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

[sbunit]

I'm betting park hopping will go the way of standby lines and fastpasses. The App will disincentivize it.

I just can’t see park hopping go away irrespective of any financial incentive for Disney. People need to have the flexibility to adjust and customize their plans. No park hopping is a major game changer

 

[bartholomr4]

The net result is the same. If a portion of the MK guests are able to park hop to other parks throughout the day they will be replaced by portions of the other three parks capacity crossing over to MK. Ultimately at closing there could and likely still would be the same number of guests. Probably even a greater number as people would have been less likely to leave before closing if they hadn’t already spent the whole day there.

Thus no real benefit of eliminating park hopping

 

[jt04]

I just can’t see park hopping go away irrespective of any financial incentive for Disney. People need to have the flexibility to adjust and customize their plans. No park hopping is a major game changer

We will see. Lots of costs associated and an easy area to save money. I think the option will be available too but much less convenient or expensive to access. Just my opinion. They will be looking for ways to cut costs while improving the guest experience. The App can do that.

 

[peter11435]

Thus no real benefit of eliminating park hopping

Wrong. Did you actually read my posts?

Eliminating park hopping is meant to simplify the park reservation and capacity limitation. Allowing guests to reserve slots in two parks does not maximize each parks limited capacity. And since can’t accurately account for exactly who and when guests will park hop you can’t “oversell” either park anticipating park hopping and still manage capacity.

Also not allowing park hopping will actually make things significantly easier on transportation throughout the day and especially at park closing.

 

[peter11435]

We will see. Lots of costs associated and an easy area to save money. I think the option will be available too but much less convenient or expensive to access. Just my opinion. They will be looking for ways to cut costs while improving the guest experience. The App can do that.

What costs do you think would be cut by eliminating park hopping?

 

[Rescue Ranger]

I'm glad my current plans are not until the very end of August because I need to see how things play out as parks reopen. Monitoring closely what changes/modifications Disney will be making, if any, come September to the current restrictions.

 

[jt04]

What costs do you think would be cut by eliminating park hopping?

Fewer busses required, fewer security checks required, much less wear and tear on transportation, including roads, monorails and beams. Lower fuel costs. Less personnel at finger scans. Less need for cleaning all the above all day.

 

[sbunit]

I'm glad my current plans are not until the very end of August because I need to see how things play out as parks reopen. Monitoring closely what changes/modifications Disney will be making, if any, come September to the current restrictions.

im predicting this “initial phased reopening” lasts through the end of August. Come September college program returns and restrictions lift in order to accommodate the coming holiday festivities and events. If the majority of restrictions stay in places at that point in time I can’t see Disney lifting them till 2021 then. My two cents

 

[bartholomr4]

Wrong. Did you actually read my posts?

Eliminating park hopping is meant to simplify the park reservation and capacity limitation. Allowing guests to reserve slots in two parks does not maximize each parks limited capacity. And since can’t accurately account for exactly who and when guests will park hop you can’t “oversell” either park anticipating park hopping and still manage capacity.

Also not allowing park hopping will actually make things significantly easier on transportation throughout the day and especially at park closing.

With all due respect, I disagree. You have your opinion, I have mine. If the maximum number of people they want in Epcot is 15,000 at any one time, and they only allow 15,000 reservations a day, there will never be 15,000 people at Epcot. Not everyone will arrive at 11 am, and not everyone will stay to 9pm. I am arguing for Disney to take a look at the “unintended consiquences” of such a cut and dry decision, and the fact that resource allocation isn’t that simple.

 

[peter11435]

Fewer busses required, fewer security checks required, much less wear and tear on transportation, including roads, monorails and beams. Lower fuel costs. Less personnel at finger scans. Less need for cleaning all the above all day.

It doesn’t really work that way.

In the grand scheme of things the inter park routes represent a very small percentage of the entire transportation operation. Additionally several of the routes such as the monorails and FriendShips would be running with or without park hopping.

Even if guests weren’t park hopping they would still be going back to their hotels for mid day breaks. Resort transportation, security, main entrance, etc would see little change in demand.

 

[jt04]

It doesn’t really work that way.

In the grand scheme of things the inter park routes represent a very small percentage of the entire transportation operation. Additionally several of the routes such as the monorails and FriendShips would be running with or without park hopping.

Even if guests weren’t park hopping they would still be going back to their hotels for mid day breaks. Resort transportation, security, main entrance, etc would see little change in demand.

Not if they deploy the full capabilities of the app and boarding groups etc. Guests will be much less likely to want to park hop if the App is efficient and fun. You just wouldn't want to lose that hour of your day to be packed on a bus, boat or monorail and then go through 2 checkpoints. IMO.

