Effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19) On Entertainment & Tourism Industry

[Nick]

To throw in my .02, I think, depending on when the parks open, I don’t think we see water parks open until next year. If the parks don’t open until August or a bit later, then you’ve already lost Summer.

Maybe VB opens, but no way do I think Disney water parks open, especially considering there’s pretty much no one doing upkeep right now. BB and TL will take awhile to get into proper shape for guests imo with the added question of “would people even go if they were open?” considering they aren’t nearly as easy to get to as VB is.

 

[Magic-Man]

This whole situation might be the one time that Universal/Disney's big size comes back to bite them in the rear. It's a lot harder to maintain, staff, and control the chaos with several parks open at once, not to mention high property prices and electricity bills. I can actually see SeaWorld/Cedar Fair/Herschend coming out of this better than Disney.

 

[JungleSkip]

To throw in my .02, I think, depending on when the parks open, I don’t think we see water parks open until next year. If the parks don’t open until August or a bit later, then you’ve already lost Summer.

The Orlando parks will open before August

 

[Magic Feather]

Blocking AP's would be PR suicide, and ruin a lot of goodwill that these parks have stored up with the same locals that they will be relying on at first. What is much more likely is a reservation-type system for AP's not dissimilar to Disneyland's Flex Pass.

Also, I have a hard time seeing any waterparks opening soon due to their unsanitary reputation. However, my two top candidates for waterparks that would reopen are Volcano Bay and the Social Media one on 192: VB due to its position in the middle of everything and how integral it has become to Universal's marketing, the latter bc it knows that people have gone to it once most other water parks are closed. They saw a huge attendance spike on the last few days before closing.

 

[Nick]

The Orlando parks will open before August

I'm expecting mid to late July at the earliest.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Anyone know if Disney+ is profitable? I know they have more than 50 million global subscribers. I'm guessing it's not yet profitable but wondered if it could at least keep revenue coming into the business during this time along with other non park/movie revenue streams like merch sales.

Also on VB and waterparks. If it's ruled that you have to wear face masks in public/the parks I just don't see how waterparks could operate?

i think i read somewhere that it would be profitable after 3 years or 5 years or something. i vaguely remember something like thisv

 

[JungleSkip]

I'm expecting mid to late July at the earliest.

If Universal isn't open in the first half of June I will be shocked.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Here are the PRELIMINARY guidelines Orange County FL is considering.

 

[Nick]

If Universal isn't open in the first half of June I will be shocked.

You have to remember though, even once they decide to reopen (and they've told TMs and guests they're closed through May 31st at least), that they have to get TMs back from furlough, possibly do some hiring to fill spots of those that got a different job, but more importantly, they will have to retrain every TM on property I would think with new COVID protocols. I would think there would be a solid few weeks of just training and getting back to working in the parks before they open.

At earliest I would say Universal comes out and says we're reopening on June 15th, which would give TMs two weeks after June 1 to get everything sorted out and open if they feel good about being open around that time. Also, Ron DeSantis just said the other day he's in no rush to get places with large gatherings back open and wants to do it right. Uncharacteristic of him, but who knows.

 

[JungleSkip]

You have to remember though, even once they decide to reopen (and they've told TMs and guests they're closed through May 30th at least), that they have to get TMs back from furlough, possibly do some hiring to fill spots of those that got a different job, but more importantly, they will have to retrain every TM on property I would think with new COVID protocols. I would think there would be a solid few weeks of just training and getting back to working in the parks before they open.

At earliest I would say Universal comes out and says we're reopening on June 15th, which would give TMs two weeks after June 1 to get everything sorted out and open if they feel good about being open around that time. Also, Ron DeSantis just said the other day he's in no rush to get places with large gatherings back open and wants to do it right. Uncharacteristic of him, but who knows.

Yea. I'm just saying, I will be shocked if they're not open in June

 

[BBPH]

This hurts

Coronavirus: British Airways set to cut 12,000 jobs as crisis grounds flights

Unions react with disgust as BA's parent firm says it must prepare the airline for a future beyond the pandemic.

www.google.co.uk

 

[Nick]

Yea. I'm just saying, I will be shocked if they're not open in June

And my only counterpoint is if you go back through this thread to when the parks closed, people thought there was no way they'd be closed through April (many people were surprised they extended passed April 1!). Then it was surely they'll be open by Memorial day. From the beginning i've said sometime in June at the earliest, but even then, while i'd like to see that happen, i'm not 100% counting on it because we live in an upside down world right now.

Like you always say, don't expect anything and be surprised when it happens, right?

 

[Scott W.]

With Disney still accepting new bookings from 1st June. That’s my bet for when the parks will reopen.

 

[JungleSkip]

And my only counterpoint is if you go back through this thread to when the parks closed, people thought there was no way they'd be closed through April (many people were surprised they extended passed April 1!). Then it was surely they'll be open by Memorial day. From the beginning i've said sometime in June at the earliest, but even then, while i'd like to see that happen, i'm not 100% counting on it because we live in an upside down world right now.

Like you always say, don't expect anything and be surprised when it happens, right?

I mean I'm not fricking going to these parks until there's a vaccine or a treatment. I'm just led to believe that Universal will be open sometime in June

 

[Magic-Man]

Here are the PRELIMINARY guidelines Orange County FL is considering.

Can I get an F for SeaWorld?

 

[ssirin88]

Probably not even considering going back either until HHN, assuming it happens as a "normal" event.

 

[Nick]

I mean I'm not fricking going to these parks until there's a vaccine or a treatment. I'm just led to believe that Universal will be open sometime in June

I gotcha. I'm just more in the wait and see camp right now. It's just such a fluid situation that i'll believe it when it happens because trying to put a date on it right now is like blindly throwing a dart imo. I think they'd hate to miss July 4th though so I think a mid-June opening would be perfect for making that date as it would give the parks a few weeks of operation leading up to the holiday.

 

[fryoj]

With Orange county showing their peak a month ago(whether thats accurate or not) and them working on guidelines that are very manageable, I think this happens sooner than later.

 

[Nick]

Large gatherings in Paris banned through September:

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I know time has lost all meaning but remember we are still in *APRIL* and June is still over a month away.

I also believe we are massively jumping the gun on reopenings and this will backfire.