Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[SarahC97]

We're arriving 10/14 and that whole week seems like it's going to busy. Hope they extend hours for later in the week, too.

 

[csmith1004]

I’ll be there 10/5-10/7. Still short hours so I’m hoping that at least means lighter crowds.

 

[yulilin3]

We're arriving 10/14 and that whole week seems like it's going to busy. Hope they extend hours for later in the week, too.

I can't stress enough the advantage of rope drop and being there for the last couple of hours, the crowds look like night and day

 

[Spridell]

Sounds like Disney is adding park hours for early/mid October. Looks like this is the first adjustment to the larger crowds.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1310558478142967809

I think we will see these hours extended for Thanksgiving and most of December.

Looks like they are doing Wed-Sun which I guess makes sense for long weekends for people coming out of state.

Looking this morning at DVC availability, very sparse the first 2 weeks of December.

 

[Farro]

Purely hearsay, but in a group I'm in, someone who works at CSR said that actually many of the staff have NOT been called back, even with NBA there.

I'm wondering if it's true, that parts of CSR won't open at all.

 

[andyman8]

Purely hearsay, but in a group I'm in, someone who works at CSR said that actually many of the staff have NOT been called back, even with NBA there.

I'm wondering if it's true, that parts of CSR won't open at all.

Disney has called back CMs for Barcelona Lounge, Catering Culinary and Stewarding, Food Handlers, Housekeeping, and Stewarding as well as the usual Front Desk and back of house personnel, per the unions. CSR is strange though in that not all of its outlets (in fact, quite a few of them) are not operated by Disney. Maya Grill and Mercado del Coronado (as well as most of the other F&B Outlets in the “original” CSR) are operated by a division of Palmas, the company that operates the Mexico pavilion. We don’t know who or if has been called back from that company since the unions have only communicated the Disney positions. We know the tower is opening (and likely Barcelona Lounge with it), and since they’re still booking non-Tower rooms, I wouldn’t be surprised if they threw open one or parts of two of the sections (I think Ranchos stays closed) as well as Mercado and *maybe* one of the TS locations and maybe Siestas.

 

[SarahC97]

Purely hearsay, but in a group I'm in, someone who works at CSR said that actually many of the staff have NOT been called back, even with NBA there.

I'm wondering if it's true, that parts of CSR won't open at all.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they only open GDT, one sit down restaurant, and the food court. The room availability there has looked really weird to me.

 

[rpb718]

I think we will see these hours extended for Thanksgiving and most of December.

Looks like they are doing Wed-Sun which I guess makes sense for long weekends for people coming out of state.

Looking this morning at DVC availability, very sparse the first 2 weeks of December.

I had to recheck on BlogMickey and didn't see any Wed or Thu changes. Looks like Fri-Sun along with one Monday (Columbus Day). I'm hoping at the very least that the Fri-Sun changes become standard for the rest of Oct onward. As it is I have to wait until to see if there's any changes for our stay in late Oct because I may have to rethink park reservations and/or ADRs. Also it's going to seem strange to be in EPCOT until 9 with no show to end the night.

I just thought of a question - have they been doing the "Kiss Goodnight" at MK? I haven't heard so I assume not.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Purely hearsay, but in a group I'm in, someone who works at CSR said that actually many of the staff have NOT been called back, even with NBA there.

I'm wondering if it's true, that parts of CSR won't open at all.

It would be fairly easy to only open sections of the resort, or stage openings as demand is met. Ugg, I hope TS dining is open! I really want to have TS dinner onsite one night when I’m there as part of a chill evening.

ETA: @andyman8 happy to hear about Barcelona Lounge!

 

[yulilin3]

I had to recheck on BlogMickey and didn't see any Wed or Thu changes. Looks like Fri-Sun along with one Monday (Columbus Day). I'm hoping at the very least that the Fri-Sun changes become standard for the rest of Oct onward. As it is I have to wait until to see if there's any changes for our stay in late Oct because I may have to rethink park reservations and/or ADRs. Also it's going to seem strange to be in EPCOT until 9 with no show to end the night.

I just thought of a question - have they been doing the "Kiss Goodnight" at MK? I haven't heard so I assume not.

They haven't

 

[sullivan.kscott]

Purely hearsay, but in a group I'm in, someone who works at CSR said that actually many of the staff have NOT been called back, even with NBA there.

I'm wondering if it's true, that parts of CSR won't open at all.

Disney has called back CMs for Barcelona Lounge, Catering Culinary and Stewarding, Food Handlers, Housekeeping, and Stewarding as well as the usual Front Desk and back of house personnel, per the unions. CSR is strange though in that not all of its outlets (in fact, quite a few of them) are not operated by Disney. Maya Grill and Mercado del Coronado (as well as most of the other F&B Outlets in the “original” CSR) are operated by a division of Palmas, the company that operates the Mexico pavilion. We don’t know who or if has been called back from that company since the unions have only communicated the Disney positions. We know the tower is opening (and likely Barcelona Lounge with it), and since they’re still booking non-Tower rooms, I wouldn’t be surprised if they threw open one or parts of two of the sections (I think Ranchos stays closed) as well as Mercado and *maybe* one of the TS locations and maybe Siestas.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they only open GDT, one sit down restaurant, and the food court. The room availability there has looked really weird to me.

