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

[MomOTwins]

There’s some info going around from evidently a TA site or somewhere similar that notes a 35% room only discount for those that booked the free dining recovery offer. 35% is pretty decent, relatively speaking - should help a bit.

I don't think this is decent at all. For one thing, it means we can't keep our August dates, as we had budgeted based on free dining, and without it, we would have chosen fewer days and a different hotel. We were celebrating 3 birthdays and our wedding anniversary on that trip. This does not allow us to apply the discount to the same dates, we have to rebook for later this year (which we can't actually do with work/school schedules).

Moreover, we're a family of 5, and the value of our free dining was actually 70% of the cost of hotel stay, not 35%. So this benefit is half as good, and requires us to cancel our long dreamed-for vacation.

Boo Disney. Booooooooo.

 

[yulilin3]

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/experience-updates/?CMP=ILC-DPFY20Q3wo0528200008A
Upon reopening, theme parks, Disney Resort hotels, restaurants, attractions, experiences and other offerings may be modified and will be limited in capacity and subject to limited availability or closure,

I don't want to sound dramatic but no part of your Disney vacation is bulletproof right now, and if you read on the park guidelines and rules, whatever it's called that you consent to when visiting the app or site, it also clearly states they can cancel anything.
And to continue my bluntness, if this is all too much (it would be for me if I was spending money on coming) I would recommend spending your money on another destination now or waiting until next year
And in case you don't have this by now, send them an email with your thoughts wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

 

[shonadamson]

We are at the 60 day mark tomorrow. So what I am reading is that are dining reservations will be canceled and I shouldn't wake up early tomorrow to do fastpasses. I wonder when they will have the dining reservation system back up to make ADR's

 

[Mrs Grumpy]

So are they saying that this new park reservation system will be here to stay? Trying to decide if we just rebook for Sept 2021.

 

[osufeth24]

So are they saying that this new park reservation system will be here to stay? Trying to decide if we just rebook for Sept 2021.

as long as covid restrictions/capacity restrictions are here. There's no way they'd do this advance day reservations when things are clear

 

[yulilin3]

So are they saying that this new park reservation system will be here to stay? Trying to decide if we just rebook for Sept 2021.

they are not saying how long this system will be in place

 

[HokieRaven5]

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/experience-updates/?CMP=ILC-DPFY20Q3wo0528200008A
Upon reopening, theme parks, Disney Resort hotels, restaurants, attractions, experiences and other offerings may be modified and will be limited in capacity and subject to limited availability or closure,

I don't want to sound dramatic but no part of your Disney vacation is bulletproof right now, and if you read on the park guidelines and rules, whatever it's called that you consent to when visiting the app or site, it also clearly states they can cancel anything.
And to continue my bluntness, if this is all too much (it would be for me if I was spending money on coming) I would recommend spending your money on another destination now or waiting until next year

Yeah nothing is safe at this moment when it comes to planning a Disney vacation. I'm cool without the ADRs I have. Already a huge fan of mobile ordering everything with the kids in toe.

I'm not worried about character interactions as mine are still loosely fearful of approaching characters in general but will wave from a distance.

I'm personally sad I won't get to repeat my giant wookiee hug I had in DLR, but if they're still in some capacity around I'll take what I can get.

Only experiences we're bummed to miss out on are BBB for my DN and I was debating Savi's but we'll see how that all shakes out tbh (i might have to treat myself to a lightsaber after all of this is done if i ever get into one of the parks).

 

[4My3KGirls]

I just can’t with this right now....
March Spring Break trip cancelled by COVID five days before we were set to go. Rescheduled for Thanksgiving because my wife and I are both school employees. Made our new Thanksgiving trip ADRs just two days ago at 6AM and now those are going to be cancelled and we have to do it all over again 60 days out and without a dining plan?

 

[Dulcee]

Well, we had been going with the flow up until now. We booked a bounce back with free dining last August. Unless a serious discount to our current package is offered there is no way we can pay rack rates for room and tickets and add in food costs when we budgeted all along for the dining plan to be included.

Going to be some very sad kids here tomorrow morning

 

[soniam]

We are at the 60 day mark tomorrow. So what I am reading is that are dining reservations will be canceled and I shouldn't wake up early tomorrow to do fastpasses. I wonder when they will have the dining reservation system back up to make ADR's

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/05/an-update-on-walt-disney-world-resort-reservations/
Once you have made park reservations, you will be able to make dining reservations.

 

[Selket]

Moreover, we're a family of 5, and the value of our free dining was actually 70% of the cost of hotel stay, not 35%. So this benefit is half as good, and requires us to cancel our long dreamed-for vacation.

