Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Grumpy by Birth]

Yup. We we were scheduled to leave for WDW the day before they closed. The day before they announced closing it hadn’t even occurred to us as a possibility. Within 48 hrs we went from packing the car to unpacking suitcases. It’s the Disney way.

Same here. Park closures were announced the day before we were scheduled to leave. I had to scramble to cancel not just Disney reservations, but hotels on the way there to avoid cancellation fees (which would have been 100% for a 1-night stay).

We were halfway there on our drive when they closed. First trip for the kids. The range of emotions was crazy.

Ugh!

 

[SaintsManiac]

https://blogmickey.com/2020/05/disneyland-paris-cancels-reservations-through-july-14th/

 

[cakebaker]

https://blogmickey.com/2020/05/disneyland-paris-cancels-reservations-through-july-14th/

Well now we know about Shanghai and Paris, maybe they'll get to the domestic parks soon.

 

[preemiemama]

Well now we know about Shanghai and Paris, maybe they'll get to the domestic parks soon.

I sure hope so! I've got trip planned (like you and several others here) at the end of June/beginning of July. It's on DVC points, and I'm contemplating my options with about 3 weeks left before my 30 day deadline for points to be put into holding. Currently they are not exercising that option, but the last update said "for reservations in the next 30 days". It's possible they open resorts and DS before parks, so I feel a little like I'm in a balancing act trying to decide what to do! Some information in the next couple weeks would be helpful!

 

[Moliphino]

Well now we know about Shanghai and Paris, maybe they'll get to the domestic parks soon.

That's not saying they'll be open on July 15th, just that their closure will definitely last until at least the 14th. It could still be extended.

 

[SaintsManiac]

That's not saying they'll be open on July 15th, just that their closure will definitely last until at least the 14th. It could still be extended.

It would still be nice if Disney would come out with a date like this. People fly and drive in from all over. The clock is ticking on them.

 

[cakebaker]

That's not saying they'll be open on July 15th, just that their closure will definitely last until at least the 14th. It could still be extended.

Thanks, I understand that.

 

[Sandiz08]

Nice that DLP is offering a voucher for credit towards a new booking of equal type vacation.

 

[tlmadden73]

I am surprised WDW hasn't announced a date yet or closed them further out in June .. they must be trying REAL hard to open by June 1st. With still allowing NEW reservations staring June 1st (as far as I can tell) .. just seems getting too close .. making it harder and harder to open up and deal with existing reservations.

Who knows .. they may announce it later today .. I am sure they have a lot of logistics to worry about to deal with existing reservations. They will have to have a lot of refund cash on hand and potentially worry about offering "please come back later" deals to all those affected.

 

[helloconnie]

Looking at the Florida figures the last week or so, I think the 1st June date is unlikely. Deaths aren't dropping much, and there is evidence that the number of new cases is sneaking back up the last week or so. Far, far too early to start opening back up the state yet.

Hard to tell.... For good or bad, I don't think the decision will be solely based on the pandemic figures. These will be going up again. White House model predicts an increase somewhere between 1,800 to 3,000 deaths per day as soon as June 1. Businesses are reopening regardless of the pandemic numbers at this point.

Considerations to reopening:
First, not all counties in FL have started to open, including Miami/Dade, the largest population area in FL - this would go against Disney reopening
Second, Economics - the entire reason states like FL are reopening has to due with money (just stating a fact). With the theme parks being huge revenue generators for the state, I am sure there is pressure to reopen. - this would go towards Disney re-opening.
Third, Logistics - Disney needs time to get all their systems in place to handle the changes. For example, the reservation system, dining reservation system and park entry system needs to be updated for the new capacity limitations. Any new virtual queues are also big changes. These are IT projects that require coding and testing. Other areas are easier to change, such as taping off 6 ft. intervals and queuing changes. Disney will not reopen until these are in place.
Forth, Disney Springs - as many have stated, Disney Springs will probably open first. I think that announcement might come fairly soon. But keep in mind that bars cannot open under FL Phase I.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I am surprised WDW hasn't announced a date yet or closed them further out in June .. they must be trying REAL hard to open by June 1st. With still allowing NEW reservations staring June 1st (as far as I can tell) .. just seems getting too close .. making it harder and harder to open up and deal with existing reservations.

Who knows .. they may announce it later today .. I am sure they have a lot of logistics to worry about to deal with existing reservations. They will have to have a lot of refund cash on hand and potentially worry about offering "please come back later" deals to all those affected.

I think they’ll hold back as long as they can in order to make sure when they open, they can open. I’m watching for rumblings of CMs being called back- like many others here. Once that happens I suspect a big increase in leaks of target opening dates and then probably an announcement from the Mouse House within short order.

 

[ruthies12]

When did this Phone CM tell her they will be open on May 16th?? Obviously we know Phone CM's are NOTORIOUSLY INACCURATE, but even for them, it is very reckless of that person to tell someone such a definitive date....

It was just a few days ago lol. I know how inaccurate they are and I tried very hard to impress that upon my mom's friend, but she is insisting that she heard it directly from Disney and they accepted her final 30 day payment on her package so it must be true. She says the CM told her they are "opening on May 16th for sure" and her June 1st trip "is a definite go."

I just feel so bad for her grandkids who are going to be completely blindsided if they don't open on time. I know how me and my kids felt when we found out about our March 14th trip on March 12th.

 

[rstevens333]

I'd be good with having to reserve AP days in advance, if it means they can reopen more safely. It's just Star Wars boarding groups on a bigger scale. They could even limit you to 4-6 hour slots, to allow for park hopping.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

It would still be nice if Disney would come out with a date like this. People fly and drive in from all over. The clock is ticking on them.

