Category: Trip Reports

I hope this post finds you and your loved ones happy and healthy.  As many states, including Florida and California, make steps towards reopening, it’s time to think Disney.  Finally, as Disney makes plans for reopening both Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California, there is lots of Disney World news and updates to share with you!

Previously, we announced that Disney plans to reopen Walt Disney World parks, in limited capacity, beginning July 11. If you’d like more details on that, please check our post here.

We also announced that Disney had cancelled ALL advanced dining reservations through the end of the year.  If you need more information on this Disney decision, please click here.here.

Disney World News & Updates

Information is still somewhat limited coming from Disney.  However, they have been talking a lot about the successes they’ve been seeing at Shanghai Disneyland, the first Disney park in the world to reopen.

As mentioned in our previous post, Disney plans to reopen Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11, 2020.  EPCOT and Hollywood Studios will follow on July 15, 2020.  All four of these parks will open in a limited capacity.  What PRECISELY that means is not clear yet.  However, Shanghai Disney opened at about 30% of normal capacity. I think it’s safe to assume that the US parks will follow a similar strategy.

Disney has announced that Disney Vacation Club Resorts and Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground will open on June 22 for guests.  Guests who had reservations at a resort during this time that want to KEEP their reservation will be moved to one of the open resort properties. It appears that guests will not be able to chose which resort they are moved to.  Disney has stated that guests will not be able to change their resort.  Also, they’ve stated guests are responsible for increases in room rates, if applicable.

Guests with vacation packages that included a Disney Dining Plan will have the dining plan removed from their package.  Package rates will be adjusted accordingly. The Dining Plans will not be available for the foreseeable future.

My Disney Experience

Disney is stressing the importance of the My Disney Experience app.  If you ARE planning to visit Disney World during this initial reopening phase, it is imperative that you have your My Disney Experience updated. It is also important that your Disney vacation package or room reservation and tickets have been linked correctly in your My Disney Experience app.

Disney plans to use the My Disney Experience to communicate with guests visiting during this challenging time.  They stress that it is vital that all guests have their reservations properly linked and that the app is current.  It looks to me like they will be using My Disney Experience for the “Park Reservation” system they mentioned for reopening the park.

Park Reservations Required for EACH Park Day

To clarify, when the parks reopen, a “park reservation” will be required for each guest visiting a particular park on a particular day. Guests will be required to have both Disney resort reservation and park tickets for the day in question to be able to make a park reservation.  Details as to how this will happen, and what will happen if you have purchased park tickets, but aren’t able to make park reservations due to capacity challenges have not yet been released.

Disney is very clear that you will NOT be able to make park reservations for any dates that you do not have both resort reservations and tickets.  They are encouraging people to move their dates if necessary, prior to attempting to make park reservations.

At least for the short term, guests without resort reservations will not be able to make park reservations.  I’m assuming some kind of exception will be made for Disney Annual Passholders, but that information is not available yet.

More information is being released daily, so I will be sure to update you as soon as I know more.

Disney Resort Updates

Initially, Disney is only opening the DVC Resorts and the Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground.  The resort experience has undergone some changes due to Disney’s attempts to prevent us all getting sick.  (Thank you!)  Here’s a short video from Disney to give you a heads up on what to expect.

The downside is that I think we’ll feel less of that personal, warm cast member interactions at check in and the front desk that we are used to.  The upside is that I think Disney is doing absolutely everything they can do to insure our health and safety.  Short of keeping the resorts and the parks closed, I don’t know what else they could do.  Notice they are still asking guests to take some ownership for their own health and safety.  It continues to be important to wear face masks, wash your hands frequently, use hand sanitizer, avoid touching your face and maintain social distancing.

Transportation will be LIMITED When the Resorts and Parks Reopen

Magical Express, Disney’s FREE transportation for guests to and from Orlando’s airport will be available for Disney Resort Guests.

However, other transportation options may be limited.  It appears, at least initially, that Disney is planning to operate the Skyliner.  Most likely, social distancing practices will mean that only one party or group  will be permitted per cabin.

Disney has not yet announced how buses, boats and monorails will operate.  We assume that there will be strict limits on capacity, to allow for social distancing.  I expect this will mean longer waits for transportation, at minimum.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party CANCELLED for 2020This is one of the toughest Disney World news and updates we have this week.  Disney announced last night that they have made the difficult decision to cancel all the scheduled Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Parties for this year.  This is very disappointing for everyone planning to attend a party, of course.  However, Disney determined they just couldn’t deliver an experience of value with all the new restrictions in place.

I love these parties, they are really well done.  The highlight for me is the Boo To You Parade–which couldn’t happen this year due to the Covid-19 restrictions.  There are a lot of stage shows and special Halloween fireworks–all of which would have been impossible with the Covid-19 restrictions.  At roughly $100 per ticket, I think Disney would have had a lot of unhappy guests had they proceeded with the parties.  I think many guests would have seen it as a money grab, and that is something Disney wants to avoid for sure.

