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Disney Just Canceled Everything! Here’s What’s Going On — And What You Should Do Next.

Disney World is set to begin a phased reopening of the theme parks on July 11th, and things certainly won’t be like they used to be.

Magic Kingdom

In light of the impending reopening, Disney has made some MASSIVE changes to the way things are done. They’ve canceled what feels like everything for everybody — no FastPasses, no dining reservations, no new ticket sales, and more.

From a guest perspective, it can feel a little bit like the folks at Disney have TOTALLY lost their collective mind. We know MANY of you are affected by these sudden changes, and we’re here to help. We’re taking a look at what you should do if you’re impacted and answering some big questions.

What has Disney changed?

In preparation for the changes coming with the reopening, Disney has suspended and canceled many offerings. First, it was announced with their reopening proposal that new hotel reservations and ticket sales are suspended at this time. Existing hotel reservations and ticket sales still stand.

Contemporary Resort

If you had a trip coming up, you’ll notice that all of your existing FastPass+ reservations, advance dining reservations, and experience reservations through September 2021 have been canceled. This is due to the fact that these services will likely see some change in the next few weeks. The Disney Dining Plan and Extra Magic Hours are currently suspended as well.

Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom

Finally, we’re expecting to see the introduction of a new theme park reservation system that will help to limit capacity in the theme parks. This system is still in development but will launch prior to the reopening of the parks on July 11th, per the reopening plan for the parks.

Click here to read more details about the reopening plan.

What am I supposed to do now?

Basically, Disney has cleared out their system. Capacity changes in the parks mean capacity changes in ride queues and dining — but that DOESN’T mean that you won’t be able to make dining reservations OR FastPass reservations. It just might be a little different than we’re used to.

Disney World’s Magic Kingdom

Disney CEO Bob Chapek mentioned that they’ve pretty much had to re-engineer the parks to keep these capacity changes in mind, and that apparently means a big overhaul to their reservation systems.

FastPass+ and Extra Magic Hours Suspension

As we mentioned, Disney has instituted a suspension of the FastPass+ system and Extra Magic Hours until further notice. According to the announcement from Disney, the removal of Fastpass means that they can use all of the queue areas to better distance guests. Removing Extra Magic Hours helps to simplify things for Disney and for guests who are hoping to navigate the reopening.

Haunted Mansion

But we get it — if you LOST precious FastPasses or extra hours you were banking on having it flat out stinks. Does this jeopardize our chance to breeze onto these hard-to-get FastPass rides? Maybe not. After all, Disney is significantly limiting capacity and expecting shorter wait times in general at reopening. You might not even NEED a FastPass if capacity limits keep lines down. Disney has also stated they’re considering a virtual queue system in the parks when they open, so while it might feel like we’re losing FastPasses, we could be gaining something possibly better.

Need more info on the suspension of the Fastpass+ system? Click here.

Dining Cancellations

This one is a doozy. If you had any Advance Dining Reservations (and trust us, we had a BUNCH!), those are no more. Gone. Donezo. Disney has canceled all of these reservations now so that they can edit capacity restrictions in their restaurants.

Via Napoli Dining Room

We reached out to a Cast Member who explained that following the CDC guidelines is tricky and Disney isn’t positive that all of the table-service and quick-service locations will be open initially. With reservations continuing as normal up until the reopening plan was announced, more guests may have made reservations than there will be room for with the distanced tables and reduced capacity. And we’ve also recently reported that character dining will be unlikely when the parks reopen.

If you thought that the FastPass cancellations were rough, the dining cancellations feel much worse for many. Meals are a big part of a Disney vacation for lots of guests (like us!). The good news is that Disney IS reopening dining reservations closer to the opening of the parks.

Family-Style Dining Seating

There’s no news on when exactly this will be, but we do know that after dining reservations come back, the reservation window will change from 180 days to 60 days in advance for the time being. The point is, the Advance Dining Reservation system isn’t GONE, we’re just all going to have to do one more round of reservations before our trips roll around.

If you lost previous reservations, all hope is not lost. With lower capacity, there’s still a fair chance you could snag them again. And if you couldn’t get a table at a spot you wanted, you get a second chance!

For what we know about the dining cancellations, click here! 

