Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[hereforthechurros]

According to their Facebook page, the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra is no more. They will play a few more performances as the Disney Society Orchestra until next week. After that, they are saying the theater “will go dark” and they’ve been let go. This one really hurts.

Oh reading this hurt my heart. We always made it a point to go to GF (either Mizner’s or Enchanted Rose) to catch their show on our MK day

 

[hereforthechurros]

https://www.facebook.com/144873060389/posts/10158495281825390

Wow that’s only like a weeks notice. So sad.

 

[Disneytrippin']

Not for the foreseeable future. I don’t see fireworks returning until next year.
[/QUOTE]
I actually can see them hosting fireworks shows after hours much like they did when they tested them out. Just blast the music, have a live feed on the resort tv's and let people hear the music and see some fireworks from their hotel and surrounding areas. It would be cool if they could do some sort of projections in the sky. The best part of Christmas at Disney is getting emotional during the fireworks shows. I still hold out hope.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Just read that the egg roll cart at MK is preparing to reopen so at least there’s that? It’s been joined by the ice cream/lemonade cart/freezer thing, plexiglass is going up and markers are out. Perhaps ahead of Columbus Day weekend?

 

[Farro]

Just read that the egg roll cart is preparing to reopen so at least there’s that? It’s been joined by the ice cream/lemonade cart/freezer thing, plexiglass is going up and markers are out. Perhaps for of Columbus Day weekend?

More and more food options are opening which is just so wonderful to see!

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I actually can see them hosting fireworks shows after hours much like they did when they tested them out. Just blast the music, have a live feed on the resort tv's and let people hear the music and see some fireworks from their hotel and surrounding areas. It would be cool if they could do some sort of projections in the sky. The best part of Christmas at Disney is getting emotional during the fireworks shows. I still hold out hope.

I don’t see them doing that. I think they either bring them back in some fashion resembling normal (distanced, in park) or nothing.

First reason being it probably won’t have the financial benefits of bringing people back like a real in park show would. Also doesn’t bring the ability to charge for firework events the same way. Second, it would be harder to control crowds around the resorts with viewing spots when those are the only options as nobody can do it in park. They would also be encouraging crowding and traffic at a resort (2? I am spacing on what’s going on with GF) that is barely open.

 

[rpb718]

https://www.facebook.com/144873060389/posts/10158495281825390

Wow - 32 years. While their performances at the Theater of the Stars weren't full, having it gone doesn't help the feeling of a more crowded HS. And the Grand Floridian has suddenly become the "Not quite as Grand as it was" Floridian. Another entry in any future "remember when" thread for WDW - and in a year with so many new entries.

 

[anthony2k7]

https://www.facebook.com/144873060389/posts/10158495281825390

Really sad news.

But I think people need to realise that there is a lot more that was taken for granted as being part of wdw pre covid that won't be returning post covid.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Wow - 32 years. While their performances at the Theater of the Stars weren't full, having it gone doesn't help the feeling of a more crowded HS. And the Grand Floridian has suddenly become the "Not quite as Grand as it was" Floridian. Another entry in any future "remember when" thread for WDW - and in a year with so many new entries.

I am seriously bummed about them being gone from the GF. We skipped visiting on our last trip because we intended to spend a lot of time there in March since we were to be staying at the Poly. Kicking myself now.

If this has taught me anything it’s never turn down doing something at Disney and buy allllllllll the things because you never know when your next trip will really be.

 

[Marthasor]

We are probably for the same (or nearby) state. It really stinks to have our hopes dashed yet again. And for those who suggest going and not quarantining on return - apart from the state quarantine list, many of our workplaces require the same quarantine or you are at risk of losing your job. That has a lot more teeth. We've been waiting and waiting for FL to get off the list. Sadly this seems like a step back, even if WDW stays at the same level. I'm not worried about flying (had to do it somewhere else for a family matter) or safety in the Disney bubble. At this point it is about getting FL off our quarantine list.

Yes, that's exactly our situation with school and work. Sigh.

 

[KBoopaloo]

Times are tough and lots of companies are making difficult financial decisions but what a lousy, lousy way to treat a group of longtime employees/performers. Bringing them back from furlough, asking them to adjust their repertoire to suit a different venue and then giving them not very much notice that they are being let go after all is really disappointing. Also with the holidays coming up and Disney’s push to attract people for that time period you’d think they want to have as many entertainment options available as possible.

 

[Farro]

Oh hey! It's me again. (sorry, I'm home alone today and bored out of my gourd)

So I was watching one of my favorite youtubers and they were at MK this past Wednesday at 2 pm and I'm not kidding when I say the crowds there looked like one of our MK days on our recent October trips. (mask compliance looked fantastic)

I'm not saying they increased capacity, but definitely the locals are showing up! To see the videos from a couple months ago to now is like night and day.

 

[xuxa777]

Desantis rolling back COVID precautions was news this morning in every major news outlet. It’ll be an even bigger issue once the COVID case counts explode again in about a month. So short sided and stupid.

This will hurt Disney World in the future.

Same thing was said when schools opened last month.

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

Disney still has not found a proper balance of AP/ticket/resort guests... Thanksgiving week has AP availability in all parks for M-Thur and yet Resort & Ticket guests are blocked from DHS.

While that might make APs happy- that’s absolutely no good for Disney’s desire to sell hotel rooms for the holiday week...

AND apparently the resort guest status trumps the AP status. Even though we're APs and DHS shows availability for Friday after Thanksgiving (or at least it did when I looked), we can't switch bc there's no resort guest availability.

 

[Farro]

AND apparently the resort guest status trumps the AP status. Even though we're APs and DHS shows availability for Friday after Thanksgiving (or at least it did when I looked), we can't switch bc there's no resort guest availability.

So does that means resorts are booked to their restricted capacity? Or they took from resort bucket and gave to AP bucket? I'm assuming the latter if there is still hotel availability.

 

[rteetz]

Same thing was said when schools opened last month.

This is another endless discussion that leads to arguments. I do think there is something to correlate with opening things back up and cases rising. Now it’s the sustainability and how long that lasts that I think are more important to watch. I’ll also say as an aside that since schools have opened here we are seeing our highest case totals yet and breaking records daily. Not something to really get into here though.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Times are tough and lots of companies are making difficult financial decisions but what a lousy, lousy way to treat a group of longtime employees/performers. Bringing them back from furlough, asking them to adjust their repertoire to suit a different venue and then giving them not very much notice that they are being let go after all is really disappointing. Also with the holidays coming up and Disney’s push to attract people for that time period you’d think they want to have as many entertainment options available as possible.

Yeah, you'd think a "spooky tune" set followed by a "holiday set" would have been an easy 4 months of program. I mean, I can see letting them go, but I can't see letting them go now, except that I think Disney is responding to what will be another poor quarter with more cuts to start the next one...

 

[andyman8]

But I think people need to realise that there is a lot more that was taken for granted as being part of wdw pre covid that won't be returning post covid.

Certainly and this is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of cuts. That said, I think Josh from easyWDW put it best:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1309938869488545794

 

[LSUmiss]

Same thing was said when schools opened last month.

This. I work for a school district & thought for sure we would be shut down by mid Sept & so far no outbreaks. Masks are required, but I rarely see kids wearing them correctly.

 

[MrsBooch]

Didn’t something similar happen with Mariachi Cobre? And then they were brought back?