Tri-Circle-D

1 hour ago, keith_h said:

Universal has been selling line jumping for a long time now. I'm surprised it has taken Disney this long to implement it at any of their parks. While I'm not a fan of having to pay more I will give the Universal system credit that unlike FP+ I don't have to worry that all the available slots were taken before I could log into My Disney Experience.

They’ve been selling MaxPass at Disneyland for quite a few years now.  First it was $10 a day, now it’s $20. It wouldn’t work with WDW’s Fastpass Plus model, but they seem like they’re ready to finally admit defeat with that. 

TCD

1 hour ago, Travisma said:

And there is very limited clear shoreline places to stand except the Rivers of Light stadiums area.

Since Rivers of Light was a nighttime show, the fact that the benches are made of dark faux rock was never an issue. But I attended a preview there where we were seated about an hour before sunset. Those benches were blazing hot- like burn your skin hot. That Rivers of Light stadium cannot be used for guest seating in these “feels like” 100 plus degrees days.

TCD

Yes, I think something like this is being contemplated for WDW. 

Initially, it didn’t make sense to me that they halted ticket sales and hotel reservations for 2020. The more I think about it, I think that the plan for 2020 will be to continue to limit park and hotel access, but to resume limited sales and jack up the prices like they do for the after hours events.  

Time will tell.

TCD

Huh?

If guests are expected to maintain social distancing, how much bridge space will there be for viewing the character barges?

This sounds like a really dumb idea. 
 

TCD

34 minutes ago, Travisma said:

Multi billion $$ company, using spare change for their reservation, web presence, networking infrastructure.

You would think after all these years and complaints they would learn, but I guess people come back again and again no matter how they get treated by the Mouse...

Bingo. 

They have been raking in billions in profits year after year despite their substandard IT. So why should they care?

Now they are screwing DVC members and passholders in favor of a quick cash grab from the NBA. 

It’s strictly business. Nothing personal. 

TCD
 

^
What a mess.

My oldest daughter is on the faculty of a major university in Florida. She has been teleworking since March. They are planning to reopen offices on campuses to a limited degree in July. One precaution is that all employees must be tested for COVID-19, with the university providing the testing.  There are detailed plans in place for protecting staff and students as they slowly begin the process of reopening the campus.

WDW plans to open their parks in July. They have not made any provision for employee testing, and haven’t even reached out to all of the CM’s they will need to have in place to staff the parks.  As of yet, there has been no sharing of what, if any, plans they have to protect their employees from sickness.

TCD

48 minutes ago, Katman1356...Jason said:

Just wanted to remind everyone Disney has opened booking out to 9/26/2021. They have no opened further than that for room only bookings like in the past. If you are thinking about a trip in 2021 let me help you get it locked down. 
 

[email protected]

Are they only allowing reservations for 2021?  Can you reserve rooms for 2020?

TCD

The new barn looks good!

TCD

4 hours ago, Travisma said:

Lots of good questions, unfortunately no answers as of yet.

Various FB sites have a lot of discussions (whinings) on Disney needing to step up their game and start announcing how they are going to handle things so people can start making plans.  Some of the complaints are justified and some are just whines.

Even when they do make announcements they are confusing and conflicting.

When they announced about suspending AP payments one of the choices was to keep paying and extend your renewal date.  But there was no information on how to opt for that choice.  I waited a few days thinking I would get an email telling me what I needed to do.  When nothing arrived I bit the bullet and made the dreaded call to customer service.  I was only on hold for about 10 minutes before it got taken care of, but again a lack of information on Disney's part.

And the writer is so spot on about MDE!

 

You’re right about not getting any information about how to choose the continue to pay option. That is what I would have preferred, but I never received any information about how to choose that, and then my monthly payment stopped. So, I guess the choice was made for me. 
 

I don’t understand what will happen next, but MDE still shows my pass as valid. If they are going to expect full payment for the reduced hours and no entertainment that they apparently going to offer, then I might need to take a break from being a passholder for a while.

I’m not whining or mad at Disney.  They have to do what they need to to survive.  

TCD

1 hour ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

I think the extension is the best bet if paid in full, you'll be ahead of any price increases.  With that said they may forgo those for a while to keep people coming back.

I have to make a decision on this soon- the problem I have is lack of information. So far, Disney has said that when the parks reopen, the hours will be reduced, and advanced reservations will be required. We don’t know how available those reservations will be, and I think this eliminates park hopping. There’s no talk of any price adjustments, so if I keep my pass, I’m paying full price for an unknown ability to use the pass. That doesn’t sound like a good deal to me. 
 

TCD

16 hours ago, h2odivers...Ray said:

Thanks.   Normally I’d ask a cranky old bus driver to take me to the CM store next time we were at WDW but he moved out of state.

 

but I would appreciate the twins checking for me. And if they find them.  I’ll Venmo them the cost plus shipping and any extra they deem necessary. 

I can’t seem to log into Taptalk and that’s what I use to post pictures. 
the magnet she wants is the one that looks like a paint can lid with purple paint spilling out of it. 
it’s says...

“Figment color co.”

“epcot international festival of the arts 2020”

and on the top of the paint lid it says...

“ Find the perfect pigment with your pal Figment.”

I found a photo of it online. I’ll ask them to look for it. Although it may be a while before the CM store reopens. 
 

TCD

2 hours ago, h2odivers...Ray said:

My DD wanted the Epcot International Festival Of The Arts 2020 Figment Color.  She was going to get one during our Easter trip. 
I guess I’ll check ebay and see how much people are charging for them. 
she also wants the Figment AP magnet. 
she turns 16 in September and wants it for her car. 

