Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[skeeter31]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1306701633536045056

Makes sense. If they’re not open now, they wouldn’t open them during the winter.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

Makes sense. If they’re not open now, they wouldn’t open them during the winter.

Exactly. While universal and sea world “need” their water parks in an effort to increase foot traffic and revenue, the WDW water parks are ancillary and nice additions to a long time in the bubble (I’m sure there are plenty of local AP that enjoy the water parks, but are they the majority?)

 

[hereforthechurros]

Makes sense. If they’re not open now, they wouldn’t open them during the winter.

Still seeing it’s six more months just feels so crazy! It will be about a year of closure at that point. Talk about things we’d never thought see happen.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

Putting on my tin foil hat for a minute:

Could the March 7 date be a target for more resorts to be open that aren’t announced yet (Port Orleans, All Stars), since more resort guests will need more places to go? Just a thought. That’s spring break in Montana. Not sure how many other districts, but I’m sure there will be many to follow. If current trends continue or (ideally) improve, Disney and other destinations will definitely need the capacity. People are noticeably itchy to travel once they’re able.

 

[Geomom]

Fun! Is the photo with Joy from a photo pass photographer?

No, DH took the pic. Joy and Pooh frolic around the grass next to the Imagination pavilion at Epcot and will stop near the fence for pics before they go in for a break. No idea why my kids have their hands up like that, lol, maybe Joy got them to do it.

 

[rteetz]

Putting on my tin foil hat for a minute:

Could the March 7 date be a target for more resorts to be open that aren’t announced yet (Port Orleans, All Stars), since more resort guests will need more places to go? Just a thought. That’s spring break in Montana. Not sure how many other districts, but I’m sure there will be many to follow. If current trends continue or (ideally) improve, Disney and other destinations will definitely need the capacity. People are noticeably itchy to travel once they’re able.

I don’t know if I would read into it that way. I’m sure Disney wants as many resorts open as possible as soon as possible. I think that’s more based on demand and how things are going.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

I don’t know if I would read into it that way. I’m sure Disney wants as many resorts open as possible as soon as possible. I think that’s more based on demand and how things are going.

That’s why I put on the tin foil! Not sure how much stock to put in to anything at this point, but it’s close to the start of spring season and maybe they’re seeing demand around those dates (or maybe they want to drive a few people to book sooner and spread out early summer/late spring crowds, idk).
Either way, another (relatively) major offering is going to drive additional bookings, and there is something they are seeing or doing is making them comfortable with that. I’ll take it as good news whatever the motive.

 

[anthony2k7]

Putting on my tin foil hat for a minute:

Could the March 7 date be a target for more resorts to be open that aren’t announced yet (Port Orleans, All Stars), since more resort guests will need more places to go? Just a thought. That’s spring break in Montana. Not sure how many other districts, but I’m sure there will be many to follow. If current trends continue or (ideally) improve, Disney and other destinations will definitely need the capacity. People are noticeably itchy to travel once they’re able.

I think the March 7 date is them just putting a line in the sand to work around regarding the AP refunds.

 

[Krandor]

Putting on my tin foil hat for a minute:

Could the March 7 date be a target for more resorts to be open that aren’t announced yet (Port Orleans, All Stars), since more resort guests will need more places to go? Just a thought. That’s spring break in Montana. Not sure how many other districts, but I’m sure there will be many to follow. If current trends continue or (ideally) improve, Disney and other destinations will definitely need the capacity. People are noticeably itchy to travel once they’re able.

I said somewhere else in this thread that I think March/April type time frame may when when disney starts looking at bringing things back (parades, FW, etc). If as it appears right now they don't come back this year and given that Jan/Feb are normally slower months so just ride those out and then in March/April start bringing stuff back to work out any kinks before the summer. Just my completely wild guess.

And as somebody else said that would put things at almost a year from shutdown to hopefully starting to come back to normal which would have been crazy earlier.

 

[disneyland_is_magic]

That’s why I put on the tin foil! Not sure how much stock to put in to anything at this point, but it’s close to the start of spring season and maybe they’re seeing demand around those dates (or maybe they want to drive a few people to book sooner and spread out early summer/late spring crowds, idk).
Either way, another (relatively) major offering is going to drive additional bookings, and there is something they are seeing or doing is making them comfortable with that. I’ll take it as good news whatever the motive.

