Disney Announces More Changes Coming to Walt Disney World in 2020

Disney Announces More Changes Coming to Walt Disney World in 2020

disney-world-2020-changes

Disney Announces More Changes Coming to Walt Disney World in 2020

In Episode #3 of The Park Prodigy Podcast we take a look at the most recent changes coming to the Walt Disney World Resort in 2020 and why we feel this is HUGE NEWS for Disney Vacation Club Members and annual pass holders.

We will discuss how these changes will impact your next Disney World vacation, including:

  • The new Disney World reservation system
  • Updated Disney dining plan
  • Updated Disney dining reservations
  • Disney Suspended Fastpass+

It’s definitely a crazy time to be a Disney fan. So let’s jump right in!

Episode 3 Changes Coming to Disney World 2020 Show Notes: 

0:05 Today’s Topic: More Changes coming to Walt Disney World 

0.59 Disney issues new press release 

1:15 Disney’s new reservation system 

1:24 What does this mean for Disney World Guests, DVC Members and annual passholders

2:30 Is this the end of the disney dining plan? 

4:05 New Disney dining reservation window 

5:05 Fastpass+ changes 

5:45 What should you do if you have a trip planned for 2020?  

10:00 Stay up to date on the latest news, use our free vacation planning tools, and save on your next vacation at theparkprodigy.com

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode 

Disney Press Release 

Disney Food Blog – Dining Plan Cancellation

https://theparkprodigy.com/

Episode#3 Transcript – Big Changes Coming to Disney World in 2020

Hello everyone and welcome to the show. On this week’s episode, Disney has announced some major changes coming to Walt Disney world in 2020 for the phased reopening starting July 11th and they are definitely going to change the way we vacation for the foreseeable future.

Thank you guys so much for joining this week’s episode. This is the park prodigy episode three, bringing you the most up to date theme park news and vacation planning tools for your next trip. So if you’re a fan of the theme parks, be sure to follow us and get notified as soon as our next episode drops.

Walt Disney World Theme Park Reservation System

In a recent press release, Disney announced due to limited capacity, they will manage attendance through a new Disney theme park reservation system. Now this system will require all guests to obtain a reservation to get into the park. Yep, you heard that right? And at this time they have also paused brand new ticket and hotel sales, although I’m really hoping that they do lift that within the next couple of weeks.

It’s important to note that Disney Vacation Club members can still make hotel reservations and DVC hotels are scheduled to open up on June 22nd.  Disney World Annual pass holders will also have a priority to make reservations before new ticket and hotel sales are offered.

I personally think these two facts are super important. And to be honest, I don’t see a lot of people talking about it. I keep mentioning that The Park Prodigy is a travel company and right now we’re seeing almost 70% of people reaching out are trying to book a trip for 2021. I think Disney realizes that and I think they understand that their best bet to get people back into the parks is to really rely on the people who love it the most. And guess who that is? The Disney Vacation Club members and the Disney annual pass holders. And guys, it feels so good because for the longest time it’s felt like us annual pass holders really have been treated like Cinderella. And I’m talking about Cinderella in the beginning of the movie when she had to do all those chores, not towards the end. Um, but I do think there’s these gonna really rely on us to bring the parts back to life. And here’s a few reasons why.

Disney Cancels The Disney Dining Plan

So the next big announcement that came from Disney was the cancellation of all Disney dining plans until September of 2021,  and yes you heard me correctly, that is 2021 which is crazy. They also canceled all existing Disney dining reservations and announced that there will be no buffets, character dining or character interactions when in the parks. I was super surprised by this at first, but in reality it makes complete, the restaurants are going to be operating at reduced capacity for the foreseeable future. And not only that, but what happens if someone has a dining reservation, let’s say, to eat at the magic kingdom, but they don’t have a reservation to actually get into the magic kingdom. So from a logistic standpoint, it really might have been the only option that they had. It’s really not ideal. And the truth is it’s going to put a lot of people in a tough position, especially those families who were taking advantage of let’s say the free dining.

It’s important to note that Disney is giving all those families affected and opportunity to postpone their trip and receive 35% off their hotel room in the future. I have to run the numbers, but my guts telling me that 35% is not going to cover, what those families would have saved if they received the Disney dining plan, especially when we’re talking about those value resorts. So what does this mean for a lot of families? Well, unfortunately they will have to push their trips and I think Disney knows that.

Updated Disney Dining Reservations

But some good news though, and I’m really keeping my fingers crossed on this and hoping that it will be a permanent change. And that is that Disney has reduced the reservation window for Disney dining reservations from 180 days down to 60 days, which is fantastic.  I mean, the truth is I can’t even make my mind up on what I want to eat for dinner tonight, let alone six months down the road.

I know two months (sixty days) is still a long time, but I’m hoping it does make it a little bit more manageable. This is true especially for families who are booking their trip for the first time. It’s really just less to manage.

Updated Disney World Fastpass+ System

So that’s some good news, and sticking with some more good news that we hoping are permanent in Walt Disney World. Disney has temporarily paused all Fastpass+ reservations. They even went as far as going into their system and canceling all existing reservations. So this is important, especially if you have a trip coming up this summer as your Fastpass+ reservations are not going to be in your My Disney Experience Account. So this is obviously bad as it will cause a lot of confusion for families who have already booked a Disney trip.

