Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[AmberMV]

Yeah, I’m not sure Iger really has a “replaceable” position within the company at this point. Chapek, though, absolutely does.

I feel like as soon as Chapek stepped foot in his position everything went to crap. Just me???

 

[The Pho]

Wherever you got those rumors, did it seem like they were happening...soon...?

Heres all the info I have, reposting from what I wrote in the rumors thread, there may be more details on the threads I pulled this from.

A few new fairly significant rumors from multiple posters on WDW Magic:

In what is sure to surprise only Bob Iger, the parks are no longer planning to host MVMCP this year. Folks tired of party season are getting their wishes.

Oh man. I have logged in, written drafts, deleted them, and swore I would never do this. Yet here I am. And I'm ready to start some ****.

The Walt Disney Company is about to experience some of the deepest layoffs I have ever witnessed in my adult life. I would call attention to the 2002 and 2009 layoffs after those respective crises. Those separations from the company were orderly. Often via generous voluntary packages. Hell, to his credit, Al Weiss was militant about never laying off a CM against their will after 9/11. I respect that. He was basically a ******* otherwise.

In 2009, there was a similar "orderly" exit of excess personnel. However, much of this labor was brought back remarkably fast as Disney's business was in far better shape in 2009.

We also have other, smaller layoffs that hit project teams at WDI. These are bull**** layoffs. Flim Flam. Just some accounting tricks. Almost everyone is brought back.

Well, these days are no more. What you are about to see from WDC will be shocking and it will permanently change their business forever. The bloat is about to be gone. The mediocrity that's failed upward all our lives is about to be purged. A new company is emerging.

And no, Bob Chapek is no hero. But he does recognize the value in taking out the trash.

Now, lets talk about attendance at WDW. It's effing bad. Its Hard Rock Park bad. It's Dubai bad. Its the worst attendance in the history of the resort. Epcot is lucky to hit 2500 a day and usually is only hosting a few hundred at a time. Magic Kingdom is tormentingly under performing. There is simply no demand to fill the park out even to its limited capacity. The other two parks are also in dire straits, but due to their smaller size, there are certain days they can make a go of it. And yet still, the resort business is the iceberg and WDW Parks are the titanic. This will not end well.

The situation is dire. Unsustainable. WDW parks will be dropping to five day weeks soon. They will likely not be alone in this practice.

And that brings me to Bob Iger. Mr. Chairman. Mr. Gotta Put Yoda on His Wife's Dress to Bury Some Search Engine Leads. That guy. It is my pleasure to announce that he will be soon tossed on his ***. In disgrace. His sins, his poor judgement, his poor treatment of subordinates. His malicious temper and outrageous displays of "toxic masculinity" as the kids call it. All this and more is coming out. Good riddance.

Likewise it is wonderful to see so many old school names dropping in.

Not wanting to read a bombardment of dumb people to get to the good ones is why I kept hesitating to post. Not because I care about them. But because it takes time to mute/block/troll whoever is in the way of the good stuff. Still, I'm here. Let's see what they got.

You can't layoff enough people in WDI. The place needs to be shut down and padlocked. Then after a period of time, you bring it back to life. With new people, with new dreams. And without this tired bunch of talentless hacks.


On Splash Mt... I don't think its ever gonna happen. Maybe in Anaheim. But the company is broke. Their financial situation is gravely serious and some heartbreaking change is ahead for Disney. Yet Bob Iger makes the call that "something has to be done" to monetize the current political climate. So we get this project. I should add that some of the stuff pitched is elaborate as hell. Ride flume rerouting. Concrete removal. New sets. New AAs. But its all concept with no clear runway to reality. They don't even plan on closing the ride until 2022. The project itself is on like a three year timetable. Basically an excuse to keep all "the right people" employed while everything else is vaporized.

Really, you should see the concepts for Mickey Avenue to replace Main St in Anaheim.

 

[JacknSally]

I feel like as soon as Chapek stepped foot in his position everything went to crap. Just me???

Nope, not just you. The timing of his promotion really couldn’t have been worse for him, though. Very interested to hear the call Tuesday. However, if cuts are needing to be made (and I think we all know they are) then I think Chapek is just the guy to make them, unfortunately.

 

[WorldOfPooh]

Several big rumors emerged earlier today.
Massive layoffs, Christmas is cancelled (MVMCP), Iger gone, apparently Main St might be changing, cutting hours/days, etc.

Then there were lots of rumors the past couple weeks. Selling the China parks, etc

This is all consistent with what we heard early in the pandemic that if the Disney Parks didn't open by August that the Disney Corp (ESPN, Parks, Movies) would go bankrupt.

Those who keep wishing for the parks to be closed, well you may have nothing to come back to if you get your wish.

 

[Eric Smith]

Heres all the info I have, reposting from what I wrote in the rumors thread, there may be more details on the threads I pulled this from.

A few new fairly significant rumors from multiple posters on WDW Magic:

It loses me when they talk about cleaning house at WDI. That’s the group who just did galaxy’s edge and Pandora. What’s the issue there?

