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

[Mainahman]

Disney has been very good on refunding throughout this, so I expect them to take care of that.

Me too. Im mostly torn about if the Halloween party will be a go by august 13th.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I wonder if they have decided how long they are extending annual passes? They were supposed to extend them the # of days they were shut down, but does that mean the clock starts ticking again on July 11th? or 15th? or are they waiting until they are at 100% capacity?

It would be the first day they allow APs into a park...I’d the logic follows pattern. They are likely not looking to bump those out any longer than the minimum they’ll have to satisfy the PR burden. They want the business...but they want the revenue from the next round of passes coming too.

Disney is publicly traded money machine...they won’t want to spend more/time than necessary on “do overs”

 

[MyAdventureBook]

So no mention of resort hotels? No capacity limits at the hotels? How will they handle things like pools, lobby, bus transport etc without limits. I don’t see how they can say park capacity limits need to be very low at the start but resorts have no restrictions. Maybe more info to come?

Do they need to present that? Resorts in Florida are already open. I don’t think they need specific approval for that. Guidelines for resorts have been out for a long time now. They could have opened resorts weeks ago if they wanted to, right? I understand why they wouldn’t, but I think that’s why they didn’t mention resorts today.

 

[donsullivan]

Any idea on how annual passes will work? My pass is currently set to expire on June 15. With the reservation requirement, will passes be extended at all until there is no limitation?

Per previous announcements, your pass will be extended from its original expiration date by the total number of days the parks were closed. Now that we know the opening dates, they'll be able to finalize the program code and schedule the update to everyone's expiration dates. Once they do that, the new expiration date will show in your MDE profile.

 

[fgmnt]

I completely agree, and Disney is doing a disservice to their cast members by making "mandatory" rules that people are just going to ignore en masse.

Absent the OC or FL making it illegal to be in the parks without a face covering, the best thing the park operators can do is very swift and strict enforcement of it, with security personnel in uniform to back it up. The ride attendants and vendors should not be charged with enforcement.

 

[GoofGoof]

Do they need to present that? Resorts in Florida are already open. I don’t think they need specific approval for that. Guidelines for resorts have been out for a long time now. They could have opened resorts weeks ago if they wanted to, right? I understand why they wouldn’t, but I think that’s why they didn’t mention resorts today.

They need to let people know what’s happening one way or another. Lots of missing info for customers. Whether it’s in this presentation or another the details need to come out at some point.

 

[Giss Neric]

That's a narrow subset of guests. Disney doesn't make their money off of Disney superfans, there aren't enough of them.

They aren't enough Disney superfans? Have you looked into social media and YouTube Disney trips from people around the world and tell me they aren't enough of them. Fans are those guests who comes back again and again.

 

[Dave Z]

If I’m a family paying top dollar for that experience, I cancel and book a year down the road.

Move our trip to November 2021 for this very reason!

 

[jaklgreen]

Resorts are out. Keep them closed. And Florida residents and annual pass holders should get first dips on advance reservation.

Well I am an annual passholder and a DVC member but live out of the state. I HAVE to have a hotel to stay in if I want to go. So my annual pass/DVC money is not good enough to go the parks? What you are really saying is that only locals should be admitted. Locals don't spend money in the parks like those who come in from other states. They WANT people like me there staying on property, buying their food.

 

[Hawg G]

So, Epcot NOT closed until 2021, WDW NOT closed for months more. Imagine that.

The only thing I’m waiting for is how masks are enforced at the different parks.

Any reports of the maskless being led out by the Mickey Police at DE?

 

[Jrb1979]

Very anecdotal, but based on being out & about, traveling to Pensacola Beach last weekend ... I just get the sense that people are pretty much over the whole virus thing. The "mood" of the moment seems to have really shifted. I would expect by mid-July it will be very much in the rear-view mirror for most people.

All that to say, I think there's a very real chance some of the restrictions (including face coverings) may not even survive to July 11.

People maybe over it doesn't mean we should just drop all physical distancing plans. I hope all parks don't succumb to public pressure and drop social distancing measures just people want them too.