Disney Dining Plan Cancellations

Going along with the dining reservation cancelations, all levels of the Disney Dining Plan have been canceled for guests as well. This also plays into the fact that Disney is uncertain what restaurants will reopen and at what capacity. They HAVE indicated that the Disney Dining Plan will return, they just haven’t said when. They don’t want to promise the Disney Dining Plan to guests initially only to not be able to hold up their end of the deal if restaurants can’t support the crowds.

Dole Whip

Note that if you were a recipient of the Disney World Free Dining Offer as a result of the closure, your new Dining Plans will be automatically canceled. This hassle certainly doesn’t feel fair to those who already had to deal with their vacations being canceled at least once already (some multiple times!).

On the bright side, some of the affected guests have reported that Disney is automatically canceling their Disney World Free Dining Offer and applying a whopping 35% discount to their hotel room cost. If this applies to your vacation, you should receive an email about the cancellation and discount.

Click here for more about the suspension of the Disney Dining Plan!

Prepaid Experience Cancellations

Experience reservations have been canceled as well. The good news is we reached out to a Cast Member who told us that prepaid experiences like certain Advance Dining Reservations, dessert parties, and tours will be refunded with no action required by guests.

When will Disney bring these offerings BACK?

This is hard to say as Disney hasn’t given us specific dates for…well…anything! For FastPass+, Extra Magic Hours, the Disney Dining Plan, and new reservations, the suspensions are indefinite. Still, Disney uses language that seems to indicate that all of these systems will return, they just don’t want to back themselves into a corner with a date they might have to change later.

Dining Reservations and Experience Reservations

We DO have a little extra information on when dining and experience reservations will return. Though the official date is unspecified, Disney has elaborated on the changes to this system. They stated that going forward, Advance Dining Reservations will be made 60 days in advance instead of 180 days in advance, and that reservations for dining and experiences will be re-introduced once Disney updates the system to reflect capacity limitations.

Wagyu Taberkurabe Presentation at Takumi-Tei

Now, we are already within the 60-days-out window for the reopening of the parks, so the initial return of dining reservations may give us fewer than 60 days to book for the initial reopening. Guests with resort reservations or a canceled dining reservations will be given priority when rebooking.

Tableside Cheese Cart at Topolino’s Terrace

Disney HAS mentioned restaurants in their reopening plan and with reservations being so important to limiting capacity, we will likely see the new dining reservation system launched prior to the parks reopening.

Want to learn more about health measures at reopening? Click here!

What’s the deal with the theme park reservation system?

This mysterious theme park reservation system certainly has folks pretty perplexed — us (and possibly YOU) included! While Disney hasn’t shared much information about this system, we can clear up a few things we DO know about how it will work.

MyMagic+ MagicBand

MagicBand Park Scanner ©Disney

The new system will be accessed online through DisneyWorld.com and all guests will be required to make a reservation in advance for theme park entry. Guests will need valid park admission to make a reservation, and guests won’t be permitted to enter the park without BOTH a ticket and a reservation. Confused yet? Yeah, it’s a lot to take in.

It’s unclear in what specific order guests will be able to reserve their park day when the reservation system opens, but we do know that guests with resort hotel reservations and Annual Passholders will have priority access to the new park reservation system. We also know Annual Passholders have also been told they can expect some form of passholder previews for the parks.

At this time, WE CANNOT CONFIRM that if you have a resort reservation, but don’t already have park tickets, that you will definitely be included in the priority access to the park reservation system.

Epcot Entrance in Walt Disney World

Disney World isn’t the only park to opt into a reservation system. We’ve seen this used with the reopening of Disneyland Shanghai. Shockingly, we’ve also seen it with the Universal Orlando Passholder Preview Days, even though they indicated that they would not be using a reservation system with their theme parks.

To learn more about the theme park reservation system, click here!

Who qualifies as resort guests?

Like we said, those with resort hotel reservations and valid ticket media will get priority when accessing the theme park reservation system. So, who does this mean? Those staying at the Disney-owned Resort Hotels will qualify. Though you cannot currently make a new reservation, it appears that Disney will accommodate those with existing reservations at these hotels.

Polynesian Village Resort Lobby as viewed from upstairs

We reached out to Disney to see if these perks would be extended to the partner resorts and a Cast Member told us that YES, those staying at partner resorts will count in the new system as well. So, if you have a reservation at Shades of Green, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, or another partner, this information indicates that you will get priority access to the reservation system as well.

