Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Pens Fan]

Not sure if this was posted here yet.

https://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/wa...rs-shuttles-for-theme-park-transportation.htm

We got caught by surprise with this. We weren’t staying there but had dinner reservations at Il Mulino after our DHS day. After a long, hot day in the sun we thought it would make sense to grab the bus over there as the Friendship boats aren’t running. Big Mistake.

There was no signage for a Swan/Dolphin bus directing you to a bus slot. We finally found the one and only CM (that we saw anyway) working the bus area, and even he wasn’t sure where we should wait. He thought it was the charter area so we headed that way. Fortunately we found some other guests waiting on a different charter who had seen one for Swan/ Dolphin earlier. We waited 45 minutes for the bus, only to have it drive right by the Swan, go to Epcot (no one there there be picked up) and then finally back to the Swan.

The whole time we were waiting we kept debating amongst ourselves whether we should give up and walk or surely a bus will be here soon.

Shoulda walked.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

The problem I guess is that max capacity is a secret so ppl can’t figure out what that really looks like. I understand why Disney would not want to disclose that except it’s also what starts to give the appearance of deception.

If MK capacity was given by Disney to be 100k, and we knew for a fact 25% was 25k, what does that mean to your average guest? How can they take that number and somewhat accurately gauge what crowds will look and feel like? Even if told this is about half your average day beforehand, the parks are not operating like they were beforehand so it’s potentially just as deceptive and vague and useless for individuals deciding if they should go.

This is where the vloggers are great, because at the end of the day it’s the actual feel inside the parks that are helpful to guests, and I don’t expect Disney to give us that anymore than I did before when they would advertise a completely different picture than the actual unpleasant crowds and waits one could encounter there.

 

[musika]

I'm really just here to say that I've officially read 2,999 pages of this thread and am awaiting the turn to 3,000.

That, and long live Carpets of Aladdin.

 

[MrsBooch]

Right now - 2:04pm EST - the wait times in MK don't look TOO scary to me...

The longest posted time is Splash at 65 (i would have done this in the AM)

Haunted - 50 (no way)

Space, SDMT, Pirates, Thunder - all 40 (not bad)

Peter pan and Jungle - 35 (eh...)

Buzz - 30 (no)

and everyone else is between 25-10 min (we can do that)

and Carpets is 10 so really what's the problem here...aren't we all just going for that?

 

[Farro]

Well, everyone can relax. I watched full video and the line for Starbucks was practically nonexistent.

Trip back on.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Well, everyone can relax. I watched full video and the line for Starbucks was practically nonexistent.

Trip back on.

Last year we did EEMH at DHS arriving at 5 something in the morning. We accomplished nearly everything save for the shows before 9 (including breakfast), but the longest wait was without question.... Starbucks. Same thing at MK on a different day. We looped through Buzz I think 5 times after waiting 20ish minutes for.... Starbucks.

So if there’s no Starbucks lines I can only assume the parks are July dead again.

 

[LSUmiss]

Im actually surprised that Chapek disclosed a number, I'm more puzzled and curious as to why he did it

But I think that’s what makes it seem deceptive b/c I think the 25% capacity is meant to seem appealing to encourage ppl to come. So when it looks like it has been looking, ppl feel lied to.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Let’s see what jersey week is like. We have no true fall break here. But we have the convention.

 

[Farro]

Last word on the vlog since I finally sat and watched it all the to end.

I see where he's doubting the 25%, eh, just his own thoughts. I do get that he didn't ride any rides so we don't know the actual wait times.

But....anyone watching that vlog with a trip planned soon will probably FREAK OUT!!!

It really did look like insanity. But the boat from MK to Grand Floridian was empty!

 

[Mit88]

But I think that’s what makes it seem deceptive b/c I think the 25% capacity is meant to seem appealing to encourage ppl to come. So when it looks like it has been looking, ppl feel lied to.

Maybe it’s always been 25%. To start it was 25% of daily average attendance and now it’s 25% of max capacity. Wouldnt be him lying about the number, and it would explain the increase of crowds. Buckets for AP were filled at DHS when the parks were empty, and now they’re filled with the parks being quite a bit more crowded. Obviously they reallocated bucket spots, but if capacity wasn’t raised, then they were giving virtually no slots to APs, and while some of us believe APs get the short end of the stick when it comes to Disney, I find it hard to believe that their original intention was to have 95% of the parks filled with non-APs when they reopened

 

[RamblingRabbit]

It really did look like insanity. But the boat from MK to Grand Floridian was empty!

