WDW to reduce physical distancing in phases?

[ChipnDale79]

I've got a trip booked in mid-july with a toddler and a 5 year old. This is a nightmare scenario if they go to full capacity with no fastpasses. I can't wait with them in lines that are longer then about 30 minutes. I don't even care what rides we go on, I'm happy with IASW, but if they go full capacity with no fastpasses, that is going to be horrible for us.

I mean we're booked for June, and i've been watching the wait times, it was looking to be a dream vacation. I now have major concerns that parks will be at almost full capacity and not have fastpasses. I fear its going from dream vacation to nightmare vacation.

 

[Farro]

It's not a normal experience though because there isn't FastPass. FastPass hasn't been needed with park capacity at 35%, but when capacity and lines/queues increase, not having FastPass will be rough.




I would support that. I hope Disney starts with a change like this first: eliminating the social distancing markers in the outdoor queues but waiting to do so on the indoor queues.

I'm not saying this to be rude, at all, but with the news yesterday I would probably be more concerned at this point. It seems capacity is about to go up relatively soon, probably by July.

They haven't announced anything else opening along with it, but fingers crossed! I think more attractions will be back by July.

They didn't say anything about fast pass, but it's still over a month away. Although I wouldn't count on that.

 

[emilymad]

I mean we're booked for June, and i've been watching the wait times, it was looking to be a dream vacation. I now have major concerns that parks will be at almost full capacity and not have fastpasses. I fear its going from dream vacation to nightmare vacation.

I think Disney is going to have to announce their plan fast or risk cancellations. If I can go on vacation to another destination mask free but Disney still has masks, more crowds, no FP+, no increased dining, no fireworks, etc then why would I spend my money at Disney.

Disney has only said park capacity limits after the fact so they admitted to increasing the capacity but not to what level. So I guess we have to assume full capacity??

We went at the end of February and felt it was very crowded. After the first hour of the park being open most headliners were an hour wait. Maybe we just got unlucky but it wasn't fun. I am not sure we will buy tickets for our next trip if FP+ hasn't returned.

 

[WVU Disney Fan]

Hoping this means they can fully load roe vehicles too. Also means they could bring back more shows. Would love for no outdoor masks and FP return by our November trip.

I really think Disney will try to get at least closer to normal by October 1st.

 

[WVU Disney Fan]

The next several months we are going to see the majority of the country reducing restrictions left and right. It’s gonna get harder for Disney to not follow suit as this unfolds. I think it will be very hard for Disney to enforce masks and social distance when the majority of the country has dropped those things.

 

[Eric Smith]

I think Disney is going to have to announce their plan fast or risk cancellations. If I can go on vacation to another destination mask free but Disney still has masks, more crowds, no FP+, no increased dining, no fireworks, etc then why would I spend my money at Disney.

Disney has only said park capacity limits after the fact so they admitted to increasing the capacity but not to what level. So I guess we have to assume full capacity??

We went at the end of February and felt it was very crowded. After the first hour of the park being open most headliners were an hour wait. Maybe we just got unlucky but it wasn't fun. I am not sure we will buy tickets for our next trip if FP+ hasn't returned.

Hour waits for headliners are shorter than they were in the pre-pandemic times. Overall, wait times are shorter without FP+. Yes, you don't get your three nearly no wait rides, but that is balanced out by not having lines that are multiple hours long for any headliners. I think it's a better overall experience. The lines also move nearly constantly instead of stopping for five minutes at a time to let all the fastpass people in.

 

[tgree9369]

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings is set to announce today that the county has reached its goal of 50% vaccination level and will drop its mask requirement for everyone when outdoors. We may see Disney follow suit and drop the mask for all guests outdoors. This would ring true to what Chapek said yesterday and his comment on Florida during the summer.

 

[Eric Smith]

Hoping this means they can fully load roe vehicles too. Also means they could bring back more shows. Would love for no outdoor masks and FP return by our November trip.

I really think Disney will try to get at least closer to normal by October 1st.

Fully loading the ride vehicles would be a huge improvement.

 

[tgree9369]

Hour waits for headliners are shorter than they were in the pre-pandemic times. Overall, wait times are shorter without FP+. Yes, you don't get your three nearly no wait rides, but that is balanced out by not having lines that are multiple hours long for any headliners. I think it's a better overall experience. The lines also move nearly constantly instead of stopping for five minutes at a time to let all the fastpass people in.

That's great if that's how you do Disney. A lot of people, my family included, do the 3 FastPass+ and leave the park to go swim in the afternoon and try to get another FastPass for later in the day. Having the 3 FastPass + set before I leave was a HUGE bonus and something I personally want back. The lines can stop temporarily any time for FastPass people - they already made their plans and took the time to get the FastPasses. You don't punish those who are proactive and prepared.

 

[OhBother1984]

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings is set to announce today that the county has reached its goal of 50% vaccination level and will drop its mask requirement for everyone when outdoors. We may see Disney follow suit and drop the mask for all guests outdoors. This would ring true to what Chapek said yesterday and his comment on Florida during the summer.

Which is funny because its been essentially dropped when desantis removed that authority, the Mayor has just been very stubborn to follow suite like other areas did. Hes been encouraging his people to listen to him and not the Governor but his mask mandate means nothing already.

