Why are people still going to Disney if the Parks are Closed?

[spleuchan]

We have a reservation booked for the first week of July and still haven't received the e-mail everyone else seems to be getting. Looking up my reservation, it still says I have free dining. They did cancel all my dining and fast pass reservations. When they do eventually decide to get to me, I can't see keeping my dates. And I am not booking a new reservation without a free dining or some other heavy discount. Why are people going when the parks (and many of the restaurants) are closed? Disney hotels aren't cheap. You could go to a nice beach resort, in the mountains, a city, or anywhere else you want for less than Disney hotel prices. I guess if you lived close, booked a value and they gave you a 3 bedroom DVC suite, I could see still going, but not in almost any other scenario.

Also, what do people plan to do all day?

 

[Sandisw]

I would call them and not wait if you intend on going. We are DVC and had a resort trip planned anyway, but looking forward to simply relaxing, going to DS, and hanging at pool when we can.

 

[spleuchan]

I would call them and not wait if you intend on going. We are DVC and had a resort trip planned anyway, but looking forward to simply relaxing, going to DS, and hanging at pool when we can.

We definitely don't plan on staying at a DVC room. We need two real beds, so unless they plan on giving us a 2 bedroom suite, that is a deal breaker. From what I have been reading, they haven't been giving a discount when you change your dates (another deal breaker). So I don't really see the rush in changing anything and prefer to just wait for them in hopes that they open up their resorts and offer an equivalent deal to what I had. Although I am not optimistic in that happening.

 

[Ninjagrrl]

I believe that if you don't call them, they just cancel you.
Also, if you had free dining, they are supposed to be offering 35% off in place of the free dining, which some people have been successful in getting moved to new dates.
I agree, you should call, unless you don't care about the 35% and want them to cancel you.

 

[spleuchan]

I believe that if you don't call them, they just cancel you.
Also, if you had free dining, they are supposed to be offering 35% off in place of the free dining, which some people have been successful in getting moved to new dates.
I agree, you should call, unless you don't care about the 35% and want them to cancel you.

I haven't been contacted by them yet telling me to call them so I wouldn't think they would just cancel me. I bought a ton of gift cards for this trip, so maybe if they cancel me, they break the contract and will have to give me cash back instead of disney gift cards? I'm not a lawyer, but if they break our contract, seems like something they should have to do. Probably won't, but that seems like the right thing to do. I did get magic bands in the mail yesterday, which was surprising.

 

[Sandisw]

We definitely don't plan on staying at a DVC room. We need two real beds, so unless they plan on giving us a 2 bedroom suite, that is a deal breaker. From what I have been reading, they haven't been giving a discount when you change your dates (another deal breaker). So I don't really see the rush in changing anything and prefer to just wait for them in hopes that they open up their resorts and offer an equivalent deal to what I had. Although I am not optimistic in that happening.

The problem is your dates are being dealt with already and while you didn’t get the email, you may simply get canceled instead.

We know they will not be opening other resorts prior to July 11th. If they were, they wouldn’t be moving people with those dates,

They will return funds to gift cards. And, when you book, they can cancel you out....with the resort closed, they certainly can do that and simply refund you to original form of payment. If you do not still have those gift cards, be sure you let them know so they can refund on new ones.

 

[kverdon]

We have a 1BR at AKL Kidani we got on the AP rate for the 4th to the 11th. We are going to get away and, if nothing else relax and enjoy the Animals. We can cook in the room if need be. We have active APs so if we get in on a preview or on the opening day that would be a bonus.

 

[Paul1955]

Honestly if I lived locally and had an annual pass, I would go, if only for a couple of hours. I think a lot of the country is staying home this summer and enjoying the local sights and sounds.

 

[cakebaker]

I bought a ton of gift cards for this trip, so maybe if they cancel me, they break the contract and will have to give me cash back instead of disney gift cards?

How you choose to pay is on you, not WDW. They didn’t require you pay with gift cards. They will refund to whatever method of payment you chose.

I’ve got over $3500 in Disney gift cards now, will have another 800 or so very soon. I understood the risks and policies when I bought them, so I’ve got not gripe coming on that front. I’ll use them eventually.

 

[spleuchan]

How you choose to pay is on you, not WDW. They didn’t require you pay with gift cards. They will refund to whatever method of payment you chose.

I’ve got over $3500 in Disney gift cards now, will have another 800 or so very soon. I understood the risks and policies when I bought them, so I’ve got not gripe coming on that front. I’ll use them eventually.

So I knew the risks that if I canceled, I would be stuck with Disney gift cards. I don't think anyone could envision Disney cancelling. If I canceled, I agree, gift cards back for me. If Disney doesn't fulfill their end of the contract, they are the ones that broke our contract, and I should get a refund, not gift cards.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

So I am going shortly after reopening, but I would have still gone if my dates fell prior to opening. I want to leave my house and go somewhere. Also, I have an extreme amount of Disney gift cards from a huge planned graduation trip that got canceled. I'd rather have a limited Disney experience than no Disney experience. I'm down for the weird pandemic Disney adventure. I have been to the parks enough times that this is sort of a novelty trip, I'm not really worried about missing out on anything, what is available is what is available and I'm just excited for a break from real life.

