News Disney Park Pass System announced for Walt Disney World theme park reservations

jmp85

Well-Known Member
Seeing a 110 minute wait right now for Splash Mountain. We're going in May and I expect capacity will be ramped up a lot more by then. I'm gonna miss Fast Pass, it's been years since I've waited 2 hours in line for an attraction. :oops:
 

Touchdown

Well-Known Member
Seeing a 110 minute wait right now for Splash Mountain. We're going in May and I expect capacity will be ramped up a lot more by then. I'm gonna miss Fast Pass, it's been years since I've waited 2 hours in line for an attraction. :oops:
I imagine that SM and POTC are the lengths they are now because BTMRR is down. Rest of the park looks manageable.
 

JohnD

Well-Known Member
I imagine that SM and POTC are the lengths they are now because BTMRR is down. Rest of the park looks manageable.
Last week SplM was down for a few hours. Waits on the other attractions, particularly POTC went up. Fortunately I was already in the POTC queue when that occurred.
 

JohnD

Well-Known Member
MK is already fully booked on 10/2 for APs. (In before the lock!) i expect Epcot to be fully booked on 10/1 (which I booked) with the news that Rat opens that day. The 50th anniversary question is whether you’ll be able to park hop to MK from the other three parks on 10/1 after 2pm.
 
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JohnD

Well-Known Member
MK is already fully booked on 10/2 for APs. (In before the lock!) i expect Epcot to be fully booked on 10/1 (which I booked) with the news that Rat opens that day. The 50th anniversary question is whether you’ll be able to park hop to MK from the other three parks on 10/1 after 2pm.
Epcot now gone for APs on 10/1. That didn’t take long.
 

DCBaker

Premium Member
Here's what Park Passes look like for Spring Break -

Also note the wording has changed slightly - it used to say "Disney Resort Guests" and "Annual Passholders".

They've also added a link to what hotels qualify for "Select Resort Hotels" -


Screen Shot 2021-03-10 at 5.48.37 PM.png
Screen Shot 2021-03-10 at 5.48.19 PM.png
 

JohnD

Well-Known Member
Here's what Park Passes look like for Spring Break -

Also note the wording has changed slightly - it used to say "Disney Resort Guests" and "Annual Passholders".

They've also added a link to what hotels qualify for "Select Resort Hotels" -


View attachment 538610View attachment 538611

That may have come from a question I sent to PlanDisney about two weeks ago asking which hotels qualify as “Select Disney hotels”? I wanted to know if the Springhills at Flamingo Crossing qualify. They don’t. So I kept my original reservation for Pop. But the DS and other resorts do. So they probably decided to be more accurate in the terminology. Although I’m still seeing “Disney Resort Guests.” Actually, with the addition of the link I’m convinced it’s a direct result of my question. See below.

Edit: I see “Select Resort Hotels” briefly then it immediately switches to “Disney Resort Guests”. Just to be sure, I cleared my cache. Same thing.

PlanDisney Q&A follows. They’re verbose in their answer but eventually answer the question.


  • On Feb 25, 2021
    John from FL Asked“

    I noticed that Marriot SpringHill Suites is considered a "WDW Gateway Hotel". Does that make it a "WDW Select Resort" for park reservation purposes? As an Annual Passholder, can I make park reservations for the length of my stay?”​

    Hi, John! It's a pleasure to see you again here at planDisney. It sounds like your next Walt Disney World Resort adventure is only a few days away, so let's get planning!

    I love being a Florida Resident Annual Passholderand being able to plan a quick getaway to the Walt Disney World Resort on the spur of the moment. And it's really fun to try something new, like staying in a hotel we've never been to before. If you're looking for options that aren't on Walt Disney World property, there's a whole list of recommendations Disney has for us. As you know, we Annual Passholders can only make Disney Park Pass reservations for up to three days at a time unless we have a Disney Resort hotel reservation, which allows us to make them for the length of our stay. I checked the Walt Disney World website and found a list of all the Resort hotels that Disney considers eligible for the Disney Park Pass benefit. Other than the Disney Resort hotels, they're all either in the Disney Springs area, Bonnet Creek, or other on-property hotels operated by a third party like the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Hotels or the Four Seasons Resort. The Marriott SpringHill Suites isn't on the list, so it looks like guests of that hotel don't receive this benefit.

