Effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19) On Entertainment & Tourism Industry | Page 103 | Inside Universal Forums

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

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I don’t see them ever testing guests. Would cost way too much and be far too time consuming on top of having to pay medical professionals to administer.

And if it's even only 90% effective, why bother? From a legal perspective, that 10% false negative rate is just one more minor hurdle for the plaintiff to jump, after the giant DLR-style signs saying "you may catch COVID by entering" and having to prove you caught in MK and not in Publix or on the plane ride down. Ultimately any "medical check" will be theater, like post-9/11security. Albeit one playing with highly regulated government data and potential to offend the ADA.

***

Unrelated, but over on Magic, Magic Feather dropped a bomb--Voyage of the Little Mermaid won't be re-opening--but also mentioned Frozen Sing-Along Celebration will be getting assigned seating like a movie theater.

Not surprisingly, it sounds like competing plans are on the table. This somewhat contradicts the Doomsday Scenario (which still foresaw an August opening btw). At the same time, it seems like no one at the Mouse is expecting capacity to be an issue for a while.


***

Finally a couple thoughts on a potential 2021 re-opening. Not quoting anyone because not trying to call anyone out, just something for all points of view to remember: nothing takes place in a vacuum.

WDW is a unique entity that owes its existence solely to Florida government--Reed Creek's autonomy and the DVC program (which is legally not timeshare) and its police service from Orange County, they all could be revoked with a simple vote. WDW has a close-knit relationship with state and local government, but it also risks bankrupting both of those every additional week it stays closed. Local Chambers and industry associations--who also have lobbyists downtown and in Tallahassee--are feeling this closure as well. That has to generate enormous pressure.

At the same time, unemployment benefits won't run forever. Even with generous extensions, I don't see them going 10 months. Even if they did, not enough to live in this high cost-of-living town. I already see a couple U-Hauls outside my apartment building every weekend, and they haven't given tours or opened the rental office in a month, so I imagine its people moving out, not in. I don't know how you begin to re-open the parks in 2021 if half your 70k workers have moved out-of-town.

This last point cribbed from a controversial YouTuber, but I have no reason to doubt it -- ISAW uses over 10k motors not including the boats and waterway. Imagine leaving all these systems, some decades old, unattended for 10 months. How many are actually going to start up again?

Literally every day WDW is closed it becomes that much harder to re-open. I don't doubt they will lose money for a while, but the logistics of running the park and the optics of appearing open for business mean they let people in the day their Legal team says it's ok.
 
You have never been inside and don't understand what you are proposing.
I'll leave it at this; there is no "volunteering" in prisons...
Respectfully, please don't tell me what I do or don't understand or where I have or haven't been.
 
......can we not start doing what the nazis did?

The one doctor in the nursing home already did - and with the GOPs blessing. I'm suggesting volunteer programs. Biiiiiig difference.

Sorry mids, I thought I hit edit. My bad.
 
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Please keep this thread about affects on the tourism industry, general discussion should go in that thread.
REMINDER:

This thread is for the impact on the tourism industry, parks, cruises, etc.

To talk about the impact on sports, movies, general information, how to prevent contact, and what to do if you get it visit the General Discussion thread.

Guys, we gotta keep this thread strictly related to impacts on entertainment and tourism industry.

Y'all can carry on the convo here
Guys. This is the tourism thread. I’d usually advise to take it to the General Discussion
Also - ENTERTAINMENT AND TOURISM THREAD!
Entertainment & Tourism thread. You can take this discussion over to the COVID General Discussion thread if you wish to continue.

I'm legit begging y'all to check what thread you're in.
 
With the WHO today saying that there is no evidence of immunity after recovering from COVID, that ends any realistic talk of herd immunity without a vaccine. Straight up, the parks will be petri dishes when they open without a vaccine.
That’s not what they said. They said antibody tests can’t measure one’s immunity
 
Out of interest. To anybody who lives in Orlando, what's the road traffic been like?

I imagine the social distancing with the massive loss of tourism must make it feel a little surreal.
 
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Out of interest. To anybody who lives in Orlando, what's the road traffic been like?

I imagine the social distancing with the massive loss of tourism must make it feel a little surreal.
Non-existent. I-Drive is eeriely empty, even moreso at night.
Orlando has a real car culture segment and they tend to run in packs on the highways at night. The speeds they are driving (and all the other idiots) has increased markedly from what the highway patrol has been seeing. They know the green light is lit to go and the chances of being stopped are almost non-existent.
 
And if it's even only 90% effective, why bother? From a legal perspective, that 10% false negative rate is just one more minor hurdle for the plaintiff to jump, after the giant DLR-style signs saying "you may catch COVID by entering" and having to prove you caught in MK and not in Publix or on the plane ride down. Ultimately any "medical check" will be theater, like post-9/11security. Albeit one playing with highly regulated government data and potential to offend the ADA.

