Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I really wish they would have picked another ‘not before date’. I realize it’s hard for them to say but now I feel like I won’t be able to make a decision until a week before my trip. It would have been nice to have the closure of knowing it wasn’t possible sooner than 7 days out.

 

[kymom99]

I was mostly just repeating what others had speculated - that they were waiting until late Friday to minimize impact. I agree, they should have already known. But.... there are a lot of things people should already be realizing these days and aren't



I wouldn't go this far. I think it'll be well into summer before the parks open in any form, and I think it will be a very minimal experience for quite awhile. But...to be fair, I suppose it's possible. Let's be realistic - crowded venues that hold tens of thousands of people are going to be the very last thing to re-open.

It seems like things would open back up in the reverse order they closed. Maybe? IDK just a thought

 

[kymom99]

I have to respectfully disagree here. They didn't have to give us a reopening date because that just might not be possible (and I respect that), but there's a lot more they could have done. They could have prepared their call center CMs to answer basic questions (again, not faulting the CMs here). They could have given TAs a heads up prior to the press release so we didn't have find out about this from our clients or on a discussion board (as an aside, we STILL haven't received an e-mail about the press release). They could have reassured us like Universal did by letting us know that they will be paying our commission for PIF reservations through X date but that they couldn't promise anything beyond that (or at least tell us "sorry, but we can't pay you at all from here on out"). As it stands now, we are spending yet another weekend in the dark in complete uncertainty. I'm sorry, but that just isn't fair to folks who have spent years and years supporting a company's bottom line and who have, more importantly, believed completely in a company.

Edit: I really do apologize for my intensity today. It's just been a really emotional week for lots of reasons. I know in my heart that we will learn more in the coming days and weeks. I'm just a bit frayed, as we all are.

I totally agree with you

 

[Krandor]

I really feel like we are gonna have to learn to live with It. It’s not going anywhere but as more and more get it and become immune which they are stating is a fact will help a lot.

I don't think the doctors and nurses fighting this thing want to "just learn to live with it". We need to do better for their sakes.

 

[xuxa777]

I have to respectfully disagree here. They didn't have to give us a reopening date because that just might not be possible (and I respect that), but there's a lot more they could have done. They could have prepared their call center CMs to answer basic questions (again, not faulting the CMs here). They could have given TAs a heads up prior to the press release so we didn't have find out about this from our clients or on a discussion board (as an aside, we STILL haven't received an e-mail about the press release). They could have reassured us like Universal did by letting us know that they will be paying our commission for PIF reservations through X date but that they couldn't promise anything beyond that (or at least tell us "sorry, but we can't pay you at all from here on out"). As it stands now, we are spending yet another weekend in the dark in complete uncertainty. I'm sorry, but that just isn't fair to folks who have spent years and years supporting a company's bottom line and who have, more importantly, believed completely in a company.

Edit: I really do apologize for my intensity today. It's just been a really emotional week for lots of reasons. I know in my heart that we will learn more in the coming days and weeks. I'm just a bit frayed, as we all are.

I am positive Disney would have loved to have the time to implement all the things you mention. Keep in mind though, they just had to shut down pretty much their entire company (BTW one of the world's largest companies) for months. I get the frustration and stress though. I truly hate it for you personally and the entire TA industry. Millions of people lost their jobs within the past week. To say this is unprecedented in history is an understatement. Disney is doing the best they can. Stay safe and healthy. It is a tough time for all.

 

[fsjking]

No one expected that the NBA would cancel its season either until it happened. If multiple states keep their bans on large gatherings in place, it's not like the MLB would have a choice in the matter.



We're nowhere close to a point where we can just learn to live with it. We have multiple cities that are likely to run out of hospital beds in the next month. New York's morgues are already nearly at capacity and they're bringing in refridgerator trucks to handle the extra bodies. There will come a time when the rate of infection slows down to the point where life can start returning to normal, but we're not anywhere near that point yet.

I cannot believe this will be at the ban on gatherings level 5 months from now. There might be hotspots, but it will not be nationwide at that point.

 

[Sandisw]

Has anyone tried to book a date to see if they locked out before some arbitrary date? I'm not even sure with David's when to try to rebook...

DVC website has not yet been updated to reflect the new change of closing. It is still listing accepting reservations from April 1st on,

I imagine it will be changed within the next day.

 

[Krandor]

Florida's peak is likely 6 weeks off per the docs around here

If that is right then we are likely into June for a disney reopening.

 

[jlwhitney]

No one expected that the NBA would cancel its season either until it happened. If multiple states keep their bans on large gatherings in place, it's not like the MLB would have a choice in the matter.



