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

[Anna_Sh]

I have to disagree with your assessment that Epcot has very little draw to “most guests” outside of F& W. You may not see much attraction there, but that doesn’t mean most guests don’t.

Agreed! If you can get past the largely cosmetic issues with the construction, there is A LOT going on at EPCOT. I wonder if they won’t go in a different direction and only open MK and EPCOT. They could add a festival to EPCOT (festival of summer or something), which would give them some extra food choices if any of the WS restaurants can’t open without international CMs. I agree that they’ll have to open MK, but EPCOT is really the best option they have for social distancing, even with the construction walls.

 

[Anna H]

How many of us have reservations between late June and August? You can like this post to say yes to reduce clutter. Just curious.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Totally agree. If they can open Epcot, I would think it would be a smart money making play, considering the sheer amount of dining experiences available.

I was thinking the same thing - and so much of it outdoors as well.

 

[cakebaker]

My biggest concern beyond when they open is what they do with the resorts and how they prioritize entry. I can live without Epcot, but I’d be surprised if it was closed.

It wouldn’t be at all surprising if resorts aren’t open during the very first few days. If they do soft openings with CM’s and then AP’s like Universal is, there would be little need to open resorts. This is especially true if the opening is earlier in June where reservations are already cancelled.

I have no insider that shares information with me, just someone who really wants conditions and timing to be something I can live with. Losing that trip in March was so tough, but especially so for my grandson. He doesn’t know about this next trip just to avoid the disappointment he went through last time and I really want to be able to tell him we’re on again!

There’s not a lot they could say that would make me a angry, but they could sure say a lot that would make me sad. It’s going to be a long night!

 

[Krandor]

My guess.. Parks open 6/15. resorts not until 7/6 to get past july 4th.

 

[SaintsManiac]

My guess.. Parks open 6/15. resorts not until 7/6 to get past july 4th.

Bold. I like it! I said parks first and they came after me with pitchforks!

 

[OnceUponATime15]

To add to the EPCOT later speculation - Disney careers is still running job postings for international CMs (for both Norway & Germany, there were other countries posted back in April) the start dates in the job postings (which were bolded) August through November 2020.

Can they hire locally for maybe 6 weeks.. perhaps, but unlikely. Too short term to do all the training & other job logistics like interviews, screening/vetting, and familiarizing the temporary CMs with the actual representation of which ever country they end up in, only to do it again when the new CMs arrive.
Simpler to just stay closed for the few extra weeks & save the costs and hassle of doing things twice in a short period.

 

[wareagle57]

I have to disagree with your assessment that Epcot has very little draw to “most guests” outside of F& W. You may not see much attraction there, but that doesn’t mean most guests don’t.

Of course everyone is going to have different opinions about which parks they like best. Epcot in it's former glory is a favorite park to probably half the die-hard message board fans. But there is no denying it can't compare to the other 3 right now in terms of new things to draw people in. MK is MK. Enough said. Star Wars and MMRR in Studios plus TSL. Avatar in AK. Plus all the construction and possible lack of CMs. We don't even know if all the restaurants will be able to reopen, which is where Epcot makes a lot of their money. This lets them open up the most profitable and least disturbed (and arguably most popular) part of the park, and ramp up construction without guests after being shut down for 2 months and getting behind schedule.

I don't think there is any way they will anything remotely similar to what I proposed, but I think it's a good idea and compromise.

 

[Krandor]

Of course everyone is going to have different opinions about which parks they like best. Epcot in it's former glory is a favorite park to probably half the die-hard message board fans. But there is no denying it can't compare to the other 3 right now in terms of new things to draw people in. MK is MK. Enough said. Star Wars and MMRR in Studios plus TSL. Avatar in AK. Plus all the construction and possible lack of CMs. We don't even know if all the restaurants will be able to reopen, which is where Epcot makes a lot of their money. This lets them open up the most profitable and least disturbed (and arguably most popular) part of the park, and ramp up construction without guests after being shut down for 2 months and getting behind schedule.

I don't think there is any way they will anything remotely similar to what I proposed, but I think it's a good idea and compromise.

I love epcot but it is depressing in its current form. I hated during marathon weekend this year for the course not to go by SSE and then into the backstage path like it has every single year I've run it. It just wasn't the same getting diverted into backstage areas shortly after WS. Not the same at all.

But really the big thing is the paths right now with the construction walls are too narrow for any kind of social distancing. That is a major issue. You can't even put arrows on the ground to get around it.

 

[jlwhitney]

The M word will keep people away. I'm seeing the six flags feed today flooded with complaints over that requirement after their announcement this morning.

I agree. Its gonna be a mess. I have been following places in gatlingburg area and many of the attractions that stated masks required have already changed.

