Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Farro]

I don't think anyone is saying you are happy about the job loss, I'm just saying that this decision will affect every visitor that comes through the tapstiles if you stopped to watch these shows or not.

Yes, I understand that.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Just thinking about how many people FotLK can hold and now where are they going to go? I imagine the days of wandering into Nomad Lounge and sitting down immediately are over.

What's up with the Pandora performers? Have they been doing anything since reopen?

 

[ryanpatricksmom]

I was at Islands of Adventure yesterday doe only an hour and a half and only walked from the entrance, turned right, through Seuss Landing and on to Wizarding World, so not even half the park and saw the storytelling with the characters at Seuss, saw Gloria the hippo from Madagascar m&g at lost continent and at Hogsmead the Frog Choir was about to perform. It can be done and it can be done safely, shame on Disney for cutting this deep.

Totally agree. We bought APs when Universal was running the 15 months for 12 months promo, and we held off on activating them until our next trip in a couple of weeks. We are doing 5 nights at Universal in the middle of our WDW vacation. Our Disney APs expire in January and we won't be renewing until things change dramatically. Our visits from January on will be 100% Universal.....that's a lot of dining and lodging $$$ that Disney won't be getting from us. We've stayed 17 nights since they re-opened, and will be staying 17 more before our APs expire. I was REALLY trying to do my part to contribute to the job security of the CMs, but honestly, I don't think that it makes much difference right now. Disney is content to deliver an inferior product, sacrifice their lower paid workers to keep their executives whole, and gamble on those fans that have, until now (for me at least), continued to pay for the privilege of participating.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Because they are "supposed" to care about the guest experience, that's the whole reason we all love Disney. This just confirms what some have been saying for years that the goal is no longer create a memorable vacation and get returning guests, the goal now is to cater to first comers that will spend a lot of money and might not return.
And before anyone jumps in I understand this is a company, I don't fault them with trying to stop the bleeding, but there were less severe ways to do that, they just chose this one which will impact the guest directly

I'd argue it isn't that they are "supposed" to care about the guest experience but more that "we want them to" - they must feel that they don't need to right now and best interest for the company is reduce costs to maximize profits and they can't increase revenue enough to cover the marginal cost of more entertainment

And I know most of use here love the entertainment and the atmosphere and all of that but I know a lot of people who don't care about any of that and go for the attractions and the stuff that is being offered now

I just think they are doing what they feel they have to to get through the next 12 -24 months as best they can and not really worried about long term at this point

 

[rteetz]

It is what it is.

I'd prefer it to be 100% but accept its not gonna happen. That doesn't stop me being angry at the few who think they are too special to have to comply.

No duh it would be better if it was 100% but you’re just never going to get that. Being angry isn’t going to change it either.

 

[rteetz]

Just thinking about how many people FotLK can hold and now where are they going to go? I imagine the days of wandering into Nomad Lounge and sitting down immediately are over.

What's up with the Pandora performers? Have they been doing anything since reopen?

No, and I can’t imagine any sort of pandora entertainment coming back anytime soon either.

 

[mattpeto]

We pretty much just go for rides, food and atmosphere. Atmosphere meaning just the feeling of being in the parks. We never went to any of the shows. We would watch fireworks occasionally but that was usually watching Illuminations after dinner around World Showcase or catching HEA from California Grill or the beach at the Poly. I expect fireworks will come back at some point in the next 6 months. I'm hopeful that will happen before our trip in April. I do appreciate that the shows do absorb a lot of guests which keeps them from crowding the walkways and rides. It's an unfortunate situation, but it doesn't fundamentally alter my enjoyment of the parks. In the current environment, we can't really vacation anywhere and have it be like it was pre-pandemic. Everything I've looked in to is a diminished experience. I totally understand people who don't want to spend their money on a trip right now, but for us it's a choice between going to Disney or sitting in our house. I'd choose Disney every time.

I think entertainment and atmosphere are probably more intertwined that you may be considering...That said, I respect everyone's opinion on why they love Disney World. To each it's own.

Like @yulilin3 and others have stated, at the very least it's crowd eaters.

 

[anthony2k7]

No duh it would be better if it was 100% but you’re just never going to get that. Being angry isn’t going to change it either.

Sorry rteetz, you're not gonna provoke me today.

 

[Farro]

I think entertainment and atmosphere are probably more intertwined that you may be considering...That said, I respect everyone's opinion on why they love Disney World. To each it's own.

Like @yulilin3 and others have stated, at the very least it's crowd eaters.

Well no, you don't. You seem to questioning that anyone would really come to Disney "Just for rides and food", as if it's not true.

I think everyone agree that these cuts aren't good for anyone and that should be the final thought at the moment.

 

[rteetz]

https://blogmickey.com/2020/10/orange-county-covid-19-metrics-regress-for-theme-park-reopenings/

 

[SaintsManiac]

Seems to me that merchandise is selling pretty well despite everything. shopDisney can't keep things in stock and I saw photos of the lines this morning to buy the new limited merch.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Perhaps Disney felt emboldened by everyone lauding them for being so safe and conservative compared to other parks, and they thought that they could do these cuts with little to no repercussion and everyone would just assume it's for the safety of the people due to Covid? Or that they had "no choice" due to Covid and we would all just accept it?