Click here to learn more about who counts as a resort guest! 

What does the new reservation system mean for Park Hopper tickets?

Disney has not mentioned whether the reservation system will limit guests to one park per day. If it does, this could be a serious bummer for those who purchased Park Hopper tickets and planned their vacation around their ability to get from one park to another!

Keep in mind though, this is likely on Disney’s radar. Consider the first few days of reopening when Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom are the only parks that will be open. Guests won’t have access to all four parks to hop.

Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom

So this is definitely a complicated one and we’re antsy for more details. It’s possible that Disney is considering a refund or cancellation option for Park Hopper tickets in light of the new reservation system. Or they could simply say that Park Hoppers can hop to whatever parks are currently open. But we have nothing confirmed at the moment.

When will we find out about the reservation system beginning?

Like much of the changes, dates are frustratingly foggy about when we will see the new reservation system implemented. In the original launch statement, Disney said “Over the coming weeks, we will be making some necessary updates to prepare for the launch of this park reservation system.”

Guests who wanted to make reservations for the opening of Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland last year had plenty of time to prepare, and we imagine that will be the case here as well. Keep an eye on your email and on Disney Food Blog for any details.

How will we find out about the reservation system?

We will be keeping an eye on all channels where Disney may announce the reservation system. Keep a close eye on DFB in the coming weeks to know as soon as date of the new system is announced and as soon as the system goes live. If you fall into the groups who are to receive priority access to the system, keep an eye on your email as well.

Why are they canceling my Quick Service Dining Plan and will I be able to rebook?

It certainly caught our attention that even Quick Service Disney Dining Plans were canceled when there isn’t a need to limit ordering capability in these restaurant models due to physical distancing. Still, Disney isn’t sure that all quick service locations will reopen, and beyond that, they are cleaning out their system by completing these cancellations across the board.

Casey’s Corner

So, with so much uncertainty and the system changes, Disney opted to cancel all Disney Dining Plans for right now. There’s no certainty on when or if guests will be able to rebook these plans, but a Cast Member suggested that guests call at their 60-day window for more information if they have an upcoming trip!

I got the Disney World Free Dining Offer with my room package; does that mean I don’t get my Dining Plan anymore?

It does look that way. Disney has specifically mentioned removing Disney Dining Plans that were included in packages. Remember that you can still cancel your current package, but modifications cannot be made at this time.

Disney Dining Plan Shirt

For those who were affected by the closure and received a Disney World Free Dining Offer when they rebooked, your dining plans will be canceled. Folks that this applies to will receive that hefty 35% room discount on their rebooking though.

We don’t currently have confirmation that guests who booked with the Free Dining Plan offer earlier this year, prior to the park closures, will receive the same discount.

For more information on the 35% discount, click here.

I’ve already been affected by the closures and rescheduled. What does this mean for me?

Speaking of which, if you were already affected by the closures you will likely be wondering how these changes affect you (sorry you keep having to rebook, guys!). If you’ve rebooked your resort hotel and ticket reservations, you will get priority in the theme park reservation system and the dining reservation system.

Disney’s BoardWalk Inn

As a reminder, if you booked through the Disney World Free Dining Offer that was presented to those affected by the closure, your dining plan will be canceled and replaced with a 35% room discount applied to your package.

What counts as a canceled “experience?”

Disney hasn’t officially announced much information on what is included in the “experience” category of the cancellations, but they have clarified that things like Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Wild Africa Trek, and behind-the-scenes tours are included. Keep in mind these offerings may not be available at first when the parks reopen.

If an experience is canceled and you have already paid, Disney will be refunding these experiences, so keep an eye out.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique ©Disney

Separately ticketed events like After Hours and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party are a different situation. Information is a little bit unclear about these events at this point. We heard from a Cast Member that tickets for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party are still valid, but no new ticket sales are available.

We’re not taking this as a guarantee that there won’t be changes to separately-ticketed events. Keep in mind too that Disney can always change this and cancel at a later point.

Click here to see what we know about Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party tickets.

I’m an Annual Passholder. What does this mean for me?

