UPDATED 01/14/20 - The FW DISMeet 2020-See Post #283 For Latest News and Updates

[tiggerdad]

PS - I have a question for the DISMeet October folks that I feel like I need to wait to ask.....

Planning on taking over the World? I'm in...

 

[PaHunter]

well, now I got October booked and no park tickets. I wonder if they'll open this up before then? I figure they are WAY overbooked and hoping some folks will cancel.

We are in the same boat. We do have MNSSHP tickets for the Thursday event. But that is it.

 

[Boomer1]

We hadn’t made any dining reservations so we were not cancelled. DH and I were discussing yesterday our trip in October and are hoping for the best. As it stands now the border is closed for non essential travel, not only at the national level but also here in our province( Canadian equivalent of state). A two week quarantine is in effect for anyone returning from out of province. If this is still the case in October we will have to cancel as I only have 2 weeks off.

 

[bama_ed]

If this is still the case in October we will have to cancel as I only have 2 weeks off.

Understood, Boomer1.

 

[serenitygr]

Here we are- for us 3.5 months from when we’d be getting ready to head out- who would have ever dreamed how much the world would have changed when we first booked this trip!!?? Sadly- because this DIS meet was absolutely so exciting for me to look forward to- we’ve decided to postpone our trip until hopefully spring of next year. Couple different reasons- one being I’ve got 4 kids ( a couple of which COVID would probably knock right out) and a mom that is very high risk. So our family has been one of the ones who either stays home or wears masks, and we are extremely careful. Until there is a vaccine, we just wouldn’t be comfortable being in any type of group setting... two- we have a long trip to get there - nearly 1800 miles one way, so this vacation is pretty much the only one we ever take. And it’s just too far, and too expensive, to go without being able to enjoy all the things we love down there. We want to know we’ll have fast passes, be able to make the dining reservations we love, and I guess just simply relax and enjoy ourselves without having to worry about masks, social distancing, or COVID. And right now , even though things are starting to open and I know much can change in a few months, I don’t think it will change enough that we can have the kind of vacation we’d truly enjoy.

So for 2020 we’ll have to just follow along with you guys on here, and hope you all have an amazing time!

 

[tiggerdad]

I can see your side of it. These current limitations are not ideal, especially if Disney still expects folks to pay full price considering the limitations. Still good while until October. We're watching and will adjust as needed. Currently we have no tickets and can't get them. Might just have to skip Disney parks all together although I'm not sure how well that is going to go with DW and DDs.

 

[bama_ed]

Okay, serenitygr. You do what you need to. Bama Ed

 

[rajak73]

Still holding out to see what happens through the summer. We have I believe until 30 days before checkin to cancel. Like serenitygr: we have 1500 miles one way, the breaking point could be if they cancel F & W, we shall wait and see, a lot can change between now and Sept. Hoping for the best though! We were really looking forward to this trip.

 

[tltay2005]

Sadly, we too have to cancel. My job is changing and I will not have the flexibility with time off as I did.

 

[Bishoparc]

I'm holding out until due date for PIF to see what happens. I definitely won't be going to the parks if masks are required. As long as we can hang around the Fort without masks, we're still planning on going but if they want a mask every moment you're outside, no way I can handle that.

 

[Teamubr]

Ed,

We are still planning on coming regardless of restrictions/masks/closed activities (unless it's the parks that are closed). We may shorten the stay from 14 days. Donna's conference has been cancelled so we won't be there on Oct 1, like originally planned. Right now, we are discussing not coming in until Thursday October 8th, but that still has us there for 10 days. If the parks or WDW doesn't have as much to offer, we will venture over to the coast or maybe try Uni.

j

 

[bama_ed]

Sadly, we too have to cancel. My job is changing and I will not have the flexibility with time off as I did.

Terri, we will miss seeing you and Greg. I hope ya'll can make it back to the Fort sometime soon.

I think it would help to review Florida's reopening phases and how it affects the theme parks and see how the timeline has been moving and consider it given the fact we are still approximately 4 months from our DISMeet date.

Florida's opening phases are listed in this PDF file from the FL Govenor's website:

https://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/covid19/Taskforce Report.pdf

When Florida was closed up (like other states) from late March and into late April when the PDF/plan was produced, that was Phase 0. On page 17 of the PDF/plan it says this for Phase 0 about theme parks:



BTW my page references are to what is in the bottom right corner of each page. For example, page 17 noted above is the 20th page of the PDF. Look at page number of the document image (hope I don't confuse anyone).

The document lists three phases of reopening (1/2/3).

Phase 1 was implemented around May 15, 2020 (some SE FL counties later) and here was what it said as relates to theme parks (which obviously remained closed during Phase 1). This is on page 21 of the PDF/plan.



Phase 2 was implemented around June 5, 2020 and here is what it said as relates to theme parks. Note that Universal Studios reopened on June 7 just two days ago. This is page 25 of the PDF/plan.



These are the conditions that WDW is planning to reopen into. And I should add that the PDF/plan, in each Phase description, also has descriptions for restaurants, travel, employer screening, etc.

This only leaves Phase 3 remaining. There is no way to know when/if Florida and the theme parks will reach this phase. But it is the only phase remaining. Here is what it says about theme parks in Phase 3 on page 28 of the PDF/plan.



There is no way to know what Disney's mask policy might be in a phase 3. Or what "limited social distancing protocols" means in reality. Phase 2 (which we know how it will be implemented) used the word "strict" in comparison.

Since we still have 4 months until the event (and about 2 months until some of the deadlines kick in, I'm of the opinion we still have time to take a wait-and-see attitude for a while yet. Some angles are outside of this scope (like Boomer1's cross-border requirements since they're in Canada) but there is no need to make a decision yet IMO. Events happen in life (like tltay2005's job change) and in a mode where we have to plan a year in advance, those kind of things will happen.

I'd still like to see Disney's response for Phase 2 for buying tickets, reserving your park day, implementing 60 day ADR's, and more. So timing, generally speaking, is not an issue yet.

Personally I am hoping during the heat of the Florida summer and after the resorts/parks have operated for a few weeks, we can get to Phase 3 sometime before it's go/no-go decision time.

I'm going to leave it here for now.

Bama Ed

PS - this above is all my opinion based on my observations and everyone is entitled to their own opinions of course.

 

[tiggerdad]

Agreed.

If no Disney parks then Universal has been on our radar. As well as resort hopping and Cocoa Beach.

 

[PaHunter]

We are planning on rollin down, it maybe our only camping trip of the year at the rate we are going.

 

[Teamubr]

Glad you are still coming, Chris. Sad that the rig isn't back yet.

j

 

[garneska]

right now we will be coming regardless what the parks are doing. we may not go into any parks if I don’t like what the requirements are. Still on the fence about oct 4 arrival or switch to oct 10 arrival.

 

[Bishoparc]

As long as they don't make us wear masks at the Fort, we'll be there!

 

[2goofycampers]

As long as they don't make us wear masks at the Fort, we'll be there!

Right now masks are required in common areas of Resorts. But not while dining or swimming.

 

[bama_ed]

Right now masks are required in common areas of Resorts. But not while dining or swimming.

So at the Fort would this be the Trading Posts, Check-in building, and maybe the campfire/singalong (if it would even take place at all)?

 

[4077]

So at the Fort would this be the Trading Posts, Check-in building, and maybe the campfire/singalong (if it would even take place at all)?

This may answer a question I was wondering about... are “common areas” in the reports referring to inside areas only. In other words, you don’t/won’t have to wear masks walking around a loop, etc...