Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[gottalovepluto]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1316453383578902529

Getting in a nice couple weeks of Vacay from Sacramento between FL & SoCal they are

 

[Jrb1979]

Again you have to look at the situation. Yes Disney has less entertainment than they have previously (say February prior to COVID). Disney likes thinks that have ROI. Anything that doesn't have a direct return is going to be the first to cut.

Its what I was saying. The things they cut have low ROI. I know the situation changed things but IMO it just rushed things they had planned to cut. Maybe not 28,000 CM's but I think some of these were going to be cut eventually anyways.

 

[Brianstl]

Again you have to look at the situation. Yes Disney has less entertainment than they have previously (say February prior to COVID). Disney likes thinks that have ROI. Anything that doesn't have a direct return is going to be the first to cut.

People need to understand that Disney has to plan as if the survival of the company depends on cutting costs, because it does. We aren't talking a down quarter or two. We are talking multiple quarters of massive amounts of revenue just disappearing and they don't know when that revenue might reappear.

 

[Mit88]

I think i accepted changes like no FP, no dining plan, park passes, no hopping - but fundamental change means no characters, no entertainment and only rides and a focus on streaming media then I’ll go to sesame place 40 mins away and watch Netflix when we get home.

characters, entertainment - that’s as much a part of the parks as the rides. Is that what we are talking about here?

Disney knows they’re above the standard of the Six Flags and Cedar Fairs of the world, the extra magic is part of Disney and it makes their parks and resorts sit atop all the rest. Take it all away and you’re left with a barebones amusement park. There’s only so long they’ll be able to withstand being in that class of parks until they bring back what made them so special. Contrary to belief, there’s still members in those boardrooms that cherish what Disney is. Most, if not all things will be back. Wont be tomorrow, won’t be the end of the year, probably won’t be next year, but there’s a hole to be dug out for many company’s, and Disney will survive and thrive again

 

[rteetz]

Its what I was saying. The things they cut have low ROI. I know the situation changed things but IMO it just rushed things they had planned to cut. Maybe not 28,000 CM's but I think some of these were going to be cut eventually anyways.

I am not disagreeing there would be cuts eventually but this is drastically deeper than anything else. They don't cut even 100s of entertainment at a time usually. You get an act here or there cut usually around end of fiscal year.

 

[MrsBooch]

Can we pls go back to complaining about the lines - thanks...

 

[Jrb1979]

Disney knows they’re above the standard of the Six Flags and Cedar Fairs of the world, the extra magic is part of Disney and it makes their parks and resorts sit atop all the rest. Take it all away and you’re left with a barebones amusement park. There’s only so long they’ll be able to withstand being in that class of parks until they bring back what made them so special. Contrary to belief, there’s still members in those boardrooms that cherish what Disney is. Most, if not all things will be back. Wont be tomorrow, won’t be the end of the year, probably won’t be next year, but there’s a hole to be dug out for many company’s, and Disney will survive and thrive again

I think somethings will be back but not all. Parades and fireworks yes they will be back. Small things like the orchestra in The Grand Floridian will not. I think now they are trying to find ways to offer as little as possible and what people will accept.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I think Disney has way more wiggle room to decrease and cut from the parks and resorts than a lot of people want to believe. The way Disney is ingrained in so many of us from the repeat guests to the once in a lifetimers who check it off their list sets them completely apart from Six Flags, or even Universal. It’s not just the actual experience.

Eventually those of us who go often will embrace whatever the current state is, and the less frequent guests won’t know what they’re missing. Of course some breaking point exists, it has to, but I don’t think we are approaching that at all.

 

[rteetz]

I think somethings will be back but not all. Parades and fireworks yes they will be back. Small things like the orchestra in The Grand Floridian will not. I think now they are trying to find ways to offer as little as possible and what people will accept.

Or like mentioned these things won't be returning for months so they are laying off to save money.

 

[Mit88]

I think somethings will be back but not all. Parades and fireworks yes they will be back. Small things like the orchestra in The Grand Floridian will not. I think now they are trying to find ways to offer as little as possible and what people will accept.

Youre thinking short term. There’s no reason to believe the Orchestra will never be brought back. It’s an iconic piece of that hotel. Nothing sells better than nostalgia. I wouldnt be remotely surprised if in 10 years it’s brought back. Things will slowly trickle back over the course of the years entertainment wise.

 

[yulilin3]

I think Disney has way more wiggle room to decrease and cut from the parks and resorts than a lot of people want to believe. The way Disney is ingrained in so many of us from the repeat guests to the once in a lifetimers who check it off their list sets them completely apart from Six Flags, or even Universal. It’s not just the actual experience.

Eventually those of us who go often will embrace whatever the current state is, and the less frequent guests won’t know what they’re missing. Of course some breaking point exists, it has to, but I don’t think we are approaching that at all.

I agree with your last paragraph. As an ap for 20 years i know what it was like to have really cool ap perks year round, new aps get excited over a magnet

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Special shout out to whoever made the call to go all in on DVC years ago. Thousands of people who are paying for the upkeep of several resorts when times are tough whether they want to go or not, and some more $$$ from those guests if they do come.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I agree with your last paragraph. As an ap for 20 years i know what it was like to have really cool ap perks year round, new aps get excited over a magnet

And I bet if you had asked AP holders around when those cool perks existed a lot of them would claim they would drop the APs without them. A small number may have solely because of that, but I’d bet more probably accepted the changes (and price hikes) and remained or will remain APs until non Disney circumstances stop them.