 

[flutas]

Per previous announcements, your pass will be extended from its original expiration date by the total number of days the parks were closed. Now that we know the opening dates, they'll be able to finalize the program code and schedule the update to everyone's expiration dates. Once they do that, the new expiration date will show in your MDE profile.

I think the question is relating more to APs and reservations.

Shanghai is extending APs until the reservation system isn't required for example.

 

[csmat99]

Since the other thread was closed before I could get this in I’d like to congratulate the 286 other posters who also picked July in the poll. This proves (at least in my case) that a broken clock really is right twice a day

edit: I expect to see at least 286 likes on this post

where are my winnings?

 

[jaklgreen]

We're cancelling our September reservations after this announcement. If they're requiring masks and cancelling entertainment/fireworks with a mid July opening we just don't see the parks being even remotely close to normal by September. We were okay with a few differences but this doesn't seem worth it for the price we paid.

I have reservations for Oct 1st. If they are still requiring masks, I probably will not go. I get too claustrophobic feeling like I can not breathe. This would be the first year since 2003 that I did not go to WDW.

 

[MyAdventureBook]

They need to let people know what’s happening one way or another. Lots of missing info for customers. Whether it’s in this presentation or another the details need to come out at some point.

Completely agree with that. We have two reservations in July and it would be nice to know what is going on. Probably cancel both anyway if facemasks are required- since they aren’t required at most other resorts in Florida- but guests do deserve information.

Disney hasn’t said anything at all to guests. I haven’t even gotten any communication about my June stay- and they clearly know that is not happening. They’ve let us down in many ways.

 

[Giss Neric]

So, Epcot NOT closed until 2021, WDW NOT closed for months more. Imagine that.

The only thing I’m waiting for is how masks are enforced at the different parks.

Any reports of the maskless being led out by the Mickey Police at DE?

At City Walk, TMs are not authorized to confront guests not wearing them but the managers as told by my friend.

At Disney Springs, majority are still following the mask rule. I can still count with my fingers those who aren't wearing one and that is outside of dining. I saw those yellow shirt folks not confronting them but reminding them which guests do comply. I have been three times already.

 

[Andrew C]

Completely agree with that. We have two reservations in July and it would be nice to know what is going on. Probably cancel both anyway if facemasks are required- since they aren’t required at most other resorts in Florida- but guests do deserve information.

Disney hasn’t said anything at all to guests. I haven’t even gotten any communication about my June stay- and they clearly know that is not happening. They’ve let us down in many ways.

I imagine they want to see the parks plan officially approved before they start sending communication to guests with the full details.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

People maybe over it doesn't mean we should just drop all physical distancing plans. I hope all parks don't succumb to public pressure and drop social distancing measures just people want them too.

You're missing the point. Disney saying they're going to have social distancing measures in a PowerPoint deck does not mean guests will BEHAVE according to social distancing measures in the parks when they're actually in them. And I am NOT talking about tough guys saying "social distancing is stupid, I'm not going to do it," I'm saying it's a nonsense concept to try and apply in a theme park environment.

Picture Main Street on any random morning, even a morning with light crowds. Honestly picture in your head what it would look like for people to be swerving around to keep six feet of distance with other people. Better yet, imagine an entire family walking around in a group trying to swerve around as a group to keep six feet of distance from other families who are also walking around as a group. It doesn't pass the most basic level of common sense. It's completely absurd.

This is public health theater. That's all it is and that's why it bothers me so much.

 

[Giss Neric]

Completely agree with that. We have two reservations in July and it would be nice to know what is going on. Probably cancel both anyway if facemasks are required- since they aren’t required at most other resorts in Florida- but guests do deserve information.

Disney hasn’t said anything at all to guests. I haven’t even gotten any communication about my June stay- and they clearly know that is not happening. They’ve let us down in many ways.

Why so in a rush? They are clearly planning things out slowly but surely. Now that they have a plan, all your questions will be answered soon cause they know what to answer already. Just be patient.

 

[danv3]

Do we have any idea how reservations will work? If people travel from out of state with a 7-day ticket, surely you can't tell them "sorry you didn't get reservations for three of your trip days--enjoy the pool!"