Disney character M&G back??

[CaptainAmerica]

Not on the June 11th sailing on the Fantasy. A ridiculous amount of people came back with COVID after that trip, me included.

The test is now two days in advance so there will be more people boarding the ship who are positive too, and would have tested positive at port.

I'm not saying the ships are COVID-free, I'm comparing them to the parks. Some COVID is going to get around the Safe Passage vaccination and testing regime but not nearly as much as the parks, where there's no vaccination and testing regime to begin with.

 

[nancipants]

Unlike cast members at WDW, DCL cast members are living on the ships in close quarters. It is extremely easy for them to spread Covid. If crew members are sick, experiences get cancelled. Obviously, they want to avoid this.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Unlike cast members at WDW, DCL cast members are living on the ships in close quarters. It is extremely easy for them to spread Covid. If crew members are sick, experiences get cancelled. Obviously, they want to avoid this.

Except they announced that traditional meet and greets were returning to DCL. If they want to have the policy, fine, but they literally announced the end of the policy.

 

[nancipants]

Except they announced that traditional meet and greets were returning to DCL. If they want to have the policy, fine, but they literally announced the end of the policy.

Obviously things have changed since then. That, unfortunately, is how it goes with Covid.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

On March 31, Disney announced "Disney Character Greetings Returning to U.S. Sites This Spring," including Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Aulani, and Disney Cruise Line.

It's now summer. They lied, there's no way around it. If I had spent $350 on a DCL photo package expecting them to honor their announcement, I'd be furious.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Obviously things have changed since then. That, unfortunately, is how it goes with Covid.

Then make a new announcement correcting the old one. People are making financial decisions based on what they were told.

I have been extremely patient with Disney when it comes to COVID, but they have to actually tell people what they're getting before they pay for it. If they can't offer daily housekeeping in the resorts, that's fine. They tell you when you book that you're not going to get daily housekeeping. If they don't want to have characters at Crystal Palace, that's fine. They tell you when you book that there are no characters at Crystal Palace. What they're doing with DCL right now is a bait-and-switch. They've advertised one product, taken everyone's money, and then pulled the rug out from under them with no recourse because they're stuck in the middle of the ocean by the time they realize they've been duped into paying full price for a watered-down experience.

And I don't even like meet-and-greets! It's not my family's thing, so I have no dog in this fight. I've defended them left-and-right on COVID stuff but this one is completely unacceptable.

 

[nancipants]

I’m not defending them announcing it and not doing it. I think they were foolish to announce it. I’m just explaining why they’re still not doing it when WDW is. I’m currently on Day 10 of positive Covid tests and cannot imagine sick CMs having to deal with this on a cruise ship.

 

[holula]

I’m not defending them announcing it and not doing it. I think they were foolish to announce it. I’m just explaining why they’re still not doing it when WDW is. I’m currently on Day 10 of positive Covid tests and cannot imagine sick CMs having to deal with this on a cruise ship.

Same. I actually feel fine (thankfully got COVID mild) but it would spread like crazy on a cruise ship if the staff got it.

Also regarding the photo package, you don’t get charged until you’re on the ship and you can get a refund as long as you haven’t downloaded any photos.

 

[Jhondy]

Then make a new announcement correcting the old one. People are making financial decisions based on what they were told.

I have been extremely patient with Disney when it comes to COVID, but they have to actually tell people what they're getting before they pay for it. If they can't offer daily housekeeping in the resorts, that's fine. They tell you when you book that you're not going to get daily housekeeping. If they don't want to have characters at Crystal Palace, that's fine. They tell you when you book that there are no characters at Crystal Palace. What they're doing with DCL right now is a bait-and-switch. They've advertised one product, taken everyone's money, and then pulled the rug out from under them with no recourse because they're stuck in the middle of the ocean by the time they realize they've been duped into paying full price for a watered-down experience.

And I don't even like meet-and-greets! It's not my family's thing, so I have no dog in this fight. I've defended them left-and-right on COVID stuff but this one is completely unacceptable.

