Only a 35 minute wait for Flight Of Passage, but it does come with some crowd building. pic.twitter.com/TxLcP6XupT
— WDW News Today (@WDWNT) August 8, 2020
We’re seeing people make terrible decisions that have an enormous effect on public health, often under the guise of “freedom” and “patriotism.” (This is real freedom and patriotism.) So I want to celebrate the fact that enough people are either smart, or more likely limited by travel options and the economy, to stay away from Disneyworld this summer. Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida (the epicenter of the pandemic) opened again a few weeks ago. Although they took safety precautions and required mask-wearing there were some disturbing photos and reports coming out about crowding, empty hand sanitizers and lack of cleaning on rides. Luckily attendance has been so low that they’re cutting hours across all parks, with Magic Kingdom closing at 6pm and Epcot and Hollywood Studios closing at 7.
Disney World will be reducing their operating hours in September amid lower-than-expected attendance due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Disney World’s new hours set to begin on Sept. 8 are:
Magic Kingdom: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Epcot: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Hollywood Studios: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Animal Kingdom: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
According to USA Today, the Walt Disney Co. lost nearly $5 billion throughout April, May and June due to the closures. It also cost them a total of $4.5 billion just to close the parks.
The company was hopeful for its reopening, but the parks have experienced low attendance as the coronavirus continues to impact long-distance travel which has significantly affected the number of out-of-state visitors.
The Miami Herald reported on a poll by THR that showed that 78% of parents say it’s too early to go back to theme parks. Hopefully this prevailing opinion is driving low attendance at Disneyworld and not inability to travel. However it only takes a few people behaving like a-holes to spread this virus. I’ve never been more ashamed and frustrated to live in the US. I should end on a positive note, the majority of people would do the right thing, we just have evil leadership encouraging their followers to sabotage the rest of us.
Also, one of the log rides at Splash Mountain sunk last week. People who were on it got out, but were told by employees they should have stayed on, which seems fitting.
The temperature check line coming from buses and Skyliner is crazy long pic.twitter.com/uGqgVTh3wC
— WDW News Today (@WDWNT) August 8, 2020
The Zanzibar Trading Co. seating area is once again open for those looking for shaded seating while enjoying a Dole Whip pic.twitter.com/zoe5WWN40T
— WDW News Today (@WDWNT) August 9, 2020
Depending where you look, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is currently a 70-75 minute wait at Disney's Hollywood Studios. pic.twitter.com/59HzxHoVcQ
— WDW News Today (@WDWNT) August 9, 2020
I don’t understand. How is this fun to anyone? Do you really need to go to Disney THAT bad? Go next year (if all is good).
Me:I don’t understand. How is this fun to anyone? Do you really need to go to Disney THAT bad? Go next year (if all is good).
I’ve never even wanted to go once. I can’t understand paying that entrance fee and waiting that long for rides.
SS: I’ve never even wanted to go once. I can’t understand paying that entrance fee and waiting that long for rides.
whatWHAT?: ARE YOU MY LONG LOST TWIN?!!!
I follow a Disney shaming group on FB for the laughs. There are people obsessed with everything Disney, forgoing saving for a house or traveling anywhere else so they can visit Disney theme parks multiple times each year. They’ll have entire rooms at home with thousands of dollars worth of Disney purses or Mouse Ears on display. Entire houses will be decorated in Disney character themes. Will get engaged, honeymoon, and celebrate every anniversary at Disneyworld. These fans will plan their lives around everything Disney. They were in a deep depression when the parks were closed. It’s bizarre seeing that kind of obsession over characters and a theme park. It gets rather sad because it’s obviously filling in for something missing in life or dealing with trauma, etc.
Sorry, but isn’t it just as sad that a FB group was created to shame people for enjoying something? Yes, some people are obsessed with Disney to the extreme, but they’re not hurting anyone. They’re engaging in something that makes them happy. Spending energy on people whose interests you think are silly is…well, silly.
Totally understand that Disney isn’t for everyone, but never can understand the high and mighty attitude from people who prefer to vacation elsewhere or consume different media. That’s literally just personal preference and nothing to feel superior about. Personally, I find it super dull to just hang out on a beach for a week, but I don’t think I’m better than the people who enjoy beach trips. Their money, their vacation. I’ve been very fortunate to visit Disney several times and have experienced some incredible trips to many destinations in Europe. Both types of trips are fun to me for different reasons and I have wonderful memories from all my trips.
I was trying to shed some insight into people who couldn’t wait to go back to Disney World during a pandemic. I’m not knocking people who go to Disney for a normal, non-pandemic vacation (or any vacation, really). Our family was supposed to go this fall, we subscribe to Disney+, and I have a soft spot for Disney movies.
I should clarify that the Disney shame group is tongue in cheek. Many members post their own Disney obsession and ask to be shamed. It’s a bizarre group I randomly stumbled upon and it’s funny (most of the time). And yes, it is absolutely silly to shame grown adults who are obsessed with children’s characters. The whole thing is silly. But, there are some pretty sad examples of people making the decision to go on annual, extravagant Disney vacations instead of saving for a house for their family, forcing their kids to use their money for Disney vacations when the kids don’t want to go, forcing children to go who have crowd or social anxieties, etc. Those examples make me cringe because an obsession is overtaking good judgement or prioritizing the well-being of your family. The posts I was seeing from people who were depressed or livid that their right to go Disney was taken away because of a public health crisis was pretty shocking. People who can’t stay away from a theme park during a pandemic and bring children who are too young to wear a mask (saw one example recently where the parents were bringing their three week old!!!) deserve to be shamed.
