Asia Disney Parks closed due to Coronavirus (SHDL, HKDL, TDL)

[Fido Chuckwagon]

You realize that there is a ton of overreaction happening when talking about cancelling trips in the United States right? The thing about it, is we live in a country where you have that right. I also have the right to not be concerned and trust our medical system and treatments. Being concerned and overreacting and stoking fear are two very different things. Take a breath control what you can control and trust the experts to do their jobs.

I’m just saying that celebrating that your crowds are going to be lower because there is a scary disease that is killing a lot of people isn’t a great look...

 

[DisneynBison]

I’m just saying that celebrating that your crowds are going to be lower because there is a scary disease that is killing a lot of people isn’t a great look...

I was not celebrating people dying, I am celebrating lighter crowds in a few weeks from people overreacting, which truthfully I don't think is going to materialize but if it does I will not be sad. I really am not to concerned. My family does not fall into a category of people that are at major risk of death from something like this. We are not elderly, we are not immunocompromised and my kids are old enough and been exposed to enough that they have immune systems that are fairly mature but not as good as a adult but also not as immature as a toddler. We also have very good medical care and access to that care.

There are going to be a lot more cases (tens, hundreds of thousands or more) and a lot more deaths from this though. It's just the way these things happen, over and over and over. Sensationalizing and people freaking out with each new reported case is doing no one any good. Trust the experts to do their jobs they won't stop it but it will be minimized to the best their abilities. Nothing wrong with concern but hysteria does no one any good.

 

[Darcy03231]

Just read that Hong Kong Disney is now closed too. Marathon was canceled. Refunds are being issued.

 

[mshanson3121]

At the risk of sounding crass... I do wonder how the closure of the two Asia parks will affect mainland parks when it comes time for the (typical) annual price increase next month. I've seen some articles already talking about the impact to Disney stock/income.

 

[cheryl.UK]

I'm surprised they kept HKD open. During the Chinese New Year celebrations, millions of chinese people head to see relatives in different parts of the country and it's HKD busiest weekend.

EDIT: And now I see it's closed.

 

[rteetz]

At the risk of sounding crass... I do wonder how the closure of the two Asia parks will affect mainland parks when it comes time for the (typical) annual price increase next month. I've seen some articles already talking about the impact to Disney stock/income.

Might be too early to say. Disney is minority owners in both of these resorts too so not taking the brunt of the downsides of the closure.

 

[anthony2k7]

M

Might be too early to say. Disney is minority owners in both of these resorts too so not taking the brunt of the downsides of the closure.

Maybe minority owner but presumably Disneys income from them is still strongly linked to revenue of those parks?

Disneys standard reaction to any drop in park income is to raise prices so surely US parks will have to cover some of the loss of income.

 

[rteetz]

M
Maybe minority owner but presumably Disneys income from them is still strongly linked to revenue of those parks?

Disneys standard reaction to any drop in park income is to raise prices so surely US parks will have to cover some of the loss of income.

Yes and no. I think it’s still early to see the direct impact. It’s obviously something those parks had to do due to safety. It also means less revenue of course.

I’m sure disney will look at things overall like they always do. I just don’t think we can know for sure how big the impact is or will be just yet.

 

[Brianstl]

M
Maybe minority owner but presumably Disneys income from them is still strongly linked to revenue of those parks?

Disneys standard reaction to any drop in park income is to raise prices so surely US parks will have to cover some of the loss of income.

Disney can't raise prices when people are scared to travel. If they want to slow bookings to a crawl over the next six months, raising prices would be the thing to do right now. If this Coronavirus scare goes on much longer they will have to start offering major incentives/discounts. If I hadn't already paid for my DVC rental, I would wait to see what kind promotions Disney might roll out in the next month to encourage people to travel to WDW before booking a trip. Disney is just going to have to take the revenue hit here.

 

[auntrenae]

I listened to a report out of the CDC yesterday (Sunday) that said the virus is contagious a week before any symptoms show up, so someone may not even know they have it, but be shedding virus all over, but have no idea they're doing it.

I'm going on a DCL cruise Feb. 25th with extended family, and am wondering if that's a good idea. We're local, so won't be flying, but others will, and it seems that a worst case scenario would be getting onboard ship to find out someone has it and is spreading it in a confined space. I imagine the ship would be quarentined.... not something I want to contemplate!

 

[Mom24Princesses]

It is my understanding- and I have read a number of articles- that the people who have tested positive outside of China had traveled FROM China. And all people traveling from China are being evaluated and quarantined if there is any evidence for concern. This is a good test of the ability to stop a more dangerous virus from spreading. We will have to wait and see. And it appears to affect people in similar ways as the common flu. “Most victims have mild cold symptoms”.

