Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Mit88]

There’s certainly an upside to living in the shadow and often being the afterthought.

Would the media/causal guests have even noticed if Universal didn’t even close for the pandemic in the first place?

Universal definitely won this battle, by chance if nothing else. Had Disney opened with Universal, when the numbers looked much, much better, Disney wouldn’t be looking at opening at a time when the numbers are worse than when they closed.

As far as DLR, I have no doubt they’re using the state issuing guidelines as their reason because what else could they say? To admit they were caving to employee demands or even that the stats are just too bad to open sounds much worse. Better to blame it on the state it would seem to me.

I said back in May, in my “Disney will open on June 1st” arguments that this is the exact reason they wouldn’t reveal an opening date a month+ in the future, and that it would be no more than 3-4 weeks because in this current climate where everything can change overnight, you’re leaving so much room for error and possibilities of something going wrong.
I was wrong about June 1st
I was wrong that they wouldn’t announce a date a month in the future

but I will die on the hill where I continued to say that this exact problem we’re seeing right now in Florida, California etc is the exact reason why you don’t make a reopening date so far ahead of the current date.

There was no way we were going to go all 44 days between announcement and reopening day without a speed bump or two.

 

[andyman8]

The press release felt carefully worded to say it was because of California guidelines coming later than expected, and then needing time to meet those guidelines. Had they said ‘Due to the rise in cases...’ or cited safety concerns or public pressure for the delay that would be very different.

That's typical Disney. Their press releases are always carefully worded to try to distance themselves from any negative attention (just look at the statement they give CBS News this morning re: the reservation system glitches). Again, all I'm saying is that what happened with DL has now brought more attention to their reopening timeline. They now have to deal with the PR in addition to all of the logistical and operational concerns. Do I think they go forward with the reopening plan? Most likely, but this is an added complication. I know that's not a particularly popular viewpoint here, but I don't think anyone can say anything with any degree of certainty right now.

 

[Mit88]

Having guests contract a deadly virus and then spreading it to other places will cause them more issues. We're 2.5 weeks away and Florida keeps breaking their own daily records. If you thought the poor boy who was killed by an alligator was bad for Disney, pictures of people on ventilators because Disney opened during the height of the outbreak would be catastrophic for the brand.

So then Disney was supposed to wait until there was an available vaccine to open any of their 12 parks? Even with an available vaccine, the virus won’t immediately disappear. Even if there was 1 remaining case left in the world, and that person happened to go to a Disney park just once in the previous 10 years, it still would have been Disney’s fault.

Look at how Disney is conducting the reopening with an extreme abundance of safety measures in place. So many measures that people are cancelling vacations because Disney is restricting so much. That’s not Disney being a bunch of meanies. That’s Disney taking the safest measures possible.

When they open, it’ll probably be much safer to go to a Disney park than it is to go to a grocery store

 

[Disney Bobby]

Having guests contract a deadly virus and then spreading it to other places will cause them more issues. We're 2.5 weeks away and Florida keeps breaking their own daily records. If you thought the poor boy who was killed by an alligator was bad for Disney, pictures of people on ventilators because Disney opened during the height of the outbreak would be catastrophic for the brand.

Yeah, considering all the death and suffering around the entire world right now, I think I'm going to tap out on my final 2 trips of the year and count my blessing. We can wait for things to improve. We are lucky to have our livelihoods and our health. Just not worth the risks and the stress.

 

[AmberMV]

It would be absolutely devastating for all the CMs if Disney has to delay. The unemployment system in FL is absolute garbage and many many people barely got paid for the entire shutdown. They need to work to survive, so they need Disney to open. And especially with the news of Universal laying off many employees I'd bet a lot of theme park employees are putting extra pep in their step to make sure they don't get chopped. As long as Disney supports CMs when they enforce the rules the CMs should feel safe. If Disney has a history (which it appears to) of not supporting CMs when guests' lash out then I can totally see how CMs would not feel safe at all.

 

[SaintsManiac]

It would be absolutely devastating for all the CMs if Disney has to delay. The unemployment system in FL is absolute garbage and many many people barely got paid for the entire shutdown. They need to work to survive, so they need Disney to open. And especially with the news of Universal laying off many employees I'd bet a lot of theme park employees are putting extra pep in their step to make sure they don't get chopped. As long as Disney supports CMs when they enforce the rules the CMs should feel safe. If Disney has a history (which it appears to) of not supporting CMs when guests' lash out then I can totally see how CMs would not feel safe at all.

There will be layoffs after Disney opens. It’s inevitable.

 

[AmberMV]

There will be layoffs after Disney opens. It’s inevitable.

For sure, it will be the same groups as Universal: marketing, group events, private venues and tours, etc

 

[Azziefan]

If you had to guess now (I know this is fluid) would u assume wdw is going ahead with reopening? Yes or no

 

[Aeralie]

Do you know when this was sent out?