I’m looking forward to going on any vacation as soon as it’s possibly safe to do so, even at Disney!
Is it the Disney shaming and cringeposting group? I’m in that one 😂
I saw that post! That woman was out of control.
Case, a lot of people in that group are AP holders, including myself. But being obsessed to the point where they’re saying it’s their cure for depression and to hell with cast members is a bit much.
Don’t even get me started on the Baby Yoda anthropomorphism.
Me neither! I went to Euro Disney (Disneyland Paris) twice as a kid and it was fun enough. But it rained both times I was there (hurray for Parisian weather) and many lines for rides were long. As a family we never felt the urge to go to Florida to do Disney World and I never felt like I missed out on anything. Maybe someday I’ll go, wouldn’t mind visiting the Harry Potter thing. But apart from that, I never felt I would find it so amazing. I hate roller coasters, waiting in lines, and being in crowds of people with a million young children (and I like kids!). I will probably never plan a trip to Florida just go to Disney World. The world is big and there are so many more interesting things to see and experience.
I’ve actually been to Disney Word twice. It was a lot of fun. I just don’t understand why anyone would go during a pandemic. It’s not worth the money or the risk. You can’t even fully enjoy your vacation or even get your money’s worth when so much of the park isn’t in full operating mode. If you don’t like long lines, go during the month of January (middle to end of the month). The lines weren’t long when I went in January many years ago. Kids are in school during that time so not too many tourists around !
If they’re not doing the fireworks I don’t see why they shouldn’t close early. We went Labor Day week last year and we were so done by 4:00 every day – just ready to get back to the resort pool. Two of my friends who are travel agents specializing in Disney have already been back to check out the lines and new procedures.
I think that people are wary of going to theme parks right now, and many people who had disney trips planned probably cancelled the trip months ago, when things were so up in the air. Factor in that Florida seems like a hot mess with the virus, and I can see it being a perfect storm for the lower attendance. The locals who go to disney regularly aren’t going to make up for the out of town travel.
I take my grandchildren the year they turn 8. My last grandchild turned 8 last Sat. I had planned the trip (before Covid hit) for Sept. Moved it to Feb next year. Just cancelled it all together last week. I want her to have the fullest experience as she can. I’ll try again in Feb to book for next Sept. Hopefully will be able to do so.
“Factor in that Florida seems like a hot mess with the virus”
Factor in that Florida seems like a hot mess.
FIFY. 😉
Not surprised.
I’m glad to hear attendance is lower than expected — hopefully that means it’s far less people traveling from out of state than anticipated. The park itself seems relatively safe for those who live nearby, but the thought of traveling to go on vacation this year makes no sense to me and downright angers me to see people on Insta flying on planes so they can keep their “necessary” vacation plans. I can’t believe how many people seem to feel it’s still fine to go on vacation during a pandemic, particularly in the U.S. where we haven’t earned the right to resume normal life whatsoever. Completely blows my mind. How is it responsible? How would it be safe? How would you have any fun? I’m nervous every moment I’m at the grocery store. People flying on planes, staying in hotels, and visiting popular destinations really just boggles my mind.
Side note for Celebitchy: Disney World is two words. You might be confusing it with Disneyland, which is just one word. 🙂
Good, I’m actually surprised attendance is low, but I’m glad people are being smart. I can sit here and judge and say how selfish it is but I actually get the need to get out and do normal things. I’m close to losing my mind and my 12 year old daughter has fallen into a deep depression as well. We need our friends and family and our lives back, and that can’t happen with shit like Disney open.
I don’t see how crowds and line ups is fun at any time let alone during a pandemic.
I have a FL resident annual pass and Disney sent me an email yesterday about getting a refund if I cancel, or putting extra months on next year if I continued to pay for it. I canceled. I’m not going anywhere near Disney until after a vaccination. Florida is a h*llscape of Covid.
Same here, my husband is calling and canceling our passes today. It’s not worth it right now.
I went once decades ago, in college, and that was it. Thankfully my husband doesn’t mind amusement parks because he got to take the kids to Disney while I stayed at the hotel.
I went a few years back with 5 other adult friends. Not gonna lie, I had a great time on the classic rides, but I have no need to go again.
I actually would be really interested to hear people who went and feel like it’s the right thing to do. Because I don’t get WHAT is so awful about skipping a vacation right now and/or waiting it out and going later. It’s not like food or water that you simply must have. Yet, people have such strong reaction to it…
I suppose some people are going because they booked the trip well in advance and somehow cannot get out of it without losing a lot of money. In that case, I could understand how somebody might “bite the bullet” and go – although in that case, why are the parks and airlines, etc. not just letting them get refunds or deferrals until a later date? But if you’re going now of your own voluntary accord, that is just so stupid.
They could move it to a different date and not lose any money. Pretty sure you get the full refund. Just got mine – the entire amount -, including the money for the insurance I paid even though I was told I would not get the insurance money back.
We were supposed to go in June and deferred it until next year; if we still aren’t able to go next year, we will cancel within the window to receive a refund. You couldn’t convince me to go to Disney right now for any price.
And it’s not just Disney World, or just Florida. The gym near us (I live in a Midwest state) reopened a few weeks ago with reduced capacity, more cleaning, and more mask use, but is cutting hours because so few people have gone back.
A lot of people are realizing that just because you CAN do something right now, it doesn’t necessarily make doing that a great idea.
That is really, really wonderful to hear. All I see are people overcrowding bars and beaches. I realize it’s difficult on the economy, but it is good to know that some people are practicing some restraint and using common sense instead of visiting places simply because they can.