I have learned to never claim I have a specific breaking point for being done with Disney, because outside of being unable to because of outside circumstances (hello Covid), I’ll grumble and complain about changes but I’ll be there lol.

 

[yulilin3]

And I bet if you had asked AP holders around when those cool perks existed a lot of them would claim they would drop the APs without them. A small number may have solely because of that, but I’d bet more probably accepted the changes (and price hikes) and remained or will remain APs until non Disney circumstances stop them.

I have learned to never claim I have a specific breaking point for being done with Disney, because outside of being unable to because of outside circumstances (hello Covid), I’ll grumble and complain about changes but I’ll be there lol.

Right there with you. If it still makes financial sense for me, I'll continue to renew

 

[Mit88]

 

[andyman8]

I think i accepted changes like no FP, no dining plan, park passes, no hopping - but fundamental change means no characters, no entertainment and only rides and a focus on streaming media then I’ll go to sesame place 40 mins away and watch Netflix when we get home.

characters, entertainment - that’s as much a part of the parks as the rides. Is that what we are talking about here?

To make a distinction on my earlier post: face coverings, physically distant queues, no PH, no DDP are part of what I'd consider the "current normal." Given current health and safety restrictions in place, these are necessary changes for the time being but changes I don't believe Disney would make if they didn't feel they were necessary in the current environment.

When I talk about moving towards a "new normal" at some point, it's far more ambiguous. That "new normal" may include park reservations, big changes to FP, less of an emphasis on live entertainment, changes with characters, changes to services/products that were commonplace. etc... Either way, I believe that "new normal" will certainly include modifications that fundamentally change the Guest Experience -- for better and for worse. Especially in the immediate "aftermath" of all this, the WDW experience (or that of DLR) likely will not look like it did in March. Of course, Disney wouldn't have laid off 28k employees if not for the pandemic, but if you look deeper than just the number, you'll see where they're making the biggest cuts. It indicates what their corporate priorities are at the moment. It's not like Disney is going to be in the market for 28k new employees come the end of 2021 or 2022.

To Chapek, the Disney "magic" (i.e. what separates them from their competitors) is their IP. What separates a Disney from a Six Flags or even Universal is Mickey, Minnie, Spider-Man, Darth Vader, and Buzz Lightyear. He's said this himself on a number of occasions. That doesn't mean that live entertainment, service, atmospheric enhancements, etc... don't matter but it's about priorities. As we move towards that "new normal," those priorities will be front and center, and for some, that's a fundamentally different way to approach Disney. It all comes down to priorities: where do you invest the money? How do you allocate resources?

 

[rteetz]

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I have the say the schtick blaming this on CA is getting old.

 

[Mit88]

And I bet if you had asked AP holders around when those cool perks existed a lot of them would claim they would drop the APs without them. A small number may have solely because of that, but I’d bet more probably accepted the changes (and price hikes) and remained or will remain APs until non Disney circumstances stop them.

I have learned to never claim I have a specific breaking point for being done with Disney, because outside of being unable to because of outside circumstances (hello Covid), I’ll grumble and complain about changes but I’ll be there lol.

Yeah but to me the difference is, yes there’s always been entertainment cuts, but never like this. It’s currently close to non-existent. While I’m only speaking for myself, it’s still something that makes Disney, Disney. If you take that away for it to never return, you’re going to have a lot more angry fans than AP perks being changed, or a ride behind rethemed. The substitutes are less than what was there, but at least there were substitutes. Taking away live entertainment and expect people to just forget it ever existed or get over it will be a tall task

 

[Mit88]

I have the say the schtick blaming this on CA is getting old.

Agreed. I don’t think you have to be up to date on Disney news to realize what’s going on, pointing the finger with each and every public statement is getting a little petty.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

To make a distinction on my earlier post: face coverings, physically distant queues, no PH, no DDP are part of what I'd consider the "current normal." Given current health and safety restrictions in place, these are necessary changes for the time being but changes I don't believe Disney would make if they didn't feel they were necessary in the current environment.

When I talk about moving towards a "new normal" at some point, it's far more ambiguous. That "new normal" may include park reservations, big changes to FP, less of an emphasis on live entertainment, changes with characters, changes to services/products that were commonplace. etc... Either way, I believe that "new normal" will certainly include modifications that fundamentally change the Guest Experience -- for better and for worse. Especially in the immediate "aftermath" of all this, the WDW experience (or that of DLR) likely will not look like it did in March. Of course, Disney wouldn't have laid off 28k employees if not for the pandemic, but if you look deeper than just the number, you'll see where they're making the biggest cuts. It indicates what their corporate priorities are at the moment. It's not like Disney is going to be in the market for 28k new employees come the end of 2021 or 2022.

To Chapek, the Disney "magic" (i.e. what separates them from their competitors) is their IP. What separates a Disney from a Six Flags or even Universal is Mickey, Minnie, Spider-Man, Darth Vader, and Buzz Lightyear. He's said this himself on a number of occasions. That doesn't mean that live entertainment, service, atmospheric enhancements, etc... don't matter but it's about priorities. LWhere do you invest the money? How do you allocate resources?

That IP is a huge part of what builds the loyalty so many people feel towards Disney and drives the desire to vacation there. Do I like that distinction over what I feel makes WDW WDW? Not really. Do I think he’s wrong? No.