Walt Disney World Resort Non-Park Discussion Thread

well. . how bout that?

Someone Trespassed to camp on Discovery Island, because he thought it was just "a tropical paradise" :

"A man arrested for camping at Walt Disney World's Discovery Island told police he didn't know he was trespassing on what looked to him like a "tropical paradise," police said."

https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/03/us/disney-island-camping-coronavirus-arrest-trnd/index.html

This was posted on the Disney blog.

Disney Springs Begins Phased Reopening on May 20

Matt Simon

by Matt Simon, Vice President, Disney Springs

 

A phased reopening of Disney Springs will begin on May 20. Following the guidance of government and health officials, a limited number of shopping and dining experiences that are owned by third-party operating participants will begin to open during this initial phase. The rest of Walt Disney World Resort will remain closed, including theme parks and resort hotels.

 

As we continue to monitor conditions, and with the health of guests and Disney cast members at the forefront of our planning, we are making several operational changes. Disney Springs will begin to reopen in a way that incorporates enhanced safety measures, including increased cleaning procedures, the use of appropriate face coverings by both cast members and guests, limited-contact guest services and additional safety training for cast members.

 

We will apply learnings and ideas from leaders in the health and travel industries, and we’re also talking to our unions as we prepare for some cast members to return to work.

 

During the initial opening phase, Disney Springs will have limitations on capacity, parking and operating hours. Given this unprecedented situation, we appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we navigate through this process as responsibly as we can. Additional protocols and procedures may be announced closer to the opening date. Please check DisneySprings.com as we get closer to May 20 for the most current information on operating hours, locations and safety procedures.

Yay!!!

And this is the site where they'll be updating with more information as we get close to the May 20 date!

https://www.disneysprings.com/reopening/

Is it bad that I really, really want a Chicken Guy sandwich right now?

^ No, that is a very, very good thing.....eventually.

Is it bad that I really, really want a Chicken Guy sandwich right now?

Yes!

I'm holding out for a beer, empanadas, and chips and queso at Jock's Hangar Bar.

Is it bad that I really, really want a Chicken Guy sandwich right now?

 

Yes!

Chicken Guy is good, but ill take some Earl of Sandwich.

^ I see you are not a man of culture.

^ I see you are not a man of culture.

Flavortown isnt bad, just not my favorite vacation spot

I'm reading some reports that reservations for the Disney-owned restaurants at Disney Springs are beginning to become available starting on June 1st. They're not showing up on my My Disney Experience app, can anyone confirm?

I'm reading some reports that reservations for the Disney-owned restaurants at Disney Springs are beginning to become available starting on June 1st. They're not showing up on my My Disney Experience app, can anyone confirm?

Yes

Full Article: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-world-masks-plexiglass-dividers-temperature-checks-set-partial-reopening-1294506

Disney World: Masks, Plexiglass Dividers and Temperature Checks Set for Partial Reopening

The first wave of Walt Disney World employees will be back at the park on Saturday to get a portion of the Florida resort ready for its partial reopening on May 20. The theme park has been shuttered since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic, which resulted in more than 100,000 employees companywide being furloughed. But in three days, 117 custodians will return to work.

Eric Clinton, president of UNITE HERE, Local 362 told The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday that park staff have a "mixed bag of emotions" about returning to work: potential infection is a major concern, but so is not being able to pay rent.

"Some are anxious to get back because the unemployment system [in Florida] is completely broken," Clinton said. On May 20, only sub-contracted shops will be open in the Disney Springs shopping and dining complex. The next phase will start four days later when Disney retail shops, such as World Of Disney Store and Disney eateries reopen, the union president said. For that, an additional 59 custodians will report back to work.

Disney is taking the safety of both the guests and employees with the utmost seriousness, explained Clinton, highlighting some of the precautions that will be put in place. All guests and employees will be required to wear masks. Disney will provide employees three washable masks. Guests will have their temperature checked and plexiglass dividers have been installed at registers. Guests will swipe their own payments cards, they will no longer be handled by employees. And custodians will be retrained to pay attention to high-touch areas.

Clinton would not speculate about when the rest of the resort, namely the theme park, might reopen, but he did point to the Monday reopening of Shanghai Disneyland Park, noting "what you see there is a lot of what you'll see here." The sprawling China park requires all guests and staff wear masks, has line queues and rides marked for one-meter social distancing and is allowing far fewer guests daily (below 24,000) than the maximum capacity, which is 80,000.

Disney has also developed new global training for park employees to inform them about health and safety amid the pandemic, Clinton said. The company will also hold monthly safety meetings, with which the union will be involved.

For now, there have been no announcements about any part of Disneyland in Anaheim reopening. Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Chapek on Monday said it was still unclear when the domestic parks would reopen, as the decision would rely on state and local restrictions being lifted.

"We want to open up as soon as we can across the world, but we are going to do so in a responsible way," the exec said then. "We want to get our cast back to work as soon as possible."

I think Disney World will be mostly open (as in at least three parks and most resorts) before any part of Disneyland opens. Los Angeles County is planning on extending their stay-home order through some point in July (no exact date given), which would mean an earliest possible reopening of 4-6 weeks after the expiry of that, so I don't see Disneyland (or any of the large SoCal parks, even though Disneyland and Knott's are in Orange County) opening before Labor Day (September 7).

