Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[SaintsManiac]

We have our area trip booked for the coming late March/Early April - which we may or may not keep

Then we are booked for the actual 50th next October. We were thinking of doing like a "year of Disney" off of that but now am not sure

I am leaning towards saving for something big in 2023 as well - it is my 45th birthday, my wife and mine 20th wedding anniversary, and my 20th work anniversary for which I will get a one time use extra 4 weeks of vacation, so need to think of what to use that for. Actually thinking of Europe which would, of course, include a stop at Disneyland Paris

Yes we are also making a strategy for the future. I have Southwest credits that expire September 2022 and I would really like to use those. We had to cancel trips to Dallas and D.C. this year, so I would like to reschedule one of those before then!

I want to do a DL ABD trip, too. Maybe in 2023!

 

[gottalovepluto]

I think they need to find the loopholes, address them, and move forward. There could be another new, unknown virus that could come in the future. They should use this opportunity to learn.

It’s not like the industry has been sitting on their laurels. But when you can’t operate Covid free cruises from SINGAPORE...

 

[sky13]

Actually interestingly the latest I'm reading about the Singapore cruise ship (I'm following this closely given that I live in Singapore) is that the re-test of the passenger is negative. Source is the local newspaper https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...-negative-of-covid-19-6-new-imported-cases-in posted 19 minutes ago.

Hopefully they'll have more information soon, we're all very curious about the case...

 

[hertamaniac]

It’s not like the industry has been sitting on their laurels. But when you can’t operate Covid free cruises from SINGAPORE...

A question I would have is this a result of a human error and/or protocol. It certainly doesn't bode well, but also wonder if this is a false positive. I also presume that the protocol is not the 40 pager via the CDC.

 

[rteetz]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1336680630629830657

 

[jerry557]

That Royal Caribbean cruise to no where out of Singapore that was one of their test cruises is now in quarantine and heading back to port as an 80+ year old passenger tested positive for COVID while onboard. It was the 3rd test cruise for RC.
https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5780/

Ultimately, we will have to decide whether to have cruises and live with the virus, or just do away with them entirely. If we go back to cruising at a level that a company could realistically turn a profit, someone is going to test positive no matter what measures are put in place. You can hose down the whole ship in bleach every day, take temperatures, and do daily tests and someone will STILL test positive eventually. If that is something that we can't have happen and accept....then the cruising industry is finished. A vaccine will help, but getting enough people vaccinated to stop the spread is many months and perhaps even more than a year away. And we don't know how effective or how long the vaccine lasts either! So ultimately some big decisions will need to be made next year with cruising.

And you also have to consider the quality and value of the vacation. If the COVID measures are so restrictive and such a hassle to deal with, would you even pay money to go on such a so-called vacation?

 

[only hope]

I just spent an ENTIRE day in EPCOT from open til 9PM without seeing a single character. No cavalcades, no Mary or Alice in England. I even walked super slowly by Garden Grill trying to get a glimpse of the mouse, but no dice. We weren’t by Figment during daylight, so I don’t know if Joy or Pooh were there. I really find that unacceptable. EPCOT’s just a bar with a few rides now - if you’re willing to wait an hour for them.

I saw Mary Poppins, Joy, and Pooh. Pooh came out as soon as Joy left. Timing is everything! I didn’t see an calvacades though.

I just hope we can all agree it’s time for MSEP to die it’s slow painful death.

Excuse me, MSEP is the best parade ever.

were you within six feet of the same stranger for more than 15 minutes without a mask while exiting, if not CDC would consider it safe.

CDC/scientific studies now show that it only takes 15mn of exposure over the course of 24 hours to get infected. This is why the current crowd levels that make distancing extremely difficult/impossible,
the elimination of distancing on omnimovers, the elimination of distancing with plexiglass/plastic as a barrier, and no distancing in queues where there is plexiglass alarming and extremely risky.

 

[andyman8]

A question I would have is this a result of a human error and/or protocol. It certainly doesn't bode well, but also wonder if this is a false positive. I also presume that the protocol is not the 40 pager via the CDC.

My understanding is that these test cruises are “tests” for the American “tests,” and are generally following the health and safety protocols they expect to follow in the U.S.

While an unpopular opinion here, cruises are inherently extremely high risk. There’s not really any “loophole” you can close without changing the experience to the point where it nullifies the tight profit margins (which the companies aren’t going to do). It’s kind of like opening a casino without gambling. Given how cruises operate, passengers behave, and air on the ship circulates, if someone walks on the ship incubating the virus, which statistically there’s a much higher change of in the U.S than in Singapore, it’s highly likely that it’ll spread in some capacity.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Could they not do something at the stadium where they hold Fantasmic? I mean, it's outdoors, you can easily seat people within social distancing guidelines.

Althought the Fantasmic 'stadium' seats 5000ish people, when you add social distancing it greatly reduces that number.

I feel there would be a TON of disappointed people if they attempted to hold something there as such a small percentage of people would be able to fit in socially distanced.

 

[Eric Smith]

And therein lies WDW’s prob. Not enough are. Can’t imagine they’d be pushing out this weirdo celebrate/please don’t celebrate situation if they weren’t looking at some nasty on-site numbers.

