Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[mmackeymouse]

Update - we called Disney to ask why our room was canceled and they were unable to give us any information. Very upsetting, especially since we now don’t have a hotel for our first night of arrival.

There’s also no availability for any value resorts. While we would typically have no problem paying extra for a moderate resort, our plane comes in at 12 AM, so we don’t want to pay twice as much for a room we will be staying in for only half a day.

We were able to order our magic bands today. We were getting error messages all week that they weren’t taking any orders. Hoping that is a tiny silver lining??

Oh wow....I would be madder than a hornet's nest at this point. Yes, I want to give Disney the benefit of the doubt; I know they've got a lot on their place. But, I truly, truly thought Disney would take care of people.

Not that I advocate for lying usually, but perhaps you could stay at the airport when you get in...and re-do your DME reservation with an incoming flight that would be coming in the following morning, so you can get transportation to WDW. Sometimes you can get some good deals at the airport. Sometimes not.

You might look into renting DVC points...it's not going to be as cheap as the All Stars, but it will likely be a little less than the mods, considering the rental points is the total price, no tax tacked on. (Or tax is baked in the cake so to speak) It's a risk, because most of the time DVC point rentals are non-refundable. But, if you find an owner looking to try to unload points that are going to expire, you might get lucky and get a deal.

 

[Minnie368]

Update - we called Disney to ask why our room was canceled and they were unable to give us any information. Very upsetting, especially since we now don’t have a hotel for our first night of arrival.

There’s also no availability for any value resorts. While we would typically have no problem paying extra for a moderate resort, our plane comes in at 12 AM, so we don’t want to pay twice as much for a room we will be staying in for only half a day.

We were able to order our magic bands today. We were getting error messages all week that they weren’t taking any orders. Hoping that is a tiny silver lining??

Just a thought but do you think the cancellation of your first night could have something to do with your flight arriving after midnight? because technically it looks like your flight and Magical Express reservation is for the day after your arrival even though actually it isn't?

 

[yankeesfan123]

I think WDW works better than Vegas. All three buildings the NBA would use are very close together. The two hotel properties if they use Pop/AoA are right next to each other and are able to bus players in and out of WWoS easily. This is about finishing the season not luxury.

I think most athletes want luxury...

 

[rteetz]

I think most athletes want luxury...

We all want something right now but thats not completely possible. Many want to play as well. This could be the only viable option to finish this season.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

Playing on the MDE app.. the only restaurant appearing for the entire month of May (1-31) is Ravello at the Four Seasons. As of June 1st things return to the status quo.
Like all things with this covid 19 situation things can change in a heartbeat.. but for balance in this thread - the positive and the not so positive deserve to be highlighted

 

[TwoMisfits]

I think WDW works better than Vegas. All three buildings the NBA would use are very close together. The two hotel properties if they use Pop/AoA are right next to each other and are able to bus players in and out of WWoS easily. This is about finishing the season not luxury.

Disney, through ABC and ESPN, is also the huge monetary televised rights carrier...and I'm sure the NBA is looking to make televising these games easy and cheap...and looking to work with its existing partners...

So, just like baseball in Arizona (the spring training partner, along with Florida), basketball in Florida (and Orlando) seems like the no-brainer option...

 

[Vern60]

I think any revenue coming in for Disney is good right now.

Would this be a boost for ESPN as well? I really don't know, just curious. But it would give them live games to broadcast no? Definitely agree that any revenue for Disney would be a plus.

 

[rteetz]

Would this be a boost for ESPN as well? I really don't know, just curious. But it would give them live games to broadcast no? Definitely agree that any revenue for Disney would be a plus.

ESPN and ABC is a big NBA broadcaster so yes it would help.

 

[Krandor]

Disney, through ABC and ESPN, is also the huge monetary televised rights carrier...and I'm sure the NBA is looking to make televising these games easy and cheap...and looking to work with its existing partners...

So, just like baseball in Arizona (the spring training partner, along with Florida), basketball in Florida (and Orlando) seems like the no-brainer option...

Yeah and if the building are already broadcast ready it would be cheap and easy for disney to use their own facilities to broadcast things from. Similar to the WWE doing their shows from the WWE training facility. Why pay somebody else for a building when you can basically pay yourself?

 

[DGsAtBLT]

We all want something right now but thats not completely possible. Many want to play as well. This could be the only viable option to finish this season.

I imagine a lot of them are going through something similar to many of us. We want some semblance of normal life and the things we love to come back, even if we have to lower our standards to get it.

As hardcore Disney fans, some of us are willing to take a barebones experience we would have absolutely not accepted in life before covid just to get there. Same concept.

