Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Mit88]

Its getting more difficult cause they took more spots from the resort guests that aren't showing up and letting in more AP holders and CM's. You know the people Lex Luthor calls low on the totem pole for spending.

That’s your opinion, and you’re entitled to it. I disagree though

The resorts bucket, along with the other 2 buckets were filled last weekend for this weekend at DHS. Then the buckets refilled. So not sure how they could take spots from an already filled bucket and give them to another bucket without raising capacity

 

[Mit88]

Yep and i had booked my free dining bounceback for this weekend thinking the weekend after Labor Day would be a slower weekend. Glad I made the decision to cancel that trip because based on what I'm seeing/hearing I dont think I'd have had a good time.

I had a great time. The crowds are only “busy” due to the current capacity caps, whatever they may be. Its still not all that bad when you’re actually in there. I think the reactions are a little overblown because of how empty they were and suddenly a lot more people have shown up in the last few weeks/last month. But it’s all individual perspective, especially in the climate we’re currently living in. Those empty park days might be what some consider the limit on what they’d be willing to deal with.

one thing I know for certain right now is that nothing is certain, not even expecting the parks to be empty when they’d normally be.

 

[Krandor]

I had a great time. The crowds are only “busy” due to the current capacity caps, whatever they may be. Its still not all that bad when you’re actually in there. I think the reactions are a little overblown because of how empty they were and suddenly a lot more people have shown up in the last few weeks/last month. But it’s all individual perspective, especially in the climate we’re currently living in. Those empty park days might be what some consider the limit on what they’d be willing to deal with.

one thing I know for certain right now is that nothing is certain, not even expecting the parks to be empty when they’d normally be.

Oh yeah things are definitely changed. I ahd booked that back in March when my April trip was cancelled. Back then I didn't think we'd still be where we are in September.

For myself about an hour is my limit for lines. That is why I try to make good use of FP both before and during a trip to hit those rides without 60-90-120 minute lines. That isn't an option right now and there seem to be a lot of 45-60 minute lines. Just not the scenario i prefer especially during a pandemic.

 

[Mit88]

Oh yeah things are definitely changed. I ahd booked that back in March when my April trip was cancelled. Back then I didn't think we'd still be where we are in September.

For myself about an hour is my limit for lines. That is why I try to make good use of FP both before and during a trip to hit those rides without 60-90-120 minute lines. That isn't an option right now and there seem to be a lot of 45-60 minute lines. Just not the scenario i prefer especially during a pandemic.

Yeah, I remember you saying that you had no intention on fulfilling the bounce back even from early on before the reopening was even announced. Lines were new-normal long while I was there, but I was able to navigate them where I didn’t wait longer than 30 minutes for anything other than Rise, MMRR, and Slinky. Everything else was real time 20 minutes or less. Longest wait at AK was FoP the first time I rode it at 15 min, the other 4 times were 5-10. But at times during the days I was there these rides were over an hour wait (except Rise). For most of my day at DHS Rnrc and ToT were 90 minutes, I walked over and walked on to both of them and rode back to back. Without FP, a lot depends on timing

 

[Krandor]

Yeah, I remember you saying that you had no intention on fulfilling the bounce back even from early on before the reopening was even announced. Lines were new-normal long while I was there, but I was able to navigate them where I didn’t wait longer than 30 minutes for anything other than Rise, MMRR, and Slinky. Everything else was real time 20 minutes or less. Longest wait at AK was FoP the first time I rode it at 15 min, the other 4 times were 5-10. But at times during the days I was there these rides were over an hour wait (except Rise). For most of my day at DHS Rnrc and ToT were 90 minutes, I walked over and walked on to both of them and rode back to back. Without FP, a lot depends on timing

I never said i had no intention of fulfilling it. I said I was 50/50 when I booked and really only did because of the free dining since I already had and still have a january trip on the books. I was initially content to wait for that trip until the free dining offer came out. So yeah I was always iffy on the September trip but wanted to see what things looked like (what was open and not and all that) and in the end it was simply i couldn't justify the price for the current experience. Was hoping that wouldn't be the case but knew it might be. In the end I'm content to wait For January. In fact my original plan if I had gone this weekend was to get an AP got cover the September trip, January trip, and April trip but of course that isn't an option now either.

 

[chicagoshannon]

Epcot closing at 7pm on a Saturday is insane. Wall to wall people from opening to close. We left after 2 rides (land and imagination). Came back at 6:30 to try to ride test track, 100 minute wait and lines still very long at food booths. At 7:15 skyliner line was over the bridge to beach club. Had to be an hour wait to get on it. Not sure what Disney is thinking. They lost out on a good 2 hours of revenue and left people upset.

Not sure why they didn't increase the hours for the weekend. They've never had a problem increasing hours even day of in the past.

 

[Sandisw]

Epcot closing at 7pm on a Saturday is insane. Wall to wall people from opening to close. We left after 2 rides (land and imagination). Came back at 6:30 to try to ride test track, 100 minute wait and lines still very long at food booths. At 7:15 skyliner line was over the bridge to beach club. Had to be an hour wait to get on it. Not sure what Disney is thinking. They lost out on a good 2 hours of revenue and left people upset.

Not sure why they didn't increase the hours for the weekend. They've never had a problem increasing hours even day of in the past.

Wow, that is crazy. I agree,,,why not change the hours day of if it’s that crowded, especially Epcot when instant money for F and W.