 

[AmberMV]

Heres all the info I have, reposting from what I wrote in the rumors thread, there may be more details on the threads I pulled this from.

A few new fairly significant rumors from multiple posters on WDW Magic:

Thank you. Some of it, he seems like he really might be right. Other parts, it feels like he's imparting his own agenda into it. I guess we shall see...

 

[Jennasis]

 

[Eric Smith]

This is all consistent with what we heard early in the pandemic that if the Disney Parks didn't open by August that the Disney Corp (ESPN, Parks, Movies) would go bankrupt.

Those who keep wishing for the parks to be closed, well you may have nothing to come back to if you get your wish.

Disney wouldn’t go bankrupt if the parks stayed closed for the rest of 2020.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Those who keep wishing for the parks to be closed, well you may have nothing to come back to if you get your wish.

Silliness.

If these rumours are true the crowds they are pulling right now are not enough, open or closed wouldn’t have changed much as the virus is what’s keeping people away.

 

[The Pho]

Thank you. Some of it, he seems like he really might be right. Other parts, it feels like he's imparting his own agenda into it. I guess we shall see...

That’s why I like to post the full quotes rather than paraphrase. Read into it however you’d like, the context of the statements can make a big difference. This poster was a reliable insider many years ago and stopped posting rumors for many reasons.

It loses me when they talk about cleaning house at WDI. That’s the group who just did galaxy’s edge and Pandora. What’s the issue there?

There are many threads concerning people’s issues with those, especially on that site, it’s much more critical over there. This poster is not a fan of the direction Iger has taken the company. Something prompted their (and several others) return to posting their info.

 

[Eric Smith]

That’s why I like to post the full quotes rather than paraphrase. Read into it however you’d like, the context of the statements can make a big difference. This poster was a reliable insider many years ago and stopped posting rumors for many reasons.



There are many threads concerning people’s issues with those, especially on that site, it’s much more critical over there. This poster is not a fan of the direction Iger has taken the company. Something prompted their return to posting their info though.

Thanks for the context. That part didn’t make sense to me. The rest seems plausible. I have no doubt some serious cuts are on the way if crowd levels don’t improve.

 

[firefly_ris]

"The bloat is about to be gone. The mediocrity that's failed upward all our lives is about to be purged. A new company is emerging."

I could dig it.

 

[AmberMV]

The biggest "hmm" I have right now is that if Disney attendance is so dire why would they have not lifted blockout dates for sub Gold/Plats? There are thousands of people waiting to go but can't because of blockouts, you can see in the AP calendar the first day Silver and sub AP blockouts are lifted (Aug 7) the parks are full...

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It loses me when they talk about cleaning house at WDI. That’s the group who just did galaxy’s edge and Pandora. What’s the issue there?

Well, even if there are good people in there doesn't mean there also aren't other than have been there for a while, grown to having huge salaries, and aren't carrying their weight and maybe blocking rising stars from being elevated

Just b/c some good products emerge doesn't mean "cleaning" couldn't help

 

[osufeth24]

I don't care what one's opinion on masks are or effectiveness

But one thing is for sure, there's no way they would be allowed to open if they didn't have the mask mandate.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

The biggest "hmm" I have right now is that if Disney attendance is so dire why would they have not lifted blockout dates for sub Gold/Plats? There are thousands of people waiting to go but can't because of blockouts, you can see in the AP calendar the first day Silver and sub AP blockouts are lifted (Aug 7) the parks are full...

Maybe they don’t want to fill the space with more guests who are not buying tickets or spending money on a resort stay. So basically like with a lot of this my guess is money.

 

[osufeth24]

Maybe they don’t want to fill the space with more guests who are not buying tickets or spending money on a resort stay. So basically like with a lot of this my guess is money.

But the APs reservations are a separate pod. if those aren't filling up, does it matter? They wouldn't be taking a resort guests spot as that's a separate pod

 

[hereforthechurros]

Thank you. Some of it, he seems like he really might be right. Other parts, it feels like he's imparting his own agenda into it. I guess we shall see...

Definitely some salty takes in the mix. I don’t doubt for a second that Disney as a whole is hurting, but between billions in credit and government bailout money are we really thinking they’ll just go bankrupt and close up shop?

 

[DGsAtBLT]

But the APs reservations are a separate pod. if those aren't filling up, does it matter?

Sorry, not sure what you’re asking.

Just saying I don’t think lifting blackout dates changes a lot if attendance (spending) is a problem. Maybe you’d have some booking resorts, I don’t know. People blacked out are solely Florida residents, right?

 

[osufeth24]

Sorry, not sure what you’re asking.

Just saying I don’t think lifting blackout dates changes a lot if attendance (spending) is a problem. Maybe you’d have some booking resorts, I don’t know. People blacked out are solely Florida residents, right?

Right, but if even 20% of those people buy some merch or food, that's at least some revenue they are getting that otherwise they wouldn't be

Im just saying, there's a max amount of park reservations set aside for APs, if currently the APs aren't filling it up, and getting in the park, why not open it to silvers, so they could fill up the remaining spots.

I'm pretty sure Disney wants the parks full at the capacity they set (or else they wouldn't put it at that number)