Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[TheMaxRebo]

When you are burning through cash like TWDC is right now there are very serious long term risks to remaining closed. They are adding massive amounts of debt to their books for years that they will never see a return from.

True - but the risk of the long term negative impact to revenue if this goes poorly likely outweigh the short-term cash flow benefits

Plus they have said they won't open the parks unless it has positive financial impact - so if the way they would have to open them today they feel won't bring positive cash flow then they will wait

 

[Mzpalmtree]

According to Brian Windhorst on SportsCenter this morning, don’t expect a deal between the NBA to be completely finalized until about June 1. Owners wouldn’t vote on it until Friday at their owners meeting and then the players association would have to vote on it after that.

Oh yay . More waiting for those of us with trips planned. If nothing is announced by the end of next week I’m going to have to bow out. My trip wasn’t probably going to happen anyway since they probably won’t open until the day after I leave (July 6).

 

[Brianstl]

 

[DisneyWishes14]

“The Bubble” is the only thing I can think of for them wanting the entire resort. But as someone else pointed out, 1000 people don’t need something twice the size of Manhattan. They can all space out enough in 1 or 2 hotels. No outside guest in. No transportation to WWoS shared with guests or parks. Where is interaction going to occur with normies or places normies have been?

This is the last bit of speculation. They are afraid media, coaches, players ect might go to they theme parks or other resorts/restaurants and bring it back to the bubble.

If THATs the case then no matter where they go the players and all staff will have to be locked down and not allowed to go anywhere. They can easily do that here. Whats to stop the players from going to sea world? Or any restaurant in Orlando? At least stays Disney they get a huge resort to walk around in and multiple dining locations.

There is no way they are keeping all of WDW closed for the enjoyment of 450 NBA players and their families. WDW is not going to give up a source of revenue (opening resorts and parks to paying general public) to cater to that. And the NBA won't be paying for that either. This won't be a vacation for NBA players. What's stopping them from leaving their dedicated resort or WWOS to traipse around in other places? No private cars, ubers/lyfts, etc. I'm sure there will be a ton of rules in place to keep the bubble intact. The NBA was hit hard and early by COVID-19 - tons of players diagnosed and one star player's mother died. If anyone breaks the bubble, I'm sure there will be swift consequences.

So, how mad are cast members that have had no job for 2 months and no income with Disney spending weeks courting the elites of the nba? Something is seriously wrong with this picture.

Bringing the NBA to WDW means JOBS for CMs. Anyone who works at the resort/resorts chosen for the bubble and WWOS will probably be jumping for joy to get to go back to work.

You do know that the NBA thing isn’t definite yet and that even if they do get a deal that doesn’t mean it’s going to affect the parks/resorts for everyone else? So many people are talking like the deal has been signed and that Disney has already announced that they’re delaying park opening so the NBA can have it all to themselves but this is all speculation that people are turning into fact. Maybe that will happen- maybe it won’t- but no one knows at this point. If you have to cancel at this time and can’t wait a little while to see what happens I understand, but if you’re cancelling now because you believe these things are fact you may regret it later.

Yup - exactly. People are reading "NBA coming to WDW" and are inventing scenarios regarding resort and park operations in their heads.

I don’t see how anyone would make the final payment 30 days prior to a place that isn’t sure what they are doing, other than catering to the nba

WDW simultaneously caters to large sporting and convention events while operating parks and resorts for the general public ALL OF THE TIME. It's what they do. Pop Warner, runDisney, Gartner, etc. etc. etc.

 

[LSUmiss]

I agree with this. This is not a race or competition with other parks.

Ppl aren’t mad b/c they aren’t opening. Ppl are mad b/c they’re continuing to take their money & string ppl along with absolutely no communication.

 

[LSUmiss]

According to Brian Windhorst on SportsCenter this morning, don’t expect a deal between the NBA to be completely finalized until about June 1. Owners wouldn’t vote on it until Friday at their owners meeting and then the players association would have to vote on it after that.

If they wait til 6/1 to announce anything, ppl will br livid!!

 

[Brianstl]

At 5:27 in this video Windhorst starts discussing the NBA at WWOS situation.

 

[MaC410]

Universal deciding to open early June doesn’t mean the pandemic is over, COVID-19 is no longer a major concern...

Sadly too many people are starting to think this way. Before I get jumped on, I'm not talking about people here. The numbers have been getting better and places are starting to reopen and way too many people are starting to think that the pandemic is a thing of the past. The numbers got better and places are reopening because of everything we've done to slow the spread these last few months. The numbers are most likely going to start trending up again as more things start opening.

 

[Mit88]

If the NBA owners and PA arent voting until Friday and after, then I’m assuming Disney will be pushing back their reopening proposal from wednesday as it would be useless if the re-opening of the parks is tied to the NBA being brought on property. Unless Disney wants to just issue a statement with more vagueness to their fans that theyd love to keep taking their money, but dont deserve solid information

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Ppl aren’t mad b/c they aren’t opening. Ppl are mad b/c they’re continuing to take their money & string ppl along with absolutely no communication.

