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

[JPM4]

I feel for the TAs. Please be kind to your TA if your trip is canceled. They have no control over this.

This. I transferred my ressies to dreams so I don’t get mad at the situation. I work in a customer facing environment and there’s nothing worse then getting yelled at for things WAY beyond your control

 

[tlmadden73]

I think there is nothing wrong with letting people book for June/July IF they offer some compensation for that once more details are known. I am someone who has a mid-June trip planned ..but no reason to cancel it yet (with no news).

This just may be Disney's way of getting a "mailing list" of people who are interested in coming back sooner than later, and just being able to offer them huge discounts to return LATER (like they did for the March/April guests that were cancelled).

They know they are going to have to offer huge incentives to get people back even MONTHS from now. So anyone who rebooked in June/July and it looks like WDW will be closed or so heavily reduced (that people won't want to go) .. they can just get these people on the hook (and on the books) IMMEDIATELY for later in 2020 or early 2021.

- Limit capacity at first
- All employees screened everyday
- Sanitizing rides during the day and overnight
- Virtual ques with lines being outside instead of inside
- More spacing on rides and at shows
- All employees wearing masks, they dont know yet on customers wearing masks
- ALL touch points being removed

This would be interesting .. some of these make sense .. limiting capacity, focus on employee screening and masking (because they are more at risk than the guests, in my opinion).

A lot of things will just happen naturally. I think , you walk into a show, and if they tell you to leave a spot open between you and the people next to you -- people will just DO it now. . We are naturally inclined to not be right next to people anyway.

I wonder how virtual queuing would be implemented and what guests are going to do if they aren't waiting in lines .. especially if a lot of food/shopping experiences are cut down .. (but that is where the parks make a lot of their money .. ??)

 

[LSUmiss]

The walkway from the GF is about to be completed, that would help with getting to mk, if you're at ttc it'll be like walking from epcot ig to dhs, of course not everyone will want to walk that but some will

So it’ll be a longer walk than Contemporary though right?

 

[Krandor]

One thing I was just thinking of because I just saw them sitting on my bookshelf. Late last year fuelrod/disney were planing on making it $3 to swap out the fuelrods but after there was pushback changed their mind and said they were not doing that "at this time". Wonder if they will use this shutdown as a time to implement that fee upon reopening. Minor thing in the grand scheme of things but something I just wondered about. I have a fuelrod which I only use at disney but it's only useful to me with free swaps. At $3/swap it isn't useful.

With the money they are losing and possibly needing to have incentives for resorts, etc. I could absolutely see on reopening a lot of small new fees here and there that you don't notice until you get there "oh we used to be able to do that for free but now it's $1".

 

[Sandiz08]

The universal guy said that masks may be "encouraged" for guests, but they are not sure if it would become mandatory. They are saying all these changes should not be too difficult at a park like Volcano Bay which is already set up with virtual queuing for rides and food.

 

[TwoMisfits]

What’s the deal with the ‘only MK would open’ rumor I see on this thread? Is there any credible blog or rumor mill that’s heard this might be part of the plan or did that just get cooked up here and someone said yeah that sounds like a reasonable plan?

It's a good "WAG" - right now, they will not have international or college program employees, so their employee base is limited at a time when they may need more dedicated employees on cleaning and crowd management duties per day for each park...and they have to test case the parks...doing that 1-2 at a time is way easier to manage than all 4...

Plus, you limit variable costs...no sense opening 4 parks if you think that Florida residents only policy will struggle to fill 1-2.

AK is a good 2nd guess b/c it's way more expensive to keep down than EPCOT and Studios...all that animal care needs to start being offset...and they have the "ambiance" and space to let people wander and feel like their day isn't wasted...and MK has the most outdoor attractions and is the flagship...so 1-2 opening seems like a good guess...

 

[DGsAtBLT]

But they have to test their new safety procedures. It's best to do this with FL residents. They will still shop and buy food in the parks. It's simply the safest way to proceed with reopening.

Lower expectations too.

Locals venturing out of the house possibly doing one of their very first non essential things (at a low cost, assuming AP) is a lot different than a guest who travels, lays out more money in many cases, and treats it as an entire vacation.

More cooperative guinea pigs IMO.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Lower expectations too.

Locals venturing out of the house possibly doing one of their very first non essential things (at a low cost, assuming AP) is a lot different than a guest who travels, lays out more money in many cases, and treats it as an entire vacation.

More cooperative guinea pigs IMO.

And plenty of vlogging, which will help show people what is happening in the parks.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I'm still 50/50 on whether they will admit APs...I honestly think they won't the 1st week or 2 and will just do prebought tickets by date (and just keep extending APs)...and then allow APs by type in if everything goes well...with FL residents being the ones they "open" 1st...

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I think there is nothing wrong with letting people book for June/July IF they offer some compensation for that once more details are known. I am someone who has a mid-June trip planned ..but no reason to cancel it yet (with no news).

This just may be Disney's way of getting a "mailing list" of people who are interested in coming back sooner than later, and just being able to offer them huge discounts to return LATER (like they did for the March/April guests that were cancelled).

They know they are going to have to offer huge incentives to get people back even MONTHS from now. So anyone who rebooked in June/July and it looks like WDW will be closed or so heavily reduced (that people won't want to go) .. they can just get these people on the hook (and on the books) IMMEDIATELY for later in 2020 or early 2021.



This would be interesting .. some of these make sense .. limiting capacity, focus on employee screening and masking (because they are more at risk than the guests, in my opinion).

A lot of things will just happen naturally. I think , you walk into a show, and if they tell you to leave a spot open between you and the people next to you -- people will just DO it now. . We are naturally inclined to not be right next to people anyway.

