Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[hertamaniac]

Now that we are seeing music festivals and major sporting events scheduled for July and August canceling further pushes back the parks to fall at the soonest I would think.

Piggy backing on this as the Indy 500 has been moved to August 23rd. This is an international event with over 300,000 fans at the track on race day. I think even that date is in jeopardy.

I tend to agree that fall for WDW is probably more realistic in a phased approach.

 

[juice0358]

Things don't all have to reopen at once. That's the rub. I could see tiers of things opening. You will have restaurants first, then retail then... eventually... luxury goods. I expect you will see restaurants in lighter hit areas opening mid May to mid June for most of the country. I think you will see retail start to open around the same time but with a longer tail depending on the type of experience. Stores first, exercise gyms later etc. So May to July.

But things like Disney? Cruise ships? Concerts? Athletic events? Conventions? Even movie theaters? I think that will be even later. Maybe end of July to the beginning of September. These are luxury goods. They are the last things needed from the demand side. From the employee side? A travesty. But these are also the highest risk items. Huge numbers of people small spaces. Many of them require travel, which will also be high risk to respread.

It has to be logical. And any logical way of thinking about WDW or DL tells you they are a) unnecessary on the demand side and b) massive risk environments for the spread of germs. That should put them among the last things to reopen.

Wow well said. Agree 100%

 

[Spridell]

Things don't all have to reopen at once. That's the rub. I could see tiers of things opening. You will have restaurants first, then retail then... eventually... luxury goods. I expect you will see restaurants in lighter hit areas opening mid May to mid June for most of the country. I think you will see retail start to open around the same time but with a longer tail depending on the type of experience. Stores first, exercise gyms later etc. So May to July.

But things like Disney? Cruise ships? Concerts? Athletic events? Conventions? Even movie theaters? I think that will be even later. Maybe end of July to the beginning of September. These are luxury goods. They are the last things needed from the demand side. From the employee side? A travesty. But these are also the highest risk items. Huge numbers of people small spaces. Many of them require travel, which will also be high risk to respread.

It has to be logical. And any logical way of thinking about WDW or DL tells you they are a) unnecessary on the demand side and b) massive risk environments for the spread of germs. That should put them among the last things to reopen.

I 100% agree with everything you said but, Orlando and the surrounding area pretty much survives on Disney and DISNEY ALONE.

So with that being said, I think Disney will open (in some way or form probably very limited) In the month of June. Orlando is going to want them to open as soon as they possibly can.

Def going to be in a limited form but they will open I think sometime in June.

 

[hertamaniac]

I don’t know. A lot of the non essential, but not theme park resort related, businesses rely on the theme park resorts being open to have business coming in. I don’t see how one opens here without the other. There aren’t many customers if the tourists, and the people who serve/entertain them aren’t here to spend money. Non property hotels won’t have customers unless the customers have something to do. Local restaurants won’t have business if there are no tourists and locals don’t have discretionary income to spend in them. There’s no discretionary income on unemployment.

I have no opinion on when things will be open, but I think they will have to open fairly close together for any of the businesses to be successful.

You bring up excellent points. It's not just the WDW theme parks/resorts, but the ancillary support infrastructure as well. The local small businesses are critically attached to the theme parks. But, this becomes a chicken and the egg scenario as I see it. The local businesses need to be online when the theme parks open.

 

[Remy is Up]

Has this been discussed yet? Does anyone know if Disney will extend the blackout dates?

At this point they have not extended blackout dates

 

[Remy is Up]

I've already guessed wrong once, so feel free to mock and criticize. I'll have it coming.

I don't see a way they stay closed past June 1. One of my favorite websites talked about this last week, because he's a small business owner (he just happens to run a news site, but he employs a dozen people) and he talked about the economy being on life support. I think he's right. This isn't like 9-11 or even the Great Depression, because large portions of the economy are literally being forbidden from functioning. Not by choice but by government decree. I'm not arguing that it's not for the public good, because I'm sure it is.

