Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[yulilin3]

I am so tired of the “will they open” or “won’t they open” back and forth with Disney that I just made Universal reservations for the same time frame as our early July trip. Even though they should probably open at the same time, they seem more ahead of Disney and a Uni trip won’t stress me out so much with all the planning.

Universal right now In all seriousness, a Universal vacation is amazing, hopefully Frog Choir and Ragtime Galls will be entertaining by then

 

[UOAP]

agreed. They could always retract the 2 weeks if they wanted to, but they’re definitely not giving out free weeks. Just strange they’d make that decision to mark it at 3 months rather than keep it rolling until they know for sure. The 3 month mark is still a month away. We don’t know what things will look like by then

I've been a UO passholder a while and they wouldn't take away what they already gave. That's just not their style. It'd be more likely they would give us the 2 weeks free. They are always adding perks at the last minute, increasing discounts, taking away blackout dates, etc.

 

[leahgoogle]

No, what temp do they consider she can't enter?

I read that Shanghai Disney is screening for temps of 99.3 or above! My daughter runs that on a normal day. Our schools don't consider it a fever until 100.3 for that reason. Some people just naturally run higher.

 

[AmberMV]

Their tier system is completely different, and though they are a big duo in Orlando, Universal and Disney are very different with different offerings. For instance, their top tier pass at Universal is half the price of the top tier pass at Disney. Universal's lowest tier pass is under the price of Disney's lowest tier for similar (but not the same!) benefits. The point is, Universal is definitely appearing to be more outgoing and offering more communication than Disney is.

Also didn't Universal recall their TMs for a June 1 opening?

 

[Jrb1979]

They opened City Walk with just 3 days notice to guests. Their TMs are being called back into the parks. And they’re giving big discounts to AP holders to go to City Walk and shop. They are far above the curve than Disney is currently, and its not even close

They have been that way for awhile now. I have heard their customer service has been better as well as how they treat their Team Members.

 

[AmberMV]

D

I've been a UO passholder a while and they wouldn't take away what they already gave. That's just not their style. It'd be more likely they would give us the 2 weeks free. They are always adding perks at the last minute, increasing discounts, taking away blackout dates, etc.

Disney phone CMs have repeatedly told me that Disney WILL NOT be opening blockout dates for APs...regardless of when Disney reopens.

 

[Tjddis]

Disney is also scrutinized much more closely in the media for just about everything. Their brand identity sets the bar high, so people have very high expectations. I don’t think they’ll be racing to open if Universal ends up opening earlier than Disney planned to.

If Universal opens too early, it won’t have the same effect as if Disney does. Disney is held to a different standard.

Disney holds themselves to a higher standard so shouldn’t we? You don’t get to be a strong brand (and charge high prices) without raising expectations. To whom much is given much is expected. And is it really asking too much to look for better communication? If these June cancellations are for real than they have a plan. I don’t blame them for trying to be flexible with their plan in this uncertain time. And they don’t need to tell me chapter and verse of every possible scenario. But is it really asking too much for a press release of a video saying “we wanted to open 6/1, we were trying to open 6/1 but we can’t due to circumstances beyond our control”. Instead people get blindsided with cancellation emails and we have to watch an unaffiliated message board to learn of I? Lastly I get the rolling cancellations for May. But they are the ones that put 6/1 as a date with expectations. It’s not their fault it doesn’t work. But they should take ownership of the fact they put it out there and get in front of the shortfall

 

[RamblingMad]

I read that Shanghai Disney is screening for temps of 99.3 or above! My daughter runs that on a normal day. Our schools don't consider it a fever until 100.3 for that reason. Some people just naturally run higher.

You have to hold everyone to the same standard to move people quickly through check points.

And how does that conversation go? My daughter runs hot. How does the employee know that you’re not lying to get your kid into the park?

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

You’re not the first person I’ve heard say that. Universal being more proactive could very well benefit them greatly because Disney doesn’t seem to know what the heck they’re doing right now

And USO’s pass is a lot cheaper, which is really attractive right now. If Disney limits things like shows & fireworks it’ll definitely lose some value for me. At Universal, I just want to ride roller coasters.

 

[Eric Smith]

Disney holds themselves to a higher standard so shouldn’t we? You don’t get to be a strong brand (and charge high prices) without raising expectations. To whom much is given much is expected. And is it really asking too much to look for better communication? If these June cancellations are for real than they have a plan. I don’t blame them for trying to be flexible with their plan in this uncertain time. And they don’t need to tell me chapter and verse of every possible scenario. But is it really asking too much for a press release of a video saying “we wanted to open 6/1, we were trying to open 6/1 but we can’t due to circumstances beyond our control”. Instead people get blindsided with cancellation emails and we have to watch an unaffiliated message board to learn of I? Lastly I get the rolling cancellations for May. But they are the ones that put 6/1 as a date with expectations. It’s not their fault it doesn’t work. But they should take ownership of the fact they put it out there and get in front of the shortfall

I seriously doubt anyone was blindsided by the cancellation emails. Unless one was living under a rock, they know what the situation is. Disney hasn't announced an opening date because they probably don't know the exact date. I would guess that we'll see an announcement about a week before the parks actually open so that they can be sure that they will be able to open.