I wonder how virtual queuing would be implemented and what guests are going to do if they aren't waiting in lines .. especially if a lot of food/shopping experiences are cut down .. (but that is where the parks make a lot of their money .. ??)

They didn’t offer anything huge for March/April guests. It was a nice gesture but not that great.

It’s a discount they historically offer frequently, it requires a purchase some guests don’t need (AP or already held tickets), and it was basically summer only meaning you had to gamble on whatever the world looked like as well as your own ability to get there.

 

[Krandor]

I think there is nothing wrong with letting people book for June/July IF they offer some compensation for that once more details are known. I am someone who has a mid-June trip planned ..but no reason to cancel it yet (with no news).

I think they will. they offereed March/April prople the free dining recovery offer. So if it extends into june/july I'd be shocked if people affected didn't get some kind of recovery offer for rebooking even if they don't know yet what that will be.

 

[yulilin3]

So it’ll be a longer walk than Contemporary though right?

Yes, definitely longer

 

[Spridell]

Has anything been indicated about Florida residents only initially?

No . Just "capping attendance" at first

 

[rteetz]

It's a good "WAG" - right now, they will not have international or college program employees, so their employee base is limited at a time when they may need more dedicated employees on cleaning and crowd management duties per day for each park...and they have to test case the parks...doing that 1-2 at a time is way easier to manage than all 4...

Sources at WDWMagic are saying that MK would be the first to open so a bit more than just a guess but as you said employees will be an issue.

 

[HuskieJohn]

But they have to test their new safety procedures. It's best to do this with FL residents. They will still shop and buy food in the parks. It's simply the safest way to proceed with reopening.

They would be better off soft opening the CoViD procedures on local CMs before the public. This way they can control/direct the people if needed. If there is a problem found they can announce to freeze or stay away from XXX land until otherwise directed.

This control CM run could be only one day but then allowing the CMs to act as the general public will require another day or two for each park...then after each day WDW will need to refine the program and update train the park CMs before its opened to FL residents.

Even then I would continue a soft opening limited to top tier FL APs and ease in with a lower level FL AP every few days at most as the plan will need to be further refined.
NOTE: This would not restart the AP clock and would be more of an invite type situation.

 

[LSUmiss]

The testing all guests sounds interesting, 15 minute test sounds good.

But, what would the throughput be for that? How many people could they handle per hour?

Also, what do they do with the tested people whilst waiting for the results? They need a large waiting area perhaps with seating and social distancing.

I think the testing thing is crazy when you consider small children. If they do it, maybe it’ll be adults only. And like has been previously mentioned, what do you do with ppl who test positive?? What about the reports that you can get false negatives? My sister (a nurse) said sometimes they get false negatives when they don’t go deep enough. So, imo, that’s when wdw opens itself up to more liability & possibility of lawsuits. If ppl know they’re coming in at their own risk, then it’s unlikely ppl will be able to sue. But, if ppl are given the false assurance that only negative ppl are being allowed in the parks & the tests aren’t always accurate, then I see more liability. Also, do you test ppl each day then enter the parks? That’s expensive & insane. I can see testing CMs regularly, but testing guests seems like a huge mess.

 

[tlmadden73]

I think they will. they offereed March/April prople the free dining recovery offer. So if it extends into june/july I'd be shocked if people affected didn't get some kind of recovery offer for rebooking even if they don't know yet what that will be.

OR .. if they are open in June/July but have "reduced capacity/experiences" .. I think they will have to offer huge incentives to those people to KEEP their reservations and have a generous cancellation policy for the people that can't (due to changes in job, traveling with elderly grandparents, travel restrictions) (or don't want to) keep their vacation.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I think the testing thing is crazy when you consider small children. If they do it, maybe it’ll be adults only. And like has been previously mentioned, what do you do with ppl who test positive?? What about the reports that you can get false negatives? My sister (a nurse) said sometimes they get false negatives when they don’t go deep enough. So, imo, that’s when wdw opens itself up to more liability & possibility of lawsuits. If ppl know they’re coming in at their own risk, then it’s unlikely ppl will be able to sue. But, if ppl are given the false assurance that only negative ppl are being allowed in the parks & the tests aren’t always accurate, then I see more liability. Also, do you test ppl each day then enter the parks? That’s expensive & insane. I can see testing CMs regularly, but testing guests seems like a huge mess.

Im curious what they do with positives in this hypothetical too.

Whole family is not allowed in because of close contact? Are they just let loose from the testing point to get back to their method of transport or even their resort on their own? Are they allowed to attempt again the next day or even later in the day? Is this data inputted on the guests MDE account? If resorts are open are they prevented from going there and eating, hanging around, etc?So curious as to how this unfolds if they take this route.

 

[LSUmiss]

If the parks are resort guests only WDW can test everyone before check in once and leave it at that.

If you do not want to allow WDW to test you then you can get a refund and come back later.

To me this is the only way to get around the masks and have onsite transportation (still not MDE)

But then they’ll have to have some way of ensuring that ppl don’t leave the property. And cms do leave. So unless they’re going to test everyone every day, then it’s worthless.

 

[SaintsManiac]

They would be better off soft opening the CoViD procedures on local CMs before the public. This way they can control/direct the people if needed. If there is a problem found they can announce to freeze or stay away from XXX land until otherwise directed.

This control CM run could be only one day but then allowing the CMs to act as the general public will require another day or two for each park...then after each day WDW will need to refine the program and update train the park CMs before its opened to FL residents.

Even then I would continue a soft opening limited to top tier FL APs and ease in with a lower level FL AP every few days at most as the plan will need to be further refined.
NOTE: This would not restart the AP clock and would be more of an invite type situation.

I never said they shouldn't do a soft open with CMs, but these safety measures will need to be tested for months.