Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[WorldOfPooh]

I don’t really think anyone was wishing for the parks to be closed. There were those that had some issues with how they handled communications during the shutdown, and those who questioned the wisdom, timing and approach to reopening when they did.

There are still people who want the parks reclosed right now. alot actually.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Oh are we playing another round of things people guessed wrong? What about Disney will never close, Disney would never release an offer if they weren’t opening then, Disney will never let Universal be open weeks before them, Disney guests will never wear masks (we aren’t China!), Disney will never enforce masks, and mask requirements will be dead and gone by the time Disney opens.

I’ll just say everyone’s favourite word, unprecedented!

 

[JacknSally]

This is a totally random thought... but with the cancellation of Halloween parties and the likely cancellation of Christmas parties... any thoughts/rumors on decor at the parks?

I watched the Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic documentary last night on Disney+... and I couldn’t help but wonder if these employees were furloughed. A lot of staff begin working on decor for the holidays long before Q4.

I’ll admit, selfish wondering over here... I have a trip planned in Dec and I’m hoping for at least a bit of Xmas magic

I sure hope they put up the decorations, even if the fall decor doesn't go up as early as it would've had MNSSHP happened. I especially think they'll still put up the Christmas decor regardless of MVMCP since people will still be going during the holidays (barring another closure) and the decorations, especially at the resorts and at EPCOT (with the Festival of the Holidays, that I assume will still take place in some form), are a big reason people visit during that time.

Though, if they didn't do all the holiday decor, it would absolutely make our decision about whether or not to go after Thanksgiving MUCH easier

 

[Mit88]

Universal looks like freaking geniuses for not implementing a park reservation system and for allowing park hopping.

I think its just easier for them with everything being right there on the same lot. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Disneyland allowed park hopping. I would assume the varying levels park capacity between the 4 WDW parks is a reason that park hopping in WDW is almost impossible right now.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I mean, there were a lot of wrong people on both sides of it ... I recall someone on here connected to an “insider” who was adamant they had rock solid intel that the parks were to open May 19 or something ridiculous.

Lol yes. That one stuck out to me, because so many people latched onto it (because it was what they wanted to hear, of course).

 

[WorldOfPooh]

If you want to see a movie in an IMAX or specialty theater, you’re looking at spending close to $60 between just 2 people between tickets, popcorn, and drink. Unless you have A-List or another movie club card, but those will likely go away if/when movie theaters open back up. If you think Disney is hurting and upset about not making money from the parks, ask them how they feel about having to put Onward on Disney+ after only 2 weeks in theaters. Somethings like Hamilton and Artemis Fowl are much better off on that platform to bring in subscribers than a blockbuster like Mulan or Black Widow, or Soul.

I think AList was the only major one that had free IMAX and 3D.
AList was great.
I could use it just to take naps/siestas in the theater after work or when travelling. (until they started limiting it to 3 movies outside your region unless you upgraded)

 

[anthony2k7]

I know the idea of "are the parks making money" with the low attendance - at lease execs on the Universal side are saying they are doing "much better financially than if they were closed" (might just be spin of course)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1288821365605388289

Don't forget universal is different though because they continued paying team members whilst closed so it was costing universal more in that regard than Disney.

 

[Mit88]

Oh are we playing another round of things people guessed wrong? What about Disney will never close, Disney would never release an offer if they weren’t opening then, Disney will never let Universal be open weeks before them, Disney guests will never wear masks (we aren’t China!), Disney will never enforce masks, and mask requirements will be dead and gone by the time Disney opens.

I’ll just say everyone’s favourite word, unprecedented!

I thought our favorite word was “Soon” or “Blue fence”?

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I think its just easier for them with everything being right there on the same lot. I wouldn’t have been surprised if Disneyland allowed park hopping. I would assume the varying levels park capacity between the 4 WDW parks is a reason that park hopping in WDW is almost impossible right now.