Of course, the situation is unique for Annual Passholders and the changes can be especially frustrating for those with this type of ticket. You paid (a hefty price!) for access to the Disney parks and right now, that can feel up in the air. Many of us are Annual Passholders so trust us, we feel your pain right now!

2020 Annual Passholder Magnet

As of now, Disney has not mentioned any further extension of the Annual Passes beyond what was originally confirmed. Some Passholders have received communication from Disney that passholders will have access to the theme park reservation system before new tickets are sold. Passholders with previously booked experiences and dining will also have priority access to new reservations for those.

Disney launched a webpage specifically for Annual Passholders that notes that Passholders will be limited to a certain number of reserved days at one time. It also notes that some AP member benefits may be unavailable and that blackout dates will still apply.

Chef Remy Magnet

As a note, Disney has also announced that they will be offering Passholder previews to the reopened parks!

Click here to learn more about the situation for Annual Passholders.

Will Disney be canceling reservations in Disney Springs restaurants?

The language indicates that all reservations made through the Disney system are affected by the cancellation. Even if you plan on dining at a third-party restaurant, if you made your reservation through My Disney Experience it will likely be canceled.

Disney Springs

Now, at this time OpenTable reservations have NOT been canceled. If you’d like to confirm a reservation before the Disney reservations system reopens (for example, if you’re a local who wants to go to a Disney Springs restaurant this weekend), you can book through OpenTable at any time at eligible restaurants. We’ve been successful booking a number of third-party restaurants at Disney Springs this way.

Click here for more information on Disney Springs reservations.

What do I do now?

Whew. We all wanted to hear when the parks were reopening and now that we know, we’ve got a lot of bleh and confusion to go with it. It’s important not to panic though! We’re sure MANY of you are biting your nails waiting to hear if and when you can get back to the parks and if it will even resemble the Disney World we’ve come to love for so many years.

Mickey Pretzel

These changes are certainly frustrating and shocking for many, especially those of you who have already changed your plans multiple times. WE’RE HERE TO HELP. We’re working as hard as we can to get you some answers. As information appears over the next few days, things may get much clearer for managing your trip plans, and you can count on us to get that information to you quickly and in the easiest to understand way possible.

For many, you don’t need to DO anything at this moment (frustrating, right?!). Guests with resort reservations still have them and rebooking options aren’t available yet for canceled dining and experiences. You should still be able to make new bookings for your vacation sometime in the near future, so hang in there. However, if you’d like to cancel your hotel reservation outright, you CAN do so at this point!

Hollywood Studios

Patience is the name of the game here. You can count on us to find the answers and get you all of the most up-to-date information as soon as Disney confirms it, but it’s a little bit of a waiting game as they organize this crazy overhaul. If you’re antsy that you’ll miss something, join our newsletter and stay tuned to our site and social channels. We’ll report as soon as new information arrives.

If you booked your trip through a travel agent, go ahead and reach out to them for details and what to do next. If you booked on your own, don’t worry. Disney will be releasing more information in the coming weeks to answer our questions; and once we have that information, you can look to us when you’re ready to take the next steps in returning to the parks.

If you have any specific questions, you can reach out to Disney Guest Services, but expect long waits. There are a lot of confused Disney fans right now so you can always reach out to us! We’ll get to the bottom of any questions you may have.

We will be updating this post with more information and questions as they develop.

Have any questions we missed? Ask them in the comments!

Related posts:

  1. Everything Disney World is Refunding Right Now!
  2. Here’s How To Score Disney World Free Dining in 2020!
  3. NEWS! PRIVATE DISNEY WORLD FREE DINING OFFER For Guests With Reservations Affected By The Closure

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, disney parks, disney resorts, Featured, Walt Disney World, advance dining reservations, Annual Passholder, annual passholders, Dining Reservations, disney dining plan, disney springs, disney springs restaurants, Disney World, Disney World reopening, extra magic hours, FastPass+, free dining, hotel reservations, parkhopper, quick service dining plan, Reservation System, Resort Guests, theme park reservation system, Ticketed Events

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Everything Disney World is Refunding Right Now!

Things have been shaken up in Disney World and we are here to help you sift through it all.

Epcot Monorail

Quick recap: Disney World closed in March, kept accepting reservations, announced reopening dates, then wiped out existing dining and FastPass+ reservations. Now what? Disney is still sorting our their plan of action for the reopening, but let’s take a look at each part of your vacation to see what they are currently refunding!

