Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[CampbellzSoup]

So it looks like AA have cancelled all direct flights from LAX to MCO until 7/7. My trip is 7/7-14, but we were leaving on a red eye on 7/6. Not sure if this means anything at this point. If WDW announces something soon, I would imagine the direct flights would be added again if they are open!

don’t count on it

 

[charmed59]

Have they called back any resort CMs yet? Is it still possible to get resort CMs back and the resorts ready to open by June 1st?

 

[MrsBooch]

Re: Epcot reopening

They will definitely have less staff once the parks reopen because of capacity limits. I can see them moving a lot of the staff from other parks to EP for a while. I know people think that EP must have international employees, but that simply isn’t true. There is no reason they can’t shift employees from other areas while the park isn’t running at full speed. Once international travel opens back up, they can bring a lot of the international CMs back. If international travel is shut down for longer than anticipated, they can then hire some Floridians to work there who I’m sure would be happy to have a job. I don’t know why people automatically assume that no international employees means it’s impossible to reopen EP.

I always tied Epcot not opening at the same time more to the amount of people walking around and eating (can't do that with a mask on) than to international employees.

 

[Mit88]

I wouldn’t take anything outside of an official announcement from Disney as a guarantee. But trends are typically in place for a reason. June is still weeks away. A lot can happen. I think it’s a good sign that June is their target. When in June, is another question. I think the 1st is still possible, but subsequent weeks become more likely. The closer we get to June without those cancellations, the higher the hopes are for people with reservations. Disney knows they have a lot of March-April-May cancelled vacations that are rescheduled all throughout June, from the 1st to the 30th. So if we get to the end of May, and they start pulling reservations, they’re going to have a lot more angry people than they would have if they just continued the trend and gave 3+ weeks of notice.

 

[yulilin3]

Have they called back any resort CMs yet? Is it still possible to get resort CMs back and the resorts ready to open by June 1st?

the CM schedule that comes out this Sunday (unless it's delayed like it happened this week, it wasn't released until Wednesday) will cover May 24th through the 30th. If resort and park CM are scheduled that is a great indication that the property will open June 1st. I believe they only need a couple of days to learn new procedures, the parks and resorts have been staffed with a skeletal crew in charge of light custodial and maintenance
If they don't get scheduled then June 1st is not a possibility

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

I always tied Epcot not opening at the same time more to the amount of people walking around and eating (can't do that with a mask on) than to international employees.

I know during festivals Epcot has more of that happening, but in general I walk around eating & drinking just as much in the other parks too.

 

[shoegal9]

Re: Epcot reopening

They will definitely have less staff once the parks reopen because of capacity limits. I can see them moving a lot of the staff from other parks to EP for a while. I know people think that EP must have international employees, but that simply isn’t true. There is no reason they can’t shift employees from other areas while the park isn’t running at full speed. Once international travel opens back up, they can bring a lot of the international CMs back. If international travel is shut down for longer than anticipated, they can then hire some Floridians to work there who I’m sure would be happy to have a job. I don’t know why people automatically assume that no international employees means it’s impossible to reopen EP.

I could be wrong, but I read that EP actually employs quite a large number of cultural staff for World Showcase that are not in the U.S on cultural exchange visas (J-1 visa/Q-1). So, I don't think that if EP opens before J-1s can be issued again that we won't see any world showcase employees from those specific countries. I'm an immigration attorney (whose secret dream is to work for Disney doing EPCOT J-1s) and I don't think this visa category will be impacted like others. The J-1 program doesn't award anyone "status" in the U.S. and is a temporary visa for the purposes of promoting the sharing of cultural ideas. So, don't read too much into media stories about halting immigration to the U.S. when it comes to our beloved World Showcase cast members! The ability to travel to the U.S. due to travel restrictions is another story...

 

[Pinkflmngo]

Have they called back any resort CMs yet? Is it still possible to get resort CMs back and the resorts ready to open by June 1st?

My daughter is a training manager at a resort. She has not been called back and knows of no one who has.

 

[yulilin3]

I could be wrong, but I read that EP actually employs quite a large number of cultural staff for World Showcase that are not in the U.S on cultural exchange visas (J-1 visa/Q-1). So, I don't think that if EP opens before J-1s can be issued again that we won't see any world showcase employees from those specific countries. I'm an immigration attorney (whose secret dream is to work for Disney doing EPCOT J-1s) and I don't think this visa category will be impacted like others. The J-1 program doesn't award anyone "status" in the U.S. and is a temporary visa for the purposes of promoting the sharing of cultural ideas. So, don't read too much into media stories about halting immigration to the U.S. when it comes to our beloved World Showcase cast members! The ability to travel to the U.S. due to travel restrictions is another story...

like another poster said, they can pull CM from other areas of the parks to work the merchandise and food and beverage offerings at WS, the attractions will have to be run by CM that know each one and although international CP usually do that work they do have coordinatorrs, leads and managers that are local that work them.

 

[SierraT]

My daughter is a training manager at a resort. She has not been called back and knows of no one who has.

