29/05/2020
Disney will be reopening soon, but here is what you need to know if you have a Disney trip planned in 2020.
In case you missed it, this week Disney shared some big news about Walt Disney World® Resort, including plans to welcome guests back to the theme parks as part of a phased reopening beginning July 11, pending state approval. We received updates tonight on the reopening:
We know many of you are excited to return to the magic and make new memories with your family, friends, and loved ones. As Disney previously shared, as we take these next steps forward, they are introducing enhanced health and safety measures reflecting guidance from health authorities and appropriate government agencies.
When the theme parks reopen, they will manage attendance through a new theme park reservation system on DisneyWorld.com that will require all Guests to make a reservation in advance for theme park entry. Over the coming weeks, we will be making some necessary updates to prepare for the launch of this park reservation system. Here’s some important information to help you plan ahead:
▫️New Ticket Sales and Hotel Reservations: At this time, Disney is temporarily pausing new ticket sales and Disney Resort hotel reservations to focus on Guests with existing tickets and reservations. Existing ticket holders and Annual Passholders will be able to make a theme park reservation before new tickets are sold; Disney will be reaching out to these Guests soon to provide additional details. Disney will resume new sales of tickets and Disney Resort hotel reservations after that period of time. Theme park reservations will be limited due to attendance limitations and will be subject to availability.
▫️Dining and Experiences: In order to foster physical distancing during this time, upon reopening, Disney's offerings, restaurants and other experiences such as behind-the-scenes tours will be limited in capacity, and other experiences may remain closed. As a result of limited capacity, Disney made the difficult decision to cancel all existing dining reservations and experience bookings, including Disney dining plans included in packages, through the end of the year. They will reopen dining and experience bookings with more limited numbers closer to when the parks reopen. We will also shift from a 180-day booking window to a 60-day booking window for dining and experience bookings going forward to allow Guests to make their plans closer to their visits.
▫️FastPass+ and Extra Magic Hours: As a result of the COVID-19 impact, the FastPass+ service will be suspended for the time being as they plan to use additional queue space to manage capacity at attractions and maintain physical distancing. We will automatically cancel existing FastPass+ selections and share any future updates on the service at a later date. Also, please note that upon reopening, Extra Magic Hours will be temporarily suspended.
Disney will be reaching out to Guests affected by these updates with additional information and details on options, including refunds. They understand how much excitement, thought and time goes into planning a Disney vacation and realize some of these changes may be disappointing. Please know both Disney and I (Your trusted travel advisor) will be here to help you, as Disney remains focused on delivering a wonderful experience for everyone who visits.
We know there is a lot of information here that will be disappointing to a lot of people. We will be reaching out to each and every one of our clients with existing 2020 reservations beginning tomorrow morning.
We are so disappointed for every single family impacted by this and we are here to assist in absolutely any way we can.
We appreciate your ongoing patience and understanding as Disney continues to keep the well being of Guests and Cast Members in mind. Stay tuned for more information over the next few weeks on how to use the theme park reservation system and other tips to be aware of prior to your visit.
