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

[disjuniorfansx4]

I need help!! My family and I were supposed to go to Disneyland and DCA over Spring Break and my daughter was supposed to go see Hamilton (her first musical) in LA while we were there as well. So 2 days before we were supposed to go Disneyland closed and they shut down all theater productions, so my family was devastated. Honestly, they are still devastated but it is what it is.... Now, I have been thinking about a WDW trip because we love Disney. My kids have never been to WDW but have been to DLR many times because we live in AZ. WDW would be a very expensive trip for us but my kids (14, 13) have always wanted to go. I am looking at going July 22-28th. My husband works at Costco and I am a teacher and picked up a second job working at Costco as well so we are exposed to COVID every day and so are our kids. We wear masks every day so we are used to that too. My questions are if I book the trip how will I know if I actually get into the parks when I arrive? Anyone know yet? I don't want to spend the money and then not be able to get in. Also, am I crazy for going right after they open? It would be hard to go later because my kids will be back in school (in some form) and I will be teaching. We all really need a vacation and we love Disney and are dying to go to Disney. Thoughts??

 

[MomOTwins]

Since WDW is date specific, and if you have linked tickets, I wasn't sure if the reservations mentioned was having to separately reserve your dates to be able to go at all (with priority given to APs and tickets bought beforehand), or if you bought tickets beforehand, you're fine to visit WDW but have to reserve which park you are going to on ea. day and potentially swap around depending on parks that are full for certain days. And maybe you wouldn't be able to park hop, so they can control capacities easier. I guess it will be more clear soon; just anxious.

We also booked flights and an off site hotel for DL in Dec., and was debating buying UT tickets depending on if restrictions on PH. I don't think DL is date specific, so not sure if they'd have to do the actual first come first served reservations.

Nope: the official disney parks website has clarified this somewhat: you still need a reservation if you already have a date-based ticket, but you'll get priority (together with APs) over people who have not yet booked tickets. Here's the relevant quote from disney:

"Because theme park capacity will be significantly limited as we welcome guests back to the magic, we will manage attendance through a new theme park reservation system that will require all guests to obtain a reservation for park entry in advance. At this time, we are temporarily pausing new ticket sales and Disney Resort hotel reservations so we can focus on guests with existing tickets and reservations (Disney Vacation Club members can still make new reservations). Existing ticket holders and Annual Passholders will be able to make reservation requests in phases before new tickets are sold; we’ll be reaching out to these guests soon to provide additional details."

I need help!! My family and I were supposed to go to Disneyland and DCA over Spring Break and my daughter was supposed to go see Hamilton (her first musical) in LA while we were there as well. So 2 days before we were supposed to go Disneyland closed and they shut down all theater productions, so my family was devastated. Honestly, they are still devastated but it is what it is.... Now, I have been thinking about a WDW trip because we love Disney. My kids have never been to WDW but have been to DLR many times because we live in AZ. WDW would be a very expensive trip for us but my kids (14, 13) have always wanted to go. I am looking at going July 22-28th. My husband works at Costco and I am a teacher and picked up a second job working at Costco as well so we are exposed to COVID every day and so are our kids. We wear masks every day so we are used to that too. My questions are if I book the trip how will I know if I actually get into the parks when I arrive? Anyone know yet? I don't want to spend the money and then not be able to get in. Also, am I crazy for going right after they open? It would be hard to go later because my kids will be back in school (in some form) and I will be teaching. We all really need a vacation and we love Disney and are dying to go to Disney. Thoughts??

Unfortunately your question is a bit moot now because WDW is not accepting any new resort or ticket reservations right now to give priority to guests with existing reservations.

 

[maccagerl]

Honestly with no parades, fireworks or character greetings , plus wearing those hot masks all day, I would wait until things are a little more normalized . For such an expensive trip you should experience a little more than they are offering right now.

 

[mrsap]

Awful. I let Disney get away with a lot but today they were not ready, understaffed and unorganized
I got there at 10am and I expected to get in line and wait, I was met with a line that started at the entrance to WOD snaked all the way around Marketplace, about 1.5 hour line. Only to be told when you got to the entrance that they were doing call backs, so you left your phone number and name and they would text you when it was your turn to go in. So I quickly decidedd to just get in line for CoOp this one started at Basin, didn't look too bad, it took me an hour to get to the front, the CM takes my name and number and then says call backs are about 6 hours away.
They couldn't have a CM telling you this at the beginning of the queue? I then heard Guest relations CM shouting at the WoD queue same thing, 6 hours until you would get a call back
The stores seemed at about 25% capacity and that's understandable but they could've communicated better. Also all the markers on the floor were great but no umbrellas at all.
Heading over again tomorrow and I'll be there really early this time

I’m sorry you had to deal with that! Sounds like nothing but a headache!! I hope you have better luck tomorrow!

