The WDW Comeback: Before/After Game

[ford91exploder]

After, If they ever do start selling AP’s again

 

[rteetz]

After, If they ever do start selling AP’s again

Like mentioned they already are so if they didn’t want to they wouldn’t be selling them at all right now.

 

[ford91exploder]

As an AP and fairly local in Tampa, I would never ever pay the price for regular tickets or even the discount tickets for 3/4 days for FL residents for the first part of the year. It's AP or nothing.

When I go to Disney I always stay on property from Values to Deluxe, eat at TS for the most part, book tours. In other words I'm dropping some cash, several times a year.

Get rid of APs?
I can live without Disney for a few years.

that is the ‘heffalump’ in the room. Disney thinks people are there for the Brand, where in reality they are there for the experience which created the brand. And withhold the experience many of us will just find another place to vacation.

 

[AvidDisReader]

Before-for selfish reasons. Taking my grandson on a one on one in March and we want to get him an AP in case the rest of his family goes later in the year.

 

[whiporee]

I'm going to come in late and say the monorail won't be open until the Poly is complete, so way after.

New AP will be sold once the vaccine is in full production mode and massive distribution, so after May.

Surprise fireworks will go off New Year's Eve, and then not again until the parks are close to capacity again and they aren't worried about crowding.

 

[rteetz]

I'm going to come in late and say the monorail won't be open until the Poly is complete, so way after.

New AP will be sold once the vaccine is in full production mode and massive distribution, so after May.

Surprise fireworks will go off New Year's Eve, and then not again until the parks are close to capacity again and they aren't worried about crowding.

Monorail is operating even while the poly is closed so I’m not sure why that would impact the Epcot line.

 

[mattpeto]

Closing Topic 2 around 9 pm tonight.

Just a subtle note, I realize that the timing for most things are intertwine on when they can increase capacity. At least with the early topics, I’m trying hard not to push my questions too directly on the nose with that. Some of you have suggested FP+, Fireworks, those topics will definitely come...

Due to the holidays, a little tweak with the topic schedule:

• Tuesday, 12/22 Topics 3 and 4
• Tuesday, 12/29 Topics 5 (and maybe 6)
• Regular schedule afterward starting Tuesday, 1/5/21.

Tomorrow, we’re going to add a touch of additional speculation with one of the Topics. Both questions will come from the same Disney Park.

 

[ford91exploder]

The suspense is killing us...

 

[mattpeto]

Final Verdict:

Topic 2: When will Disney start selling new Annual Passes again?
Will it return Before or After 3/31/2021?

The votes are in:

Before: 2
After: 9

My take:
While resort guests spend more money and this was echoed by Chapek several months back, AP tickets is still a revenue stream. It also encourages out of state guests to return multiple times within a year.

The reservation system for AP owners is more restrictive since it's a built-in system to control capacity. AP owners can't be thrilled with the 3 day rolling system and guest services probably gets a ton of complaints about it. That's likely why they are not for sale to the general public, it's just one less headache to deal with.

Park-hopping returning in January is the first significant change involving the park reservations system so it's possible they are loosening their grip a bit.

After the holiday buzz, Disney will want to encourage traffic Jan-March. I definitely think there's a chance AP sales go public again before March 31st.

 

[mattpeto]

Topic 3: There are rumors that Fantasmic! with social distancing will be returning early next year.
Will it return Before or After 4/5/2021?
Note: Sunday, 4/4 is Easter


Topic 4: The Mando Presence
With the massive success of Mandalorian, when will Hollywood Studios add a Meet and Greet or a new experience specifically with Mando and "Baby Yoda".

Will Mando and "Baby Yoda" either be featured in:

• A Meet & Greet (including modified with social distancing) anywhere at Hollywood Studios, such as:
  • Star Wars Launch Bay
  • Celebrity Spotlight (replacing Olaf)
  • Batuu (ignoring the timeline/story issues that it causes)
  • Anywhere else at DHS
• A parade or march of some kind
• Or will they add a new experience/simulator in Star Tours featuring the new characters?

The delimiter is beyond what they have now (Magic shot and Merchandise)

Will this happen Before or After 3/1/2022. If you think it will never happen, go ahead and vote Never. I’ll include those answers as well.

Happy holidays all.

EDIT: Removed the names of the characters just in case you haven't seen S1 or S2 yet.

 

[Farro]

Topic 3: There are rumors that Fantasmic! with social distancing will be returning early next year.
Will it return Before or After 4/5/2021?
Note: Sunday, 4/4 is Easter


Topic 4: The Mando Presence
With the massive success of Mandalorian, when will Hollywood Studios add a Meet and Greet or a new experience specifically with Mando and Baby Yoda.

Will Mando and Baby Yoda either be featured in:

• A Meet & Greet (including modified with social distancing) anywhere at Hollywood Studios, such as:
  • Star Wars Launch Bay
  • Celebrity Spotlight (replacing Olaf)
  • Batuu (ignoring the timeline/story issues that it causes)
  • Anywhere else at DHS
• A parade or march of some kind
• Or will they add a new experience/simulator in Star Tours featuring the new characters?

The delimiter is beyond what they have now (Magic shot and Merchandise)

Will this happen Before or After 3/1/2022. If you think it will never happen, go ahead and vote Never. I’ll include those answers as well.

