Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[MickeyWaffles]

People are reacting to this as if DME has been in place since 1971. I agree it was a great service, but it’s only been there since 2005. People figured out ways to get to and from the airport for 34 years before DME and they’ll figure it out again. Will it lead to a decrease in people staying on property, yeah but probably not the amount of people we’re thinking or for the length of time we’re thinking. But people will adapt. I always loved renting a car at MCO and driving to Disney. Gave me such a special feeling driving in through the entrance sign and then driving around property. Really prepared me for now living in Florida. I know how to get everywhere on property and multiple ways to get from point A to point B.

Before Magical Express, the rental car lines at MCO were extra insane. Magical Express did pull a lot of people away from the rental car lines. We waited more than 3 hours for an Alamo pickup Easter week in 2002. No DME will impact the ease of getting a rental car again, IMO.

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

All of my trips to WDW as an adult have been onsite except for my last trip which was in September 2020 where I stayed off site. I was lucky enough to have a friend gift me her timeshare points so I was able to stay in 2 bdrm villa for a week for $300 and since there were no fastpasses at Disney it really made sense...

With all this news of the perks being stripped away I doubt I will stay on-site at Disney again. There really is no reason to pay the exorbitant prices for no real extras. I will rent a car and stay at a hotel or timeshare that doesn't charge me for parking. I think a lot of people will be soured on Disney and staying onsite. I hope it shows that them the guest experience is very important and if you can't supply it then people aren't going to pay.

We normally stay deluxe several times a year (we've stayed at one time each at CBR and GDT recently, otherwise haven't stayed Mod since a 19 night split POR/Poly CL stay in 2017). DH had also been inquiring about Club 33, but if they continue to take things away without clear replacements, I can't see feeling comfortable committing to that kind of future investment. Instead of paying for Club 33, staying in deluxe rooms for several weeks a year, and now having to rent a large SUV (to accommodate our family), I'd rather buy a house or condo and start exploring more of FL. Like others have said, if I have to rent a car, that takes away one of the main obstacles to visiting UOR. And by extension, I can see far more day trips to the coasts, other theme parks, NASA,...

 

[Eric Smith]

with walls coming down...any shot Rat opens this month?

Walls are coming down?

 

[KBoopaloo]

People are reacting to this as if DME has been in place since 1971. I agree it was a great service, but it’s only been there since 2005. People figured out ways to get to and from the airport for 34 years before DME and they’ll figure it out again. Will it lead to a decrease in people staying on property, yeah but probably not the amount of people we’re thinking or for the length of time we’re thinking. But people will adapt. I always loved renting a car at MCO and driving to Disney. Gave me such a special feeling driving in through the entrance sign and then driving around property. Really prepared me for now living in Florida. I know how to get everywhere on property and multiple ways to get from point A to point B.

That’s true but when I bought DVC in 2008, one of my considerations was the ease in getting to Disney property thanks to DME. The number of trips I took post 2005 and the arrival of DME went way up in no small part because of how easy it made things.

Obviously I always knew it was something that could go away and it is not the only thing that sold me on DVC by any stretch but a huge part of why DVC was a good idea for me was that Disney trips are so easy when you know the lay of the land. I always say that the last time I feel stress on a WDW trip is when I arrive at the airport in my home city - after that I know I don’t have to think about almost anything for the rest of my trip. I visit enough that even a long wait for DME at the airport is no big deal. I know lots of people feel differently and have always found DME to be inefficient but just like most things WDW related, we all have different impressions of what makes a great trip.

It’s not a dealbreaker for me by any means but it does affect the way I travel more than a lot of other recent changes have. I won’t rent a car because I find all driving stressful and avoid it at all costs even in my everyday life when I can. And now I will likely abandon my late night arrival solo trips which I have really come to love.

