Rumor about “modified experiences” when Disney reopens (read 1st post for potential modifications being considered)

[Letsoflyakite]

We just cancelled our Aulani trip We booked for Riviera/BC for mid July instead.

That's a bummer. We were thinking about February.....but, we are just going to have to wait and see.

 

[amelia18]

That would be one thing for the guests, who would be there for a couple minutes and sanitize their hands right before and after, but what about Merida herself? Does she wear a mask? Does she get hand sanitizer in between each family? How does that work without breaking character? And how do you ask the "friends" of Merida to take that risk with their own health and their families that they would impact if they caught this? You can't "treat it like a petting zoo" because the Disney CMs aren't goats and sheep. At most, maybe something like the post you were responding to, where a couple families could come into her courtyard area and she stays up on the platform for a quick greeting of some sort without physical contact. For fur characters, maybe it's less of a risk than the face characters because they have the barrier of their suits, but even then, the question of how to sanitize the suits comes into play and that's just a lot of physical contact with a lot of people.

So my friend and I were meeting Aurora in MK once. When we got in to her room and were a few people away, we noticed that she was sort of drifting over to a potted plant and looking at it after each group or two of people. We realized she had a bottle of hand sanitizer behind the plant and was discretely using it in between each guest. It was really cleverly hidden and if we hadn't been pay attention we never would have known. Obviously this would be a different risk level than it potentially was a few years back, but just an example to show that it has been implemented for face characters before

 

[cakebaker]

Not letting them in on the spot that`s fair and warranted. But they can be tested for COVID maybe? If the test comes back negative they should be allowed in. In my opinion.

I dunno, if you’re running a fever, with a great many illnesses, you’re catchy. If you’re running a fever, you really shouldn’t be in the parks anyway. I think it’s unreasonable to expect Disney to be running quick result testing on site.

 

[Theactualdisneyprincess]

Based on announcements and current updates, how do we think dining will be impacted once WDW reopens? Will dinner shows like Hoop be modified or cancelled?

Also, I’m curious with what will happen with the few character meals and buffets that we have booked. Cancelled altogether or modified? We have a few different reservations going the end of June and beginning of July to try our luck, but we may be in the guinea pig group. Not sure if I should wait and see or just cancel those dining reservations and modify our dining plan.

 

[SoonipiLady]

Ok, I’m sure it’s here somewhere, but I just went back 25 pages and didn’t see it. What will be the provision for someone who has a health condition that makes wearing a mask impossible? Will documentation from doctor be acceptable or will you just not be allowed to enter the parks?

 

[butterscotchcollins]

Based on announcements and current updates, how do we think dining will be impacted once WDW reopens? Will dinner shows like Hoop be modified or cancelled?

Also, I’m curious with what will happen with the few character meals and buffets that we have booked. Cancelled altogether or modified? We have a few different reservations going the end of June and beginning of July to try our luck, but we may be in the guinea pig group. Not sure if I should wait and see or just cancel those dining reservations and modify our dining plan.

Idk the answer but just want to say I feel for you, making dining reservations is exhausting enough without having to figure out how to change them (if you want) due to potential modifications. I hope you have fun regardless, that's at the very least what we all deserve when we go: an enjoyable time

 

[koszmok]

I dunno, if you’re running a fever, with a great many illnesses, you’re catchy. If you’re running a fever, you really shouldn’t be in the parks anyway. I think it’s unreasonable for Disney to be running quick result testing on site.

Maybe. But there are conditions unfortunately which comes with constant elevated temperature although I`m not sure how high that is.
The testing wouldn`t be done by Disney. But with previously agreed and accepted tests paid by the guest. I read North Korea has some quick reliable test. Something like that.

If the guest pay for it why not?

 

[KBoopaloo]

Based on announcements and current updates, how do we think dining will be impacted once WDW reopens? Will dinner shows like Hoop be modified or cancelled?

Also, I’m curious with what will happen with the few character meals and buffets that we have booked. Cancelled altogether or modified? We have a few different reservations going the end of June and beginning of July to try our luck, but we may be in the guinea pig group. Not sure if I should wait and see or just cancel those dining reservations and modify our dining plan.

The Hoop Dee Doo seems like something that might take a while to come back. Singing is a super droplet spreading activity worse than almost anything else. I can’t imagine Disney is eager to take on the risk of having an infected but asymptomatic performer singing in the direction of guests while they eat.

 

[Theactualdisneyprincess]

Idk the answer but just want to say I feel for you, making dining reservations is exhausting enough without having to figure out how to change them (if you want) due to potential modifications. I hope you have fun regardless, that's at the very least what we all deserve when we go: an enjoyable time

Thank you for the kind words. This was actually supposed to be our honeymoon. Our wedding was postponed and our Disney Cruise got cancelled last week. We will be going again next year for 2.0, but hoping to scale back if the experiences aren’t there.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Ok, I’m sure it’s here somewhere, but I just went back 25 pages and didn’t see it. What will be the provision for someone who has a health condition that makes wearing a mask impossible? Will documentation from doctor be acceptable or will you just not be allowed to enter the parks?

