Would you visit Walt Disney World with these health-based operational restrictions in place?

[jeanericuser001]

Actually its probably a lot more likely than you realize.

I see almost no way “walk ons” are in the cards. There are many other factors to eliminate that under the conditions.

I wouldn't be so sure of that. First of all, international tourism is way way down so there is not gonna be a lot of foreign tourists. Then there is the locals. Some people are gonna be so poor they can't afford a trip to disney. Others may be too afraid to hit the parks so they avoid it. Then there is the reservation system which will likely greatly reduce the numbers even further depending on the day you choose not to mention all the people that can't do it cause they are not very tech savy thus they can't do a simple reservation. With so many factors I would say the attendance levels could be pretty small for the first month or so. With each week it will pick up until the virus is over. Then numbers will skyrocket so hard you will be lucky to get a fast pass for even some of the lowest quality rides.

 

[carolina_yankee]

Question to those who voted “Yes”:
Have you thought about the other effects that mask policy would have? Such as... no water parks, no resort pools, limited Disney transportation, and limited/no recreational options?

That's certainly a part of my calculus, though I don't think we know what recreation won't be available or where masks will be required.

If pools are open, you can't wear a mask in the pool, unless it's a snorkel mask, so that's kind of a no-brainer. Apparently Florida thinks pools will be open. Hopefully Disney will to.

My situation is different than many because as DVC we go every year. To me, this trip will be just a unique experience among many trips. That said, I do have a baseline - I need to be able experience enough attractions I like for at least a half-day in the park, I need a pool, and I need dining and shopping (more likely browsing for me). We're also staying at Kidani, so I might waive the pool if not's not open. That AK resorts are great to lounge in.

I'm not worried about tickets, because if Disney opens in July, my AP extension will cover my trip.

If I had to buy tickets for this trip, even as DVC, I would think differently. If my budget put me in moderates or values, I also would think this through because they aren't the kinds of resort one lounges in without open pools for the most part.

I'll miss the shows most of all. The last two trips, we saw zero parades and only one set of fireworks, so I'd be a hypocrite if I said they must have those.

Screenings and mask wearing are not a part of my calculus. I simply don't care what other people look like while I'm on an attraction and the standard paper masks don't bother me all that much if I have the right size on. I'll just bring a bunch to get me through the day and I also some comfy cloth ones. Like shoes, I suspect changing mask styles throughout the day might actually help ease discomfort.

I definitely encourage people who don't go frequently or who are sinking a large amount of money (for them) into the trip, to think very carefully. Honestly, after 9/11 we did a road trip around the country the next summer. It was awesome. But I think in the current situation - one straight shot to Disney, one resort, and lost of hand washing is probably safer than gallivanting around the country the summer.

 

[Kingoglow]

0% chance I’m spending close to $10,000 to have that experience. The masks irk me but what irks me the most is no fireworks or parades. Why not still have the fireworks and parades and leave it up to the guests if they are comfortable attending? To always rule based off of the minority of people who wouldn’t feel comfortable ruins the experience for everyone.

Disney has to operating in good faith to provide a safe environment. They have determiined that tightly packed crowds are unsafe.

It is an assumption on your part that you are in the majority about the comfort level of standing in a crowd for fireworks.

That said, I think that Disney can move a Fireworks display to the middle of Bay lake and disperse a crowd around the area (MK, Contemporary, TTC, Poly and GF).

 

[carolina_yankee]

Disney has to operating in good faith to provide a safe environment. They have determiined that tightly packed crowds are unsafe.

It is an assumption on your part that you are in the majority about the comfort level of standing in a crowd for fireworks.

That said, I think that Disney can move a Fireworks display to the middle of Bay lake and disperse a crowd around the area (MK, Contemporary, TTC, Poly and GF).

Can they really do a fireworks show around Bay Lake safely without infrastructure given all the trees?

I can see fireworks in Epcot with limited attendance and carefully monitored viewing areas around the lagoon and other area of the park, but that's about it. Even that early one would be quite a challenge (but I think doable depending on capped attendance).

 

[monothingie]

Chapek on CNBC rn.

In short masks for everyone and very slow and conservative opening which would be ramped up quickly if there are no problems. No dates given.

 

[peter11435]

Can they really do a fireworks show around Bay Lake safely without infrastructure given all the trees?

I can see fireworks in Epcot with limited attendance and carefully monitored viewing areas around the lagoon and other area of the park, but that's about it. Even that early one would be quite a challenge (but I think doable depending on capped attendance).

