Tag: disney parks

More Disney Vacation Club Details Released — Including ANOTHER Extension of Their Temporary DVC Points Policy!

Post author By disneyfoodblog.com
Post date May 27, 2020

Now that Disney World’s theme parks have proposed a reopening date of July 11th and July 15th, several Disney World hotels have also confirmed they’ll be reopening starting in June for Disney Vacation Club Members.

Disney Vacation Club Kiosk at Animal Kingdom

The purchasing of park tickets and hotel reservations has been temporarily paused while Disney World prepares its new reservation system, but we did just receive an email from Disney with additional information for DVC guests.

Disney Vacation Club (DVC) properties at Walt Disney World and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground will begin to reopen to members and guests on June 22nd. Additionally, DVC properties in Vero Beach, Florida, and Hilton Head, South Carolina will reopen on June 15th.

Spare Tire Covers at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort

Disney has shared the following safety measures will be implemented upon guests’ arrival:

Enhanced cleaning of all rooms prior to arrival, including additional measures for dishware and appliances for Disney Vacation Club units, along with the standard Disney Vacation Club housekeeping services during your stay
Increased cleaning and sanitization in high-traffic areas
New hand-sanitizing stations in key areas
Physical distancing at restaurants, lobbies, pools, fitness centers and other public areas, including reducing capacity where appropriate

Disney is also strongly encouraging guests to utilize mobile check-in via the My Disney Experience app as well as contactless forms of payment while on property. All Cast Members and guests will also be required to wear face masks in public areas of the hotels for the duration of their stay.

Disney’s BoardWalk Inn

Reopening dates for The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa as well as Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, Ko Olina Hawai’i have not been determined yet, but Disney will be providing updates about those resorts as soon as information becomes available.

Aulani Resort

Finally, for DVC guests concerned about their unused points, Disney is changing and extending their temporary policies regarding expiring points again.

According to Disney, “April, June, and now August, September, and October 2019 Use Year points that are set to expire in 2020 and that were used for reservations during the closure period will be extended for one year from the current expiration date.”

DVC Suitcase

You can review Disney’s former temporary DVC refund policy here!

“Additionally, April, June and now August, September and October 2018 Use Year points that were banked into 2019 Use Years and used for these reservations will now all expire November 30, 2020. This temporary policy only includes expiring points that were used to book a stay arriving between March 12 and the end of the closure period and that involve a reservation cancelled after February 29.”

Grand Floridian Resort in Disney World

We’ll provide you with any and all additional details regarding Disney World’s phased reopening plan for its theme parks and hotels as soon as more information becomes available, so stay tuned!

Learn more about Disney World’s proposed reopening plan for July here!

Are you a Disney Vacation Club member? Let us know if any of your vacation plans have been impacted by the parks’ temporary closure in the comments below.

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Animal Kingdom, Disney News, disney parks, disney’s hollywood studios, Epcot, Featured, Fort Wilderness Resort, magic kingdom, News, Disney Vacation Club, Disney Vacation Club members, disney vacation club points extension, Disney World, Disney World reopening, DVC Members, DVC points, dvc points extended, dvc policy, face masks, health and safety measures, points policy extended, reopening, safety measures, temporary closure, temporary policy extended

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Inspectors Deem Disney World as Ready to Reopen in Mid-July

Post author By disneyfoodblog.com
Post date May 27, 2020

This morning, Disney World proposed a reopening plan to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force.

Magic Kingdom

In order to get the approval ball rolling on their anticipated July 11th reopening date, the parks were required to undergo an inspection by local health professionals. This group took a look at how ready Disney World is to institute their proposed plan. Let’s take a look at what they found out and the conclusion they came to!

Jon Weiss, a Director for the Planning, Environmental and Development Services Department in Orange County, explained the results of the inspection to the Task Force today. The team performed inspections in both SeaWorld and Walt Disney World yesterday and determined that both properties were prepared to implement their proposed plans.

Attraction Reopening Plans

The inspection team was made up of Florida Health Department and Orange County officials including two epidemiologists, an EMS Medical Director, and some government officials.

According to Weiss, the team looked into wellness protocols for employees and the guest arrival process including parking, temperature checks, security, and ticketing. They evaluated the health operations in restaurants with mobile order and table separation and queue management with social distancing and changes in seating on rides as well.

Attraction Reopening Plans

Further, they compared park readiness in respect to hand-sanitizing stations and cleaning protocols for high-touch surfaces.

As mentioned, both SeaWorld and Disney World were deemed ready to implement their respective plans. From there, the plan was approved by the mayor and will now move to be approved by the Florida governor.

Friendship Boat

We will keep you updated on the approval process!

Click here to learn all of the details about Disney World’s proposed reopening!

Are you planning to visit Disney World when they reopen? Let us know in the comments below.

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, disney parks, Featured, Walt Disney World, Disney World, disney world closure, disney world inspection, Disney World reopening, Florida Government, governor ron desantis, mayor jerry demmings, orange county, Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force

Tags Disney News, disney parks, Disney World, disney world closure, disney world inspection, Disney World reopening, Featured, Florida Government, Governor Ron DeSantis, mayor jerry demmings, orange county, Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force, Walt Disney World

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NEWS: ‘Relaxation Zones’ May Offer Guests a Chance to Briefly Remove Face Masks When Visiting Walt Disney World

Post author By disneyfoodblog.com
Post date May 27, 2020

Walt Disney World Resort has proposed a plan to reopen starting in mid-July with Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom on July 11th, followed by EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15th.

Walt Disney World’s Epcot

Among the many safety measures that will be implemented when the parks reopen will be the required wearing of face coverings by all guests and cast members (which we’ve already experienced in the recently reopened Disney Springs).

