Theme Parks & Shopping Districts Reopening General Thread

[Jerroddragon]

The only one making it work - surprisingly - is SeaWorld. The fireworks actually get people to hang around and they’ve quietly added a sixth day of operation. With the numbers they’re drawing, they could absolutely shoot off fireworks at Epcot.

So in Theory Disney could have nighttime shows...they are just being responsible and not having them so crowds do get to close together?

 

[Nick]

So in Theory Disney could have nighttime shows...they are just being responsible and not having them so crowds do get to close together?

Yes... but also, it's a budget thing. The fireworkds cost a ton of money and if there isn't that many people there to see them anyway, it's not worth wasting shells.

 

[GAcoaster]

So in Theory Disney could have nighttime shows...they are just being responsible and not having them so crowds do get to close together?

More than anything it's the crush of people all leaving the parks at the same time that was an issue. It was an issue at MK BEFORE covid since they no longer have night parades, so the post fireworks rush was a real problem for the monorails/boats/buses with huge crowds all wanting to leave at the same time. They started offering incentives to stay in the park after fireworks with discounted food and reminders the park was still open, but the problem was really bad, especially when there were issues with monorails or ferry boats (nearly every night).

Since they re-opened the parks they still have issues with the mass arrival and mass exodus at open and close causing crowding, but only for about an hour at open and at close.

 

[Mad Dog]

Reading on some of the Disney oriented sites, they were quoting Chapek as saying that reservations were pretty strong before the Florida covid surge, but then the mass cancellations came in reaction to that surge. .

 

[Parkscope Joe]

If Disney wants to stick to reservations they could guarantee admission four hours after opening then reopen reservations afterwards. Good way of allowing park hopping and such without screwing people over.

Reading on some of the Disney oriented sites, they were quoting Chapek as saying that reservations were pretty strong before the Florida covid surge, but then the mass cancellations came in reaction to that surge. .

This lines up with what anecdotal evidence I've seen, both myself (didn't go in July for a wedding, not sure about Sept yet) and others (boss, friends, etc). If FL kept their cases down and didn't reopen quickly and recklessly I think the parks would be in a much better position. Better, not great or perfect, just better.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Yes... but also, it's a budget thing. The fireworkds cost a ton of money and if there isn't that many people there to see them anyway, it's not worth wasting shells.

Then why is Sea World doing it?

I know Fireworks cost a lot, way more than I'd even want to pay for how much the parks use them.

 

[shiekra38]

Then why is Sea World doing it?

I know Fireworks cost a lot, way more than I'd even want to pay for how much the parks use them.

SeaWorld is running a more cost effective show in terms of fireworks.

 

[Mad Dog]

SeaWorld is running a more cost effective show in terms of fireworks.

Bottle rockets & sparklers. ....................................

 

[Alicia]

This lines up with what anecdotal evidence I've seen, both myself (didn't go in July for a wedding, not sure about Sept yet) and others (boss, friends, etc). If FL kept their cases down and didn't reopen quickly and recklessly I think the parks would be in a much better position. Better, not great or perfect, just better.

Plus, international guests literally cannot visit, even if they wanted to. They were all forced to cancel/reschedule too. I know folks that have already rescheduled their WDW trip 3 times. That’s a lot of park reservations suddenly vanishing every time.

 

[Mad Dog]

Plus, international guests literally cannot visit, even if they wanted to. They were all forced to cancel/reschedule too. I know folks that have already rescheduled their WDW trip 3 times. That’s a lot of park reservations suddenly vanishing every time.

Whenever this clears, there's going to be a lot of pent up demand, even if the economy remains in a recession. At this point in time, the layoffs didn't really much affect the regular tourists that can afford an expensive Orlando vacation. It mostly affected the people that couldn't afford Disney during even the best of times.

 

[OLSinFLA]

More than anything it's the crush of people all leaving the parks at the same time that was an issue. It was an issue at MK BEFORE covid since they no longer have night parades, so the post fireworks rush was a real problem for the monorails/boats/buses with huge crowds all wanting to leave at the same time. They started offering incentives to stay in the park after fireworks with discounted food and reminders the park was still open, but the problem was really bad, especially when there were issues with monorails or ferry boats (nearly every night).

Since they re-opened the parks they still have issues with the mass arrival and mass exodus at open and close causing crowding, but only for about an hour at open and at close.

