Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[New Mouse]

Yeah I’m sorry but with the park reservation system they have no reason not to figure out hours or ride capacity accordingly. I’m all for limited capacity and advanced reservations but not when they only work in favor of the proprietor and leave the guest SOL. Increasing capacity or even just expecting more park guests per bucket is fine, but they have all the data to know what’s what and not planning accordingly isn’t cool. Longer lines = more crowding and less safety.

Its not about safety, its about the guise of safety. Only when people grumble (or stop coming) will they make a change.

 

[rteetz]

https://blogmickey.com/2020/09/disn...LKyji0pL3XAqcuAEBv8blECOwPHcPvwyEeDbvdrtmIj4s

 

[karly05]

https://blogmickey.com/2020/09/disn...LKyji0pL3XAqcuAEBv8blECOwPHcPvwyEeDbvdrtmIj4s

I saw a short version of this on this morning's Formula 1 pre-race on ESPN2.

 

[skeeter31]

https://blogmickey.com/2020/09/disn...LKyji0pL3XAqcuAEBv8blECOwPHcPvwyEeDbvdrtmIj4s

Heigh Ho, Heigh Ho, it’s off to Disney I go. Absolutely a wonderful commercial. Seen it about 40 times already this weekend here in Tampa.

 

[hertamaniac]

I saw a short version of this on this morning's Formula 1 pre-race on ESPN2.

I missed it, but Tuscany and Mugello is wonderful!

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

https://blogmickey.com/2020/09/disn...LKyji0pL3XAqcuAEBv8blECOwPHcPvwyEeDbvdrtmIj4s

I have seen it a few times on HGTV in Virginia.

 

[abs1978]

These crowds reports are insane. I'm not feeling too great about our Thanksgiving trip. Not sure what Disney is going for here. Right now with shortened hours and long lines for everything they just look greedy. It sounds like at the very least they need to increase hours on the weekends. Maybe not for every park but definitely MK and EP.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Epcot closing at 7pm on a Saturday is insane. Wall to wall people from opening to close. We left after 2 rides (land and imagination). Came back at 6:30 to try to ride test track, 100 minute wait and lines still very long at food booths. At 7:15 skyliner line was over the bridge to beach club. Had to be an hour wait to get on it. Not sure what Disney is thinking. They lost out on a good 2 hours of revenue and left people upset.

Not sure why they didn't increase the hours for the weekend. They've never had a problem increasing hours even day of in the past.

That’s a good point. They still had to staff the park for the time people were there but they didn’t get to sell them on nearly as much food & beverages & they overwhelmed their transit on exit. That sounds miserable.

 

[Pksmom03]

Looks like RotR is down already this morning if it ever opened at all. Plus Splash was closed as well.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Disney seems to be very set in their ways with this reopening, not wanting to make any changes on the fly. Wonder if it’s something written into the CM contract that once things are announced they must remain that way?

I feel like someone very high up said This Is The Way and has no interest in peons saying “but you could make more money if you just did That”.

 

[gottalovepluto]

When do kids go back to school?

 

[Farro]

Looks like RotR is down already this morning if it ever opened at all. Plus Splash was closed as well.

The sense of normalcy we've all been craving.

Thanks Disney!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Is overtime at disney paid at a premium rate (1.5x or 2x???). If so maybe that extra revenue still wouldn't be enough to cover the CMs overtime pay.

With F&W prices they’d make enough. those margins are stupid good.

 

[SarahC97]

These crowds reports are insane. I'm not feeling too great about our Thanksgiving trip. Not sure what Disney is going for here. Right now with shortened hours and long lines for everything they just look greedy. It sounds like at the very least they need to increase hours on the weekends. Maybe not for every park but definitely MK and EP.

We're going Thanksgiving week too and I was a little surprised when they released their hours for that week. It's not going to be pretty, I think. I'll just go in with incredibly low expectations. Maybe I'll be surprised.

