As we alluded to in an earlier post, a lot of things are changing on the back end of Walt Disney World operations in the lead-up to the grand reopening. As we already know, Disney has temporarily paused all new ticket sales and Disney Resort hotel reservations, and currently, no dining reservations are available. However, if you were able to secure FastPass+ selections for the reopening, if you open up My Disney Experience, you’ll likely find that they’re gone now. Despite […]

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Disney proposed a potential reopening date and plan for Disney World yesterday, and it’s a lot to dig into.

Yesterday, we heard some comments from Disney CEO Bob Chapek about the reopening and how Disney is looking to welcome guests back responsibly. Today, Chapek spoke with Good Morning America to further lay out the reasoning and expectations behind what a reopening day in Disney World will look like.

Explaining the July 11th date Chapek noted that they chose that date by working backward. As their ability to reopen safely became clear, they picked the date by determining how much time the company would need to open responsibly considering all of the imminent training and procedure changes.

He explained that Disney is going to be a little bit different when we return. Unfortunately, that means an environment where not everyone can be accommodated like they normally could. He asked for patience and understanding from guests as these sorts of situations arise.

“In order to go to full speed, you gotta start somewhere,” Chapek explained, “And we’re going from the beginning and we’re going to be very responsible in doing it.”

When asked about how things will look different, Chapek talked about how the park has had to be re-engineered in a way to allow for appropriate physical distancing. Guests will definitely see areas that are taped off to help with this.

Beyond that, we’re going to see much less density in the parks. Disney is not releasing capacity numbers, but the limits will be significant. Chapek explained that as some things remain closed in the parks, most will be open. “Do the math,” he said — fewer people means shorter wait times.

Chapek called the reduction in waits a “silver lining” of the new measures. He mentioned that for those lucky enough to get into the new reservation system, it’s going to be quite the magical day.

When asked about the biggest challenge to reopening the parks, Chapek spoke on the inherent trust that people have in Disney.

To wrap the interview, Chapek made a few comments about the conversations of the NBA completing their season at Disney World. He noted that Disney is in daily conversations with the NBA to see if that’s something that they want to happen. He noted, “We certainly want it to happen.”

Chapek’s insights certainly shed some light on what we can expect as Disney World steps toward that reopening. We’ll be sure to keep you updated with any more information as it becomes available!

Click here to read more of Chapek’s comments on reopening!

What do you think of Chapek’s statements? Share your thoughts in the comments! 

Just last week, we saw that construction was occurring outside of CityWorks Eatery & Pour House, and while we were currently unsure what was actually being done, today we managed to get a better look at the action behind the plant barriers. The previous outdoor seating has been removed to tear up the ground in order to install the foundation of what will be a new canopy, as evidenced by a recent permit filing. Construction workers were hard at work, […]

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Greetings from Disney Springs! It’s been a full week since the beginning of the phased reopening started, and the last seven days have given us lots of time to practice social distancing in the light crowds. Today was a marked change, with the opening of several Disney-owned businesses bringing out the crowds reminiscent of pre-closure Disney Springs. A virtual queue system was put in place for guests wishing to enter World of Disney, the popular Disney Parks merchandise store. After […]

The post PHOTO REPORT: Disney Springs 5/27/20 (World of Disney Opens, Virtual Queue Line Stretches For Hours, Stormtroopers Enforce From A Distance) appeared first on WDW News Today.