Hopefully, over the coming year, Disney will come up with some new ideas for next year’s parties, especially if some of these restrictions have to remain in place.

If you have a ticket for one or more of the parties, Disney will be issuing refunds in the coming weeks.

Good News: 2021 Bookings Expected to Open up June 28

If you have been wanting to plan your 2021 trip, now is the time!  Finally, Disney is opening their systems back up to allow us to book resort stays, tickets, and packages for next year.  (Note: at this time, Disney is NOT opening up booking for later this year.  They are still manually trying to accommodate guests who had to cancel trips during the closure.)

This is very good news, and implies that Disney is optimistic that things will return to a more normal state next year.  It may be a “new normal”, but should be less restrictive than we can expect during the first few months the parks are reopening this year.

Initial reports do seem to indicate that the theme park reservation system that is being implemented for the parks’ reopening is going to stay in place for the foreseeable future.  I’m not sure yet what that means for park hoppers–I will keep you posted as I learn more.

It appears that all US Disney Resorts are included, including Aulani in Hawaii.

If you’d like to start working on planning a trip, I would love to help!  Please contact me at brooke@disneycastledreaming.com.

Final Thoughts

I think it is important to state that how quickly Disney opens more resorts and returns to a more “normal” type of operations will depend a LOT on guest response to the new rules and the new norms.  They have been very successful in China–but we don’t know how successful they will be here.  A LOT depends on guests adhering to the new rules, and whether or not anyone gets sick after visiting Disney parks or resorts.

IF guests wear masks and follow the rest of the rules, Disney’s new practices will help prevent the spread of new infections.  However, if guests resist wearing masks, don’t wash their hands, and don’t maintain social distancing, we could see a resurgence in Covid-19 as a result.  If this happens, we may well see Disney closing AGAIN, which is an outcome NONE of us want.

Restrictions and Limitations

It is completely normal to WANT to return to Disney as soon as possible.  We’ve all missed it.  Many of us have been confined for weeks or months.  Planning a vacation is a wonderful distraction.  However, it’s also really important to be honest with yourself.  As much as you want to visit Disney RIGHT NOW, or maybe in two or three months, are you willing to:

• Wear a face mask while you are in the parks or in public areas of the resort?
• Maintain social distancing?
• Accept that many regular events and shows will NOT be happening?
• Accept no fireworks?
• Understand that there will be no Fast Passes?
• Understand that dining options may be extremely limited?
• Accept no parades or nighttime entertainment?
• Understand that the play areas and splash areas for kids will NOT be open?
• Accept that Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo and other “makeover” experiences will NOT be available?
• Understand that most tours and experiences are cancelled?
• Be okay with no character greetings or character photo opportunities?
• Understand that character meals are NOT happening?

It’s a really tough decision, and if you were planning to visit this fall or winter, cancelling or rescheduling your trip is heartbreaking.  However, it is VERY important that everyone that DOES visit is willing to follow the rules and accept all the changes in their current state.  It’s possible things will loosen up and some events, shows, tours or experiences will return later this year.  Unfortunately, we don’t know that for sure.

Perceived Value

A Disney vacation is an expensive adventure. If some of the things that are most important to you are NOT going to be happening, are you going to feel that you are getting a good value?  Or will you be resentful?  Or will some of your family members feel they “missed out”?  These are perfectly NORMAL reactions, and there is nothing wrong with wanting your family to have a “full” Disney experience.

There is also nothing wrong with NOT wanting to wear a mask in the Florida heat while you tour the parks.  However, for your health and safety, as well as that of your fellow travelers and the public at large, this IS a requirement.  It is not optional.  ALL guests visiting the parks MUST wear a mask at all times.  If that doesn’t work for you, it’s okay.  It just means visit later, when this rule has been lifted.  That COULD be later this year, or it could be next year.  We don’t know yet.

Just Because

My point is, just because you always go for Food and Wine in November, or you always go for a few days before Christmas–this may not be the year for you to stick to that routine.  Really think about it–will you be satisfied with your trip if you have to make these compromises?  If yes, then absolutely go for it, and have a great time.  The lighter crowds will probably be magnificent.  However, if these compromises will impact your enjoyment of the magic, stay home this year.  Let’s start planning for next year!

I sincerely hope no guests put cast members in the awkward position of having to try and enforce the rules.  That would be really heartbreaking as a cast member.  This also could be jeopardizing both the health of the cast members and of other guests.  If you are not comfortable with the new rules and the new norms, do not plan a visit at this time.  Wait until next year, when hopefully, we will see a return to more normalcy.

I’m hoping this initial phase will go very smoothly, and that all guests will follow the rules.  Hopefully, Disney will be able to add back some experiences and entertainments within a few weeks.  I’m hoping that a cure for Covid-19 will be found, and we will all be able to stop worrying about it.

In the meantime, let’s get planning for that next trip–whenever it will be!

Happy Dreaming!

Brooke