Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[DGsAtBLT]

I hope Disney and Universal puts markers all over the park. Obviously people can't stand 6 ft apart without them. Seeing this is why I think Disney is taking it slow.

KRIS MEETS WRLD (@krismeetsworld) Tweeted:
I posted this photo earlier without a black bar. Reposting with covering faces. This really isn’t even the guests’ fault. There were no lines on the ground. https://t.co/WKZyb9G0Cm

https://twitter.com/x/status/1264212054812098561

The people who are most eager to get back to normal are ironically going to be the ones who make it hardest to get back to normal.

Standing apart should be done automatically EVERYWHERE. Not just where enforced .

 

[Mit88]

One of our best WDW trips ever was back when there was a slow season and the parks closed early. It forced us not to exhaust ourselves and to actually enjoy our resort and other things Disney offers outside of the parks. No, limited hours would not cause us to cancel. I hope they don’t close quite that early, but it’s not a deal breaker.

Shorter hours would make for a more relaxing trip. Get back to the hotel around 7 being able to grab dinner, go for some drinks, sit by the pool etc rather than getting out of the park at 10 or 11 and everything being closed. Granted, that’s coming from someone that has an AP and doesn’t feel the need to go from park open to park close to feel like I got my money’s worth for the day

 

[e_yerger]

The people who are most eager to get back to normal are ironically going to be the ones who make it hardest to get back to normal.

Standing apart should be done automatically EVERYWHERE. Not just where enforced .

Exactly - there is always a line outside of the Home Depot by me, and everyone is courteous and minds the 6ft rule

 

[A2DisneyMom]

Sorry if I’m repeating anything that’s already been written (I can’t keep up). I still suspect the various dates we’re hearing point to possible timelines in a phased reopening.

As we all know Disney is about narrative, I still suspect WDW will open in mid-June with a limited capacity (possibly only CM and first-responders + family—great story!). I think by the end of June we could see opening for Gold AP + DVC +/- Florida residents. Opening for Platinum AP + resort guests could be the first week of July. I anticipate opening for standard ticket holders (possibly daily, park-specific tickets like Shanghai) after July 6th. Capacity would phase up from there. August 31 could represent the full capacity/return to normal operations goal.

No insider knowledge here, just the viewpoint of a Disney fanatic and physician/operations executive with a publicly-traded company in another industry. At the end of the day, it’s all about risk vs. share price, with a sprinkling of corporate social responsibility pixie dust!

Also, just checked an my 7/1 Riviera reservation, ADRs and FP are all still intact!

 

[LSUmiss]

Shorter hours would make for a more relaxing trip. Get back to the hotel around 7 being able to grab dinner, go for some drinks, sit by the pool etc rather than getting out of the park at 10 or 11 and everything being closed. Granted, that’s coming from someone that has an AP and doesn’t feel the need to go from park open to park close to feel like I got my money’s worth for the day

And there will probably be less to do & less ppl to be in your way to get it done. If pools are open this would be perfect for us.

 

[Jrb1979]

The people who are most eager to get back to normal are ironically going to be the ones who make it hardest to get back to normal.

Standing apart should be done automatically EVERYWHERE. Not just where enforced .

I think seeing things like that is why Disney is taking their time in opening. If Disney wants people to follow physical distancing they are going to have stop being magical for awhile and keep reminding people to do it.

 

[Mit88]

Exactly - there is always a line outside of the Home Depot by me, and everyone is courteous and minds the 6ft rule

There will always be people that will do whatever they want, whenever they want. Unfortunately there’s nothing you can do other than ask them to be respectful. It’s best just to worry about what you’re doing Just like when you’re driving, it’s impossible to know, and worry about which people are being reckless, or who is driving intoxicated. If you see someone being reckless, or someone that might be intoxicated on the road, you avoid them by pulling aside or doing your best to avoid them. Same applies with social distancing

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

So let me get this straight. Disney might allow NBA players to play in their wide world of sports and allow them to stay in guest resorts? Ala Disney resorts? Not a fan of the staying at Disney resorts part.

Would mean those resorts stay closed at least till end of season

 

[cakebaker]

I think seeing things like that is why Disney is taking their time in opening. If Disney wants people to follow physical distancing they are going to have stop being magical for awhile and keep reminding people to do it.

I don’t think the problem is unique to WDW. Universal will have the same issues as will other parks.

 

[OnceUponATime15]

So let me get this straight. Disney might allow NBA players to play in their wide world of sports and allow them to stay in guest resorts? Ala Disney resorts? Not a fan of the staying at Disney resorts part.

Would mean those resorts stay closed at least till end of season

https://nesn.com/2020/05/disney-world-reportedly-has-begun-renovations-to-host-nba-mls/

 

[Mit88]

So let me get this straight. Disney might allow NBA players to play in their wide world of sports and allow them to stay in guest resorts? Ala Disney resorts? Not a fan of the staying at Disney resorts part.

