The Rumor Tracking Thread

[Farro]

I also think we have to look at reality. At best a vaccine won't be spread and usable until summer of 2021 at best. Makes setting up 2022 makes sense. It will take that long before everyone really trusts to travel, and begin spreading out again.
Disney can't make money on those expenses if folks aren't in the park to use them.

Oh gosh. They are having trouble stopping people from congregating and moving about now. We have a huge spike going on and for some reason, people just don't seem to care as much this time around. I don't know why.

TSA just reported their travel going up.
People will be traveling by summer 2021. Maybe not like 2019, but a lot more than now.

Disney is a self-fulfilling prophecy. They think everyone will still be home all of next year, so they delay everything until 2022, thus ensuring people will cancel next year and go in 2022, if at all.

 

[Jrb1979]

Universal seems to have no problems building a major coaster right now. I for one fully understand delays. The fact that this rumor indicates a stoppage of work for months doesn't make sense to me. I get not wanting to open an attraction right now but they also shouldn't be waiting well over a year either. If this is true I think it is absolutely dumb.

A lot of it has to do with the layoffs. The people that work on many of these projects have been let go. They don't have to resources to finish all these projects as the money isn't coming in like it was to pay for these projects to finish. It isn't dumb, its just the world we live in right now.

 

[rteetz]

A lot of it has to do with the layoffs. The people that work on many of these projects have been let go. They don't have to resources to finish all these projects as the money isn't coming in like it was to pay for these projects to finish. It isn't dumb, its just the world we live in right now.

Yes some were let go but Disney doesn't do all of this work in house. They contract work like this out. That really is not the issue here. This is a cost savings if true. It's not like they let go the entire imagineering team working on this ride.

 

[Aprilshack]

It wouldn't be as embarrassing as missing a payroll or missing a debt payment. Disney is not at place were those two things could happen at this point, but because revenues are just a trickle compared to what they used to be so Disney needs to plan like it is possibility. That is why they are delaying as much expense as possible on capital improvements at the parks. Disney has to act like the world today is the medium term (or longer) reality.

They have taken on a lot of debt and also have massive cash reserves. They aren't on the outs. They could finish the Tron coaster if they really wanted to. It's the 50th anniversary and it doesn't look good having a construction site at that time. We may be lucky to have parades or fireworks back. If not, it's going to be a bit of a downer for the celebrations. Having brand new ride open would be something. Maybe Chapek needs to stop the penny pinching at the expense of magic for the paying guests. If things are that bad, why refurb the Poly? Wouldn't it make sense to put that money into the parks? Put it towards salaries of parkworkers? Refurbing a hotel can wait.

 

[Jrb1979]

Oh gosh. They are having trouble stopping people from congregating and moving about now. We have a huge spike going on and for some reason, people just don't seem to care as much this time around. I don't know why.

TSA just reported their travel going up.
People will be traveling by summer 2021. Maybe not like 2019, but a lot more than now.

Disney is a self-fulfilling prophecy. They think everyone will still be home all of next year, so they delay everything until 2022, thus ensuring people will cancel next year and go in 2022, if at all.

Yes in th US travel is up but international travel is far from being back. From borders still being closed it will be awhile for those people returning to WDW. A big chunk of Disney's guests are international. A lot of Canadians and people from the UK can't go right now and who knows when they will return.

I get you want to be hopeful for things to get better buts it will be a little while for that yet.

 

[ellbellthomps]

They have taken on a lot of debt and also have massive cash reserves. They aren't on the outs. They could finish the Tron coaster if they really wanted to. It's the 50th anniversary and it doesn't look good having a construction site at that time. We may be lucky to have parades or fireworks back. If not, it's going to be a bit of a downer for the celebrations. Having brand new ride open would be something. Maybe Chapek needs to stop the penny pinching at the expense of magic for the paying guests. If things are that bad, why refurb the Poly? Wouldn't it make sense to put that money into the parks? Put it towards salaries of parkworkers? Refurbing a hotel can wait.

Especially considering the fact that the hotel was completely redone in 2014. Keep more people, and open Tron earlier. No one asked for a rushed poly refurb, ever.

 

[Aprilshack]

Yes in th US travel is up but international travel is far from being back. From borders still being closed it will be awhile for those people returning to WDW. A big chunk of Disney's guests are international. A lot of Canadians and people from the UK can't go right now and who knows when they will return.

I get you want to be hopeful for things to get better buts it will be a little while for that yet.

Oxford have developed a 5 minute Covid test, hopefully in the next few months it can be worked into airports, concerts etc.

 

[rteetz]

Yes in th US travel is up but international travel is far from being back. From borders still being closed it will be awhile for those people returning to WDW. A big chunk of Disney's guests are international. A lot of Canadians and people from the UK can't go right now and who knows when they will return.

I get you want to be hopeful for things to get better buts it will be a little while for that yet.

The majority are still domestic and Disney is certainly ready for them to come back. Disney wouldn't be running ads to visit WDW and begging CA to open DL if they didn't want people in their parks.

 

[Farro]

Yes in th US travel is up but international travel is far from being back. From borders still being closed it will be awhile for those people returning to WDW. A big chunk of Disney's guests are international. A lot of Canadians and people from the UK can't go right now and who knows when they will return.

I get you want to be hopeful for things to get better buts it will be a little while for that yet.

I'm not commenting on travel restrictions because there are so many factors that go into that....let's just see where we are at come Spring...

