Theme Parks & Shopping Districts Reopening General Thread

[Magic Feather]

Thought it was interesting to learn that Universal's GEST TM's actually have clickers on them currently to keep track of how many times they have to ask a guest to put a mask back on throughout the day. From what I've heard, the average in-park TM counts roughly 50-150 per shift and the average CityWalk TM counts anywhere from 200-450 per shift.

That’s really interesting. Anecdotally I had been hearing that guests on their own are better with masks at Disney, but Universal has more TM’s actively correcting iffy behavior than Disney. These numbers would seem to go along with that.

 

[Tbad556]

LEGOLAND is finally requiring masks (mostly)

 

[Jerroddragon]

The fact that the California government is willing to put things back into shutdown has created a lot of uncertainty in it's economy. Many businesses are now concerned that when they are allowed to reopen, it won't last long before they are asked to shutdown again. Restarting a business after being shutdown is a challenge. But doing that over and over again could be disastrous. If California's economy is to recover, there has to be assurance that an opening is permanent.

My biggest issues is fine your going to close places fine...where is the Relief? Like we can fund the Police with Tanks and look like Maxed level Call of Duty Characters but can't help money wise with Businesses in the state?

It's a joke that we can go over budget on some things but other things are out of their hands and not tried to help or resolve.

 

[JungleSkip]

There will be no international CMs coming in this year or next year for Epcot

 

[Mad Dog]

Kennywood has removed all no mask relief zones in the park. Public Relations spokesman Nick Paradise, said attention being paid to them took away from the intensive health and safety measures that they had instituted in the park..

 

[GAcoaster]

Interesting to see that SeaWorld is continuing the Flicks & Fireworks on Fridays and Saturdays (plus fireworks for the in-park guests):

Ignite 360 Summer Fireworks | SeaWorld Orlando

A spectacular ending to your evening with Ignite 360 fireworks. Enjoy this nightly fireworks and fountain spectacular that brings the brilliant colors of the sea to the skies above the park

seaworld.com

And Busch Gardens is bringing back the Summer Nights fireworks for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays:

Summer Nights: Florida Summer Event | Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Feel the spark after dark at Busch Gardens’ Summer Nights, featuring a NEW laser and fireworks show, tasty seasonal eats, and extended park hours to coast through the night on Florida’s best thrill rides every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from July 17 to August 16.

buschgardens.com

I guess they've decided to spend money on fireworks to try and lure/keep people in the park on the weekends rather than spending to get their new attractions open.

 

[Nick]

Interesting to see that SeaWorld is continuing the Flicks & Fireworks on Fridays and Saturdays (plus fireworks for the in-park guests):

Ignite 360 Summer Fireworks | SeaWorld Orlando

A spectacular ending to your evening with Ignite 360 fireworks. Enjoy this nightly fireworks and fountain spectacular that brings the brilliant colors of the sea to the skies above the park

seaworld.com

And Busch Gardens is bringing back the Summer Nights fireworks for Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays:

Summer Nights: Florida Summer Event | Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Feel the spark after dark at Busch Gardens’ Summer Nights, featuring a NEW laser and fireworks show, tasty seasonal eats, and extended park hours to coast through the night on Florida’s best thrill rides every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from July 17 to August 16.

buschgardens.com

I guess they've decided to spend money on fireworks to try and lure/keep people in the park on the weekends rather than spending to get their new attractions open.

They're taking advantage of being the only parks that have fireworks. Plus, the lack of people in the park sort of makes it easy to social distance anyway for fireworks, i'd assume.

Disneyland Paris official reopening today:

 

[HalfGlass]

As out-of-state visitors flock to Disney World, experts worry it will cause coronavirus to 'spread like a cancer'

I don’t know how this will pan out but...if faced with increased pressure and bad press, do you think Disney would shut down again in a few weeks or months time? Or do you think it would take a county/state lockdown?