We're nowhere close to a point where we can just learn to live with it. We have multiple cities that are likely to run out of hospital beds in the next month. New York's morgues are already nearly at capacity and they're bringing in refridgerator trucks to handle the extra bodies. There will come a time when the rate of infection slows down to the point where life can start returning to normal, but we're not anywhere near that point yet.

yes but even when it slows we are still going to have to accept the fact that it is still around.

 

[Yarbogash]

yes but even when it slows we are still going to have to accept the fact that it is still around.

Yes. As somebody who is prone to chronic bronchitis I will not be visiting WDW or anything like it until I have had the virus and recovered or I’ve received a vaccine.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Given the "stay-at-home" guidelines (that will last until April 9th) issued by the Osceloa and Orange counties of Florida (where Walt Disney World lies), I predict that Disney World will reopen on April 10th.

California's Orange County has similar guidelines that are in effect until March 31st, but the whole aforementioned state also has similar guidelines that will last "until further notice", which is making me unsure of when Disneyland in California will reopen.

 

[indoshakespeare]

Remember that Hong Kong and Shanghai Disneyland have been closed for 2 months and they don't have a reopening date yet. I expect the same timeline for Disneyland and WDW. if Hong Kong and Shanghai close for 3 months, then Disneyland and WDW will close for 3 months

 

[mrsg00fy]

The DVC website is now updated with the new rules. They will continue to put borrowed points for cancelled reservations back to their original use year. They have not changed the rules for banked points or extended the banking deadline for the close in use years. They are evaluating options for how to better assist with these situations.

 

[Remy is Up]

Given the "stay-at-home" guidelines (that will last until April 9th) issued by the Osceloa and Orange counties of Florida (where Walt Disney World lies), I predict that Disney World will reopen on April 10th.

California's Orange County has similar guidelines that are in effect until March 31st, but the whole aforementioned state also has similar guidelines that will last "until further notice", which is making me unsure of when Disneyland in California will reopen.

Wishful thinking. I'll give you the whole.month of april. You give me late june to july and let's see who is closer to the date.

 

[Marionnette]

The DVC website is now updated with the new rules. They will continue to put borrowed points for cancelled reservations back to their original use year. They have not changed the rules for banked points or extended the banking deadline for the close in use years. They are evaluating options for how to better assist with these situations.

But the policy is as clear as mud. Does “closed until further notice” mean I can cancel my July reservation, that uses borrowed points, and they will go back into the UY they were borrowed from? Or do I need to wait until DVC announces that they are closed for July before I’m covered?

https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/travel-information/

 

[jlwhitney]

Yes. As somebody who is prone to chronic bronchitis I will not be visiting WDW or anything like it until I have had the virus and recovered or I’ve received a vaccine.

And that is completely fair. Things are going to reopen and its going to be up to people to choose what risk they want to take just like with everything. I will say I hope schools and employers offer more grace with illnesses then they have in the past. I also think parents need to have a better way at getting sick notes from dr.s for school. I have so many friends that just send them because they can't easily afford to shell out $100-150 for a sick visit to essentially get a not so there kid is excused.

 

[choirfarm]

But the policy is as clear as mud. Does “closed until further notice” mean I can cancel my July reservation, that uses borrowed points, and they will go back into the UY they were borrowed from? Or do I need to wait until DVC announces that they are closed for July before I’m covered?

https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/travel-information/

Yeah, but they cannot do that and this was best for them. As i said before, the only time they can start making a plan for re-opening is when Florida's numbers start declining substantially. But even then, I wonder. Most of the hot spots in the nation right now are prime travel spots ( like skiing in Colorado) So, if numbers are good in Floriday, but still increasing in 10 other states, what then?

But I digress. Let's say, we have a vaccine or the cases just miraculously stop in mid- May. Then, Disney can say we will open in 3 weeks and work toward that. But right now they have no basis on which to make their decision. They don't want to remove the option to open if in some miraculous way things get better. It sucks, but I do not know how else they can do it with this stupid virus.

 

[WonderlandisReality]

Not putting out false hope for reopening because I truly think this will go throughout April if not into mid May BUT park hours on the website are blank through April 9 and resume on April 10. Maybe we can expect an update before this...

 

[hertamaniac]

I lean towards a June opening. If they open in two weeks, they might as well hang signs in front of each park/resort "Welcome Foolish Mortals".

 

[Spridell]

I lean towards a June opening. If they open in two weeks, they might as well hang signs in front of each park/resort "Welcome Foolish Mortals".

Yeah I think Parks opening in June is what they going for now. I have been thinking that a while now.

I do think we could see Disney Springs open by Memorial Day.