Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[disneyland_is_magic]

Yep, theme park attractions are not built to sit idle for months.

That’s an interesting consideration, many parts of the country have seasonal parks though. Now, you could say Disney didn’t have time to properly store items when it happened.

Our local park, while they do winterize rides (removing ride vehicles in some cases, drain fluids, etc) the vast majority of the park sits idle in ice and snow for several months much of it in freezing temperatures.

I suppose Disney didn’t have the experience to know what needed to be done to shutter up though.

 

[RWinNOLA]

It seems like DHS is the park that reservations go the fasted for so you might want to make it for DHS and then if you find you got everything done after one day it would be easier to switch that day from DHS to MO than the other way

Or just tell them DHS was all booked up and just book MK

That’s exactly what we did and we also had 5 park days. Initially booked DHS for days 3 and 5. We were able to knock out everything at DHS in day 4 so we decided to switch day 5 to MK since we would be staying at the Poly our last two days and it would be more convenient to go back on forth on a more relaxing park day (we also did MK on day 4).

 

[MickeyWaffles]

That’s an interesting consideration, many parts of the country have seasonal parks though. Now, you could say Disney didn’t have time to properly store items when it happened.

Our local park, while they do winterize rides (removing ride vehicles in some cases, drain fluids, etc) the vast majority of the park sits idle in ice and snow for several months much of it in freezing temperatures.

I suppose Disney didn’t have the experience to know what needed to be done to shutter up though.

Many of the Disney ride systems and components are much more complex than those at seasonal parks, though. Many more moving parts, never intended for long shutdowns. Can’t really compare most Disney ride systems to seasonal parks.

 

[osufeth24]

What part may i ask? I went thru Charlie with My Parents in Punta Gorda and dealt with many TS and Hurricanes SC i was fortunate to have missed Hugo here but suffered it down in PR tho i never take any storm lightly

Panhandle up til last year (A lot of in Destin area, so right on the water). Now I'm in Orlando

 

[rteetz]

That’s an interesting consideration, many parts of the country have seasonal parks though. Now, you could say Disney didn’t have time to properly store items when it happened.

Our local park, while they do winterize rides (removing ride vehicles in some cases, drain fluids, etc) the vast majority of the park sits idle in ice and snow for several months much of it in freezing temperatures.

I suppose Disney didn’t have the experience to know what needed to be done to shutter up though.

Seasonal parks tend to have more off the shelf type attractions and know how and have procedures for shutting down. Disney has a lot more in terms of custom attractions and doesn’t have those procedures or storage areas.

 

[bks9581]

This is where I will be staying in Sept if all goes well! I'm curious to hear how you felt about the resort experience in particular? Were enough food options open at the Boardwalk and was there any crowding in those after the parks closed?

BWV is our home resort and we love it there. It was very quiet for the most part on this trip. No issues social distancing when walking around. The one exception is one day the pool seemed very crowded to me and no one was there on any day checking how many people enter, etc. This may have been monitored in some way, but not noticeable to me and as mentioned, one day was a little too crowded for my liking.

There definitely wasn't crowding after parks closed...mainly because nothing is open and there wasn't anything to do. I think only the pizza window was open past 9. They did movies on the lawn most nights and it was never packed and everyone was distanced.

Food was a slight challenge. Mainly breakfast. Boardwalk Bakery had about 1 hot item on the breakfast menu. And many past offerings were not available. One morning, I sent my husband over to Beach Club because they had Mickey Waffles, eggs, bacon and way more variety. The CM at the Bakery were not as friendly as usual either. We also greatly missed Ample Hills. We normally like to get some dessert in the evenings and there were no options. The Beaches and Cream window is open, but I think only till 9pm. Even the Screendoor BWV shop closed at 9 so you couldn't even get a Mickey Bar. I did see someone's post today on FB about Boardwalk Bakery now having some kind of Mickey Waffle dessert (or breakfast?) option. I'm super jealous that this wasn't offered when we were there and I've long thought that breakfast options are lacking at BWV regardless of COVID impacts. So you basically have the pizza window, Trattoria al Forno and Boardwalk Bakery for food options right now.

I understand the need to have limited offerings, hours, etc. right now, but don't expect to find much to do past 9pm - this is not unique to BWV though.

 

[wombat_5606]

Looks like a good innovation, but one thing in the article that I was a little distressed about... it mentions that, depending on the intensity of the spray, it can be operated with riders still in the vehicle. I would be highly upset if, at the end of a ride, I was doused in disinfectant spray!

They used to do it back in the 1970s if you landed in Fiji on a plane. They walked through the cabin with 2 aerosol cans and sprayed everyone before they let anyone off the plane.

I just quit glowing 5 years ago.

