Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[AmberMV]

From a customer service point of view, that would be the best way to handle it. But they seem to be tone deaf on c/s these days.

For instance, I did email them about my dissatisfaction about being excluded from any guest recovery offers due to being a family of AP holders. I actually got a response within a few days and not totally canned. The problem is, they completely ignored my issue and gave me this handy dandy tip for the future:

“We recommend booking your vacation as soon as you can to make sure you get your first choice for the dates and resort. Then, when promotions are released later on, you may be able to modify your reservation to include any special offer, depending on resort availability.”

That was so helpful! 35 years I’ve been going to WDW and they think this is some revelation? Yeah, that’s exactly what I did with both of my cancelled reservations. You know, those reservations that got cancelled, then got a refusal to honor those discounts or be included in a guest recovery offer? I didn’t expect a resolution, but a response that actually addressed my issue would’ve been nice.

I had a completely canned response from them back in March/April when I sent them an email about a few things. When I read it my first thought was "this....doesn't answer any of my questions at all, and it's not even a response to anything I said". I wasn't happy about that at all, and it took them almost a week to respond to that email in the first place.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I mean, okay, but if there’s no onsite resort benefits besides “the bubble” I’m probably staying at the Doubletree for every trip from here until eternity, and DVC is out the window entirely. The 60 day FP is SUCH a huge on property carrot.

As things evolve ... what if some rumors come to fruition like the only guests who will be able park hop for a while are resort guests and platinum AP? I think hopping would be a pretty big on-site perk for many.

Long term, I think there will be perks, just perhaps different than what they used to be.

We love the Disney resort experience, though. That’s why we bought into DVC and like to visit HHI, Vero Beach and Aulani. Buying into DVC wasn’t ever about stuff like EMH or FP+ for us. So perhaps my view of it is skewed as a “bubble” person.

 

[hbentleylll]

I don’t see much new about that idea. If they can’t get resort capacity below park capacity through self cancellation, they’re going to have cancel some resort guests. That’s been said by many for a long time now. If they have to do that, I’d assume it would be based on when your reservation was made with newer reservations the first to get axed.

New reservations based on what with so many modifications since March.....original date booked or the date you pushed your vacation. Because I would assume you have lots like that. That could range you from booking conformation in June 2019 to a new booking for the same confirmation in April or May 2020.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

It would depend on if they want to be “ fair” or if they want to do it the easy way. From reading the post about it, sure sounds like they go the easy route.
That is, cancel guests at closed resorts, basing it on date reservations were made at that resort.

Disney has this annoying habit of thinking they can do things and no one will ever know anything but what Disney tells them.

And so we are back to this - Had Disney not allowed reservations to be booked for months when they were closed and knew they would not be open we wouldn’t be looking at this possibility.

My July reservation that was cancelled this week by Disney was booked in August 2019. So I don’t think that the age of the reservation is a factor.

 

[yulilin3]

That will not look good at all . Ppl have been complaining for years that wdw is no longer for the middle class. I think ppl are holding on to reservations to see if they will be offered deals for the future. Disney would do better to contact everyone with reservations & see who might be willing to cancel for a future incentive.

I think it'll be hotel reservations that don't have park tickets associated with it. Those will be three first to get canceled.
Disney is trying everything in their power to get people to cancel now as they are overbooked.

 

[cakebaker]

New reservations based on what with so many modifications since March.....original date booked or the date you pushed your vacation. Because I would assume you have lots like that. That could range you from booking conformation in June 2019 to a new booking for the same confirmation in April or May 2020.

Considering all that, yes it would be difficult to cancel by when you made the reservation. I think Yulilin3 is probably closer to how it will happen- no ticket reservations would be first. As unhappy as I am about letting reservations be made, if you don’t have tickets now, you aren’t likely to gain entrance to a park anyway, so makes sense. If that’s not enough, who knows how they’ll choose, but I do think they’ll cancel guests at closed resorts first. They’re the easiest target. If the resort isn’t open, guests can’t expect to be there.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

I think it'll be hotel reservations that don't have park tickets associated with it. Those will be three first to get canceled.
Disney is trying everything in their power to get people to cancel now as they are overbooked.

But I am an APH, so had tickets associated with my reservation... and I still got cancelled.

 

[Lewisc]

Considering all that, yes it would be difficult to cancel by when you made the reservation. I think Yulilin3 is probably closer to how it will happen- no ticket reservations would be first. As unhappy as I am about letting reservations be made, if you don’t have tickets now, you aren’t likely to gain entrance to a park anyway, so makes sense. If that’s not enough, who knows how they’ll choose, but I do think they’ll cancel guests at closed resorts first. They’re the easiest target. If the resort isn’t open, guests can’t expect to be there.

Disney could decide to cancel guests in closed resorts but give them an option to pay an upgrade fee to move to a deluxe. Not the way hotels normally operate but things are different today. Isn't orlando moving to phase 2. Disney could bump up limits

 

[cakebaker]

But I am an APH, so had tickets associated with my reservation... and I still got cancelled.

I had read your post about that earlier. Are you in in the U.S.? If not, I wonder if that has something to do with it? If you are, it’s a puzzler, but you are the only one I’ve read about that this has happened to. They did do another weekly purge yesterday for 6/14-6/21, but I assume those are not your dates.

