Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[SaintsManiac]

People wanted Disney open, but don’t like how they are doing it? Same as reopening the economy I guess.

 

[Eric Smith]

Yeahhh...some of this is really overboard.

I don't understand the CL cuts. We don't ever book that, but can't they social distance in the club rooms? Have someone serve the food, wine, water? Seems like a silly cut when there are ways around it.

It won't be possible to fit the normal amount of people in the CL lounges. I think they did it to avoid a bunch of angry CL guests taking it out on cast members. Anyone paying CL prices is more likely to get irate if the experience is not up to their standards.

 

[Brianstl]

I just read a post over on the Club Level thread that was cut & pasted from a travel agent - take it with a grain of salt.. not sure it’s been verified

No club Level services - the difference in price to be credited back to the guest on their reservation.

All park hoppers will be converted to base tickets - again difference refunded.

Friday got a jump on us with its news dump...

It will be interesting to see for what time period this will impact. The club level thing will, also, add another very small point problem for DVC.

 

[NoTime42]

The mind boggles. They have the IT infrastructure in place to allow people to reserve two parks (Disneyland AP FlexPass) guess the math is just too daunting *eyeroll*

It’s probably the $ side, and a little bit of Infrastructure. They may rather sell another unique ticket for limited admissions then let a single guest take both spots.
Hopping also adds load to limited transportation systems.

 

[Farro]

People wanted Disney open, but don’t like how they are doing it? Same as reopening the economy I guess.

I would not be happy with losing park hopping. I get why, but I wouldn't like it.

 

[Violetspider]

Could be no park hopping for the duration of the phased reopening so if APs are technically working then there's nothing to refund.

Yeah, if they don't start the clock on my new AP during the week we have scheduled now at the end of July (still phased reopening presumably) then yes, I'd be fine with that. Somehow I don't think that's going to be the case though. I don't think their going to just let me have 6 free days in the parks if that's what you were eluding to? Maybe I misunderstood?

 

[Pickle Rick]

Not directed right at me but.....I actually don’t care about Universal and how they handle anything means nothing to me. I don’t think there’s an argument to be made but that they have far superior thrill rides. I also haven’t given them 10’s of thousands of dollars over the past 35 years or so. You really don’t know me, you have no clue how loyal a guest and how much I have defended them over the years I’ve been on these boards. But despite what I’ve been told a million times, I am not blind to their faults. I suspect a lot of those dissatisfied now are much like me.

Fair enough. I personally believe WDW is doing the best they can considering the situation. I'm not blinded to their faults either. I also realize that re-opening WDW is much more complex than re-opening UO.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I would not be happy with losing park hopping. I get why, but I wouldn't like it.

It is temporary to get open with the increasing pressure some here think they caved to. If people want them open they had to know there would be sacrifices.

 

[Eric Smith]

https://blogmickey.com/2020/05/disn...n-theme-parks-reopen-soft-openings-confirmed/

Hopefully the limitation doesn't apply if you have a resort stay.

 

[Farro]

It is temporary to get open with the increasing pressure some here think they caved to. If people want them open they had to know there would be sacrifices.

Well sure, but you don't have to like them!

 

[sullivan.kscott]

Yeahhh...some of this is really overboard.

I don't understand the CL cuts. We don't ever book that, but can't they social distance in the club rooms? Have someone serve the food, wine, water? Seems like a silly cut when there are ways around it.

This one makes sense, IMO. Don’t know how big the lounges are, honestly, but they would require extra staffing and monitoring that just isn’t going to be feasible in a limited capacity opening.
Club Level is a huge profit margin item, to be sure, so I’d expect it back ASAP, maybe by Christmas season or even before.
And, maybe they’re hoping it’s one more cut that forces another level of people to bow out for the time being.
Each one of these cuts is another tipping point for some quantity of guests, and I really think that’s what they (and the Governor, tbh) want.
Gives Floridians and maybe the immediately neighboring states something to do for a long weekend as they sort it all out. Just pray that sooner rather than later it makes sense for me to come from the west again.

 

[gottalovepluto]

It’s like they aren’t even trying to give some semblance of the old experience. Bare bones, take it or leave it.

Disney seems to have one very big head that they don't need to make money. c'est la vie. It works as long as it doesn't. Amazon went a lot of time not making money!