 

[Lumpy1106]

Awful. I let Disney get away with a lot but today they were not ready, understaffed and unorganized
I got there at 10am and I expected to get in line and wait, I was met with a line that started at the entrance to WOD snaked all the way around Marketplace, about 1.5 hour line. Only to be told when you got to the entrance that they were doing call backs, so you left your phone number and name and they would text you when it was your turn to go in. So I quickly decidedd to just get in line for CoOp this one started at Basin, didn't look too bad, it took me an hour to get to the front, the CM takes my name and number and then says call backs are about 6 hours away.
They couldn't have a CM telling you this at the beginning of the queue? I then heard Guest relations CM shouting at the WoD queue same thing, 6 hours until you would get a call back
The stores seemed at about 25% capacity and that's understandable but they could've communicated better. Also all the markers on the floor were great but no umbrellas at all.
Heading over again tomorrow and I'll be there really early this time

OOOFF! This is exactly why I was hoping the parks would be open a good month before I arrive instead of 2 weeks - seems like we should expect a substantial learning curve.

 

[PHD]

This may be considered off topic, but I'm wondering if annual passes will be extended through the July 11 date or the July 15 date. Additionally, if an AP holder is denied entry due to diminshed capacity, are those people entitled to an additional day (I'm a local, so we go very often).

 

[Lumpy1106]

Honestly with no parades, fireworks or character greetings , plus wearing those hot masks all day, I would wait until things are a little more normalized . For such an expensive trip you should experience a little more than they are offering right now.

Not a big fan of parades and my SO hates the fireworks crowds. As long as there is streetmosphere I can live without the character meets. Masks - looking into that now to find the best option but I don't think it will be as bad as everyone fears (could anything ever be THAT bad?). As long as ride wait times are similar to what SDL has been I can live with that. I dunno - kinda looking forward to a very different kind of WDW trip.

 

[Krandor]

This may be considered off topic, but I'm wondering if annual passes will be extended through the July 11 date or the July 15 date. Additionally, if an AP holder is denied entry due to diminshed capacity, are those people entitled to an additional day (I'm a local, so we go very often).

Shnghai is extending them through the time reservations are requiredd. That is no guarantee WDW will do the same

 

[Robertfam08]

Just to clarify, we don't know based on the information we have but are assuming park hopping will likely not be allowed?

We purchased park hoppers to get upgraded free dining and wondering now if we would get reimbursed that extra cost if so. (I wouldn't be that sad about it, haha.) Also thinking having a party ticket might be a way to get in to two parks in one day.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Just to clarify, we don't know based on the information we have but are assuming park hopping will likely not be allowed?

We purchased park hoppers to get upgraded free dining and wondering now if we would get reimbursed that extra cost if so. (I wouldn't be that sad about it, haha.) Also thinking having a party ticket might be a way to get in to two parks in one day.

Yeah, that's a big missing piece of info right now from my perspective. It would seem park hopping might be off the table for now (and they'd need to refund impacted folks), but who knows.

For us, park hopping is an integral piece of the experience. I can live with a lot of tweaks they're talking about, but that's probably one that would really make us think hard about making a trip.

 

[yulilin3]

Just to clarify, we don't know based on the information we have but are assuming park hopping will likely not be allowed?

We purchased park hoppers to get upgraded free dining and wondering now if we would get reimbursed that extra cost if so. (I wouldn't be that sad about it, haha.) Also thinking having a party ticket might be a way to get in to two parks in one day.

no info on park hopping

 

[Nick6300]

Just to clarify, we don't know based on the information we have but are assuming park hopping will likely not be allowed?

We purchased park hoppers to get upgraded free dining and wondering now if we would get reimbursed that extra cost if so. (I wouldn't be that sad about it, haha.) Also thinking having a party ticket might be a way to get in to two parks in one day.

I don't think I saw anything yet on PH specifically, but sort of figured that as a crowd controlling measure, there wouldn't be hopping allowed. I think the CMs at turnstiles can see if you've been at a prior park when you scan. Not sure if they can actually temporarily set up the turnstiles to light blue or something other than green to make it more efficient, if they intend to block park hopping.

 

[TheBigErn]

I have zero concerns about going, but I will not go until the mask requirement is lifted. There's no way I'm trudging around the parks in the heat and humidity wearing a mask and glasses which fog up with every breath. I'll be interested in hearing reports of those who visit this summer with the mask requirement in place.

 

[Shellibelli135]

I don't think I saw anything yet on PH specifically, but sort of figured that as a crowd controlling measure, there wouldn't be hopping allowed. I think the CMs at turnstiles can see if you've been at a prior park when you scan. Not sure if they can actually temporarily set up the turnstiles to light blue or something other than green to make it more efficient, if they intend to block park hopping.