Given that the poster referenced the poly and GF they must have meant seven seas lagoon instead of bay lake. Seven seas lagoon does have fireworks infrastructure on one of the islands and they do shows using it for special occasions throughout the year. So it could be done. That said I don’t see it being a viable option for other reasons.

 

[wdwmagic]

Disney has to operating in good faith to provide a safe environment. They have determiined that tightly packed crowds are unsafe.

It is an assumption on your part that you are in the majority about the comfort level of standing in a crowd for fireworks.

That said, I think that Disney can move a Fireworks display to the middle of Bay lake and disperse a crowd around the area (MK, Contemporary, TTC, Poly and GF).

I dont see how that helps. There would just be heavy crowding in the viewing areas around Bay Lake - like on July 4 and NYE at the Poly beaches.

 

[mdcpr]

EXACTLY... My trip in August wouldn't cost NEARLY as much if I didn't get the dining plan. It would have only been like $1,500 instead of $3,500. The price is ridiculous. The only reason I'm doing it is to try out the convenience.

The convenience is pre-paying, but you can pay with your band or cc just as easily. Just a suggestion. We opted out of the dining plan and we ended up saving about $1K.

 

[Kingoglow]

Given that the poster referenced the poly and GF they must have meant seven seas lagoon instead of bay lake. Seven seas lagoon does have fireworks infrastructure on one of the islands and they do shows using it for special occasions throughout the year. So it could be done. That said I don’t see it being a viable option for other reasons.

My bad, thank you for pointing that out.
Yes, Seven Seas Lagoon. Keep the fireworks high in the sky.
You would get viewing from each of the hotels (outside as well as some of the rooms). The TTC parking lot, as well as the resort parking lots if the displays are high enough.

Restrict people coming to the hotels without reservations.

 

[LaughingGravy]

Going to a Disney park should be a vacation, not a mission. It should also not be a financial burden. Like most things, there needs to be a proper value for something on which you are spending money. The last time I was down in the area, the value wasn't there for the number of hours I would have been able to be in the park.
I am not at the point of anyplace being called happy when I need to be wearing a mask for photos.

Until there is a vaccine developed and widely implemented, it's just a no-go. Even if they cut the cost to half. Really.
I may be more pessimistic than some, but coming from the northern New Jersey area, we have personal experience of people we know dying from this. Not, "they caught the virus and had underlying conditions, but it was attributed to Covid-19 anyway." But, people catching it and dying within a week of nothing else, unless you want to count the related pneumonia.
These were healthy people who went to the doctor regularly and had no underlying conditions of which anyone was aware, leaving devastated families.
This is a serious situation. Testing "which no one has ever seen before" is needed. There needs to be herculean effort similar to a rally of winning WWII. We are nowhere near that.

 

[UNCgolf]

I think a major factor is whether one spends significant time away from the parks. As someone who does nothing at the hotel other than sleep (no midday breaks for me), I would be wasting money if I paid for even the cheapest Disney resort. I stay at one of the Disney Springs partner hotels, which offer the same perks at a much lower price.

I do almost nothing but sleep at the hotel either, but there's just something about staying at one of the themed properties that's part of the experience for me.

If every Disney hotel turns into something like the Riviera, though, then I'd probably switch to a Disney Springs partner hotel because I don't really see much of a difference between them other than price.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

...sounds like you made your decision already...looking at from the outside.

At the very least, I'm close to committing to that decision. It wasn't until I got back from Marathon weekend that my husband pushed for us to go. We weren't planning on going as a family until 2021, but I know he was a little bit jealous that I got to go and he didn't. He thought it would be a nice surprise for the kids after our July softball tournament up in Panama City. Plus, my parents could drive up from south FL to visit with us as well. The tournament isn't canceled, but it's in jeopardy. We've already canceled tournament lodging just to be safe. My parents are in the 65+ age group and while my dad was good with being in the parks with a mask, he's less keen on going if they're advising for their age group to hold off. I certainly don't want a vacation to put them at risk either. Ultimately, the February 2021 trip I first had in mind would give us more park time and the plan B/C trip idea is a much better summer trip. Still, I got Disney in July set in my head, so I'm not quite ready to give up on it just yet.

OK...you probably didn't need to know all of that

 

[Amused to Death]

...what irks me the most is no fireworks or parades.

