Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Pyotr]

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My teen son has a Florida Resident Discover Disney Ticket for day-trips with his girlfriend and her mom, who have the same tickets. They had used 1 of 4 days before the park closed. The tickets were extended from June 30th to September 30th, and I'm not sure if they can get refunds. I am sure he will not enjoy the parks anywhere near as much with the new restrictions, especially having to wear a mask all day in the heat, but all he can think of is the time with his girlfriend. I'm hoping her mom will decide "no way," and we'll be able to get refunds and try again later.

I have 4 discover Disney tickets that I will not be using. Are we able to get refunds For them? If not, can we get credit for future trips? I’m not going to bother with trying to get through to Disney today.

 

[Leigh L]

The extreme reduced hrs. (opposite of supporting social distancing); the decision not to open water parks because it'snot worth it to them financially. ..we'll see what else they come up with...hopefully some things for the better.

The way I'm looking at it is Disney has always changed their hours on a whim. On at least two of our trips, they added several hours to MK on the same day. We have traveled in January a couple of times, those hours always start off limited but usually at least one or two parks get extended. Maybe these will be the set hours they listed yesterday for the summer, but maybe they won't.

Disney is extremely data-driven, they'll know capacity/demand with whatever reservation system and virtual queues they set up. Plus they'll be watching the other parks and COVID-19 data too. It's still going to be more than a month before they open, a lot can change between now and then. What's to say they won't extend hours as they get a better idea about who is still planning to even come to the resorts/parks? Or maybe they'll suddenly decide to announce a water park opening?

 

[Randy Miller]

And it didn’t cost what it does today. The problem with sky high prices is they come with sky high expectations.

Well, did it? I don’t know, and don’t claim to know about prices in 1978 vs prices in 2020. Math is so not even close to my strong point! But I know it wasn’t cheap back then! It was nit a place that every, or even most kids, got to go. I don’t know how much 1,000 in 1978 compares to 8,000 compares?

 

[MrsBooch]

I know dining reservations are down due to the changes being made behind the scenes - probably to restaurant hours etc - but does anyone, through their phone calls etc, have any idea of when they will be back up? Was that mentioned somewhere?

I have a feeling they're cutting how late some restaurants are open to reduce capacity and then pushing out new hours later. Maybe updating a lot of people's reservations to "cancelled"

 

[mshanson3121]

Statistically speaking, they are far more likely to catch COVID-19 from their own friends or family, rather than some random guy that walks by them without a mask on.

Statistically speaking, those numbers change greatly when you multiply that number of random guys by thousands, day after day.

 

[JaxDad]

I have 4 discover Disney tickets that I will not be using. Are we able to get refunds For them? If not, can we get credit for future trips? I’m not going to bother with trying to get through to Disney today.

It's not clear to me from the initial update if we can get refunds for unused portions of the Discover Disney tickets. The update does indicate you can get credit for wholly unused multi-day or date-specific theme park tickets, but the Discover Disney tickets are addresseded in the next paragraph with no refund information. I agree with not trying to get through to Disney today. If I do try to get a refund, I'll wait at least a week! Their call center has to be crazy now!

 

[andyman8]

I have 4 discover Disney tickets that I will not be using. Are we able to get refunds For them? If not, can we get credit for future trips? I’m not going to bother with trying to get through to Disney today.

If the tickets are unused, you could try to call Disney or reach out to the Guest Experience Services team about a refund, though they are technically non-refundable. Even if you aren't able to secure a refund, you can always "upgrade" those tickets to standard Florida Resident tickets (which do not have blockout dates) or any other ticket type. Disney tickets never lose their value, so you can put them toward an "upgrade" to whatever ticket you are planning to eventually buy. Again, this is only if the tickets have not been used.

 

[DisFitz]

Our conference in June at WDW was canceled. Yesterday I decided to at least ask if I could get the memory maker and park tickets (over $1000) refunded as the conference may not happen next year and we wouldn't be able to use the tickets this year by Dec. 15th. I was on the phone for a total of about 40 minutes (two different departments) and both CMs were so nice, helpful, and pleasant. The MM was immediatley canceled and refunded and the ticket refund is "submitted for review", and she gave every indication that would be refunded. Seems that they are being very flexible on cancelations and refunds, which is the type of customer service I expect from Disney.
Despite my disappointment over the trip (and frustration at times with their lack of communication) I am back to the "loving place" with Disney

 

[mshanson3121]

Well, did it? I don’t know, and don’t claim to know about prices in 1978 vs prices in 2020. Math is so not even close to my strong point! But I know it wasn’t cheap back then! It was nit a place that every, or even most kids, got to go. I don’t know how much 1,000 in 1978 compares to 8,000 compares?

