How realistic is it that these things come back by the first week of April?

[nycdrummer]

Hey all
My family and I are scheduled to go to Disney during the first week of April. We're all Disney vets and have gotten pretty accustomed to have things used to be at WDW pre-COVID. As of now, we have a trip planned for a week during the first week of April. I'm curious what the overall thoughts are on these once normal things returning by then:

- fastpass
- majority of sit down restaurants open
- dinner shows
- meet and greets with characters
- masks not mandatory
- return of the dining plan

 

[nickys]

Hey all
My family and I are scheduled to go to Disney during the first week of April. We're all Disney vets and have gotten pretty accustomed to have things used to be at WDW pre-COVID. As of now, we have a trip planned for a week during the first week of April. I'm curious what the overall thoughts are on these once normal things returning by then:

- fastpass
- majority of sit down restaurants open
- dinner shows
- meet and greets with characters
- masks not mandatory
- return of the dining plan

Virtually nil. There may be more restaurants open. The rest will not be back for some time.

 

[nycdrummer]

Virtually nil. There may be more restaurants open. The rest will not be back for some time.

That's unfortunately the feeling I'm starting to get. When we moved our trip from February to April, there was hope that things would be slightly better by then but not much appears to be changing.

 

[Buck Wheelie]

If they are going to increase capacity I think they will need to open more restaurants. As far as other things coming back I think it will depend on the vaccinations and how fast the pandemic eases.

 

[James J]

More restaurants being open is the only likely thing to happen by April. It'll be a fair bit longer until the rest.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Going down the list of how I predict...from possible, somewhat likely to less likely...

Open Restaurants .. brings in revenue, seating can be added to whats now allowed.
Dinner shows... could be done with modified shows, if guests bookings rise.
FP's... could be done but with more restrictive numbers.
Character M&G's... could be done with still some distancing, no hugs or contact
Masks not mandatory... will be in place for as long as cases turn up
DDP return... very doubtful due to Disneys desire to recoup recent losses

 

[nickys]

Going down the list of how I predict...from possible, somewhat likely to less likely...

Open Restaurants .. brings in revenue, seating can be added to whats now allowed.
Dinner shows... could be done with modified shows, if guests bookings rise.
FP's... could be done but with more restrictive numbers.
Character M&G's... could be done with still some distancing, no hugs or contact
Masks not mandatory... will be in place for as long as cases turn up
DDP return... very doubtful due to Disneys desire to recoup recent losses

Dining shows would not bring in enough whilst tables need to be spaced out. Plus those performers were part time and as far as I’m aware weren’t simply furloughed. Which means, like the GF orchestra, CoH and the Epcot entertainers, they would have had to find alternative employment. So re-casting would be required. That takes time.

The dining plan makes Disney money, they do not offer this altruistically! But until all restaurants are open and can seat people without restrictions they won’t want to bring the dining plan back and risk unhappy guests unable to book dining.

FPs can’t happen with social distancing requirements. You can’t have two queues next to each other unless you use the plexiglass screens.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Dining shows would not bring in enough whilst tables need to be spaced out. Plus those performers were part time and as far as I’m aware weren’t simply furloughed. Which means, like the GF orchestra, CoH and the Epcot entertainers, they would have had to find alternative employment. So re-casting would be required. That takes time.

The dining plan makes Disney money, they do not offer this altruistically! But until all restaurants are open and can seat people without restrictions they won’t want to bring the dining plan back and risk unhappy guests unable to book dining.

FPs can’t happen with social distancing requirements. You can’t have two queues next to each other unless you use the plexiglass screens.

Sure, every-things a guess, speculative and likely or not likely. If everything stays as is theres going to be no chance of anything returning.
If covid cases drastically reduce Disneys going to start adding in more tables. They have to at some time get dining profits rising. Which comes with more seats.
Recasting will take time but there are many furloughed and let go entertainers that will come back once those positions are available. Disneys never had a shortage of people looking to get in. Those alternative jobs in many cases arent permanent for those who like working for the mouse and enjoy some of the perks they get.
DDP in most recent times has been used as an incentive to draw guests in. It hasnt been the money maker it once was. Theres lots of speculation of it being dropped entirely.
Disneys utilizing plexiglass, so it could be added. Modified FP lines would work just as easily as standby. Even better with lessened numbers.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Maybe more restaurants but probably nothing else on your list.

 

[Rob562]

Disneys utilizing plexiglass, so it could be added. Modified FP lines would work just as easily as standby. Even better with lessened numbers.

FastPass slows down the Standby lines, which are already spilling outside of their physical queues. They won't do anything to make those lines even longer until they can eliminate social-distancing.