The communication is “closed until further notice,” but it seems like many are unwilling to accept that as a reality.

 

[Mzpalmtree]

If the NBA owners and PA arent voting until Friday and after, then I’m assuming Disney will be pushing back their reopening proposal from wednesday as it would be useless if the re-opening of the parks is tied to the NBA being brought on property. Unless Disney wants to just issue a statement with more vagueness to their fans that theyd love to keep taking their money, but dont deserve solid information

Be careful. You are starting to sound “entitled,” lol.

 

[LSUmiss]

The communication is “closed until further notice,” but it seems like many are unwilling to accept that as a reality.

Then DON’T accept ppl’s money for tickets that you have no intention of honoring on the dates they say.

 

[dmband]

I can definitely see one park at a time, but that would really louse things up for people that have trips booked for more than one day, basically - ( unless ppl planned on going to the same park every day )

See, that's the type of information that Disney should share asap, imho - if they don't have an opening date set in stone yet, fine - but at least come.out and say (and maybe they have, and I missed it) that only one park will be open at first, so that ppl can amend their plans and move on -

Exactly
come out and say we hope to be open by blank BUT that is not set in stone HOWEVER this is what we plan (1 park whatever).
This cancelling a week at a time and giving people no real planning time or heads up on potential changes is nuts.
They have 15k of my money, tell me a game plan so I can plan too

as far as people saying Disney was blindsided and such, I disagree.
there is no way imo that they and others are not communicating with each other to an extent and know rough ideas/plans. If one major park screws up, it screws them all up. They know what each is up to and most likely are working together to form effective plans.
personally think Disney held off presenting till the NBA was more I locked in. It is better to present everything once and get approval or fixes than go back and forth over and over.

I don’t see Disney not opening by July 1 for multi reasons but one being they do not want everyone to go to UO any longer than they have too

 

[Mit88]

Sadly too many people are starting to think this way. Before I get jumped on, I'm not talking about people here. The numbers have been getting better and places are starting to reopen and way too many people are starting to think that the pandemic is a thing of the past. The numbers got better and places are reopening because of everything we've done to slow the spread these last few months. The numbers are most likely going to start trending up again as more things start opening.

The majority of people that think its over are the ones that also think it never began. There are a lot of people, like myself, that know how real and dangerous this virus is, but also know that its either live inside for the next 2-3 years, or move on with their lives and know its out there and to stay vigilant. A vaccine isnt coming to save us, not anytime soon, no matter how hard the possibility of one is being shoved into our heads by the media

 

[mshanson3121]

If they wait til 6/1 to announce anything, ppl will br livid!!

Their communication has been pathetic since
March. Why stop now?

 

[gwynne]

According to Brian Windhorst on SportsCenter this morning, don’t expect a deal between the NBA and Disney to be completely finalized until about June 1. Owners wouldn’t vote on it until Friday at their owners meeting and then the players association would have to vote on it after that.

That's what I am seeing too.
The likely timeline is pretty well outlined and explained in this article from the 22nd.
They have problems to solve, but I bet they find solutions quickly.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...nba-report-directly-campus-sites?platform=amp

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Then DON’T accept ppl’s money for tickets that you have no intention of honoring on the dates they say.

Isn’t anyone who buys tickets now making their own personal choice to purchase tickets for a park that is closed until further notice?

 

[DisneyWishes14]

They said in their presentation they will limit capacity but didn't say any details. From what I have seen elsewhere (so might just be what people are interpreting) it will just be a lower daily cap and if they hit it and you show up you won't be allowed in - won't be any reservation system or anything

And THAT will be interesting to see. Media coverage of tons of people being turned away from Universal will not be a good look for them and something Disney, I assume, will be watching closely.

Ppl aren’t mad b/c they aren’t opening. Ppl are mad b/c they’re continuing to take their money & string ppl along with absolutely no communication.

WDW and DL have significantly changed their cancellation and modification policies to ensure no one will lose money on room-only and package reservations. I canceled my package reservation 5 days prior to check-in and received 100% of my money back including my deposit, which, at that time, they were not obligated to refund. If people want to be outraged over travel companies holding on to huge deposits, playing chicken with cancellations and forcing people to either PIF or taking future travel credits, I invite them over to the DCL and ABD threads. WDW could have been major jerks about package deposits and force people to either cancel and lose $200 or reschedule at possibly higher vacation costs so as not to lose $200, but they didn't. If you look around the current climate in the travel industry, what WDW did in modifying their policies is the exception, not the rule.

 

[tinkerhon]

Then DON’T accept ppl’s money for tickets that you have no intention of honoring on the dates they say.

This x 1000 ! And I will add - taking their money so that people buy tix to book FPS for rides and/or attractions that probably (and Disney has to know this by now, one would thnk) won't even be open for the dates that the FPS are booked for !

 

[Mzpalmtree]

Isn’t anyone who buys tickets now making their own personal choice to purchase tickets for a park that is closed until further notice?

But what about people who bought tickets way before March?