Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[OKWFan88]

On day four since back from 11 day Disney trip. Feeling fine - self quarantining and will continue to do so... I can get tested for free in my state (CO) with one of those drive up testing sites, but wasn't sure when to go get tested... After quarantine?

I was debating about cancelling my Platinum AP because before this trip it was only used for 1 day when I upgraded it on the last day of our Dec 2019 trip. But I plan on going either in Sept or Dec of this year, possibly both and would be there at least five days both trips, so makes sense to keep it going... plus with the extension, it's now good till May 2021 and I can foresee myself going again in Jan/March time frame next year. We always stay onsite and usually at POP (most recent trip was DVC points rented) and with the cheap AP prices in Sept for POP, I don't think I can resist. Plus since we would stay onsite I was able to already book our Park Reservations and got everything we wanted... Decisions, decisions...

 

[anthony2k7]

More difficult AP access doesn’t make lower demand than expected hard to believe, IMO.

APs can go really easily if they booked an on-site stay. When we talk about demand being less than expected, what I think that really means is spending being lower than expected. What good does it do to Disney to pack the parks full (full to limited capacity that is) with APs who are not staying on property? They’ve got their tickets, they don’t need lodging, and they may spend less time in the parks (and less money on food).

I think demand for captive spend-y guests is way lower than anticipated. So many things have pointed to this.

Agree 100% on this, however perhaps if disney did allow APs to fill up the other buckets so parks were at capacity it would lift the vibe in the parks a little which may encourage non AP people to stay longer into the day and spend more? Maybe.

 

[AmberMV]

Hold on....If disney is worried about the lack of attendance problem they're currently facing - and by the way, I find it really hard to believe they wouldn't anticipate current levels - then they need to work on the image they have created of extremely reduced capacity and handcuffed AP attendance.
I'm that crazy person watching all of the YouTube vloggers (who are also AP's for the most part) and it's not easy to get into the parks based on their feedback - both literally and park pass wise. Or if you do, it's definitely not all parks. If i'm a regular joe shmoe who doesn't know anything about what we've been discussing in these 2000+ pages, trying to figure out if we can take the family to Disney - I wouldn't label today's experience as "easy". Not to mention there are some people on Disney facebook groups still asking when they can buy 2020 tickets because, remember, they were blocked out until not too long ago - and AP purchases are still blocked I believe.

I was under the impression that Disney purposefully did not open the spigot so to speak, to avoid having too many people crowd in??
So many resorts are primarily closed - capacity is purposefully reduced - lots of intentional choices which I actually think are great - led them to this place. I'm really struggling with the notion that they are being surprised by anything or that they thought park capacity would be more increased by this point? This type of intentional capacity planning and the lower resulting capacity can't be a surprise to a company like Disney. I'm not discounting any insider information but it's confounding to me to think that this is a shock.

I do think they grossly miscalculated the trickle effects. They announced their reopening date when cases in FL were some of the lowest in the country, and then WDW actually officially reopened on the same day that FL hit an all-time high case count. Then you take into account the worldwide quarantine mandates and reduced experiences, you're not going to have a once-in-a-lifetime guest visiting right now. They tried to shove APs under the rug and now are realizing they need them so making up for it with more perks. They wanted reduced crowds but I'm sure they didn't want one of their most in-demand rides (FoP) to be a walk-on 7 times per day as some people have been able to do. I think they are going to have to do more, though, to get more people coming. Whether it's more discounts, blockout lifting, etc who knows but if they are truly wanting more attendance they are going to have to do something more.

 

[AmberMV]

Good point about WDW not being surprised. I mean, for months we all talked about how they were doing everything they could to get people to cancel and down to the capacity they felt comfortable. Then all ticketed guests made reservations. They should have had pretty close to exact numbers at least for the first 4-6 weeks before reevaluating. Unless they've already opened up capacity behind the scenes but aren't seeing a demand now? Or maybe there have been whole new buckets of people canceling as they see FL numbers?

I very much get limiting local APs. Florida is worse off than most other states so that may play a role, local APs don't typically spend what others guests do, and if things pick up and they have to limit days again people will be angry.

I actually think they've been pretty generous lately with local APs. I haven't seen a local AP on here who hasn't been able to get into their 1st pick park when they wanted it, now that WDW has reallocated bucket spots. It's the APs who don't just live around the corner, and blocked out APs who are idle now.