 

[kymom99]

I listened to a report out of the CDC yesterday (Sunday) that said the virus is contagious a week before any symptoms show up, so someone may not even know they have it, but be shedding virus all over, but have no idea they're doing it.

I'm going on a DCL cruise Feb. 25th with extended family, and am wondering if that's a good idea. We're local, so won't be flying, but others will, and it seems that a worst case scenario would be getting onboard ship to find out someone has it and is spreading it in a confined space. I imagine the ship would be quarentined.... not something I want to contemplate!

I’m cruising March 2

 

[Friendly Frog]

Well as an older person is is not exactly in top health, I am not doing my normal happy dance over leaving this week to fly on a plane, go to a park that has a lot of international travlers, and sleep on a mattresses and pillows that have been shared with an untold number of people just before me. I want to cancel, but my husband (that would not worry if the house was on fire) keeps telling me it will be fine.

 

[anthony2k7]

It is my understanding- and I have read a number of articles- that the people who have tested positive outside of China had traveled FROM China. And all people traveling from China are being evaluated and quarantined if there is any evidence for concern. This is a good test of the ability to stop a more dangerous virus from spreading. We will have to wait and see. And it appears to affect people in similar ways as the common flu. “Most victims have mild cold symptoms”.

Yep Iv still not seen any confirmation of people infected who had not been to china. We're nearly a week into the lockdown now so if they have worked and it's only people who have been to the source then we should see a big drop off in the rate of infections within the next couple of days. Will be interesting to see if that happens.

 

[anthony2k7]

Disney can't raise prices when people are scared to travel. If they want to slow bookings to a crawl over the next six months, raising prices would be the thing to do right now. If this Coronavirus scare goes on much longer they will have to start offering major incentives/discounts. If I hadn't already paid for my DVC rental, I would wait to see what kind promotions Disney might roll out in the next month to encourage people to travel to WDW before booking a trip. Disney is just going to have to take the revenue hit here.

Perhaps you are right in the short term. But in 6 months time or so if everything is back to normal then I would expect significant ticket (and parking and room rate) rises yet again for USA parks.

 

[mshanson3121]

It is my understanding- and I have read a number of articles- that the people who have tested positive outside of China had traveled FROM China. And all people traveling from China are being evaluated and quarantined if there is any evidence for concern. This is a good test of the ability to stop a more dangerous virus from spreading. We will have to wait and see. And it appears to affect people in similar ways as the common flu. “Most victims have mild cold symptoms”.

The only problem with this is they have since realized that a) it's on average a 10-14 day incubation and b ) you're contagious well before symptoms appear.

So people they screened (and all they did was ask them if they had symptoms and take their temperature) could very well have been infected yet still passed screening.

The next 7 days are really going to be the critical ones for seeing how much this is going to impact the US. Currently 100+ people in 26 US states are being tested. They haven't said yet whether they were a travelers to Wuhan or not. I'm assuming that info will be released if they test positive.

 

[mshanson3121]

Now, I'm not a conspiracy theorist. I normally laugh at them quite honestly. And heaven knows they have been having a hayday since this started, especially the vaccine folk, starting almost from day one claiming this is all just a media blow up so they can push a new vaccine, that vaccine stocks were ballooning etc... I rolled my eyes. And yet...look what has now shown up in mainstream news:

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2020/jan/26/coronavirus-link-china-biowarfare-program-possible/
https://www.google.com/amp/s/globalnews.ca/news/6466954/coronavirus-outbreak-vaccine-research/amp/
They expect to be doing animal trials within 8 weeks, human trials within 16 weeks.

 

[DrunkJam]

Germany has confirmed the first human transmission case in Europe (which means someone - who has NOT been to China - has caught it from another person, who has) (Live reporting in Guardian News UK)

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Germany has confirmed the first human transmission case in Europe (which means someone - who has NOT been to China - has caught it from another person, who has) (Live reporting in Guardian News UK)

More disturbingly, in Germany the person is reported to have picked it up from a colleague from China who was not exhibiting symptoms.

 

[mshanson3121]

Germany has confirmed the first human transmission case in Europe (which means someone - who has NOT been to China - has caught it from another person, who has) (Live reporting in Guardian News UK)

What I don't understand is how they even had a question about the possibility of human transmission... They "claim" the source was a meat market (see Washington Post article above). If true, then how were they proposing to explain the cases in people who didn't have any contact with that market, didn't eat the meat etc... ?? It's been obvious this spreads person to person from pretty much day one, and anyone should have been able to see that this was going to happen. 5 million residents left the city before travel bans were put in place...