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

[GAcoaster]

It's also just the lull between holidays and Spring Break.

 

[Mad Dog]

It's also just the lull between holidays and Spring Break.

yes, Touring Plans had long ago predicted for smaller crowds for these past couple of days...................Now, Feb. was something else though. Touring plans said Feb. 2020 had more 9 and 10 level crowds than they've ever seen for this time of year.

 

[SeventyOne]

Heard on radio convention business already starting to feel the effects.At least one convention cancelled next week. OCCC bound to be hit hard first, as I think corporate travel will be cancelled out of an abundance of caution before families start to panic (if that ever even happens).

On a related front, g/f had an email from Carnival. You can get a 7-night cruise for $60. Not per night, whole cruise. So another industry to keep an eye on as a harbinger of the parks.

 

[Teebin]

Geepers.

"New York (CNN Business)United Airlines became the first airline to cut its US flight schedule on Wednesday, as passenger worry about the coronavirus has caused a sharp drop in demand.
While airlines around the world have been making steep cuts in international flights, this is the first set of cuts made to a US flight schedule."

United, JetBlue cutting US flights because of coronavirus | CNN Business

United Airlines and JetBlue Airways became the first airlines to cut their US flight schedules on Wednesday, as passenger worry about the coronavirus has caused a sharp drop in demand.

www.cnn.com

 

[Scott W.]

Heard on radio convention business already starting to feel the effects.At least one convention cancelled next week. OCCC bound to be hit hard first, as I think corporate travel will be cancelled out of an abundance of caution before families start to panic (if that ever even happens).

On a related front, g/f had an email from Carnival. You can get a 7-night cruise for $60. Not per night, whole cruise. So another industry to keep an eye on as a harbinger of the parks.

Even at that price point, I’m thinking is it even worth the risk.

 

[sonoma15]

HWS was predicted to be a 10/10 crowd level by touringplans today but..

 

[Scott W.]

HWS was predicted to be a 10/10 crowd level by touringplans today but..View attachment 11784

This could have to do with Mickey and Minnie opening. A lot of people could have been avoiding the park.

 

[GAcoaster]

CMs are blocked out now through May, and CMs (especially CPs) make up a disproportionate number of park guests, especially this time of year when they just started their programs.

 

[Nick]

CMs are blocked out now through May, and CMs (especially CPs) make up a disproportionate number of park guests, especially this time of year when they just started their programs.

It's also the "slow" week before Spring Breaks start in earnest and then run into Easter in April.

To bring this back around to COVID, it was very noticeable the people taking precautions at the park yesterday. Lots of people wearing face masks, glaves and the people I sat next to on MMRR had hand sanitizing wipes with them and they literally wiped down the lap bar before pulling it down. I'm a bit surprised that Disney doesn't have a bunch of hand sanitizing stations brought out to different areas of the park. They did it for some other virus a few years ago that hardly affected the US at all.

 

[Grabnar]

Heard on radio convention business already starting to feel the effects.At least one convention cancelled next week. OCCC bound to be hit hard first, as I think corporate travel will be cancelled out of an abundance of caution before families start to panic (if that ever even happens).

On a related front, g/f had an email from Carnival. You can get a 7-night cruise for $60. Not per night, whole cruise. So another industry to keep an eye on as a harbinger of the parks.

Anecdotal but my workplace and all of the places my friends work have cancelled all non-essential work related travel. If you've been to a CDC level 2+ country you are required to undergo a 14 day quarantine.

Lots of companies/people pulling out of ECCC, SXSW, etc as well.

 

[SeventyOne]

Week-long HIMSS conference next week at OCCC that was big enough to have Trump as a speaker has been cancelled. Website says it was supposed to draw 45k. Devastating news for I-Drive, but has to spill over into some bad news for UOR and WDW as well.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Heard some rumors out of Disneyland, things are apocalyptic. Boarding groups open for hours because there aren’t enough people to fill them in the park. Hotel occupancy below 50%.

 

[jrn14]

Yikes, what a mess... hopefully things rebound quick enough that it doesn't effect the travel industry too much. I'm concerned for Epic Universe

 

[JoeCamel]

Heard some rumors out of Disneyland, things are apocalyptic. Boarding groups open for hours because there aren’t enough people to fill them in the park. Hotel occupancy below 50%.

People gonna protect their families and not take them around for now. I would.

 

[Grabnar]

Yikes, what a mess... hopefully things rebound quick enough that it doesn't effect the travel industry too much. I'm concerned for Epic Universe

Again, anecdotal (and potentially not applicable I guess) but I work in specialty chemicals. We're still planning for some massive expansion over the next 5 years. I think this will put a damper on immediate or expendable projects (think that Mary Poppins flat ride at Disney), but the groundwork and grading, etc, will continue for larger projects like EU. I'd be very surprised if they don't have a lot of the immediate mid-range funding squared away already, and I also think that this recession won't be a substantial problem in 8-12 months when more of the construction starts kicking off for EU. Remember, the opening date isn't until 2023. This may push it back some, but you still have a few years of recovery time between then and now.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

People gonna protect their families and not take them around for now. I would.

Like honestly unless you are around the elderly and those with compromised immune systems this isn’t some “protect my family” thing. More just irrational fear that’ll send us into a recession.

 

[JoeCamel]

Like honestly unless you are around the elderly and those with compromised immune systems this isn’t some “protect my family” thing. More just irrational fear that’ll send us into a recession.

We know that but the GP? They will not take a chance if there is even a sliver of expectation that one of their loved ones will get it. Much more of this type of thinking in California than the east I think. Not a dis just an observation

 

[Scott W.]

Like honestly unless you are around the elderly and those with compromised immune systems this isn’t some “protect my family” thing. More just irrational fear that’ll send us into a recession.

It’s not just that. It’s the fear that you travel and catch it and the fear is heightened by being in large groups of people. You can do all the right things but it only takes one person to not take care.

Add on top of that, what do you do in the highly unlikely event that you do catch it and your hundreds or thousands of miles away from home?

Being home is safe for most people.

 

[Clive]

Heard some rumors out of Disneyland, things are apocalyptic. Boarding groups open for hours because there aren’t enough people to fill them in the park. Hotel occupancy below 50%.

I really think it's going to fill up again this weekend and continue fine through spring break. But hey... if I get an empty park on Saturday... I'll take it!

 

[Nick]

Week-long HIMSS conference next week at OCCC that was big enough to have Trump as a speaker has been cancelled. Website says it was supposed to draw 45k. Devastating news for I-Drive, but has to spill over into some bad news for UOR and WDW as well.

Yup, normally when big conferences are in town, they rent out the parks.

Like honestly unless you are around the elderly and those with compromised immune systems this isn’t some “protect my family” thing. More just irrational fear that’ll send us into a recession.

You're downplaying this wayyyy too much. To a risky extent. And it's not just the elderly. If you have certain pre-existing conditions - which ANYBODY could have - you are a higher risk person. Can you point that person out in a crowd though? No, because it could be you for all I know.

If we fall into a recession, but people are keeping themselves safe i'll take that any day of the week over people risking it (maybe some people who shouldn't be) and the economy booming. Screw the economy, we're talking about peoples lives.