ImperfectPixie
Well-Known Member
I really hope you're kidding...
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Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion
- Thread starter Parker in NYC
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- coronavirus covid covid-19
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DavidNoble
Well-Known Member
DavidNoble
Well-Known Member
Americans can go to Europe this Summer.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
60-70% of them anyway
GoofGoof
Premium Member
Some may go to WDW but there are tons of other options domestically too. The demographic doesn’t line up perfectly. Most people traveling internationally are not doing it to go to theme parks so they may choose a domestic beach or a domestic city to visit instead.
Most Americans I know aren’t ready to travel internationally yet. I know many people who go to Europe every summer, who aren’t going this year.
DavidNoble
Well-Known Member
60-70% of them anyway
True. Though I believe the vaccine passports are more like fast pass than do not enter. We shall see though.
Rich Brownn
Well-Known Member
altamonte springs here cancelled them again this year
DavidNoble
Well-Known Member
Not trying to be rude, but that’s what… .000001% of the country (in terms of the people you know)? I can find thousands upon thousands quite easily who are ready to go international. If I find the right deal, I’m going to Europe this summer. I have tickets to Japan for December (hoping it opens). There are many ready to travel.
Of course. Not saying every single person who misses a cruise this summer will go to Disney. Just like not every international tourist that comes to the US visits Disney World.
My point is simply that while WDW is losing some international visitors, they may be gaining more domestic visitors than in a “normal” year.
There is evidence of very strong demand for this summer. It will be interesting to see how far Disney adjusts their capacity limits.
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GoofGoof
Premium Member
It will be interesting to see how it plays out. I think what’s happening right now in India will give countries a lot of pause on International travel. Nobody wants to see cases start declining and things looking good but then a variant is introduced due to travel. I think the US will continue with the negative Covid test to get back into the country. Seems like the best way to avoid people bringing covid back.
I know that international air travel is still greatly depressed to Europe. That airlines are running far fewer flights to Europe than Pre-Covid.
Vaccination rates are still low outside of the UK. Tourist destinations remain closed and/or restricted.
As of now, American tourists aren’t even allowed to visit the EU, but that will likely change soon... after they hammer out proof of vaccination.
Considering that right now, American tourists aren’t allowed to visit.. and that policy will just start to change, there is no massive flood of Americans booking Europe summer plans, when there still isn’t even certainty of whether the travel will be permitted.
If you have evidence that there is a massive surge of Americans booking summer travel to Paris, post it.
Chomama
Well-Known Member
Also restriction are tight in Europe. Most attractions and restaurants are limited or closed
GoofGoof
Premium Member
I never said every international visitor who comes to the US visits WDW. I said WDW’s normal demographic includes 20% from outside the US. Unless things change those people won’t be there any time soon. On the domestic side there are still many people who don’t want to travel yet, don’t want to fly yet or don’t want to go to a tourist spot like WDW with large crowds. There are also people who lost income for the past year now. Maybe the waitress or bartender who were out of work aren’t the target demographic but the bar owner is. There are also other people who won’t go to WDW because of masks or lack of offerings as well. I think crowds and demand will be better than today for sure, but no way will WDW see more domestic visitors than a “normal” year. If there were going to be enough domestic visitors to offset the loss of International ones then those additional resorts would have opening dates.
A week ago you were arguing that there wouldn’t be a significant increase in crowds this Summer due to lack of workers and Disney was In no hurry to expand capacity and now you think they will see more domestic visitors than a normal year? What changed?
GoofGoof
Premium Member
I think that’s the bigger issue. Most people planning to go to Europe would just get the vaccine if they don’t already have it. It’s going there if things aren’t looking good or if things aren’t open that would be a bigger deterrent.
Chomama
Well-Known Member
My sister lives in UK and still says not to come. It’s just not fun even for residents
The demand is there. That’s why they aren’t offering any significant summer discounts. That’s why park passes are getting sold out through the next 2 months. They aren’t opening the resorts because they don’t have enough cast members to staff them. (The Central Florida hospitality labor shortage is well documented)
I didn’t say there wouldn’t be a significant increase in crowds/demand. I said that Disney will continue to limit capacity due to lack of workers. I’ve been saying that for a couple months now — that labor and other issues unrelated to Covid will keep WDW from fully re-opening. I never said there would be a lack of demand.
And that’s still true —- with one big change.
They previously said they wouldn’t bring back the College Program till late in the year. But they are so desperately short staffed, that they are now rushing to bring back the College Program next month.
This will help them start to increase capacity. But it will likely be late summer before they have enough staff to go to full capacity.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
On the concept of travel here’s some interesting polling:
Confidence is rising a lot recently on travel in general and specifically theme parks. Over 40% say they now feel comfortable visiting a theme park, that may double by July if things go well. About half say they are either already flying on looking forward to flying somewhere. Big progress, but also shows we are nowhere near normal levels.
The Return to Normal: Views on the Pandemic | Morning Consult
Morning Consult surveys thousands of Americans monthly to gauge the impact of the pandemic on economics, politics and more.
morningconsult.com
Confidence is rising a lot recently on travel in general and specifically theme parks. Over 40% say they now feel comfortable visiting a theme park, that may double by July if things go well. About half say they are either already flying on looking forward to flying somewhere. Big progress, but also shows we are nowhere near normal levels.
DavidNoble
Well-Known Member
Yeah, of course it is greatly depressed. Because they just started announcing guidelines to open. Airlines are basically begging for the countries to open. Which will then give them reason to run far more flights to Europe.
And France just announced they're reopening in June - https://www.travelawaits.com/2657617/france-reopening-to-visitors-june-9-2021/
EU Reopening in June - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...y-covid-vaccinated-foreign-tourists-from-june
Spain - https://www.travelpulse.com/news/de...welcome-back-worldwide-travelers-by-june.html
Italy - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...open-to-foreign-tourists-from-mid-may-says-pm
The plans are there. Now Americans can book with confidence.
They just may find the tourist sites closed, etc.
fact is — as you now admit, American tourism outside of the US will be quite depressed for at least the next several months.
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