 

[Jroceagles]

s

Walls are coming down?

saw on blog today construction walls have been removed

 

[NickC]

The best part about DME was Gus. We loved watching the videos and it got us in the WDW mindset. I was never really comfortable with them handling our bags though. Often times, we wouldn't get our luggage until we were in bed for the night. On one trip, they were sent to the wrong hotel. Not a huge deal, but we were leaving for a cruise the next morning. I was on the phone all night, and they finally arrived at about 2 am, from a morning flight. We're still going to stay onsite. Well...if we decide to return. Hopefully there will be a Minnie van type service.

 

[Jroceagles]

Walls are coming down?

https://blogmickey.com/2021/01/construction-walls-removed-at-france-expansion-entrance-in-epcot/

 

[TheMaxRebo]

People are reacting to this as if DME has been in place since 1971. I agree it was a great service, but it’s only been there since 2005. People figured out ways to get to and from the airport for 34 years before DME and they’ll figure it out again. Will it lead to a decrease in people staying on property, yeah but probably not the amount of people we’re thinking or for the length of time we’re thinking. But people will adapt. I always loved renting a car at MCO and driving to Disney. Gave me such a special feeling driving in through the entrance sign and then driving around property. Really prepared me for now living in Florida. I know how to get everywhere on property and multiple ways to get from point A to point B.

This is how I feel about the FP+ window loss too. These perks may have helped people justify stays but at its core these individual perks are not what drive people to want to stay on property as a whole.

I hope nobody interprets that to mean I’m not disappointed or sad because I am or am apologizing for Disney, but I think they must know that these perks aren’t enough to move the needle for enough people one way or the other.

yeah, but in 1971 they weren't charging $500/ night for a deluxe room of $200/night for a themed motel room

and they didn't have major competition down the road they were trying to keep people away from

 

[sullivan.kscott]

Before Magical Express, the rental car lines at MCO were extra insane. Magical Express did pull a lot of people away from the rental car lines. We waited more than 3 hours for an Alamo pickup Easter week in 2002. No DME will impact the ease of getting a rental car again, IMO.

I'm wondering how it will impact "direct to car" lines. DW is a National renter exclusively through work, and the Emerald Aisle at MCO is a breeze. I'd hate to walk out to the garage and find an empty parking deck.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

yeah, but in 1971 they weren't charging $500/ night for a deluxe room of $200/night for a themed motel room

and they didn't have major competition down the road they were trying to keep people away from

Speaking of immediate and very close competition, will Flamingo Crossings hotels be charging for parking?

 

[MickeyWaffles]

This DME news is really hitting me harder personally than other eliminations/cuts.

I loved not having to even think about transportation/luggage once we landed. Off the plane, scan the band, wait in line. Have used it countless times since it started in 2005.

I cannot overstate how much easier it makes traveling there with young kids. No headaches. Minimal waiting. Not needing to get and manage all of our checked luggage and wrangle the kids and rent a car or whatever. Not worrying about car seats. It was so easy and efficient to manage with kids who might be cranky or out of sorts from traveling.

I definitely took it for granted.

 

[Brianstl]

This is how I feel about the FP+ window loss too. These perks may have helped people justify stays but at its core these individual perks are not what drive people to want to stay on property as a whole.

I hope nobody interprets that to mean I’m not disappointed or sad because I am or am apologizing for Disney, but I think they must know that these perks aren’t enough to move the needle for enough people one way or the other.

Those things were major drivers for me and my family to stay on site.

 

[Devil13]

DME was a huge plus for my family. Waiting for luggage and dragging it around is a PITA.

Knowing that when I checked my bags at my local airport and, essentially, didn't have to deal with it until I was home was great.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

yeah, but in 1971 they weren't charging $500/ night for a deluxe room of $200/night for a themed motel room

and they didn't have major competition down the road they were trying to keep people away from

Many people justify the hotel costs without having ever used DME largely due to not flying in.

Does it suck? Yes. Do I think the people who could justify the rising costs of the resorts despite getting more tangible bang for your buck offsite will largely still do it? Yes.