It sounds like the only exceptions are kids under 3. If people are walking around without masks, it's potentially putting other guests and cast members at risk during the early phases of opening. And if there are exceptions for this and for that, the whole idea of a requirement goes out the window. Some folks might just have to wait until later, when requirements ease and we get back to where folks don't need masks to protect each other. Very much looking forward to that time again....

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Based on announcements and current updates, how do we think dining will be impacted once WDW reopens? Will dinner shows like Hoop be modified or cancelled?

Also, I’m curious with what will happen with the few character meals and buffets that we have booked. Cancelled altogether or modified? We have a few different reservations going the end of June and beginning of July to try our luck, but we may be in the guinea pig group. Not sure if I should wait and see or just cancel those dining reservations and modify our dining plan.

Nothing official about dining. Several outlets have done speculating about buffets (including the DIS team who had a video about it) ... general thinking is they would be modified if possible (with move to serving things family style or possibly still buffet you to up to but would tell a CM behind the counter what you want and they put in on a plate for you)

 

[bopper]

Why in the world would someone running fever want to be in a theme park?

Because you bought the plane tickets and the hotel and the park tickets and you are there and your kids are there...

 

[SarahC97]

Based on announcements and current updates, how do we think dining will be impacted once WDW reopens? Will dinner shows like Hoop be modified or cancelled?

Also, I’m curious with what will happen with the few character meals and buffets that we have booked. Cancelled altogether or modified? We have a few different reservations going the end of June and beginning of July to try our luck, but we may be in the guinea pig group. Not sure if I should wait and see or just cancel those dining reservations and modify our dining plan.

I wonder this as well. I hope they try to expand outdoor seating at some places since that seems to be the safest route. My guess is buffets might be totally out initially -- I read an article that cruise lines will not be bringing buffets back after they reopen for quite a while. I guess we'll see what Disney comes up with when they announce reopening.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Not letting them in on the spot that`s fair and warranted. But they can be tested for COVID maybe? If the test comes back negative they should be allowed in. In my opinion.

Disney isn't going to pay for tens of thousands of COVID tests a day

 

[Theactualdisneyprincess]

I wonder this as well. I hope they try to expand outdoor seating at some places since that seems to be the safest route. My guess is buffets might be totally out initially -- I read an article that cruise lines will not be bringing buffets back after they reopen for quite a while. I guess we'll see what Disney comes up with when they announce reopening.

Selfishly speaking, I’m anxious to see what happens!

 

[rteetz]

I’m not a mod, but a lot of times people get posts deleted when they’re reported. Mods can’t read every post. So if you see one you think violates policies ((discussing circumventing park rules is, I think), report it.

Yep, while I try to read as much as I can it doesn't always happen. Report it and it will be reviewed. Reporting doesn't always lead to something being removed either.

 

[Theactualdisneyprincess]

With rumored modifications to buffets and character dining, would you cancel altogether? I’m okay with the ambiance of some of the spots and I worry that they will be all the more difficult to book later this year and next year.

 

[CastAStone]

Based on announcements and current updates, how do we think dining will be impacted once WDW reopens? Will dinner shows like Hoop be modified or cancelled?

Also, I’m curious with what will happen with the few character meals and buffets that we have booked. Cancelled altogether or modified? We have a few different reservations going the end of June and beginning of July to try our luck, but we may be in the guinea pig group. Not sure if I should wait and see or just cancel those dining reservations and modify our dining plan.

I mean Golden Corral isn't doing buffets at their locations as they reopen, so I imagine buffet character meals (which I think between DLR and WDW are most of them?) will at least need to be heavily modified - which will mean added cost. And some of those character meals (CRT for example) are really tight to begin with so they'll have to move a lot of tables out to get real social distancing. You might get an extra minute with Cinderella though.

More likely, the face character meals just won't happen for a while. In Shanghai, they're socially isolating the face characters so that they don't have to wear masks. But a character meal with the character waving and shouting from a balcony just doesn't have that same magic, does it?

Something like Garden Grille might be a little easier to continue to execute.

 

[Eric Smith]

Not letting them in on the spot that`s fair and warranted. But they can be tested for COVID maybe? If the test comes back negative they should be allowed in. In my opinion.

I think that's unrealistic. It takes a few days to get results from a test which would already cover most of someone's visit. It would also require Disney to determine if it was a valid test. I don't think they'll put in the effort.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Ok, I’m sure it’s here somewhere, but I just went back 25 pages and didn’t see it. What will be the provision for someone who has a health condition that makes wearing a mask impossible? Will documentation from doctor be acceptable or will you just not be allowed to enter the parks?

Disney has not stated if there is one. If you are in that position I would reach out to Disney Guest Services here and I would select Disability Services as the topic at hand. They may ask you to wait until an opening has been determined.