Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Jimmy Mouse]

I thought of that but what if you had a small child who wanted to sit next to a parent? That’s really the only issue I would see with using every other seat or something like that. Especially in a dark theater type show

I think they would separate families by a few seats, not every other seat. They know families are sharing the same room, drove or flew together etc.

 

[Jroceagles]

No problem. His post was 10 days ago, too. A lot has changed.

Everyone can have their unnamed sources. For all I care, that’s the equivalent of the bus driver telling me the Villains Park is definitely still in the works and will be open in a few years. But that’s part of the fun speculation.

Maybe you want to ask your unnamed source why they canceled the CP arrivals on 6/1 if they planned to be open? Was it because they’ll open in phases? Or they don’t want CP living in dorm like apartments?

Can you ask your source if 6/1 is for Disney Springs only to start? All parks open and ready to go? We’d all love more details.

also just as a convo thing...are we overthinking the CP thing? The arrivals now through June were canceled....could this be a simple as why bring them in if you cant pay them.... and they do pay rent on the dorms...so how can they live if you cannot give them a weekly paycheck? So why bring them in at all?

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

yea I get that, but he said he had a source and I am asking because my family member is pretty consistent with the June 1 thing and he is very close to these decisions.

I am sure my May 6-10 reservations will be cancelled. AP Silver passes are blocked out starting June 1. If May 19 were to happen, I'd love to change to then, but reservations can't be made or changed before June 1. Kinda stuck. Luckily I was able to grab 5 nights in Oct, just may have to wait until then.

 

[KBoopaloo]

In thinking of strategies to potentially mitigate the risk of the virus spreading at WDW, there are several options that came to mind:

• Hand sanitizers at each entrance AND exit for each attraction/theater/eatery (with CM enforcement at the entrances)
• Mickey stickers taped/adhered to the ground, spaced appropriately, at attraction/eatery queues
• Mickey stickers taped/adhered to the ground, spaced appropriately, on the MK ferry boats
• Taped off every other seat (or proper interval) at theater attractions
• Taped off, or Mickey stickers, spaced appropriately on the monorail

I am ignoring costs.

I think these are all great ideas but the issue will be getting people to follow the instructions. My grocery store has started limiting the number of people who come inside and created a one way path that they want everyone to use navigate the aisles. The instructions are clear as day with giant arrows and signs explaining but when I was last at the store at least 40% of the customers I encountered were ignoring it and just going wherever they wanted.
The parks are just not designed for social distancing and there is only so much they can do to spread people out. Even when things in our local areas start to open up a bit in May and June if recommendations remain that we can start to return to our lives but try to keep some physical distance as much as possible, I think Disney will have a real challenge on their hands to open in a safe way. I keep trying to imagine what a park opening would look like in 6 weeks and I can’t come up with any scenario that makes sense. I am sure they are discussing a million options I haven’t even considered but I still think it is going to be very challenging for them.

 

[Lewisc]

My 2 cents. Assume Disney (via health recommendations) wants guests to wear masks.. Does that suggest pools and water parks remain closed? Restaurant tables be spaced out? If so could Disney set up additional restaurant seating using ballrooms and conference/convention areas?

Add me to the group who thinks, at least initially, the number of potential guests willing and able to vacation may be more limited then we think. Some people will have health concerns. Some real and some health based. Some people will have financial issues. Some may have trouble getting time off.
I think Disney may delay re-opening some resorts. Disney can move guests who have reservations to a different resort. What's missed in these discussions. There is probably a need to open all DVC resorts ASAP. Some members are losing the ability to use their points. Those resorts are more likely to filled. That suggests almost all deluxe resorts would be opened ASAP. Easy to keep Yacht Club closed. I guess you could open Bay Lake but not the Contemporary but then you'd have a resort without a restaurant. Assume bookings suggest closing a resort for a month or more. More likely to be value and even moderates. Closing one or more All Stars and all (or part of) PO might make sense.

 

[havoc315]

Might be worth just sharing the official line from the UK Health and Safety Executive. The experts there are saying that face masks are only required in a clinical setting, and that they are not necessary elsewhere in society.

the U.K. is doing such a smash up job... certainly, let’s follow their lead.

and you’re confusing “not necessary” with “not helpful”

This is the US. The CDC recommend mask-wearing in any situation where social distancing is not feasible (like a Disney Park!)