Yes same for us - as a family of 4 adults the free dining is worth more than the 35% room discount. Not sure we would keep our trip anyway - and I understand why Disney would do this - but it is definitely a big loss of value. We booked this almost a year ago on a bounce back I think.

I suppose we wait and see when the first people are called to what Disney will actually offer for those who had booked free dining.

 

[HokieRaven5]

This all explains why they just up and pulled the free dining offer so quickly now and without warning.

 

[Robertfam08]

Not funny at all. Peopel plan their entire trips around free dining times.

This is us. I am devastated. I can't justify that I will likely now be paying MORE for my trip and offered considerably less. What in the world?

 

[Sandisw]

I don't think this is decent at all. For one thing, it means we can't keep our August dates, as we had budgeted based on free dining, and without it, we would have chosen fewer days and a different hotel. We were celebrating 3 birthdays and our wedding anniversary on that trip. This does not allow us to apply the discount to the same dates, we have to rebook for later this year (which we can't actually do with work/school schedules).

Moreover, we're a family of 5, and the value of our free dining was actually 70% of the cost of hotel stay, not 35%. So this benefit is half as good, and requires us to cancel our long dreamed-for vacation.

Boo Disney. Booooooooo.

I just want to say sorry things are not working out for your special trip,

It is certainly frustrating to lose out on a discount that fit your needs so well.

 

[MomOTwins]

Well, we had been going with the flow up until now. We booked a bounce back with free dining last August. Unless a serious discount to our current package is offered there is no way we can pay rack rates for room and tickets and add in food costs when we budgeted all along for the dining plan to be included.

Going to be some very sad kids here tomorrow morning

Yes same for us - as a family of 4 adults the free dining is worth more than the 35% room discount. Not sure we would keep our trip anyway - and I understand why Disney would do this - but it is definitely a big loss of value. We booked this almost a year ago on a bounce back I think.

Oh man, I just went to explain to my family that we would need to cancel because they got rid of our free dining and my 8 year old begged to let him give me his "life savings" to "save our disney trip." Broke my heart--he doesn't even have enough money to pay for a single quick service meal. So I chickened out and caved and said we would still go if we can get park reservations (but added that wasn't very likely.

ARRRGH. If only they would let me shorten the trip or something to make up for the difference in cost.

 

[KharybdisPoesis]

Hey friends. If I had a regular DDP + room reservation for mid September, if I am reading this correctly, my dining plan will be cancelled and refunded?

I was going to attend in Sept with the hubbs for MNSSHP but now I don't know if that is cancelled too. :c

 

[kylenne]

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/experience-updates/?CMP=ILC-DPFY20Q3wo0528200008A
Upon reopening, theme parks, Disney Resort hotels, restaurants, attractions, experiences and other offerings may be modified and will be limited in capacity and subject to limited availability or closure,

I don't want to sound dramatic but no part of your Disney vacation is bulletproof right now, and if you read on the park guidelines and rules, whatever it's called that you consent to when visiting the app or site, it also clearly states they can cancel anything.
And to continue my bluntness, if this is all too much (it would be for me if I was spending money on coming) I would recommend spending your money on another destination now or waiting until next year
And in case you don't have this by now, send them an email with your thoughts wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

Exactly why we rebooked our big blowout trip for next year. Even setting aside health concerns, it makes absolutely no sense for us to subject ourselves to this merry go round when we don't have to. I do feel sorry for folks who don't have many options for when to go due to school/work obligations etc but 2020 is just in too much flux if you don't have to mess with it.

 

[20yBWDW]

I guess the point is to get people who had better deals to cancel? They can bring the numbers down to the capacity they want, while maximizing the revenue from the guests who are there. Very disappointing. We had no plans to cancel even with the modified experiences, but taking away the free dining makes it a much more expensive trip. Paying much more for much less changes things.

 

[yankeesfan123]

Exactly why we rebooked our big blowout trip for next year. Even setting aside health concerns, it makes absolutely no sense for us to subject ourselves to this merry go round when we don't have to. I do feel sorry for folks who don't have many options for when to go due to school/work obligations etc but 2020 is just in too much flux if you don't have to mess with it.

Next year might not be far enough out...

 

[MomOTwins]

I just want to say sorry things are not working out for your special trip,

It is certainly frustrating to lose out on a discount that fit your needs so well.

Thanks. Everyone's trip is special, I know. But it's definitely getting laughable how unlucky we were in our choices of what to book! We had planned on two water park days too that are now out the window, and had loaded up on special ADRs (O'Hana dinner, CRT, Bon Voyage breakfast) to take advantage of the free dining.