 

[Eric Smith]

That's great if that's how you do Disney. A lot of people, my family included, do the 3 FastPass+ and leave the park to go swim in the afternoon and try to get another FastPass for later in the day. Having the 3 FastPass + set before I leave was a HUGE bonus and something I personally want back. The lines can stop temporarily any time for FastPass people - they already made their plans and took the time to get the FastPasses. You don't punish those who are proactive and prepared.

You can also turn that around and don't punish people who want to ride more than four rides in a day. Disney was giving out way too many fast passes with FP+ and it had a very negative effect on the standby lines. They also put FP+ on way too many attractions. There's probably a middle ground where you could get book one fast pass in advance and only have one at a time. That would be a better system.

 

[emilymad]

That's great if that's how you do Disney. A lot of people, my family included, do the 3 FastPass+ and leave the park to go swim in the afternoon and try to get another FastPass for later in the day. Having the 3 FastPass + set before I leave was a HUGE bonus and something I personally want back. The lines can stop temporarily any time for FastPass people - they already made their plans and took the time to get the FastPasses. You don't punish those who are proactive and prepared.

This is exactly us and not having FP+ made our trip worse and way more stressful. An hour + wait for a 2 minute ride isn't all that fun. Anyone who wants to ride the same ride over and over can continue to get FP+ for the same ride. I would even be happy to pay for FP+ versus not having it all.

 

[tgree9369]

You can also turn that around and don't punish people who want to ride more than four rides in a day. Disney was giving out way too many fast passes with FP+ and it had a very negative effect on the standby lines. They also put FP+ on way too many attractions. There's probably a middle ground where you could get book one fast pass in advance and only have one at a time. That would be a better system.

I respectfully disagree. Having the 3 FastPass+ was something that was a huge factor in my planning. What I am afraid is going to happen is, WDW will go towards the MaxPass system that Disneyland has and we will all pay for FastPasses. I was spoiled and am not ready to give up the perk of FastPass+ - Disney has taken away enough of my "perks" and the price tag is starting to level - is it worth staying on property?

 

[OhBother1984]

I respectfully disagree. Having the 3 FastPass+ was something that was a huge factor in my planning. What I am afraid is going to happen is, WDW will go towards the MaxPass system that Disneyland has and we will all pay for FastPasses. I was spoiled and am not ready to give up the perk of FastPass+ - Disney has taken away enough of my "perks" and the price tag is starting to level - is it worth staying on property?

We used Max pass the last time we went to DL and it honestly was so much better than FP+. It was so worth it. What I don't know is how well it would work at WDW since the parks aren't as easy to hop between since max pass you could make ride for either park no matter which park you were currently in.

 

[ChipnDale79]

Hour waits for headliners are shorter than they were in the pre-pandemic times. Overall, wait times are shorter without FP+. Yes, you don't get your three nearly no wait rides, but that is balanced out by not having lines that are multiple hours long for any headliners. I think it's a better overall experience. The lines also move nearly constantly instead of stopping for five minutes at a time to let all the fastpass people in.

I think the lack of fast pass plays a big part into that, but i also wonder if the wait times are shorter also because the limited capacity.

there is no question that when they added fast passes to basically every ride, the wait times increased for standby times.

I yearn for a combination of the old fp and the new fp system.

 

[tgree9369]

We used Max pass the last time we went to DL and it honestly was so much better than FP+. It was so worth it. What I don't know is how well it would work at WDW since the parks aren't as easy to hop between since max pass you could make ride for either park no matter which park you were currently in.

It would definitely have to be adjusted - it's going this way. I am wondering if they don't reinstate the FastPass + program, allowing you 3 before you arrive but paying for it. WDW is a different beast compared to DL.

 

[OhBother1984]

It would definitely have to be adjusted - it's going this way. I am wondering if they don't reinstate the FastPass + program, allowing you 3 before you arrive but paying for it. WDW is a different beast compared to DL.

I agree, but I think maxpass has shown there are other options out there that work better and that people are very happy with.

 

[tgree9369]

I think the lack of fast pass plays a big part into that, but i also wonder if the wait times are shorter also because the limited capacity.

there is no question that when they added fast passes to basically every ride, the wait times increased for standby times.

I yearn for a combination of the old fp and the new fp system.

Scaling back the FP ride options may be a great way to appease all. I have no problem with that - there are a ton of rides that do not need a FP option.

 

[Bobb_o]

FP+ is a way to get people to stay at hotels. I would imagine if they don't bring it back less and less people will stay on property. I can see tiered system (1, 2, or 3 per day depending on value, moderate, deluxe) or a freemium type model where you get some number per day if you're a resort guest and then can pay more to get additional (without having to do club) or making it a paid option only available to resort guests.

 

[tgree9369]

FP+ is a way to get people to stay at hotels. I would imagine if they don't bring it back less and less people will stay on property. I can see tiered system (1, 2, or 3 per day depending on value, moderate, deluxe) or a freemium type model where you get some number per day if you're a resort guest and then can pay more to get additional (without having to do club) or making it a paid option only available to resort guests.

I like this option - you are correct that FastPass+ drives on-property stays and that removing it will impact the bottom line. The tiered system makes sense.