Maybe all the extra business UOR will get will give them the funds to get back to building the new theme park faster!!! (I'm very excited for that!)

Fun fact: UOR is still selling CL rooms with continental breakfast and evening beer & wine at RPR so they appear to have figured out how to salvage their more expensive rooms...

 

[DGsAtBLT]

People wanted Disney open, but don’t like how they are doing it? Same as reopening the economy I guess.

Yep. You (general) wanted them open as fast as possible during a pandemic, this is it! It’ll be kinda messy, kinda sad, kinda frustrating, but hopefully at least a good time for those who go.

Disney seems to be making sure people are going with eyes wide open and are under no illusion that this is going to be like a typical trip.

 

[MrsSmith07]

It’s like they aren’t even trying to give some semblance of the old experience. Bare bones, take it or leave it.

I think that's all by design. I truly think their goal is to only have those die hards that come so much they won't complain about the scaled down version. They keep pushing that line to see where you'll throw in the flag. I know they want business, but while they're uncertain what they can provide, they don't want to taint your memories. If this was a huge once in a while trip for a family, they would 100% prefer them to cancel and come back so the magic is where they feel it should be.

 

[cakebaker]

Maybe it’s not just the food, but all the services CL can book for you and arrange being non existent right now. I guess they could book park days for you and then dining.

Maybe it’s like the DDP speculation, where they don’t feel like they can provide the value they normally can for CL so they’re just cutting it to save the aggravation.

Having stayed CL, the only real perk regarding booking was the 90 day FP. They can’t book anything that I can’t do myself, they pull from the same inventory.

I’m going to guess most people are like me and it’s the food and beverages they offer that make the difference and they could have modified to accomplish something of near equal value, but that would take a little effort and desire to do so. Neither seem to be plentiful at WDW right now.

Chances are, a lot of those resorts won’t be open, so the easiest path is just to pull it.

 

[xuxa777]

I’m not sure what is ridiculous about it. If one NBA player comes down with Covid it will spread through the league like wildfire due to the close proximity during games and in locker rooms. The only business unit in worse shape then DCL and the parks is ESPN. if they sell advertising for NBA playoff games and have to shut it down it will be a disaster. And I think I missed what football is coming back in FLA in August with fans? Not being snarky there, honestly had not heard that

All NBA players that tested positive have recovered fully with little or no symptoms, so pretty much like the flu, the flu bug has gone through teams in previous years, not much different. They will be tested everyday, isolate the player and keep playing, already doing that in soccer. This will be better than previous season when they didn't test for the flu. They will not shut down the games is a player tests positive.

NFL preseason is in August. All indications is the NFL wants to start on time. States are already letting pro sports with fans starting Monday, see Texas. Florida is doing just as well and by July I have no doubt Desantis will allow fans at least at 25% capacity. More in August.

that said if they do play in Disney, players will be able to go to the parks by then

 

[Mal6586]

Hopefully the limitation doesn't apply if you have a resort stay.

Exactly! Us out of state APs aren’t usually just in town for a day or two!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Yeah, if they don't start the clock on my new AP during the week we have scheduled now at the end of July (still phased reopening presumably) then yes, I'd be fine with that. Somehow I don't think that's going to be the case though. I don't think their going to just let me have 6 free days in the parks if that's what you were eluding to? Maybe I misunderstood?

They are letting Shanghai AP holders basically have free access to the parks through their limited opening. They can go with a reservation, but the clock won't start again on their APs until they are fully open.

 

[alison228]

so sorry if this was already asked but can someone clarify if the 35% off is only for those that got the free dining plan offer? Or is this being offered to anyone that was affected by the closures prior to their announced opening date? my res was 6/21-27 and i cancelled it myself when i heard they wouldn’t be open by those dates.

 

[cakebaker]

I think that's intentional. I truly think their goal is to only have those die hards that come so much they won't complain about the scaled down version. They keep pushing that line to see where you'll throw in the flag. I know they want business, but while they're uncertain what they can provide, they don't want to taint your memories. If this was a huge once in a while trip for a family, they would 100% prefer them to cancel and come back so the magic is where they feel it should be.

If they didn’t want to taint my memories, they’ve already failed. I think I qualify as a die hard with close to 20 trips made, or at least a former die hard. I do think they are doing everything they can to deter guests from coming. Clearly. But, that’s certainly not what Chapek said in his CNBC interview.