Just curious, do you know how much time they have to legally give her before she has to report back to work? I saw something here that said 5 days but I know there are different unions, etc..

 

[HuskieJohn]

The FL Gov made the Phase 1 announcement on May 29th for a May 4th opening.
He had previously said that each phase would be for 2 weeks with then a 3rd week of review of that data.

So May 4th - May 17th is that 2 week period and the review of the data to be from the 18th - 24th. So Phase 2 can begin as early as May 25th.

Best case scenario WDW hotel CMs are given a schedule on May 24th which would be for May 31 - June 6th

It will take the hotel CMs a few days to get things ready but unless they have international staff (AKL/Poly) then most of the CMs should be ready to go with only new safety protocols. So the hotels could be open by 6/2 at the earliest?

Depending on the percentage of international CMs at AKL/Poly (really all the resorts) who are no longer in the US and not able to come back, WDW resorts will likely be understaffed and need to back fill from other resorts. This is where I am thinking that only opening the DVC resorts first will come in on top of having a good soft opening for everyone to get comfortable with the cleaning/safety protocols.

 

[Sarahslay]

I always tied Epcot not opening at the same time more to the amount of people walking around and eating (can't do that with a mask on) than to international employees.

I eat constantly in every park, I don’t need Epcot for that

 

[shoegal9]

like another poster said, they can pull CM from other areas of the parks to work the merchandise and food and beverage offerings at WS, the attractions will have to be run by CM that know each one and although international CP usually do that work they do have coordinatorrs, leads and managers that are local that work them.

Oh for sure, they can move people around. All I was saying that I don't think there will be a World Showcase devoid of cast members representing their home country if EP were to open soon-ish as I have heard that some are not in the U.S. on the cultural exchange visa.

 

[michellej47]

Hopefully this is considered on topic for this thread. I’m part of a Facebook group for Disney weddings and people have shared that their June Disney World weddings have been cancelled. One bride said that theirs was cancelled because face masks will be required, which would affect wedding parties/photos and it would be hard to socially distance during a wedding. Another bride said their planner rescheduled them for August 30th because the planner believes “without a shadow of a doubt” that they will be able to have a “full and regular wedding experience” without masks at that date.

I know weddings are sort of a separate operation, but when I planned mine at Disney World there was a lot of communication between my planner and park operations on what we could and couldn’t do.

Just sharing info that may or may not mean anything... don’t shoot the messenger

Curious as to if Disney cancelled them or if they decided to cancel because of the masks.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

I eat constantly in every park, I don’t need Epcot for that

Same! I get my money’s worth out of those popcorn buckets!

 

[michellej47]

To me, it seems like something is different this week. Do I think it guarantees a June 1 opening? Absolutely not. But I am still hopeful.

I'm with you. I don't think it guarantees anything, but I do think it shows that Disney wants to open and is waiting on the timing of the Phase 2 announcement. And with them being part of that task force, they probably have some insight that maybe that is coming sooner rather than later. A girl can dream, right?!?!?

 

[michellej47]

Re: Epcot reopening

They will definitely have less staff once the parks reopen because of capacity limits. I can see them moving a lot of the staff from other parks to EP for a while. I know people think that EP must have international employees, but that simply isn’t true. There is no reason they can’t shift employees from other areas while the park isn’t running at full speed. Once international travel opens back up, they can bring a lot of the international CMs back. If international travel is shut down for longer than anticipated, they can then hire some Floridians to work there who I’m sure would be happy to have a job. I don’t know why people automatically assume that no international employees means it’s impossible to reopen EP.

Just my opinion, but having all 4 parks open helps disperse the crowd even more, so it would make sense to have them all open.

 

[Sarahslay]

Curious as to if Disney cancelled them or if they decided to cancel because of the masks.

After being at GF twice this past summer during, what felt like, “wedding season” I can say Disney probably doesn’t want all those wedding parties and guests milling around the resorts wanting pictures without masks on. The lobby (and especially the stairs) at GF are a nightmare when there is a wedding, and that’s just a logistical nightmare for them with all the people expecting their fairy tale wedding who don’t want masks as a part of that.

 

[michellej47]

After being at GF twice this past summer during, what felt like, “wedding season” I can say Disney probably doesn’t want all those wedding parties and guests milling around the resorts wanting pictures without masks on. The lobby (and especially the stairs) at GF are a nightmare when there is a wedding, and that’s just a logistical nightmare for them with all the people expecting their fairy tale wedding who don’t want masks as a part of that.

Makes sense. I've never seen a Disney wedding so I wasn't sure if some of them were pretty large or just small groups. Large groups would make sense in cancelling.

 

[Brianstl]

Just curious, do you know how much time they have to legally give her before she has to report back to work? I saw something here that said 5 days but I know there are different unions, etc..

I have heard that all union contracts have 5 day notification language in them. The CMs not covered by a union bargaining agreement are supposedly only entitled to 2 days notification, but I don’t see why they wouldn’t be notified at the same time.