WDW Reopening plans

[lozkin]

Being submitted at 10am tomorrow

[a11mark]

Probably be 11am ET, SeaWorlds presentation will be first

[Slore]

How exciting! Will we know what their plans are this evening or do we have to wait for any approvals?

[a11mark]

Dont shoot the messenger if this link is wrong, but according to clickorlando you should be able to watch today's Florida governors meeting / theme park reopen proposals via this link at around 2pm UK time

[a11mark]

Originally Posted by Slore

How exciting! Will we know what their plans are this evening or do we have to wait for any approvals?

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I believe initially the proposal will be voted for by the taskforce and then signed off by the mayor. I've read that a draft has already been seen by the mayor and while it dosnt include any specifics, it has many similarities to what Universal and Gatorland have already introduced.

[AdmiralJack]

My big question is the waterparks-i think there will be little variation from Universal in terms of the theme parks.

I may have posted a variation of this elsewhere, but on the subject of the Disney Waterparks (and pool areas in hotels where appropriate), i have a few thoughts many of which are probably unlikely unless they go very extreme, but food for thought anyway

Firstly, id be amazed if there werent some Disney tech people working as we speak to modify the magic bands to include a version of Volcano Bay Tapu-Tapu system to reduce people wandering aimlessly and joining too many queues on the off chance.

It will never completely stop that, but anything that reduces it is in turn reducing the occurrence of spontaneous congregations of people.

This will of course make the purchase of the money spinning magic bands all but obligatory, but Disney wont be thinking of that...

Secondly, once in the queue, supermarket style spacing marks on the floor is highly likely. How much people will adhere to them id debatable but its still useful.

Thirdly, mobile ordering is already a trend but it will accelerate across the property including at waterparks. Mobile ordering at all food locations will become ubiquitous. Taking the waterparks as a specific example, Disney is never one to miss an opportunity to make money, so it wouldnt surprise me if, under the guise of social distancing, they introduce some sort of package for sunbed food and drink delivery, as a way of keeping people on their sunbed as much as possible.

Fourthly, Reflecting a likely reduced capacity upon reopening, there will temporarily be less sunbeds and they will be more spaced out. I could well imagine certain areas of the beaches and sunbathing areas set aside for single parties, and for family groups (with beds spaced apart individually or into groups of say 5. Excessive moving of beds across the beach as is, or was, common before, will probably be more strictly monitored and `policed` by Disney staff.

Fifthly, and probably a bit fancifully, Perhaps the Misting machines all over the waterparks will be misting out nice refreshing clouds of Purell? (seriously, is this possible?)

Sixthly, In the high crowd attactions, specifically, the wave pools, it might well become a case of one in, one out, and crowds initially being kept fairly small and encouraged to space out. You might see more infrastructure built around the shore to the wave pools so that there are only specific entry and exit points so that staff can enforce the 1 in 1 out policy.

That said, the virus cant surivive in either salt water or Chlorinated water, so you might be safer in the water than anywhere...

And finally, I could imagine the lazy rivers could close all but two entrances. One being an entry, one being an exit. Again, easy to control levels and it might contribute to a 1 directional walking route around the park to prevent people cutting across each other unduly and risking exposure that way. (unlikely i know)

[a11mark]

Originally Posted by AdmiralJack

My big question is the waterparks-i think there will be little variation from Universal in terms of the theme parks.

I may have posted a variation of this elsewhere, but on the subject of the Disney Waterparks (and pool areas in hotels where appropriate), i have a few thoughts many of which are probably unlikely unless they go very extreme, but food for thought anyway

Firstly, id be amazed if there werent some Disney tech people working as we speak to modify the magic bands to include a version of Volcano Bay Tapu-Tapu system to reduce people wandering aimlessly and joining too many queues on the off chance.

It will never completely stop that, but anything that reduces it is in turn reducing the occurrence of spontaneous congregations of people.

This will of course make the purchase of the money spinning magic bands all but obligatory, but Disney wont be thinking of that...

Secondly, once in the queue, supermarket style spacing marks on the floor is highly likely. How much people will adhere to them id debatable but its still useful.

Thirdly, mobile ordering is already a trend but it will accelerate across the property including at waterparks. Mobile ordering at all food locations will become ubiquitous. Taking the waterparks as a specific example, Disney is never one to miss an opportunity to make money, so it wouldnt surprise me if, under the guise of social distancing, they introduce some sort of package for sunbed food and drink delivery, as a way of keeping people on their sunbed as much as possible.

Fourthly, Reflecting a likely reduced capacity upon reopening, there will temporarily be less sunbeds and they will be more spaced out. I could well imagine certain areas of the beaches and sunbathing areas set aside for single parties, and for family groups (with beds spaced apart individually or into groups of say 5. Excessive moving of beds across the beach as is, or was, common before, will probably be more strictly monitored and `policed` by Disney staff.

Fifthly, and probably a bit fancifully, Perhaps the Misting machines all over the waterparks will be misting out nice refreshing clouds of Purell? (seriously, is this possible?)

Sixthly, In the high crowd attactions, specifically, the wave pools, it might well become a case of one in, one out, and crowds initially being kept fairly small and encouraged to space out. You might see more infrastructure built around the shore to the wave pools so that there are only specific entry and exit points so that staff can enforce the 1 in 1 out policy.

That said, the virus cant surivive in either salt water or Chlorinated water, so you might be safer in the water than anywhere...

And finally, I could imagine the lazy rivers could close all but two entrances. One being an entry, one being an exit. Again, easy to control levels and it might contribute to a 1 directional walking route around the park to prevent people cutting across each other unduly and risking exposure that way. (unlikely i know)

See more...

There was an update to MDE in March and wording was changed to indicate WDW was expanding virtual queues. There seems to be a new section on the app called my queues, it's not on mine but there are screenshots on multiple websites.

Disney Shangai and Universal have spacing markers on the floor, I'm sure WDW will follow suit. I'd be interest if WDW do the floor markers for the shows and performances (as they do in Shanghai).

I know Volcano Bay have recommended face masks for when you cant social distance in the water park, but they are not permitted on slides or pools.

Policing already seems to have slacked as #distwitter has multiple photos of guests walking around Disney Springs without facemasks on in front of security, cast members and newly appointed president of WDW; Josh D'Amaro.

As for everything else it all depends on what there capacity limits are, when they ease capacity and what safeguards they can place so that you wont feel or look like your socially distancing. And then, this all depends on when another surge would hit (which is likely IMO)

[a11mark]

Reopening dates
11th July WDW & DAK
15th July Epcot & HWS

Fireworks, parades and meet & greets suspended

[Disneyhm]

Wish they had mentioned the resorts

[a11mark]

Here's WDW presentation slides