Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[JacknSally]

(If we all behave and rteetz doesn’t have to delete much, we should hit 2500 pages today! )

 

[Farro]

Ha, in our department Zoom meetings we also talk about where we’ve ventured out into the world and it is similar to your group. There are 11 of us. About half have been to the grocery store. Three have done outside dining. One person got on a plane (but not for vacation - to go stay with family). And exactly one of us has used a public restroom. Since mid March.

It's so interesting to read these forums (in general, not just this thread). A lot of posters still say they haven't left houses in month, some not even going to grocery stores.

Like it or not, there are tons of people out and about where I live. Wearing masks appropriately, but out. Every day almost there is still a line to get in Home Depot.
Outdoor cafes are full (but socially distanced), parks are full. Running trails, walking trails.
People hanging out in groups in our alleys again (it's a thing here).
Backyard full of families again.
Traffic is a mess again.

Here in my circle- I believe that people would travel if not for not having the money or having to quarantine if visiting certain places.
And I also think rather than being worried about city/state imposed quarantines, more people are affected by employment imposed quarantines. If they can't work from home, jobs make them use PTO days for quarantine.

 

[OKW Lover]

Guessing this one was aimed at me.

No doubt, but a good executive also has to be mindful of the brand, and more importantly it's shareholders. I get it, they may be in survival mode and they need to do what needs to be done to save the company, we all want that.

I just hope the executives built the right system a couple of months ago and we can avoid further closures.

My statement was not aimed at any one idividual

As far as your comment about being mindful of the brand/shareholders goes. Yes, that is part of the executive's job. There is nothing there that contravenes what I said.

 

[anthony2k7]

I don't understand why they don't open up the AP bucket more. I would be there spending money using a spot that they can't seem to fill.

I guess for all types of guest they have some kind of average guest spend number and APs especially local ones will probably be spending the least. So, they are perhaps still trying to figure out if there are ways to get the attendance of all other types of guest up higher first before kinda giving up and allowing APs to fill up reservation spaces.

Although I see no reason why they couldn't be encouraging APs to reserve 24 hrs on advance of visit.

 

[KBoopaloo]

Keeping things as they are for now and then reducing offerings in fall if they are struggling economically makes some sense to me. They may be expecting a spike in cases where students return to in person schooling in mid August and September plus the general worry here in the northeast has been that we will see larger spikes in new cases once the weather sends us back inside - it's unlikely that any of us will be eating outdoors here in MA in November. Even if Florida's cases start seeing a drop off by end of summer, if things start spiking again elsewhere people will once again be reluctant to travel. We all complain about the outrageous resort rates but at this point I think they need people staying in those overpriced rooms to make things work. A bunch of Florida resident APs are not going to bring in enough revenue to sustain the entire resort operation. And the are in a tough spot because the more they cut back, the less appealing taking a risk to visit becomes for a lot of people but the more they offer the more it costs them. They are having to do a lot of guessing to find the right balance and it can't be easy.

 

[NoTime42]

I think the issue is there aren’t really any crowds to spread. And for many guests the appeal of the parties is mainly the lighter crowds. With so few guests and such short queues during daytime operating hours, there is less reason for those guests to pay out any extra for a party ticket - they can do everything they want during the day. At this point I doubt the revenue from the parties would be enough to cover the money they would pay out in staffing for all those cast members for an additional 4-6 hour shift plus whatever expense that comes from the additional entertainment, treats and decor at the parties.

We chose a shorter (4 day vs 8 day) trip. We normally do longer trips to go at a relaxed pace but still ride everything, especially with FP+ tiers.

I’m kinda realizing now that a slow, long trip isnt needed. Other than RoTR, you just need to show up in the first 5 hours and you can ride everything that day.

I’m also realizing that since I’m driving to parks to avoid busses, there’s almost no reason to book onsite (except I might as well use my DVC points)

 

[Mit88]

(If we all behave and rteetz doesn’t have to delete much, we should hit 2500 pages today! )

No lack of demand in this thread. Can’t say as much about “positive contributions”

 

[DGsAtBLT]

It's so interesting to read these forums (in general, not just this thread). A lot of posters still say they haven't left houses in month, some not even going to grocery stores.

Like it or not, there are tons of people out and about where I live. Wearing masks appropriately, but out. Every day almost there is still a line to get in Home Depot.
Outdoor cafes are full (but socially distanced), parks are full. Running trails, walking trails.
Traffic is a mess again.

Here in my circle- I believe that people would travel if not for not having the money or having to quarantine if visiting certain places.

