What's New at Walt Disney World?

[UmbrellaFish]

Oh I mean, I have a reservation with a hotel near Disney Springs (B Resort) in September and it’s a third party affiliate, I think, but the website calls it an “Official Disney Hotel”... so I’m not sure if that guarantees me a reservation into the park or not...? That is the system, right, you need a hotel reservation to get into the park? It’s early days so hopefully a list or something will be provided because there are lots of non-Disney hotels with Disney perks like the B Resort so...

But I’m only going if my friend’s program goes through. If that gets cancelled, I’m cancelling my trip.

Yeah, I can’t imagine being in line at World of Disney right now... I had no idea it would be like that... which is stupid of me, I’ve seen people sprint from the front of the park to Frontierland and Fantasyland to buy exclusive Funko Pops. Really makes me worried for my friends who are/will/might be working in WDW soon... Oy, I mean what is in there that you could want so much???

[blackcauldron85]

^ Tht fact that they finally can go to Disney Springs is why...maybe no other reason.

Walt Disney World Releases Additional Information on New Theme Park Reservation System for Reopening
https://wdwnt.com/?p=289956

[UmbrellaFish]

But Disney Springs has been open for almost a week now... I think a lot of those people (not all, but a lot) are probably scalpers who are trying to buy up the exclusive Disney merch that sold out on ShopDisney during the shutdown.

And thank you for posting that link! Still no word about my hotel, but I’ve nothing but time at this point.

[blackcauldron85]

^ That makes sense about scalpers. Grrr. That was part of the issue on ShopDisney.

[UmbrellaFish]

https://wdwnt.com/2020/05/breaking-walt ... rs-listed/

Park hours have been revealed for the first week back in operation. Basically, it looks like MK and DAK are closing about 2-3 hours earlier than usual and Epcot and DHS are opening about 2-3 hours later than usual.

[blackcauldron85]

I think that those Extra Magic Hours make sense, as a little incentive for hotel guests. And I hadn't read anything about the water parks opening until seeing those hours.

[blackcauldron85]

UPDATE: Walt Disney World Officially Retracts July 11 Reopening Date for Resort Hotels
https://wdwnt.com/?p=290507

[UmbrellaFish]

I’m confused by this. Disney is setting up a reservation system where only Disney hotel guests can buy Disney theme park tickets, right? So obviously, the Disney resorts must at least open the same day the parks reopen?

[UmbrellaFish]

https://wdwnt.com/2020/05/confirmed-wal ... -released/

Pretty big move, but I did think FP’s would get nixed.

[blackcauldron85]

Also, please note that upon reopening, Extra Magic Hours will be temporarily suspended.

They had released Park hours which included morning EMH. I was surprised they had those since most stores (not Disney stores, just grocery, drug stores, etc.) reduced hours to clean, so why would Disney reduce hours yet tack on EMH?

My husband is excited to go back to WDW; last weekend he suggested going to Disney Springs soon; I mentioned the parking garage limits, and I think that changed his mind. He has family coming to visit this summer, and he's bummed that ticket sales are stopped for now...if we still have APs, we could get in; his family couldn't. I'm confused about if we have APs still, but he seems to think so.

UF, so I'm assuming your dining reservation is canceled; I wonder if they'll personally notify you...

[blackcauldron85]

Full-Time Walt Disney World Cast Members Given Option for Temporary Transfer to Return to Work Faster
https://wdwnt.com/?p=290158

This is great of Disney. I wonder, though, how many of the furloughed CMs won't be coming back; if all come back, there won't be these openings; if most come back, there won't be any openings. And the article mentioned that this is not open to CMs with medical conditions; who decides that, the CM or WDW??

[UmbrellaFish]

I had thought they might allow CMs to transfer into different roles, so I’m glad that’s happening. We’ve already seen it happen with the resort children’s activity cast being the “hall monitors” at Disney Springs. Hopefully there are many new roles necessitated by this crisis like the “hall monitor” role which can put more CMs to work. There are whole swaths of roles which are obsolete now— the aforementioned children’s activity cast, parade audience control cast, huge cutbacks in the performance departments, and those are just the first that come to my mind.

I actually did get an email from Disney last night that laid out all the info about the cancelled reservations etc. But I’m not sure why I got it— it says “However, because you have valid Theme Park admission, you will have access to the Theme Park reservation system before new tickets are sold to other Guests,” but I haven’t actually bought tickets yet for my trip so I don’t know what they mean by I have valid admission!?! I don’t have a dining reservation, I have a reservation with a non-Disney owned hotel on Disney property which comes with the same perks as a Disney hotel, so maybe that’s why I got the email? I don’t know I’m very confused. But I think most likely it’s a mistake and they’re just blasting the email out to all people with My Disney Experience accounts.

But again, I’m just waiting for them to either cancel or give the go ahead on my friend’s program. As much as I’d love to and want to see him, I can’t imagine that they’d actually keep his program for this year??? But why haven’t they cancelled it yet??? His arrival date is (I think) July 6th so surely if they’re going to cancel it, they will cancel it in the next two weeks right???? I know July 6th is before the parks open, but actually it would be a perfect amount of time for them to get there and get trained before the parks reopened so that doesn’t necessarily make things any clearer. But I’d think that putting domestic CMs back to work would be priority? Like so many people who will be displaced because their stage show attraction is kaputz or whatever could easily be plugged into staffing the World Showcase. But CMs are also so much cheaper and they pump so much of their income right back into Disney’s pocket.

I don’t know. Everything’s crazy right now.