 

[TropicalDIS]

Sure, the middle ground is those at risk stay in. Continue holding off on international flights, allow those on Disney property to attend the parks and limit the amount of “walk ups” or non AP/Disney property guests. Plenty of logical measures can be taken, but almost never will it be enough for some, people which is fine. So be it.

Even a company like Disney cannot survive a 3-6 month shutdown. You are being naive if you think so, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of workers who lose everything.

The whole objective of this was to “flatten the curve”. Well, outside of a few cities we’ve flattened it so much that nurses and medical workers are being furloughed throughout the country.

So now what? Move the goalposts again and say people can’t have their freedoms back until there are no reports of the virus? Anywhere?? That is absolutely unrealistic and an illogical demand. There will ALWAYS be risks in life, you cannot let it control you.

When the numbers drop we get back to it. Wash your hands, be smart, take precautions and if you are someone that is at risk stay home as long as your heart desires. Isolate as needed.

The rest of us are ready to live life.

Except Disney will be shut down for 3 months by the time they reopen, and they will be fine. If Disney opens before mid June, I'll be very surprised.

Nurses and medical workers are not being furloughed because the curve has been flattened so much they are expendable, they are being furloughed due to cost saving measures. This has been going on for weeks, and has nothing do with the flattening of the curve.

We will be back at it in a couple months, but the possibility of another outbreak is going to remain. Everyone has to be smart, and you can't assume others will take precautions, so you have to be even more diligent.

 

[TropicalDIS]

I would not read anything into what the Vegas casinos are saying. They are changing their dates frequently just like everybody else. Two weeks ago, the Wynn was saying they would reopen April 19th. Now they are saying May 1st. I expect that date to change again.

 

[xuxa777]

Dr. Fauci now saying Americans may be able to take summer vacations, go to ball games, etc., .... summer opening for Disney looks better and better!


Speaking to CBS This Morning, Fauci was asked if he could envision a typical summer, filled with vacations, baseball games, weddings and family reunions.

“It can be in the cards,” he said.

But he warned:


Getting back to normal is not like a light switch that you turn on and off, Fauci said, adding it’ll be gradual and depend on where in the country you live.


“The bottom line of it all is, that what we see looking forward, it is very likely that we will progress towards the steps towards normalization as we get to the end of this thirty days. And I think that’s going to be a good time to look and see how quickly can we make that move to try and normalize. But hopefully, and hopefully, by the time we get to the summer we will have taken many steps in that direction," he added.

Saw that too, since he is floating this out there already, I will adjust my guess to mid/late may for Disney Springs to open, Springs (could even open May 1st) and resorts June 1st and the parks July 1st. These dates could all be shifted two weeks earlier, if they leift the stay at home orders next week.

 

[xuxa777]

Except Disney will be shut down for 3 months by the time they reopen, and they will be fine. If Disney opens before mid June, I'll be very surprised.

Nurses and medical workers are not being furloughed because the curve has been flattened so much they are expendable, they are being furloughed due to cost saving measures. This has been going on for weeks, and has nothing do with the flattening of the curve.

We will be back at it in a couple months, but the possibility of another outbreak is going to remain. Everyone has to be smart, and you can't assume others will take precautions, so you have to be even more diligent.

Completely agree with this scenario

 

[disney1474]

Saw that too, since he is floating this out there already, I will adjust my guess to mid/late may for Disney Springs to open, Springs (could even open May 1st) and resorts June 1st and the parks July 1st. These dates could all be shifted two weeks earlier, if they leift the stay at home orders next week.

Opening up like this, Springs first, then resorts and then weeks later parks makes no sense to me. I'm no expert at all but it seems to me if more is open at the same time, it allows people to spread out more. What is everyone's thought on this?

 

[hertamaniac]

I think these are all great ideas but the issue will be getting people to follow the instructions. My grocery store has started limiting the number of people who come inside and created a one way path that they want everyone to use navigate the aisles. The instructions are clear as day with giant arrows and signs explaining but when I was last at the store at least 40% of the customers I encountered were ignoring it and just going wherever they wanted.
The parks are just not designed for social distancing and there is only so much they can do to spread people out. Even when things in our local areas start to open up a bit in May and June if recommendations remain that we can start to return to our lives but try to keep some physical distance as much as possible, I think Disney will have a real challenge on their hands to open in a safe way. I keep trying to imagine what a park opening would look like in 6 weeks and I can’t come up with any scenario that makes sense. I am sure they are discussing a million options I haven’t even considered but I still think it is going to be very challenging for them.

