Masks back at DL starting July 30

[Skyegirl1999]

Other than one report here about distancing in the POTC line, I haven’t seen any reports of any changes besides indoor masking.

 

[Drewski77]

I'm wondering if they'll start slashing capacity for dates that haven't already sold out? That's the only way they could reduce capacity going forward because they can't cancel reservations, at least not easily.

Why would they slash capacity when guests have already paid and will just have to wait in longer lines?

I don’t think Disney is concerned about optimizing the guest experience right now.

 

[CO2CA]

Why would they slash capacity when guests have already paid and will just have to wait in longer lines?

I don’t think Disney is concerned about optimizing the guest experience right now.

Which guests have already paid? Guests who don't have tickets or a reservation haven't already paid. They can slash capacity for dates that have yet to sell out.

We'll agree to disagree. For some, Disney is optimizing the guest experience by requiring face masks.

 

[Drewski77]

Which guests have already paid? Guests who don't have tickets or a reservation haven't already paid. They can slash capacity for dates that have yet to sell out.

We'll agree to disagree. For some, Disney is optimizing the guest experience by requiring face masks.

Point taken on Disney being able to slash capacity for future dates, but this is doubtful if people will pay admission regardless of new restrictions.

And I do think Disney is trying to optimize safety to a degree, but unless they proactively reduce capacity, then they are not at the same time trying to optimize the guest experience.

Safety AND optimizing the guest experience can go hand in hand, but I think safety and profit optimization will win out.

 

[juxtapose]

The two park websites have very distinct language differences about the attractions and mask requirements to be sure. Just a lot of confusion as people have sought to clarify directly with Cast about whether they mean indoors only for rides at DL and being told that no its all rides and queues in those conversations. That could just be an internal communication issue with Cast. It would be odd for them to provide such distinct language online but implement without that distinction.

The cast member operating Toy Story Mania today didn’t even know about the change to mask requirements until a guest told them. So I’d say they haven’t done park wide communication yet.

 

[DisSurfer878]

I think everyone really can't say anything about what Disney is or isn't doing about capacity because we all have literally zero way of knowing. Speculating and arguing about what may or may not be isn't the point of this thread and doesn't change anything or get us anywhere

 

[dreeger]

I won't get onto the subject of whether this is the right move, but I am sad to lose my ability to communicate with cast members at registers or my family in some lines. I have difficult time with my hearing, and Disney shops and some lines are particularly loud and difficult when I can't see mouths. Genuinely bummed after a great trip without masks only a few weeks ago and several trips scheduled this year. I hope this wave subsides quickly like everywhere else it has hit.

My husband also has difficulty hearing, and while he's not quite ready for hearing aids just yet, he makes up for his hearing loss by reading lips, so this poses a challenge for him as well. We go in September, so I'm sure I'll be doing a lot of translating for him when needed.

 

[joseph821]

My husband also has difficulty hearing, and while he's not quite ready for hearing aids just yet, he makes up for his hearing loss by reading lips, so this poses a challenge for him as well. We go in September, so I'm sure I'll be doing a lot of translating for him when needed.

I hope you have a good trip. Your husband will rely on you more.

 

[DLgal]

I don't think we will see any reduced ride capacity at all. I will be surprised to see distancing come back in lines as well. It seems likely that the masking rule is being put back in place IN LIEU OF distancing or reducing capacity.

 

[Becky Mouse]

While I completely understand the decision to require masks ON rides and indoor ride queues (actually indoors, like Star Tours) what worries me about the potential for it including queues is:

Will we go back to no eating allowed in line? If this is the case, we will have to cancel or else possibly explore the DAS. DH was recently diagnosed with a new medical condition that absolutely requires he have access to food and water immediately and on demand, and its not even as simple as being able to get out of line and walk to the nearest bench. It is IMMEDIATE.
Hoping they will clarify this soon.

What will you do if he's on a ride and this happens? Does he have to skip all thrill rides? I hope he gets better soon, and that you have a safe trip!

 

[AndrewC]

Does anyone know of a way to protect the purchase of tickets? Credit card, trip or travel insurance, anything? My hotel I can cancel and get full refund, I paid the extra couple hundred bucks on flights to buy fully refundable fares, everything I can bail out on... except tickets. I've already spent about $400 on Disney halloween party tickets (1 tix one day and 3 tix for another day in case I can find a couple people to join me) and now I'm worried I'll need to buy park tickets soon to have any CHANCE of getting in if I decide this is a go. In addition I need to buy Universal Halloween Horror night tickets soon which are easily $600. I'm going to have a sunk cost of like $1800 just in theme park tickets and I'm not certain I'll do the late October trip this is all for.

