Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[anthony2k7]

I know it's off topic for this thread (sorry) but with all the sudden "dire" talk, that's got me real worried about DLP.

Considering it's only made a profit in a couple of its 28 years it's been open, why would Disney reopen it now knowing it's just going to keep losing money?

 

[J-BOY]

Iger mentioned the cuts , office space reductions , they already moved their CS to work from home bet that is where most will be from now on. They can sell office space , stop leasing etc. Also staff reductions, put a hold on new projects, I don’t think they cut forward customer facing experience, that will be last.

Just a heads-up, Disney owns nearly all of their offices for Corporate, Studios and Imagineering, and don’t lease. I can’t see them selling any of it off.

When he mentioned cuts, I was under the assumption that frontline parks cast members will be significantly cut back to just the bare minimum for semi-smooth operation. I’m thinking of those cast members that don a giant Mickey glove and wave to people as they enter the parks...

 

[joelanza5]

Please remember that it is not a death sentence for all who test positive. Asymptotic cases98% recovery rate. Yes if you are in the high risk category, it may take longer for your “normal” life to resume. That will not be the case with everyone.

Disney will not remain closed “until it’s 100% safe”. What in today’s world is 100% safe?
Disney will not remain closed until there is a vaccine. People will assess the risks and make individual decisions. No one is forcing you to go if you feel it’s too risky. Some people choose to not take the risk of flying. Some people choose to not risk driving. Both of which can result in multiple fatalities.

My opinion- all US parks will open at the same time, in June. Possibly to resort guests only. That sounds like a good idea, but only for a few weeks, not a few months. And without medical checks. People also die from the flu and pneumonia, and there aren’t checks for those before allowing entry. Again going is a decision made of your own free will. No one is forcing you. We have got to stop allowing fear to rob us of common sense and retake control. Before freedom are forever lost.

Should an asymptomatic person visit (or a person w/COVID who has yet to present symptoms visit) the parks, and unknowingly leave COVID droplets on surfaces. And then some park-goers who haven't yet been infected pick up those germs in the park, then they go back to their respective states or countries and start possibly transmitting it there...then we're back in the mess that we're currently in. (I don't know if you saw the data tracking map of the Florida beach-going spring breakers who didn't adhere to social distancing suggestions -- but i think it's a similar projection of how one location could be a breeding ground to affect multiple locations around the US).

This is why I don't believe Disney will say "we're open if you want to come".

Ultimately, the virus is the dictator here and then individual States will advise, and then Disney as a business will tell us whenever they feel ready to open. That could be June, that could be later this summer -- time will tell. Until then, we're all just speculating, cause that's all we can do. It's probably gonna be a touch a go process - states in their own time. As Disney is a destination for Americans all over the US (and others around the world), if they want to open for all of the USA at the same time, I would take a guess to say that stabilization of the virus across all of the US (whether in new cases, dropping death numbers, etc.) may play a big part...but that is just a guess on my part; maybe anti-body testing will come in to play, maybe temperature checks; etc. Time will tell.

I also assume that Disney Springs will open things first with social distancing measures.

 

[DavidHobart]

This is what I'm talking about.

People don't want to have real, rational discussions about re-opening businesses, such as Disney. They want to use hyperbole and dramatics to prove a point rather than real data.


(please don't delete this )

Concur. It's hard to say as there is not enough data about actual infections, but likely <1% of those who have the illness die, and of those who die, 90%+ are 60 or older in most--but not all--geographies (outcomes in inner cities for people younger than 60 are much worse).

So the personal risks for the typical family are quite small, and their risk to others back at home can be mitigated by continued 6' distancing and face mask behaviors. The biggest open issue is a second wave, which seems more and more to be forecast for September and later.

If this theorizing holds up, a limited lower-capacity summer opening, followed by a fall closure, (or greater restrictions in the fall) seems more likely than a closure that goes through the summer and a fall opening.