People here have almost been behaving as if the province is bubbled because we are controlled, which is not going to end well if there is an outbreak. Mask wearing leaves a ton to be desired. Businesses are slowly requiring them which is great, IMO.

One thing that has majorly changed is travel. In province locations are reporting very high numbers for this summer. Seemingly high numbers of people are doing what someone else mentioned, buying trailers, putting pools in, etc. People are staying way closer to home, even though we can go west without quarantines (a whole other debate).

 

[anthony2k7]

Ha, in our department Zoom meetings we also talk about where we’ve ventured out into the world and it is similar to your group. There are 11 of us. About half have been to the grocery store. Three have done outside dining. One person got on a plane (but not for vacation - to go stay with family). And exactly one of us has used a public restroom. Since mid March.

Yep. General public opinion seems very split in half. There a lot of people like our groups doing as little as possible for safety and to save money. Then there is the other half who want everything back to normal or as close as possible. Of course there are people somewhere in the middle, but I think the majority of people are at either end of the two extremes.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

I guess for all types of guest they have some kind of average guest spend number and APs especially local ones will probably be spending the least. So, they are perhaps still trying to figure out if there are ways to get the attendance of all other types of guest up higher first before kinda giving up and allowing APs to fill up reservation spaces.

Although I see no reason why they couldn't be encouraging APs to reserve 24 hrs on advance of visit.

Im wondering if we see a cut in staffing if the other two buckets consistently don’t fill, and that’s why they aren’t setting the precedent of allowing them to fill empty spots day of.

 

[anthony2k7]

I understand the desire for information, but a lot of the rumors that we were certain were true involved the parks opening on June 1st with only Magic Kingdom. After this, we heard that only DVC resorts would be open the entire year. There was absolutely no way that food and wine was happening. Most recently we heard that splash mountain would remain closed after its breakdown. I think it's quite possible that this board can convince itself of just about anything, given enough posts, and a little dark pixie dust from other forums.

That rumour of just MK being open may still come true.... it was the first in the list that Farro posted!

I very much doubt it would happen now, but it may still be an option on the table for Disney.

 

[Eric Smith]

That rumour of just MK being open may still come true.... it was the first in the list that Farro posted!

I very much doubt it would happen now, but it may still be an option on the table for Disney.

I don't see them closing down DHS since it's the only park that is actually hitting capacity right now.

 

[WorldOfPooh]

Is the clock on AP's rolling even if you don't go to WDW?

 

[Eric Smith]

Is the clock on AP's rolling even if you don't go to WDW?

Yes

 

[AmberMV]

Oh dear, I'm just seeing on FB AP page that DHS is packed. It looks like a pre-covid full street of people to TSL and SWGE

 

[Mit88]

Is the clock on AP's rolling even if you don't go to WDW?

‘Yes. Extensions have already been issued. If you decide you want the refund, keep in mind that there have been people reporting that the refund isn’t based on the closure of the parks but rather how many times you used your AP prior to the shutdown

 

[Mit88]

Oh dear, I'm just seeing on FB AP page that DHS is packed. It looks like a pre-covid full street of people to TSL and SWGEView attachment 514607

DFB is licking their chops. Get your cameras out, boys and girls. Time to get to work. Parksparazzi on patrol

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Oh dear, I'm just seeing on FB AP page that DHS is packed. It looks like a pre-covid full street of people to TSL and SWGE

seems like "rope drop" at DHS is rather crowded as people try to get boarding groups for Rise and then get on line while they are there - and then with the social distancing for queues they back up a lot even if not timewise as long

I think it does lighten a bit later in the day - but the design of that park also just lends itself to more crowded feeling areas

 

[anthony2k7]

seems like "rope drop" at DHS is rather crowded as people try to get boarding groups for Rise and then get on line while they are there - and then with the social distancing for queues they back up a lot even if not timewise as long

I think it does lighten a bit later in the day - but the design of that park also just lends itself to more crowded feeling areas

Perhaps only having the two time slots for the BG has made it worse as well

 

[DGsAtBLT]

seems like "rope drop" at DHS is rather crowded as people try to get boarding groups for Rise and then get on line while they are there - and then with the social distancing for queues they back up a lot even if not timewise as long

I think it does lighten a bit later in the day - but the design of that park also just lends itself to more crowded feeling areas

Frustrating that they can’t/won’t just require a park reservation to join the VQ and drop the requirement to scan into the park for the time being.

Would make it a little harder to secure a group but with the payoff of opening looking more like the other parks.