[blackcauldron85]

BREAKING: Walt Disney World Receives Final Approval for July 11 Phased Reopening
https://wdwnt.com/?p=290780

[UmbrellaFish]

https://wdwnt.com/2020/05/epcots-world- ... reopening/

Good news for domestic cast members, bad news for people like my friend. I know the shoe’s going to drop anytime now— when Disney will officially announce their intentions and cancel scheduled programs— probably this week, and I haven’t wanted to break it to him... I’ve mentioned lately that I might try and visit him in his country when things are back to normal. I hope he’ll sign up for another program when the option is available again.

[blackcauldron85]

My husband asked if they're going to staff people in the pavilions that are of that nationality, like Japanese-Americans, Italian-Americans, Mexican-Americans, etc.

I sure hope Disney is transparent to the international program cast members soon, so they can, ya know, plan their lives a little bit. But maybe Disney doesn't know yet when those programs will resume. I mean, there are travel restrictions going on right now.

[UmbrellaFish]

BREAKING: Spaceship Earth Will Reopen with EPCOT on July 15th, Refurbishment Postponed Indefinitely

https://wdwnt.com/2020/06/breaking-spac ... efinitely/

Spaceship Earth isn’t in desperate need of a refurbishment and they can’t really afford to lose an attraction now when some attractions will have to be closed due to impracticalities in regards to Covid. It will also mean more jobs are open. And since details have been sketch about the refurbishment, I won’t mourn it if never comes to fruition.

EDIT: PHOTOS: Cinderella Castle Makeover Progress Resumes During Park Closure at the Magic Kingdom

https://wdwnt.com/2020/06/photos-cinder ... ark-close/

It’s comforting to see that the refurb is progressing again. I’m sure it will be finished by the time the park reopens. I wonder if this means that construction on Ratatouille is also resuming? I think you’d need a drive to check on that.

Edit: Blog Mickey has better photos: https://blogmickey.com/2020/06/disney-w ... ts-resume/

[UmbrellaFish]

Walt Disney World Scheduling Thousands of Cast Members in Upcoming Weeks for Imminent Reopening

https://wdwnt.com/2020/06/walt-disney-w ... ing-weeks/

Disney College Program is Not Likely to Restart Soon, According to Union

https://wdwnt.com/2020/06/disney-colleg ... -to-union/

This is all good news and I support the decision not to restart the College Program at this time but I hope Disney makes an announcement to these kids as soon as possible if that is the case. My friends still anticipate that they will be working at Disney this summer/fall and they are making major preparations in order to do so. I know they and many other students will be scrambling to alter their job plans and academic plans.

[blackcauldron85]

I'm so glad that people will be getting back to work soon! But I agree- it's irresponsible to not make a decision soon & inform the CPs about their programs...

[blackcauldron85]

Would the Parks be open to the players and their families to give them something to do?

NBA Players Will Not Be Allowed to Visit Walt Disney World Theme Parks During Resumed Season
https://wdwnt.com/?p=292897

[UmbrellaFish]

Lots and lots of little updates lately

Guests with Park Reservations for Walt Disney World Will NOT Be Able To Park Hop Under New System
https://wdwnt.com/2020/06/guests-with-p ... ew-system/

I thought this had already been confirmed lol. Would make it hard to monitor capacity if you’re letting people park hop like normal. I’m sure Park Hoppers will return eventually, certainly in time for the 50th.

NBA Players to Be Housed at Three Specific Hotels Across Walt Disney World Resort; To Be Tested Nightly for COVID-19
https://wdwnt.com/2020/06/nba-players-t ... -covid-19/

No official word on which hotels yet, but from the article: “Rumors have been flying recently with Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House or Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort being potential candidates for housing the teams. Recently, ESPN announced that according to inside sources, “NBA teams will be contained to three specific hotels within the Disney complex.””

Walt Disney World Resort Provides Update that Hotel Reservations Do Not Guarantee Theme Park Access
https://wdwnt.com/2020/06/walt-disney-w ... rk-access/

But surely, if you reserve your theme park tickets during the early reservation period allotted for people who already Disney hotel reservations, you can easily secure your tickets? Or am I underestimating the numbers were working with here? Idk, but I do hope Disney makes this reservation process as simple as possible because the park greeters and grapes are going to have to deal with the worst of it if things go wrong.

Walt Disney World Now Waiving Change and Cancellation Fees Through October https://wdwnt.com/2020/06/walt-disney-w ... october-3/

About Disney’s international and college programs, I haven’t heard any news or rumors about where the wind might be blowing lately, but I finally talked to my friends about it. My domestic friend was kind of “que sera sera” about it, it would mess with her school plans but in some ways it would make things easier with her scholarships and the like if she stayed home. She said she’d just apply again, and she’d rather be there when things are back to normal again, anyway. So she’ll be okay if it gets cancelled.

My friend from Mexico still expects he will go. He says “no news is good news,” and he said he’ll be screwed if it doesn’t happen because he planned his whole year around it. Yesterday marked one month until his official arrival date. I know he seems a bit overly optimistic but... I’m still going to be so pissed if Disney decides to drop the bomb on these kids two weeks out from their arrival or something.


EDIT: More (oldish) news I want to talk about

Electrical Water Pageant Will Not Be Available Upon Reopening of Walt Disney World
https://wdwnt.com/2020/06/electrical-wa ... ney-world/

Of course we expect that parades and shows will be canceled due to Covid-19, but the Water Pageant is more something you pass by or watch from your hotel balcony. Nobody lines up for this, do they? So I’m worried it’s just a budget cut and something that in fact never returns....