Would mean those resorts stay closed at least till end of season

Theyd only need 1 resort to occupy the entire league. They’re not going to allow teams and players to pick what resorts they want to stay at individually

 

[cakebaker]

So let me get this straight. Disney might allow NBA players to play in their wide world of sports and allow them to stay in guest resorts? Ala Disney resorts? Not a fan of the staying at Disney resorts part.

Would mean those resorts stay closed at least till end of season

If you’ve looked at reservations lately, you’d see they’re extremely low. Outside of GDT, I can book anywhere I want in July - even using my AP discount. That’s unheard of. They have more than enough resort space. It would mean condensing and moving people, but I think they’re going to do that regardless.

 

[Tandy]

Theyd only need 1 resort to occupy the entire league. They’re not going to allow teams and players to pick what resorts they want to stay at individually

Last time there was a situation like this they closed off resorts. Not hard to do again but this time they can build in revenue from hosting players in those 1 or 2 resorts

 

[inlalaland]

There will always be people that will do whatever they want, whenever they want. Unfortunately there’s nothing you can do other than ask them to be respectful. It’s best just to worry about what you’re doing Just like when you’re driving, it’s impossible to know, and worry about which people are being reckless, or who is driving intoxicated. If you see someone being reckless, or someone that might be intoxicated on the road, you avoid them by pulling aside or doing your best to avoid them. Same applies with social distancing

I mean this is kind of a poor analogy. I would hope if you saw someone you suspect is driving intoxicated you would call 911 and report them, not just avoid them and hope for the best.

 

[Jrb1979]

I don’t think the problem is unique to WDW. Universal will have the same issues as will other parks.

I know it's not. Disney will always err on the side of caution. Which it would be why they are taking opening slower than Universal. They could be waiting to see how Universal handles it and take some of those ideas.

 

[ajksmom]

My hesitation about traveling in general this summer has a lot to do with what happens with these reopening phases. Most of us know what our own states are planning (and probably what FL is planning as well.)

What we don’t know is what happens if #s increase/hot spots emerge and what the plan is then...

Being that I’m from CT and am currently urged to self quarantine for 14 days if I travel to FL (as well as residents from NY,NJ,&LA) perhaps makes me more aware that moving forward there must be a plan in place to identify quickly and to restrict movement from any location of worry. Also to ease/change those restrictions as needed.

Right now it appears Phase 2 allows non-essential travel to resume but in CT that is likely around 6/20. What about other states?

Disney has got to see this as a problem especially since international travel will be nill to none. First and foremost people need to be unrestricted to head to the parks. But then what happens if

1. FL becomes a hotspot and they have to close. Do they kick you out? Offer refunds?
2. Any number of states close travel down to essential travel only again? Perhaps mine or yours....
3. “You” arrive at WDW and the next day your state of residence is identified as a hotspot.Do they restrict you from their property/parks? Refund you? What portion?

This is only a few of the scenarios I have thought of when considering whether or not to proceed with our vacation in August (reserved last Sept-DVC).

It comes before the “what are the modifications questions” we all have. And I’m sure it plays a huge role in WDW considerations of reopening and when.

 

[Spridell]

So here is the other part of this. DVC has non-park properties in Vero Beach, Hilton Head Island, and Aulani. Now, for Aulani, they can lean on the 14-day quarantine until June 30, however, I am not sure how they can keep Vero Beach and Hilton Head Island closed as timeshares, and, I believe, hotels, have opened at each location. I would be the last person to know how these things could work, but I assume that they could open prior to the park-based DVC properties. Both properties closed at a different time than the park properties, so I don't necessarily know that it has to be in lockstep...

Legally speaking, per our DVC contracts, its going to get tough for Disney to keep all DVC resorts closed much past July 1.

Even if the parks are closed, pools, restaurants etc.....they are going to have to make those rooms available for guests to stay.

 

[Mit88]

I mean this is kind of a poor analogy. I would hope if you saw someone you suspect is driving intoxicated you would call 911 and report them, not just avoid them and hope for the best.

Calling 911 isn’t an immediate solution. They don’t just appear at the scene the moment you call. You’d still have to avoid them until the cops arrive

 

[Spaceguy55]

With some states opening up in the last week or 2 and with all states open this weekend with restrictions that people may or may not follow...things might look a little different with numbers in about 2 or 3 weeks.

 

[Mit88]

Last time there was a situation like this they closed off resorts. Not hard to do again but this time they can build in revenue from hosting players in those 1 or 2 resorts

There was a pandemic before where they closed off all the resorts and had NBA players stay where they wanted on property? That’s news to me