They have to be careful what color they pick to not be confusing. DVC members are purple, and then some magic bands also have their own colors.

 

[nkereina]

I need help!! My family and I were supposed to go to Disneyland and DCA over Spring Break and my daughter was supposed to go see Hamilton (her first musical) in LA while we were there as well. So 2 days before we were supposed to go Disneyland closed and they shut down all theater productions, so my family was devastated. Honestly, they are still devastated but it is what it is.... Now, I have been thinking about a WDW trip because we love Disney. My kids have never been to WDW but have been to DLR many times because we live in AZ. WDW would be a very expensive trip for us but my kids (14, 13) have always wanted to go. I am looking at going July 22-28th. My husband works at Costco and I am a teacher and picked up a second job working at Costco as well so we are exposed to COVID every day and so are our kids. We wear masks every day so we are used to that too. My questions are if I book the trip how will I know if I actually get into the parks when I arrive? Anyone know yet? I don't want to spend the money and then not be able to get in. Also, am I crazy for going right after they open? It would be hard to go later because my kids will be back in school (in some form) and I will be teaching. We all really need a vacation and we love Disney and are dying to go to Disney. Thoughts??

As PPs mentioned, no new reservations are being accepted. And whenever they resume, there's no guarantees you'd get an entry reservation request if that's still in place at that time.

This thread isn't supposed to veer off topic, so you may want to pose your questions on a future WDW trip on the main board. But just to add my two cents, wearing your mask in the Florida heat and humidity of summer is quite different than wearing it all day in AC at work. With the cost of a WDW trip for you as well as the kids' first trip, I personally think it would be a bad idea to go this soon after opening. It will not be the same experience and you will miss a lot of the main components of what makes a WDW trip so special. Even though it would be painful to do, I think you'd be better suited putting it off until next year which also would give more time to save money and see how these new policies evolve.

 

[yulilin3]

Not sure if the be tab on mde has been shared?

 

[MrsInsG]

I get that people are disappointed and this is not what they wanted to hear after being cooped up for months. Truly, I understand. I understand people have legitimate questions about their vacations, APs, DVC points, how the park reservation system is going to work, etc. Today's announcement was a first step; it was not a Q&A about the ins and outs of WDW operations for the next several months. Today's meeting was not the venue for such an endeavor and it was also not the intent of the meeting. Disney Resorts is a multi-billion dollar enterprise, and they are not out to sully their reputation by ensuring their loyal guests are "screwed" by this announcement. My DCL cruise was canceled and so was my June "back-up-in-case-the-cruise-is-canceled" trip. My last-minute late July to make up for the sting of the other two is now going to be significantly impacted, too. It sucks, but this entire thing has sucked since the beginning, so it is what it is. I'm disappointed, and so is my family, but life will go on. Heck, my rescheduled cruise over Christmas (I'm a teacher, I can only go over breaks) is likely going to be canceled, too. Oh well.

The last 8-9 pages if this thread are generally complaints about things that haven't come to fruition yet; take a deep breath.
1. The waterparks are low on the list of priorities. Why does Universal have Volcano Bay in their plans? Probably because their resort is vastly smaller than Disney's, and they can direct some attention there.
2. Will various promotions be extended/reschedulable? I guess that will be up to the people who run that side of the resort to communicate to their guests.
3. What about APs/Park Hoppers/etc? You're entitled to a refund if you can't hop on the days you are at Disney. They are not conspiring to keep your money from you and you will likely hear from them in the next couple of weeks. APs not being used/able to be used? They'll likely extend the date of expiration (that's easy and can be handled with a simple change to their program.) Again, they'll be in touch.
4. Character meet and greets/fireworks/parades - bummer. Only each individual knows how much that means to them and what impact these things have on their enjoyment of any given trip. I think we all knew it was coming though.

The bottom line is that only you can decide how much you're willing to bargain to get to Disney this summer. Personally, I think a few pictures at MK in my trusty mask will make for a fun memory. I shaved the trip down to a few days because there is only so much I am willing to do, but to each their own. Good luck making your decision, and remember, Disney is not doing this to annoy you.

 

[thiabelle]

Not sure if the be tab on mde has been shared? View attachment 497414View attachment 497414View attachment 497415View attachment 497416View attachment 497417

Interesting- this is the first time I've seen "face coverings" defined. What I had planned to use (a cooling cloth gaiter) would not pass muster because it does not have ties or ear loops.

 

[LovingPooh]

I am in healthcare, so I wear a mask everyday at work, so no big deal to me. My reservations start on July 12, so I will see whoever else decides to test the waters....

 

[osufeth24]

Not sure if the be tab on mde has been shared? View attachment 497414View attachment 497414View attachment 497415View attachment 497416View attachment 497417

That's big since that rules out almost all gaiters