Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Farro]

In a good way too. We last were there just over a year ago and we will have at least 3 new to us big attractions when we return, 5 depending on Tron and GotG. Hopefully Epcot will also be looking much better than it did when we were last there too! Maybe even a new nighttime show there for those of us who wait long enough?

Maybe Genie will even work better for us than our former ways (I doubt this one, but who knows). Lots of changes in not too much time even considering the not so nice ones. Will miss DME though

I'm wondering when Genie will finally happen. We go late October, my fear is that they will announce in August that it starts 10/1 and I'll have to scramble and figure out how it affects my trip! (I mean, that would still be a fun problem to have )

 

[yulilin3]

D'Amaro jus posted a letter to the CM titled "2021 year of exploration", after touching on points about the events of last week, inclusion and guest experience he ends with
Let’s show the world what we can do.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I'm wondering when Genie will finally happen. We go late October, my fear is that they will announce in August that it starts 10/1 and I'll have to scramble and figure out how it affects my trip! (I mean, that would still be a fun problem to have )

I’m also worried about this, but hey it would give us something to do lol

 

[TheMaxRebo]

D'Amaro jus posted a letter to the CM titled "2021 year of exploration", after touching on points about the events of last week, inclusion and guest experience he ends with
Let’s show the world what we can do.

I love Josh, and goodness knows I love the Cast Members, but every day it feels like Disney is giving them more and more of an uphill battle to deal with

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

I think something that would be helpful for everyone: look at anything with the words Temporarily Unavailable and assume it won’t be around for your trip - even if that trip is a year out. Sure, a number of those things will come back but I feel pretty confident a lot of these “temporary” suspensions are not temporary or at least will last a lot longer than we think,

That's certainly a good way to mitigate expectations, especially considering there doesn't seem to be any "safe" bets on what will still be available in the future.

Maybe we're in the minority, but we'd been visiting WDW with ever more frequency. There are currently a lot of places that are difficult to get to, and/or have a lot that's closed, and just this year we've replaced two trips to Europe and one to HI with trips to WDW. So far the things that are "temporarily unavailable" (shows, fireworks, FP+) aren't enough to get us to not go, especially compared to other travel destinations.

However, there will come a tipping point as travel restrictions ease and other destinations reopen when more of what we want to see and do is available elsewhere than at WDW. Once these other destinations reopen, I'm not sure how often I'll want to walk past an empty FOTLK building, see stickers on the windows at Casey's saying they're closed, stand in a FOP standby line that stretches into Africa, be reminded of all the runDisney and fun run events that aren't happening,...

The longer these "temporarily unavailable" things are closed, and the more they take away, the more they do affect our desire to go to WDW.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I'm wondering when Genie will finally happen. We go late October, my fear is that they will announce in August that it starts 10/1 and I'll have to scramble and figure out how it affects my trip! (I mean, that would still be a fun problem to have )

I’m also worried about this, but hey it would give us something to do lol

My March 2020 trip that wasn’t saw learning the ins and outs of BG, and 3 I believe major DHS FP+ changes. Little stressful but fun, and boy did I feel accomplished when I successfully changed our plans each time (that worked out well, lol). Gives us experienced planners something to do when they change things up

 

[J-Dog]

We live on the West Coast, so we are not rope-droppers (I have no interest in getting up at 5am Pacific time to get there at rope drop, - I'm on vacation!), so the end of evening EMH, to us, basically means the end of any extra-hours perk.

That, and the loss of DME, is the last straw for us. We won't be staying onsite again. Sorry to be melodramatic...

I'm sure not all, but definitely some other West Coasters feel the same way about rope drop. I guess Disney would rather we go to DLR. If it ever reopens.

 

[yulilin3]

From Twitter

 

[leahgoogle]

We live on the West Coast, so we are not rope-droppers (I have no interest in getting up at 5am Pacific time to get there at rope drop, - I'm on vacation!), so the end of evening EMH, to us, basically means the end of any extra-hours perk.

That, and the loss of DME, is the last straw for us. We won't be staying onsite again. Sorry to be melodramatic...

I'm sure not all, but definitely some other West Coasters feel the same way about rope drop. I guess Disney would rather we go to DLR. If it ever reopens.

I'm a midwesterner and I feel that way about that rope drop and early morning hours! I much prefer the extra time at night so to get rid of that is very disappointing.

 

[gottalovepluto]

FYI - Statement from Mears said they are looking forward to taking guest to all the area theme parks now and into the future

so maybe service exists and actually expands, just at a cost?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1348714573512130560

Plot twist? It’s Mears kicking Disney to the curb not visa versa?!