But there isn't a method for maintaining this a second -- second -- longer than we absolutely have to. Today's April 1 -- rents and mortgages are due. Bills are due on the 15th. What are we going to do when people do not pay? How are we going to function as a society if we remove money and force majure from the equation? The supply chain is already starting the process of drying up, and all those people who hoarded TP aren't look quite so stupid as deadlines keep getting pushed out and out and out.

We can all exercise as much caution as we want in our lives. We should. This isn't a patriotic "if we don't play football the terrorists win." But large corporations know that we're approaching a place of non-recoverability. This is about saving our way of life. And part of that starts with returning to some degree of normalcy as soon as we can. So I think WDW will reopen just as soon as it possibly can to try to save as much of Florida's economy as it can. To me, if the damn thing peaks in May (or late April) then that sounds like June.

But I was sure about Easter, too. So take it with whatever spices you choose.

The reality is now that the politicians see the reality of damage to the healthcare industry if they dont act ,lives are more important than economy. Itll be july august before parks reopen. We just got a 30 day lockdown in florida and it plainly said. At least 30 days. Itll be more like 45-60. June 1 isnt feasible.

 

[xuxa777]

I've already guessed wrong once, so feel free to mock and criticize. I'll have it coming.

I don't see a way they stay closed past June 1. One of my favorite websites talked about this last week, because he's a small business owner (he just happens to run a news site, but he employs a dozen people) and he talked about the economy being on life support. I think he's right. This isn't like 9-11 or even the Great Depression, because large portions of the economy are literally being forbidden from functioning. Not by choice but by government decree. I'm not arguing that it's not for the public good, because I'm sure it is.

But there isn't a method for maintaining this a second -- second -- longer than we absolutely have to. Today's April 1 -- rents and mortgages are due. Bills are due on the 15th. What are we going to do when people do not pay? How are we going to function as a society if we remove money and force majure from the equation? The supply chain is already starting the process of drying up, and all those people who hoarded TP aren't look quite so stupid as deadlines keep getting pushed out and out and out.

We can all exercise as much caution as we want in our lives. We should. This isn't a patriotic "if we don't play football the terrorists win." But large corporations know that we're approaching a place of non-recoverability. This is about saving our way of life. And part of that starts with returning to some degree of normalcy as soon as we can. So I think WDW will reopen just as soon as it possibly can to try to save as much of Florida's economy as it can. To me, if the damn thing peaks in May (or late April) then that sounds like June.

But I was sure about Easter, too. So take it with whatever spices you choose.

All business are not shut down, many people working from home , essential stores, factories are open now, even with stay at home. So the economy is still 'running' even though is is a fraction of what it is normally. This will increase even more so once the peak has passed in an area, non essentials opening etc. Disney is way ahead of the small business owner you mentioned, they know what the are up against and have much more powerful tools and assets to handle it. The small business are going to take a big hit. Especially ones running on thin margins which is a significant amount. Orlando will take a big hit more than most of the country due to the tourist industry is primary.

It is not an all or nothing sledgehammer approach, it will be target surgical approach to bring things back online. As others have stated and it is a bummer for us the parks will literally be the last to come back, but they will.

 

[CalSea12]

I am guessing I am very naive... and I'm trying to get as much information as I can.. but with so many sources its difficult.

The way I look at it is this is a double edged sword.. we are darned if we do and darned if we dont... either this virus takes a ton of lives or our economy falling takes a lot of lives? Is that really the case? It seems from what I gather Florida rely on entertainment to keep them going so if this closure goes on for too long and the economy falls then won't we still lose lives?

 

[xuxa777]

At this point they have not extended blackout dates

No need to do that until they know for sure how long they will extend it, but they will. Summer blackout dates won't need to be lifted b/c the aprk will still be closed, maybe holiday dates will be lifted.

 

[rteetz]

I am guessing I am very naive... and I'm trying to get as much information as I can.. but with so many sources its difficult.

The way I look at it is this is a double edged sword.. we are darned if we do and darned if we dont... either this virus takes a ton of lives or our economy falling takes a lot of lives? Is that really the case? It seems from what I gather Florida rely on entertainment to keep them going so if this closure goes on for too long and the economy falls then won't we still lose lives?