I am surprised WDW hasn't announced a date yet or closed them further out in June .. they must be trying REAL hard to open by June 1st. With still allowing NEW reservations staring June 1st (as far as I can tell) .. just seems getting too close .. making it harder and harder to open up and deal with existing reservations.

Who knows .. they may announce it later today .. I am sure they have a lot of logistics to worry about to deal with existing reservations. They will have to have a lot of refund cash on hand and potentially worry about offering "please come back later" deals to all those affected.

I feel like Disney, if they're not opening June 1st, should hopefully tell the public soon. Letting (encouraging) people book the free dining deals for June 1st and then having to move them AGAIN might make people feel like it's not worth the bother. Also, Disney may refund you, but Delta or other airlines won't. I have a Spirit credit for my cancelled March trip but when I looked at June there weren't even many flights available. If Disney decides it's safe to reopen, people still need to be able to get there lol.

Hard to tell.... For good or bad, I don't think the decision will be solely based on the pandemic figures. These will be going up again. White House model predicts an increase somewhere between 1,800 to 3,000 deaths per day as soon as June 1. Businesses are reopening regardless of the pandemic numbers at this point.

Considerations to reopening:
First, not all counties in FL have started to open, including Miami/Dade, the largest population area in FL - this would go against Disney reopening
Second, Economics - the entire reason states like FL are reopening has to due with money (just stating a fact). With the theme parks being huge revenue generators for the state, I am sure there is pressure to reopen. - this would go towards Disney re-opening.
Third, Logistics - Disney needs time to get all their systems in place to handle the changes. For example, the reservation system, dining reservation system and park entry system needs to be updated for the new capacity limitations. Any new virtual queues are also big changes. These are IT projects that require coding and testing. Other areas are easier to change, such as taping off 6 ft. intervals and queuing changes. Disney will not reopen until these are in place.
Forth, Disney Springs - as many have stated, Disney Springs will probably open first. I think that announcement might come fairly soon. But keep in mind that bars cannot open under FL Phase I.

This thought scares me haha, given how unreliable Disney IT can be! They've already been having some slight issues with us Passholders whose passes expire before June. According to Disney, my pass will be extended. In the computer it expires May 10th (I'm sure they don't want to make those changes until they have a solid opening date). This causes issues with things like AP discounts and fastpasses for trips that will technically fall under the extension of the pass.

Wait & see, wait & see, but I hate being patient.

 

[goofystitch]

There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow
Shining at the end of every day
There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow
And tomorrow's just a dream away . . .

Singing in my rose-colored glasses

 

[tlmadden73]

I feel like Disney, if they're not opening June 1st, should hopefully tell the public soon. Letting (encouraging) people book the free dining deals for June 1st and then having to move them AGAIN might make people feel like it's not worth the bother. Also, Disney may refund you, but Delta or other airlines won't. I have a Spirit credit for my cancelled March trip but when I looked at June there weren't even many flights available. If Disney decides it's safe to reopen, people still need to be able to get there lol.

True .. that what makes me think that they won't be opening on June 1st .. at least to "normal" vacation packages.

I mean . .it seems like it would make sense they just open up to Florida residents or AP holders. They can open restaurants, they can run rides at low capacity. That also helps make it safer without bringing in potential virus carries from who knows where.

I would think the more they can open to locals as opposed to "vacationers" is better (plus.. there is no idea how many people would be willing (or ABLE) to vacation there in a few weeks whether they have a booked trip or not)

(I am still on the fence (Mid-June trip .. also doing the impatient "wait and see").

 

[KayMichigan]

It was just a few days ago lol. I know how inaccurate they are and I tried very hard to impress that upon my mom's friend, but she is insisting that she heard it directly from Disney and they accepted her final 30 day payment on her package so it must be true. She says the CM told her they are "opening on May 16th for sure" and her June 1st trip "is a definite go."

I just feel so bad for her grandkids who are going to be completely blindsided if they don't open on time. I know how me and my kids felt when we found out about our March 14th trip on March 12th.

I sure hope your mother's friend got that CM's name so when it doesn't happen, she can tell whoever she talks to to cancel her hotel room who told her they were opening.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

I sure hope Disney makes an announcement of some sort of plan soon. I'd like to get flights booked for my June 20th trip if I can but I'm afraid to book anything nonrefundable at this point and I feel for people who have trips planned earlier, my mom's friend is booked for June 1st and she planned that trip last year. She was told by a phone CM that they are opening May 16th and she is ordering groceries from garden grocer and making plans based on that and already has plane tickets.

I wonder when we'll hear from Universal. Not that this necessarily means anything but I have an AP to Universal that was set to expire in September and has already been extended to December 15th. Based on my calculations if they are only extending for the number of days that they are closed then my extension would put them opening on June 15th. Of course another extension could always be forthcoming but I wonder if they are aiming for June 15th and that's why they put that date. Or if they just picked a random date lol.....

phone CMs... U.G.H.
Is the friend of Mom’s planning to be in the parks? The parks are closed up to May 23rd. They’ve been canceling resort reservations & park hours a week at a time with the next round of reservation & park hours possibly cancelled by this weeks end. Which would be May 24 to 30th.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow
Shining at the end of every day
There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow
And tomorrow's just a dream away . . .

Singing in my rose-colored glasses

Joined you & turned your solo into a duet!

 

[Duck143]

We have AP's that expire in 4 days and our backup trip is the second week of June. I am DYING to hear anything about a reopening date because we have to tie up loose ends with planning if we are in fact going in June. If June isn't going to happen, I have a backup for my backup booked for September, but that brings me back to my first sentence with our AP's expiring 4 days from now. Will Disney be closed long enough for our passes to cover our September trip? We also need to move our flights too.