 

[Farro]

We're going Thanksgiving week too and I was a little surprised when they released their hours for that week. It's not going to be pretty, I think. I'll just go in with incredibly low expectations. Maybe I'll be surprised.

Even if Covid wasn't happening, Thanksgiving week was going to be crowded no matter what, so kind of a bright-side?

General thoughts -These crazy low crowds weren't going to stay forever. Once the numbers in Florida got better, you had to know people (locals possibly) were going to start going to the parks again.

This is when people are going need to evaluate what they are comfortable with crowd-wise. If possibly having to be closer to people for short periods of time makes you uncomfortable still, then you need to decide if you want to go or not. Obviously there are a lot of people comfortable with it, thus the increased crowds.

We all keep saying how great Disney is with being cautious - I'm sure they have a capacity limit they are comfortable with. Maybe they are just now starting to reach it. And they aren't going to increase the hours until they start seeing that it will be worth it monetarily.

Now if you are hesitant not because of Covid, but because of long lines, then you may just have to suck it up!

 

[Spridell]

It is clear Disney is pushing for more people to come to the parks. In the last week they have released 3 different adds promoting the parks and the holidays.

I think those days of seeing the parks empty like back in July and Aug are over. Heading now into Nov and December I think its going to be much more crowded.

I have 2 trips planned for Nov and Dec and I am def preparing myself for more crowds.

 

[hereforthechurros]

It is clear Disney is pushing for more people to come to the parks. In the last week they have released 3 different adds promoting the parks and the holidays.

I think those days of seeing the parks empty like back in July and Aug are over. Heading now into Nov and December I think its going to be much more crowded.

I have 2 trips planned for Nov and Dec and I am def preparing myself for more crowds.

Totally cool but they gotta extend hours, increase ride capacity, bring back some version of FP, or allow hopping.

 

[Farro]

Totally cool but they gotta extend hours, increase ride capacity, bring back some version of FP, or allow hopping.

Look how upset people got at Universal because they are going to seat every row on the coasters instead of every other. Which I still don't get - if we all have masks on, what's the difference...
And I'd rather see every other row seating on Living With the Land and Safari rather than those plastic partitions between the rows. How can you see? I hope those go away in time - I'd rather wait longer and keep my mask on.

How could they increase ride capacity while still being worried about "optics"? And they won't extend hours until they consistently see more visitors and make more money I imagine.

Hopping - well again it's about controlling the capacity at each park. Now I'm sure there is a way they can do it, but they just don't seem to want to. It's probably not worth it with the reduced hrs anyways.

And lastly - - if Universal does end up having some of their haunted houses on select nights, and it's successful, I actually do think this will affect some decisions by Disney.

If people's perceptions start to change and the demand is there, I see Disney loosening some restrictions/adding back some things (not masks, those will be here for a while) more quickly than I think most of you do. When/if the pendulum swings in the way of people wanting to go to parks, do things, etc. - Disney will follow. It's nice to think Disney cares about us and our health, but really, they care about public perception.

Let's just hope for a better winter.

 

[Mit88]

Totally cool but they gotta extend hours, increase ride capacity, bring back some version of FP, or allow hopping.

If these crowd sizes continue, I think they’re going to have to do something soon. But its only been 3-4 weeks where the attendance has been getting larger. I think they’re evaluating the situation and thinking of what they’ll need to do where guest safety is still paramount. Extending hours would seem like the first choice, followed by park hopping, even if its just to Epcot. FP and ride capacity might not be in the cards just yet

 

[MrsBooch]

I think it's great that the crowds are up - i think that's a great indicator of overall morale.

I also think they shouldn't increase ride capacity - i love that they have the spacing etc and aren't following suite with Universal - that being said....

They have to..HAVE TO...increase hours. And whatever that entails (bringing more CM's back whatever, I don't know) I have NO problem with more crowds and I don't have a problem with ride lines etc - but you have to give people more time in the park to do things.