 

[Anna_Sh]

http://www.brevardtimes.com/2020/07...lone-9-track-to-florida-spaghetti-models/amp/
looking like the parks will be even more empty this coming weekend...... we arrive Friday......wooooohoooo

If I wasn’t blocked, I’d definitely go. Hurricane days were empty before the pandemic.

 

[Dentam]

BWV is our home resort and we love it there. It was very quiet for the most part on this trip. No issues social distancing when walking around. The one exception is one day the pool seemed very crowded to me and no one was there on any day checking how many people enter, etc. This may have been monitored in some way, but not noticeable to me and as mentioned, one day was a little too crowded for my liking.

There definitely wasn't crowding after parks closed...mainly because nothing is open and there wasn't anything to do. I think only the pizza window was open past 9. They did movies on the lawn most nights and it was never packed and everyone was distanced.

Food was a slight challenge. Mainly breakfast. Boardwalk Bakery had about 1 hot item on the breakfast menu. And many past offerings were not available. One morning, I sent my husband over to Beach Club because they had Mickey Waffles, eggs, bacon and way more variety. The CM at the Bakery were not as friendly as usual either. We also greatly missed Ample Hills. We normally like to get some dessert in the evenings and there were no options. The Beaches and Cream window is open, but I think only till 9pm. Even the Screendoor BWV shop closed at 9 so you couldn't even get a Mickey Bar. I did see someone's post today on FB about Boardwalk Bakery now having some kind of Mickey Waffle dessert (or breakfast?) option. I'm super jealous that this wasn't offered when we were there and I've long thought that breakfast options are lacking at BWV regardless of COVID impacts. So you basically have the pizza window, Trattoria al Forno and Boardwalk Bakery for food options right now.

I understand the need to have limited offerings, hours, etc. right now, but don't expect to find much to do past 9pm - this is not unique to BWV though.

Thank you for the info! I stayed at BWV for my first solo trip a few years ago and loved everything about it! I too will miss Ample Hills - I think I got a scoop of the Shirley Temple almost every evening of my trip. Good to know about the other food option limitations. Maybe some of that will improve by early September, but then again maybe not if Sept is expected to be very low in terms of resort guests.

 

[Llama mama]

http://www.brevardtimes.com/2020/07...lone-9-track-to-florida-spaghetti-models/amp/
looking like the parks will be even more empty this coming weekend...... we arrive Friday......wooooohoooo

Us too!

 

[Mit88]

With HHN and MNSSHP cancelled, those coming to Orlando and the theme parks will have an option (including a family friendly variant).

https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/new-drive-thru-halloween-attraction-coming-to-orlando

How is this even going to work? I can tell you first hand if my girl was driving the car and got scared, she’s swerving and taking out at minimum 1 of the scareactors lol

 

[hertamaniac]

How is this even going to work? I can tell you first hand if my girl was driving the car and got scared, she’s swerving and taking out at minimum 1 of the scareactors lol

Maybe do the afternoon, family friendly version?

 

[Dulcee]

Did anyone mention when the Disney junior show will open? Has it started already?

 

[Mit88]

Maybe do the afternoon, family friendly version?

That doesn’t sound fun.

 

[MrsBooch]

That’s exactly what we did and we also had 5 park days. Initially booked DHS for days 3 and 5. We were able to knock out everything at DHS in day 4 so we decided to switch day 5 to MK since we would be staying at the Poly our last two days and it would be more convenient to go back on forth on a more relaxing park day (we also did MK on day 4).

that is exactly how i have it booked now - day 3 and day 5 for DHS. But I love to do MK as bookends - first park we visit, and last park we visit.

I have a feeling we will be able to slam through everything in DHS on day 3 as well. Nice to hear some reinforcement

 

[yulilin3]

Did anyone mention when the Disney junior show will open? Has it started already?

started today, there are 10 performances through out the day

 

[Mit88]

I wish they’d bring back the Headless Horseman event they used to put on at fort wilderness. That was fun. But you couldnt have people loaded up on the hay ride wagons they used.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Lower level AP blackout dates will be lifted soon, are we thinking that will impact crowds much?

 

[Mit88]

Lower level AP blackout dates will be lifted soon, are we thinking that will impact crowds much?

There will be more people, sure. But I believe they’re allowed to make reservations already, and it doesn’t look to be booking the parks up past they date theyre allowed back in, outside of DHS, but that was happening anyway.

 

[The Expert]

Yep, theme park attractions are not built to sit idle for months.

Even the new ones aren't immune. We were in the final few switchbacks in the loading room for MMRR on Sunday morning, about 10:15am (they opened at 10) and the ride went down. They cleared the vehicles and the queue of anyone who didn't want to wait and did a full reset. We decided to wait since we were inside, and it only took about 25 minutes. We ended up in the first group to ride when it came back online.