It rained a lot today in My part of Florida and made me think what a mess it’s gonna be with them when it does the daily rain everyday in the summer, I really don’t think a lot of people are going to think about bring back ups , and some days with rain and sweat and humidity people are going to need 3-5 per day, and most people don’t own that many to make it a Week.

 

[cakebaker]

My guess.. Parks open 6/15. resorts not until 7/6 to get past july 4th.

The suspicious side of me is looking at that July 9 date when AP discounts expire.....

 

[dmband]

My guess.. Parks open 6/15. resorts not until 7/6 to get past july 4th.

Bold. I like it! I said parks first and they came after me with pitchforks!

parks could come first but imo there is zero chance they cancel more reservations just to have the park open Without resorts too. July 4th for sure.
They would have more people cancel simply because they don’t have time or desire to book an outside hotel/split stay.

as for other posts about Epcot and International CM.
what makes everyone think that the CMs “went home” and are not living in FL?
I am sure some did but some had to have stayed, I mean they are not living in since Epcot and since it got close had to move back to their home country, right?

 

[Krandor]

I agree. Its gonna be a mess. I have been following places in gatlingburg area and many of the attractions that stated masks required have already changed.

I am for things starting to open back up but I think we need to be cautious and dropping things like masks early on concerns me a bit. I'd rather we keep that in place for a least a few weeks at least and see how things look before dropping it. I'd rather big things like theme parks and attractions err on the side of caution initially. Far easier to relax restrictions is things look good then to tighten then up if they don't.

 

[Krandor]

what makes everyone think that the CMs “went home” and are not living in FL?

Many many of the WS CMs are CPs from abroad. They got kicked out of their place to live (CP dorms) and had no job. Renting some place in FL to hang around and wait to be called back just isn't possible in most of those cases.

 

[LSUmiss]

The suspicious side of me is looking at that July 9 date when AP discounts expire.....

Some of the AP discounts aren’t as good as the other summer discount. I booked a cash reservation at boulder ridge under the summer discount b/c the ap was more.

 

[bdiddy]

Right .. and if the crowds come .. masks and social distancing just won't work (won't be enforceable or just physically possible)


Agree .. I'm not sold that people will want to come to Florida for a theme park vacation if it is going to require wearing a hot mask, have their months of planning disrupted, have to be "socially distant" which will inevitably create longer lines in the hot sun, and have a lot of the indoor (aka "cool") attractions and restaurants potentially be closed .... especially at "pre-COVID" prices. Sure there will be some that will still come, but will there be enough for the parks to profit .. and for those that DO come, will they come away with general dissatisfaction and regret? (not something a vacation destination wants guests going away with).

I am not starting the great mask debate. The theme parks can require them all they want, I am just saying I hope they are very temporary, because they will probably find out it is too hard to make a lot of people comply (especially when "back home" they aren't required to wear masks most places) OR the requirement will keep people away.

We’ve been talking about this a lot in our house. As much as we all want to go and understand the importance of wearing masks and do at home when we go into a store, etc....I just don’t think I could wear one somewhere like Disney. I can barely make it through the grocery store and am ripping it off the second I’m outside. I don’t know how essential workers are wearing them as long as they are. I just don’t know how on earth I could wear one there. Especially in the heat and humidity. And being a northern gal, I already struggle down there in the summer with no mask on! lol

 

[cakebaker]

Some of the AP discounts aren’t as good as the other summer discount. I booked a cash reservation at boulder ridge under the summer discount b/c the ap was more.

Ours is 35% off- the best discount available. The current summer discount offer that expires in Aug has a top discount of 25% off. I have our last night booked at that rate because of the AP expiring and tit's much more expensive. We had lost the Disney Visa discount for the Riviera in March, but the AP was very competitive to that, actually cost us just a little less, but that might be in part because of the time of year.

 

[jlwhitney]

I am for things starting to open back up but I think we need to be cautious and dropping things like masks early on concerns me a bit. I'd rather we keep that in place for a least a few weeks at least and see how things look before dropping it. I'd rather big things like theme parks and attractions err on the side of caution initially. Far easier to relax restrictions is things look good then to tighten then up if they don't.

Will be interesting how it plays out.

 

[LSUmiss]

Ours is 40% off- the best discount available.

For which resort?

 

[cakebaker]

For which resort?

Sorry, I corrected my post, it was 35% for OKW, Riviera and YC. Still much better than what I could get under the summer fun discount. It was a little strange how the discounts worked. We had looked at WL, but that discount was not nearly as good as the YC, so went with that. The Riviera was our March resort that ended up slightly cheaper for this trip than in March.