Yes, the numbers have been done before, and the ticket costs today far outpace the rise in inflation. Tickets then we're much less expensive than they are today. With the biggest rise being within the last 10 years.

 

[Alicefan]

I said it in earlier post, but If everyone preps with a mask before arrival (I know most won’t), they will be fine. I’m taking long hikes & jogging with a mask on to condition myself to the experience. I also live in the south, so the humidity isn’t an issue for me. I’m afraid a lot will wait until arrival though, so CM’s will have a lot of passed out Karen’s to take care of. I’m assuming they’ll be called the Heat Stroke Squad.

That sounds like a job rather than a vacation.

 

[VeronicaZS]

Will photo pass photographers be allowed to take your picture if you take your mask off for the picture?

 

[merry_nbright]

Will photo pass photographers be allowed to take your picture if you take your mask off for the picture?

In Shanghai, you’re allowed to take photos with your mask off. Have to wait to see what the rule at WDW will be.

 

[Yooperroo]

Forgive me if this has been answered, but can people with existing resort reservations modify their dates? We are at BCV (cash, we aren’t DVC peeps) 8/29-9/5. I wanted end of sept, but a 2 bedroom wasn’t available when I booked a couple of weeks ago. I booked through a TA (not a TA rate), so I don’t think I can modify my own reservation?

No. I have reservations starting on July 10. I went in this morning to try to modify the dates for that reservation and I got the message saying no new reservations are being made at this time.

 

[Violetspider]

Just out of curiosity, can anyone whose fast pass window opened this morning (July 27th arrival) report what they encountered in MDE?
EDIT: Never mind I was directed to another board for that.

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

Just out of curiosity, can anyone whose fast pass window opened this morning (July 27th arrival) report what they encountered in MDE?
EDIT: Never mind I was directed to another board for that.

which board? Thanks!

 

[tcherjen]

Just out of curiosity, can anyone whose fast pass window opened this morning (July 27th arrival) report what they encountered in MDE?
EDIT: Never mind I was directed to another board for that.

I am before you by a few days. I switched yesterday while the guy was announcing the dates. I made FP that morning, but by evening I could not change them.

 

[Violetspider]

I am before you by a few days. I switched yesterday while the guy was announcing the dates. I made FP that morning, but by evening I could not change them.

Thanks, for that info. Our original trip was 7/6 - 7/16 and all our FPs are now locked as of the announcement. My nephew just this morning changed our DVC trip to a shorted 10/28 - 11/2 trip, so the FP window opens tomorrow morning. I'm not expecting to be able to book anything.

EDIT: Our new trip is 7/28/- 8/2! Wow, I have brain damage from all of this.

 

[disneydreamer1970]

We are scheduled to arrive on July 15th and as of this morning my plans are not visible on the app. I can still see them on the website though. Changes are a happening.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Since yesterday’s presentation, the thing I have found most incredible is the number of people who truly thought the parks would be totally back to normal for summer trips.
I understand being hopeful and then disappointed, but there is so much anger.

The protocols are no surprise and had all been discussed round and round here: mandatory masks, limited experiences (no shows, fireworks, parades, meet & greets, opening DVC resorts first, etc.)

We’re in the middle of a pandemic. Disney was supposed to just jump in and go back to typical crowds and offerings with no virus mitigation efforts? While we don’t even know if children can go to school in the fall?

I understand being hopeful, but now people are are acting like Disney is personally victimizing them because hours will be shorter, experiences will be limited. Everyone has to make their own personal decision about if it is worth it to them. But I really think pointing the finger at Disney about this stuff is unjustified. People seem to be forgetting that a pandemic is causing this.

Now that the limited experiences and new protocols are announced, people are already jumping to a new unjustified conclusion - Disney will use this to reduce and cut these experiences FOREVER. Come on. Can you just let them get through opening up in the the middle of a pandemic?

The whole world (not just Disney) is going to look different for a while. Even if my child was not high risk and we could go to WDW, we would not. I am not angry that they are implementing these procedures - I fully understand them, but I know the uncertainty and discomfort would not make a trip enjoyable for us.

It is going to be uncertain and uncomfortable if you travel to a worldwide theme park destination in the middle of a pandemic. Things will be different. But Disney is not personally victimizing anyone.

 

[Dentam]

Not the same. Crowds at wdw are far different than Asian parks. Asian crowds are used to following rules and respecting others around them. The wdw crowd tends to be selfish

Have you ever been to Shanghai DL? I've never experienced as much line cutting and personal space invasion as I have in that park. Loved the park, just saying that this perception is not reality there.