Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[mattpeto]

Yeah I know you might be crazy enough to!! But not enough would for it to be viable I suspect.

Mickey’s Merry Epcot Once and Forever Christmas Party.

6 pm to Midnight. Parades and fireworks not until 10 pm.

World Showcase restaurants will thank me later.

 

[butterscotchcollins]

That sounds awesome for some, probably mostly for locals that can get there a couple of times a year.

You can also do that from home. And it doesn’t cost $1000/day either.

I’m not a local and we go once a year at most Not sure why locals would do that, but we’re trying to make the best of the situation because I don’t want to spend every night at DS or the resort bar.

 

[New Mouse]

Well, assuming Chapek (and the executives) believe what they are saying they see it very different than you. They believe demand will be there when things are back to "normal" and the important thing for the short term is if the parks are open they have to have a positive financial impact (not necessarily making money but losing less than from keeping them closed). So if continuing to cut hours and offering a reduces expenses.more than it reduces revenue they will keep doing it

They also believed there was substantial demand before they opened and they were wrong on that too. Now they are taking drastic measures just a few weeks later because they were wront... so Im gonna go with me probably being more right on this one.

They do believe a positive financial impact is more important right now. I wouldnt argue going full bore open as I do think closing resorts in their entirety is important (dvc bit em on that one though), but keeping your parks open is extremely important right now. Id rather see 3 parks (epcot is a dumpster fire right now) 8 hours a day with everything as opposed to this band aid approach. Some earlier suggested opening epcot to the masses for free and I think thats a very viable approach.

 

[rteetz]

I don't see the NBA players signing off on doing the bubble again.

The head of the NBPA already said they may need to do another bubble.

 

[mattpeto]

I’m not a local and we go once a year at most Not sure why locals would do that, but we’re trying to make the best of the situation because I don’t want to spend every night at DS or the resort bar.

I think it’s a great idea and if it works for you, go with it. It just doesn’t work for everyone.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I think the demand would just to be able to be in the parks after dark if they keep these early closings for a longer period of time. No fireworks needed.

I'm not sure if you can tell, but we'd be those people buying the tickets.

I wouldn't pay to be in after dark without fireworks. I know they aren't important to some, but they have to return in order for me to return.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Next Spring?.... hopefully Disney will have improved their strategy .
They should update rooms for NBA at Coronado Springs and keep them bubbled there.

 

[anthony2k7]

It's all in how they would market it.

If people, especially new to WDW, think they can get access to the parks at night, something most people can't, they will want to go.

Hopefully these new hrs are very short-lived and none of this will matter anyways.

So just go in December... see the parks at night, plus get to see the parks with Christmas decorations as well for free! (*hopefully....)

 

[butterscotchcollins]

You're gonna upset the pop peasants and CBR people with talk like that?! What are they supposed to do without a balcony??!

Mea culpa! This is our first Deluxe stay I’m usually a Pop Peasant/CBR Landlubber

I also love a nice PM mini-golf but

 

[xuxa777]

The head of the NBPA already said they may need to do another bubble.

Yes I saw Silver say that. Still don't think players will sign off on it

 

[anthony2k7]

Mickey’s Merry Epcot Once and Forever Christmas Party.

6 pm to Midnight. Parades and fireworks not until 10 pm.

World Showcase restaurants will thank me later.

I agree Epcot would make the most sense for fireworks with social distancing, and also F&W but I can't see parade being possible, and overall I can't see disney seeing enough cash being in it anyway

 

[DL1WDW2]

I wouldn't pay to be in after dark without fireworks. I know they aren't important to some, but they have to return in order for me to return.

Actually , you wouldn’t believe how heavenly 4 Hours of Happily Ever After on POP Century TV Channel 74 (?) at night from 6-10pm can be
Makes me want to stay at Riviera soon, cause their TVs are awesome!

 

[SaintsManiac]

Actually , you wouldn’t believe how heavenly 4 Hours of Happily Ever After on POP Century TV Channel 74 (?) at night from 6-10pm can be
Makes me want to stay at Riviera soon, cause their TVs are awesome!

But I can watch Craig's video of them for free in my living room.

 

[hertamaniac]

I feel like just cancelling. I'm tired.

Obviously we can go other places and we do, but I really want to go to WDW. It will be 4 years since we've been there.

Then forge ahead and persevere. Don't carry doubt around your neck and think about all the new attractions you'll be enthralled in.

 

[mattpeto]

Epcot seems to need the most love right now.

Would people book new or keep their Nov and Dec reservations if they offered “stay at Disney resort for 6+ days and get a free Christmas Party voucher for your party?”

It sounds ridiculous on surface, but would it help bring people back to Disney?

I agree Epcot would make the most sense for fireworks with social distancing, and also F&W but I can't see parade being possible, and overall I can't see disney seeing enough cash being in it anyway

Let’s put the paid event aside for a moment. Would Disney draw new visitors in Nov-Dec for a Christmas party event?

