SeventyOne
Platinum Member
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando is now closed through May 27th. That's about when I expect everything in the area to be closed until.
I think Orlando area businesses that survive will open before then (including parks, tho I still expect a staggered opening at WDW). But I'd take this as a sign the Ritz does not expect a rush of tourists or, equally important, any conventions until Summer at best. Did the 6-feet-apart chat while picking up food yesterday with a guy who does some sort of set-up at OCCC. He said he's looking at jobs in September right now, nothing sooner.
In a way, extending APs rather than putting a hold on them is a stroke of genius. Nobody is cancelling if they have a free month or month and a half coming to them, ensuring the local base at least remains steady, even if the economy heads south immediately. Pictures of a park filled with unemployed people may not be good for food and merch sales, but it's fine for optics.
I highly doubt Universal buys them. Although it would instantly give them THREE parks to add to their portfolio in Orlando + land to build hotels on.
I can't speak to the other parks, other than BGT being in a bad part of town, but I wonder if the sum of SWO's parts isn't worth more than the park as a whole. The only successful boutique theme park in history that still routinely sells out, many local parents' choice for best water park, the IP rights to Sesame Street ... keep all that, move the coasters, sell the bulk of the land to a developer.