The wearing of face masks may be new to many.

Starbucks at Disney Springs Upon Reopening

And of course, anyone who has spent any amount of time in Central Florida — especially in the summer months — is familiar with the hot and humid weather. Perhaps keeping those factors in mind, Disney mentioned the possibility of “Relaxation Zones” during the Question and Answer phase of the meeting.

Guests with Face Coverings in Disney Springs

Though Disney noted that the wearing of masks has not presented an issue so far in Disney Springs, these potential Zones (located “in and around and off the property”) may allow guests the chance to remove their face coverings for a moment to take a bit of a breather and… well, relax! We imagine there will be more to share about the Relaxation Zones (including potential safety measures within the Zones) as the reopening of the Resort draws near.

Cast Member with required face mask

The Relaxation Zones are just one of many new items that were discussed today during the proposal of the plans for the reopening of Walt Disney World. To find out more about the details revealed in today’s proposal (which — at press time, has been approved by Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings in advance of being submitted to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for his approval) you can click here. And you may find even more information by visiting any of the links below.

What do you think of the possibility of Relaxation Zones? Please let us know with a comment!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Animal Kingdom, disney parks, disney’s hollywood studios, Epcot, Featured, magic kingdom, Walt Disney World, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, face coverings, face masks, health and safety measures, walt disney world reopening

Tags animal kingdom, disney parks, disney's hollywood studios, epcot, face coverings, face masks, Featured, health and safety measures, magic kingdom, Walt Disney World, walt disney world reopening

Disney News Disney Parks

NEWS: ‘Social Distancing Squads’ Will Make Theme Park Debut When Walt Disney World Parks Reopen

Post author By disneyfoodblog.com
Post date May 27, 2020

Today we are covering Walt Disney World’s plans for reopening as presented today to Florida’s Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force. The phased reopening is proposed to start with Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11th followed by Disney’s Hollywood Studios and EPCOT on July 15th.

Magic Kingdom Entrance

Proposed safety measures for the opening include limiting guest capacity in the theme parks with a new guest theme park reservation system among other protocols. The limited capacity in the park will help to accomplish physical distancing between guests, and Walt Disney World will also rely on its cast members to help implement these new measures.

Jim MacPhee, Senior Vice President of Operations for Walt Disney World, presented the plans to the Task Force, sharing the following: “Cast Members will be trained to positively encourage guests to practice the correct behaviors and demonstrate them themselves.”

Guest Relations Cast Member in Disney Springs

And one of the ways that will be accomplished is through something called Social Distancing Squads — a dedicated team of “highly energetic cast members” (also referred to as Safety Ambassadors) who will be present in every park.

The theme parks will not actually deliver the debut of the Social Distancing Squads to Walt Disney World. A Squad has been present in Disney Springs since its reopening, and Jim MacPhee shared that the team has been “a huge hit” with guests.

Disney Ambassadors in Disney Springs

Additionally, he stated: “As always, our exceptional cast members will engage with our guests to make the experience as real and as magical as possible.”

We will continue to keep you posted on these and other safety measures proposed for the reopening of Walt Disney World as this story continues to develop. To learn more about the current status of Disney parks and destinations around the globe, you can visit any of the links below.

What do you think about the Social Distancing Squad in the parks? Please let us know with a comment!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Animal Kingdom, disney parks, disney’s hollywood studios, Epcot, Featured, magic kingdom, Walt Disney World, disney springs, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Physical Distancing, Social Distance Squad, social distancing, walt disney world reopening

Tags animal kingdom, disney parks, Disney Springs, disney's hollywood studios, epcot, Featured, magic kingdom, Physical Distancing, Social Distance Squad, social distancing, Walt Disney World, walt disney world reopening

Disney News Disney Parks Other

NEWS! New Ticket Sales and Hotel Reservations On Pause for Initial Reopening Phase of Disney World

Post author By disneyfoodblog.com
Post date May 27, 2020

Walt Disney World Resort has submitted a plan for reopening in a phased process with Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom opening to guests on July 11th and Disney’s Hollywoood Studios and EPCOT opening on July 15th.

Monorail Station at Walt Disney World Ticket and Transportation Center

During the presentation of the plans, it was announced that park capacity would be “significantly reduced” upon reopening to implement physical distancing measures. And Disney has presented additional information about guest capacity with regards to new tickets sales and Disney Resort hotel reservations.

Disney already announced that they will utilize a system that will require guests to obtain a reservation to enter the park in advance. And in addition to this system to help manage attendance, Disney has also stated that — at press time — they are “temporarily pausing new ticket sales and Disney Resort hotel reservations” with an intent to “focus on guests with existing tickets and reservations.”

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

Noting that Disney Vacation Club members can make new reservations at this time, it was also revealed that existing ticket holders as well as Annual Passholders will be able to make their requests for reservations in phases prior to new tickets being sold. Reservations will be limited and subject to availabilty, according to Disney.

Magic Kingdom Park Entrance

In the presentation today, it was noted that additional details regarding the new reservation system will be revealed in the “near future,” and we will be keeping you posted as this story develops.

In the meantime, you can learn more about the status of Disney parks and destinations by visiting any of the links below, and learn more about Disney World’s reopening proposal here.

What are your thoughts on the reopening plans proposed for Walt Disney World? Please let us know with a comment.

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Animal Kingdom, disney parks, disney resorts, disney’s hollywood studios, Epcot, Featured, magic kingdom, Walt Disney World, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Walt Disnet World Resort, walt disney world reopening

Tags animal kingdom, disney parks, disney resorts, disney's hollywood studios, epcot, Featured, magic kingdom, Walt Disnet World Resort, Walt Disney World, walt disney world reopening