 

[SaintsManiac]

So I knew the risks that if I canceled, I would be stuck with Disney gift cards. I don't think anyone could envision Disney cancelling. If I canceled, I agree, gift cards back for me. If Disney doesn't fulfill their end of the contract, they are the ones that broke our contract, and I should get a refund, not gift cards.

No, because you can use Disney gift cards in many ways. Sorry to say it, but they do not owe you a cash refund.

 

[Ninjagrrl]

One of the terms and conditions in the booking that no one really reads is that they can cancel that reservation, for any reason, at any time. And all they owe you in return is a refund, to the original method of payment. That's all they owe you.
That's the "contract" you signed with them when you gave them your gift card number and clicked purchase.

 

[DisneyGal24]

We’re ready to get out of the house. Our stay was already resort only but we are going to explore outside the Disney bubble and see what we can get into. I know one thing for sure—it won’t be planned to the max. We’re just gonna wing it and I’m ok with that. We will enjoy the resort and some pool time as well.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

So I knew the risks that if I canceled, I would be stuck with Disney gift cards. I don't think anyone could envision Disney cancelling. If I canceled, I agree, gift cards back for me. If Disney doesn't fulfill their end of the contract, they are the ones that broke our contract, and I should get a refund, not gift cards.

You might want to read the fine print on your Disney "contract". You made your payment with gift cards and that is where your refund is returned...to the original form of payment. If you no longer have the GC's they will send you one with your refund on it. They have the right to cancel.

You could use the gift cards later or sell them to a gift card site.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

I have DVC points that were banked and need to be used or they will expire. I had an April Disneyland DVC trip get cancelled, so that just added to the issue. I'll be there after the parks open, but I don't have tickets, and don't plan to buy any for this trip.

I was already planning on an August relaxing non-Disney-park trip, especially since I was going to Disneyland in the spring. I had planned on going to Universal and the Disney water parks, but I've since shorted my August trip to just use up the expiring points and not do any parks. I'm going to Vero Beach and Saratoga Springs.

 

[3kidsdad]

Because there are so many more things to do at Disney than go to the parks. We are locals who live about 10 miles from the main entrance to AK. We once used our annual pass 84 times to enter the parks in one year. Since March 19th my wife and three children have been cooped up in our home and we were lucky enough to snag 4 nights at a cabin at FW during the first week of August. I was l fortunate enough to be deemed essential and have had to work 10 hour days, six days a week since March 19th as well. We are not fans of the beach and with only 4 days available as a mini vacation (told my boss either I go or I quit) FW is perfect to social distance for us. We can ride around in our golf cart, fish in the canals, head to DS, hopefully do the horseback riding, grill some steaks and burgers, make some s'mores and most importantly relax with a change of scenery.

Truth be told, my wife is a cast member who was furloughed the 19th and we snagged the room for under $200 a night. We typically stay on property 5-6 times a year and make many day trips to the parks. Seldomly ever to we venture to a park when we are staying on property other than to visit Epcot Restaurants. We actually were at ASSports the day they announced they were closing the parks in March and checked out two days before they shut down the resort.

 

[cakebaker]

So I knew the risks that if I canceled, I would be stuck with Disney gift cards. I don't think anyone could envision Disney cancelling. If I canceled, I agree, gift cards back for me. If Disney doesn't fulfill their end of the contract, they are the ones that broke our contract, and I should get a refund, not gift cards.

Your choice to buy gift cards was yours. Had WDW required you to purchase them and pay with them, you’d have a claim. As it is, they didn’t. They can be spent in places other than WDW. Read the fine print, they are non refundable.

That’s just the way it is.

But regardless of that fact, your reservation was never guaranteed. Disney did not break your contract. They always reserve the right to cancel you at any time. Their only obligation is to refund you if they do- via the method of payment you used.

 

[kylenne]

So I am going shortly after reopening, but I would have still gone if my dates fell prior to opening. I want to leave my house and go somewhere. Also, I have an extreme amount of Disney gift cards from a huge planned graduation trip that got canceled. I'd rather have a limited Disney experience than no Disney experience. I'm down for the weird pandemic Disney adventure. I have been to the parks enough times that this is sort of a novelty trip, I'm not really worried about missing out on anything, what is available is what is available and I'm just excited for a break from real life.

This is exactly why I'm trying to go for Labor Day weekend. I'm not a park commando anyway and value time at the resorts as much as in the parks.

 

[montreid]

We're looking forward to our next DVC to be at AKL. I bet we'll spend a few days enjoying the resort without hitting the parks.