Compared to Universal’s opening which seemed to either not be covered as readily or seen as a safe opening (probably due to the lack of crazy spikes at the time), I have been able to find few articles about the positive safety measures Disney is implementing opposed to its unsafe decision to open.

 

[Nick]

As out-of-state visitors flock to Disney World, experts worry it will cause coronavirus to 'spread like a cancer'

I don’t know how this will pan out but...if faced with increased pressure and bad press, do you think Disney would shut down again in a few weeks or months time? Or do you think it would take a county/state lockdown?

Compared to Universal’s opening which seemed to either not be covered as readily or seen as a safe opening (probably due to the lack of crazy spikes at the time), I have been able to find few articles about the positive safety measures Disney is implementing opposed to its unsafe decision to open.

If things were to get bad enough, Orlando could enforce stricter regulations which could ultimately force the parks to close. Things would have to be catastrophically bad for that to happen as we're already pretty bad and no action so not much hope here.

 

[Mad Dog]

Just a morning snapshot......Looking at the Touring Plans App.....DHS lines relatively long (in relation to covid safety distancing) early this morning. Most attractions at 10:30 AM were in the vicinity of 45 to 70 minutes. All the other open Disney parks (Epcot doesn't open until 11:00 AM) & Universal look slow, but it is early in the morning.

 

[Tbad556]

Just a morning snapshot......Looking at the Touring Plans App.....DHS lines relatively long (in relation to covid safety distancing) early this morning. Most attractions at 10:30 AM were in the vicinity of 45 to 70 minutes. All the other open Disney parks (Epcot doesn't open until 11:00 AM) & Universal look slow, but it is early in the morning.

Sounds about right. I get the vibe they'll be the most slammed for a bit with everyone trying to take advantage of Rise again.

 

[TommyJK]

If things were to get bad enough, Orlando could enforce stricter regulations which could ultimately force the parks to close. Things would have to be catastrophically bad for that to happen as we're already pretty bad and no action so not much hope here.

Looking at the numbers (positivity rate, hospitalization increases, death counts not subsiding etc.) They should have probably already shut things down or clawed things back heavily already. By the numbers, while California has gotten worse, their numbers don't look as bad to me as Florida and they have essentially shut things down again.

Unfortunately, to me, it looks like these things in some places are politically motivated decisions and not health/safety motivated decisions.

 

[Mad Dog]

Looking at the numbers (positivity rate, hospitalization increases, death counts not subsiding etc.) They should have probably already shut things down or clawed things back heavily already. By the numbers, while California has gotten worse, their numbers don't look as bad to me as Florida and they have essentially shut things down again.

Unfortunately, to me, it looks like these things in some places are politically motivated decisions and not health/safety motivated decisions.

Probably the two key differences
* Different political parties with differing political/economic philosophies control the two states
*California has a more diversified and much stronger economy (5th largest GNP in the world), while Florida is basically a one trick pony relying on tourism for their big money in the most affected areas. Farming too, but that's not the cities.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

If things were to get bad enough, Orlando could enforce stricter regulations which could ultimately force the parks to close. Things would have to be catastrophically bad for that to happen as we're already pretty bad and no action so not much hope here.

I know the Government isn't looking at it this way, but, I don't see how things aren't catastrophic right now. Im disappointed in these 2 companies. Epicenter of the entire world for the Coronavirus and the theme parks are all open. Idk how they expect anything positive to come of this

 

[Nick]

Looking at the numbers (positivity rate, hospitalization increases, death counts not subsiding etc.) They should have probably already shut things down or clawed things back heavily already. By the numbers, while California has gotten worse, their numbers don't look as bad to me as Florida and they have essentially shut things down again.

Unfortunately, to me, it looks like these things in some places are politically motivated decisions and not health/safety motivated decisions.

The thing is, Orlando is the type of Metro area you would think would be more apt to take action on this, but the city/county doesn't seem to want to do anything because the theme parks basically run our government in Orlando so... yeah. Mickey Mouse is the true Mayor of Orlando.

