WDW COVID-19 Operational Changes- Reservation System-Rope Drop Procedures

[soniam]

Sorry for late replies. I had to get some work done and go to the gym.

How did u buy 2 when right on the website it says no purchases till June 28th unless u are renewing? I’m on the website now and checked through DVC.

@soniam didn't you say you just bought ap?

I bought platinum APs from WDW website this morning at 11:39am CST. They were new, so they are AP vouchers. I am out of state and can only buy Platinum.

AP purchases were suspended about an hour ago.

I called to upgrade my Gold (voucher) to Platinum and was told new purchases and upgrades had just been suspended.

Not happy as I won't be able to make any park reservations for December.

Wow! That sucks. They really don't want to take our money do they. I guess I just got in under the wire. It was something I had thought about doing, since my husband and son didn't have tickets yet for our November trip. They have flex-date park hoppers for July, and I have an AP voucher. I was going to upgrade their tickets to APs on our July trip until Covid happened and all of "this".

 

[yulilin3]

I’m just now getting caught up. Perhaps this is obvious and I’m being dense, but what exactly is the reason for the park reservation system opening now for folks so far out (9/26/21)? I knew it would be around for awhile/forever, but figured there would be a smaller window out for the moment. What am I missing? Disney just ripping off the band aid and getting everyone up and running on this new setup?

maybe they're taking the DEO (Fl unemployment site) approach. Expect for it to crash so people don't keep filing for their money
I honestly don't know, it makes 0 sense to me

 

[yulilin3]

Sorry for late replies. I had to get some work done and go to the gym.

Got to the gym?!?!? don't you know we are in a Disney crisis?

 

[soniam]

Got to the gym?!?!? don't you know we are in a Disney crisis?

Well, I had a training session that cost me money whether I go or not. Plus, the exhaustion is good for WDW planning perspective I feel much calmer now about Monday.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I have some questions (Don't we all?) about this Park Entry Reservation System.

1. You can only reserve ONE Park Entry per day. (Park Hopper and Annual Passes, tough luck.) BUT, do you think they will allow people to go into a 2nd park, later on during the day, once crowds start to fall off? Perhaps in the evening? What is everyone's opinion?

2. In the past, they would let you into a park early, if you had a Dining Reservation at a restaurant in that park, for Breakfast. What if you don't have a Park Reservation for that day for that park? Do you think they will still let you in? I am hoping they will let you into ANY PARK where you have a confirmed Dining Reservation, so long as it is within one hour of the Dining Reservation, whether it is morning or evening. What do you think?

I don't think they will offer pre park opening breakfasts. I am also thinking that in park dining availability will be linked to only the parks you have reservations for. I think the only way to avoid a lot of anger is only allowing people to book dining in parks they have reservations for.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I am seeing people buying AP vouchers hoping to use them to book, but I thought I read that you had to have an ACTIVE AP to use it to reserve park days?

 

[yulilin3]

I am seeing people buying AP vouchers hoping to use them to book, but I thought I read that you had to have an ACTIVE AP to use it to reserve park days?

it seems the system is recognizing the vouchers, people have been doing that for a while now

 

[Raven01]

I’m just now getting caught up. Perhaps this is obvious and I’m being dense, but what exactly is the reason for the park reservation system opening now for folks so far out (9/26/21)? I knew it would be around for awhile/forever, but figured there would be a smaller window out for the moment. What am I missing? Disney just ripping off the band aid and getting everyone up and running on this new setup?

The only thing that makes sense to me is that they need to know how many people are reserving each day so they can allow tickets to be bought. Since everyone’s tickets are extended so far, they want to know when people plan to use them.

Wild guess, though.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

it seems the system is recognizing the vouchers, people have been doing that for a while now

People are already booking reservations for park days? I thought that started on Monday?

 

[eeyoreandtink]

The only thing that makes sense to me is that they need to know how many people are reserving each day so they can allow tickets to be bought. Since everyone’s tickets are extended so far, they want to know when people plan to use them.

Wild guess, though.

This makes total sense to me. since tickets are date based, they need to know which days are "sold out" before selling new tickets. I still think they could have rolled in out in phases over say, the next couple of weeks instead of a total free for all on Monday.

