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

[Jamesh22]

Large gatherings in Paris banned through September:

Having been to DLP more than once I totally get this. Most Europeans seem unable to keep 6 inches away from you, let alone 6 feet.

I just hope they can restart construction on the WDS expansions soon as they will desperately need them in 2021+ to help bring people back in.

 

[JungleSkip]

I just hope they can restart construction on the WDS expansions soon as they will desperately need them in 2021+ to help bring people back in.

Have those started? I can't see them going forward very fast until demand comes back

 

[Nick]

Have those started? I can't see them going forward very fast until demand comes back

RNRC and Armageddon had closed to begin the Iron Man retheme and whatever else was going over there. I don't think they ever started on Frozen or Star Wars.

 

[Jamesh22]

Have those started? I can't see them going forward very fast until demand comes back

RNRC and Armageddon had closed to begin the Iron Man retheme and whatever else was going over there. I don't think they ever started on Frozen or Star Wars.

Spider-man is half built already and Iron Man was also well under way, both were due to open 2021.

Frozen and the lake area have started land clearing and building permits have all been approved but I think that's about it for now. I would hope that the money has already been ring fenced so it can continue but now that the resort is wholy/majority owned by Disney it's probably going to get delayed. Frozen and the lake were not due to open till 2023 anyway I think. Star Wars was then 2024/2025.

 

[Brian G.]

This really is a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" choice.

At this point, I think once June 1st hits, the thought process for most of America is going to be, "We hunkered down for 3 months, live at your own risk". They'll deal with the consequences, and hopefully, try to care for those who get sick as best as possible.

 

[Clive]

There's plenty to be said about whether or not theme parks can/should open, but a reminder that indefinite lockdown until vaccine/treatment was never a viable policy. It's frankly astounding we've managed a lockdown of this scale for seven weeks - more in some areas. I can only speak for Los Angeles, but compliance is beginning to fray - not even talking about the beach pictures that were all over the media, but just walking around my neighborhood, you can feel the difference.

I can only hope the parks will be generous with sick leave (even if it's for potential solutions versus confirmed ones) once things start up, which, yeah, is likely to be sooner rather than later.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

This really is a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" choice.

At this point, I think once June 1st hits, the thought process for most of America is going to be, "We hunkered down for 3 months, live at your own risk". They'll deal with the consequences, and hopefully, try to care for those who get sick as best as possible.

Polling hasn't shown this out yet.

There's plenty to be said about whether or not theme parks can/should open, but a reminder that indefinite lockdown until vaccine/treatment was never a viable policy.

This was never the plan or point? The idea was to slow the spread as much as we can.

 

[JungleSkip]

This was never the plan or point? The idea was to slow the spread as much as we can.

Slow the spread as much as we can and *prepare to keep it low once we reopen*. We've done the former. The issue is we've done nearly none of the latter

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Slow the spread as much as we can and *prepare to keep it low once we reopen*. We've done the former. The issue is we've done nearly none of the latter

Yes exactly.

 

[Clive]

Slow the spread as much as we can and *prepare to keep it low once we reopen*. We've done the former. The issue is we've done nearly none of the latter

Right. So we can either continue lockdown until... preparations maybe happen (but probably not in our current political environment, at least at the scale that would be required), or lockdown until treatment/vaccine.

My point is I don't think we can really depend on those preparations/mechanisms happening, as infuriating as it is, and there's only so long lockdowns can/will persist.

Swinging this back to theme parks, re: liability:

Opinion | McConnell's new coronavirus plan: Help companies avoid all legal consequences

But providing businesses with broad legal immunity reduces any incentive for them to provide protective equipment to employees or safe spaces to customers.

t.co

 

[Nick]

This was never the plan or point? The idea was to slow the spread as much as we can.

And we have slowed the spread significantly. The tri-state area up near NY/NJ/CT are well past their peak now and on a noticeable decent.

The problem is, we have so many people cooped up in their houses and it doesn't matter if we let them out tomorrow or if we waited a year, there's going to be a massive spike in cases once we start reopening. I have been pretty staunch against reopening too soon throughout all of this, but looking at where we are now, I think mid-June is a perfectly acceptable time to reopen the parks.

Yes, people are going to get COVID once we reopen. But that's just because they've been hiding from it. The good news is that hospitals will be able to handle a new influx of cases.