Orlando and surrounding communities are very much driven by its tourism mainly the theme parks. This is a public health emergency like we have never seen before. Its hard because we have nothing to really compare it too.

 

[xuxa777]

I am guessing I am very naive... and I'm trying to get as much information as I can.. but with so many sources its difficult.

The way I look at it is this is a double edged sword.. we are darned if we do and darned if we dont... either this virus takes a ton of lives or our economy falling takes a lot of lives? Is that really the case? It seems from what I gather Florida rely on entertainment to keep them going so if this closure goes on for too long and the economy falls then won't we still lose lives?

The main takeway it is not all or nothing, the approach will be in between.

 

[Brianstl]

I 100% agree with everything you said but, Orlando and the surrounding area pretty much survives on Disney and DISNEY ALONE.

So with that being said, I think Disney will open (in some way or form probably very limited) In the month of June. Orlando is going to want them to open as soon as they possibly can.

Def going to be in a limited form but they will open I think sometime in June.

I think a realistic goal is probably to open mid June most likely to resort guests only. That will allow WDW to work through the kinks of reopening with some smaller crowds. Then throw the gates open to everyone July 4th weekend.

 

[The Pho]

News

Kennywood, Idlewild, and Sandcastle delaying their May 2, 16, 23 opening dates respectively to an unknown date.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1245414729205649413

https://twitter.com/x/status/1245433528352997376

https://twitter.com/x/status/1245429812304453634

 

[Lewisc]

I am guessing I am very naive... and I'm trying to get as much information as I can.. but with so many sources its difficult.

The way I look at it is this is a double edged sword.. we are darned if we do and darned if we dont... either this virus takes a ton of lives or our economy falling takes a lot of lives? Is that really the case? It seems from what I gather Florida rely on entertainment to keep them going so if this closure goes on for too long and the economy falls then won't we still lose lives?

This is a forum discussing Disney theme parks. You're not going, nor should you expect to, find answers or even intelligent discussions on the issues you mention.

 

[CalSea12]

This is a forum discussing Disney theme parks. You're not going, nor should you expect to, find answers or even intelligent discussions on the issues you mention.

Right but if people on this board are calling for parks to be closed until next year... doesn't that involve Disney? Shouldn't they have reasons to back up what they are saying? Or look at the other side of everything being closed for so long?

 

[KayMichigan]

The economy won't matter much if hospitals are flooded to overflowing with the sick and there aren't enough doctors or nurses healthy enough to care for them or enough equipment, supplies and medicine to keep them alive. That's why the shutdowns are needed and they'll last as long as necessary to prevent the collapse of the healthcare systems. Disney will reopen when it's safe to do so and not a day before.

 

[Thecouch]

How much food and other essential supplies does disney world get from interstate. Even if Florida lifted restrictions early may and a couple weeks to get things up and running will they have access to everything the need for day to day running

 

[xuxa777]

How much food and other essential supplies does disney world get from interstate. Even if Florida lifted restrictions early may and a couple weeks to get things up and running will they have access to everything the need for day to day running

Essentail supplies are still flowing now between states and the world. It will be completely back to normal by the time Disney opens the parks. The parks opening will be one of the last things to open.

 

[jamescanuck2001]

The economy won't matter much if hospitals are flooded to overflowing with the sick and there aren't enough doctors or nurses healthy enough to care for them or enough equipment, supplies and medicine to keep them alive. That's why the shutdowns are needed and they'll last as long as necessary to prevent the collapse of the healthcare systems. Disney will reopen when it's safe to do so and not a day before.

Right, and it is incredibly risky for Disney to open again when the virus is still causing issues. Given the crowd level in a limited space, a surge of infections / covid 19 illnesses originating at Disney is a significant business risk that I doubt Disney will take. Which is why they closed so early when this thing got started in the US.

With the parks shut down, most staff laid off, and just management and security, Disney can manage the losses for quite some time and open when the business risk allows. It's going to be awhile.

 

[rteetz]

I know some don’t like how this thread is being moderated but if we all worked together and avoiding discussing things that should be discussed elsewhere nothing would need to be removed.