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

[Andysol]

An argument to use WDW, it's hotels, and ESPN WWoS to play out the NBA season:

Why Walt Disney World would be the ideal spot for the NBA to salvage its season

While Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Nassau and other cities are solid single-site candidates to host a league like the NBA, none offers what Walt Disney World does.

sports.yahoo.com

This is fascinating.

If I'm looking at it from the WDW angle- having live TV showing sports being safely played and athletes housed at Disney World Hotels and facilities would be incredible marketing to get people thinking of and planning trips again to WDW. Likely faster than if they did nothing.
The flip side is if a handful of major players are having to sit out with infections; then that could backfire. But I don't think the negative impact would be that major.

It's an interesting scenario for Disney to try to take advantage of or distance from entirely.

 

[JoeCamel]

This is fascinating.

If I'm looking at it from the WDW angle- having live TV showing sports being safely played and athletes housed at Disney World Hotels and facilities would be incredible marketing to get people thinking of and planning trips again to WDW. Likely faster than if they did nothing.
The flip side is if a handful of major players are having to sit out with infections; then that could backfire. But I don't think the negative impact would be that major.

It's an interesting scenario for Disney to try to take advantage of or distance from entirely.

Think the players will like the idea of being cooped up in a hotel for the whole season? Away from family? Or if family comes along then what do they do while the games are played? I just don't think it flies.

 

[Andysol]

Think the players will like the idea of being cooped up in a hotel for the whole season? Away from family? Or if family comes along then what do they do while the games are played? I just don't think it flies.

That was the talk with MLB also- bringing immediate family into the hotels as well. Which means they'd have to get tested as well. But player's families can obviously distance from one another in an entire stadium if they so choose. If they choose to congregate in groups of 10 or less; well... they could do that today if that's their desire. So there's really no difference.

I'm no sports-junky. I watch a tiny bit of the NFL and basically no NHL/NBA/MLB outside of maybe 1-2 games a year. So it doesn't affect me at all.

I'm just trying to think of the benefits and detriments. And the ancillary benefits of the staff to take care of the athletes and their families; meaning hotel management/cleaning/food, as well as the stadium staff and everyone on the TV crews/production, etc.
The multi-million dollar athlete or the billionaire owner don't really cross my mind like the other people involved do. And anything that brings a positive psychological well-being via sense of normalcy back is always welcome if it can be done safely and efficiently. Seeing empty stadiums certainly aren't normal; but beggars/choosers.

 

[Magic Feather]

An argument to use WDW, it's hotels, and ESPN WWoS to play out the NBA season:

Why Walt Disney World would be the ideal spot for the NBA to salvage its season

While Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Nassau and other cities are solid single-site candidates to host a league like the NBA, none offers what Walt Disney World does.

sports.yahoo.com

I'd be surprised that, if this were even a possibility, they would use the Pop-DAAR complex. Sure it's the closest, but the perceived luxury/living standard would be incredibly low, especially considering most people would have to be in Pop's Rooms as opposed to AoA's nice rooms. Plus, I have a "feeling" that, if/when WDW would start to come back online, resorts with designated, non-bus transportation would be prioritized.
Between this priority and a lack of convention business, I feel like the perfect answer would be Coronado. It's a huge resort that is basically its own mini city with multiple restaurants at a variety of levels. Plus, it is relatively close to ESPN still, and the convention facilities could be used for extra practice.

 

[Nick]

I'd be surprised that, if this were even a possibility, they would use the Pop-DAAR complex. Sure it's the closest, but the perceived luxury/living standard would be incredibly low, especially considering most people would have to be in Pop's Rooms as opposed to AoA's nice rooms. Plus, I have a "feeling" that, if/when WDW would start to come back online, resorts with designated, non-bus transportation would be prioritized.
Between this priority and a lack of convention business, I feel like the perfect answer would be Coronado. It's a huge resort that is basically its own mini city with multiple restaurants at a variety of levels. Plus, it is relatively close to ESPN still, and the convention facilities could be used for extra practice.

Yeah, that sounds more right from the hotel front. I can’t imagine WDW would turn down the NBA if this was offered. It would give them a high-paying tenant at WWoS and the NBA would basically be paying to rent out an entire hotel as well.

With Disney struggling so much as a company, that seems too good to turn down if it is seriously proposed.

