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

[Jrb1979]

When has Disney encouraged reservations?

Their website says everything is currently closed and not guaranteed. Chapek himself said everything is not guaranteed. We just got an announcement stating that July reservations are not guaranteed. Where is this encouragement you see outside of the “news” articles?

I know it says they a currently closed and they don't know when they will open. They do encourage it by announcing they are taking July 1st reservations when they don't know if they will be open. Why not take any reservations til they know for sure when they will be open.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I question the open the window, then cancel strategy. All that does is turn off folks who DO book, when it gets canceled.
People book, try to make airplane and car reservations etc.. to many moving parts.

Better to announce a date and STICK WITH IT, or not take reservations at all.

I've been saying that for awhile now. No other theme park company is doing that. Universal isn't doing it. Cedar Point which has a hotel on property isn't either. You can book hotels for both but they aren't encouraging it.

This is where being Disney has its advantages.

They know that they can book, cancel....and the people will largely be ok with it after initial burn...

That is not the same for other operators

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That big push with free dining for people who had trips canceled due to Covid-19 seems rather unfortunate.

“Free” dining continues to be a headache...i’m sure Disney weighs repeatedly whether it’s worth it or not...

 

[peter11435]

The difference is Universal isn't encouraging reservations like Disney is. I have yet to see Universal put press announcing dates when people can start reservations.

I don’t think Disney has “put press” announcing it. They adjusted the date they allowed reservations to start and others ran with that story. It has been publicized by third party Disney and media outlets.

 

[Jrb1979]

I don’t think Disney has “put press” announcing it. They adjusted the date they allowed reservations to start and others ran with that story. It has been publicized by third party Disney and media outlets.

Why take reservations at all til they have a firm date of opening? Are they really that hard up for cash they need deposit money?

 

[GoofGoof]

I know it says they a currently closed and they don't know when they will open. They do encourage it by announcing they are taking July 1st reservations when they don't know if they will be open. Why not take any reservations til they know for sure when they will be open.

When did they announce anything. The only thing I’ve seen was a copy of the communication sent to travel agents which was posted on a fan site. Both Disney and Universal have a banner at the top of their websites that when you click gives you details on the closure. Both say there’s no firm date for re-opening. In the fine print Disney’s specifically says they aren’t taking reservations prior to 7/1 (Updated recently from 6/1). Universal’s doesn‘t specify a date but they have the calendar grayed out through 5/31. Not trying the be argumentative but I just don’t see much difference other than the month lag.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Why take reservations at all til they have a firm date of opening? Are they really that hard up for cash they need deposit money?

why not?? it's not that they suffer anything if the date isn't open. Plan for a date and if it doesn't happen have a plan B. if you book you don't lose any money and in the current environment folks are probably not purchasing airfare months in advance.

 

[GoofGoof]

why not?? it's not that they suffer anything if the date isn't open. Plan for a date and if it doesn't happen have a plan B. if you book you don't lose any money.

The key here is all parties involved are waiving their cancellation fees and allowing refunds or rebooking. Nobody is financially impacted. Even the airlines are waiving their change fees.

 

[WondersOfLife]

I know it says they a currently closed and they don't know when they will open. They do encourage it by announcing they are taking July 1st reservations when they don't know if they will be open. Why not take any reservations til they know for sure when they will be open.

I dont think they announced anything. People just figured it out on their own.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Why take reservations at all til they have a firm date of opening? Are they really that hard up for cash they need deposit money?

For me personally, the answer to that question is fear of not being able to get tickets like Shanghai’s opening.

I want to soak up an empty park experience.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It won’t be open if it’s empty.

 

[SourcererMark79]

Anyone who books July 1 has to understand that there will be significant adjustments to the normal experience. That said, when they arrive, check in, and spend half a day at the park and are crying for a refund, is Disney going to cave in and do it? Of course not. Tempered expectations for those traveling from out of state. To be some of the first guests to return may be a neat story to tell the grandkids, but I wouldn't be expecting a lot.

 

[peter11435]

Why take reservations at all til they have a firm date of opening? Are they really that hard up for cash they need deposit money?

Universal hasn’t stopped taking reservations, I don’t know anyone who has. Why would you stop? When the time comes and you can open you want to be able to do that. It’s not like they aren’t being upfront about the fact that the parks are closed until further notice. Anyone booking knows the situation. In the event that things can delayed and reservations are cancelled the guests are not out any money.

 

[GoofGoof]

It won’t be open if it’s empty.