Its been a problem for waaaay back. When I worked monorails during "America On Parade" between the parade and the fireworks there'd be a person here and there dribbling out. As soon as the last firework boomed, our lead would yell "Positions!" and it looked like the wild west land grab was on. We'd gp from nothing to a 45-minute wait in less than a minute.

 

[TommyJK]

Whenever this clears, there's going to be a lot of pent up demand, even if the economy remains in a recession. At this point in time, the layoffs didn't really much affect the regular tourists that can afford an expensive Orlando vacation. It mostly affected the people that couldn't afford Disney during even the best of times.

The thing is, I don't see things "clearing" until late 2021 at the earliest. Even if a vaccine comes soonish (late 2020/early 2021 and that's a big If) by the time it gets distributed to everyone (and healthy, non Frontline workers aged 18-60 are going to be very last, who likely are the key demo that go to parks) we're looking at late 2021/early 2022.

Not to mention the volume of people who just won't take a vaccine.

And to me that's IMO best case scenario.

 

[Mad Dog]

The thing is, I don't see things "clearing" until late 2021 at the earliest. Even if a vaccine comes soonish (late 2020/early 2021 and that's a big If) by the time it gets distributed to everyone (and healthy, non Frontline workers aged 18-60 are going to be very last, who likely are the key demo that go to parks) we're looking at late 2021/early 2022.

Not to mention the volume of people who just won't take a vaccine.

And to me that's IMO best case scenario.

Sounds about right with the vaccine , maybe a few months earlier, depending in part on who wins the election The big outlier is how many that have T cell immunity, from asymptomatic exposure or exposure to related covids, added to the pool with the early vaccines. . Recent studies seem to indicate a much larger number than previously thought. Article today in the Washington Post throwing out some 'potentially' huge numbers. Of course, it's still all theory at this point in time. And internal US tourism will precede international tourism. They won't reach 2019 numbers at the outset, but they have the potential to be decent enough for OK profits. . And it's just about a certainty the main economic power countries will get the vaccine first. The third world, fair or not, will be way down the list. But they'll probably keep those countries blocked out for international travel anyway............Great in depth article on the Washington Post site. "Scientists Ask Whether the Asymptomatic are Key to Unraveling Virus. New Research Suggests that Some of us may be partially protected due to past encounters with common cold coronaviruses' ....The article goes in depth about the asymptomatic cases, T cells, immunity connected to past vaccinations (Measles, TB, polio, Malaria), colds etc. They also have graphs showing how much larger asymptomatic cases were in real numbers than mild or full blown cases in enclosed areas like cruise ships, prisons. meatpacking plants etc. They are also looking at the possibility that the assumption that covid is a 'novel' coronovirus is wrong since some appear to have an immunity to it..................This is the tourism wildcard. The possibility that these tentative studies end up being scientifically proven has a lot of ramifications for Orlando tourism. Florida, with their huge number of infections now and for the next months, combined with a vaccine, and all of these immunity possibilities talked about in the article, may end up resulting in a mid 2021 Florida that's reached the herd immunity threshholds. All just theories and concepts now....but there may be light at the end of the tunnel sooner than some think if all this pans out.

 

[OLSinFLA]

I guess we'll see how serious the government is about vaccines once they are available. There's a number of options to deal with anti-vac people.

 

[HThomas]

I guess we'll see how serious the government is about vaccines once they are available. There's a number of options to deal with anti-vac people.

If you take the vac then your protected. Dont worry about others. I'm not taking your injectable science experiment.

 

[Imperius]

If you take the vac then your protected. Dont worry about others. I'm not taking your injectable science experiment.

Yeah that’s not how it works.

 

[RevFreako]

If you take the vac then your protected. Dont worry about others. I'm not taking your injectable science experiment.

Wow. This is absolutely breathtaking ignorance.

 

[Alicia]

All of modern history is a science experiment.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Y’all on topic please

 

[Mad Dog]

Len Testa, owner of Touring Plans; "FWIW, yesterday (Sat. August 8th) appears to have been the busiest post-reopening so far at the MK, USF & IOA."....And looking at the Touring Plans app for today, Sunday, at 11:30 AM,
covid era lines at MK, AK, & DHS appear to be about as busy as Saturday. And USF and IOA appear to be as long, or longer in some cases, than Saturday's lines....Looking like the best weekend so far in the covid limited capacity
Orlando parks.