What exactly are you looking for?  The Festival of the Arts stuff will probably still be in the CM store whenever they reopen. I can ask the twins to keep an eye out. 
 

TCD

35 minutes ago, h2odivers...Ray said:

Which scientists and medical experts should we listen to???

the ones on CNN, or Fox, or the White House task force, or the W.H.O?

1.  The W.H.O. Says to stay 1 meter, 3 feet away from others.   
but other experts say 2 meters, 6 feet. 
 

2.  The WHO says masks aren’t necessary.

other experts say to wear them. 
 

Etc. Etc.  Etc.  
 

I rest my case. 
 

TCD

3 hours ago, Travisma said:

Uh, maybe because they were closed first, are smaller so it makes a good test situation, the guests are much more likely to comply with the rules imposed by Disney and Shanghai and their cases have dropped off significantly...

Not to mention that actual medical experts hired by our own government are advising against the rush to reopen everything. 

It is amazing to me how many fools there are who choose to listen to untrained demagogues over scientists and medical experts.        
                
TCD

Holy crap.

This is just as bad as the comments on the Disney Parks Blog.

What a sad state of affairs. So many people brainwashed by those currently in charge to disregard science and even common sense. 
 

Disney would be crazy to try to open theme parks in this atmosphere.  
 

TCD

11 minutes ago, fladogfan aka Gretchen said:

Bet a lot of the rules following, mask wearing guests will be all too happy to report non-mask wearers.  We just need Disney to follow up on their rules.

Yeah I don’t think that would work either. How are guests supposed to report it?  And is security supposed to take the word of the reporting guest over the guest who now has his mask on and denies it?  
 

TCD

30 minutes ago, djsamuel said:

This is the key.  Disney needs to increase security and more importantly, finally give the them the ability to enforce the rules.  I have friends who are in security and often the path taken is to minimize disruption to the gust rather than strictly enforcing the rules.  That is what needs to change with this.  If you won't wear a face mask they escort you out of the park; no second chance.

You’re right, but I can’t see it happening with security. The cost would be too high, and it would still be impossible to watch everyone. 
 

TCD

1 hour ago, BradyBzLyn...Mo said:

Those are my favorite!  Some people like to pull that one out every time Disney does something they don't like.  And yet I'd bet you that $10k they still show up!

And if they really don't... well we all know how that equation goes.  For every person that decides they're not going to WDW because [insert reason here], 12 more people line up to take their place.  In this case given what they saw with Shanghai's reopening and how quickly they "sold out" it may be more like 1200.

I agree- the problem will not be having guests show up. 
 

The problem is going to be deliberate defiance of whatever safeguards Disney puts in place. 
 

If Disney says face masks must be worn, who is going to stop the self-entitled buffoons who know better and take their masks off after they are admitted to the park?

There’s a local grocery store here that made mask wearing mandatory by customers.  The last time I went, I’d say 25% or more of the customers took their masks off after they were in the store.  I know it’s debatable whether masks do any good, but if the store asks customers to wear masks, then customers should follow the rules.  
 

Thanks to the current administrations in charge of Florida and our nation, the a**holes among us are empowered to continue with their behavior.

I wouldn’t blame Disney to put that free money the government gave them in their pocket and not bother reopening this year.

TCD

1 hour ago, Beckers said:

That was good entertainment. Especially the lady saying she spends $10k a year there, does she not realizes that’s like nothing to Disney 😂

Your post led me to take a look at the comments. Wow. 
 

After Disney reads these I wouldn’t be surprised if they decide to remain closed.

TCD

7 hours ago, djsamuel said:

I read it and agree.  I just think they are trying to figure out what they can do.  Disney Springs is also a bit unique since there are so many outside businesses there and are allowed to open to 25% capacity if Disney would allow it.  Personally, I think that would be a mistake.  The crowds would too easily get out of hand.  Also, a restaurant at 25% capacity (plus outdoor seating) can't be very profitable if they could even break even.  large stores like World of Disney would really find it difficult to control social distancing.  I just think at best it would be a PR nightmare.

I agree with you. 

We will see for ourselves in a couple weeks:

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/05/disney-springs-begins-phased-reopening-on-may-20/

 TCD 

I agree with Mo- the boat thing doesn’t make sense. What kind of boat are we talking?  If he took a company boat to the island, what did he do with it when he got there? I imagine he couldn’t have left it tied up at the dock.

TCD

3 hours ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

And so is working on a Cruise ship, as is every other job...Which in the case of DCL are under England's control, and their pay scales/labor laws are not comparable to what happens in the US.  If things were so bad, why do many of the crew return contract after contract after contract.  We've seen the same crew members on the ships with some of those on a different ship than when we originally met, including many Americans.    

The point is nobody should complain about or critique what someone else is being paid or why, as long as the person in question is happy.  

Gotcha. I agree. Sadly, for most of the DCL crew, there is no place they could work in their home countries where they would earn what they do working aboard the ships. 
 

TCD

1 hour ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

NAVY 4 year commitment....  Cruise Line 6 to 9 months....

I’m not sure what point you’re trying to make. Military service is voluntary, and those who serve are well compensated, as they should be. 
 

TCD

3 hours ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

Also as I posted in the other thread, most Cabin Stewards make as much or more with tips than an E-3 (Seaman) in the US NAVY, many who do jobs with a lot more responsibility.  

You can’t just compare pay- do the cabin stewards get paid leave, government health insurance, retirement and the other perks that a US military member receives?  Not even close. 
 

TCD

1 hour ago, Grumpy and Grandma said:

But it is a separate subsidiary, just like ABC, PIXAR, DVC , MARVEL etc. apart from DISNEY PARKS.

True. And not subject to a lot of US laws that protect employees. 
 

TCD