The WDW Comeback: Before/After Game

[mattpeto]

Topic 1: The Epcot Monorail Loop
Will it return Before or After 1/2/2021?

After wins.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1345078819359772678

 

[rteetz]

After wins.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1345078819359772678

What if it opens tomorrow?

 

[tlmadden73]

Topic 5: The Missing Signature Dining Restaurants
Will any of these restaurants open permanently Before or After: 5/1/21?

• Flying Fish
• Jiko
• Monsieur Paul
• Takumi-Tei
• Victoria & Albert’s
• Yachtsman Steakhouse

Bonus: I'd be interested to hear which ones you expect to open first and last if you want to include them, even if you chose After.

After - again until they have regular crowds, I just don't see the high-end restaurants opening due to lack of demand and lack of capacity.

 

[mattpeto]

What if it opens tomorrow?

If nail the actual day, I’m in the wrong business for sure.

 

[rpb718]

This was someone on twitter. They went to Disney springs. They were previously AP holders. They had FL resident tickets and upgraded them to new APs at DS.

From personal experience, I've found that the guest services at DS are seemingly more willing to do some things that for one reason or another would be refused at other guest services locations.

 

[ford91exploder]

After - again until they have regular crowds, I just don't see the high-end restaurants opening due to lack of demand and lack of capacity.

I don’t see the high end restaurants opening again period covid or no covid, As the mass layoffs were to change the cost structure going forward. If Disney really intended to bring those CM’s back they could have continued the furlough at WDW, Also look at where the brunt of the layoffs took place WDW NOT DL which has been closed and under Newsom has no path to reopen.

So taking a wild guess look to Disney to revive the old ‘Automat’ format restaurant. Yes google it. But basically a kitchen prepares food which is portioned out and you paid for it and door opened so you could retrieve your purchase. The ultimate low staff, non-contact dining experience. With reheatable portions it could be completely automated on the serving side.

 

[rteetz]

I don’t see the high end restaurants opening again period covid or no covid, As the mass layoffs were to change the cost structure going forward. If Disney really intended to bring those CM’s back they could have continued the furlough at WDW, Also look at where the brunt of the layoffs took place WDW NOT DL which has been closed and under Newsom has no path to reopen.

So taking a wild guess look to Disney to revive the old ‘Automat’ format restaurant. Yes google it. But basically a kitchen prepares food which is portioned out and you paid for it and door opened so you could retrieve your purchase. The ultimate low staff, non-contact dining experience. With reheatable portions it could be completely automated on the serving side.

We really like to derail threads don’t we?

That said, if high end restaurants weren’t opening why are some already open? Great chat tho.

 

[ford91exploder]

We really like to derail threads don’t we?

That said, if high end restaurants weren’t opening why are some already open? Great chat tho.

like I said before the only high end restaurant in the posters list I see coming back in as it was before is V&A and that long after easter this year. The rest of the ‘signatures’ in the posters list I dont see reopening as they were before.

 

[mattpeto]

Topic 5: The Missing Signature Dining Restaurants
Will <the mentioned> restaurants open permanently Before or After: 5/1/21?

The count sits:
Before: 2
After: 6

I'll close it down tomorrow morning.

We'll get back to Dining, but new topic for this week. The new topic tomorrow will be broad and is definitely a Comeback item. Just a warning on the topic coming later this week, it's something "new" and not part of the official Comeback, but I think it's compelling enough to discuss.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

As for signature dining, enough people come to WDW to mark special birthdays, anniversaries, Friday afternoons and reserve a “special” meal for that trip. No way it doesn’t come back, but I say after 5/1, maybe as soon as Labor Day. I agree with other sentiment that it will tie to the return of DDP in some manner, and the opening of more resorts (if not all)

 

[mattpeto]

Topic 5: The Missing Signature Dining Restaurants
Will <the mentioned> restaurants open permanently Before or After: 5/1/21?

The count sits:
Before: 2
After: 6

I'll close it down tomorrow morning.

We'll get back to Dining, but new topic for this week. The new topic tomorrow will be broad and is definitely a Comeback item. Just a warning on the topic coming later this week, it's something "new" and not part of the official Comeback, but I think it's compelling enough to discuss.

Final score:

Before: 2
After: 7

Before	After
AvidDisReader	skeeter31
dlavender	rteetz
	ford91explorer
	YesterDark
	Lumpy1106
	tlmadden73
	sullivan.kscott

 

[mattpeto]

Topic 6: The Return of FP+
Will FastPass+ return Before or After: 10/1/21?