 

[peter11435]

With all due respect, I disagree. You have your opinion, I have mine. If the maximum number of people they want in Epcot is 15,000 at any one time, and they only allow 15,000 reservations a day, there will never be 15,000 people at Epcot. Not everyone will arrive at 11 am, and not everyone will stay to 9pm. I am arguing for Disney to take a look at the “unintended consiquences” of such a cut and dry decision, and the fact that resource allocation isn’t that simple.

Again, this isn’t forever. This is temporary. They have bigger concerns right now then “unintended consequences” that will disappear as soon as these restrictions do.

You are correct that not everyone will arrive at 11am and not everyone will leave at 9pm, but that’s exactly the point. That’s the goal.

Remember, Temporary.

 

[Nunu]

I'm glad my current plans are not until the very end of August because I need to see how things play out as parks reopen. Monitoring closely what changes/modifications Disney will be making, if any, come September to the current restrictions.

Same.

 

[peter11435]

Not if they deploy the full capabilities of the app and boarding groups etc. Guests will be much less likely to want to park hop if the App is efficient and fun. You just wouldn't want to lose that hour of your day to be packed on a bus, boat or monorail and then go through 2 checkpoints. IMO.

They make tons of money on park hopping by charging for the option. Park hopping is a revenue source for them just like everything else. They will continue to monetize the option even more so going forward.

 

[bartholomr4]

Again, this isn’t forever. This is temporary. They have bigger concerns right now then “unintended consequences” that will disappear as soon as these restrictions do.

You are correct that not everyone will arrive at 11am and not everyone will leave at 9pm, but that’s exactly the point. That’s the goal.

Remember, Temporary.

If the rumors are correct, and this is for the remainder of 2020, then that isn’t temporary. And to my original post, this will result in the cancellation of our late July reservations for 3 people for a week, because the experience will not be worth it to us.... This is the straw that would break the back of our patience....

 

[peter11435]

If the rumors are correct, and this is for the remainder of 2020, then that isn’t temporary. And to my original post, this will result in the cancellation of our late July reservations for 3 people for a week, because the experience will not be worth it to us.... This is the straw that would break the back of our patience....

They don’t know how long this will go on. Any rumors are nothing more than speculation. Could it be for the remainder of 2020, sure. But it could also be gone in a few months or last well into 2021. None of this is about establishing a new normal this is about finding a way to reopen and function during the pandemic. And yes even if this lasts into 2021, it’s still temporary.

 

[bartholomr4]

They don’t know how long this will go on. Any rumors are nothing more than speculation. Could it be for the remainder of 2020, sure. But it could also be gone in a few months or last well into 2020. None of this is about establishing a new normal this is about finding a way to reopen and function during the pandemic. And yes even if this lasts into 2021, it’s still temporary.

The article quotes an email sent to travel agents, which states park-hopper will be unavailable through the rest of 2020. I am not talking about permanent or temporary elimination of park-hopper. I am telling you that the elimination of the park-hopper option in July, when we plan to go, is in fact for us a non-starter. And I question the logic of its elimination. I don’t think it buys Disney any benefit, and in fact creates conditions which will make the situation (i.e. Social Distancing ) worse.

 

[sbunit]

They don’t know how long this will go on. Any rumors are nothing more than speculation. Could it be for the remainder of 2020, sure. But it could also be gone in a few months or last well into 2021. None of this is about establishing a new normal this is about finding a way to reopen and function during the pandemic. And yes even if this lasts into 2021, it’s still temporary.

Nailed it. Although we can expect some permanent changes (I.e. I for one see the 60 day dining reservation staying. They just have to find a solution so it doesn’t conflict with the FastPass window reservations. Unless permanent changes are coming to FastPass that will perhaps throw the 60 day reservation mark out the window)

 

[marni1971]

If the rumors are correct, and this is for the remainder of 2020, then that isn’t temporary..

Errr... that’s temporary.

 

[peter11435]

The article quotes an email sent to travel agents, which states park-hopper will be unavailable through the rest of 2020. I am not talking about permanent or temporary elimination of park-hopper. I am telling you that the elimination of the park-hopper option in July, when we plan to go, is in fact for us a non-starter. And I question the logic of its elimination. I don’t think it buys Disney any benefit, and in fact creates conditions which will make the situation (i.e. Social Distancing ) worse.

I fully understand the change being a reason for you to cancel your trip. That doesn’t mean it’s not logical, because given the circumstances it is logical, does benefit Disney, and improves the social distancing situation.