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

[JeffH]

So, as a result of the parks being closed, Disney realized that those of us with annual passes weren't getting what we paid for and has/is refunding our loss either with an actual refund or extending our passes. So if when they open they may deny us daily access, as a result of the reservation system, will they also further refund us for the fact that we still are being denied daily access. So if 1/3rd of passholders get denied reservations every day, will all passholders get a 33% discount? I have reservations at Disney hotels every month until the end of the year, however, if I am denied access to the parks, what is the point? Furthermore, I generally don't know which park I am going to each day until I get to the bus pickup, so I'm not liking the reservation system. Hopefully, they clear this up better and give hotel guest priority.

 

[Stevie Amsterdam]

Anyone besides me hoping they get rid of the requirement of using a PIN when paying with a magic band. I know it's not as "secure" but the idea of having to type a code on the same machine hundreds of other people have each day doesn't exactly sound appropriate. I'd rather just pay attention to my band and deactivate it if lost than have to use a PIN.

Without your pin code the liability for unrecognised transactions would transfer to the consumer. Paying with your phone + biometrics would eliminate the need for a pin, but if you really don't want to use your phone, bring desinfecting wipes with alcohol and dispose of them after the transaction.

I get so confused when people only point towards merchants and vendors for taking responsibility. It goes both ways, let them do their job and if you feel that they're not doing enough, take ownership and clean the object that you're worried about to the level you're comfortable with

 

[Rescue Ranger]

Got my email a couple days ago. August 29th arrival. Renting DVC points.

 

[durangojim]

Without your pin code the liability for unrecognised transactions would transfer to the consumer. Paying with your phone + biometrics would eliminate the need for a pin, but if you really don't want to use your phone, bring desinfecting wipes with alcohol and dispose of them after the transaction.

I get so confused when people only point towards merchants and vendors for taking responsibility. It goes both ways, let them do their job and if you feel that they're not doing enough, take ownership and clean the object that you're worried about to the level you're comfortable with

I don’t disagree but somethings that are required by merchants do not need to be, especially in this day. For example, signatures with credit card purchases. A law was passed nearly 2 years ago stating they aren’t required in the US, yet how many stores still expect customers to sign? That’s all on the merchant where it serves no purpose.

Credit Card Receipt Signature Requirements - businessnewsdaily.com

Should businesses that accept credit cards require signatures from their customers? Here's what you need to know about small business receipt signatures.

www.businessnewsdaily.com

 

[wagamama]

Still no email here. 9/7 arrival, staying at POFQ. Or we were, anyway - we’re 99% sure we’re going to postpone this trip to fall 2021 now - but I do find it strange that we haven’t heard anything from the Mouse yet. Doesn’t really matter since we can’t modify our trip right now anyway, so no loss.

Wonder if our choice of resort has something to do with it? If they’re looking to close resorts temporarily, FQ would make sense.

 

[Stevie Amsterdam]

I don’t disagree but somethings that are required by merchants do not need to be, especially in this day. For example, signatures with credit card purchases. A law was passed nearly 2 years ago stating they aren’t required in the US, yet how many stores still expect customers to sign? That’s all on the merchant where it serves no purpose.

Credit Card Receipt Signature Requirements - businessnewsdaily.com

Should businesses that accept credit cards require signatures from their customers? Here's what you need to know about small business receipt signatures.

www.businessnewsdaily.com

The purpose is that card holders can dispute and charge back the amount if the merchant can not proof that the card holder was present at the time of the transaction. The whole world has moved to chip + pin but some merchants in the US still have the magstripe + signature protocol. It all has to do with the risk of losing the money if you, as a merchant, can not provide a signed copy of the receipt. It is very dated, I agree, but the number of unrightfully charged back transactions in the past decades has ben in the millions. Merchants need to protect themselves against that risk.

Before this becomes a signature vs pin code discussing, the point you made was that you didn’t want to touch the pin terminal / pad since it could be contaminated. You see, you’re not wrong in thinking they are unclean, it’s just that we should take some (not all) responsibility in protecting ourselves. That was my point

 

[mickeymiss]

Still no email here. 9/7 arrival, staying at POFQ. Or we were, anyway - we’re 99% sure we’re going to postpone this trip to fall 2021 now - but I do find it strange that we haven’t heard anything from the Mouse yet. Doesn’t really matter since we can’t modify our trip right now anyway, so no loss.