***

Unrelated, but over on Magic, Magic Feather dropped a bomb--Voyage of the Little Mermaid won't be re-opening--but also mentioned Frozen Sing-Along Celebration will be getting assigned seating like a movie theater.

Not surprisingly, it sounds like competing plans are on the table. This somewhat contradicts the Doomsday Scenario (which still foresaw an August opening btw). At the same time, it seems like no one at the Mouse is expecting capacity to be an issue for a while.


***

Finally a couple thoughts on a potential 2021 re-opening. Not quoting anyone because not trying to call anyone out, just something for all points of view to remember: nothing takes place in a vacuum.

WDW is a unique entity that owes its existence solely to Florida government--Reed Creek's autonomy and the DVC program (which is legally not timeshare) and its police service from Orange County, they all could be revoked with a simple vote. WDW has a close-knit relationship with state and local government, but it also risks bankrupting both of those every additional week it stays closed. Local Chambers and industry associations--who also have lobbyists downtown and in Tallahassee--are feeling this closure as well. That has to generate enormous pressure.

At the same time, unemployment benefits won't run forever. Even with generous extensions, I don't see them going 10 months. Even if they did, not enough to live in this high cost-of-living town. I already see a couple U-Hauls outside my apartment building every weekend, and they haven't given tours or opened the rental office in a month, so I imagine its people moving out, not in. I don't know how you begin to re-open the parks in 2021 if half your 70k workers have moved out-of-town.

This last point cribbed from a controversial YouTuber, but I have no reason to doubt it -- ISAW uses over 10k motors not including the boats and waterway. Imagine leaving all these systems, some decades old, unattended for 10 months. How many are actually going to start up again?

Literally every day WDW is closed it becomes that much harder to re-open. I don't doubt they will lose money for a while, but the logistics of running the park and the optics of appearing open for business mean they let people in the day their Legal team says it's ok.
To clarify, I did not corroborate the VotLM Closing story. Nor did I do that for the Frozen show having assigned seating. I believe it was "Literally Nobody" that dropped the former and Mansion Butler that dropped the latter. I did however elaborate on this likely taking a significant toll on the availability of entertainment. From spectaculars to streetmosphere, I'd expect shows to be less available. That said, I'm still not totally sold on the notion that everything is cancelled. Even all of the nighttime spectaculars.
So, at Universal. Have they blockaded the drives to the resorts at all or can you still drive the roundabout? I would enjoy seeing pictures of things all ghost town.
Yes, all is blocked. You can only traverse the main roads.
 
It's worth pointing out that Shanghai is testing parades and shows, lending credence that the stateside parks will explore reincorporating both, to some extent.
 
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Orlando has a real car culture segment and they tend to run in packs on the highways at night. The speeds they are driving (and all the other idiots) has increased markedly from what the highway patrol has been seeing. They know the green light is lit to go and the chances of being stopped are almost non-existent.

I like near a motorway and you can hear cars racing up and down it every night

So, at Universal. Have they blockaded the drives to the resorts at all or can you still drive the roundabout? I would enjoy seeing pictures of things all ghost town.

You might enjoy this then:

 
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Non-existent. I-Drive is eeriely empty, even moreso at night.

we live on a Main Street in Philly and it is *eerie* how quiet it is

It's worth pointing out that Shanghai is testing parades and shows, lending credence that the stateside parks will explore reincorporating both, to some extent.

Considering what the visitation will probably be whenWDW opens, they can probably do a parade without jamming a bunch of people in together
 
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Out of interest. To anybody who lives in Orlando, what's the road traffic been like?

I imagine the social distancing with the massive loss of tourism must make it feel a little surreal.

Rush hour is definitely non-existent (silver lining!). But going to and from work, I'm......still seeing a good amount of cars on the road. I haven't been around the guest entrances of the parks, though - I imagine it is very surreal around those parts.

Yes, all is blocked. You can only traverse the main roads.
Yeah, and if you get a little too close to property, Security will be on it. :p
 
Out of interest. To anybody who lives in Orlando, what's the road traffic been like?

I imagine the social distancing with the massive loss of tourism must make it feel a little surreal.

Non-existent. I-Drive is eeriely empty, even moreso at night.

Driven I-Drive a couple times and it is creepy -- can go a minute without seeing another car. Universal Blvd and John Young Pkwy better than normal during the day, but still equivalent to a slow day's traffic, I wouldn't call them empty. At night is when you really notice the difference on Universal.

Sand Lake Road such a cluster I swear it still has traffic, tho not as bad as usual.
 
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Alene travels 25 miles from where we live to UPMC Children's Hospital in Pgh. . Morning drive used to take an hour and 15 minutes, afternoon drive home about 90 to 100 minutes. Both ways now is about 30-35 minutes, and none of it is highway drive. It's all roads through dense populated areas. Green lights straight through for the most part.
 
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