Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[runjulesrun]

We'll be there in 3 weeks and I'm not looking forward to it. I want to cancel but DH and DS13 still want to go. I'm going to show them this video and see what they think.
I don't care what the park capacity is. I don't want to spend the day in those lines. Disney needs to increase ride capacity or bring fast-passes back. Until things are back to normal we won't be going again.

I think if they could increase ride capacity safely, they would consider it. They know the lines are longer. Bringing Fastpasses back doesn't solve anything though. Where would you go while you were waiting for your Fastpass time? It leaves more people available for other lines and then makes all of the lines move slower because Fastpasses are cutting in. I don't see how that solves anything.

 

[Brianstl]

That is sort of how I fell - and not that the wait times are rediculous (I mean they are still a lot less than standby during normal times) but it just *feels* so crowded and too many pinch points where it feels like social distancing is/might be a challenge, etc

But I think the 25% figure can still be accurate - if they are only running at 50% capacity (between spacing on ride vehicles that are running and with what is not one) and then a normal busy day is 50-60% capacity, well, there is your 25% capacity right there

Plus, with shortened hours the people that are there are more likely there for the whole day vs taking breaks or arriving late, etc

I think you nailed where what was happening at the Magic Kingdom today.

P.S. You guys are doing a great job with the podcast.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

That is sort of how I fell - and not that the wait times are rediculous (I mean they are still a lot less than standby during normal times) but it just *feels* so crowded and too many pinch points where it feels like social distancing is/might be a challenge, etc

But I think the 25% figure can still be accurate - if they are only running at 50% capacity (between spacing on ride vehicles that are running and with what is not one) and then a normal busy day is 50-60% capacity, well, there is your 25% capacity right there

Plus, with shortened hours the people that are there are more likely there for the whole day vs taking breaks or arriving late, etc

People freaked out at the idea of park reservations sticking around after this, I think most (less obsessive) people don’t realize how much higher actual max capacity is than the average attendance we were used to.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Yes the line just to get into the Emporium yesterday was absolutely ridiculous. It stretched around the corner past Casey’s almost to Crystal Palace. That resulted in me not buying anything even though I had planned to buy Halloween merch. But, I’m not going to stand in line just to enter a store.

I think some lines to get into stores is expected given social distancing / reduced capacity in the stores (heck, I had to wait in a 20min line just to get into he grocery store the other day)

But this just feels like a lot and when it is line for the stores and long lines for picking up mobile ordering and long lines for rides that are running into each other's it just gets tiring

 

[MrsBooch]

Wasn't it just a few months ago we were all supposed to be applauding the vloggers for telling it like it is?

I have no clue what capacity is, I'm just reading and commenting with people.

I expect lines, but I'll admit I didn't expect huge waits just to enter a store.

absolutely - tell it like it is.
Stand in line and tell me how long it took to actually get on the ride.

also a few months ago people were saying how the park would fail if attendance was that low all the time & that it looked “eerie”.
So we are on the other end of the see-saw.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

absolutely - tell it like it is.
Stand in line and tell me how long it took to actually get on the ride.

also a few months ago people were saying how the park would fail if attendance was that low all the time & that it looked “eerie”.
So we are on the other end of the see-saw.

Haha.

Disney is going to shut down if people don’t stop being scared and go!!! *People go* BUT NOT LIKE THAT!

 

[runjulesrun]

I think some lines to get into stores is expected given social distancing / reduced capacity in the stores (heck, I had to wait in a 20min line just to get into he grocery store the other day)

But this just feels like a lot and when it is line for the stores and long lines for picking up mobile ordering and long lines for rides that are running into each other's it just gets tiring

We have been eating at 11am to beat the rush of people. Every time we have walked out of a QS location, we are floored at how many people are there waiting for their orders to be ready. I didn't realize this but during our September visit, we were told they were opening some QS places at 10:30am. Our November trip we will probably skip breakfast and eat a very early lunch to keep avoiding the crowds.

 

[rpb718]

Wasn't it just a few months ago we were all supposed to be applauding the vloggers for telling it like it is?

I have no clue what capacity is, I'm just reading and commenting with people.