    John, there are some Florida resident discounts for Disney Resort hotels going on right now if you want to think about staying on property. You can have the benefit of staying right in the middle of the magic and get all those Disney Park Passes!

    But if you do decide to stay at the Marriott SpringHill Suites, Hakuna Matata - no worries! You still have a great chance of getting the Disney Park Pass reservations you want with your Annual Pass. Once you've used one of your three allowed at a time, you can go ahead and add another one. I just checked the Availability Calendar for Annual Passholders for next week, and I see lots of green right up until Saturday, when only Disney's Hollywood Studios is unavailable. So, just plan your day there for earlier in the week, and I think you should be good to go!

    I hope this helps you have a fabulous Walt Disney World vacation, John, wherever you decide to make your home away from home. Please come see us again real soon!

    Keep Disney Dreaming,

    Kathy K.
 
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disneygeek90

Well-Known Member
Is anyone having problems booking currently? I've verified no blackouts, valid ticket, under 2 days booked, and valid date and every park is greyed out. This is happening for every family/friend AP I try even several months out. I wonder if there's some tech issue happening.
 

nickys

Premium Member
Is anyone having problems booking currently? I've verified no blackouts, valid ticket, under 2 days booked, and valid date and every park is greyed out. This is happening for every family/friend AP I try even several months out. I wonder if there's some tech issue happening.
You have checked you’re in the right section, the pool for AP holders?
 

Disorbust

Well-Known Member
Sorry I haven't read the whole thread but has there been any consideration for Cast? My DD works for Corporate so M-F and there has been really no weekend availability. She has just moved areas but sincne working virtual, not having the benefit of going to the parks, she did consider leaving the company. I jjust wonder what will happen to their talent if it remains so hard to use park entrance as a benefit?

i can.t imagine bringing back the college program and not letting them in the parks?
 

nickys

Premium Member
Sorry I haven't read the whole thread but has there been any consideration for Cast? My DD works for Corporate so M-F and there has been really no weekend availability. She has just moved areas but sincne working virtual, not having the benefit of going to the parks, she did consider leaving the company. I jjust wonder what will happen to their talent if it remains so hard to use park entrance as a benefit?

i can.t imagine bringing back the college program and not letting them in the parks?
I think she needs to ask that question on their Hub.

And the College Programme is unlikely to be back for some time. They still have CMs on furlough and laid off with re-hiring rights.
 

Magic Feather

Well-Known Member
I think she needs to ask that question on their Hub.

And the College Programme is unlikely to be back for some time. They still have CMs on furlough and laid off with re-hiring rights.
I'm under the impression that a large quantity of Cast Members are in the process of being brought back in time for summer, to the point that, so long as people weren't laid off, any furloughed people (exceptions of some people in entertainment) should be back very soon. The gist seems to be that DCP kids will be needed around this time next year (either in time for Spring Break or Summer 2022).

Also of note, many Cast Members left with no intent of coming back as well. DLR is having more struggles with that compared to WDW, but nonetheless, it should expedite things for some people.
 

Disorbust

Well-Known Member
My point is if the "future" of WDW is to operate with decrease capacity, limited entry and reservations being needed, they will have a tough time maintaining a work force and not just at the hourly level.
 

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
The situation is evolving. It will be interesting to watch. In my mind, hiring must go hand in hand with capacity increases at the parks. I would think the parks will be very strategic in hiring, making sure they only hire when absolutely necessary.

I am personally interested in what happens with the WDW AP program. This is not significant to those running the WDW resorts, but I am interested in what happens.

I am interested in also what happens to DLR’s AP program. This on the other hand is significant to the DLR resorts as APs represent about 70 percent of the attendance (I think). I know it’s all about money and not attendance, but it will be interesting to watch.
 

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
Is there any indication yet about how park hopping will work post-COVID?

They say the park reservation system will stay, but will they continue to limit park hopping to after 2 PM? Also, can you currently hop as much as you want after 2 or is it limited to one park?

If park hopping becomes an after 2 PM only thing permanently, especially if it's limited to one hop, that will have a serious impact on my decision about the length of any future trip and possibly whether I go at all.
 

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