 

[Mit88]

Makes me wonder, if they need people in the parks, why still limit APs to a rolling 3 days? I'd go a lot more often if it was higher. But I have 3 days saved for HS in Sept for when friends are coming into town

AP Silver passes are allowed back in on August 8th. That should increase the parks attendance. And there are still people with DVC points that need to be used, I haven’t checked fall availability lately, but when I looked in late June, there was far less availability in October than there was in July and August. They’re probably not going to hit capacity at the non DHS parks, but they’re probably going to be looking at more non-locals coming down in the fall. They should have allowed APs at least 5 days, or unlimited reservations at the non DHS parks.

 

[osufeth24]

I actually think they've been pretty generous lately with local APs. I haven't seen a local AP on here who hasn't been able to get into their 1st pick park when they wanted it, now that WDW has reallocated bucket spots. It's the APs who don't just live around the corner, and blocked out APs who are idle now.

The problem is if you want to go to HS, like I said, I have all 3 of mine locked into HS throughout Sept. HS is closed for APs all the way til Sept 1, and every weekend in Sept is locked. Which is why I had to save all 3. And I see now a Saturday in October is gone for HS.

 

[twinmom13]

I don't think the delayed resort opening necessarily indicates lower-than-expected demand. The change could be entirely due to the ever-increasing case numbers. For all we know, they could have had three plans: if cases decrease, increase capacity and push up resort opening dates; if cases stay the same, open as announced; if cases increase, push back opening dates. The demand could be exactly where they expected/want it to be, but they might be pushing back resort opening dates because the trajectory of the disease, while not unexpected, is worse than they had hoped. This is all just speculation and could be entirely wrong, I just don't think we can read too much into the change.

 

[MrsBooch]

I mean, Carpets is open. What more do people want....

 

[xuxa777]

The CDC did NOT change the quarantine time from 14 days down to 10. That is ONLY when you have tested positive or have symptoms. I've seen this misconception. Please do the 14 days if you're going to do it. You can still develop symptoms up to 14 days. The 10 days is regarding being contagious and most of the time the issue was the time it took to get back to work or to leave isolation and needed that additional test that showed negative to do so but is not related to when you may have had exposure and have yet to develop symptoms yet.

Definitely check with your boss regarding all of this prior to travel

The CDC guidance is very clear - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/end-home-isolation.html

"I think or know I had COVID-19, and I had symptoms" - 10 days or no symptoms and two negative test 24 hours apart
"I tested positive but had no symptoms" - 10 days or two negative test 24 hours apart"
"I have a weakened immune system..." longer than 10 days
"I have been in close contact with someone with Covid" - 14 days

*close contact is defined as any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes

Not advocating or advising either way, just clearing up the confusions as to what the CDC states now, it was updated back in the beginning of June. Some states have their own rules as well.

 

[AmberMV]

The problem is if you want to go to HS, like I said, I have all 3 of mine locked into HS throughout Sept. HS is closed for APs all the way til Sept 1, and every weekend in Sept is locked. Which is why I had to save all 3. And I see now a Saturday in October is gone for HS.

Right, but how many times have you been able to go to the parks since AP Previews? Quite a few? I also locked in all 3 of my AP days to this Fall and Winter and I'm relying solely on resort stays in August and Sept to visit. Would I go now if blockouts were lifted for non Gold/Plats? Yeah, probably. It's a 1.5 hour drive for us so we can't just decide on a whim to visit, we have to plan it out with my husband's work needs (but he's a real estate agent so his work hours are more flexible than most)

 

[gottalovepluto]

There is a new Survey pop up on Disney’s website. This question was of particular interest
View attachment 513857

They fail to specify if I have to visit in 100 degrees during hurricane season. That's my real deciding factor tbh...

 

[osufeth24]

Right, but how many times have you been able to go to the parks since AP Previews? Quite a few? I also locked in all 3 of my AP days to this Fall and Winter and I'm relying solely on resort stays in August and Sept to visit. Would I go now if blockouts were lifted for non Gold/Plats? Yeah, probably. It's a 1.5 hour drive for us so we can't just decide on a whim to visit, we have to plan it out with my husband's work needs (but he's a real estate agent so his work hours are more flexible than most)

I get that, especially when they opened up more availability. But that's not the point im making lol. All that doesn't do one any good when it's still only 3 days, and they're all locked up for future dates. If they want more in the park, an easy way is to add more days APs can book. I've bought food or merch almost each day i've gone, I'm sure not the only AP to do so.

