News Walt Disney World's COVID-19 reopening plans announced - July 11

[the_rich]

As a Passholder, I received an email that linked me to this:

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/experience-updates/annual-passes/?CMP=EMC-1182237860%7C274187429&cid=PDM204429&bid=1100481197

See now that leads me to believe resort guests with tickets do have priority. Because it doesn't say anything about priority when following the link. Again I could be 100% wrong

 

[donsullivan]

See now that leads me to believe resort guests with tickets do have priority. Because it doesn't say anything about priority when following the link. Again I could be 100% wrong

You are projecting what you want it to be vs what they have said. You have to let go of the fact that you have a resort reservation when it comes to theme park admission reservations- those two are not related to one another except that you purchased your admission tickets along with a resort reservation. The room reservation has absolutely no bearing on theme park admission reservations.

For example, if I as an Orlando local Passholder, made a room-only reservation at Walt Disney World in late July. My room reservation would not give me any priority for admission beyond what I already would get as a Passholder, it would in fact have no bearing at all on my ability to get a theme park reservation.

 

[disneygeek90]

In addition, we will also be introducing a new Theme Park reservation system. You will receive access to the Theme Park reservation system before new tickets are sold to other Guests.

Thats what the email from disney destinations said. I was assuming it was sent to resort guests. But it could be it meant ticket holders in general.

FWIW, I received the same email as an AP with no other reservations booked.

 

[the_rich]

You are projecting what you want it to be vs what they have said. You have to let go of the fact that you have a resort reservation when it comes to theme park admission reservations- those two are not related to one another except that you purchased your admission tickets along with a resort reservation. The room reservation has absolutely no bearing on theme park admission reservations.

For example, if I as an Orlando local Passholder, made a room-only reservation at Walt Disney World in late July. My room reservation would not give me any priority for admission beyond what I already would get as a Passholder, it would in fact have no bearing at all on my ability to get a theme park reservation.

Then why did the email I received say priority whereas the one for ap does not?

 

[donsullivan]

Then why did the email I received say priority whereas the one for ap does not?

I'm kind of done with this because you've locked in on this and don't want to hear the facts. The email did not say your room reservation gave you 'priority' for theme park admission reservations- it said the fact that you had already purchased tickets would give you that access.

Another poster pasted the text from the email above-- ”However, because you have valid Theme Park admission, you will have access to the Theme Park reservation system before new tickets are sold to other Guests."

And that only holds until they open up theme park ticket sales again and admission reservations to anyone holding tickets whether they have a room reservation or not. The bottom line is, ( at least in the initial weeks after opening) resorts guests will not be guaranteed admission to the parks during every day of their stay- full stop.

 

[disneygeek90]

Then why did the email I received say priority whereas the one for ap does not?

It did. See my post directly above yours.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Unless things go back to the way they were, this sounds like the end of the Park Hopper Pass.

Anyone ok with that?

 

[sbunit]

Anyone ok with that?

if the park hopper pass doesn’t return, will we be able to park hop at all in any capacity? I find it illogical to force guests to stick to one park and one park only per day (outside of the initial re-opening phase). That will never fly

 

[HairyChest]

Yea it definitely sounds like Disney resort guests will have priority. Makes sense.

 

[Herdman]

if the park hopper pass doesn’t return, will we be able to park hop at all in any capacity? I find it illogical to force guests to stick to one park and one park only per day (outside of the initial re-opening phase). That will never fly

I wonder what percentage of ticket holders have park hopper? We used to get it on each trip, but then we realized that we never used it. We would make a evening dining reservation in the park we were going to that day, and if we did leave the park it was just to go back to the resort for an afternoon rest or swim, then head back to the park for the evening. Be interesting to know those stats.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I noticed that really none of the “better” restaurants are available...

What a fun, valuable trip they’re setting up, huh??

 

[sjhym333]

I'm surprised that no one seems focused on the fact that in the announcement today Disney said no in park dining reservations will be offered but will return at a later date.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I wonder what percentage of ticket holders have park hopper? We used to get it on each trip, but then we realized that we never used it. We would make a evening dining reservation in the park we were going to that day, and if we did leave the park it was just to go back to the resort for an afternoon rest or swim, then head back to the park for the evening. Be interesting to know those stats.

Good god...the vast majority?

Granted it’s expensive now and used to be a “throw in”...but do the vast majority of longterm/frequent customers have park hopper?

...I can’t see why they wouldn’t

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm surprised that no one seems focused on the fact that in the announcement today Disney said no in park dining reservations will be offered but will return at a later date.

I noticed that...but I’m not sure what it means?

No reservations to me means quickserve only....

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

if the park hopper pass doesn’t return, will we be able to park hop at all in any capacity? I find it illogical to force guests to stick to one park and one park only per day (outside of the initial re-opening phase). That will never fly

It’s funny because we had some other longtime DVC/AP/former Florida residents over today and we all said the same thing about this reopening nearly at the same time:
“They’re making you work/beg to go at full price for far less. Like a semi-abusive relationship”

I wish I could see their dilemma here...but I feel like it’s not about “caution” at this point and they’re back to trying to push “boundaries” on pricing and limitation again.

 

[Ravenclaw78]

I noticed that...but I’m not sure what it means?

No reservations to me means quickserve only....

It could mean some or all in-park table service restaurants are still available, but only as walk-up reservations once you're already in the park. They can't have a setup that allows for a guest to end up with dining reservations in a park they can't get a park access reservation at, but once a guest is in the park physically, that's no longer an issue.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It could mean some or all in-park table service restaurants are still available, but only as walk-up reservations once you're already in the park. They can't have a setup that allows for a guest to end up with dining reservations in a park they can't get a park access reservation at, but once a guest is in the park physically, that's no longer an issue.

Does that not represent a complete 180 from the last 20 years? They have all but eliminated the walk ups...mostly to shave the staff and drive the prices up.

How and why would they do it that way now?

 

[disneygeek90]

It’s funny because we had some other longtime DVC/AP/former Florida residents over today and we all said the same thing about this reopening nearly at the same time:
“They’re making you work/beg to go at full price for far less. Like a semi-abusive relationship”

I wish I could see their dilemma here...but I feel like it’s not about “caution” at this point and they’re back to trying to push “boundaries” on pricing and limitation again.

Honestly I feel it's about caution. They know there are more that are grasping at a chance to visit than they can accommodate, and are hoping that by making everything seem like less of a value they won't have to directly turn as many guests away that are trying to book a daily park reservation.

 

[JD2000]

is it true wearing masks in hot and humid environments increases the risk of heat related illnesses? unnecessary and bad policy for disney?

 

[Ravenclaw78]

Does that not represent a complete 180 from the last 20 years? They have all but eliminated the walk ups...mostly to shave the staff and drive the prices up.

How and why would they do it that way now?

Because COVID-19? The whole setup they're going to be operating under initially is not ideal, for the guests or for Disney. They'll scrap it in favor of whatever they view as the long-term "new normal" paradigm the instant they're able to. In the meantime, doing things vastly differently from how they've ever run the parks is par for the course.