Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Farro]

Thankfully I’m not a parent yet. I’d crumble under the pressure in this situation

I would just say Santa is wearing an invisible mask, not yet available to the public.

 

[Kadorto]

Right from that first "don't come" twitter video it has seemed post apocalyptic to me. Iv no idea how anyone can be enjoying the parks right now.

Had we not had old non-expiring tickets along with my boys heading off in different directions soon (one military the other college) we wouldn’t have come. I think my boys realized that their official “childhood” is over and really wanted to experience Disney one last time.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Thankfully I’m not a parent yet. I’d crumble under the pressure in this situation

Luckily I started trying to transition last Christmas, but I do feel for parents trying to keep the magic alive right now.

 

[Mit88]

If Santa would just drop off a clone of Carpets of Aladdin into my backyard, I might never need to go to WDW ever again. I’m just sayin. If anyone in here knows Mr. Cringle personally, just drop that hint to him for me.

 

[Carol Jackson]

This may be a bit long, but wanted to give people an idea of how much you can do at the Parks over 7 days. And I’m a 57 year old gal. A little younger and I’d a crushed Everest at least a dozen times!

Disney Rides July 2020

DHS
Slinky Dog Dash x3
Toy Story Midway Mania x8
Alien Swirling Saucers x2
Millenium Falcon Smugglers Run x3
Tower of Terror
The Muppet Movie x2
Rise of the Resistance x2
Rock n Roller Coaster
Star Tours x2
Mickey and Minnies Runaway Train
Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream

MK
7 Dwarfs Mine Train x3
Mickey’s Philharmagic x3
Winnie the Pooh
Tomorrowland Speedway
Astro Orbiter
Buzz Lightyear x4
Carousel of Progress
Dumbo
Goofys Barnstormer
Under the Sea
Splash Mountain x3
Peter Pan
Small World
Haunted Mansion x2
Big Thunder Mountain x2
Pirates of the Carribean x3
Jungle Cruise
Aladdins Magic Carpets
Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse
Mad Tea Cups
Prince Charming Carousel
Country Bear Jamboree
Hall of Presidents
Space Mountain
Liberty Belle

AK
Flights of Passage x5
Navi River x2
Kilimanjaro Safari x3
Gorilla Falls
UP The Great Bird Show
Kali River Rapids x3
Maharajah Jungle Trek
Dinosaur x4
Dumbo Dinosaur
It’s Tough to Be a Bug
Animation Station

EPCOT
Frozen
Three Caballeros
Spaceship Earth x2
The Seas with Nemo
Figment
Living with the Land x2
Soarin’ x4
Mission Space
Test Track x2

105 rides

STEPS (2500/mile)
20,000
12,000
20,000
17,000
18,000
20,000
20,000
10,000

Total: 137,000 steps...54.8 miles

 

[Vern60]

Just a bit of follow up... We’re at the end of our stay now waiting for ME. After 4 days in the parks the masks were getting to be a bit much, not to mention what seemed to be the ever omnipresent CM’s watching over us. We had some really fun times, but overall a lackluster experience. In some areas Disney is doing great but with the empty parks, no parades, fireworks, characters, high number of closed signs, etc.. it made our visit almost seem post-apocalyptic

Yeah, that's the same feeling (post-apocalyptic) that I get even just watching some of the vloggers. And I'm sure I'd feel the same about masks during the summer. I think the only time I personally could tolerate wearing one all day would be winter only.
I'm tempted to look into Christmas break but with no fireworks and shows, so many shops and restaurants potentially still closed and the constant health monitoring yeah, it really seems not worth it.
Thanks for the informative post.

 

[JacknSally]

Sharing this here because the topic of media coverage has come up a few times.

So, on July 11, Disney Parks Blog shared a photo from this guy to their Instagram stories. The photo was him and his two kids in front of the castle on July 10, and one of his kids had his mask hanging from an ear. It caused a small stir in some corners of social media at the time, 1) because it was odd to see DPB seemingly encouraging less-than-strict rule enforcement before the parks had even really opened and 2) some people felt DPB was unintentionally promoting a political candidate.

He and his whole family have now tested positive. The way this story reads, he's saying he had someone over to his house on the 12th* and that person started feeling terrible through the week and tested positive on the 17th, so his family got tested on the 20th and found out they were also positive. Maybe that's the case. Maybe his friend had it and brought it to their house. Or, maybe he picked it up in the parks and unknowingly gave it to his friend. Or, his IG post said they went to MK because they were in town to meet the governor, so maybe he got it from DeSantis, or maybe he got it at the grocery store. The world will never know.