For sure, compliance will be more than challenging.

I was trying to start a thinktank style discussion of ideas on what options could be implemented. Perhaps even Disney would be watching our thread and ideas?

Thanks for the feedback; I was expecting complete flaming.

 

[rteetz]

They are still saying the same thing as of last night. May 19th is a tentative day.

Tentative would be the key word here. I could see that being a date they are bringing employees back to work. That would be a month of furlough. I have a hard time seeing that as the opening date for the resort. And with that I think everyone expects some sort of phased opening meaning something like Disney Springs to start.

With that said too, as someone who following the rumor sphere intently you’re the only one saying May 19th. Not that it’s wrong necessarily but if this was a serious internal date I think it would get out a bit more throughout the inter webs.

 

[KBoopaloo]

Opening up like this, Springs first, then resorts and then weeks later parks makes no sense to me. I'm no expert at all but it seems to me if more is open at the same time, it allows people to spread out more. What is everyone's thought on this?

I think the idea is that opening up the Springs first could start bringing in some revenue (likely from locals) before going all in with the parks. People aren’t going to get on a plane to take a trip to WDW for just Disney Springs so this could be a way to open some shops and restaurants and get some revenue flowing with fewer people on the property. They could test out different methods of crowd control in those shops and restaurants first and see what works for when they open across property.

 

[xuxa777]

Like others say Springs open first because it will have to open once non essentails businesses open, restaurants and small stores. The stores and restaurants will demand it if they didn't. Then open the resorts because the are the easiest to open, plus a big money maker. They will not open the park before the resorts, and they won't open the parks and the resorts at the same time, no reason to stress the system that much.

The parks will be last b/c of the exposure risks, the queues and rides be the most risky. I am now thinking if they do require masks it will be just for the queues and perhaps the buses, monorail only. (not trying to open a mask debate, everyone has their own opinion if they work or not )

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Me neither. I hate masks.... I wore one to pick up groceries curbside yesterday and couldn’t wait to remove it. I don’t know how Asian people wear these regularly..... I guess I’m just a spoiled American!

I do not view not wanting to wear a mask as being “spoiled.” Wearing masks is not normal. As far as mask wearing in Asian countries like China being the norm, have ya seen their air pollution?

 

[yankeesfan123]

Except Disney will be shut down for 3 months by the time they reopen, and they will be fine. If Disney opens before mid June, I'll be very surprised.

Nurses and medical workers are not being furloughed because the curve has been flattened so much they are expendable, they are being furloughed due to cost saving measures. This has been going on for weeks, and has nothing do with the flattening of the curve.

We will be back at it in a couple months, but the possibility of another outbreak is going to remain. Everyone has to be smart, and you can't assume others will take precautions, so you have to be even more diligent.

Nurses and staff and being furloughed in part because elective procedures such as surgeries pay a lottttt more than just observing someone in a hospital bed.

 

[osufeth24]

I think the idea is that opening up the Springs first could start bringing in some revenue (likely from locals) before going all in with the parks. People aren’t going to get on a plane to take a trip to WDW for just Disney Springs so this could be a way to open some shops and restaurants and get some revenue flowing with fewer people on the property. They could test out different methods of crowd control in those shops and restaurants first and see what works for when they open across property.

as a local. I know the first day Springs opens, I'm there

 

[J-BOY]

No problem. His post was 10 days ago, too. A lot has changed.

Everyone can have their unnamed sources. For all I care, that’s the equivalent of the bus driver telling me the Villains Park is definitely still in the works and will be open in a few years. But that’s part of the fun speculation.

Maybe you want to ask your unnamed source why they canceled the CP arrivals on 6/1 if they planned to be open? Was it because they’ll open in phases? Or they don’t want CP living in dorm like apartments?

Can you ask your source if 6/1 is for Disney Springs only to start? All parks open and ready to go? We’d all love more details.

This is exactly the issue - I'm sure a number of people (myself included) have a "source" or some kind of relation to a Disney employee. The issue though, is that the only people who know of these decisions for sure are probably top-line executives and the Chiefs. Anyone else who is claiming to have other information is grasping at straws. Not that I blame them, as it's their job, but I find speculation and rumors about this decision even more unreliable than the usual rumors that get spread on this board sometimes.

 

[Lewisc]

Guests travel to Disney to visit the parks. No way the resorts open a month before at least one park opens. I think at least the MK will open within days of resort opening. I can see MK and DHS opening first with EPCOT opening later.