 

[jknezek]

I don’t disagree, they’re both doing the best they can in a very frustrating and terrible situation for all. And maybe it’s a little because we don’t hear about Universal ghost cancelling reservations when they absolutely might be. But they also didn’t incentivized cancelled guests to book a new trip at a time that wasn’t guaranteed to be opened. Disney could easily make things right for those people in the end, but right now, for those cancelled on multiple times without a word from Disney, I don’t blame them for being frustrated.

Nothing in this epidemic has been guaranteed. People made assumptions based on incomplete or simply bad data. However, had Disney's gamble paid off, Universal people would have been... upset... that Disney offered an incentive and Universal didn't.

I actually think Disney did make a misstep, but that misstep is not letting people who rebooked on free dining continue that rebooking in a similar window (Spring through late Summer) 2021. I do believe that has been Disney's biggest misstep.

Universal's big misstep was putting 6/1 as an opening and then having to go back on it. Disney has never said when they will reopen. Regardless of what people want to believe to justify their decisions. Universal literally told people when they would open, and it's very unlikely they will make that happen.

 

[Mit88]

Do you think they really have the resources to call everyone? It’s not doable.

What I do wonder is if they’re canceling folks that they think will spend the least per guest, or are the cancellations random to reduce attendance in the parks.

No one is expecting personal calls, nor did I say that. But something more than rolling ghost cancellations and now taking away incentives they gave to people to rebook would be nice.

 

[UOAP]

Their tier system is completely different, and though they are a big duo in Orlando, Universal and Disney are very different with different offerings. For instance, their top tier pass at Universal is half the price of the top tier pass at Disney. Universal's lowest tier pass is under the price of Disney's lowest tier for similar (but not the same!) benefits. The point is, Universal is definitely appearing to be more outgoing and offering more communication than Disney is.

Yes. Universal is still more of a local's park. They have the flexibility to be able to operate last minute more.

 

[yulilin3]

Nothing in this epidemic has been guaranteed. People made assumptions based on incomplete or simply bad data. However, had Disney's gamble paid off, Universal people would have been... upset... that Disney offered an incentive and Universal didn't.

I actually think Disney did make a misstep, but that misstep is not letting people who rebooked on free dining continue that rebooking in a similar window (Spring through late Summer) 2021. I do believe that has been Disney's biggest misstep.

Universal's big misstep was putting 6/1 as an opening and then having to go back on it. Disney has never said when they will reopen. Regardless of what people want to believe to justify their decisions. Universal literally told people when they would open, and it's very unlikely they will make that happen.

Universal never said they were reopening June 1.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

I seriously doubt anyone was blindsided by the cancellation emails. Unless one was living under a rock, they know what the situation is. Disney hasn't announced an opening date because they probably don't know the exact date. I would guess that we'll see an announcement about a week before the parks actually open so that they can be sure that they will be able to open.

Disney has consistently stated they are closed indefinitely, don't know when they'll open, and just because they are taking July reservations doesn't mean they'll open in July. There's a lot of uncertainty about when they can open, and I don't know that there's much more they can say/do. If they commit to a July 1 opening (for example), and there's a spike in cases or some other issue and they can't open, then people will be mad all over again. Disney pretty much can't win, other than saying they are closed indefinitely and that's what they've done.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Is it bad to say people aren’t as annoyed with Universal because nobody here cares quite as much? We’re the DISboards with a small Universal section that some people don’t even know exists, not the reverse.

 

[Mit88]

Nothing in this epidemic has been guaranteed. People made assumptions based on incomplete or simply bad data. However, had Disney's gamble paid off, Universal people would have been... upset... that Disney offered an incentive and Universal didn't.

I actually think Disney did make a misstep, but that misstep is not letting people who rebooked on free dining continue that rebooking in a similar window (Spring through late Summer) 2021. I do believe that has been Disney's biggest misstep.

Universal's big misstep was putting 6/1 as an opening and then having to go back on it. Disney has never said when they will reopen. Regardless of what people want to believe to justify their decisions. Universal literally told people when they would open, and it's very unlikely they will make that happen.

When did they say they were opening June 1st? They said they were closed through May 31st. That’s not saying they were opening June 1st. That’s like when they both first closed they initially said they were closed through March 31st. That never meant they were opening April 1st

 

[RamblingMad]

Yes. Universal is still more of a local's park. They have the flexibility to be able to operate last minute more.

Universal has always been a superior experience for me in FL. I now do Disney exclusively in CA. That might change based on what happens at EPCOT.

 

[jknezek]

Universal never said they were reopening June 1.

They said they were closed until 5/31. If you aren't closed 6/1, you are open. Disney said they were closed indefinitely. That means they are closed until they are open. It's a very, very important use of language.

If I was booking a restaurant that was closed until 5/31, I'd book it for 6/1. If I was booking a restaurant that was closed indefinitely, I would book somewhere else.

 

[Hummingbird]

Nothing in this epidemic has been guaranteed. People made assumptions based on incomplete or simply bad data. However, had Disney's gamble paid off, Universal people would have been... upset... that Disney offered an incentive and Universal didn't.

I actually think Disney did make a misstep, but that misstep is not letting people who rebooked on free dining continue that rebooking in a similar window (Spring through late Summer) 2021. I do believe that has been Disney's biggest misstep.

Universal's big misstep was putting 6/1 as an opening and then having to go back on it. Disney has never said when they will reopen. Regardless of what people want to believe to justify their decisions. Universal literally told people when they would open, and it's very unlikely they will make that happen.

They never actually said they would open June1.

from the website... "Our theme parks and hotels are closed through at least May 31st. "