Disney World plans to open Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom on July 11th followed by Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15th. To help limit the parks’ capacities, Disney is rolling out a new reservation system. But what does that mean for guests who already booked resort reservations?

Disney World Resort Hotels

As the closure has been extended, Disney has been cancelling and refunding hotel reservations that were scheduled during the closure automatically.

Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney retracted their previous announcement that Resort Hotels (Other than Disney Vacation Club and Disney’s Fort Wilderness) would be reopening and have not released a reopening date for these other hotels. However, in order to accommodate guests with existing reservations, Disney World placed a hold on new hotel and ticket reservations. Guests with existing Resort reservations will have priority access to the new park reservation system.

Disney World Tickets

As we mentioned, you can’t purchase a new ticket right now, because Disney is focusing on guests with existing tickets for the time being. But with all the different types of Disney tickets available, Disney World is handling each one a little differently.

Park Tickets

Unexpired multi-day park tickets or date specific park tickets that would have been valid on March 12th are still being extended through December 15, 2020. Or, you can apply the value from an unused ticket towards a ticket at a later date.

Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom

At this time, park-hopper add-ons will NOT be automatically refunded. According to a Cast Member we spoke with, “It will not happen automatically do to the fact that we currently do not have information on if our Guests will be able to park hop.”

You can read more about Disney World’s Ticket extension policy here!

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway sign

Disney’s new reservation system will require guests to book a ticket for a specific date, similar to how Shanghai Disneyland reopened. Guests with resort reservations will have priority access to this new system. Guests will also be required to have a valid park reservation and admission before they can book dining or other experiences. We will keep you updated when we hear more details about this new system!

You can read more about the reservation system here!

Florida Resident Discovery Disney Tickets

Florida Resident Discovery Disney Tickets are currently valid through September 30, 2020.

Disney World Annual Passes

Disney stated that Annual Passholders might have access to special experiences and priority booking once the parks reopen. However, the website is still reflecting the same cancellation policy from the closures.

You can read more about Disney World’s Annual Pass refund process here!

Special Ticketed Events

During the closure, Disney has been refunding event tickets for cancelled events including Disney’s After Hours, Villains After Hours, Early Morning Magic, and H20 Glow Nights.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in Magic Kingdom

Disney has discontinued ticket sales for upcoming events such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, but a Cast Member confirmed that — as of now — the tickets are still valid. We will keep you updated as we learn more about these parties.

You can read more about Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party tickets here!

Disney World Dining

In anticipation of the reopening, Disney has canceled all existing dining plans and dining reservations “including Disney dining plans included in packages.”

©Disney

So if you grabbed an advance dining reservation, you booked a Disney Dining Plan with your trip, OR you received a free Dining Plan with your vacation package — these will be automatically canceled and refunded. This cancellation applies to plans from May 28, 2020 through September 26, 2021.

All pre-paid dining or dining experience reservations will be automatically refunded and you will not be charged a cancellation or no-show fee.

Be Our Guest

Note: This does not mean Disney will not have dining plans or reservations by 2021, they are just clearing their current bookings to make way for a new system.

Once the new reservation system is live, the traditional 180 day booking window will change to a 60 day booking window prior to the reservation date. Additionally, if you are a Tables in Wonderland member, your membership will be extended by the number of days the parks are closed.

Cinderella’s Royal Table

Similar to the park reservation system, once the new dining reservation system goes live, guests with existing reservations will receive priority access to rebook dining reservations.

You can read more about the dining cancellations here!

Now What??

A LOT has changed in the past several hours, so things are very much up in the air. Take a deep breath and know that you aren’t alone in this. We’re tracking down as much info as we can and will keep you posted here at DFB with the most up-to-date news we have!

If you have questions about your booking, you can call (407) 934-7639 for Disney Customer Support or use the chat feature to message with someone on the Disney World website. To cancel or change your reservation, you can do so online using My Disney Experience.

As you can imagine, Disney World is receiving a high volume of calls and messages, so there might be a bit of a wait. If you booked your trip with a travel agent, you can contact them for more details and for next steps. We’re in this together and please let us know your questions so we can help you out as much as possible!

