Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[wdwlver]

There are tons all over right now! All these people that are saying they're going to cancel their vacations because "these restrictions are just too much." These restrictions have been talked about for months, and rumors that are heavily discussed here have all been pointing in this direction. I get remaining hopeful about your own vacation, but the writing has been on the wall for Disney's opening conditions for a long time.

Well pardon us if we choose to wait for official word instead of “writing on the the wall” before canceling.

 

[SwirlTheCitrus]

Bloomberg interview on now - asked about why a month after universal - among other things, Chapek said new reservation system will take some time for new reservations on books now to be switched over to new system. WHAT????
ETA: he said the millions of existing reservations they currently have on books - WHAT again? Surely not hotels? Fast passes maybe????

Hotels, too, hopefully!

 

[SarahC97]

Well I'm booked for Wilderness Lodge starting on 7/27, so we shall see...

 

[Mit88]

Plenty is no all the NBA at CSR or at CSR at one more. That directly sounds like hotel consolidation which most on here expected. If you want to control capacity at the parks, lower capacity at resorts helps.

Yup.

Like they dont need every All Star resort open, probably 1 or 2.
1 of French Quarter or Riverside
1 of Beach Club or Yacht Club
1 of Riviera or CBR

I think most, or all of the DVC resorts will be open, even if theyre consolidated ala BC/YC. But they need people to start putting their points to use

Saw this on the Disney Parks Blog:

At this time, we are temporarily pausing new ticket sales and Disney Resort hotel reservations so we can focus on guests with existing tickets and reservations (Disney Vacation Club members can still make new reservations).

This was obviously what was going on. They’re basically just restarting the system. It had nothing to do with NBA players or closing a majority of the hotels. Some will be closed, but this gives them time to adjust and strategize. It’ll probably be a week or two before we hear what hotels will be open

 

[OnceUponATime15]

So will parks be open to DVC then?!?

Not until July 11 & 15th.

Unless - soft opening to include DVC guests??

 

[Krandor]

said people are hesitant to cancel their reservations, so they have enough demand

Which is true based on here. We've seen a lot of people who didn't want to cancel their reservation just in case they were going to be open those days. Now the M-word and other things may change that for some people

 

[SarahC97]

Sounds like they're going to have to shuffle people around with existing reservations. That's smart. Tomorrow is supposed to be my Fastpass day. LOL

 

[OnceUponATime15]

Bloomberg interview on now - asked about why a month after universal - among other things, Chapek said new reservation system will take some time for new reservations on books now to be switched over to new system. WHAT????
ETA: he said the millions of existing reservations they currently have on books - WHAT again? Surely not hotels? Fast passes maybe????

Bob has a whole lot of faith in Disney’s IT department.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I feel really bad for DVC renters in that couple week period.

 

[LSUmiss]

I have a July 18th check in and I just snagged a Hyatt Place Lake Buena Vista for $93 a night. For the July people it might be smart to grab a backup hotel offsite while the prices are really low today (most hotels are closed).

My backup plan is the Dolphin.

 

[andyman8]

I'm genuinely curious how you the DVC openings will work. Do they operate just the DVC sides of mixed-use resorts? For some, they'd have to at least open some of the "hotel-side" facilities. I don't know how you check in to Poly Villas without the GCH. If you're operating those facilities, why not just open some regular rooms for booking. I don't know.

 

[rteetz]

I feel really bad for DVC renters in that couple week period.

It’s a tough situation since there are contracts there and ownership interests. Some certainly will just travel to stay at a DVC resort,

 

[RamblingMad]

Bob has a whole lot of faith in Disney’s IT department.

Didn’t they lay them off and out source their IT?

 

[Krandor]

I'm genuinely curious how you the DVC openings will work. Do they operate just the DVC sides of mixed-use resorts? For some, they'd have to at least open some of the "hotel-side" facilities. I don't know how you check in to Poly Villas without the GCH. If you're operating those facilities, why not just open some regular rooms for booking. I don't know.

I expect they will be operating with a very small skeleton crew.

 

[TexasChick123]

DVC resorts reopening on June 22. No thanks. I can hang out in my pool in my backyard for free. I go to WDW to go to the parks. I won’t be wasting my precious points on DVC with no parks. Looks like we won’t be back until October. That’s 2 Disney trips cancelled this year. One in April and now this end of June trip.

 

[NJlauren]

I think for a business stand point his comment about demand is valid.

I think he was saying the people who are scared to travel, and go to a theme park have already canceled, the people who are open to a modified experience ie masks, haven’t. It does give them an idea of general demand.

 

[xuxa777]

as I've been saying. Mid July. The only surprise was an agreement to open epcot earlier than planned but that was due to a compromise. There is still a lot of details working. Reservations, more virtual queues, modified fps.

Yup, right there with you.

The details that you mention is going to be a mess , IT nightmare, IT changes/updates in regular times was rough can only imagine how difficult it will ne now, epsecially moving to a new back office reservations system

 

[Stewa646]

Hm hopefully some more clarification soon. I have 19th-24th and 5 day park hopper tickets booked though a Costco package. Obviously assuming their won't be any park hopping, so hoping I'll be able modify somehow and get money back instead of having to cancel the whole trip.

 

[andyman8]

I expect they will be operating with a very small skeleton crew.

By they, do you mean the cash-side as well? Just the cash-side facilities?

 

[DGsAtBLT]

It’s a tough situation since there are contracts there and ownership interests. Some certainly will just travel to stay at a DVC resort,

Oh I know why they had to do it from an owners perspective, I just feel bad for the renters specifically. Resorts open but parks closed means chargebacks likely won’t work anymore and who knows if they’ll even be offered vouchers anymore.

They’re out a real trip and likely a lot of money too.