Masks indoors I might put up with (though I HATE the N95s I've been wearing for over a year) but if they limit capacity or close indoor dining, if they limit large capacity events (no fireworks, no parade, etc) then it's getting to the point of not being worth it... not when theme park tickets are full price, Disneyland Hotel is averaging $500 a night after tax... full price on everything but limited experience and uncomfortable with the mask.

I don't want to call it quits just now in hopes that new rules forcing vaccinations work, having to mask up again spurs new need to vaccinate, or something else happens to cause this surge to drop quickly and continue on the path to opening, I'm still 80+ days out... but at the same time, I'm going to be pretty upset wasting $1800+ on nothing...

You can't sell Disney tickets as a private (non-commercial) thing can you?

 

[DisSurfer878]

What will you do if he's on a ride and this happens? Does he have to skip all thrill rides? I hope he gets better soon, and that you have a safe trip!

I appreciate the sentiment, but unfortunately this a life long genetic condition. As we learn to manage it better life should get easier, but it's difficult right now. The difference for us between a ride and a line is that on a longer ride, we would have no problem whipping out a snack and having him eat it, rules be damned, because it's a medical emergency. But in line, we would be harassed by CMs as we saw many, many people be on our last visit when masks were still required and possibly forced out of the line which we also saw happen. Plus, he would be sitting on a ride, which would put him in a safe position versus standing in a line and having to walk to sit down to eat (as the previous rules did not allow walking and eating). Most thrill rides would be quicker (such as Big Thunder or Incredicoaster) and while we may not be able to access what we need on the ride, we would be able to do so within a very short time window, versus having to back track through an entire line, try to fight a crowd at the entrance, try to walk and find a place to sit, etc.

 

[DisSurfer878]

Does anyone know of a way to protect the purchase of tickets? Credit card, trip or travel insurance, anything? My hotel I can cancel and get full refund, I paid the extra couple hundred bucks on flights to buy fully refundable fares, everything I can bail out on... except tickets. I've already spent about $400 on Disney halloween party tickets (1 tix one day and 3 tix for another day in case I can find a couple people to join me) and now I'm worried I'll need to buy park tickets soon to have any CHANCE of getting in if I decide this is a go. In addition I need to buy Universal Halloween Horror night tickets soon which are easily $600. I'm going to have a sunk cost of like $1800 just in theme park tickets and I'm not certain I'll do the late October trip this is all for.

Masks indoors I might put up with (though I HATE the N95s I've been wearing for over a year) but if they limit capacity or close indoor dining, if they limit large capacity events (no fireworks, no parade, etc) then it's getting to the point of not being worth it... not when theme park tickets are full price, Disneyland Hotel is averaging $500 a night after tax... full price on everything but limited experience and uncomfortable with the mask.

I don't want to call it quits just now in hopes that new rules forcing vaccinations work, having to mask up again spurs new need to vaccinate, or something else happens to cause this surge to drop quickly and continue on the path to opening, I'm still 80+ days out... but at the same time, I'm going to be pretty upset wasting $1800+ on nothing...

You can't sell Disney tickets as a private (non-commercial) thing can you?

Here are the official terms and conditions from Disney themselves: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/faq/tickets/eticket-terms-conditions/


Per their own words, they are nonrefundable, non transferable, and not allowed to be sold. Travel insurance changed drastically this past year and because Disney themselves doesn't offer refunds, I cannot see any company where you will be able to insure them for a refund because the company would be eating the cost, not you getting your money back from Disney.

 

[Bigmace]

Does anyone know of a way to protect the purchase of tickets? Credit card, trip or travel insurance, anything? My hotel I can cancel and get full refund, I paid the extra couple hundred bucks on flights to buy fully refundable fares, everything I can bail out on... except tickets. I've already spent about $400 on Disney halloween party tickets (1 tix one day and 3 tix for another day in case I can find a couple people to join me) and now I'm worried I'll need to buy park tickets soon to have any CHANCE of getting in if I decide this is a go. In addition I need to buy Universal Halloween Horror night tickets soon which are easily $600. I'm going to have a sunk cost of like $1800 just in theme park tickets and I'm not certain I'll do the late October trip this is all for.