 

[rteetz]

UPDATE: Disneyland, Walt Disney World Share Passholder Refund Information

 

[WishesCameTrue]

Just want to share my experience today. I have YC booked 5 nights starting 5-24, haven’t received any cancellations of resort, ADRs, or the 2 prepaid events (dessert part and Epcot fireworks dinner). I don’t have tickets because I was going to by military tix on base in mid March and base closed before I got back from NC on 3-18 (Mother’s funeral). Tried to buy tix over phone but CS Reps can’t even get them to process as nothing will sell before 6-1. So keeping this reservation as an option just in case they are open and I feel okay to go and I able to drive from AL.
Called today to book room only for 7-15 to have a back up. Staying BC and there seemed to be plenty of availability (I use military room only discount). Had to list the 4 folks going again which is my DD 16 and a friend and her DD16. They have my address which was verified but needed zip code for other adult and it was not an optional piece of info. Maybe I don’t remember supplying this in the past for the May reservation. Just found it interesting

 

[MMSM]

Yeah that’s my concern. So far I still live in a hotspot & FL won’t let us in without quarantine. We don’t have a trip booked til end of July so I’m hoping all that nonsense is lifted by then.

Me too. I go to Florida in June and I will be upset if Florida hasn’t lifted this ban. All of NY isn’t NYC. I live in NY but I am not in a hot spot (about 6hrs
From city). I would fly out of buffalo and I shouldn’t be treated any differently.

 

[kiki02]

What is BC?

 

[OnceUponATime15]

What is BC?

Beach Club Resort

 

[Lewisc]

We all want something right now but thats not completely possible. Many want to play as well. This could be the only viable option to finish this season.

Playing all the games in one location is plausible. Disney bidding to host the games is possible. Housing the players in POP and AoA sounds like someone's idea of a joke. Believe that...I have a bridge to sell you.

One or more real hotels on or off site would be booked. Think about making a deal to rent private residences by 4 Seasons. Book entire 4 Seasons.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Update - we called Disney to ask why our room was canceled and they were unable to give us any information. Very upsetting, especially since we now don’t have a hotel for our first night of arrival.

There’s also no availability for any value resorts. While we would typically have no problem paying extra for a moderate resort, our plane comes in at 12 AM, so we don’t want to pay twice as much for a room we will be staying in for only half a day.

We were able to order our magic bands today. We were getting error messages all week that they weren’t taking any orders. Hoping that is a tiny silver lining??

Availability for values that time has been darn near non-existent.

It is absurd they did not tell you why they cancelled your room! Have you thought about mentioning it on Twitter and tagging some of the louder Disney bloggers?

 

[gottalovepluto]

Just want to share my experience today. I have YC booked 5 nights starting 5-24, haven’t received any cancellations of resort, ADRs, or the 2 prepaid events (dessert part and Epcot fireworks dinner). I don’t have tickets because I was going to by military tix on base in mid March and base closed before I got back from NC on 3-18 (Mother’s funeral). Tried to buy tix over phone but CS Reps can’t even get them to process as nothing will sell before 6-1. So keeping this reservation as an option just in case they are open and I feel okay to go and I able to drive from AL.
Called today to book room only for 7-15 to have a back up. Staying BC and there seemed to be plenty of availability (I use military room only discount). Had to list the 4 folks going again which is my DD 16 and a friend and her DD16. They have my address which was verified but needed zip code for other adult and it was not an optional piece of info. Maybe I don’t remember supplying this in the past for the May reservation. Just found it interesting

Could be they were trying to link the reservation to their MDE profiles?

 

[TwoMisfits]

Playing all the games in one location is plausible. Disney bidding to host the games is possible. Housing the players in POP and AoA sounds like someone's idea of a joke. Believe that...I have a bridge to sell you.

One or more real hotels on or off site would be booked. Think about making a deal to rent private residences by 4 Seasons. Book entire 4 Seasons.

They could use DVC with a deal with DVC (so DVC can refund dues for months folks couldn't use their places and extend contracts out by those amount of months) - those would be nice enough arrangements...and again, it keeps all the money in house and uses resources that are currently dormant...

Or they could just use the deluxe hotels...

 

[mmackeymouse]

They could use DVC with a deal with DVC (so DVC can refund dues for months folks couldn't use their places and extend contracts out by those amount of months) - those would be nice enough arrangements...and again, it keeps all the money in house and uses resources that are currently dormant...

Or they could just use the deluxe hotels...

Agreed on the first point. But, if they start displacing/cancelling people so that they can host NBA players while "lesser" hotel rooms remain available....it's not going to be pretty.

If they cancelled my Grand Floridian reservation so they could host the NBA players, unless they put me in the Cinderella Castle suite, let's just say I would be not be very happy.