Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[anthony2k7]

No. They make a bunch of money off all when times are good. I wouldn’t be surprised if they extend the closure of DLH until demand is there but it won’t be permanent. Fwiw they are giving a rebooking discount on GCH & PPH but you can’t use it at DLH you can only book rack rate- I think that’s a sign we won’t see DLH open this year.

And what would they do if they closed one? Demolition & parking lot? Can’t sell it to your competition being that close to DLR & the convention center.

Sorry, I meant closed with no reopening date planned. Mothballed. I didn't mean closed permanently.

 

[birostick]

Im at MK now and the feel is very subdued, everything seems to be going in slower motion, could be the cooler temps but overall the feeling is very quiet, like when they announced the parks were closing

Not the case over here @ DHS at all. Its a zoo. I have been coming roughly once a month since open and its much busier than i believe 3 weeks ago when i was here

 

[yulilin3]

Also have noticed upper management engaging in conversation with front of the line cms a lot

 

[Eric Smith]

For eight years Iger was on the board of a company that entered the entertainment business while it stockpiled cash. It wasn't an alien concept to him. It is a good time to be a company like Apple or Microsoft. When all the dust from this settles their will be some very good buying opportunities if they decide to go in that direction. Heck, it is a great time to own shares of a company like Electronic Arts. EA is an entertainment company with a massive cash pile given it's size. In fact it has the highest cash to market value of any publicly traded company.

Disney has over four times the amount of cash on hand than EA has, so not a great comparison there.

Apple and Microsoft are in the consumer electronics business, not entertainment. Apple launched apple tv plus this past year, but it has underperformed compared to Disney+.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Im at MK now and the feel is very subdued, everything seems to be going in slower motion, could be the cooler temps but overall the feeling is very quiet, like when they announced the parks were closing

Considering how much energy the CMs bring to the parks it's hard to imagine anyone is feeling spirited today.

 

[cranbiz]

I'm not sure what type of comp tickets you're talking about, but if these are the One-Day Park Hopper tickets (sometimes referred to as "Chip 'n' Dales," given to CPs and temp hires), those can only be used by active employees of TWDC. One your employment ends, these tickets are not usable unless you re-join the Company before the two-year expiration mark. To use the Chip and Dales, you have to also scan your Main Entrance Pass first. The rules vary depending on your status with the Company, but as far as CPs are concerned, they generally only get the MEP and the Chip and Dales. The Guest Passes and Comp Tickets give to FT and CR (Casual Regular a.k.a Part-Time for those unaware) are different.

I was CR. The comps I had were the ones awarded at Christmas time. They were one day park hoppers. Obviously not the Chip 'n' Dales you are talking about as I was able to successfully use mine at DLR after I left the company.

 

[hertamaniac]

Considering how much energy the CMs bring to the parks it's hard to imagine anyone is feeling spirited today.

That waiting for the hammer to drop is usually worse than the hammer itself. And being a CM means to put on your happy face. Not good.

 

[randumb0]

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/bus...0200930-zdr2gxxsr5hm5ibetbc26v2ye4-story.html

 

[DonMa]

Yes, anyone running a business should have a disaster plan. Small businesses should be able to float 6 months of closure, large companies should be able to handle significantly more. If you dont have that, you are not running your business well and/or its just not a successful business.

I do think trimming the fat around the rest of your company...aka espn... is a better option to cutting loose 28000 people.

My issue is that these cuts arent yo stay solvent, they are to impress wall street. Years upon years of profit and the first time things go sour, you cut everyone loose and thank them because all cast members matter.

The pandemic also isnt unprecedented. Walt himself lived through one that was worse.

I think everything you and Farro are saying is totally reasonable and sound as far as business principals.
But I think all companies are slaves to Wall st now. I recently mentioned being let go from a job. I was with the company longer than I 20! Years. About 6 years back they went public. Everything changed. Company was making money every year, and was successful but every year around this time the tension rose and the pink slips flew. The buzz words flowed. “We’re going to get lean and mean, we’re going to work smarter, we’ve all got to do more with less”. Oh yeah, all but the top level who continued to draw almost obscene compensation for dishing these pearls. Who paid the price? The working folks and oh yeah the customers who suffered degradation in service because it’s an inevitable side effect of “getting lean”
So yes the circumstance is unprecedented but the remedy is standard operating procedure. I don’t think ANYONE could have predicted this mess. So no blame there. But in every action TWDC took to get through the economic woes they were well aware this was likely coming and figured into their projections. While those poor CMs were risking their health to get the parks open only to be told “thanks for your help, you gotta go now”
Inevitable? Unavoidable? Realistic? Sure. But still lousy....

