Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[DisneyWishes14]

I understand, but perhaps this is a good day for Disney to release a PR related to DCL.

I don't think that will happen for a long time. This is "WDW day" and they'll want that news out front. DCL isn't anywhere near operating out of US ports. With the CDC No Sail order in effect, they have much bigger fish to fry than even the Disney Parks. And they are currently repatriating crew all over the world. They aren't close to resuming operations.

 

[CastAStone]

FWIW, they reported on Fox Business just now during their report on the upcoming Disney opening plan that Universal's announcement of a June 5 opening "caught Disney off guard", and that it basically accelerated Disney finalizing their plans and setting a date.

If that's true, that's both amazing and disappointing. I figured Disney would be a leader, not a follower in all of this.

That is word for word from a post from a few days ago from an alleged insider on another message board.

 

[JaNelson38]

Being the first to open doesn't make you the leader in all this. This isn't a race to see who can move back to "normal" the fastest.

It absolutely is a race. Anyone that says different has never been involved in or understands business at any level.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

A line that leads to a virtual queue!

CM greets you takes your info, you get a confirmation text and wait to be contacted to get through the doors.

View attachment 497301

Even more evidence to #EliminateStandby

 

[Sarahslay]

The Disney springs line is crazy right now. I can’t believe people get up at 8:00am to go to the Disney store. Just order your stuff online

But no AP discount online, I would love to have gotten a 20% discount on any of the who knows how many items I've ordered online.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

They wouldn't rush an opening to public pressure...they will rush their opening because travel $ will be going to Universal. People forget that next week is June 1. Summer is here. Families that can go somewhere will.

It wasn't that long ago that many people thought Universal would overtake WDW as "the" destination in Orlando. If this report is accurate - and there is no reason to believe its not, as Fox has no stake in either place - its a surprising level of mismanagement by Disney. To be caught "off-guard" by Universal when they've basically been on the same task force for weeks is shocking.

WDW had almost 60 million visitors last year. Uni had 20 million. You can fit both Uni theme parks into EP. Uni will never be "the" destination in Orlando. It's a 3 day park, at best. Just because one park is opening first doesn't mean it is managed better. In fact, it could end up being the opposite.

 

[sullivan.kscott]

Not so sure they were caught "off guard." Maybe UOR jumped by a couple weeks from what they showed to their coopetition, but let's remember that WDW is a city within a city, whose workforce has disappeared through multiple outlets. TWDC then directly owns their resorts, Uni/Comcast does not. WDW then is further complicated by multiple modes of transportation, a far more vast food supply chain to fulfill, and the unique to Orlando theme park resort complex relationship with timeshare in DVC. It is also my understanding that Disney is more intertwined than Universal in terms of labor/union relationships.
A little behind because there are more gears to get moving? Sure. But I just don't buy that Disney was on their heels, by any means. Let's remember that Disney announced the opening of their shopping district first in Orlando. Since that announcement, it feels more to me that some committee in Uni/Comcast parks and resorts division said, "hold my Butterbeer."

 

[e_yerger]

BUDDY DYER MY MAN

 

[CastAStone]

It absolutely is a race. Anyone that says different has never been involved in or understands business at any level.

Normally, sure. But with capacity controls in place, all WDW parks will likely be at the new lower capacity through the end of the year with just a few exceptions (e.g. Early Sept), so does it really matter? What is the practical implication for WDW being second to reopen? I can't think of one.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

It absolutely is a race. Anyone that says different has never been involved in or understands business at any level.

There are millions of people who go to WDW every year who have zero interest in visiting Uni. I'm sure vice versa as well, but not in the sheer number of people who are solely interested in going to WDW. If my WDW trip is cancelled, I'm not, still, going to Orlando to go to Uni. I'm not going to Orlando at all!

 

[DGsAtBLT]

It absolutely is a race. Anyone that says different has never been involved in or understands business at any level.

Well then Fun Spot won. Race over. Second place is just first last.

 

[e_yerger]

so... who do you think from Disney will be giving the presentation? I hope josh is there.....

 

[merry_nbright]

Well then Fun Spot won. Race over. Second place is just first last.

“If you ain’t first, you’re last.” - Ricky Bobby

 

[Jiminy76]

Makes you wonder if they will do that at some of the stores in the parks.

I am thinking we will more than likely see this for most or all stores in the parks as a means to control the number of people in the store at any given moment in time. It does not seem to be well thought out though if you have to wait in a line just to register for the virtual queue and then come back at a later time and more than likely wait a bit to be let into the store. Kind of defeats the purpose of a virtual queue and could result in a bunch of people running around the parks as they get their text notifying its their turn to enter the store. Perhaps a better solution will be rolled out in MDE soon and this will be automated and eliminate the need to line up to register.

This is going to be very interesting to see how Disney is going to roll out their re-opening. Looks like a lot of the things people dislike about the planning process for a WDW trip may now be filtering down to every single experience in the parks as you may essential may need some sort of advanced reservation for everything in the park. There may not be many or any things one can do that are spontaneous anymore. I'm eagerly awaiting to see what the re-opening plans are today and hoping this is not the case, but seeing how they are doing this in DS for their stores makes me a bit nervous that his is the "new normal" for the unforeseeable future.

 

[Spaceguy55]

It's fair to say when WDW opens UO will get more visitors....

 

[JacknSally]

so... who do you think from Disney will be giving the presentation? I hope josh is there.....

The agenda lists Jim McPhee, senior VP of ops at WDW. I wish it were Josh

 

[skeeter31]

so... who do you think from Disney will be giving the presentation? I hope josh is there.....

According to the agenda that was posted here yesterday, it’s Jim McPhee

 

[cakebaker]

. Kind of defeats the purpose of a virtual queue

They can maintain a 6ft distance in lines much easier than when people are in the stores shopping.

 

[e_yerger]

wait.... mayor dennings just said "presentation tomorrow"

 

[skeeter31]

wait.... mayor dennings just said "presentation tomorrow"

If you’re watching the current feed on YouTube from Orange TV, it’s a rebroadcast of yesterday. It’s not live until 10am