Christopher Nolan aint giving up on "Tenet" though.

Disney has Mulan the week after Tenet that might have to move again, as well. Or it could be perfectly positioned.

Guess we’ll see.

 

[fryoj]

But, there wasn't a "yearning" by many people to go see a movie at that time. After months of not being able to see a first run film in a theater? That'll increase demand.

The first movie or few out the gate will do real well. After people get out and feel normal for a bit, then it could get dicey.

 

[Nick]

The first movie or few out the gate will do real well. After people get out and feel normal for a bit, then it could get dicey.

The first movies will very likely be Avatar and Endgame.

 

[Clive]

The first movies will very likely be Avatar and Endgame.

I know they tried that in China, but I doubt they'll do it here. People aren't going to pay a premium on movies they can literally watch on Disney+ in the midst of a recession.

Also, Bob Iger is on the economic task force for reopening on California, in case anyone doubted that the parks will reopen before 2021.

 

[Disneyhead]

 

[JungleSkip]

Dan is almost surely right.

Even if, being generous, 50% of the normal guest load comes to WDW the rest of the year after they reopen, that's still a huge financial hit, and basically ensures only Disney and UOR are able to scrape by until tourism rebounds.

 

[Magic-Man]

Yep. I wouldn't expect the bigger parks to open for another year.

This is a best case scenario, but I can see smaller parks like Silver Dollar City, Kennywood, Knobels, etc opening in the fall. They're smaller parks all around (ride count, attendance, work-force, demand, etc) so they'd be able to handle an early opening a lot better than Disney/Universal/Cedar Fair/Six Flags/Seaworld would.

 

[Nick]

I know they tried that in China, but I doubt they'll do it here. People aren't going to pay a premium on movies they can literally watch on Disney+ in the midst of a recession.

Also, Bob Iger is on the economic task force for reopening on California, in case anyone doubted that the parks will reopen before 2021.

Even with Bob on the board I’d still give it a solid 50/50 outlook on if they reopen this year or not.

 

[Magic Feather]

Even with Bob on the board I’d still give it a solid 50/50 outlook on if they reopen this year or not.

Better odds than that

 

[Nick]

Beaches reopening in FL tonight.

Beaches in Florida will start reopening THIS EVENING

Jacksonville beaches reopened at 5pm on Friday under limited hours and use restrictions, even as Florida recorded its highest single-day increase in confirmed coronavirus cases.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Magic-Man]

Uhh, so the governor just gave the go-ahead to start reopening the beaches. Some have already reopened.

Gov. DeSantis gives green light for some Florida beaches to reopen

Some north Florida beaches are opening starting Friday, becoming among the first beaches to reopen in the state since coronavirus concerns forced beachgoers away.

www.clickorlando.com

 

[JungleSkip]

Beaches in Florida will start reopening THIS EVENING

Jacksonville beaches reopened at 5pm on Friday under limited hours and use restrictions, even as Florida recorded its highest single-day increase in confirmed coronavirus cases.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I really worry the long term detriment this could have on the Orlando parks if cases start to skyrocket and things get really bad in Florida. It's what most experts predict with opening things too early, and it's not like Florida was closed all that long anyway.

 

[Nick]

I really worry the long term detriment this could have on the Orlando parks if cases start to skyrocket and things get really bad in Florida. It's what most experts predict with opening things too early, and it's not like Florida was closed all that long anyway.

Luckily, Orange County and Osceola County are controlled by Democrats, so hopefully they continue to stay closed as long as needed.

 

[Magic-Man]

Opening the beaches has got to be the dumbest thing I've seen happen in a long time. Florida has barely been under lockdown and beaches are a major tourism destination. Restaurants and hotels still aren't open, so there's no real money to be made. There's limits of 50(!!!!!!!) people when the recommended limit is 6. Like, what's the thought process behind this?

 

[GadgetGuru]

If there was any time for Universal to grab the DC/Looney Tunes rights from Six Flags, now would be it.

If they legally can, I’m sure Six Flags would sell them in a heartbeat. Not sure if WB would sell the rights over to Comcast now that WB is owned by ATT.

Same goes for Viacom and all of the Nickelodeon properties. I’m sure Comcast could pick up the entire network (theme park rights and all) if they wanted to.

 

[Scott W.]

Bob Iger Added to California Task Force to Reopen Economy

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