I do think it's interesting, though, that his going to the park around the same time he would've gotten this from his friend isn't mentioned at all, especially because that post is still in his Instagram highlights. I was one who assumed that any potential link between WDW and a positive case would be immediately sussed out and in all the news stories, but maybe not.

*The article doesn't mention specific dates, just days of the week, but the 12th, 17th, and 20th are the dates that logically correspond.

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/l...pfXdHJ_4LRIlzUR9RTAEc2ErEGarI87wraYNy1VwBYCyo

 

[Eric Smith]

I've given up on school being normal. Now I am wondering if we'll be doing Zoom Thanksgiving.

I'm starting to wonder the same things. Thanksgiving and Christmas might just happen with our immediate family this year.

 

[Sarahslay]

If Halloween cancellations already came out (Disney's came out weeks ago) I can only assume Christmas parties are out too. Disney extended all dated tickets through 9/2021 but I sincerely hope they will extend APs further if this continues for a while. AP availability continues to look bleak, and 30 extra days doesn't cut it.

Well I'm a platinum AP and have around 27 reserved park days due to the fact I have to stay on site, not all APs are hurting. They want you to book a weekend trip onsite, or a staycation of sorts, that's why they gave such generous AP discounts through September. You can have your 3 plus the ones from your booked trip. Of course it stinks for anyone who can't do that financially, but if it were me and I was local I would totally book a few nights stay and get out of the house for a bit. Wish I could do it right now actually, tired of looking at the same 4 walls. I have already been expecting them to cancel the christmas parties though, which stinks because we wanted to go to one on our Christmas trip (also, don't think they'll be the awesome christmas parade which I've always wanted to see in person). Maybe next year *fingers crossed*

 

[Sarahslay]

Sharing this here because the topic of media coverage has come up a few times.

So, on July 11, Disney Parks Blog shared a photo from this guy to their Instagram stories. The photo was him and his two kids in front of the castle on July 10, and one of his kids had his mask hanging from an ear. It caused a small stir in some corners of social media at the time, 1) because it was odd to see DPB seemingly encouraging less-than-strict rule enforcement before the parks had even really opened and 2) some people felt DPB was unintentionally promoting a political candidate.

He and his whole family have now tested positive. The way this story reads, he's saying he had someone over to his house on the 12th* and that person started feeling terrible through the week and tested positive on the 17th, so his family got tested on the 20th and found out they were also positive. Maybe that's the case. Maybe his friend had it and brought it to their house. Or, maybe he picked it up in the parks and unknowingly gave it to his friend. Or, his IG post said they went to MK because they were in town to meet the governor, so maybe he got it from DeSantis, or maybe he got it at the grocery store. The world will never know.

I do think it's interesting, though, that his going to the park around the same time he would've gotten this from his friend isn't mentioned at all, especially because that post is still in his Instagram highlights. I was one who assumed that any potential link between WDW and a positive case would be immediately sussed out and in all the news stories, but maybe not.

*The article doesn't mention specific dates, just days of the week, but the 12th, 17th, and 20th are the dates that logically correspond.

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/l...pfXdHJ_4LRIlzUR9RTAEc2ErEGarI87wraYNy1VwBYCyo

My cousin knows with him (was in politics for a while several years ago) and actually saw him around this time, and got a call telling them they may have been exposed since they don't know when/where they got it. His wife has a very rare and aggressive cancer so it's pretty bad (she didn't come in contact, but he could always spread it to her). It was after the Disney trip that he saw him, and my cousin has tested negative, although he said it was a brief encounter. It is always possible he could have gotten it there, but it would be more likely if he spent extended amount of time with this person who was then sick that he and his family contracted it that way (this is also why we still won't have people over to our house). I know a lot of people who have been to the parks since they opened, and to Universal right when they opened, and so far so good no one has gotten sick, but I am always waiting for that one big news article to come out after one person gets sick claiming there is now a HUGE outbreak at WDW.

 

[JacknSally]

This year, they *were* supposed to go up in mid-August (in just about three weeks). We should still see Halloween decorations this year, albeit limited, but the timeline for that appears to still be up in the air. On the other hand, it’s about this time each year that Christmas prep kicks into full swing at Holiday Services, and that hasn’t happened.

Hmmm, that's interesting. I wonder what they've got in mind for decorations this year.

The main reason we booked for the week after Thanksgiving this year was to see the Christmas decorations again. Wilderness Lodge's decorations are why we rented a night at Copper Creek. Usually we go the last week in October for the fall/Halloween stuff. The other cutbacks so far haven't deterred us, but if it's all the cutbacks plus no POFQ plus no (or lessened) Christmas atmosphere, that might convince us to just go ahead and push out to the spring. We've been wanting to do Flower & Garden again for a while. Hm.