If Disney World adds or changes any refund policies, we will keep updating this post with the newest information!

Click here to learn more about Disney World’s CONFIRMED reopening dates!

What questions do you have for us about the reopening? Let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to get the answer to you!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: disney dining tips, disney parks, disney resorts, Featured, Walt Disney World, advance dining reservation, After Hours, dining, Disney, disney accommodations, disney dining, disney dining plan, Disney free dining, disney hotel, disney reservations, disney restaurant, disney springs, disney springs dining, disney springs restaurant, disney ticket, Disney World, disney world resort, disney world resort hotel, disney world ticket, free dining, free dining plan, hotel reservations, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, table service dining, walt disney world resort

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Will Disney World Hotel Arcades Be Affected By New Policies?

The times they are a-changin’ for Disney resorts, and now there’s a new potential change to be thinking about.

Contemporary Arcade

Gamers, listen up! The global health crisis has had widespread effects on everything from your dining menu to the way you shop around stores and now it seems that another facet of entertainment is taking a hit. Health measures and concerns have started to have an effect on the arcade game industry — and this could affect Disney World following its reopening. Let’s take a look!

What’s happening with arcade games?

According to WESH-2 in Florida, the future of arcade games is uncertain thanks to the health crisis. In fact, businesses around the country have been putting in calls to have the machines picked up by the warehouses that rent out the games. Some have expressed uncertainty about when and if these rentals will go back out.

Extra seating during End Zone refurbishment in the arcade

Essentially, arcade games can get in the way of new health measures that businesses are implementing. They are high-touch surfaces so arcade staff would need to wipe down machines after each use, which may not be feasible in a highly-automated arcade setting. Many are opting to forgo the arcade concept altogether during this time.

Contemporary Resort Arcade

For restaurant/arcade concepts, games can also take up valuable space that locations need to properly distance tables. So the crisis is definitely affecting the way that arcades run — but how will we see this reflected in Disney World?

Click here to read about some of the changes we’re seeing in a partially reopened Disney World!

How could this affect Disney World?

Many resorts on Disney property offer small arcades. There are 20 arcades spread out among the Disney World resorts and all of them contain potentially-rented, high-touch games. As we’ve seen with other arcades affected, the ones in Disney World might not be exempt for new guidelines.

Arcade Area

On one hand, we probably won’t see games pulled to make room for more space. There aren’t any restaurant/arcade models in Disney World so they probably won’t be affected by distancing measures. Still, we have seen arcades used for extra space in the past during refurbishments so it isn’t completely impossible that these spaces may be used.

Even if the arcades are not used for space, Disney may keep the arcades closed initially to reduce health concerns. When and if they do open, we may see increased cleaning protocols between use for the machines.

Contemporary Resort Arcade

NOTE that Disney has not confirmed that arcades will be affected by their current policies. As we wait for more information about the Disney World hotel reopenings, we’ll keep you updated!

Arcades are a great option for kids during your resort day so the option may be more limited in the future. Plus, if you were dead set on setting a new Pac-Man record during your resort day, you might want to make other plans just in case.

For more information on Disney World’s reopening click here!

Do you think the Disney arcades will change? Share your thoughts in the comments! 

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: disney resorts, Featured, News, arcade, Arcade Games, disney parks reopening, Disney reopening, Disney World arcade, Disney World reopening, Disney World Resorts, reopening, video games

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Potential Solutions For Disney World’s New Guest Transportation Problems

We have a major question about the reopening of Disney World — and some ideas about how it might play out!

Walt Disney World’s Epcot

While the Disney World parks remain closed, the resort has taken its first step towards resuming operations with the phased reopening of Disney Springs on May 20th.

We can look at the reopening of Disney Springs, as well as Shanghai Disneyland, for an idea of what to expect when the Disney World parks welcome back guests. But we have one HUGE question for which Disney hasn’t yet set a precedent.

Here’s What We’ve Learned So Far

We have several models to reference for a picture of what it may look like inside the reopened parks. There are some standard procedures that we’ve seen in the reopenings of Shanghai Disneyland, Disney Springs, and Universal CityWalk. Each of these locations has implemented safety measures including temperature checks, required face coverings, limited hours and offerings, and social distancing. So, we expect to see these precautions when the Disney World parks reopen as well.

