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

[crazymomof4]

We are usually rope-drop to park closing park goers. Family all brainstorming now what to do with all this "extra" time.

• Changed some of my in-park ADRs to right before or at closing.
• Mini-golf? anyone know when they close?
• Taking Disney transportation to after-park-closing dinners at other resort QS
• Pooltime (even just the quiet pool if main pool is too crowded)
• Enjoying more time in our resort- Walking around and taking in all the details. Sitting in quiet seating areas/room balcony.
  At AKV - watching the animals. At BWV walking around Crescent Lake.
• For DD20 and I maybe taking a few bath/body care products (facial scrubs/masks, mani/pedi things) and doing these before bed. I never take the time for these things at home, so it'll be a treat!
• GETTING to BED EARLY and not being utterly exhausted..... maybe even reading in bed.

 

[Robertfam08]

My trip is Labor Day week. Had a 7:10 ADR at EPCOT, which is now closing at 7:00. Will that one be cancelled automatically? Guess I need to look for an earlier time. What a headache!!

Same question. I had a 6:45 at LTT, now the park closes at 6:00. It was our last "hurrah" of the entire trip, so I'm pretty disappointed if now I'm just out of luck. It was one of only two sit down meals we had booked since free dining was already taken from us.

 

[MaxsDad]

Same question. I had a 6:45 at LTT, now the park closes at 6:00. It was our last "hoorah" of the entire trip, so I'm pretty disappointed if now I'm just out of luck. It was one of only two sit down meals we had booked since free dining was already taken from us.

Same here. I had a 630 plaza ADR for our last night in early October. Just looked to modify it and nothing available.

This has always been one of the things that annoys me about disney and planning everything. They expect us to plan 60 days out (ADR, fp, now park reservation) but they can't do the same.

Guess I will just look for cancellations.

ETA: also super bummed about not getting any time in the parks after dark. That is my favorite time there, and one of the reasons I prefer to go in the winter.

 

[Alice Sr.]

yes people are seeing the change on their park reservations, the hours on the regular calendar haven't been updated yet

I still see the old hours on MDE plans page. Is that where people were seeing the new times?

 

[Alice Sr.]

I still see the old hours on MDE plans page. Is that where people were seeing the new times?

Never mind, I'm seeing it now. I have both the old times and the new times for the same day.

 

[Alice Sr.]

Same here. I had a 630 plaza ADR for our last night in early October. Just looked to modify it and nothing available.

This has always been one of the things that annoys me about disney and planning everything. They expect us to plan 60 days out (ADR, fp, now park reservation) but they can't do the same.

Guess I will just look for cancellations.

ETA: also super bummed about not getting any time in the parks after dark. That is my favorite time there, and one of the reasons I prefer to go in the winter.

We had Tiffins at 5:50 which I was able to change to 12:30 (no dinner times available) but now I can't find a dinner option no availability at Trattoria or Rain Forest AK. Could check out open table but we did not really want to go to DS in the evening. I guess there are other options, we could (maybe if they don't close it) get pizza, make something at the villa or go offsite. I kind of have a bad feeling about this.

 

[emtgirl4]

Add me to the disappointed list. This is my 3rd trip planned. The first one was April and perfect. Got up early to make fast passes for that plus dining. Then planned dining for all 3 trips, one by one as they got cancled. The september trip from the 7th-18th. I planned the dining for all the latest times they had available right at 60days when it opened. Now that the parks are closed earlier pretty much all of our dinner reservations in the park will be canceled. And many have no other availability that day. I know it's first world problems but man this is getting frustrating.

 

[Marshel]

With the new closing times and it still being really hot through September, they're basically forcing you to do rope drop to get away from the heat; it doesn't even begin to cool off until after 7 most days during September. I'm a night time person and have already lost one trip in May off my $1400 AP along with hopping and water parks and now either have to live with being in the heat or trying to reschedule with all that entails. Also means fewer boarding groups for those making afternoon ressies.

 

[MomOTwins]

I know this won’t be popular because everyone here is disappointed (understandably), but in my opinion it is better they are cutting hours than cutting which attractions are running, or worse, cutting staff. The demand is not there something had to go. With lower wait times, it is likely guest will still be able to do as much or more in one day than they could pre-covid.

The one real issue I see is rise of the resistance. With its popularity and downtime, it really needs more park hours for many guests to have a chance of riding.

 

[yulilin3]

I know this won’t be popular because everyone here is disappointed (understandably), but in my opinion it is better they are cutting hours than cutting which attractions are running, or worse, cutting staff. The demand is not there something had to go. With lower wait times, it is likely guest will still be able to do as much or more in one day than they could pre-covid.