No parades is understandable, but you'd think fireworks would still be possible. They don't need to run "Happily Ever After." They can toss together a simpler show. Kill the tacky castle projections and ask people to watch from all around the park. Drop the rooftop fireworks directly behind the castle and launch from the perimeters to get the point across that the show can be seen throughout the park. If they don't think a special set of instructions about where to view the fireworks from while remembering to keep a safe distance from others, repeated 3-4 times over the PA before show start, will sink in among the thick, they can rope off parts of the hub and the top of Main Street, like they do behind the castle. Of course, it'd be easier, and cheaper, to not do any fireworks.

 

[danv3]

An additional layer of safety control that I would suggest (beyond what Disney is testing in China) is to use the Fastpass system to control the visitor experience throughout the day. There are no more stand-by line's all attractions are available through the Fastpass system only. You get a Fastpass for all (or most every) attraction that is deemed safe to open.

What I am thinking is removing the current Fastpass system as we know it. In it's place, Disney fully plans each guest's day to control the flow of people moving about the park. I am thinking that Disney assigns guests into packs, let's say 10 packs. Each pack is assigned an itinerary for the day that includes each open attractions, breaks, meals, shopping and a small amount of free time. Attractions are assigned to you in a specific order with tighter windows of time to try to restrict the amount of free movement throughout the park. The order of events is different for each pack.

So let's say pack 2 starts their day in Tomorrowland. Everyone in that pack is assigned either Peoplemover, Buzz or Speedway (assuming Space isn't immediately open). Everyone in the pack is given one of these attractions for their first assignment of the day at a scheduled time. Then, once they check in, they have 20-30 minutes to get through the attraction and move on to their next assigned attraction (one of the other three attractions for that pack). So if I am given Speedway, check in at 8:30 (my given time) and at 9:00 I have to check in at my next specified attraction, Buzz. Then my next assigned attraction is Peoplemover at 9:30. Other people in my pack will be assigned a different experience order in our area (some will start at Buzz and some will start at Peoplemover.

Everyone in the pack gets access via an assigned time in the Fastpass system, to each of these attractions. Once that pack has been given the opportunity to visit each of these attractions, the while pack moves to the next assigned land which is also structured in this manner. Fastpass gives you the itinerary for the entire day.

Control the flow as best as you can, so only one pack is in an area (or two packs is the land is large and spread out, like Fantasy land). Keep the timing tight so people don't wander too far. Allow time for bathroom, some photo ops and snacks.

The aim is to keep packs together as best as you can manage for vector tracing.

Load the back of the park first with the groups first assigned to back of park areas. Guests are given windows to enter and exit the park. This plan controls movement and reduces the number of people crossing your path at a given time. Use the hub/spoke design to your advantage where possible.

Some people will wander, of coarse. Some people will skip attractions. You control as many as possible in the best manner that you have available. It isn't perfect but the technology is already in place. They just need to put thought into breaking up the group into packs and designing as flow of experiences to occupy and entertain.

How quickly could Disney roll that out and at what cost? Given the FP+ experience, I'd imagine what you're describing could be ready by mid-2022 at the cost of $1.5B.

 

[icc2515]

Of course, it'd be easier, and cheaper, to not do any fireworks.

There you go, that's the real answer.

 

[icc2515]

How quickly could Disney roll that out and at what cost? Given the FP+ experience, I'd imagine what you're describing could be ready by mid-2022 at the cost of $1.5B

This is what I have thought about people saying that Disney would do boarding groups for everything. They can't even keep the system they have now going reliably and how long has it been out? How are they going to roll out a completely new experience in a few weeks and expect it to work. Look how much people love the boarding group procedure for Rise of the Resistance.

 

[icc2515]

There are no more stand-by line's all attractions are available through the Fastpass system only. You get a Fastpass for all (or most every) attraction that is deemed safe to open.

I don't see how this works. So the parks are at 50% capacity and there are no stand-by lines. When the parks are open in the summer in the past what percent of people are in stand-by lines? I would say 30-50%, now all those people are going to be out in the common areas and shops making those areas just as crowed as a normal summer day, which is too crowed. They would have to go to 20% capacity to make that work. Please note, I am no expert on statistics and I am probably wrong about the numbers hopefully you get the basic idea.

 

[pmaljr]

No way, it's either safe to be there or it's not. My beliefs on the matter.

 

[aliceismad]

They would have to go to 20% capacity to make that work. Please note, I am no expert on statistics and I am probably wrong about the numbers hopefully you get the basic idea.

Shanghai opened at 30% capacity, correct?

I'm wondering if Disney will have some sort of revamped temporary entrances/queues for attractions to minimize the indoor/enclosed lines. It seems things with outdoor queues would be safest to open first.

 

[Gringrinngghost]