But we are keeping our fingers crossed because it can be a nice change if done correctly. I mean, the truth is from everything I’ve read over the years, the my Disney experience app and the FastPass+ system definitely has some mixed reviews inside of the Disney company. And what we’re really hoping at this point is that eventually down the road when they do implement the fastpass+ back, they do it in a way that’s similar to the max pass out in Disneyland. This is also great news for anyone who does have a trip planned for 2020 because this clearly tells me that Disney expects to stick with limited capacity in the parks and we should definitely see some lower wait times for this year.

Should I visit Disney in 2020 or 2021?

So now many of you have trips planned for 2020. You might be asking yourself, what should we do? Should you roll with the changes and stick with your trip or should you move it to 2021? Here’s my personal opinion on this question. If this is your first trip or this is your once in a lifetime trip or let’s say every five to 10 years and you’ve been looking forward to this and planning for years, I would postpone your trip until 2021.  The truth is the Disney World parks are going to be different and Disney has confirmed that they will modify a ton of their entertainment, most notably parades and fireworks.

I’ve gone over this a ton in the past two episodes because I love the parades and fireworks. I really don’t expect Disney, and let’s say they want to, but they’re not in a financial position to lower ticket prices. And when you’re spending that type of money and it costs that much to go to Walt Disney World for an entire family, you deserve to get the best value you can. And that’s what sucks so much about canceling the Disney dining plan. A ton of families depend on that to make their trip work. They budget and they plan, they have it down to a science and they know exactly what they need to save and exactly what they’re going to spend. And taking that Disney dining plan away, it’s going to cause mayhem and it’s going to put a lot of families into a tough position.

And I think eventually what they’ll have to do is they’ll have re-book in 2021.  So again my opinion would be if this is, like I said, your once in a lifetime trip, I would definitely suggest you postpone it until Disney gets back to somewhat of a normal experience and you get the Disney experience that we have all come to love and, and really expect.

And speaking of 2021 be sure you come back for next week’s episode. We will be taking a  look at everything Disney has planned for next year, including the highly anticipated 50th anniversary celebration, which we can’t wait for. It’s going to be bananas.

What about if you go to Disney yearly, if you’re a Disney Vacation Club member or an annual pass holder, what should you guys do? Well actually let me rephrase that. Because I am a proud Disney Vacation Club member and an annual pass holder, so what should we do? And I have to be honest guys, I think now is our time to shine. As long as you can accept the fact that the parks will be different and you’re okay with the social distancing guidelines covered in episode one. Those include stuff such as face masks, temperature screenings, and all the other social distancing guidelines then go and have yourself a magical freaking day. Ride wait times and crowd levels will definitely be lower. And we actually now have the flexibility to decide what we want to eat only 60 days in advance. And listen, something’s telling me that if we support the company and the place we love, it’s going to come back to us. And I know what you’re saying. You know, Mike, the Disney corporation is a multi billion dollar corporation, but I’m really talking about supporting those cast members who make Disney World so special.

And the truth is the cast members have been out of work for two months. I know a lot of haven’t even been approved for unemployment. So that’s what I’m talking about. Let’s support them. Let’s go eat off property and support small businesses when we can. And let’s remember that things could always be a lot worse. I for one, cannot wait to get back to the Disney parks and I’m definitely going to be planning a trip this summer and I know that a lot of the cast members are going to be excited and they’re going to make this Disney World phased reopening amazing. And I know when I show up, they will say welcome home and I want to be there to support them and support the company as well. So that is it for today. I know we went over a lot and just remember guys, if you are planning a trip to Walt Disney world and need some help, be sure to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you and you can go check out our website. We have a bunch of information free vacation planning tools. That’s the park prodigy.com you can even check out some of our discounted theme park tickets, vacation packages, and so much more. And I hope to speak with you guys soon.

When is The Best Time to Visit Disney World?

Our Disney  World Crowd Calendar is the best tool to help you get the most out of your time in the parks. We break down park crowds, park hours of operation, ticket prices, and average temperature. We also break down the best time to visit Disney World based on specific times of the year and special events.

Are You Ready to Plan Your Next Disney World Trip?

Are you planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Be sure to speak with a Disney World Travel Agent for the most recent deals and promotions. The Park Prodigy will provide a Free Quote for all Disney World Vacation Packages.

The Park Prodigy can also help you save up to $20 per ticket when purchasing your Walt Disney World Tickets, and we offer promotional discounts for special events such as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Tickets and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tickets.

If you’re brand new to Disney vacation planning we recommend our Walt Disney World Planning Page! Learn more about Disney hotels by reading our Walt Disney World Hotels Review page.

Last but not least if you’re also planning a trip to Universal Studios, be sure to check out the best time to visit Universal Studios and our Universal Orlando Tickets! All Park Prodigy Universal Orlando tickets come with Universal Studios Early Park Admission.

Are you planning on visiting Walt Disney World and want more information about the phased reopening? Or have you visited in the past? Would you like to share your experiences and tips? Do you have any questions for The Park Prodigy? Hearing your feedback and helping with your questions is not only our goal but will help other readers! Please leave your thoughts and questions in the comments!

Michael Belmont

Michael Belmont is the owner and chief editor at Theparkprodigy.com, an authorized Disney and Universal travel agent. He specializes in Disney and Universal theme park tickets and vacation packages, as well as daily park plans to help optimize vacation time. Michael and The Park Prodigy have been featured on ABC’s Florida affiliate, WTFV, as well as over 10 Disney focused blogs. As owner, Michael manages The Park Prodigy blog and social media, a Disney themed podcast, and a Disney and Universal focused YouTube channel. Prior to starting The Park Prodigy, Michael was a long time Disney and Universal enthusiast, frequent visitor of the parks, and even served as a Walt Disney World Cast Member in Orlando, Florida!