 

[skeeter31]

Epcot closing at 7pm on a Saturday is insane. Wall to wall people from opening to close. We left after 2 rides (land and imagination). Came back at 6:30 to try to ride test track, 100 minute wait and lines still very long at food booths. At 7:15 skyliner line was over the bridge to beach club. Had to be an hour wait to get on it. Not sure what Disney is thinking. They lost out on a good 2 hours of revenue and left people upset.

Not sure why they didn't increase the hours for the weekend. They've never had a problem increasing hours even day of in the past.

Disney seems to be very set in their ways with this reopening, not wanting to make any changes on the fly. Wonder if it’s something written into the CM contract that once things are announced they must remain that way?

 

[Mit88]

When do kids go back to school?

 

[Makmak]

Visited UOR today. Lasted ten minutes then we left because so many people walking around in
Mobs holding a drink with mask pulled down. Two
People were walking around smoking cigarettes. I saw two khaki wearing employees walk right past one of the smokers group just outside the Hello Kitty shop. I asked another khaki-wearer if it’s now allowed to eat/drink while walking around and was told “as long as they are social distancing.” (Which was not the scenario we witnessed alllll over the park). We went to magic kingdom, and all was much better except the mass gathering for the ferry and monorail at closing time.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

When do kids go back to school?

Ours went back this past Thursday

 

[Yooperroo]

Looking at flights in October, I already booked for $90 round trip and thought it was a steal. Now I’m finding $52 round trip flights from the Tri State area. Gonna have to rebook my flights. That’s like 5 churros worth of savings, or 1 drink at Trader Sams, if they’re open

We purchased our flights back in April for $11 PP RT for our October trip. Total cost for our family of four roundtrip from Detroit to Orlando with taxes and fees was $60 and some odd change. At that time the airlines were just desperate to get passengers booked on their planes!

 

[Mit88]

We purchased our flights back in April for $11 PP RT for our October trip. Total cost for our family of four roundtrip from Detroit to Orlando with taxes and fees was $60 and some odd change. At that time the airlines were just desperate to get passengers booked on their planes!

The flight I had booked for my June trip, back when I was gullible enough to believe they’d reopen on June 1st, I booked it in early April when flight prices absolutely tanked. It wasnt THAT cheap, but it was like $50 RT for the both of us

 

[Dentam]

Got home last night after a great trip overall. Yesterday at MK was the busiest day of our trip and the least enjoyable as a result but otherwise we had a great time, especially on Wednesday and Thursday when the parks were the least crowded. Even Labor Day weekend wasn't too bad. Surprised to see how crowded MK was yesterday and to hear reports of the crowds in Epcot today. Never expected that this weekend would be busier than the holiday weekend but it is 2020 and nothing is predictable this year!

 

[fantomhamst3r]

Wow, that is crazy. I agree,,,why not change the hours day of if it’s that crowded, especially Epcot when instant money for F and W.

Would think it would be difficult to force that many hourly workers to work extra hours the day of.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Epcot closing at 7pm on a Saturday is insane. Wall to wall people from opening to close. We left after 2 rides (land and imagination). Came back at 6:30 to try to ride test track, 100 minute wait and lines still very long at food booths. At 7:15 skyliner line was over the bridge to beach club. Had to be an hour wait to get on it. Not sure what Disney is thinking. They lost out on a good 2 hours of revenue and left people upset.

Not sure why they didn't increase the hours for the weekend. They've never had a problem increasing hours even day of in the past.

Yeah I’m sorry but with the park reservation system they have no reason not to figure out hours or ride capacity accordingly. I’m all for increased capacity and advanced reservations but not when they only work in favor of the proprietor and leave the guest SOL. Increasing capacity or even just expecting more park guests per bucket is fine, but they have all the data to know what’s what and not planning accordingly isn’t cool. Longer lines = more crowding and less safety.

 

[anthony2k7]

Their union lost them their opportunity to work, is what I'm saying.

Disney wanted them back in the summer, and they (represented by their union) balked because all of their demands weren't met. If they had just agreed, they'd be working now, and despite budget difficulties, it would have been very hard for Disney to remove them as an offering at WDW because guests would expect them.

But since they haven't been part of the WDW experience since reopening & people now don't expect them, it's much easier for Disney to just continue not offering them at all, and save money by not having to pay them.

Except if they had brought them back on disneys terms they would have been performing without masks.

That didn't go well at DLP.

 

[anthony2k7]

Would think it would be difficult to force that many hourly workers to work extra hours the day of.

Is overtime at disney paid at a premium rate (1.5x or 2x???). If so maybe that extra revenue still wouldn't be enough to cover the CMs overtime pay.

 

[lluv3971]

Yeah, I remember you saying that you had no intention on fulfilling the bounce back even from early on before the reopening was even announced. Lines were new-normal long while I was there, but I was able to navigate them where I didn’t wait longer than 30 minutes for anything other than Rise, MMRR, and Slinky. Everything else was real time 20 minutes or less. Longest wait at AK was FoP the first time I rode it at 15 min, the other 4 times were 5-10. But at times during the days I was there these rides were over an hour wait (except Rise). For most of my day at DHS Rnrc and ToT were 90 minutes, I walked over and walked on to both of them and rode back to back. Without FP, a lot depends on timing

Sounds like a great trip! Did you use any kind of strategy to avoid the longer lines? Did you notice any crowd "patterns" throughout your stay?

 

[yulilin3]

Disney seems to be very set in their ways with this reopening, not wanting to make any changes on the fly. Wonder if it’s something written into the CM contract that once things are announced they must remain that way?

Would think it would be difficult to force that many hourly workers to work extra hours the day of.

When you're scheduled you do obviously get the regular 9-5 shift posted in your schedule but if they extend hours day of you are expected to stay working as you gave full day availability, so that's not it.