©ShanghaiDisneylandResort on Instagram

But even though we have somewhat of an idea of what the INSIDE of the parks might look like, we still have one major question about the reopening of Disney World.

What About Transportation??

With many vacationers flying in from out of state, transportation is a huge part of the guest experience at Disney World. In fact, sometimes Disney transportation is unavoidable.

Monorail

With so many guests reliant on Disney transportation, that often leads to enclosed spaces packed tight with people. As a part of their proposed reopening plan, Disney noted that we may see modifications to the way that transportation is run. According to WDWMagic.com, Disney World will be offering limited transportation services such as the monorail and Friendship ferryboats.

So, how will Disney address these limitations? Let’s take a look at the different forms of available transportation, along with potential solutions.

Buses

Disney buses are one of the primary modes of transportation around property, especially for hotel guests. And if you’ve ever been on one of these buses around park open or close, you’ve probably experienced just how many people they can pack in. So, with the importance of distance, how would the buses operate?

Minnie Bus

Well, let’s take a look at how other bus systems have adapted.

According to the BBC, the buses in London have reduced capacity to 13-15% of their normal number of passengers. The largest, double-length Disney buses can typically carry over 100 passengers, so, in theory, this would need to be reduced to about 15 passengers per bus if Disney were to follow the same reduced capacity measures.

Aladdin Bus Wrap

The CDC has also recommended that bus drivers take precautions in order to ensure their safety. In addition to requiring both the passengers and driver to wear a mask, it’s also suggested that passengers enter and exit through a rear door, and that hand sanitizer be made readily available.

Travel-Size Hand Sanitizer

So, based on the precedent set by other bus operations and recommendations from the CDC, if Disney bus service is made available, they would need to greatly reduce capacity, change the loading and unloading procedure, and sanitize regularly.

Monorail

While buses might be more widely used, the Monorail is certainly an iconic form of Disney transportation. But similar to the issues with buses, the Monorail is often incredibly crowded, with little ventilation. So, what changes might we see to Monorail transportation?

Monorail at Disney World

We can look at the adjustments made to train and subway systems for some potential clues. In New York City, the subway service is suspended from 1 AM to 5 AM to allow for deep cleaning, and even daytime service is reduced to 25%. In 2016, Orlando Sentinal reported that the Disney World Monorail carries roughly 150,000 guests per day. If capacity were limited to 25%, that would be only 37,500 guests per day.

Walt Disney World Monorail

Luckily, sanitation could be done at night when the monorail isn’t already running, so that should not cut into the amount of guests who can be transported. Also, given the importance of distance (and the size of each Monorail compartment), Disney could place each party in their own compartment.

Skyliner

In theory, it would be easier to implement health and safety measures on the Disney Skyliner than other forms of transportation. Since each gondola can only hold up to ten guests, Cast Members could seat one party per gondola. Also, the windows on the gondola allow for airflow and ventilation.

Disney Skyliner

But, if the Skyliner gondolas must be sanitized after each party, we could see the line running much slower to give Cast Members the time to wipe down the surfaces. Depending on how much slower they would need to run, this could become uncomfortable for guests suspended in the air for an extended period of time.

There’s still a major question as to how/if Disney will sanitize transportation compartments between riders on the Skyliner and Monorail.

Boats

There are also several boats that transport guests around Disney property, including the ferryboats that travel between the Transportation and Ticket Center and the Magic Kingdom, and the Friendship boats which connect Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Magic Kingdom, and Disney Springs to surrounding resorts.

Friendship Boat Transportation Cards

Most of the boats have better ventilation than the buses and Monorail — some of them are even open-air. So, while guest distancing would still need to be practiced with staggered seating (or standing, in the case of the ferryboat), in theory, the boats should provide a safer travel environment than enclosed forms of transportation.

Friendship Boat

As with the other forms of transportation, services would need to be reduced to allow for regular sanitization and cleaning, and capacity would likely be limited, resulting in possibly longer wait times.

Minnie Vans

While this isn’t a free form of Disney transportation, Minnie Vans allow guests to request a rideshare service within Disney World property or between Disney World property and the Orlando International Airport or Port Canaveral. The service is run through the Lyft app, but all Minnie Vans are driven by Disney Cast Members.