As long as those masks come with a washable filter and they’re actually checked each work day to make sure they’re clean it should be fine.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/05/welcome-back-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-phased-reopening-of-disney-springs-at-walt-disney-world-resort/

Wednesday, May 20, will be a great first step in the phased reopening of Walt Disney World Resort, as Disney Springs begins its initial reopening that morning. With the safety and well-being of our guests, cast members and third-party operating participants at the forefront of our planning, we are eager to begin welcoming you back to this part of Walt Disney World. While our theme parks and resort hotels remain temporarily closed, the phased reopening of Disney Springs is a welcome milestone as we navigate through this unprecedented time together as responsibly as we can.

 

Next week, many of our third-party operating participants will open their doors to Disney Springs guests. On May 27, three Disney-owned and -operated stores and venues will reopen: World of Disney, D-Luxe Burger (mobile order) and the Marketplace Co-Op. You can visit DisneySprings.com/reopening for the most current information on which locations are open.

More information on Disney Springs' reopening is available on the Disney Parks blog, but here are the main takeaways:

• Parking / capacity for the Orange and Lime garages only, no surface parking; Entrances restricted to the two garages, the Hotel Plaza Blvd pedestrian bridge, and the rideshare drop-off
  
• Masks and / or face coverings required for anyone over 3 years old
  
• Temperature screenings upon entry - if you're pegged at 100.4 deg F or warmer you're directed to a different area and checked again, if your temperature is confirmed to be over the limit, your entire party will be denied entry
  
• Distancing and separation measures including physical barriers in some places
  
• Increased cleanliness procedures
  
• Cashless transactions recommended but not required

From Disney's own site:

An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death.

 

By visiting Walt Disney World, you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19

Source

And yet people will still go running to be 'first'.

From Disney's own site:

 

An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death.

 

By visiting Walt Disney World, you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19

Source

 

And yet people will still go running to be 'first'.

That disclaimer should really apply anywhere. Its no ones fault that someone gets COVID, illness is going to happen in life.

That said, from reports I saw it wasnt busy at all.

We went to STK at Disney Springs today and it was great! Property wasn't very crowded and Disney was doing a great job with temperature checks, enforcing wearing a mask/face covering, and keeping people socially distant. Can't wait to keep visiting and supporting them!

^Glad to hear things are going well so far! With Universal’s intention to open in a little over a week, I can’t imagine Disney will be too far behind.

Hoping to make it to Orlando shortly after everything gets going again! I wonder if cast members will be blacked out for a while...?

^There are so many unknowns like that. How will they do Cast Members, AP's, day guests, resort guests, all parks, all resorts, water parks!?!!? It's a lot. We'll keep you all updated.

Remember the poor cast members still haven't been allowed to Studios since November!

I know this is the non-parks thread but since this seems to be where the discussion is right now I'd love to see Disney offer a ton of expanded after hours events similar to the Halloween party and After hours events when they re-open even if it's just until the allowed capacity gets back to normal. Jack up the ticket prices, I don't care, I'd be more than willing to pay $200 a day to get into the Studios for 4-5 hours with a limited crowd knowing I can see Galaxy's Edge, Runaway Railway and get a couple rides on Tower and Rockin Roller Coaster. Same goes for Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and the water parks really. $120 to have Blizzard Beach to myself for a few hours? Done. Very interested to see what Disney's plan is once they announce it, as I'm sure everyone else is.

We went to STK at Disney Springs today and it was great! Property wasn't very crowded and Disney was doing a great job with temperature checks, enforcing wearing a mask/face covering, and keeping people socially distant. Can't wait to keep visiting and supporting them!

So glad to hear this!

I didn't expect Disney to disappoint (I knew they wouldn't), but wasn't sure if people would be 100% respectful of the rules set into place.

Luckily most of the idiots didn't want to go if they had to socially distance or wear masks, so at least there's that. I'll give you guys kudos for weeding them out on your Facebook page too!

Wasn't sure if this should be in the Disney California thread, but it seems the lay-offs are across the board so thought it might be better in the Non-Park thread.

In light of the prolonged impact of COVID-19 on our business, including limited capacity due to physical distancing requirements and the continued uncertainty regarding the duration of the pandemic – exacerbated in California by the State’s unwillingness to lift restrictions that would allow Disneyland to reopen – we have made the very difficult decision to begin the process of reducing our workforce at our Parks, Experiences and Products segment at all levels, having kept non-working Cast Members on furlough since April, while paying healthcare benefits. Approximately 28,000 domestic employees will be affected, of which about 67% are part-time. We are talking with impacted employees as well as to the unions on next steps for union-represented Cast Members.

 

Over the past several months, we’ve been forced to make a number of necessary adjustments to our business, and as difficult as this decision is today, we believe that the steps we are taking will enable us to emerge a more effective and efficient operation when we return to normal. Our Cast Members have always been key to our success, playing a valued and important role in delivering a world-class experience, and we look forward to providing opportunities where we can for them to return.

Source

^ Noted.