 

[cakebaker]

Disney could decide to cancel guests in closed resorts but give them an option to pay an upgrade fee to move to a deluxe. Not the way hotels normally operate but things are different today. Isn't orlando moving to phase 2. Disney could bump up limits

I don’t think their goal is to keep reservations. Regardless, telling people they’ll be cancelled unless they pony up more money would go over like a rock. I think Disney is dedicated to whatever limits to capacity they’ve set. At best, they are opening begrudgingly right now. I’m convinced they’d prefer to be closed and just focus on their sports deals. Were it not for a DVC, they wouldn’t be opening.

 

[WatchandLearn33]

It looks like we are getting closer to being able to reserve dining through the website. Yesterday 67 restaurants populated when searching for dining reservations. This morning 420 restaurants. Granted you can only book the handful of DS restaurants but def some action happening on the new system.

 

[mshanson3121]

I see Disney doing a lot of things as permanent changes during this. If anything -- just to simply save money until they can get back to full capacity .. and then when they are full capacity help maximize their profits. Honestly, having cast members take pictures for you slows down the line. If the choice is either this or the photo boxes, I think we'd all take the photo pass people NOT taking photos with personal phones.

I can assure you, not everyone agrees with you (being one who personally disagrees and seeing disagreement in other places online re: this). For us, we scrape and scrounge to be able to afford a Disney vacation as it is, and already take all cost cutting measures possible. As a Canadian MM costs almost $300, which is a big chunk of change to our and many budgets. So we had no intentions of getting it, since CMs would take the photos. So between the two, I'd take the photo boxes, with CMs still being able to take your photos, hands down.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

I had read your post about that earlier. Are you in in the U.S.? If not, I wonder if that has something to do with it? If you are, it’s a puzzler, but you are the only one I’ve read about that this has happened to. They did do another weekly purge yesterday for 6/14-6/21, but I assume those are not your dates.

I am in the U.K. but the reservation was made through Small World Vacations, so a US TA. And my TA said her reservation for Pop on 2 July was cancelled, like mine, without notice. Just vanished! She is also an APH. A conundrum. I have e mailed WDW, playing stupid, and just informing them that my reservation has vanished. I will report back if they respond. The cancelled dates are 1 to 12 July at YC. I had a split reservation and my reservation from 12 to 19 July YC CL is still alive. It is very odd. Whoever cancelled would have seen APHs, 19 day stay at one resort, booked last August etc. I feel picked on.

 

[mshanson3121]

This strikes me as a tad cynical

Disney rarely implements measures that bring them money and then reverse them. This will most certainly increase the amount of people who purchase Memory Maker. Which I believe had seen a drop in sales when they introduced the photo boxes. So, from a business perspective it makes perfect sense. That's not cynicism, that's just common sense.

 

[ryanpatricksmom]

For those that aren’t privy to the rumors going around on other message boards (and some of the ones discussed many pages back), here is a good summary:
https://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs...nally-overhaul-fastpass-and-extra-magic-hoursPlease note: most of this story is comprised of rumors.

When I read the part about extra wishes being granted by filling unsold spots at things like fireworks parties I laughed out loud. After the discussions that have been had expressing ill will because folks may be given resort upgrades through this, can you imagine the brawl that will happen if people find out that the party at the next table were granted a "wish" instead of paying $99 a person. Holy moly! Disney magic to Disney cage match in minutes.

 

[yulilin3]

But I am an APH, so had tickets associated with my reservation... and I still got cancelled.

when were your dates? where were you staying? and are you in the US?

 

[yulilin3]

I am in the U.K. but the reservation was made through Small World Vacations, so a US TA. And my TA said her reservation for Pop on 2 July was cancelled, like mine, without notice. Just vanished! She is also an APH. A conundrum. I have e mailed WDW, playing stupid, and just informing them that my reservation has vanished. I will report back if they respond. The cancelled dates are 1 to 12 July at YC. I had a split reservation and my reservation from 12 to 19 July YC CL is still alive. It is very odd. Whoever cancelled would have seen APHs, 19 day stay at one resort, booked last August etc. I feel picked on.

I mean before July 11 makes sense to cancel everything other than the DVC resorts

 

[Marionnette]

I am in the U.K. but the reservation was made through Small World Vacations, so a US TA. And my TA said her reservation for Pop on 2 July was cancelled, like mine, without notice. Just vanished! She is also an APH. A conundrum. I have e mailed WDW, playing stupid, and just informing them that my reservation has vanished. I will report back if they respond. The cancelled dates are 1 to 12 July at YC. I had a split reservation and my reservation from 12 to 19 July YC CL is still alive. It is very odd. Whoever cancelled would have seen APHs, 19 day stay at one resort, booked last August etc. I feel picked on.

None of the hotels are open during that time, only DVC resorts. Only your last night of your cancelled reservation coincides with the official park reopening. Are you saying that anyone with a hotel reservation during that time should have been moved to a DVC resort instead of cancelling?

 

[cakebaker]

As things evolve ... what if some rumors come to fruition like the only guests who will be able park hop for a while are resort guests and platinum AP? I think hopping would be a pretty big on-site perk for many.

Taking away an option for everyone and exempting on site guests and Ap's is not giving a perk to on site guests and AP's. It's just not taking a benefit away they already had.

 

[Remy is Up]

They have a choice on the age. At first they said 3 & under which is much more possible. They’re trying to weed out ppl b/c they are probably overbooked for their limited capacity b/c they allowed ppl to continue to book when they knew they would be closed.

Not true. New capacity rules changed the game. Covid changed the game. Not disney. But it is an easy and lazy talking point.