Sounds like Mears will continue to offer the transport which means cutting out middle mouse Disney... Book with Mears, pay Mears, kinda acts like a big Super Shuttle. If Mears owns the infrastructure used on DME they just have to rebrand, hire backend to run the booking interaction with clients and boom. Business sans Disney... makes sense...

 

[andyman8]

Plot twist? It’s Mears kicking Disney to the curb not visa versa?!

Sounds like Mears will continue to offer the transport which means cutting out middle mouse Disney... Book with Mears, pay Mears, kinda acts like a big Super Shuttle. If Mears owns the infrastructure used on DME they just have to rebrand, hire backend to run the booking interaction with clients and boom. Business sans Disney... makes sense...

I believe Mears is referring to their taxicab and shared van services (some of which might not be operating right now) with that language. I don’t think this is a Mears decision (hence the “disappointed”), but I’m sure someone (whether that be Mears or not) will try to fill the void left by DME with some sort of regular, paid motor coach service to WDW.

 

[WorldOfPooh]

Looking forward to my DVC dues going down next year with the removal of Magical Express.

Serioulsy the cost is ALREADy in your resort fee. This is just like the parking fee. That was ALREADY in the resort fee. Now you get to pay that resort fee and get no benefit. Now maybe people understand why those of us who drive were so mad when that change happened!

Yup the parking fee was the first step.
That's when we knew that all Disney Corp cares about is money.

 

[Krandor]

Yup the parking fee was the first step.
That's when we knew that all Disney Corp cares about is money.

pstking fee still upsets me. I’m driving distance (atlanta) and park is what is normally a fairly empty pop parking lot and then don’t touch my car (unless I forget something and need to run to target). Having to pay for my car to sit there while also paying for transportation like sky liner I’m using annoys me.

 

[WorldOfPooh]

Parking Fees = X
Get rid of Xtra Magic Night Hours = X
Get rid of bathtubs = X
Get rid of Magical Express = X
Raise prices = X
Lower AP discounts = X
No Loyalty Club = X

 

[Tandy]

2025: We have decided to get rid of rides..
Just come dump your money in a pot and leave.

 

[jessiegirl1982]

We live on the West Coast, so we are not rope-droppers (I have no interest in getting up at 5am Pacific time to get there at rope drop, - I'm on vacation!), so the end of evening EMH, to us, basically means the end of any extra-hours perk.

That, and the loss of DME, is the last straw for us. We won't be staying onsite again. Sorry to be melodramatic...

I'm sure not all, but definitely some other West Coasters feel the same way about rope drop. I guess Disney would rather we go to DLR. If it ever reopens.

Yes! I’m from LA and we have only been before the park opened one time for a PPO BOG reservation, and we were nearly late to that. I basically got the reservation to have an empty-ish park photo for the holiday card. We only ever did the PM EMH. This new decision has made staying off site for our June visit all the better. We usually have to rent a car for the trip/mid way through the trip as we visit family in Florida up in Gainesville, so we rarely took advantage of the ME. I always wanted to, though! The only thing that will suck will be paying for parking at the parks. ...but we have a longer trip this time around, have a 3 bedroom townhouse with a private pool 10 minutes away for about $1000 less than the discounted rate at POP that doesn’t charge for parking! Actually found out the owner is on the Dis as well.
Disney is just trying to save money, but they are pushing people off at every turn with all these cutbacks.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Yup the parking fee was the first step.
That's when we knew that all Disney Corp cares about is money.

And more than just the fee itself but the reasoning behind it Disney gave:

"It's industry standard"

First off, you are Disney, you have always been about being above just "standard", and second, when you charge what you charge you can't compare yourself to what is standard

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Parking Fees = X
Get rid of Xtra Magic Night Hours = X
Get rid of bathtubs = X
Get rid of Magical Express = X
Raise prices = X
Lower AP discounts = X
No Loyalty Club = X

Profit = ✓

 

[Tandy]

And more than just the fee itself but the reasoning behind it Disney gave:

"It's industry standard"

First off, you are Disney, you have always been about being above just "standard", and second, when you charge what you charge you can't compare yourself to what is standard

"Plus-ing" is gone...

"Minus=ing" is the new mantra

 

[TheMaxRebo]

"Plus-ing" is gone...

"Minus=ing" is the new mantra

Yeah, it felt like Disney was a luxury brand and always looked for ways to give you more - at a price of course. A trip was expensive but one (or at least I can speak for myself) could feel that it was worth it as there was more provided than a standard vacation

Feels like that is no longer the case - still world class theme parks, amazing attractions, etc. - but the "extra" is getting harder to spot rather than easier