This is one we’re watching closely at home. We’re happy to stay at POP for Thanksgiving week, but have tossed the idea of going “home” to CSR (it was our first bubble resort in 2017). Depending on what opens (Maya Grill is a hidden gem for Disney dining and the feature pool is great), we’ll probably make the jump. But we have no desire to stay at CBR and with POFQ closed we want a little control in our resort.

Also, I had no idea so much of CSR was third party!

 

[SarahC97]

This is one we’re watching closely at home. We’re happy to stay at POP for Thanksgiving week, but have tossed the idea of going “home” to CSR (it was our first bubble resort in 2017). Depending on what opens (Maya Grill is a hidden gem for Disney dining and the feature pool is great), we’ll probably make the jump. But we have no desire to stay at CBR and with POFQ closed we want a little control in our resort.

Also, I had no idea so much of CSR was third party!

We're booked at CSR Thanksgiving week, so I'm watching it closely too. Really curious to see what opens. I'm personally pulling for three bridges!

 

[gottalovepluto]

MiceChat rumoring 11/6 for a DLR re-opening date. They were admittedly one of the first on the 7/17 date. However, if Newsom indeed isn’t talking to theme parks (as both DLR & Cedar Fair have stayed) I don’t know what sort of legs this date has.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Can someone refresh me on CM recall time tables? I’m wondering the shortest timeline is Disneyland could be looking at for a re-opening.

Looking back on WDW many attractions hosts were recalled by 6/21 (is recalled physically back to work or called with notice to return to work in X days?) for 7/11 re-opening.

 

[Farro]

We're booked at CSR Thanksgiving week, so I'm watching it closely too. Really curious to see what opens. I'm personally pulling for three bridges!

I don't go until May, so I'm not super concerned at this point, but I am super excited to try Three Bridges. Would love to sit outside there at night with a glass of wine! Honestly it's part of the reason we booked GDT, between that, the places in "old" CSR and all the places in the Tower itself, so many options for night-time cocktails!

But I wonder since winter is coming, , if they may keep it closed since it's mostly outdoors?

 

[andyman8]

Can someone refresh me on CM recall time tables? I’m wondering the shortest timeline is Disneyland could be looking at for a re-opening.

Looking back on WDW many attractions hosts were recalled by 6/21 (is recalled physically back to work or called with notice to return to work in X days?) for 7/11 re-opening.

Disney itself has said that they need "at least" two weeks from announcement to get DLR up and running, and that would be very, very aggressive. DLR has the advantage that a lot of the health and safety "infrastructure" (plexiglass, social districtancing markers, etc...) have already been set up, while WDW hadn't really begun prepping those by May 27 (when they announced the reopening). With WDW (and I'm admittedly not a DLR expert so I'm not sure what the specific union stipulations are there), unions required 5 day notice but the notices went out far before that. Hourly park CMs began reporting back to work on 6/21 with the majority returning on 6/28. Of course, they also had to rollout the reservation system for Guests (something DLR could also benefit from time-wise but they'll still need time to get it up and running for DLR), so I'm not sure it would be a firm two weeks from the announcement to reopening. I'd guess it would be more like 3 or even 4 (WDW's was 6), so the Mice Chat date seems plausible if the Governor gives approval within the next two or three weeks.

 

[ryanpatricksmom]

We had reservations at the Swan for 11/12 thru 11/16 and decided last night to switch to CSR. I love the location of the Swan when everything is up and running, but we stayed for a couple of nights last weekend, and without the Boardwalk it's off a step. I've also decided that with social distancing there's a whole lot to be said for exterior corridors. I booked a standard room and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that if they only open a few buildings at a time, I'll end up with a free upgrade to a preferred room, LOL! We're also going back to CSR for 3 more nights after 5 days in the middle at the UO Royal Pacific but that was already planned.

 

[hereforthechurros]

How longer after park hours are extended do ADR times follow? Thinking of doing one day at Epcot with a later ADR but even though it’s open until 9 pm ADRs aren’t available past 7:55 pm.

 

[Dannielle]

I was able to purchase the Hopper Passes for our January Vacation. However the Cast Member I spoke to could not advise how to book a reservation for a 2nd park. Anyone have any insight? Do you think the Hopper pass will be cancelled down the road?

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

Everytime I see the word "soon" now I hark back to that quote in "The Princess Bride":

"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

It wasn't always this way at WDW. There was a time when "soon" actually meant soon. It all started with Space 220 and has gone downhill from there. Inconceivable.