Note: This can include a deviation to the current plan but will allow guests to line jump a traditional standby queue. Virtual queues do not count.

 

[skeeter31]

Topic 6: The Return of FP+
Will FastPass+ return Before or After: 10/1/21?

Note: This can include a deviation to the current plan but will allow guests to line jump a traditional standby queue. Virtual queues do not count.

After. I don’t think we’re back to 100% capacity by then so I don’t think FP is back. I think we need full capacity before we see the return of that.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Topic 6: The Return of FP+
Will FastPass+ return Before or After: 10/1/21?

Note: This can include a deviation to the current plan but will allow guests to line jump a traditional standby queue. Virtual queues do not count.

Joining in for the first time!

I say after.

 

[rteetz]

I’m on team fastpass will be different when it returns. That said I think it will happen before 10/1 as they’ll roll it out slightly ahead of the 50th. Capacity will be up by that point. Maybe not 100% but you also do not need 100% capacity. It doesn’t work with 35% capacity either tho.

 

[Farro]

I think some form of paid (yes paid) fast pass by October. Maybe a couple free for resort guests, but then the rest will be some sort of tiered purchasing system.

 

[ford91exploder]

As for signature dining, enough people come to WDW to mark special birthdays, anniversaries, Friday afternoons and reserve a “special” meal for that trip. No way it doesn’t come back, but I say after 5/1, maybe as soon as Labor Day. I agree with other sentiment that it will tie to the return of DDP in some manner, and the opening of more resorts (if not all)

DDP will definitely be back, Disney aint gonna give up that float interest income which is basically free money.

I’m thinking like a beancounter when I try to predict future behavior and unfortunately WDW even before pandemic was making financial efficiency a priority over customer service. Food pre-prepared in a central kitchen. The last time I ate at Olivia’s we could not even get the salad dressing on the side. So what we had there was a salad produced on a production line with precise portion control.

The spirit of a signature restaurant is a meal prepared exclusively for you by the chef and his staff in the kitchen. But thats labor intensive and expensive and appears to no longer fit Disney’s model. And thats why I think majority of the signatures will be re-imagined

 

[ford91exploder]

Topic 6: The Return of FP+
Will FastPass+ return Before or After: 10/1/21?

Note: This can include a deviation to the current plan but will allow guests to line jump a traditional standby queue. Virtual queues do not count.

Fast pass will be back in some form before 10/1/21 probably tied to a vax passport

 

[Farro]

DDP will definitely be back, Disney aint gonna give up that float interest income which is basically free money.

I’m thinking like a beancounter when I try to predict future behavior and unfortunately WDW even before pandemic was making financial efficiency a priority over customer service. Food pre-prepared in a central kitchen. The last time I ate at Olivia’s we could not even get the salad dressing on the side. So what we had there was a salad produced on a production line with precise portion control.

The spirit of a signature restaurant is a meal prepared exclusively for you by the chef and his staff in the kitchen. But thats labor intensive and expensive and appears to no longer fit Disney’s model. And thats why I think majority of the signatures will be re-imagined

I swore we already had this conversation on a different thread.

So if that holds true, that means all the signatures currently open at Disney Springs will become 1 dining credit if you think dining plan is coming back. I don't see any of the restaurants at Disney Springs following your business model. Those are owned by Chefs with a name/service standard to protect.

Hotels signatures are not going away. The Deluxe hotels will always have a signature experience of some sort. (yes, yes, Artist Point, but it's still considered a unique experience)

 

[Lumpy1106]

Topic 6: The Return of FP+
Will FastPass+ return Before or After: 10/1/21?

Note: This can include a deviation to the current plan but will allow guests to line jump a traditional standby queue. Virtual queues do not count.

Hmm...
This is a good one. Your note adds intrigue; will FP+ return at all or will they do something more like Disneyland Flex Pass? It is also a bit outside of Disney's control; How fast will the vaccine be rolled out and can they increase capacity as it is? So far the vaccine rollout has been underwhelming, but FL has already given their blessing to increase capacity - it is Disney that is pumping the brakes. I'm going to say FP returns, in some form, BEFORE 10/1/21. After all, Disney has full control over just how many FPs are distributed, and they can dial that back as the capacity remains < 100%. Fair warning; I am an eternal optimist and I've been wrong A LOT in the last 9 months.