Alas something tells me people aren’t gonna drop their NYE plans and rush off to WDW to stay on-site with the news they will be allowed to pay Disney prices for booze at the pool bar after midnight.

I think they aren't doing the NYE fireworks because they would get slaughtered in the press.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I think they aren't doing the NYE fireworks because they would get slaughtered in the press.

I'm sure it's this, also. They got hammered when they had the packed hub the night before they closed the parks.

 

[FrankieWinthrop]

Agree. A few pages ago someone made the comment that charging for FP+ with things right now would be highway robbery. Quite honestly, I think charging full price for a ticket right now is highway robbery - reduced hours, reduced entertainment, reduced stores & restaurants, reduced characters, no FP+ etc...

I agree as well! I'm in a bit of a pickle as my son is on the tail-end of his first AP since he turned 3. His expires Jan. 30th. The rest of ours (me, DH, and DD) don't expire until July. With the cost the way it is right now with diminished experiences and capacity/park reservations, we don't plan to renew right away. If I renew his, it'd really be only for 6 months. We plan to go in Jan/Feb and maybe once more before ours expire, but I really don't want to pay for a single ticket for him for each trip as I may as well just pay for the whole year AP. I wish there was a way we could get his to match up with ours - like pay for half a year or something. I wouldn't mind a little pixie dust either, but I'm sure 6 months is a lot to ask.

 

[Krandor]

My understanding is that these test cruises are “tests” for the American “tests,” and are generally following the health and safety protocols they expect to follow in the U.S.

While an unpopular opinion here, cruises are inherently extremely high risk. There’s not really any “loophole” you can close without changing the experience to the point where it nullifies the tight profit margins (which the companies aren’t going to do). It’s kind of like opening a casino without gambling. Given how cruises operate, passengers behave, and air on the ship circulates, if someone walks on the ship incubating the virus, which statistically there’s a much higher change of in the U.S than in Singapore, it’s highly likely that it’ll spread in some capacity.

Cruises have alwaays been higher risk even for flu and the like. However they alread have some procedures in place like most do require proof of certain vaccinations. By this time next year I think covid will be added to that list. and I could see some countries like the bahamas making it a requirement as well for a ship to dock there.

 

[MassJester]

Character dining has me confused. I’ve seen lists of places that are still doing the character experience, and Crystal Palace doesn’t appear on them, yet comes up on MDE when searching for character dining options.

 

[AvidDisReader]

And therein lies WDW’s prob. Not enough are. Can’t imagine they’d be pushing out this weirdo celebrate/please don’t celebrate situation if they weren’t looking at some nasty on-site numbers.

Alas something tells me people aren’t gonna drop their NYE plans and rush off to WDW to stay on-site with the news they will be allowed to pay Disney prices for booze at the pool bar after midnight.

So what's the alternative? Stay locked up in your home with no family to celibrate with due to a whole bunch of Govenors orders (that they themselves do not follow)? There are a good many people who are so tired of this that they WILL pay Disney's prices to blow off a little steam and try to forget 2020 ever happened. Do not be surprised to see NYE is totally booked out -- and hear the outcry by many of how horrible it is that there are so many people have gathered together.

 

[rteetz]

Character dining has me confused. I’ve seen lists of places that are still doing the character experience, and Crystal Palace doesn’t appear on them, yet comes up on MDE when searching for character dining options.

Crystal Palace does not currently have any character experiences.

 

[SaintsManiac]

So what's the alternative? Stay locked up in your home with no family to celibrate with due to a whole bunch of Govenors orders (that they themselves do not follow)? There are a good many people who are so tired of this that they WILL pay Disney's prices to blow off a little steam and try to forget 2020 ever happened. Do not be surprised to see NYE is totally booked out -- and hear the outcry by many of how horrible it is that there are so many people have gathered together.

I will be shocked if onsite is "totally booked out."

 

[Krandor]

So what's the alternative? Stay locked up in your home with no family to celibrate with due to a whole bunch of Govenors orders (that they themselves do not follow)? There are a good many people who are so tired of this that they WILL pay Disney's prices to blow off a little steam and try to forget 2020 ever happened. Do not be surprised to see NYE is totally booked out -- and hear the outcry by many of how horrible it is that there are so many people have gathered together.

There are a lot of other options between stay at home and WDW.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

So what's the alternative? Stay locked up in your home with no family to celibrate with due to a whole bunch of Govenors orders (that they themselves do not follow)? There are a good many people who are so tired of this that they WILL pay Disney's prices to blow off a little steam and try to forget 2020 ever happened. Do not be surprised to see NYE is totally booked out -- and hear the outcry by many of how horrible it is that there are so many people have gathered together.

I don’t think someone who wants a normal, pre-covid NYE will pay premium Disney prices to drink strawberry daiquiris at the resort pool bar until midnight.

They will find somewhere offering a more normal NYE experience.

 

[Krandor]

I don’t think someone who wants a normal, pre-covid NYE will pay premium Disney prices to drink strawberry daiquiris at the resort pool bar until midnight.

They will find somewhere offering a more normal NYE experience.

and if the want fireworks and want to come to orlando go down the road to seaworld.

I plan to stay home and MAYBE go to my local bar. Have little plans beyond that.