 

[rteetz]

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/bus...0200930-zdr2gxxsr5hm5ibetbc26v2ye4-story.html

This reportedly includes Photopass CMs and more entertainment.

 

[Brianstl]

Disney has over four times the amount of cash on hand than EA has, so not a great comparison there.

Apple and Microsoft are in the consumer electronics business, not entertainment. Apple launched apple tv plus this past year, but it has underperformed compared to Disney+.

Apple's presence in entertainment is much more than just Apple TV. Apple is one of the world's largest distributors and retailers of entertainment in the world through iTunes, Apple Music, App Store, etc.

 

[MrsBooch]

This reportedly includes Photopass CMs and more entertainment.

is this in addition to the 28,000? I'm thinking yes.

 

[Brianstl]

This reportedly includes Photopass CMs and more entertainment.

The Photopass CMs are sad, but this is an obvious thing to cut right now. For the first time we didn't get Memory Maker for last week's trip. We didn't even consider it and I am sure this is true for many. People aren't going to pay that price for a bunch of photos with masks on their family's faces and no meet n' greet photos. There really isn't the demand for the service right now and that is sad because pre COVID it was, IMO, one of the best things Disney offered.

If they are smart, this will be an area they add employees to when things get back to more normal. If they don't, I won't be buying the service again because those boxes are not the same service as a human photographer snapping human interactions and human moments.

 

[hereforthechurros]

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/bus...0200930-zdr2gxxsr5hm5ibetbc26v2ye4-story.html

This is in addition to the 28,000 reported yesterday or including?

MrsBooch beat me to it.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Complete hearsay but I was speaking to my TA about booking a trip for March. She asked me about park hopper tickets and I told her I’ll add it later if hopping is allowed. She says hopping is back for 2021. I told her I would still rather wait. She is a certified Disney TA. Just throwing out there was others are saying

 

[gottalovepluto]

Fair point. I'm jumping ahead a few months, combining vaccine deployment and testing. Definitely didn't mean to imply we'd jump straight there by January or anything. Sorry for the confusion and being unclear. I need more coffee.

I ALWAYS need more coffee

 

[rpb718]

Im at MK now and the feel is very subdued, everything seems to be going in slower motion, could be the cooler temps but overall the feeling is very quiet, like when they announced the parks were closing

I'm not surprised. The current cuts would have many on edge about the future and what changes are down the road that will this affect theme park and resort operations. What's next in store for CMs, equity actors, cultural ambassadors, CP programs? Is streetmosphere and/or resort-only entertainment a thing of the past? I hope not but hold no illusions.

No one should be holding onto the concept of the old "normal" ever returning to WDW. I know some are expecting a lot of things returning by next October, but I would caution to temper those expectations. Yes, eventually masks will go away and over time the crowds will be back. And I have to assume that nighttime fireworks/entertainment and even parades in the parks will be back - maybe not exactly as before but in some form. But the "when" for all this is unknown.

Fear of the unknown is powerful, and many looking at the current environment are starting to see doors closing that may never be reopened. There will be many that complain about the new "normal". Some won't accept it, many will. However, there will always be a strong nostalgia for classic Pre-Covid WDW that I will treasure even if only a memory.

 

[rpb718]

Complete hearsay but I was speaking to my TA about booking a trip for March. She asked me about park hopper tickets and I told her I’ll add it later if hopping is allowed. She says hopping is back for 2021. I told her I would still rather wait. She is a certified Disney TA. Just throwing out there was others are saying

Have her tell that to everyone she booked for June 1 earlier this year.

 

[skeeter31]

Complete hearsay but I was speaking to my TA about booking a trip for March. She asked me about park hopper tickets and I told her I’ll add it later if hopping is allowed. She says hopping is back for 2021. I told her I would still rather wait. She is a certified Disney TA. Just throwing out there was others are saying

Well as far as anything is known, hopping returns 1/1/21 because they’re selling hoppers as of that day. That’s the only official word. Now do most people think its back then? No. But they are selling it starting then. My guess has always been by Spring Break/Easter time for it to come back. But could even be the summer. I highly doubt TAs know any different at this point about something that’s over 3 months away.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Complete hearsay but I was speaking to my TA about booking a trip for March. She asked me about park hopper tickets and I told her I’ll add it later if hopping is allowed. She says hopping is back for 2021. I told her I would still rather wait. She is a certified Disney TA. Just throwing out there was others are saying

Hi from a certified Disney TA!

We have not been informed park hopping is back. We can sell tickets that include park hopping for 2021. I hope she is assuming it will be back because they are selling park hoppers and not trying to goose her commission.