About two hours after DLR's statement. I'd guess it's just a reassurance to everyone that as of right now WDW's plans continue. I'm sure its fresh in everyone's mind how DLR made its sudden closure announcement only to have a few hours of silence before WDW followed their lead.

All that said, my opinion mirrors @andyman8 's. Even though they're taking pains to point out the California government, DLR's actions are an added layer of complexity in the face of Central Florida trends that are looking pretty discouraging. A delay is not an impossibility.

 

[AmishGuy91]

If you had to guess now (I know this is fluid) would u assume wdw is going ahead with reopening? Yes or no

I’m going to say no. I believe the rumor that WDW didn’t really want to open until the fall but caved to pressure from the state and Universal. With the way they are opening, they can’t be making any money which is why I feel they were comfortable delaying the opening as long as possible. This gives them a chance to go back to their original plan of the fall.

 

[casaya95]

I’m going to say no. I believe the rumor that WDW didn’t really want to open until the fall but caved to pressure from the state and Universal. With the way they are opening, they can’t be making any money which is why I feel they were comfortable delaying the opening as long as possible. This gives them a chance to go back to their original plan of the fall.

The only issue with that WDW has really set the wheels into motion here. It's going to be a complete cluster and logistical nightmare (as if it isn't already) to have even more cancellations. DLR didn't have that problem when they extended the closure.

 

[Azziefan]

I’m going to say no. I believe the rumor that WDW didn’t really want to open until the fall but caved to pressure from the state and Universal. With the way they are opening, they can’t be making any money which is why I feel they were comfortable delaying the opening as long as possible. This gives them a chance to go back to their original plan of the fall.

Did you read what they posted about Disney land though? I mean they sound pissed they can’t open it

 

[Mit88]

If you had to guess now (I know this is fluid) would u assume wdw is going ahead with reopening? Yes or no

Yes. Too many moving parts. That’s just my opinion. I would have said “No” if I were asked in early March if WDW would close. But its kind of different. Everything in every state closed before and after Disney Parks announced theirs. Not every state is shutting back down. If bigger capacity places in Florida start closing down, then I’ll start to think Disney might delay the reopening. But with the resorts back up and running, guests already making parks reservations, its going to be very tough to stop them now

 

[Azziefan]

This sounds like a company that wants to reopen

 

[AmberMV]

If you had to guess now (I know this is fluid) would u assume wdw is going ahead with reopening? Yes or no

I have guessed wrong on almost every single possible scenario presented over the last few months, so I'm going to guess "no" they will not reopen in the hopes that my trend continues and I'm wrong again

 

[gottalovepluto]

Yes, but they have the added difficulty of now addressing the question of "why is it okay for one to reopen while the other is delaying its reopening?," especially given the attention FL has received over the last few days. Had they not misfired with DL, this problem would not have existed. I certainly hope they can figure out an answer.

I think they addressed that in that they touted their WDW approval in the announcement as an example of how the government approved of their ability to open safely.

 

[Mit88]

Disney shuts down again, you wont be able to convince DVC members to use their points when the parks arent reopen. You’re seeing how dead the resorts are now. People went either for media/blogger reasons, or already had a trip planned and just decided to make the trip. So they’d have to close the resorts back down

DVC is already in a huge bind with points. Continuing to clog the system with unused points is only going to further their problems

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Disney shuts down again, you wont be able to convince DVC members to use their points when the parks arent reopen. You’re seeing how dead the resorts are now. People went either for media/blogger reasons, or already had a trip planned and just decided to make the trip. So they’d have to close the resorts back down

DVC is already in a huge bind with points. Continuing to clog the system with unused points is only going to further their problems

But what about everyone who claimed there were lots of people who would go for resort only trips (pandemic resort only trips to boot) with no parks open

(I would totally do it as a local to experience near empty resorts though just to say I did)

 

[Mit88]

But what about everyone who claimed there were lots of people who would go for resort only trips (pandemic resort only trips to boot) with no parks open

(I would totally do it as a local to experience near empty resorts though just to say I did)

I would guess 9/10 DVC members that would truly be fine with a resort only stay, live in Florida, or in adjacent states. And I believe the ones claiming they would also admitted that they lived in Florida.

I’m sure people would still go, but the amount would dwindle week by week until the parks reopened

 

[AmberMV]

Disney shuts down again, you wont be able to convince DVC members to use their points when the parks arent reopen. You’re seeing how dead the resorts are now. People went either for media/blogger reasons, or already had a trip planned and just decided to make the trip. So they’d have to close the resorts back down

DVC is already in a huge bind with points. Continuing to clog the system with unused points is only going to further their problems

Yeah legally apparently they can't keep the DVC resorts closed. They've really gotten themselves into quite the pickle by having subsidized their resorts by having the public help pay for the construction costs so they can't close the DVC resorts again. DVC is a timeshare. I think IF Disney delays reopening of the parks they should, at minimum, offer free park tickets to DVC owners for their troubles. I mean, what does a free admission to the theme park cost Disney? Nothing. But it would probably make the DVC issue less of an issue in the eyes of the DVC owners.