People get mad when we say this but demand at Uni regulates itself and they don’t need reservation systems or to prevent hopping. Disney would have a lopsided amount of people at DHS and probably MK, and then Epcot would get crowded in the evenings.

More people want to be at Disney

 

[TheMaxRebo]

This is a totally random thought... but with the cancellation of Halloween parties and the likely cancellation of Christmas parties... any thoughts/rumors on decor at the parks?

I watched the Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic documentary last night on Disney+... and I couldn’t help but wonder if these employees were furloughed. A lot of staff begin working on decor for the holidays long before Q4.

I’ll admit, selfish wondering over here... I have a trip planned in Dec and I’m hoping for at least a bit of Xmas magic

My initial reaction is that of course they will still decorate

... but it's 2020 so now I wouldn't be shocked if they don't

I would think they would still do some, but perhaps scaled down (and perhaps quite a bit)

 

[hertamaniac]

Or the waterparks at wdw

I'm still shaking my head as to why regardless of resource limitations.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I thought our favorite word was “Soon” or “Blue fence”?

True, it’s been a while since people complained about unprecedented and new normal .

 

[anthony2k7]

I mean, there were a lot of wrong people on both sides of it ... I recall someone on here connected to an “insider” who was adamant they had rock solid intel that the parks were to open May 19 or something ridiculous.

Yep i remember someone saying AMC were getting ready to open at Disney Springs early May.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I don't understand why they don't open up the AP bucket more. I would be there spending money using a spot that they can't seem to fill.

Especially after you’ve been open long enough to see patterns in the data of how many new tickets you’re selling... guess they’re hoping they’ll sell more tickets? Alas hope is not a business plan. Guess Disney missed that memo

 

[mattpeto]

Not only that but the majority of the profits from movie theaters come from concessions. 1 cent soda syrup being sold for $7. 10 cent popcorn for $9. And those profits trickle down to the studios from the theaters through rentals.

I get all that, but Trolls World Tour did ~100M with VOD. That doesn't include eventual purchases, toys, etc.

They are going to wait a very long time when people are going to pack a movie theater again to buy up those concessions you're talking about.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Universal looks like freaking geniuses for not implementing a park reservation system and for allowing park hopping.

Why? I think it could have been problematic if Disney didn't have the reservation system. We see how much faster the "bucket" for passholders is filling up and how much faster in general the reservations for DHS are going

I think there were real concerns if they just had caps that people who were paying to stay on property or had daily tickets would get shut out of a park - or at least some parks (e.g., DHS) .... I think how the reservations have filled up supports that they were right to have reservations. Not saying I don't think the process could be tweaked, as I think it should be, but not getting whey Universal was geniuses for not having one

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I think theatres will be similar to Disney, in that it’s going to take a while for people to want to come in the numbers they did beforehand even when they open and new movies are released.

Theatres were already being pushed out by similar home experiences for some, I think this just encourages that more.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I don't see them closing down DHS since it's the only park that is actually hitting capacity right now.

Has it hit capacity? We’ve seen days they aren’t selling day tickets?

 

[Mit88]

People get mad when we say this but demand at Uni regulates itself and they don’t need reservation systems or to prevent hopping. Disney would have a lopsided amount of people at DHS and probably MK, and then Epcot would get crowded in the evenings.

More people want to be at Disney

You’re right, its weird how Universal guests just seem to go, enjoy the day. Disney is “how do I get from point A to point Q in the least amount of time while getting points B-O done as well?”

People would go to DHS in the morning for the BG’s and then rush over to MK or AK, then go to Epcot at night. That’s a lot of variables and potential cross contamination to account for during a pandemic. Do I think that they could pull off park hopping in one form or another right now? Sure. But I don’t think they could do it with allowing people to go to any more than one other park, and you cant “bounce back” to the previous park. And you’d need to “check out” of the park you’re leaving before making the Hop selection in order to balance the capacity.

 

[anthony2k7]

I'm still shaking my head as to why regardless of resource limitations.

Cost presumably, less revenue generated there from merch/food and drink vs cost of CMs perhaps?