It’s pretty crazy though, that seriously is 6 MORE months. I think it says a lot about their mindset. I agree with your thinking.

There was a time where they were literally crawling week by week in cancellations. They were holding on to cruises like Hawaii that had no hope or legal way to go.

And here they are saying, we aren’t even going to pretend this is a “soon.” I think it means other things (significant things) will also still be closed come March and beyond. The question is what are those things? Hotels? Experiences? Restaurants?

 

[anthony2k7]

It’s pretty crazy though, that seriously is 6 MORE months. I think it says a lot about their mindset. I agree with your thinking.

There was a time where they were literally crawling week by week in cancellations. They were holding on to cruises like Hawaii that had no hope or legal way to go.

And here they are saying, we aren’t even going to pretend this is a “soon.” I think it means other things (significant things) will also still be closed come next March. The question is what are those things? Hotels? Experiences? Restaurants?

The craziest thing for me about Disney is their share price.

It seems bonkers to me that its holding not far off where it was at the start of the year when they still have no idea when they will have even a hint of return to normal from the movie studio and parks/resorts/DCL looks like it will be significantly impacted well into next year at least.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

I said somewhere else in this thread that I think March/April type time frame may when when disney starts looking at bringing things back (parades, FW, etc). If as it appears right now they don't come back this year and given that Jan/Feb are normally slower months so just ride those out and then in March/April start bringing stuff back to work out any kinks before the summer. Just my completely wild guess.

And as somebody else said that would put things at almost a year from shutdown to hopefully starting to come back to normal which would have been crazy earlier.

At least it wasn’t a year to be open at all! Remember that analyst?

 

[Krandor]

And here they are saying, we aren’t even going to pretend this is a “soon.” I think it means other things (significant things) will also still be closed come March and beyond. The question is what are those things? Hotels? Experiences? Restaurants?

I expect some hotels still will be. Some restaurants likely as well since even if they went back to normal in January (which I don't expect) many people are still going to be hesitant to travel for a while. and like I said above, I'm thinking March/April for return of things like fireworks, parades and the like in the hopes of being close to normal for the summer. I think at this point that is their goal - to get things back to a normal experience by May/June. There are still things that could change that but now that they've basically punted through the end of the year I expect that's the current target for "normal".

 

[anthony2k7]

At least it wasn’t a year to be open at all! Remember that analyst?

Well considering DL/DCL.... right forcast, wrong destinations.

 

[Krandor]

At least it wasn’t a year to be open at all! Remember that analyst?

He could still be right about California.

 

[rteetz]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1306725449897324545

 

[sullivan.kscott]

It’s pretty crazy though, that seriously is 6 MORE months. I think it says a lot about their mindset. I agree with your thinking.

There was a time where they were literally crawling week by week in cancellations. They were holding on to cruises like Hawaii that had no hope or legal way to go.

And here they are saying, we aren’t even going to pretend this is a “soon.” I think it means other things (significant things) will also still be closed come March and beyond. The question is what are those things? Hotels? Experiences? Restaurants?

I think Disney sees the water parks as a “nice to have,” and not a “must have” in their operations. Those things aren’t cheap to run. The longer they can hold out putting butts in seats and beds without paying for water park upkeep and staffing the better for their bottom line. I see the March timeline as them seeing light at the end of the tunnel and not a negative at all.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

He could still be right about California.

Through no fault of Disney’s.

 

[Krandor]

I think Disney sees the water parks as a “nice to have,” and not a “must have” in their operations. Those things aren’t cheap to run. The longer they can hold out putting butts in seats and beds without paying for water park upkeep and staffing the better for their bottom line. I see the March timeline as them seeing light at the end of the tunnel and not a negative at all.

Having target dates is a good thing. Good for guests to know (especially AP holders in this case) but could also be good from a maintenance perspective. If there was work they wanted to do that will take a while they know how long they have now and can make a schedule for anything they do want to do to those parks.

 

[anthony2k7]

Through no fault of Disney’s.

Disney wouldn't have shut anywhere down in the first place if it was their decision alone.