 

[Frank Drackman]

As out-of-state visitors flock to Disney World, experts worry it will cause coronavirus to 'spread like a cancer'

I don’t know how this will pan out but...if faced with increased pressure and bad press, do you think Disney would shut down again in a few weeks or months time? Or do you think it would take a county/state lockdown?

Compared to Universal’s opening which seemed to either not be covered as readily or seen as a safe opening (probably due to the lack of crazy spikes at the time), I have been able to find few articles about the positive safety measures Disney is implementing opposed to its unsafe decision to open.

If things were to get bad enough, Orlando could enforce stricter regulations which could ultimately force the parks to close. Things would have to be catastrophically bad for that to happen as we're already pretty bad and no action so not much hope here.

what about plan B's??

The parks could be forced into a short of bubble as in a state of emergency or whatever a county can do to only allow guest from particular zip codes?

I mean, could the state and or Disney have it both ways, keep the park a big enough bubble to allow TESTED visitor to live in a bubble.

I still do not know what I am getting at, but you can not have travel restrictions or quarantine rules that vary buy state/county/city. From what I've heard of Austin, TX from the start of this was that a group of some 30 went to 'party' for spring break, they came home and TX is bad as a whole (seems starting w/ the areas closest to a place like New Orleans)....it is not so much Disney, but the folks that stay in the 5 or 6 counties that Disney sort of feeds, if people catch/spread in this non bubble.

I have had an employer warn me to think about and plan to isolate if I use my vacation time in x,y,z......


anyhow, I am wondering about thoughts on if Disney should/would operate as a 'local park' or as a 'bubble' where the whole resort is a 'safe' zone where all 'residents' have tested (blood/nose/brain?!?!?) before allowed to be in the bubble.

would we ever go there?!?!?

 

[Evan]

As out-of-state visitors flock to Disney World, experts worry it will cause coronavirus to 'spread like a cancer'

I don’t know how this will pan out but...if faced with increased pressure and bad press, do you think Disney would shut down again in a few weeks or months time? Or do you think it would take a county/state lockdown?

Compared to Universal’s opening which seemed to either not be covered as readily or seen as a safe opening (probably due to the lack of crazy spikes at the time), I have been able to find few articles about the positive safety measures Disney is implementing opposed to its unsafe decision to open.

I mean. In 2020 anything can happen, but unless the governor forced them, I doubt they’d close on their own now. They would have likely stayed closed had everything else not opened, and the government not allowing them to... so here we are. Look at the beast that is their parks and resorts compared to Universal, the amount of work it took them to reopen compared to the others. Closing is definitely a last resort measure.

In all reality the only people that can really be blamed is the government, businesses will always follow what is allowed, if it means making money again, so if anyone is unhappy with parks being opened, you need to lobby your leaders.

 

[Nick]

The reality is basically nothing is going to close. If it was going to it likely would’ve by now. Orlando is too reliant on the theme parks to force a closure (instead of them voluntarily closing).

As far as people coming from out of state, it’s a worry for spreading around the country definitely, but I also don’t think THAT many will be coming in from out of state to where it would make a big difference anywhere.

 

[HandsomePete]

Yeah, it’s a double edged sword for Orlando:
*Close the parks and nobody gets paychecks - not good.
*Open the parks and people get paid but virus can spread - not good.

 

[Tbad556]

The reality is basically nothing is going to close. If it was going to it likely would’ve by now. Orlando is too reliant on the theme parks to force a closure (instead of them voluntarily closing).

As far as people coming from out of state, it’s a worry for spreading around the country definitely, but I also don’t think THAT many will be coming in from out of stars to where it would make a big difference anywhere.

Yup. It's just not happening unless something major happens optics-wise. Cases already exist in a decent quantity behind the scenes, but if distancing stays well-enforced and they don't have guests catching it in notable quantities that can be traced back to the parks (which would be hard to prove with certainty), I just can't see anything happening.