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

People are reacting to this as if DME has been in place since 1971. I agree it was a great service, but it’s only been there since 2005. People figured out ways to get to and from the airport for 34 years before DME and they’ll figure it out again. Will it lead to a decrease in people staying on property, yeah but probably not the amount of people we’re thinking or for the length of time we’re thinking. But people will adapt. I always loved renting a car at MCO and driving to Disney. Gave me such a special feeling driving in through the entrance sign and then driving around property. Really prepared me for now living in Florida. I know how to get everywhere on property and multiple ways to get from point A to point B.

I referenced a particularly notable Mears shuttle van experience earlier (when the driver told DH and I not to use our seatbelts ). I didn't have a drivers license (lived in Boston), so we pretty much had to take a van or taxi. I'm glad it was just me and DH, no kids, bc that was not a comfortable experience. I've also taken enough taxis to/from airports to know it sucks (not that there's room for my family in one).

One of the attractive things about visiting WDW so often for us is the ease and convenience. We could get off the plane, not have to even retrieve our own bags, just get onto a nice air conditioned bus and be whisked to our hotel. Now that we're backed into a corner and will have to rent a car, why stay onsite? The parking fee irks me, I don't care if we had a billion dollars, it still sucks. Do we park the car (paying a daily rate but not ever using it) and use hotel transportation so both DH and I can enjoy drinks with dinner? Or do we drive everywhere bc we might as well get our money's worth out of the rental?

 

[SaintsManiac]

Many people justify the hotel costs without having ever used DME largely due to not flying in.

Does it suck? Yes. Do I think the people who could justify the rising costs of the resorts despite getting more tangible bang for your buck offsite will largely still do it? Yes.

Absolutely, because there's nothing else like the WDW bubble. The thought of not staying in it depresses me. And I don't want to stay in a value or mod. First vacation in 2 years and I want deluxe.

I'm just hoping for a discount to keep my husband quiet. LOL

 

[hereforthechurros]

People are reacting to this as if DME has been in place since 1971. I agree it was a great service, but it’s only been there since 2005. People figured out ways to get to and from the airport for 34 years before DME and they’ll figure it out again. Will it lead to a decrease in people staying on property, yeah but probably not the amount of people we’re thinking or for the length of time we’re thinking. But people will adapt. I always loved renting a car at MCO and driving to Disney. Gave me such a special feeling driving in through the entrance sign and then driving around property. Really prepared me for now living in Florida. I know how to get everywhere on property and multiple ways to get from point A to point B.

We've only been going from 2017 so to me it's the only thing I know and the biggest perk. I know I am not alone, but I also know this isn't going to cause Disney to go bankrupt by people like us not going as often in the future.

 

[Farro]

Absolutely, because there's nothing else like the WDW bubble. The thought of not staying in it depresses me. And I don't want to stay in a value or mod. First vacation in 2 years and I want deluxe.

I'm just hoping for a discount to keep my husband quiet. LOL

And as far as deluxes, ME was never the draw, the location was. After GDT this trip, plan is either Animal Kingdom Lodge because it is so uniquely Disney or back to Yacht/Beach because walking to Epcot is just the greatest.

 

[Eric Smith]

And as far as deluxes, ME was never the draw, the location was. After GDT this trip, plan is either Animal Kingdom Lodge because it is so uniquely Disney or back to Yacht/Beach because walking to Epcot is just the greatest.

Walking to EPCOT is amazing. It's so nice at the end of the night to be able to leave the International Gateway and just walk back to your room. No need to get packed on a bus with everyone else.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Absolutely, because there's nothing else like the WDW bubble. The thought of not staying in it depresses me. And I don't want to stay in a value or mod. First vacation in 2 years and I want deluxe.

I'm just hoping for a discount to keep my husband quiet. LOL

This is us too, probably as a product of staying onsite for decades long before DME or FP. Awesome aspects of the resorts but didn’t make or break it for us.

No secret that we could get an amazing resort or house rental and not even come close to what we pay to stay onsite even considering things like rental cars. This was applicable even before Covid. I think Disney has done a great job of building intangible reasons people pay more for their resorts and will continue to.