Minnie Vans don’t come cheap, but we could see more guests opt to utilize them if other transportation changes cause extended delays. This form of transportation has built-in social distancing since guests pay for a private ride.

New Minnie Vans Driver Costume

As reported by CNBC, Uber has recently started requiring that all drivers and passengers wear masks, and it’s likely that Minnie Van drivers and passengers would need to wear masks as well. In addition, the vehicles would need to be regularly sanitized between parties.

Click here to learn more about Disney’s Minnie Van service

Walking

While many of the Disney World hotels require some form of transportation to get to the parks, there are a few that guests are able to walk directly to the parks!

There’s a path from Disney’s Contemporary Resort to the Magic Kingdom and resort guests can walk to the park in five or ten minutes. And guests at Disney’s BoardWalk Resort, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort all have access to walking paths directly to Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

What appears to be a walkway connecting Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa to the Magic Kingdom was under construction pre-closure. If completed, it would allow guests at the Grand Floridian and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort to be able to walk to the Magic Kingdom as well.

Disney’s Boardwalk

All of the resorts that do have access to a walking path directly to one of the parks are on the pricy side. But guests who are able to stay in one of these resorts can bypass Disney transportation all together — for certain parks at least!

Click here to see Bob Chapek’s comments about Disney World’s reopening here

Now that the first steps are being taken towards reopening theme parks, we are starting to get a picture of what operations in the park might look like. But given Disney World’s unique transportation needs, we’re waiting to see how buses, boats, the Monorail, and the Skyliner might change! And based on the precedent set by other transportation systems around the world, some of these are set up for success more than others.

Which form of Disney transportation would you feel most comfortable using? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Animal Kingdom, Beach Club Resort, Boardwalk Inn and Villas, Contemporary Resort, disney parks, disney resorts, disney’s hollywood studios, Epcot, Featured, magic kingdom, Walt Disney World, Yacht Club Resort, Beach Club, Boardwalk, Contemporary, disney bus, Disney Bus service, Disney Bus System, disney transportation, Disney World Monorail, Disney World reopening, Disney World transportation, Disney’s yacht club resort, face masks, ferryboat, hand sanitizer, health and safety measures, Minnie Vans, monorail, sanitation

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NEWS! Disney World Adds New Payment Options Including Apple Pay to Mobile Order!

Now there are even more ways to take advantage of Mobile Order at Disney World!

D-Luxe Burger

For years, Mobile Order has allowed guests to use the My Disney Experience app to pre-order and pre-pay for their food at select quick-service locations. Yesterday, we shared that they had added a new pick-up time feature to Mobile Order. Now, they have added new payment options.

Guests now also have the option to pay with Apple Pay, Disney Gift Card, or a Disney Reward Card! For guests with Apple Pay set up on their mobile device, they will see the option to use Apple Pay on their order summary page.

Mobile Order Summary Page with Option to Pay by Apple Pay

By continuing to Checkout, you’ll also see the option to pay by Disney Gift Card or Disney Rewards Redemption Card!

Mobile Order Payment Options

By clicking on the “Add a Card” link within the Disney Gift Card section, guests can then select which type of card they’d like to enter.

Add a Disney Gift Card in Mobile Order

Note that only one Disney Gift Card or Disney Rewards Redemption Card can be applied per order. We love using Mobile Order to bypass long lines at quick-service dining locations, so we’re excited to see there are even more ways to take advantage of this feature!

With the parks looking to reopen in July, they have mentioned that they will be pushing for contactless payments and Mobile Order is one easy way to do that.

We will continue to keep you updated as new changes are implemented around Disney World!

Click here for more information about Mobile Order in Disney World!

Have you used Mobile Order in Disney World? Let us know in the comments!

Related posts:

  1. Disney World Mobile Order Offers Food Allergy-Friendly Ordering
  2. Updates to Mobile Order Now Live on My Disney Experience App
  3. NEWS: Mobile Order Is Getting an AWESOME Change in Disney World (And We Are SO Here for It)!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Counter-Service, disney parks, disney resorts, Disney Springs, Featured, Snacks, Walt Disney World, disney mobile order, Disney mobile ordering, disney world mobile order, disney world mobile ordering, Mobile Order, Mobile Order Disney World, mobile order payment