Disney has been terrible with their announcements since COVID. I mean look at their other vague announcements….dining plans coming back soon (I think that was announced line 8 or more more months ago), Magic band plus coming this summer (it’s almost July and no word), etc. Disney has been doing vague announcements for awhile now and it is very frustrating cause it’s hard to plan when you don’t know when things are actually going to happen

 

[Chrislovesdisney]

Not to mention the continued absence of paper navigators means that no one can actually see what the program offerings are (I.e. no one can post photos of them online). It‘s so frustrating. Especially with kids and with Covid (I don’t know if I want them to do the kids club), I’d really like to know the options of how to spend our time.

 

[EddieK76]

Disney has been terrible with their announcements since COVID. I mean look at their other vague announcements….dining plans coming back soon (I think that was announced line 8 or more more months ago), Magic band plus coming this summer (it’s almost July and no word), etc. Disney has been doing vague announcements for awhile now and it is very frustrating cause it’s hard to plan when you don’t know when things are actually going to happen

Its actually late June and summer just started officially 6 days ago.

 

[EddieK76]

On March 31, Disney announced "Disney Character Greetings Returning to U.S. Sites This Spring," including Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Aulani, and Disney Cruise Line.

It's now summer. They lied, there's no way around it. If I had spent $350 on a DCL photo package expecting them to honor their announcement, I'd be furious.

The headline is correct; however, if you further read the article on Disney Parks blog it goes on to say that it will be phased in through early summer. Since summer just started 6 days ago I wouldn't be so upset

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Disney has been terrible with their announcements since COVID. I mean look at their other vague announcements….dining plans coming back soon (I think that was announced line 8 or more more months ago), Magic band plus coming this summer (it’s almost July and no word), etc. Disney has been doing vague announcements for awhile now and it is very frustrating cause it’s hard to plan when you don’t know when things are actually going to happen

I'm okay with vague announcements. It's definitive announcements that they go back on that I don't like. If they said "dining plan coming back in June," then they sold you a dining plan for June, and then only after you checked into your resort did they tell you that no dining plan would be available, that's the analogue of what they're doing with the cruises.

Not to mention the continued absence of paper navigators means that no one can actually see what the program offerings are (I.e. no one can post photos of them online). It‘s so frustrating. Especially with kids and with Covid (I don’t know if I want them to do the kids club), I’d really like to know the options of how to spend our time.

A paper navigator from one cruise has never been a reliable indicator of what to expect on some future cruise. They're not supposed to be the same program on repeat.

 

[Chrislovesdisney]

I'm okay with vague announcements. It's definitive announcements that they go back on that I don't like. If they said "dining plan coming back in June," then they sold you a dining plan for June, and then only after you checked into your resort did they tell you that no dining plan would be available, that's the analogue of what they're doing with the cruises.


A paper navigator from one cruise has never been a reliable indicator of what to expect on some future cruise. They're not supposed to be the same program on repeat.

No, but there’s more similar than different.

 

[Ohmymonty]

Dare I ask....are they back? I figured we're at the end of July and so many people were booking the events. How was it?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Dare I ask....are they back? I figured we're at the end of July and so many people were booking the events. How was it?

Got off the ship on the 18th and it was still distanced.

 

[Ohmymonty]

Got off the ship on the 18th and it was still distanced.

Boo Do you know if they were doing ticketed meet and greets on your cruise? I saw some people on this thread and others saying they were able to book them, and I was curious if the ticketed events were distanced? I kind of assumed the ticketed events would be the sign things were back to normal.

 

[nlharpel]

Boo Do you know if they were doing ticketed meet and greets on your cruise? I saw some people on this thread and others saying they were able to book them, and I was curious if the ticketed events were distanced? I kind of assumed the ticketed events would be the sign things were back to normal.

We did the ticketed Royal Gathering on the Fantasy last week and it was distanced.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Boo Do you know if they were doing ticketed meet and greets on your cruise? I saw some people on this thread and others saying they were able to book them, and I was curious if the ticketed events were distanced? I kind of assumed the ticketed events would be the sign things were back to normal.

I just got an email from concierge services this week regarding the Royal Gathering for our cruise early September. The email stated that the gathering would be socially distanced.

 

[Trisaratops]

I just got an email from concierge services this week regarding the Royal Gathering for our cruise early September. The email stated that the gathering would be socially distanced.

Do you know if I give concierge an autograph book for my girls if the characters will sign it "behind the scenes"??