Happy holidays all.

First!

I think Mando could be a meet/greet, Baby Yoda may be too much of a draw for now?

I could see them adding to Star Tours, but perhaps Disney isn't planning on investing in that ride for now.

I don't see a parade going through Galaxy's Edge.

All after 3/1/22.

 

[mattpeto]

First!

I think Mando could be a meet/greet, Groju may be too much of a draw for now?

I could see them adding to Star Tours, but perhaps Disney isn't planning on investing in that ride for now.

I don't see a parade going through Galaxy's Edge.

All after 3/1/22.

Just to err on the side of caution, I removed Baby Yoda's and Mando's name from my original post. Didn't think of that until after I posted, sorry!

 

[Farro]

Just to err on the side of caution, I removed Baby Yoda's and Mando's name from my original post. Didn't think of that until after I posted, sorry!

Fixed! I also changed in your quoted post so change Baby Yoda's name in my quoted post in your post.

Post Post Post

 

[mattpeto]

First!

I think Mando could be a meet/greet, Baby Yoda may be too much of a draw for now?

I could see them adding to Star Tours, but perhaps Disney isn't planning on investing in that ride for now.

I don't see a parade going through Galaxy's Edge.

All after 3/1/22.

Edit: Nevermind, you said All. Thanks!

 

[skeeter31]

Fantasmic, I’m going to go after. I know there was a rumor on the other board from a new poster of an early return, but I really see that as being one of the final shows to return with the mad rush to get out of that theater at the end of the show.

And as to the Mando meet and greet, that really isn’t comeback related, I think that would be better served as a when do we think regular meet and greets will return, not just a new character meet and greet. I don’t think we get any meet and greets until October or later. And with the season of Mando over now, no need to rush out a meet and greet for them at this point.

But to bring it back to AP sales for a second. These past few days have really shown how much of a driver APs have been to the overall capacity at Disney parks. Florida resident APs are now in blackout for the rest of the year and none of the Disney parks reached capacity the last couple of days, while UO did reach capacity. With Disney parks really only hitting capacity on weekends due to APs it shows how little resorts are being used and how little out of state travelers really are coming to Disney. And it is true that those weekend APs most likely aren’t spending the same amount that the few people that are traveling down are spending on resort rooms and food and tickets. So I think Disney is in a good spot with their AP sales, allowing those that have had them to renew but restricting new sales until things really normalize.

 

[mattpeto]

Fantasmic, I’m going to go after. I know there was a rumor on the other board from a new poster of an early return, but I really see that as being one of the final shows to return with the mad rush to get out of that theater at the end of the show.

And as to the Mando meet and greet, that really isn’t comeback related, I think that would be better served as a when do we think regular meet and greets will return, not just a new character meet and greet. I don’t think we get any meet and greets until October or later. And with the season of Mando over now, no need to rush out a meet and greet for them at this point.

But to bring it back to AP sales for a second. These past few days have really shown how much of a driver APs have been to the overall capacity at Disney parks. Florida resident APs are now in blackout for the rest of the year and none of the Disney parks reached capacity the last couple of days, while UO did reach capacity. With Disney parks really only hitting capacity on weekends due to APs it shows how little resorts are being used and how little out of state travelers really are coming to Disney. And it is true that those weekend APs most likely aren’t spending the same amount that the few people that are traveling down are spending on resort rooms and food and tickets. So I think Disney is in a good spot with their AP sales, allowing those that have had them to renew but restricting new sales until things really normalize.

Yes technically, Mando isn't a Comeback. If you guys want to stay away from one, by all means don't vote. I'll add more context next week when I tally the counts.

 

[YesterDark]

Going with after. I don't think Disney will be doing any new assets in the park until things are "back to normal".

 

[Grasshopper2016]

After. Reinstating shows with socially distanced --- and thus heavily reduced --- crowds probably just isn't worth the money to Disney. I'm sure Mando and Baby Yoda will feature in future Star Wars parades and meet and greets. But I don't see any of those coming back until the summer at the earliest.

 

[AvidDisReader]

Fantasmic in my opinion will be after 4/4, it just seems Disney is going to be very careful and err on the side of caution. As for Mando and baby Yoda, I do not see any kind of ride. A meet and greet would be too difficult with using a puppet as one of the subjects. However, I could see an addition to a parade, seeing baby yoda from a distance on a parade float could be doable.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

Fantasmic!, after Easter. While it would be awesome, I don’t think the exit of the theater would be worth it. A couple weeks ago I’d have said before. But anyone who has deboarded a plane in the last nine months knows the issue. I know Muppets, Frozen, Philhramagic and most Universal theaters are open without much incident, but being the lone night time show would be too much of a people crush and cost to be worth it.
Maybe Harmonious debuts right before or after Easter week.
If SWLB survives, I’ll say before the 3/22 deadline for a M&G in that area. I think M&G in general will be back, and the Lainch Bay doesn’t seem to be too concerned with timeline and whatnot as much as it is a “One Galaxy’s Dream” kind of area, imo. While a Mando presence wouldn’t shock me in GE, I hope they don’t fiddle with the story arc too much.

Also, thanks again for providing this diversion! The topic is great and respectful. I’ve enjoyed it very much thus far.