Masks indoors I might put up with (though I HATE the N95s I've been wearing for over a year) but if they limit capacity or close indoor dining, if they limit large capacity events (no fireworks, no parade, etc) then it's getting to the point of not being worth it... not when theme park tickets are full price, Disneyland Hotel is averaging $500 a night after tax... full price on everything but limited experience and uncomfortable with the mask.

I don't want to call it quits just now in hopes that new rules forcing vaccinations work, having to mask up again spurs new need to vaccinate, or something else happens to cause this surge to drop quickly and continue on the path to opening, I'm still 80+ days out... but at the same time, I'm going to be pretty upset wasting $1800+ on nothing...

You can't sell Disney tickets as a private (non-commercial) thing can you?

Disneyland tickets are good for about 2 years before they expire, after that you can use the value of what you paid for the tickets towards the new value. You will never be SOL if you buy tickets now and have to use them later.

 

[WorldWacky]

Well...poopy. I knew we’d be back in masks in school once we started up again, but I was REALLY hoping to get this trip in without masks before that. We’re traveling from NY for my niece’s wedding so decided to make this a once in a lifetime thing and hit Disneyland as well. It is what it is, but it’s still frustrating. I actually booked GCR with the hope that by our trip they’d be offering EMH to hotel guests again. (Ahhh, how naive I was a month and a half ago. )

 

[AndrewC]

Disneyland tickets are good for about 2 years before they expire, after that you can use the value of what you paid for the tickets towards the new value. You will never be SOL if you buy tickets now and have to use them later.

I didn't know about the two year window (thought it was one year, and I usually only head down late October, so I could seriously miss the one year mark by like a week depending how the calendars fall).

I doubt this applies to event tickets (Halloween party) right? (It wouldn't be so bad if I could convert that to value towards an AP or normal tickets later)

Anyone know of a premium credit card that offers this protection? I think a one high end CITI card used to have missed event ticket protection that would cover the cost of X amount of tickets a year missed for basically any reason... but I think they removed that feature back in 2018 or 2019. Has anyone heard of any other high end card that does that? Even if it was limited to $500 or $1,000 a year or something it would be worth opening a new card to me...

 

[Evita_W]

Where did you find that information? I haven't read it in any policy in the past.

In any case, I can't imagine cast members would know I am hard of hearing if they see my family pulling down masks to have a conversation in line. And I am not sure I would feel comfortable asking a cast member to pull down her mask to accommodate me.

Not your family, but you can ask the CMs when at the register and such. It was in the original mask requirements when required everywhere and CMs have told me they can, as it is a reasonable accommodation. Most of the CMs would welcome a chance to pull down their mask by the way.

 

[Evita_W]

I didn't know about the two year window (thought it was one year, and I usually only head down late October, so I could seriously miss the one year mark by like a week depending how the calendars fall).

I doubt this applies to event tickets (Halloween party) right? (It wouldn't be so bad if I could convert that to value towards an AP or normal tickets later)

Anyone know of a premium credit card that offers this protection? I think a one high end CITI card used to have missed event ticket protection that would cover the cost of X amount of tickets a year missed for basically any reason... but I think they removed that feature back in 2018 or 2019. Has anyone heard of any other high end card that does that? Even if it was limited to $500 or $1,000 a year or something it would be worth opening a new card to me...

Event tickets are useless after the event, even if unused.

And the window is usually 1 year.

 

[Ismo]

I'll be at the the parks tomorrow and Saturday, I'll try to update on the "many attractions" distinction. Also, I was on POTC this morning and I didn't notice any social distancing markers? They have been there since opening so I just didn't notice. I'd be surprised if they brought back social distancing...the parks could barely handle the lines when they were are 30% capacity...Heck, it could barely handle some of the lines today. If they add social distancing in the park would be an ABSOLUTE nightmare!

 

[TikiTikiFan]

Bringing back a mask policy is an easy thing for them to do that doesn't create a loss of funds like physical distancing did. Honestly, no one should be hoping that comes back if you're also missing parades, Fantasmic!, etc. A return to physical distancing would be a nightmare and we'd be saying goodbye to a lot of things we miss returning anytime soon... I don't see that happening unless Disney had no choice.