WDW COVID-19 Operational Changes- Reservation System-Rope Drop Procedures

[nkereina]

How far in advance are you purchasing tickets / reserving dates? Park hours are only out until November, and our travel plans are in December.

We just decided to try to do an Orlando park trip in mid-December. I know that my 2 kids and I are 100% in unless COVID just explodes. DS2's gf is about a 95%, and my BIL is realistically 80%. He wants to go, is planning to go, but things with his job frequently mean his plans fall through. I hate to spend $$ on park tickets that will not get used, because UT won't take returns on a ticket that has been linked. But I have to link it in order to reserve his park days with the rest of us.

I'm assuming that if I bite the bullet and buy, and he backs out at the last minute, that I can transfer the ticket (value) to DH for use in January 2022, which would be our next planned Disney trip?

I'm not familiar with UT's tickets, but for Disney, if the tickets are for specific dates, then you would just retain the value of the ticket and can use that value towards the purchase of a ticket for DH on your January 2022 trip. So, you'd have to pay the difference in cost for his ticket, if there is one.

We’ve already booked our December dates.

You have to have tickets attached to book park reservations. OP is on the fence about purchasing tickets in order to secure the park reservations, because she's unsure whether some will be able to join them.

 

[boxer]

Finally got the tickets for our Nov trip, and didn't realize how tough it is to book parks months ahead of time, lol. Just booked the parks that I 'thought' we would visit each day--but will surely want to change out while we are down there. How tough is it to change the park reservations either day-of, or day-before while you are on vacation?

 

[Orion Nebula]

I would be shocked if they don't extend hours for the busy Christmas/NY season. I have not heard anything on promos for next year

I was thinking the same thing myself, especially into next year with the 50th going on. I am still on the fence and feel like come DEC if the hours are so short that will kind of be the nail in the coffin for me. Crossing my fingers.

 

[CyndiLooWho]

You have to have tickets attached to book park reservations. OP is on the fence about purchasing tickets in order to secure the park reservations, because she's unsure whether some will be able to join them.

Yes - I have already reserved a condo at WBC for the week, just trying to time ticket purchases for good availability and least chance of someone dropping out.

 

[disneygirlsng]

If you are staying on property, right now it isn't hard at all. Now that could change by November though, I don't think anybody knows how it is going to be then. If you are staying off-property, but not using an AP, the availability has been fairly decent, harder for DHS though. If just using an AP, I would not count on being able to change while you are there.

 

[osufeth24]

Please forgive me if this has been answered, but does anyone know if the current restrictions that are in place now will run through 2021?

Things can change each day. It's hard to know what next month will bring, let alone, anything in 2021.

 

[FRANKTSJR]

Don't know if this has been mentioned but, For those in the tri-state area:

Florida has now met the requirements to come off of NY's quarantine list

So let's see what happens.....

What? When? Great news!!

 

[Spridell]

What? When? Great news!!

After looking at NY requirements again I might of jumped the gun just a little too early. I am sorry about that.

But it looks like another week or 2 THEN Florida should OFFICIALLY meet the NY requirement.

 

[boxer]

If you are staying on property, right now it isn't hard at all. Now that could change by November though, I don't think anybody knows how it is going to be then. If you are staying off-property, but not using an AP, the availability has been fairly decent, harder for DHS though. If just using an AP, I would not count on being able to change while you are there.

Yep, DVC member staying at BWV. I had talked with DVC CM, and she made it sound very easy to change last-minute---but I wanted a real world opinion, lol.

 

[ScubaCat]

Yep, DVC member staying at BWV. I had talked with DVC CM, and she made it sound very easy to change last-minute---but I wanted a real world opinion, lol.

I'd still book something ahead of time (obviously.. Heh). As an example, 9/6 is totally full currently. I was there a couple of weeks ago and changed a couple of times right before heading out so it's definitely possible most of the time.

 

[yulilin3]

Poly will remain closed until Summer of 2021, monorail service will stop stopping at the Poly in October. From the Orlando Sentinel
"A Disney World spokeswoman on Monday said changes to the rooms will include a move to a Pacific Ocean-inspired color palette as well as details, patterns and textures from Disney’s “Moana,” an animated film that takes place on the Polynesian island of Motunui. "

 

[Ecomommy09]

Poly will remain closed until Summer of 2021, monorail service will stop stopping at the Poly in October. From the Orlando Sentinel
"A Disney World spokeswoman on Monday said changes to the rooms will include a move to a Pacific Ocean-inspired color palette as well as details, patterns and textures from Disney’s “Moana,” an animated film that takes place on the Polynesian island of Motunui. "

Oh. I’m surprisingly crushed. I was holding onto hope for Ohana to open for out October trip. . Isn’t it silly that I’m upset about this more than anything else that we’ve had to change. We love Ohana.

 

[disneygirlsng]

Yep, DVC member staying at BWV. I had talked with DVC CM, and she made it sound very easy to change last-minute---but I wanted a real world opinion, lol.

I had no problems changing morning of last week. I would say that if you are going on or around a holiday I wouldn't rely on it, but other than that I wouldn't think there would be too much of a problem.

 

[VeeHam]

Oh. I’m surprisingly crushed. I was holding onto hope for Ohana to open for out October trip. . Isn’t it silly that I’m upset about this more than anything else that we’ve had to change. We love Ohana.

This . We are so sad about Ohana. I had hoped they would open by Thanksgiving.

 

[FRANKTSJR]

here is the website which has the NY quarantine list. As noted elsewhere, Florida IS still on the list. The PP quoted above is incorrect

https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory

Yes, but like Spridell says, getting close and could be lifted soon. Today the 7 day average was 10.6 %. Here's a link:
https://covidusa.net/?autorefresh=1&state=Florida

 

[brockash]

So in past years there have been reports of staffing and/or capacity cuts in September, based on lower crowd forecasts. Those could drive wait times up even with fewer people in the parks. Are there any indications there might be similar staffing/capacity cuts this year in addition to the shortened hours post-Labor Day? I'm hopeful that wouldn't be the case - it seems like reports of increasing waits would hurt future bookings even more.

As several people have mentioned, the low waits are the big draw, so my biggest fear with a trip now is that we show up in mid-late September only to find further cuts to capacity, beyond the reduced hours. I imagine those would show up in the posted wait times, there's just not much run time between September 8 and when we'd be leaving.

I don't know why in Disney's mind they wouldn't. They do it every year, so unfortunately I assume they'll be scaling back now as well. It'd be great if I were wrong, but I've experienced it too many times to be too hopeful.

 

[Lsdolphin]

New discounts posted for room/ticket packages through Dec 25th and a room only offer (for selected states)

 

[Orion Nebula]

New discounts posted for room/ticket packages through Dec 25th and a room only offer (for selected states)

Whats the actual first deal entail? And what's with the only select states?

EDIT: NM I went and went looked lol

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

So I need to make a reservation and I want to use my last "non-expiring" ticket which apparently was purchased before 2010. Is there any way to do this or should I just give up?

(I am on hold after giving that useless computer my life history? They really needed the number of visits, date of last vist, my last name, phone, zip code, and street number for me to talk to a human???? One way to make sure the customer service agents get an angry customer!)

 

[cindy17]

I hv a 5 day ticket for 9/10-15. Have all park reservations for the 5 days with HS again on my 5th day, but if we get everything done on day 1 of HS, I’d like to switch that 5th day to MK. Is there a deadline when I need to do this switch by? Will MDE let me do it the night before?