Obviously they were wrong about that!

Pretty sure every single one of us who sets foot in the parks in this shape accepts it so they aren’t wrong. They will get by with all the cuts for quite some time. You can chose not to renew an annual pass but the refund option is gone. Demand is so high they won’t even sell new APs. They won’t have any issue starting any of that back up again. As @yulilin3 pointed out these actors have a unique skill set. With zero demand. (I don’t see many who chose to stay in FL sticking it to Disney if they get offered a job in a year. Grocery store stocking or acting? They may not “like” Disney anymore but money for something you enjoy doing is a pretty good gig in and of itself.)

When might some of the big stuff return? I say 50th. Yes, Disney can have its cake and eat it to. Fire everyone now and then use the re-opening of stuff like FotLK to draw back in a bunch of fans at a time they theoretically do have a shot at increasing capacity... The idea they can celebrate their biggest milestone ever by just opening a couple new rides while mainly just reopening old stuff- no wonder they fired most of Imagineering. Penny pincher’s dream come true considering what the budget had been for that I have no doubt.

 

[rteetz]

Seems to me that merchandise is selling pretty well despite everything. shopDisney can't keep things in stock and I saw photos of the lines this morning to buy the new limited merch.

That’s one thing that never really has a problem. If only shopDisney service was better to back it up.

 

[yulilin3]

Just thinking about how many people FotLK can hold and now where are they going to go? I imagine the days of wandering into Nomad Lounge and sitting down immediately are over.

What's up with the Pandora performers? Have they been doing anything since reopen?

I read they are gone as well, the drummers and the guy in the huge suit thing (sorry I forget what it's called)

I think entertainment and atmosphere are probably more intertwined that you may be considering...That said, I respect everyone's opinion on why they love Disney World. To each it's own.

Like @yulilin3 and others have stated, at the very least it's crowd eaters.

Yeah, even if you don't stop to watch anything, you are entering MS USA, you see the Citizens just talking, they are hard to miss cause of their outfits, you smell the smells, you hear Jim playing the piano in the distance, it's all intertwined.
There are stretches at Epcot right now that have no music and it's awful, just that one tiny detail can affect your experience

 

[gottalovepluto]

It all really makes me wonder if Disney is in worse shape financially than we all realize and is beginning to panic? In the extreme could we be looking at bankruptcy?

Their financials are public. Take a look at their earnings reports.

No, they aren’t going bankrupt.

 

[mattpeto]

Well no, you don't. You seem to questioning that anyone would really come to Disney "Just for rides and food", as if it's not true.

I think everyone agree that these cuts aren't good for anyone and that should be the final thought at the moment.

Yeeash.

You are right I didn't consider that scenario at first. I guess I was enlightened a bit. Thanks for the lesson.

 

[Brianstl]

I don’t think this is a panic move, I think it’s part of their long term plan to meet their financial goals.

It isn't a long term plan to meet financial goals. A company like Disney can't long term plan or even short term right now because they don't have any clue what the future holds legally or economically. They don't even know when they can open Disneyland, have movie theaters open across the country to show their movies, when they will be able to board their cruise ships or when international guests will be able to visits their parks again.

This is about survival as a company resembling the current TWDC in the short term during a worst case scenario.

 

[gottalovepluto]

lol, all this while SWO just put an audition notice through their 3rd party entertainment co for a holiday show at the Nautilus Theater.
Disney could've cut the entertainment offerings, I think we were all expecting CoH and CoMS to be cut for good, but they could've gone to less shows for FotLK and FNtM, LF still baffles me, they have like 4 actors in there only at a time, they could've gone where they offered these things maybe only on certain days, they did that with F! for about 2 years I believe

The shows that go on on the area are going to get some excellent actors!!

 

[Farro]

Yeeash.

You are right I didn't consider that scenario at first. I guess I was enlightened a bit. Thanks for the lesson.

I can't tell if that was sarcastic or not , but it's more than just rides/food, that's just how you simplified anyone else's experience with the parks. I already posted what else it "is" for us.

But no matter.

 

[yulilin3]

I'd argue it isn't that they are "supposed" to care about the guest experience but more that "we want them to" - they must feel that they don't need to right now and best interest for the company is reduce costs to maximize profits and they can't increase revenue enough to cover the marginal cost of more entertainment

And I know most of use here love the entertainment and the atmosphere and all of that but I know a lot of people who don't care about any of that and go for the attractions and the stuff that is being offered now

I just think they are doing what they feel they have to to get through the next 12 -24 months as best they can and not really worried about long term at this point

if these types of decisions were unique to this situation I would agree with that but we have seen them cut entertainment and special offerings for years now, like I've mentioned before ap perks have been reduced to magnets, entertainment that used to be offered in almost every pavilion at Epcot have been cut before covid and now pretty much all gone, etc. And of course we want them to care about the guest but their keys reflect that as well, from the beginning of the company, show is part of that, providing a unique, high quality, entertaining experience has always been part of Disney's creed.