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

[Donaldfan1934]

Realistically, Covid cases could be dramatically down by July, and masks put in the “mementos” box.

While it’s very possible COVID cases could be dramatically down by July, I highly doubt we’ll be putting masks in the ”mementos” box that soon even in the best case scenario.

 

[Giss Neric]

I'll wait for however long it takes. I will be canceling and/or suspending my AP until this requirement is dropped. My vacation does not involve being masked.

So you won't be going to any theme parks anytime soon or for a long time then, except Fun Spot cause masks are optional there.

 

[DisneyFamily24]

I'm excited to just see a date released. So much speculation, which I guess is what this thread is for, but they said they will release more info in the coming days/weeks. I can only imagine the amount of effort it would take to come up with plans for something like this for a place as large and complex as Disney World. No matter what they do, just like our politicians, you cant make everyone happy.

 

[donsullivan]

If I was Disney I wouldn't open too many of the resorts. Yes you want the money but since you have to restrict access at the parks do you really want people coming from all over the country? If you only allow residents and certain number of AP you are controlling who is coming. Pretty sure Disney doesn't want people coming in from Area that could be hot bed with virus.

I expect you'll see the resorts open in waves based on the expected actual demand. For example, they are not going to have a resort open and then only be at 40% occupancy. They'll reduce the number of open resorts at the beginning to match the actual demand and then add resorts as the demand increases. Folks who have a reservation now 'may' get moved to a different resort of their currently booked one is not going

 

[Giss Neric]

Yup. My MIL isn't very bright...and she's got limited time on this earth already (active brain bleed...she's been told she'll be lucky to see Christmas this year). I'm not sure why she'd want to potentially spend weeks of her remaining time sick. Her boyfriend is super paranoid about the virus, so I'm not sure why he went along with it...maybe just to keep her stress levels in check? She gets very worked up very easily...sometimes about nothing.

I learned by experience that seniors don't give a damn anymore. Most of the time I just let it go and just let them be. Of course if they are family or very close to me I will still intervene with their decision making, but they are very very stubborn.

 

[Sweet Thing]

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.

Enforcing rules is literally part of their job, though.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So you won't be going to any theme parks anytime soon or for a long time then, except Fun Spot cause masks are optional there.

Is this where you say “plenty of people to take your place...”?

Because I don’t think that’s the case and I don’t think Disney does either.

Why 6 weeks away?
Waiting for Clorox to deliver?...or hoping that’s enough time to change the dynamic and drop the masks?

...and of course it also gives all wdw hourlies the full UE overpayments...which is good for Disney as well.

 

[tnccopeland]

 

[disney4life2008]

My heart just stopped when I heard temporary suspension of parades, fireworks and character meet and greets. I already anticipated this will happen but it still hurts.

I hope all major attractions are going to open.

I also liked that Disney went on July and not rushing and pressured by Universal and Sea World opening in June.

I applaud disney for that.

You have to assume a 108 index in July, August, September...and you’re kinda lucky if it’s lower.

Universal will be telling...

But I think the reality will be an initial surge that will quickly fall off as the realities of travel difficulties in the new era becomes apparent.

They’re not opening to give Florida residents something to casually do...which means out of state travel has to be there and there are a lot of headwinds against that now.

The

They have 4 parks to consider.

I'm confused. Universal has 3. And Hollywood studios barely classifies as a park. Yet, the fact universal calls volcano bay a park is ridiculous

 

[Rider]

More info from Disneyworld.com:

Additionally, Disney Vacation Club properties at Walt Disney World and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground will begin to reopen to Members and Guests on June 22. Disney Vacation Club properties in Vero Beach, Florida, and Hilton Head, South Carolina, will open on June 15. Disney Springs has begun a phased reopening. Upon reopening, theme parks, Disney Resort Hotels, restaurants and other offerings may be modified, limited in capacity and subject to availability or closure. Learn more.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Enforcing rules is literally part of their job, though.

Not really...there very little “rule policing” as present for a day to day employee

 

[dmw]

A thought about the July 11 / 15 dates... what if Disney really does NOT want to require masks and other restrictions and is hoping that by waiting a month to see what happens at Universal, Six Flags, etc. they might find that restrictions can be relaxed by the time July 11 arrives.

 

[Hawg G]

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.

But the managers what?

So like I expected, no real enforcement, and those not wearing will be much greater at the parks, since most will be drinking constantly, and much hotter than shoppers are now.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

I learned by experience that seniors don't give a damn anymore. Most of the time I just let it go and just let them be. Of course if they are family or very close to me I will still intervene with their decision making, but they are very very stubborn.

Yep. The only reason we know is because my BIL told us about it. He actually had COVID-19 and was miserable for several weeks with agonizing pain. He wanted to make sure we knew that if my MIL and her boyfriend contract the virus, it wasn't from him. She'd asked him not to tell us because she knew my husband would be furious.

 

[Rescue Ranger]

Did I miss mention of water parks?

I'm more confused now than I was before. After April being rescheduled for end of August into September, I feel the need to cancel the whole thing outright. By the look of things, this is not going to be the WDW I am going to want to visit. Waaaay to much is being spent to be experiencing what's being proposed here. I cannot warrant this. If the cost was greatly reduced it would be one thing but to put all this money towards a 'somewhat' Walt Disney World Vacation doesn't feel right to me.

I suppose we can wait to see how things progress but I feel it best to cancel now and wait for next year. Hopefully.

 

[_caleb]

Advertising on Dancing with the Stars and NFL games, plus word of mouth from their friends and colleagues, mostly.

Oh, so Steve and Meg are older parents?

 

[JenniferS]

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.

And this is why we all need to wear masks.

I don’t care how many vinyl stickers you place on the pavement, physical distancing is not feasible at a theme park attended by tens of thousands of people.

 

[Giss Neric]

Water parks should not be counted as parks so I agree, but Hollywood Studios is a complete whole day park now so I disagree.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Oh, so Steve and Meg are older parents?

They have a 12 year old and the average age of a first time mother in Cincinnati with a college degree is 28 so they're probably 41 and 40.

 

[natatomic]

Yup. My MIL isn't very bright...and she's got limited time on this earth already (active brain bleed...she's been told she'll be lucky to see Christmas this year). I'm not sure why she'd want to potentially spend weeks of her remaining time sick. Her boyfriend is super paranoid about the virus, so I'm not sure why he went along with it...maybe just to keep her stress levels in check? She gets very worked up very easily...sometimes about nothing.

You and I are both relatively young and we hopefully have the rest of our lives to go to parties and see friends again. Your MIL might not have that luxury. If you were in her shoes, you say you’d want to stay home so you don’t risk spending the end of your life sick. And that’s a respectable opinion, of course. Nothing wrong with that at all! But if I were in her shoes, I’d be thinking, “I don’t have much longer to live, I don’t want to spend it cooped up in the house, not enjoying life.” It sounds like your MIL knows her days are numbered and, to her, spending time with friends for her last bit of time on earth is worth the risk of that time being cut even shorter. Like a quality vs quantity kind of thing.