Anyone who has been to an After Hours event knows that Disney World can have positive cash flow even with quite low offered capacity.

 

[Thecouch]

People have said it will be hard for disney only open one park as people have annual passes and park hoppers. Wonder if they would offer limited tickets for magic kingdom like after hour but do half days . The could have shorter opening hours like 11-8pm . limited people in park to onsite guest keeping crowds lower and having people eat breakfast and maybe dinner at hotel . Keep Extend annual passes just like now so they don't miss out. Even for a few weeks this would help them ramp up parks and hotels

 

[mshanson3121]

I'm sorry, but wow at this post. A bomb is one thing, you can find it and back it up with evidence. But how the hell do you sniff someone and not allow them into the park after they have traveled half the country to get in and prove that you are a hundred percent sure they have the virus,? If just one sniff is incorrect you have a hell of a lawsuit on your hands. A lot of you must not own businesses or live in the real world lol.

The EXACT same way Iger has already said they likely are going to implement temperature screenings. If you have a fever...you don't enter. Which yes means you may have just flown thousands of miles for nothing. And the last time I checked Iger was pretty familiar with businesses and lived in the real world.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I have a really strong feeling that a large percentage of the US doesn't really fully grasp the severity of COVID-19. Yes it's all over the news, and yes we're all discussing it now. But unless you live in a state, or part of a state, that has a heavy impact, it's really really hard to grasp the severity of it.

I live in Northern NJ, about 45 minutes out of Manhattan. My county has one of the highest amount of cases. The fear is real - I haven't seen my family that lives 10 minutes away in over a month. I have friends who are nurses in NYC and come home crying every day from work; they are surrounded by death every moment of their work day.

Because of what I've experienced, I do not feel that virus sniffing dogs & temperature checks prior to getting into a Disney park is an insane thing for them to implement. I don't think that ANY protective/preventative measure before entering a private property is insane. As a society, we need to change the way we interact with one another for a while - at least until we have a vaccine.

I’m also in NJ and work for a hospital. I still would not go to Disney if they’re doing temp checks. I won’t go back until it’s back to “normal.” (Whatever the new normal will be)

I have zero issues with them doing temp checks or others enjoying the parks if that’s the case. It’s their theme park and they can do as they please. But I do think taking temps is just to make people feel better since there’s so many asymptomatic people running around.

 

[e_yerger]

I’m also in NJ and work for a hospital. I still would not go to Disney if they’re doing temp checks. I won’t go back until it’s back to “normal.” (Whatever the new normal will be)

I have zero issues with them doing temp checks or others enjoying the parks if that’s the case. It’s their theme park and they can do as they please. But I do think taking temps is just to make people feel better since there’s so many asymptomatic people running around.

To each their own - I can respect your not wanting to go to the parks if there is some type of checkpoint.

i would probably still go. I have a trip at the end of July booked.

i’ll make a decision late June on if I still want to go or not.

 

[Jroceagles]

You don’t think they will? They’ll struggle for a bit like many companies but they’ll be fine in the long run. Sure certain pieces of their business will hurt more than others but it’s not like Disney is going to crumble. It’s not your local mom and pop shop.

THANK YOU!!! The doom and gloom opinions in this thread are just mind boggling. If i worked/lived around this much negativity I would need depression meds!

 

[TinkB278]

I just don’t understand how things will ever be back to normal and it makes me so sad. I just want to be able to plan my Disney trips, this unknown is awful

 

[Jen_K]

There is no point in Disney opening up again until they can do it "normally". There is no way to social distance there, no way to clean every surface constantly. People are packed in and close everywhere you go there, and there is no way to change that effectively. Sure, do the temp. checks. It's pointless, but whatever. It's really sad, but that's the reality of the situation we are in.

 

[rojen]

We're not putting 20,000 people in one space until there's a vaccine or a better screening procedure. Taking temperatures doesn't work.