 

[KBoopaloo]

Epcot seems to need the most love right now.

Would people book new or keep their Nov and Dec reservations if they offered “stay at Disney resort for 6+ days and get a free Christmas Party voucher for your party?”

It sounds ridiculous on surface, but would it help bring people back to Disney?


Let’s put the paid event aside for a moment. Would Disney draw new visitors in Nov-Dec for a Christmas party event?

I think the issue is that there probably aren’t even enough people on property to make an after hours ticketed event worth it for Disney and they know it. I am sure they have a thousand calculations regarding percentage of onsite guests who buy ticketed event passes plus local sales and they are looking at their current numbers knowing that it would not even come close to being profitable for them. Honestly I just doubt there are enough people who canceled their entire trip for whatever reason who would suddenly jump back in if given the option to purchase an add on ticket for an event. I don’t know what the costs are in putting on one of those parties but they must have a formula they work off to determine its value to their bottom line and it is just not there right now. Think of the costs associated with providing transportation for those 4-5 hours alone. Then add park staffing, whatever special things they pull together for the event (parade, fireworks, shows, treats), the collateral (wristbands, park maps, signage), the extra laundering costs for the special costumes and the costs that just go into paying staff to plan and execute and market it.

Not to mention I am sure they are not interested in committing to a special event set to take place 6-8 weeks after schools are back in session across the country not knowing what the infection numbers will look like at that time. The last thing they want to do is to create something else they ultimately have to cancel and refund people for. Or something that people won’t commit to buying a ticket for until the last possible moment.

 

[WonderlandisReality]

You're gonna upset the pop peasants and CBR people with talk like that?! What are they supposed to do without a balcony??!

Speaking as a member of the peasantry: some of us got bumped to CBR recently and while they think they have wowed me with the Waterslides, hot tubs, 40 extra sq ft in the room and a second sink I amnot so high and mighty as to not put one of the room chairs just outside the room with my Amazon Prime box of Franzia and enjoy the balcony. We got a balcony, might not be official and might not be private but it’s there!

 

[Jrb1979]

Yes I saw Silver say that. Still don't think players will sign off on it

I think a lot depends on if MLB can finish their season. If MLB cancels their season cause too many players a getting sick it might force all leagues to use a bubble of some sort for next season.

 

[mattpeto]

I think the issue is that there probably aren’t even enough people on property to make an after hours ticketed event worth it for Disney and they know it. I am sure they have a thousand calculations regarding percentage of onsite guests who buy ticketed event passes plus local sales and they are looking at their current numbers knowing that it would not even come close to being profitable for them. Honestly I just doubt there are enough people who canceled their entire trip for whatever reason who would suddenly jump back in if given the option to purchase an add on ticket for an event. I don’t know what the costs are in putting on one of those parties but they must have a formula they work off to determine its value to their bottom line and it is just not there right now. Think of the costs associated with providing transportation for those 4-5 hours alone. Then add park staffing, whatever special things they pull together for the event (parade, fireworks, shows, treats), the collateral (wristbands, park maps, signage), the extra laundering costs for the special costumes and the costs that just go into paying staff to plan and execute and market it.

Not to mention I am sure they are not interested in committing to a special event set to take place 6-8 weeks after schools are back in session across the country not knowing what the infection numbers will look like at that time. The last thing they want to do is to create something else they ultimately have to cancel and refund people for. Or something that people won’t commit to buying a ticket for until the last possible moment.

Yes those are all valid points.

I think everyone kind of envisions the classic Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and that is really unlikely to happen. What I'm suggesting is something that's very limited (2x - 3x per week) and becomes the thing to do one of the nights you are staying for an extended stay instead of going to Disney Springs and or relaxing at your hotel.

I have no idea what the numbers are. Let's just use some arbitrary numbers. Maybe Disney has 50K-100K stay on property in Nov-December. Right now those people are split into 4 parks each day. Crowds are extremely low (and partially by design). Right now those 50K-100K each night have very little to do besides Disney Springs.

What if you take the 50K-100K and split them into two parties per week? Even if you didn't get 50%, you'd still land probably 30K attendees, charge $50/person and that covers the fireworks and the parades costs by far. Make it good for AP owners (you get in free for one event). The labor costs have already been crunched due to the reduced hours at the other parks. Now you have the merchandising, the night entertainment and World Showcase gets a boom for their restaurants.

A Christmas overlay to Frozen Even After and other attractions would be pretty cheap and would be a huge hit.

It would draw people back.

 

[Spridell]

Numbers are trending up in FL again. I know they were lower due to some testing sites being closed for the hurricane. Will be keeping a close eye on this and crowd levels in the next couple of weeks. I'm prepared to pull the plug on my trip if things continue as they are.

Don't look at the actual cases but look at the positivity rates instead.

I live in South Florida which is the hardest hit and the local leaders down here are very encouraged in what they have been seeing the last 10 days or so

So dont give up hope just yet on your trip.