News Round Up 2020

[dlavender]

new Florida Resident Disney Flex ticket option ... so guess they are looking for more non-passholders to come

https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-storie...W9hFgGkuiqW8sfX_VUsQmC9oxwtjS0tjF_ZZuu2O86Ras

These are the same prices as they were before.

Only difference is they usually don't go past June so its a re release for fall (if you buy the more than 2 day options).

I still think they could increase resort bookings with FL residents if they were a bit more aggressive with discounts.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It's insane they still have the tight limits on APs, especially platinum passes. The inability to schedule more than three days will more than likely get me to cancel my September trip. Especially on top of getting no compensation for the lack of water parks I paid extra for.

They should at least let APs book any remaining spots a couple days out, or have an afternoon option.

at the very least they should let them book "day of" from any of the open buckets

 

[dlavender]

It's insane they still have the tight limits on APs, especially platinum passes. The inability to schedule more than three days will more than likely get me to cancel my September trip. Especially on top of getting no compensation for the lack of water parks I paid extra for.

They should at least let APs book any remaining spots a couple days out, or have an afternoon option.

Have they not offered partial refunds for just the water parks?

I was wondering what they would do for the top tier APs that included them.

Not cool if they aren't.

 

[tlmadden73]

new Florida Resident Disney Flex ticket option ... so guess they are looking for more non-passholders to come

https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-storie...W9hFgGkuiqW8sfX_VUsQmC9oxwtjS0tjF_ZZuu2O86Ras

Well .. it's nice to see (from a discount standpoint) that Disney feels the need to offer discounts to get people in the parks. Obviously the demand isn't there and they realize they will have more luck enticing locals to come there. Expand these ticket discounts to other nearby states and I'll drive down for a few days.

I wonder .. if attendance continues to lag .. if they'll maybe offer some AP ticket discounts/incentives (though I know they've stopped selling them altogether).

It seems like Disney needs a way to encourage people to come now (but not over their capacity limits) .. but also get them on the hook to come NEXT year when capacity is (hopefully) more. Seems like an AP is a perfect way to do that. Get some cash now from those purchases and have people booking 2, maybe 3 trips in 2021! ...
Maybe offer APs with a free 3-6 months? I'd buy that in a heartbeat.. basically using the "free" months to come down for a day or two in the early fall but then have the AP active for most of next year to come back in full force.

At this point (even if I could buy an AP) . .I don't see the point since it may only get me 4-6 months of "normal" operation.

 

[Rosanne]

Well, great, now I'm more worried and hesitant again. At this point, we're leaning on the side of going to our trip in late August, and we've decided to drive instead of fly to avoid airport/plane/Magical Express, and we'd also use our car most likely to go to parks other than Magic Kingdom (staying at Copper Creek) to avoid the buses.

Without stops, it would be about a 14-hour-drive for us. I was already a little worried about the stopping part of it, but your comment about the rest areas now has me quite worried. Was that both ways, or were the rest stops quiet on your way down? What time did you travel coming back? My plan is to leave about 6:00 in the evening, and get down there about 10:00 am, with stops for food and bathroom breaks factored in.

On the way back home we left at 10 a.m. and arrived home at 8 p.m. That was also a Sunday so probably busier than a weekday.

If everyone has used the bathroom before you leave at 6 p.m. and you don't have to stop until at least 8 p.m. I'm thinking the volume of people through the night should be low. If you get your last stop in by 8 a.m. you'll probably be in pretty good shape. Hopefully you have two drivers. I was well rested before my trip and didn't feel the slightest like nodding off but if I had I would have rested more.

We were coming from NC but eventually ran along Interstate 95. The welcome center to Florida was closed which was a bummer but everyone was diverted into a truck weigh station to be checked based on where we were traveling from. I rolled down the passenger window because the guy checking was on our right and told him we were from NC and he just said "You're good. Have a great time" and we were on our way. My daughter was a bit freaked out since she was sitting on that side and he wasn't wearing a mask but he was outside and a few feet from our car. I felt bad I didn't give her a chance to put on her mask but the whole thing kind of surprised me.

 

[SaintsManiac]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1285947589335101441

 

[Anthony Vito]

On the way back home we left at 10 a.m. and arrived home at 8 p.m. That was also a Sunday so probably busier than a weekday.

If everyone has used the bathroom before you leave at 6 p.m. and you don't have to stop until at least 8 p.m. I'm thinking the volume of people through the night should be low. If you get your last stop in by 8 a.m. you'll probably be in pretty good shape. Hopefully you have two drivers. I was well rested before my trip and didn't feel the slightest like nodding off but if I had I would have rested more.

We were coming from NC but eventually ran along Interstate 95. The welcome center to Florida was closed which was a bummer but everyone was diverted into a truck weigh station to be checked based on where we were traveling from. I rolled down the passenger window because the guy checking was on our right and told him we were from NC and he just said "You're good. Have a great time" and we were on our way. My daughter was a bit freaked out since she was sitting on that side and he wasn't wearing a mask but he was outside and a few feet from our car. I felt bad I didn't give her a chance to put on her mask but the whole thing kind of surprised me.

Ok - this is very helpful. We haven't decided a timeframe for the way back yet, whether we'll leave mid-day, afternoon, or evening, so I'll have to take this into account. We should hit the North Carolina border in about 4 hours, so not long after that it should be basically the same as you from there on.