They won’t open unless they can make enough to at least break even.

When open it will definitely be empty compared to a normal day in July or August, but there will also be much less capacity for everything from rides/shows to shopping to food locations. If you eliminate people in larger people eater shows and you have nobody lining up for parades, night shows or meet and greets and stores and restaurants have to limit capacity that’s a lot less stuff to occupy people’s time. The natural assumption is they go on more of the rides that are actually open. The other possibility is people could just spend less time at the parks (especially if hot in a mask).

 

[Touchdown]

Universal is still very much taking reservations, with my Disney AP being extended through the holidays, I now looking at the possibility of having a half Disney and half Universal trip so I just booked an additional reservation at the Royal Pacific (and the Contemporary Resort) today.

 

[WDW Pro]

I have no expectation that WDW will open July 1st. You should not either. It's just a placeholder... and no sane executive would open WDW in limited capacity, with vastly increased health requirements, during the hottest vacation period in the United States, at a time when fireworks would be an expectation and you can't deliver them.

That is a recipe for total failure, and Disney Parks seldom fails on that level.

Furthermore, when WDW is close to reopening, you'll begin to see things happening more than a month out. There will be significant training periods, furloughs will have to be ended/extended, some contracts renegotiated, etc. At this point, they are letting third party retail and restaurants open at very limited capacity in an outside retail space. We are not at the edge of reopening.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I have no expectation that WDW will open July 1st. You should not either. It's just a placeholder... and no sane executive would open WDW in limited capacity, with vastly increased health requirements, during the hottest vacation period in the United States, at a time when fireworks would be an expectation and you can't deliver them.

That is a recipe for total failure, and Disney Parks seldom fails on that level.

Furthermore, when WDW is close to reopening, you'll begin to see things happening more than a month out. There will be significant training periods, furloughs will have to be ended/extended, some contracts renegotiated, etc. At this point, they are letting third party retail and restaurants open at very limited capacity in an outside retail space. We are not at the edge of reopening.

Yeah...I’m with you.

Not about the training...I can tell you from past personal experience that “training” is highly exaggerated. They redlined 90% of that 20 years ago...the place runs itself with a pack of circus chihuahuas in charge...

But with “health risks”? Yeah...I could see a little more lead time.
I think you’ll see mass layoffs regardless. This is a once in a century “opportunity” for companies to do no fault employee slashing and longterm commitment reduction. In fact...this recession will probably cut to the bone more than the housing crash. Which if people remember was a “white collar” recession and most of the losses were permanent in net effect.

Get ready...don’t believe the hype or con men spouting off.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Universal is still very much taking reservations, with my Disney AP being extended through the holidays, I now looking at the possibility of having a half Disney and half Universal trip so I just booked an additional reservation at the Royal Pacific (and the Contemporary Resort) today.

Of course they are...entertainment companies sell their stock based on advancement projections like everyone else...

Who asked “is Disney desperate enough to take reservations?”

...they’ve been “desperate” for 20 years to get all the money guaranteed up front. Every penny. Tickets, rooms, timeshares, dining plans, “special events”...
That’s all for the same strategy. Know your starting point and watch the high profit merch money roll in every week.

Disney is moving torwards removing the hotel desks and the ticket windows. Why bother? That’s not what they want. Automated and guaranteed in advance. Robot waiters on deck.

It’s easy...and since no one has the self control to question the costs anymore...it’s an easy one.

Wish I had thought of it before they did

 

[Lilofan]

Yeah...I’m with you.

Not about the training...I can tell you from past personal experience that “training” is highly exaggerated. They redlined 90% of that 20 years ago...the place runs itself with a pack of circus chihuahuas in charge...

But with “health risks”? Yeah...I could see a little more lead time.
I think you’ll see mass layoffs regardless. This is a once in a century “opportunity” for companies to do no fault employee slashing and longterm commitment reduction. In fact...this recession will probably cut to the bone more than the housing crash. Which if people remember was a “white collar” recession and most of the losses were permanent in net effect.

Get ready...don’t believe the hype or con men spouting off.

What is scary is that if more people work from home doing multiple tasks, then saves on office space to be rented, cleaned - add-ons equals cost savings. If a person gets hurt at home while working from home , twist an ankle, playing with their little kid, can they claim workers comp and WDW pay for the hospital bills??

 

[WondersOfLife]

It won’t be open if it’s empty.

Like the other dude said. It'll seem empty in comparison to the past decade.