The one real issue I see is rise of the resistance. With its popularity and downtime, it really needs more park hours for many guests to have a chance of riding.

Yeah how many reports have we had here saying "by 4pm i had some everything" the last hour is empty and i understand those that are late night people and there's not going to be anything to do. This isn't Disney's desire, to close early, it's not their fault, but it makes sense

 

[penel3]

Every year, every Disney trip I tell my family that we will slow down.....after all, we go once, sometimes twice a year.....and we NEVER slow down..,.,.I think this trip will be the one that actually slows us down, lets us relax. We had originally scheduled this trip, followed by a three week trip to Ambergris Caye, Belize (to recover from my commando Disney style) Well Belize is “closed” so that part of the trip is cancelled. Maybe we won’t need a vacation to recover from our Disney vacation??? My hubby will finally be happy, ROFL

 

[MinnieMSue]

I was initially upset they cut hours on our last 2 days but now that I have settled a bit - I think it will still be ok. The kid can do online school a bit in evenings. We prob would have been done touring earlier. The only thing that might hurt is less chance of RotR but we did get to ride it in February so would not be too upsetting if we don’t ride. MMRR is our new goal. I think my legs will be happy with the less time walking and standing. Prob won’t even need a DAS this trip since people won’t be crammed together which will be amazing.

 

[PumpkinSpice]

Also, with the earlier park closures, those who are going to make close to closing dining reservations, whether at the park or the resorts, and are using Disney transportation, keep in mind that that will be shutting down early too. We made the mistake on our most recent trip a few weeks ago of making a 6:50pm dining reservation at Kona at the Poly, and not taking into consideration the timing of return transportation. We were staying at Boulder Ridge Villas, so took the boat over to the MK, and then the monorail to the Poly, and then figured we would just do it in reserve, taking the monorail back to the MK to catch the boat. We arrived at the monorail station at the Poly at 8:10pm, and security there told we were ten minutes too late. The MK closed at 7, so all transportation was done at 8. At first we thought they were joking with us, as they were smiling when they told us. Nope, no joke. The security guards said take the Disney Springs bus, and then catch the WL bus. No thanks. We Lyfted for about $10.

 

[AmishGuy91]

Also, with the earlier park closures, those who are going to make close to closing dining reservations, whether at the park or the resorts, and are using Disney transportation, keep in mind that that will be shutting down early too. We made the mistake on our most recent trip a few weeks ago of making a 6:50pm dining reservation at Kona at the Poly, and not taking into consideration the timing of return transportation. We were staying at Boulder Ridge Villas, so took the boat over to the MK, and then the monorail to the Poly, and then figured we would just do it in reserve, taking the monorail back to the MK to catch the boat. We arrived at the monorail station at the Poly at 8:10pm, and security there told we were ten minutes too late. The MK closed at 7, so all transportation was done at 8. At first we thought they were joking with us, as they were smiling when they told us. Nope, no joke. The security guards said take the Disney Springs bus, and then catch the WL bus. No thanks. We Lyfted for about $10.

How did you know they were smiling?

 

[osufeth24]

I know this won’t be popular because everyone here is disappointed (understandably), but in my opinion it is better they are cutting hours than cutting which attractions are running, or worse, cutting staff. The demand is not there something had to go. With lower wait times, it is likely guest will still be able to do as much or more in one day than they could pre-covid.

The one real issue I see is rise of the resistance. With its popularity and downtime, it really needs more park hours for many guests to have a chance of riding.

Agreed, considering there have been rumors about some parks only going for 5 days, I'd much rather have this. Obviously not ideal, but I'll take 7days of less hours than 5 days

 

[PumpkinSpice]

How did you know they were smiling?

I could tell by their eyes, of course!

 

[yulilin3]

House of Good Fortune, the main shop in the China pavilion reopens today and the small shop by the water will temporarily close, and Epcot Eats at the Odyssey bldg is opening tomorrow

 

[stinkpickle]

Ughhh! This is the equivalent of adding 10+% to the ticket prices. We were 80-20, going vs cancelling, before this announcement...but now that's 20-80.

 

[stinkpickle]

Agreed, considering there have been rumors about some parks only going for 5 days, I'd much rather have this. Obviously not ideal, but I'll take 7days of less hours than 5 days

I think I'm the opposite. I would much rather a park close for 2 days per week and keep regular hours during the other 5. That way, the ticket dollar-per-park hour ratio stays the same.

 

[kassonvike]

Our park reservations way out in late January 2021 are also showing these new updated times already