A lot of you seem to be in denial about what our future holds. You're not going to a park, movie, or sporting event in 2020. No matter how much you want to.

 

[lilypgirl]

We're not putting 20,000 people in one space until there's a vaccine or a better screening procedure. Taking temperatures doesn't work.

A lot of you seem to be in denial about what our future holds. You're not going to a park, movie, or sporting event in 2020. No matter how much you want to.

I would be willing to bet your wrong on this.

 

[rpb718]

Someone asked for some optimism, so I'll offer the following prediction...

WDW to open sometime next week!

Now if I post this same message every week, I know that at some point I will be right - which is a lot more than I can say for 99% of the posters in this thread.

 

[choirfarm]

"Nothing is opening" is asinine. Fauci himself said rolling back of social distancing in some places will start next month. Do you know something he doesn't?

He meant nothing at Disney. We shall see. I should probably just leave the board for awhile. I've given my predictions. I will come back June1st and say, I'm sorry I told you so. And August... Believe me, I would love some optimism. I want my daughter to go away to school to study musical theater in August. Just because I badly want it, does not make my magical thinking true. So I am making plan B. Because barring a divine intervention, she won't be going which breaks my heart. All those students not able to stay in dorms... I want to cry.

 

[skeeter31]

People, please. No one here is an expert in any of this, nor is anyone posting here making the decisions for the nations or companies they are speaking about. Therefore no one here can post things as “for certain” and thus everyone should take everything posted with a grain of salt. It’s all opinions and everyone is entitled to their opinion. If you don’t agree with it, scroll past it and move on. The tit for tat arguments on here are so tiresome.

 

[Cramden]

Someone asked for some optimism, so I'll offer the following prediction...

WDW to open sometime next week!

Now if I post this same message every week, I know that at some point I will be right - which is a lot more I can say for 99% of the posters in this thread.

Brilliant! Maybe they could open the Parks do to Antibody Testing? Hmm, I wonder if Character Costumes protect against Coronavirus? That could be a game changer. Imagine pulling up to a testing site and having your test administered by Chip and Dale.

Not trying to make light of this situation. Antibody Testing will be a big determining factor to when things can start getting back to normal.

 

[rojen]

"Nothing is opening" is asinine. Fauci himself said rolling back of social distancing in some places will start next month. Do you know something he doesn't?

Rolling back some social distancing in some places does not equal packed movie theaters or people standing in 90 minute lines for 7DMT. He also said he hopes for some sense of normalcy in November. 7 months from now.

You can't put 5,000 people through character meals everyday until there is a vaccine or guaranteed test. You can't get 10,000 people on the monorail/ferry everyday until there is a vaccine or guaranteed test. WDW can't operate or turn a profit without 5,000 people at character meals and 10,000 people on the monorail/ferry everyday. It stinks, but that's the reality.

 

[Jroceagles]

He meant nothing at Disney. We shall see. I should probably just leave the board for awhile. I've given my predictions. I will come back June1st and say, I'm sorry I told you so. And August... Believe me, I would love some optimism. I want my daughter to go away to school to study musical theater in August. Just because I badly want it, does not make my magical thinking true. So I am making plan B. Because barring a divine intervention, she won't be going which breaks my heart. All those students not able to stay in dorms... I want to cry.

No he said anywhere! Not just Disney. The absolutes are just wrong. Have an opinion but do not speak in absolutes.

 

[Jroceagles]

Rolling back some social distancing in some places does not equal packed movie theaters or people standing in 90 minute lines for 7DMT. He also said he hopes for some sense of normalcy in November. 7 months from now.

You can't put 5,000 people through character meals everyday until there is a vaccine or guaranteed test. You can't get 10,000 people on the monorail/ferry everyday until there is a vaccine or guaranteed test. WDW can't operate or turn a profit without 5,000 people at character meals and 10,000 people on the monorail/ferry everyday. It stinks, but that's the reality.

Stop the absolutes. Its your opinion not fact!