This is what got me the most... "The parks are nonstop busy, this is ridiculous...." "Guys, I got this boat by myself and there's no one to be picked up on the other side either."

Remember that everything said by anyone online is framed a certain way.

 

[Jrb1979]

Maybe it’s always been 25%. To start it was 25% of daily average attendance and now it’s 25% of max capacity. Wouldnt be him lying about the number, and it would explain the increase of crowds. Buckets for AP were filled at DHS when the parks were empty, and now they’re filled with the parks being quite a bit more crowded. Obviously they reallocated bucket spots, but if capacity wasn’t raised, then they were giving virtually no slots to APs, and while some of us believe APs get the short end of the stick when it comes to Disney, I find it hard to believe that their original intention was to have 95% of the parks filled with non-APs when they reopened

I can see them giving resort guests more slots then AP holders. Maybe not quite as 95% but maybe 80%. Since resorts aren't filling its probably closer to 50/50 now. I don't think they upped capacity at all. I just think July and August we abismal.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Maybe it’s always been 25%. To start it was 25% of daily average attendance and now it’s 25% of max capacity. Wouldnt be him lying about the number, and it would explain the increase of crowds. Buckets for AP were filled at DHS when the parks were empty, and now they’re filled with the parks being quite a bit more crowded. Obviously they reallocated bucket spots, but if capacity wasn’t raised, then they were giving virtually no slots to APs, and while some of us believe APs get the short end of the stick when it comes to Disney, I find it hard to believe that their original intention was to have 95% of the parks filled with non-APs when they reopened

See I can see it being possible. Numbers made up by me for sake of easier math, if....

20% was for AP, 40% for resort guests, 40% for offsite to begin with at a park with 100k capacity and AP filled, that’s 5000 spots for AP, and 10k each for the other two buckets. AP filled, but the other buckets did not even close to fill so the parks felt quite empty. After tweaks they bumped it to 50% AP and 25 for the other two, putting it at 12.5k APs still selling out their bucket and 12.5k for the other two that are now seeing more people than July. In practice you’d be seeing way more people in the parks without Disney lifting capacity at all, technically.

Again, numbers pulled out of you know where to illustrate why I think it’s totally possible nothing shady or intentionally deceptive is going on here.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Welcome to page 3000!

 

[Mit88]

I can see them giving resort guests more slots then AP holders. Maybe not quite as 95% but maybe 80%. Since resorts aren't filling its probably closer to 50/50 now. I don't think they upped capacity at all. I just think July and August we abismal.

Then how were the AP slots filled up every day at DHS unless they were severely cutting them thin on reservation slots? In the beginning there were probably 5-7k people in the park, most of which APs. Now theres probably about 15-20k in the park. You’re talking a huge increase in reservation slots being reallocated to APs. It just doesn’t add up.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

But a 60 min wait for little mermaid now snakes all the way to dumbo in the blazing sun & that it not about perspective. That’s just miserable.

Oh, I’m not talking about that. The poster I was quoting was purely talking about actual minute length of wait times. No other context other than that. People classify different wait times as “long.”

Heat and sun isn’t a problem for us, but I understand why it’s problematic for people. We’re the kind of people who will happily wait for an hour in full sun in the middle of August to get a perfect spot for FOF. We thrive in the heat and humidity! But I know we are probably in the minority there.

 

[Mit88]

Welcome to page 3000!

I remember when 1,000 seemed like a big deal. Back when masks were still being debated.

Hold on, I’m getting word that masks are still being debated.

Maybe the debate will end by page 10,000. Dream big.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I remember when 1,000 seemed like a big deal. Back when masks were still being debated.

Hold on, I’m getting word that masks are still being debated.

Maybe the debate will end by page 10,000. Dream big.

Why on earth did you bring up masks?!?!?

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Then how were the AP slots filled up every day at DHS unless they were severely cutting them thin on reservation slots? In the beginning there were probably 5-7k people in the park, most of which APs. Now theres probably about 15-20k in the park. You’re talking a huge increase in reservation slots being reallocated to APs. It just doesn’t add up.

They could absolutely have had the ratios at the beginning somewhat reflective of pre-pandemic attendance and tweaked them to reflect actual demand. We do know that they are seeing a higher percentage of APs than normal operation, I think that came from Chapek?

 

[Mit88]

Why on earth did you bring up masks?!?!?