Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[LSUmiss]

Heres the thing. We all get that Disney doesn't know when they will open. And someone can say "Well, if you rebooked for June you knew that may not happen", but that isn't true. Yes we knew they were closed in March and then April, but no one knew then how long this would last or what the actual impact would be. I am not blaming Disney. I think they didn't know either HOWEVER, I believe a HUGE problem lies in how Disney has trained their guests. All of us know for a successful trip to Disney one must PLAN, PLAN, PLAN. So you have guests booking reservations 180 days out, fast passes 60 days out. Disney fans are so used to micromanaging every second of the day because we have to. (Now I know there are a few fans who don't do this, but I am talking about the majority). We are programed to plan because we are rewarded to by Disney. The frustration now stems from that. You have people planing and replaning trips over and over and the bottomline is, it's all unknown. No one knows how the future is going to work. We can't plan these trips like we have in the past and that is where the root of the frustration comes and it is understandable. Until Disney is transparent about how this works and what the future plan is, people will be frustrated. When you train your guests to plan everything out down to ride times, it is really hard to then back track and be vague about everything for the future.

Yes & I also find it disappointing that they won’t honor the price you were booked under the first time. That makes it more frustrating to give ppl an offer you have no intention of fulfilling. And I get things are fluid, blah blah, but then honor the price ppl were booked under no matter when you have to reschedule them to.

 

[gottalovepluto]

If you are frustrated, why would you still be booking when you know everything is still up in the air and you are likely to have the same outcome later this summer?

Hope

 

[SaintsManiac]

Yes & I also find it disappointing that they won’t honor the price you were booked under the first time. That makes it more frustrating to give ppl an offer you have no intention of fulfilling. And I get things are fluid, blah blah, but then honor the price ppl were booked under no matter when you have to reschedule them to.

But you don't know that they won't. They are doing it for DLP. They might do it for WDW.

This is when having a TA comes in handy.

 

[nashvilleash]

This situation is Unprecedented, sure, fluid, sure but having the hope of a Disney trip, for me, alleviates the stress of all the doom and gloom

 

[gottalovepluto]

Rough morning around here... I find myself missing The Great Mask Debate...

 

[SaintsManiac]

This situation is Unprecedented, sure, fluid, sure but having the hope of a Disney trip, for me, alleviates the stress of all the doom and gloom

I totally get that. It just seems it would be more stressful than hopeful not knowing anything this summer.

 

[gottalovepluto]

But you don't know that they won't. They are doing it for DLP. They might do it for WDW.

This is when having a TA comes in handy.

Having a TA will make zero difference on if Disney will honor the rate. If you booked a group rate through a TA that is different but only one or two agencies are big enough to take on the financial risk of doing group bookings like that.

 

[LSUmiss]

This is exactly how I feel. I was actually just telling my husband this this morning. I feel that the real frustration people are having with this is all the work they are having to put in and then put in again because of the way Disney makes you plan for a successful trip. I was fortunate enough to not have a vacation cancelled but have been trying to run defense on my early July trip (scheduled since last year) for what feels like forever. It’s honestly exhausting and I would have given up already if I didn’t have military tickets wrapped up in it that I probably can’t recoup costs on.

That’s definitely the main thing for me. My dates are very flexible. I can go whenever. I have June & July booked. But my tickets are only linked to June so my fast passes etc are linked to that reservation. I can move them & plan July, but June is cheaper, has better flights for us & is better schedule-wise so I don’t want to give that up yet if it’s not officially over.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Having a TA will make zero difference on if Disney will honor the rate. If you booked a group rate through a TA that is different but only one or two agencies are big enough to take on the financial risk of doing group bookings like that.

That isn't what I meant. I meant they deal with all of the phone calls, the hold times, etc.

 

[SierraT]

They said just because they’re taking reservations for June doesn’t mean they will necessarily be opening in June. They made that statement last week.

FWIW, I still think a June opening might be the plan but it could be severely limited.

My husband just said let it ride and see what happens, then we’ll reschedule to another time. I was thinking of moving it and then forgot the cast members here will post if people are going to be called back (I think it’s either Saturday or Sunday). I think we can figure it out when they let us know if the schedules come out this week given it’s so close to June 1 now.

 

[LSUmiss]

But you don't know that they won't. They are doing it for DLP. They might do it for WDW.

This is when having a TA comes in handy.

July is booked with a TA. But my June trip is cheaper so I’m trying to hold on to that if I can.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

It’s not just Disney.

Things that are not cancelled already are up in the air. The only way people know things with certainty at this point is when those things have been flat out cancelled. Lots of postponing of things until inevitable cancellations. Lots of vouchers, credits, instead of flat out refunds.

I think overall Disney has done a really good job making it really easy for their guests to cancel if they’re not happy or comfortable, and hassle free refunds. Not being able to give definitive dates for people to plan is the nature of this pandemic. If you want a shot at going this summer this is what it looks like. The alternative is them pulling the plug on all of it and telling people no chance until July, until fall, until January, etc.

 

[LSUmiss]

Rough morning around here... I find myself missing The Great Mask Debate...

Me too. It’s such an emotional rollercoaster lol. When the mask thing was being debated, I found myself hoping they would take the option out of my hands & just be closed b/c I was really opposed to wearing one in the summer heat. Well now that they might be, I don’t like that either! Lol!

 

[LSUmiss]

Hope

And for those with little kids, their age is a huge factor. Next year won’t be the same as far as what DS is into etc. It might be more, but it might be less. And with little kids everything is FLUID () so I’m big on seizing the moment whenever I can. So I will hold out hope until it really is over.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

And for those with little kids, their age is a huge factor. Next year won’t be the same as far as what DS is into etc. It might be more, but it might be less. And with little kids everything is FLUID () so I’m big on seizing the moment whenever I can. So I will hold out hope until it really is over.

I’m still really bummed we’re missing out on going to Animal Kingdom during what I think is the height of my 4 year olds animal obsession. Can totally relate to that.

 

[LSUmiss]

One thing I am thankful for is having the dis to vent these hopes & frustrations lol. If I talked to ppl in the real world (including my own DH) about it this much, ppl would think I’m crazy!

 

[Farro]

Hope

This situation is Unprecedented, sure, fluid, sure but having the hope of a Disney trip, for me, alleviates the stress of all the doom and gloom

And for those with little kids, their age is a huge factor. Next year won’t be the same as far as what DS is into etc. It might be more, but it might be less. And with little kids everything is FLUID () so I’m big on seizing the moment whenever I can. So I will hold out hope until it really is over.

Perfectly reasonable.

But at this point you are going in with your eyes open and I don't think Disney holds any blame if you are cancelled again.

 

[LSUmiss]

Perfectly reasonable.

But at this point you are going in with your eyes open and I don't think Disney holds any blame if you are cancelled again.

I don’t blame them. I do think they should honor your existing price & think they should make a statement like although we are only taking July reservations now we still hope to at least partially open in June if possible or say they won’t be opening at all in June if they know they can’t.

 

[GusGusTheMouse]

And for those with little kids, their age is a huge factor. Next year won’t be the same as far as what DS is into etc. It might be more, but it might be less. And with little kids everything is FLUID () so I’m big on seizing the moment whenever I can. So I will hold out hope until it really is over.

I WISH I had that mindset! Except for this situation...

I’m a big “plan for the worst and be pleasantly surprised if it works out” type person. Usually, I think that hurts me, but in this pandemic I think it is protecting me from a lot of disappointment.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Perfectly reasonable.

But at this point you are going in with your eyes open and I don't think Disney holds any blame if you are cancelled again.

Heck I have a backup week picked for 2021 if May doesn't work out!