understand how some have so little empathy for them.

We usually try to bring down "thank you cards" (usually with some message about continuing the magic Walt started) to hand out to CMs - they always seem to really appreciate them (and then use #castcompliment on Twitter for them)

 

[kylenne]

Its really not difficult to have a mature conversation with a CM, even while you’re stressed out. They’re far more likely to help out guests that treat them like humans than the ones that are degrading to them.

A simple Thank You, or Good Morning/afternoon/night, or even a simple wave can brighten the day of a CM.

Definitely agree as someone with a CS background.

 

[Mit88]

100% with you. We bought an AP to cover October 2019 and March/April 2020, not October 2019 and some undetermined point in time where we feel safe, things are normal-ish, and before our APs expire. I would cry happy tears at this point if they let me apply my remaining time when it works for us. I’d plan a bonus trip, take my money!! Like most of us, all I really want is the trip I planned. I can wait for it if they’d let me.

IIRC you expire in the fall like I do, can’t you take the partial refund for the closure and still take your August trip? They don’t make you cancel immediately for that do they?

Mine originally expired October 25th, now its February 19th. I have a trip planned at the end of August, which was originally my June 4th-15th trip, and a trip that was supposed to coincide with my expiration, October 18th - 24th.

One of the mods said to me the other day that I would have to let them know I wanted the refund soon, and I would be cancelling the remainder of my AP and getting a refund for March - October 25th. And if I cant get another AP because tickets arent yet on sale, then I’m kind of trapped into an extension. I know tickets will very likely go back on sale “soon”, but I’m not exactly going to be banking on anything outside of a 100% guarantee at this point, and there are still obstacles I could see get in the way of new tickets not going back on sale.