VUPDATES in PROGRESS
Significant updates tagged March 2021
This post has been pinned to hopefully provide some information about the re-opening of WDW.
It contains a brief summary under different headings, with links to information and other threads where most relevant.
A Whole New World - an introduction
Mk and AK re-opened July 11th.
Epcot and DHS re-opened July 15th.
When the parks reopen there will be reduced capcity in the parks, and likely the resorts.
March 2021 - Capacity currently officially at 35%.
Everyone will now have to book park reservations in advance.
Everyone can now book park reservations if they have valid ticket media. There are three “pools” of park slots: resort guests, AP holders offsite and regular offsite ticket holders.
AP holders with onsite stays will book from the Resort Guests category, to allow them to book for length of stay.
**March 2021 - if there are AP slots available but no resort guest slots, CMs at Ticketing Services can book park reservations for you from the AP pool. You have to call to do this. This number is one that has been successful:
Ticket specialist 407-566-4985**
There is an availability chart showing the availability in each pool for each park and date.
Availability chart here:
Thread link for park reservation system:
Main information about the re-opening here:
https://www.disneyworld.co.uk/experience-updates/
Fastpasses have been cancelled and will no longer be used in the initial re-opening phase.
The FP queue is being used for:
DAS access
Rider Swap
VIP tours
Club 33
Golden Oak residents
and guest recovery FPs.
No more EMH, tickets for all tours and special events are being cancelled.
Masks will be required for everyone aged 2 & up.
Temperature screenings required for Disney Springs and Theme Parks
https://www.disneyworld.co.uk/experience-updates/#drawer-card-faceCoveringsTemperatureChecks
DVC Resorts & Fort Wilderness opened June 22.
Dates for other resorts to open have been published, although these could change.
All previously booked ADRs have been cancelled, along with dining plans. Going forward dining reservations will be made at 60 days out instead of 180 days.
ADRs can now be booked with a 60 day window, plus length of onsite stay, up to 10 days.
PARK RESERVATIONS
Whilst park capacity is reduced everyone, including AP holders, will need to book a park reservation in advance.
https://www.disneyworld.co.uk/experience-updates/park-reservations/
The Park Reservation System is now open for:
-
any guests with tickets, whether onsite or offsite through to early 2022. You can book as soon as you have valid tickets.
-
AP holders, who are limited to 3 days at a time other than onsite stays, for which they get length of stay.
There is an availability chart here:
Availability changes regularly and can even be found on the day.
AP Holders have been warned that they may have difficulty securing park reservations initially if not onsite. However park slots have been moved from one pool to another and AP holders have seen reservation availability change.
https://www.disneyworld.co.uk/experience-updates/annual-passes/
Not all attractions are open. In general, shows and parades are not running, plus anything that uses Equity CMs.
A useful link to what is open is here, although things can change:
You can check the other parks from that page.
RESORTS
DVC Resorts and Fort Wilderness opened on June 22nd.
There is now Information posted on the WDW website detailing what will be open at each DVC resort and FW when they re-open.
https://www.disneyworld.co.uk/experience-updates/resorts/
Pools will be open.
There is at least one TS and one QS open at each resort, but they may have modified menus. Character Dining is available at at Topolino’s (Riviera), Chef Mickey (for breakfast only) and Hollywood & Vine. All have modified the experience and are no longer buffet style.
They are limiting resort hopping. The wording is a little ambiguous, but effectively you will need an ADR to be guaranteed entry to a resort that you are not staying in.
From the Dine page:
“ Planning to dine at a table-service restaurant in a Disney Resort hotel? A confirmed dining reservation is required for day Guests (those not staying overnight) and is highly recommended for Guests staying overnight at a Disney Resort hotel”.
In practice, using Disney transport to get to a resort is fine. Driving requires an ADR or mobile order. However resorts ask guests to click “here now” as they arrive, others are not always allowing mobile order pick-up.
Also note the section on temperature screenings for resort guests.
From the Resorts page:
“ Persons who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, have been in contact with someone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 symptoms without completing a 14-day quarantine, or are under quarantine orders must not enter Walt Disney World Resort.
Walt Disney World Resort Guests may be subject to additional screenings. Before you leave home, please check the temperatures of everyone in your party—including yourself—as an extra layer of precaution.”
This link gives the initial information released and is left in for information, including that pool access may be limited.
https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/travel-information
Non- DVC Resorts
There is a list of other resorts opening from July 10th thru to Summer 2021.
https://www.disneyworld.co.uk/experience-updates/resorts/
Those with stays at resorts not opening are being moved to a similar level of resort.
Club Level will not re-open for the time being.
DINING
ADR booking has now resumed at 60 days out instead of 180 days out.
The length of stay privilege for onsite stays remains, up to 10 days.
Subsequent onsite days open up one day at a time, so day 12 at 59 days out etc.
Split stays have separate booking windows.
Dining Plans have not returned and are not being sold.
Not all restaurants are open and many of those that are have modified menus.
For QS, mobile ordering is strongly encouraged.
It appears dining may be limited to groups of 6.
Information about Dining is here:
https://www.disneyworld.co.uk/experience-updates/dine/
Blog Mickey has a list of restaurants that are open in the parks and resorts, although again this is subject to change. There is also a thread here that discusses changes etc.
Temperature screening has been introduced at Resort Table Service restaurants.
AP HOLDERS
AP Holders staying offsite can book park reservations for three days.
Those staying onsite can book them for length of stay.
March 2021 - If the Resort Guest pool is full, AP holders staying onsite can call and CMs will book from the AP pool if available.
Passholder previews were on July 9th & 10th.
TRANSPORTATION
Express and Resort Monorail running a limited service.
No Epcot beam service, buses from monorail resorts to Epcot.
Skyliner running all three lines.
Ferry boats from TTC to MK.
Boats from Poly, WL and FW to MK.
Friendship Boats between Epcot and DHS via all resorts.
No Sassagoula River boats (from OKW & SSR to DS).
No Blue Flag launch boats around Bay Lake.
No Minnie Vans.
No parking lot trams.
Disney Magical Express is running through the end 2021. The service is ending at the end of 2021.
However there is no luggage delivery from MCO to Resorts.
Resort Airline Check-in is not available.
Luggage is still being transferred between resorts for those with split stays.
FASTPASSES & EMH
All fastpasses are being cancelled.
FP+ will not be used for the time being.
FP queue space will be used for:
DAS, Rider Swap, VIP tours, Club 33, Golden Oaks residents and Guest Recovery FPs.
EMH is no longer available.
**March 2021 - At some point later this year (date to be be announced), Resort Guests will get 30 minutes early access to every park, every day.
This eliminates the rope dropping advantage for offsite guests. Modelling by TP suggests this could benefit onsite guests by 1-2 hours.**
Rise of the Resistance at DHS is using a virtual queue system. As before, boarding groups can be obtained for members of your family and friends who have a park reservation for that day.
March 2021 - Boarding groups are bookable at 7am and 1pm.
You can book from anywhere at 7am.
You may only ride once per day.
The 1pm drop requires you have a park reservation and that you have already tapped into DHS that day; you do not need to still be in the park at 1pm.**
These are currently booking out within a minute.
Park Hopping
Park hopping has resumed in a limited way.
You must have a park reservation for your first park, and have tapped into that park first.
From 2pm, park hopping may be available to other parks, depending on capacity.
You can check availability by calling this number:
to be added
Park to park bus drivers also have information on availability.
To date there have been no reports of people being denied entry to a second park, even if there were no park reservations available.
Park hopping information available here:
Link to be added
Threads you may find useful:
Maybe there are a couple others that would be useful to pin too.
