Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Tandy]

Nope they will make $$$$ from the NBA.

So these sports league will bring in more than 19 mil a day?

 

[BryGuy415]

I'm curious to know if people are seeing their 3 week away cancellations yet with all this news? Perhaps even with no date given, Disney shows their hand a bit by the alteration of their rolling reservation cancellations

 

[FlagrantFleur]

According to Bloomberg News at 3:23 PM EDT today, 'Walt Disney Co, Comcast Corp.'s Universal Studios and SeaWorld Entertainment Inc are taking another step towards reopening their massive theme parks in Orlando, Florida. The operators will begin submitting their plans to a reopening task force on Thursday, a spokesperson for Florida's Orange County, said in an email. The news sent shares of the companies climbing, with Disney rising as much as 4.7%"

The end of this headline peaks volumes, and is one of the big reasons (besides PR, marketing, etc) why Disney wants control over the announcement: stock prices. Once they announce any sort of date, it's game on for investors. Also game on for anyone who wants to book a vacation, or also cancel one. Once Disney announce when they will be open (and almost as important, WHAT will be open), people will start shifting plans. Not necessarily knocking Disney for this, they are a business just like anyone else. Their duty is to their shareholders, period.

 

[gottalovepluto]

According to Bloomberg News at 3:23 PM EDT today, 'Walt Disney Co, Comcast Corp.'s Universal Studios and SeaWorld Entertainment Inc are taking another step towards reopening their massive theme parks in Orlando, Florida. The operators will begin submitting their plans to a reopening task force on Thursday, a spokesperson for Florida's Orange County, said in an email. The news sent shares of the companies climbing, with Disney rising as much as 4.7%"

Which reporter bought them Disney calls this morning?.... hope they dumped them on the close lol

 

[FCDub]

So these sports league will bring in more than 19 mil a day?

The NBA signed a $24B, 9-year TV contract with ESPN and Turner.

 

[LSUmiss]

What’s the reasoning behind WDW not giving a date? Any guesses?

That’s my question. It’s getting quite ridiculous. If wdw isn’t ready to give a time frame, then they at least need to say why not.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

NBA and MLS aren't making up for the difference of the parks being closed and no guests on site. This will not factor into the decision.

Eh, maybe, but who knows. If Disney is opening at limited capacity but has to have a massive employee presence then maybe the sports leagues are more profitable than the parks. Especially if there are broadcast rights.

 

[JayhawkCruiser]

I wonder if they're also happy to let SW/BG and USO go first and (potentially) make mistakes. Opening slightly later they can try to avoid those mistakes and hopefully the "DISNEY TRIES TO MURDER GUESTS WITH COIVD-19" headlines.

I wonder this too. That said I think it’s equally likely that the logistical challenges and size of WDW compared to UO just makes it easier for UO to open earlier (say 6/1 for example). Fortunately for all these parks in terms of potential for bad headlines, news cycles are so quick these days nothing will stick around long.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I'm curious to know if people are seeing their 3 week away cancellations yet with all this news? Perhaps even with no date given, Disney shows their hand a bit by the alteration of their rolling reservation cancellations

This thread will blow up again when they do, cancellations have started rolling in as late as Thurs evening...

 

[Tandy]

The NBA signed a $24B, 9-year TV contract with ESPN and Turner.

Does not mean a thing when it comes to WDW - two separate entities.
Will not change the sports leagues, just houses them.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

That’s my question. It’s getting quite ridiculous. If wdw isn’t ready to give a time frame, then they at least need to say why not.

Why not = COVID-19 pandemic.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Eh, maybe, but who knows. If Disney is opening at limited capacity but has to have a massive employee presence then maybe the sports leagues are more profitable than the parks. Especially if there are broadcast rights.

Employees could get extra pay to work the sports stuff because there is discussion a proper bubble will mean the Disney employees have to live in the bubble as well.

 

[JacknSally]

NBA and MLS aren't making up for the difference of the parks being closed and no guests on site. This will not factor into the decision.

I definitely didn't think or say the NBA/MLS would make up the revenue difference. But they might be trying to decide what the NBA/MLS agreement specifics will be - dates, which resorts they'll need to keep teams at, if they'll need to or be able to close off sections of resorts or whole resorts to guests for security reasons, will they need transportation, etc. - before they officially announce when they'll be ready to reopen to everyone. If they decide to do NBA games soon and only over a couple of weeks, they might just not have guests back until that's over. If the games last a couple of months, they'll probably do both.

It's all a decision factor.

 

[FCDub]

Does not mean a thing when it comes to WDW - two separate entities.
Will not change the sports leagues, just houses them.

Of course it does. ESPN/ABC/Disney has a vested interest in the rest of these games being played.

 

[curlymom]

No cancellations for the week yet (we have an AKL stay starting on June 12th so we are on deck) - but not expecting it for another hour or so at the earliest? If UO or Sea World drops an opening date in our range and Disney doesn't follow, we'll try for there instead assuming we can get park tickets.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

I'm curious to know if people are seeing their 3 week away cancellations yet with all this news? Perhaps even with no date given, Disney shows their hand a bit by the alteration of their rolling reservation cancellations

June 12 here and not yet. After last week I'm expecting it tomorrow. ((((((

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

I'm curious to know if people are seeing their 3 week away cancellations yet with all this news? Perhaps even with no date given, Disney shows their hand a bit by the alteration of their rolling reservation cancellations

June 7th arrival and nothing has changed on my end. No updates to my MDE and no email. I think we will get news about that week tomorrow, and I don't think it will be good news.

 

[FCDub]

That’s my question. It’s getting quite ridiculous. If wdw isn’t ready to give a time frame, then they at least need to say why not.

Uh ... because there’s a once-in-a-century pandemic going on that literally not a single person alive has been tasked with responding to before?

Seems like a decent reason for not knowing when they’re going to be able to open again

 

[Tandy]

Of course it does. ESPN/ABC/Disney has a vested interest in the rest of these games being played.

There is absolutely no way they will hold off getting the engine started on opening and churning revenue just to play the league out. That is something that can 100% be self contained.

 

[AmberMV]

I'm curious to know if people are seeing their 3 week away cancellations yet with all this news? Perhaps even with no date given, Disney shows their hand a bit by the alteration of their rolling reservation cancellations

I have not gotten cancelled for June 10 yet...but I'm pretty sure it is coming. I think I may just miss the opening by a week.