 

[Tjddis]

I do think they grossly miscalculated the trickle effects. They announced their reopening date when cases in FL were some of the lowest in the country, and then WDW actually officially reopened on the same day that FL hit an all-time high case count. Then you take into account the worldwide quarantine mandates and reduced experiences, you're not going to have a once-in-a-lifetime guest visiting right now. They tried to shove APs under the rug and now are realizing they need them so making up for it with more perks. They wanted reduced crowds but I'm sure they didn't want one of their most in-demand rides (FoP) to be a walk-on 7 times per day as some people have been able to do. I think they are going to have to do more, though, to get more people coming. Whether it's more discounts, blockout lifting, etc who knows but if they are truly wanting more attendance they are going to have to do something more.

Interesting times...I have admittedly not been paying a lot of attention to the AP bucket situation as I am not one. I wonder if they did some calculation and figured then per person spending for APs was lower than other guests (pure speculation on my part) and decided as such to lower the availability in order to get more of the other guests?
so that makes the next question do we know for a fact that APs would return in droves? This board represents the die hards so know they would prob be all in. I wonder about others...
I do not think there is much they can do other than opening up more AP availability to increase crowds. As long as the numbers continue to tell a not great story it’s not something people are going to flock to.
when is the next shareholder meeting? Would love to know if the parks have achieved the “positive contribution” level they were hoping for...

 

[Tjddis]

They fail to specify if I have to visit in 100 degrees during hurricane season. That's my real deciding factor tbh...

Also maybe something about numbers in FLA? Not for nothing but given the past spirited debates that have erupted on here I would think that’s also a pretty significant influence. No?

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I get that, especially when they opened up more availability. But that's not the point im making lol. All that doesn't do one any good when it's still only 3 days, and they're all locked up for future dates. If they want more in the park, an easy way is to add more days APs can book. I've bought food or merch almost each day i've gone, I'm sure not the only AP to do so.

Obviously APs without resort stays buy food and merch. As an entire group, it makes sense that they would be spending less per visit though, given that they are not staying at a resort (which can be a big spend in itself), come more often than your infrequent guests who may spend more and go all out on a big trip, and may not be spending as much time in the parks given the frequency they go so they aren’t relying on Disney for 3 meals a day for a week.

Right now Disney is down a lot of their more expensive experiences and events, leaving the spending coming largely from new ticket sales, merch, food, and resort stays. They’re also probably missing a lot of the very spend-y guests, who will spare no expense for their big Disney trip.

AP dynamics, especially local ones, are going to be different.

 

[AmberMV]

Interesting times...I have admittedly not been paying a lot of attention to the AP bucket situation as I am not one. I wonder if they did some calculation and figured then per person spending for APs was lower than other guests (pure speculation on my part) and decided as such to lower the availability in order to get more of the other guests?
so that makes the next question do we know for a fact that APs would return in droves? This board represents the die hards so know they would prob be all in. I wonder about others...
I do not think there is much they can do other than opening up more AP availability to increase crowds. As long as the numbers continue to tell a not great story it’s not something people are going to flock to.
when is the next shareholder meeting? Would love to know if the parks have achieved the “positive contribution” level they were hoping for...

Yes, absolutely they severely limited AP availability at first in hopes they could make immediate quick cash off day guest tickets, but that didn't happen so they've been slowly adding more availability for APs-which definitely seem to have a super high demand-evidenced by the lack of current availability through the end of August for APs.

 

[skeeter31]

Yes, absolutely they severely limited AP availability at first in hopes they could make immediate quick cash off day guest tickets, but that didn't happen so they've been slowly adding more availability for APs-which definitely seem to have a super high demand-evidenced by the lack of current availability through the end of August for APs.

It’s only HS that has no availability through the end of August. You can still pretty much get any of the other 3 parks for most of August. Which is great for people like us who absolutely hate HS!

 

[Moliphino]

There is a new Survey pop up on Disney’s website. This question was of particular interest
View attachment 513857

It needs something in there about actually being free to travel without quarantines. And the areas these attractions are in not being hot spots.

 

[mmackeymouse]

I know this is wild thinking, but is there any chance the whole BC/BWV thing has anything to do with Ratatouille?

The International Gateway is a straight shot to the France pavilion, so maybe they are wanting to control those crowds at IG, so that there isn't a social distance unfriendly swarm toward RAT?

 

[Mit88]

I know this is wild thinking, but is there any chance the whole BC/BWV thing has anything to do with Ratatouille?

The International Gateway is a straight shot to the France pavilion, so maybe they are wanting to control those crowds at IG, so that there isn't a social distance unfriendly swarm toward RAT?

Theoretically that makes sense, but I seriously doubt thats the case. Its because the hotel side rooms aren’t being booked. Most of the people that are going and staying at WDW seem to be DVC members. Not to say there aren’t non-DVC members traveling to Disney, there are, and there will be more as the weeks go on, but not enough to justify opening all of these resorts