Wonder if our choice of resort has something to do with it? If they’re looking to close resorts temporarily, FQ would make sense.

We are staying at POFQ and received an email (assuming you mean the one where they mention getting in touch with reservation holders first). My husband spoke to a really nice CM on friday and he said people with resort/tickets reserved prior to 5/27 were in one of the "best possible positions". He also said that we are considered ticket holders. Are they reaching out to people with August and July reservations first? I'd think people with September spots would be in even better standing

 

[the_rich]

We are staying at POFQ and received an email (assuming you mean the one where they mention getting in touch with reservation holders first). My husband spoke to a really nice CM on friday and he said people with resort/tickets reserved prior to 5/27 were in one of the "best possible positions". He also said that we are considered ticket holders. Are they reaching out to people with August and July reservations first? I'd think people with September spots would be in even better standing

When you say that do you mean people who's trips were supposed to be before 5/27 or just people who booked by then.

 

[Goofy Ninja]

It's great to see Disney isn't rushing things like Universal. I love Disney World, but I'm not willing to risk my life to visit it.

 

[danv3]

Anyone besides me hoping they get rid of the requirement of using a PIN when paying with a magic band. I know it's not as "secure" but the idea of having to type a code on the same machine hundreds of other people have each day doesn't exactly sound appropriate. I'd rather just pay attention to my band and deactivate it if lost than have to use a PIN.

There's very little chance of catching coronavirus from a pin pad. Norovirus maybe, but not so much coronavirus. Regardless, just wash your hands (or hand sanitize) afterwards and you're good to go.

 

[mickeymiss]

When you say that do you mean people who's trips were supposed to be before 5/27 or just people who booked by then.

I think he meant that anyone with a current reservation before Disney locked the system were in good standing. That was our particular question. He was not promising anything but it sounded like people with current reservations on the books as of 5/27 were in a priority group. Are you referring to people who got cancelled and want priority to rebook? You might have to call and ask them. We got through after an hour wait. I hope there's a way to accomodate everyone with active reservations as well as people who got bumped. I wouldn't think it fair to remove anyone for someone else but they might have a way to compensate. Waiting is hard.

 

[Doberge]

Is it limited to purchased tickets and *activated* fastpasses or does an *unactivated* fast pass count toward ticket requirement? My daughter has an unactivated AP we purchased a few months ago and we're unsure whether that will allow her to get a reservation or if we should purchase a third party ticket quickly.

 

[the_rich]

I think he meant that anyone with a current reservation before Disney locked the system were in good standing. That was our particular question. He was not promising anything but it sounded like people with current reservations on the books as of 5/27 were in a priority group. Are you referring to people who got cancelled and want priority to rebook? You might have to call and ask them. We got through after an hour wait. I hope there's a way to accomodate everyone with active reservations as well as people who got bumped. I wouldn't think it fair to remove anyone for someone else but they might have a way to compensate. Waiting is hard.

Yea i have a current reservation for july that i made on the 27th. I was wondering if people who had their vacations cancelled because of the closure would have preference or if we would.

 

[nickys]

Is it limited to purchased tickets and *activated* fastpasses or does an *unactivated* fast pass count toward ticket requirement? My daughter has an unactivated AP we purchased a few months ago and we're unsure whether that will allow her to get a reservation or if we should purchase a third party ticket quickly.

I assume you meant activated and unactivated APs?
An unactivated AP should be good, they always were for FP booking and emails have said as much.

 

[GoofGoof]

So, as a result of the parks being closed, Disney realized that those of us with annual passes weren't getting what we paid for and has/is refunding our loss either with an actual refund or extending our passes. So if when they open they may deny us daily access, as a result of the reservation system, will they also further refund us for the fact that we still are being denied daily access. So if 1/3rd of passholders get denied reservations every day, will all passholders get a 33% discount? I have reservations at Disney hotels every month until the end of the year, however, if I am denied access to the parks, what is the point? Furthermore, I generally don't know which park I am going to each day until I get to the bus pickup, so I'm not liking the reservation system. Hopefully, they clear this up better and give hotel guest priority.