 

[Scott W.]

JetBlue Is The First Airline To Require Passengers To Wear Masks

Airlines are (finally) beginning to take necessary precautions for the sake of public health.

uproxx.com

On the mask front, I tried to source some for my shop yesterday. Got an email that they had 80,000 in stock. By the time I went to order, they were all gone.

The legal language involved as well is going to be difficult to portray.

 

[Brian G.]

Polling hasn't shown this out yet.

I know. Polling is "As of April 28" not "June 1".

I agree though, right now, we shouldn't be opening anything - but once the summer hits, I think that tide will change.

I could be wrong, though. Not the first time.

 

[JungleSkip]

I know. Polling is "As of April 28" not "June 1".

I agree though, right now, we shouldn't be opening anything - but once the summer hits, I think that tide will change.

I could be wrong, though. Not the first time.

I think even by June first we'll only see a 40/60 or 50/50 split for/against continuing lockdowns.

Until people feel reasonably sure that it's not just going to run rampant once we open back up (ie enough testing, tracing, and mask wearing), things just aren't going to be close to normal.

 

[Legacy]

Further breakdown of California’s phased reopening.

Of note is Phase 4, which includes concerts, convention centers, and sports with crowds: “Once therapeutics have been developed.”

 

[Nick]

Further breakdown of California’s phased reopening.

Of note is Phase 4, which includes concerts, convention centers, and sports with crowds: “Once therapeutics have been developed.”

So would Phase 4 include Disneyland then... meaning it would have to stay closed until there's some sort of treatment?

 

[BrenRays]

F

In all seriousness, these guidelines seem pretty reasonable, but I'm intrigued by the complete omission of requiring any customers to wear masks, and I'm concerned that the limits on theme parks may not have enough precautions.

I'm also concerned that these guidelines don't include anything about responding to employees or guests who become symptomatic on-site (for any business).

My guess, I don’t think any theme parks are going to require wearing masks. I think employees will have to, and guests will be encourage, but that’s it.

They could I guess theoretically, but I highly doubt they will. If they wanted to open May 15th for example, they would already need to be preparing and telling TMs. Look how long it is taking Shanghai Disney to test out their new COVID protocols? The park could probably open today theoretically, but they aren't ready as far as the social distancing stuff goes yet, taking everyone's temperatures, etc. Taking every single TM's temperature as they come in is going to be a massive thing they need to implement backstage as it will take a lot of time. Will they still show CineSpec? I think they could, they would just have to mark spots on the ground that are 6 feet apart. How does buying merch work? Do they put plexiglass up? You aren't close to 6 feet apart when you are at a register. What about freestyle machines? So many people touch those screens.

These are all questions (many more too) that i'm sure Universal is working on and has answers too that they need to actually implement and make sure that it all works and it seems like something guests would feel comfortable with. They can't just flick the switch and turn it on.

Speaking of Shanghai though... There's a video of fireworks testing if you scroll to the third image.

They should allow Orlando area residents in first during TM training at a ridiculously low capacity as a “soft” open.

 

[Clive]

So would Phase 4 include Disneyland then... meaning it would have to stay closed until there's some sort of treatment?

Came here to say him not mentioning theme parks at all is extremely telling. Remember that, initially, Disneyland was excluded from the shutdown orders.

 

[Brian G.]

I think even by June first we'll only see a 40/60 or 50/50 split for/against continuing lockdowns.

Until people feel reasonably sure that it's not just going to run rampant once we open back up (ie enough testing, tracing, and mask wearing), things just aren't going to be close to normal.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting people go back and run rampant in public. My "live at your own risk" comment still assumes we'll be practicing social distancing, hand washing, and masks like we were doing pre-lockdown in early March. Still, I agree that people will rely on being extra cautious with unnecessary outings at the initial openings and play it week to week. I'd certainly hope those who already have underlying issues and the elderly continue to stay home, though.

 

[Nick]

They should allow Orlando area residents in first during TM training at a ridiculously low capacity as a “soft” open.

They will need the parks empty during the training period so all areas can focus on their "new normal" procedures and how they're going to do all of these things without having to worry about guests. It's not like locals would be spending much anyway so it wouldn't be worth it to them.