How about rest stops/food/coffee for the way down - were places open/closed overnight? I think your first post said you napped for about an hour on the way down? If so, where did you stop, and did you feel safe? Fortunately, we will indeed have two drivers, but I'm the one of us who does much better with less sleep, etc., so if my wife hasn't had much time to nap/sleep in the car yet, I might be a little hesitant to wake her up too soon after she falls asleep to get her to drive, and I might just prefer a quick power nap for myself.

 

[mollmoll4]

It's insane they still have the tight limits on APs, especially platinum passes. The inability to schedule more than three days will more than likely get me to cancel my September trip. Especially on top of getting no compensation for the lack of water parks I paid extra for.

They should at least let APs book any remaining spots a couple days out, or have an afternoon option.

This just goes back to $$. They don't make more money when an AP walks through the gates. They already have that money. I know, I know, APs will spend in the parks... but it's not going to make up for the difference a ticket would make. I think it'd be great if they can offer more last-minute AP availability, but I 100% understand why they are limiting it.

 

[Rosanne]

Ok - this is very helpful. We haven't decided a timeframe for the way back yet, whether we'll leave mid-day, afternoon, or evening, so I'll have to take this into account. We should hit the North Carolina border in about 4 hours, so not long after that it should be basically the same as you from there on.

How about rest stops/food/coffee for the way down - were places open/closed overnight? I think your first post said you napped for about an hour on the way down? If so, where did you stop, and did you feel safe? Fortunately, we will indeed have two drivers, but I'm the one of us who does much better with less sleep, etc., so if my wife hasn't had much time to nap/sleep in the car yet, I might be a little hesitant to wake her up too soon after she falls asleep to get her to drive, and I might just prefer a quick power nap for myself.

Actually, I didn't deal with food overnight at all. I brought bananas and had some triscuits and packages of apricots and nutrigrain bars if I got hungry. I had fueled up right before leaving and didn't have to get gas until around 6 in the morning. BTW, exit 29 and exit 1 or 2 in Georgia are good for gas. I got it at exit 38 but paid a little more (worth it as I was getting low, though).

I felt fine trying to nap at the rest areas in either South Carolina or Georgia. I think I used a Georgia one. There was a LOT of road construction during the night with lanes switching all over the place. I didn't notice that on either side during the day.

 

[rteetz]

News

https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-storie...y-extends-cancellations-through-september-30/

 

[Princessclab]

Truly the stuff of nightmares!!!




Is that really a necessary question? I’m sure the parents were mortified (see comment above). I imagine this is one of the reasons why museums have insurance.

Wow, no need or is it really that necessary to get defensive over a simple question. Not all parents would be 'mortified' and some would blame Disney for having the castle in a place where children could hurt it. Not uncommon now that parents believe their children do no wrong, as others have said here including the post you quoted.
Pretty sure Disney is insured for it.

The intention of the question was to see what Disney's reaction was; sorry you did not get that and went to a negative personal attack.
Hope the rest of your day goes better.

 

[skeeter31]

Wow, no need or is it really that necessary to get defensive over a simple question. Not all parents would be 'mortified' and some would blame Disney for having the castle in a place where children could hurt it. Not uncommon now that parents believe their children do no wrong, as others have said here including the post you quoted.
Pretty sure Disney is insured for it.

The intention of the question was to see what Disney's reaction was; sorry you did not get that and went to a negative personal attack.
Hope the rest of your day goes better.

It was a museum piece, not on Disney property. Plus it’s owned by Arribas Bro’s, not Disney. It’s just based on a Disney item.

 

[goingthedistance]

NEWS: Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend transitioning to Virtual.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1285988096648130562

 

[The Pho]

News

https://chipandco.com/guest-evacuated-at-the-land-pavilion-in-epcot-395868/

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Project tomorrow interactive elements are turned off

https://blogmickey.com/2020/07/spac...orrow-interactive-elements-shut-off-at-epcot/

 

[sherlockmiles]

NEWS: Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend transitioning to Virtual.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1285988096648130562

**HOPEFUL**

Any chance they'll add openings since they are all currently sold out.......or do I just need to obsessively check......??

 

[CastAStone]

News

https://chipandco.com/guest-evacuated-at-the-land-pavilion-in-epcot-395868/

Whatever happened, the internet is now reporting that they're reopened it. Looking forward to a leak as to what happened.

 

[soniam]

Project tomorrow interactive elements are turned off

https://blogmickey.com/2020/07/spac...orrow-interactive-elements-shut-off-at-epcot/

They were closed the entire time we were there, from it’s 2nd day. Interactive elements in the ride vehicles are working. Actually, everything at the end of the FW pavilions is closed, Mission Space, Test Track.

 

[The Jackal]

It's insane they still have the tight limits on APs, especially platinum passes. The inability to schedule more than three days will more than likely get me to cancel my September trip. Especially on top of getting no compensation for the lack of water parks I paid extra for.

They should at least let APs book any remaining spots a couple days out, or have an afternoon option.

With a AP Disney is making $0 from you going to the park. If you buy a ticket they get $$ in hand. Once in the park usually both will buy food and other items. So once your in it’s a wash. Disney is just looking for some easy $$

 

[cranbiz]

With a AP Disney is making $0 from you going to the park. If you buy a ticket they get $$ in hand. Once in the park usually both will buy food and other items. So once your in it’s a wash. Disney is just looking for some easy $$

How do you figure this? Those who buy an AP have already given Disney their money. The difference is proportionally, they get less money over a day guest, but that's not always true either. AP's do spend money in the parks, AP's eat in the parks and a lot of them book hotel rooms and WDW has a high number of out of state AP holders.