 

[yulilin3]

People are already booking reservations for park days? I thought that started on Monday?

no, from before.

 

[yulilin3]

Not sure if this has been shared yet

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/experience-updates/parks/Attractions and Entertainment

To accommodate physical distancing, some experiences will be temporarily paused when the parks initially reopen, including:

• Parades and nighttime spectaculars
• Character Greetings
• Playgrounds

Our Characters will still be in the parks to entertain and delight our Guests. Additionally, you'll be able to experience many favorite attractions and dozens of entertainment offerings.

From special cavalcades down the Magic Kingdom park parade route and friends sailing the waterways of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park to processions along World Showcase promenade at EPCOT and motorcades on Hollywood Boulevard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, each area will come to life throughout the day. You never know when a party of your pals may come by, so be prepared for plenty of surprises!

Note: Some experiences may be modified, limited in capacity and subject to availability or closure.

 

[Poohbear538]

Then they really need to add the ability to get discount for passholder.

I said that in a survey on shopDisney just today. Who knows if anyone will see it, but, I did make the suggestion

 

[eeyoreandtink]

no, from before.

I know that was the case for fast passes, but I thought that wasn’t the case for the new park reservation system.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

And to confirm, we're officially on AP preview e-mail watch, right?

 

[brockash]

yes


You can enter the park at a specific time but you can stay as long as you want after that, or leave and come back to the same park, from the leaked image of the system it looks like entry times run up until 2 hours after park opening. So if MK opens at 9am they have timed entrance until 11am, trying to spread the crowds in the morning


1 no park hopping will be allowed, I think that once you use your reservation to go in the system will lock that day as used
2 Dining reservations are not a guarantee to go into a park, neither is having a room booked, they made that clear on their site


yes add them to MDE< they are counting how many people are in the park to control capacity

Hmmm...do we know this for sure? It looks like you have to have a valid ticket to make the reservation; so the under 3s wouldn't work. The CM I spoke to today also said it would only apply to those over 2 with a valid ticket. It seems it would need to work more like fastpasses did??? - What's to stop someone from entering an under 3 on their reservation?

 

[yulilin3]

I know that was the case for fast passes, but I thought that wasn’t the case for the new park reservation system.

no where on the site says that. It only mentions
An eligible activated annual pass is required to register.
for signing up for previews

 

[yulilin3]

Hmmm...do we know this for sure? It looks like you have to have a valid ticket to make the reservation; so the under 3s wouldn't work. The CM I spoke to today also said it would only apply to those over 2 with a valid ticket. It seems it would need to work more like fastpasses did??? - What's to stop someone from entering an under 3 on their reservation?

that's what I was told when I called.

 

[brockash]

We were told on TA training webinar today that you do not need to make a reservations for children 2 and under.

I don't think you're going to have to either. I think the count will be ballpark and under whatever their max allowed is. I don't think it will work trying to do reservations for those without a tix. I really think it'll be like fastpasses.

 

[MomOTwins]

Ok, I played the phone CM roulette, and these are the "answers: that I got to the questions I had. Of course, this could all be completely made up, because, you know, CMs say any old thing.

When will the park reservation system go live? Per the CM I spoke to, they will start uploading the system beginning at 11pm ET on Sunday 6/21, and will have to do testing etc. so they don't have an exact opening time. It could go live as early as midnight on Monday 6/22, or it could be at 3am, or it could be at 7am. So I guess I won't be sleeping. NOTE: I recognize that yulilin3 was told it would definitelybe 7am. So I honestly have no idea which CM is right but I promise that I am just telling you exactly what I was told by the phone CM I spoke to.

I have the water parks and sports add on. Tell me something about water parks! Anything! (she told me nothing): Per the CM, they have not yet made a decision on when water parks will be open. She said it could be July 11 or July 15, or sometime else. Again, don't let this give anyone false hope: I am assuming they are closed, but right now the phone CMs can't/won't say that.

Package modifications on Monday, what modifications are allowed? Per the CM, they will only be allowing you to either remove park hopper/park hopper plus and add/remove single-park ticket days. No modifications to length of stay or resort will be allowed at that time.