I expect lines, but I'll admit I didn't expect huge waits just to enter a store.

I haven't read about "huge waits" for stores in the parks. And I'm not sure how long folks really have been waiting to get into the Mexico pavilion.

I don’t think things need to be back to normal, but those lines with the reduced park experience at full ticket prices are a hard pill to swallow.

Just wait until the ticket price increases are announced early next year - I'm thinking sometime in Q1. To paraphrase The Who: "Meet the new normal. Same as the old normal."

 

[MrsBooch]

Haha.

Disney is going to shut down if people don’t stop being scared and go!!! *People go* BUT NOT LIKE THAT!

HAHAHA exactly

 

[Shellbells]

I think if they could increase ride capacity safely, they would consider it. They know the lines are longer. Bringing Fastpasses back doesn't solve anything though. Where would you go while you were waiting for your Fastpass time? It leaves more people available for other lines and then makes all of the lines move slower because Fastpasses are cutting in. I don't see how that solves anything.

You're probably right. I'm just feeling discouraged right now.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Haha.

Disney is going to shut down if people don’t stop being scared and go!!! *People go* BUT NOT LIKE THAT!

I do think the super low crowds to start did set somewhat unrealistic expectations for a lot of people that are now coming.

They want those July crowds and that just wasn't going to last forever so in comparison it seems crazy now

But compared to this time last year people would kill for 40 min standby wait for Mine Train

 

[rpb718]

Disney is going to shut down if people don’t stop being scared and go!!! *People go* BUT NOT LIKE THAT!

We all want people to go - just not while WE are there.

 

[Farro]

Haha.

Disney is going to shut down if people don’t stop being scared and go!!! *People go* BUT NOT LIKE THAT!

HAHAHA exactly

Geez.

I think a lot of people's complaints are ridiculous, like those freaking out over people watching cavalcades, but people are still allowed to complain...right? Or do we laugh at that now?

I think being concerned about going when you have to wait in (reportedly) long lines for stores is quite normal.

 

[Brianstl]

Haha.

Disney is going to shut down if people don’t stop being scared and go!!! *People go* BUT NOT LIKE THAT!

I think most people are going to keep on going, but that doesn’t mean Magic Kingdom today has to be the kind of experience I or some others on here need to be willing to spend our money on.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

But compared to this time last year people would kill for 40 min standby wait for Mine Train

Isn’t that the truth lol. Tell the DISboards of 2019 they could have half the people in the parks if they would just wear a little piece of cloth on their face.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Geez.

I think a lot of people's complaints are ridiculous, like those freaking out over people watching cavalcades, but people are still allowed to complain...

Complain away? Not like you needed my permission but I sure wasn’t trying to stop anyone.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I don’t think they are lying about the 25%. I just don’t want to vacation at Disney when the Magic Kingdom has lines like that on a Tuesday limited capacity or not. That is why I schedule my trips away from peak seasons.

I don’t think they’re lying either. You could fit A LOT more people in those lines and shops and transit that you used to be able to.

 

[MrsBooch]

Incidentally - one of the longest lines was for SDMT - the vlogger in question (who I love) who was not sugarcoating the lines - also noted it had a posted wait time of 65 min. That’s not crazy for that ride - and touring plans (for whatever it’s worth) says it posts 50 mins average and actual is 38.
My point is - looking at pictures of long lines without context is misleading.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I think most people are going to keep on going, but that doesn’t mean Magic Kingdom today has to be the kind of experience I or some others on here need to be willing to spend our money on.

Yep, we all need to decide if a Disney trip is right for us right now whether it’s value, safety, whatever. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[Farro]

Incidentally - one of the longest lines was for SDMT - the vlogger in question (who I love) who was not sugarcoating the lines - also noted it had a posted wait time of 65 min. That’s not crazy for that ride - and touring plans (for whatever it’s worth) says it posts 50 mins average and actual is 38.
My point is - looking at pictures of long lines without context is misleading.

But it is long when there are no fast passes for anything and lots of rides had waits over 30 minutes or more (that I've read, I'm not there ), plus waits to get in stores, long waits for food...and a shorter day to try and get it all done.

And no hopping to a less crowded park.