Shanghai extended the APs through the time that the reservation system exists. So if WDW follows that, your clock won’t restart until the reservation system goes away. As far as waiting until you get to the bus stop that’s not going to be an option a lot of days (especially for DHS and probably MK).

 

[GoofGoof]

Still no email here. 9/7 arrival, staying at POFQ. Or we were, anyway - we’re 99% sure we’re going to postpone this trip to fall 2021 now - but I do find it strange that we haven’t heard anything from the Mouse yet. Doesn’t really matter since we can’t modify our trip right now anyway, so no loss.

Wonder if our choice of resort has something to do with it? If they’re looking to close resorts temporarily, FQ would make sense.

I think it’s just a slow process for whatever reason. Even after getting the e-mail they are still slowly cancelling my ADRs. I had 10 ADRs booked for a 10 night trip in August. So far they have cancelled 4 and 6 are still showing in my plans. They must be going one by one cancelling ADRs. Maybe they are tracking who got cancelled Or something. It’s not just a clean wipe of the system.

 

[Doberge]

Is it limited to purchased tickets and *activated* fastpasses or does an *unactivated* fast pass count toward ticket requirement? My daughter has an unactivated AP we purchased a few months ago and we're unsure whether that will allow her to get a reservation or if we should purchase a third party ticket quickly.

I assume you meant activated and unactivated APs?
An unactivated AP should be good, they always were for FP booking and emails have said as much.

After I asked here I called to ask Disney. N hold for less than one minute! After confirming with a manager I was told same as nickys said, that my daughter is good to go with her unactivated fast pass. They are planning to have ticket windows that can activate fast passes, but this makes sense because some with day tickets with have issues to resolve.

CM said only difference would be her activation date. Not sure exactly what this meant but the answer didn't matter for me to take up any more of the CM's time.

 

[WDW862]

EPCOT World Showcase May Be Staffed by Cast Members Who Do Not Meet "Culturally Authentic Theming" When Parks Reopen

Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond

blogmickey.com

This doesn't sound like a bad idea. Put furloughed CM's who are not needed yet at their main location in the World Showcase.

 

[Patcheslee]

I don’t disagree but somethings that are required by merchants do not need to be, especially in this day. For example, signatures with credit card purchases. A law was passed nearly 2 years ago stating they aren’t required in the US, yet how many stores still expect customers to sign? That’s all on the merchant where it serves no purpose.

Credit Card Receipt Signature Requirements - businessnewsdaily.com

Should businesses that accept credit cards require signatures from their customers? Here's what you need to know about small business receipt signatures.

www.businessnewsdaily.com

Walmart doesn't even request a signature or pin code for purchases under $50 at our local store. It's alarming to know if I lose my wallet they can make a purchase even if it is a small amount. And forget my bank app being worth a darn for purchase notifications, it sends them "within 24 hours".

 

[sbunit]

When do people think the College Program will return? I personally think that's a major indicator on the direction or timeline of how things will progress at Disney World. If there are no plans to bring back the college program till say next year, well then I don't think anyone should be holding their breathe for any type of normalcy to return to WDW in 2020. They rely on that college program to fulfill a significant role in their work force strategy and resort operations. Until they're brought back, I'm interpreting things as limited re-opening with restrictions in place. If we hear that the College program resumes in the fall (yes I know the "fall program" has been already cancelled but there is a later fall program that starts in September, I believe, and runs till about January from what I read) then I think there's hope for "normalcy" to return in 2020, maybe not fully but maybe close enough.

The way I see it (all speculation on my part obviously)....

-Disney gears up from now to their anticipated July opening. This allows them to gradually build up the workforce and operations, supplies needed etc in an organized fashion. Also allows them to observe what transpires at the other theme parks and make further decisions and possibly changes to how they move forward.

-As I understand (I can be wrong, I'm not following everything as closely as some other people on these forums), I believe the later fall college program is still a go for the later portion of the year. If Disney observes everything going smooth (according to whatever definition they consider "smooth) at the other theme parks, the virus is further dissipating along with perhaps the political climate and media coverage around it, they allow the college program to resume and gear up to closer to normal if not normal capacity and operations come September. If they see things unfolding in a manner they feel may not work, well then they simply cancel the college program come early-mid August and they just simply continue this very limited operations for the remainder of 2020 and gear up for "standard operating procedures" probably spring 2021 (wait out for the cold/flu season to pass).