-Rob

 

[aliceismad]

My uneducated guess would be that most of the things on your list would be possibilities for autumn at the earliest, after access to the vaccine is much more widespread and CMs can be vaccinated. I think FP and dining plan may not come back until much later (and it was rumored elsewhere here that FP may change). Honestly, at this point, I think Disney will lean toward the "cautious" side with everything unless it makes them more money or they really need it to attract more guests.

 

[FATHER OF FIVE]

Im hopeful that masks will at the least be mandatory just while indoors by then.

 

[JohnD]

Hey all
My family and I are scheduled to go to Disney during the first week of April. We're all Disney vets and have gotten pretty accustomed to have things used to be at WDW pre-COVID. As of now, we have a trip planned for a week during the first week of April. I'm curious what the overall thoughts are on these once normal things returning by then:

- fastpass
- majority of sit down restaurants open
- dinner shows
- meet and greets with characters
- masks not mandatory
- return of the dining plan

None to all.

 

[Jabbas]

I think Masks will be here until 2022. I try not to watch the news but didn’t 3,000 people die the other day? Masks are not going away.

 

[Chi84]

Im hopeful that masks will at the least be mandatory just while indoors by then.

It really depends on how things go with the vaccination effort, but April is much too early to expect any real changes. Disney wants masks gone as soon as possible, and I suspect they're looking into the prospect of requiring vaccines to get into the parks - nothing will be done by April, though. We're planning an October trip - by then I think the masks will be gone altogether or at least optional. It took a long time to convince people to wear the masks - it's going to take a long time to convince them when they're no longer necessary. The good thing is that you can always choose to wear one.

 

[aliceismad]

Masks are a no-cost impact, and I think the drive to it is less about guest satisfaction and more about protecting Cast Members. I'm sure a mask requirements is in the Cast Member union's agreement. Also, Disney isn't hurting for people now with the mask mandates, so there is no financial incentive to remove the mask mandate until it's beneficial to them. I think keeping the mask mandate might actually enable them to raise the number of people they can have in the parks. The more I read, the more I think masks are going to be here until 2022. It seems like less and less chance we're going to meet vaccination levels this year to support removing mask guidelines.

 

[Chi84]

Masks are a no-cost impact, and I think the drive to it is less about guest satisfaction and more about protecting Cast Members. I'm sure a mask requirements is in the Cast Member union's agreement. Also, Disney isn't hurting for people now with the mask mandates, so there is no financial incentive to remove the mask mandate until it's beneficial to them. I think keeping the mask mandate might actually enable them to raise the number of people they can have in the parks. The more I read, the more I think masks are going to be here until 2022. It seems like less and less chance we're going to meet vaccination levels this year to support removing mask guidelines.

Those restrictions were adopted at a time when guests had absolutely no way to protect themselves from the virus. So Disney had to do it for them by restricting the behavior of other guests.

When vaccinations become widely available, guests will be able to protect themselves by getting one. I predict things will change then. If a vaccine requirement is what is necessary to have people packed shoulder to shoulder for fireworks and parades without wearing visual reminders of a contagious disease, that’s what Disney will do. Or maybe they will just say that the virus is likely present and you enter at your own risk if you’re not vaccinated.

Disney needs to get things back to normal and they’re moving in that direction despite the current situation with the virus. They’re opening resorts and parks, increasing capacity and reducing social distancing. That doesn’t bode well for thinking they will require restrictions far into the future.

Requiring people who have been vaccinated to wear masks in the parks won’t be feasible for long. Despite what people here say, masks are a huge detriment to WDW. People may be willing to wear masks now, at a time when it’s the only way to contain the virus, but I predict that will change soon. It’s just my opinion.

 

[rat face]

I just don't understand why people have such an aversion to masks. I view it almost like children and vegetables.

 

[nycdrummer]

I just don't understand why people have such an aversion to masks. I view it almost like children and vegetables.

I mean I don't have a thing against masks in our day to day life. But when we go with the family to Disney, we do all the pictures and stuff so having masks required for photos stinks. Again though, I understand why they're important but that's why I asked how long masks would be needed for.

 

[rat face]

I mean I don't have a thing against masks in our day to day life. But when we go with the family to Disney, we do all the pictures and stuff so having masks required for photos stinks. Again though, I understand why they're important but that's why I asked how long masks would be needed for.

I was not pointing fingers at you (please don't take it that way) this is just in general. I'm going to miss face photos as well. I'm going in mid May. Me personally I'd be happy to sport face masks,shields and gloves to get night time shows and fire works back. But I knew all this when I booked in July 20.