 

[Aprilshack]

Especially considering the fact that the hotel was completely redone in 2014. Keep more people, and open Tron earlier. No one asked for a rushed poly refurb, ever.

Considering the way things are i am quite surprised the let this go ahead.

 

[ellbellthomps]

Considering the way things are i am quite surprised the let this go ahead.

Totally. At the same time as 28,000 CM's are going without pay?? As a park goer, I'd rather they scrap this overlay and invest it into workers, or finishing up projects already in progress. I'm sure it's pretty infuriating for the cast.

 

[rteetz]

Considering the way things are i am quite surprised the let this go ahead.

I believe in terms of the lobby things were a bit more pressing that the beam needed to be removed/replaced. They certainly could've waited on the rooms though but with the resort closed likely felt to move forward. I don't consider that an apples to apples comparison. A better example IMO if the pushing ahead on the uber expensive/exclusive Star Wars hotel.

 

[Farro]

I believe in terms of the lobby things were a bit more pressing that the beam needed to be removed/replaced. They certainly could've waited on the rooms though but with the resort closed likely felt to move forward. I don't consider that an apples to apples comparison. A better example IMO if the pushing ahead on the uber expensive/exclusive Star Wars hotel.

The Star Wars hotel blows my mind.

Economy playing a part in everything, do they really think that many people are going to pay the rumored high prices at this time?

Out of everything, that's what I can't believe is moving forward. Mind boggling.

 

[skeeter31]

I believe in terms of the lobby things were a bit more pressing that the beam needed to be removed/replaced. They certainly could've waited on the rooms though but with the resort closed likely felt to move forward. I don't consider that an apples to apples comparison. A better example IMO if the pushing ahead on the uber expensive/exclusive Star Wars hotel.

Exactly. I think it also was a necessity with the monorail station. The last time we were there we heard 2 CMs on the platform (and yes I know never to fully believe anything you hear from a CM) saying that repair workers were trying to access the other side of the platform and weren’t allowed as some of the flooring was unsafe for people to stand on. Definite safety issue there.

 

[Aprilshack]

The Star Wars hotel blows my mind.

Economy playing a part in everything, do they really think that many people are going to pay the rumored high prices at this time?

Out of everything, that's what I can't believe is moving forward. Mind boggling.

I'd love to stay in there, probably minus a kidney, spleen and anything else i could sell but yes, why hasn't that been put on hold as well?

 

[rteetz]

The Star Wars hotel blows my mind.

Economy playing a part in everything, do they really think that many people are going to pay the rumored high prices at this time?

Out of everything, that's what I can't believe is moving forward. Mind boggling.

Its about what will bring them the return on investment. From a business POV I certainly get it. Tron won't have a direst ROI. It will probably sell merchandise and bring people to the park but if there is still a cap on park attendance that will hurt that.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I believe in terms of the lobby things were a bit more pressing that the beam needed to be removed/replaced. They certainly could've waited on the rooms though but with the resort closed likely felt to move forward. I don't consider that an apples to apples comparison. A better example IMO if the pushing ahead on the uber expensive/exclusive Star Wars hotel.

but that will directly bring in high $ per person so makes sense to invest in that and get it done, especially when a lot of $ already put in

 

[sachilles]

Oxford have developed a 5 minute Covid test, hopefully in the next few months it can be worked into airports, concerts etc.

You can get a 20 minute test at Newark and Kennedy airports starting last week.
I very nearly had to do that before our trip to disney last week.
I was notified of being exposed the day before our trip for Columbus weekend. Had a mad scramble to delay our trip with rented points. Thankfully the points owner was able to shift things back 5 days, while I got tested at my 7 day mark.

We were connecting through newark from Vermont. Had I not got in for the test, I was going to drive to newark and get tested there and continue on to join my family if clear(or home if not).
It all worked out. Thankfully we had a 2 bedroom unit that had availability at the time we pushed it back. Flight changes were available. Actually saved points and got an airline credit of a few bucks. So it worked out, but it was a bit of a freak out.
Long story short, you can get a quick test in the New York area currently. Which Imagine will help facilitate some international and domestic travel, provided you didn't test too soon in the develop of the virus.

 

[rteetz]

but that will directly bring in high $ per person so makes sense to invest in that and get it done, especially when a lot of $ already put in

Right which I noted in a later post. The big question is how quickly and recently will that experience fill up. Also when it opens depending on the time frame will they even be able to have all the experiences?

 

[Aprilshack]

You can get a 20 minute test at Newark and Kennedy airports starting last week.
I very nearly had to do that before our trip to disney last week.
I was notified of being exposed the day before our trip for Columbus weekend. Had a mad scramble to delay our trip with rented points. Thankfully the points owner was able to shift things back 5 days, while I got tested at my 7 day mark.

We were connecting through newark from Vermont. Had I not got in for the test, I was going to drive to newark and get tested there and continue on to join my family if clear(or home if not).
It all worked out. Thankfully we had a 2 bedroom unit that had availability at the time we pushed it back. Flight changes were available. Actually saved points and got an airline credit of a few bucks. So it worked out, but it was a bit of a freak out.
Long story short, you can get a quick test in the New York area currently. Which Imagine will help facilitate some international and domestic travel, provided you didn't test too soon in the develop of the virus.

It's good that they seem to be making strides with quick covid testing (swab up the nose is so uncomfortable though!) Hopefully with that & a potential vaccine things can start moving again and we can begin to have some sort of normality in 2021.