 

[Rash]

Seeing a lot of this in IOA today. UO not cracking down as well as Disney. And it’s getting difficult to social distance since it’s so crowded in Hogsmeade. Also, no social distance markers on ground on part of Hagrid ride (awesome btw). Had to tell people behind us twice to please back up.

 

[JacknSally]

Teleclashter is Craig from The Dis.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1286717331616313344

 

[Sarahslay]

Seeing a lot of this in IOA today. UO not cracking down as well as Disney. And it’s getting difficult to social distance since it’s so crowded in Hogsmeade. Also, no social distance markers on ground on part of Hagrid ride (awesome btw). Had to tell people behind us twice to please back up.

I'm watching a vlog right now from UO/IOA from the past week, and it's way too crowded to me. If people weren't wearing masks I wouldn't know anything was different than a normal day pre-covid.

 

[mattpeto]

This may be a bit long, but wanted to give people an idea of how much you can do at the Parks over 7 days. And I’m a 57 year old gal. A little younger and I’d a crushed Everest at least a dozen times!

Disney Rides July 2020

DHS
Slinky Dog Dash x3
Toy Story Midway Mania x8
Alien Swirling Saucers x2
Millenium Falcon Smugglers Run x3
Tower of Terror
The Muppet Movie x2
Rise of the Resistance x2
Rock n Roller Coaster
Star Tours x2
Mickey and Minnies Runaway Train
Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream

MK
7 Dwarfs Mine Train x3
Mickey’s Philharmagic x3
Winnie the Pooh
Tomorrowland Speedway
Astro Orbiter
Buzz Lightyear x4
Carousel of Progress
Dumbo
Goofys Barnstormer
Under the Sea
Splash Mountain x3
Peter Pan
Small World
Haunted Mansion x2
Big Thunder Mountain x2
Pirates of the Carribean x3
Jungle Cruise
Aladdins Magic Carpets
Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse
Mad Tea Cups
Prince Charming Carousel
Country Bear Jamboree
Hall of Presidents
Space Mountain
Liberty Belle

AK
Flights of Passage x5
Navi River x2
Kilimanjaro Safari x3
Gorilla Falls
UP The Great Bird Show
Kali River Rapids x3
Maharajah Jungle Trek
Dinosaur x4
Dumbo Dinosaur
It’s Tough to Be a Bug
Animation Station

EPCOT
Frozen
Three Caballeros
Spaceship Earth x2
The Seas with Nemo
Figment
Living with the Land x2
Soarin’ x4
Mission Space
Test Track x2

105 rides

STEPS (2500/mile)
20,000
12,000
20,000
17,000
18,000
20,000
20,000
10,000

Total: 137,000 steps...54.8 miles

I mean that's awesome if you are all about the rides. I wouldn't mind doing those just those things at the fraction of the cost and I was a local. But Disney World is so much more than the rides though. And riding through something 3x or 4x seems fun but it also sounds like diminishing returns a bit, especially when you return when things are more normal.

And FWIW, if the wait times don't start cranking up again due to low crowds, Disney will be in trouble. We need some of those 7 out of 10 days from the Crowd Calendar to complain about again.

 

[SarahC97]

Seeing a lot of this in IOA today. UO not cracking down as well as Disney. And it’s getting difficult to social distance since it’s so crowded in Hogsmeade. Also, no social distance markers on ground on part of Hagrid ride (awesome btw). Had to tell people behind us twice to please back up.

Are people pretty receptive to it when you ask them to back up in line?

 

[JacknSally]

Not. The. Same.

I want it all, and I want it now.

 

[Mit88]

Life is what you make it. Disney ain’t cheap, so if you need the full magic treatment to feel its worth the trip, then obviously right now isn’t the best time for you. If you can make the best out of the day just by being in the parks and riding rides, then its a great time to go (as long as you know the risks). If you need fireworks and thats a big reason you’re not going, Seaworld is like a 20-180 minute drive away depending on traffic. Spend the day at Disney and drive (if you rent a car) to Seaworld to watch the fireworks.

 

[MrsBooch]

I've read about delivery of luggage still happening, as far as you pick up your luggage from the airport, you bring it to Magical Express - they load it - then at some point it's taken to your room - but are they still delivering (for a fee) groceries to your room? As in - if I order from a grocery delivery service, and it's stored then either I can go pick it up and haul it back or I can call and pay for bell services to come? Is the latter half of that still happening?

 

[figmentfinesse]

Can anyone tell me if they’ve seen Via Napoli using their outdoor tables?