On layoffs, very bad attendance, and Iger's legacy being one of disgrace

[mkt]

Yet Bob Iger makes the call that "something has to be done" to monetize the current political climate.

He's just trying to collect bullet points for his inevitable run for public office. Because why not. Apparently any idiot can be elected in this worst timeline.

 

[Touchdown]

Keeping with my Detroit mindset today, Disney can do that, but they need to be careful to not erode the perceived value of their parks by discounting them too much. Otherwise, we have a situation like where no one will pay MSRP for an American car because they're uses to having every possible discount thrown at them.

I would prefer they got entertainment up again, but call it what it is and say it’s a Covid rate, due to current events WDW is operating in a limited capacity and as such we feel obligated to lower prices temporarily, when we resume normal operations we will resume normal costs.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I am, going in November. Also DVC is very booked up for the holiday season. People adapt quick. Once the election is over this virus will fade. I don't care what side of politics you lean towards there is no denying this thing has been politicized to the extreme.

Also a large quantity of the deaths in Florida are attributed to nursing homes. It's possible as the virus death rate reveals the lower mortality rate of the virus that certain things like mask requirements go away.

I do believe, strongly, that their is pent to demand. Once the pandemic is over people will flood back to the parks. I give it 6 months, roughly.

I respectfully disagree. I admire your optimism tho.

This pandemic won’t end until mid 21 / early 22.

9/11 was a speed bump compared to what’s happening and it took years for the guest level to return to what it was. Hell, there was a day in March 2004 when me and @mkt did all three mountains in an hour. Some random Friday with a 7PM close. place was a ghost town.

 

[BrianLo]

This is the knock-down effect of not controlling a pandemic. The pervasive belief that the economic (particularly tourist activity) is not intrinsically wound up in good control is leading to a bubble that is about to pop. Worse control = Worse Economy. Regardless of unwillingness to shutter things.

The world still is not acting like a horrible recession bomb hit. They've not yet realized these jobs either no longer exist or actually will not soon enough.

This again begs the question - why are they even open? Wouldn't they be better off staying closed with these types of numbers and minimizing their operational costs.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I mean... that’s kinda dark. But I suppose that’s accurate.

My empathy for those that reject science and what’s happening ran out somewhere around March 74th.

 

[mkt]

9/11 was a speed bump compared to what’s happening and it took years for the guest level to return to what it was. Hell, there was a day in March 2004 when me and @mkt did all three mountains in an hour. Some random Friday with a 7PM close. place was a ghost town.

That was a wonderful day. We didn't even break a sweat going to/from Space.

 

[mkt]

My empathy for those that reject science and what’s happening ran out somewhere around March 74th.

I've forgotten what months and days of the week are, and now measure time by how hungover I am when I wake up.

 

[Jrb1979]

I am, going in November. Also DVC is very booked up for the holiday season. People adapt quick. Once the election is over this virus will fade. I don't care what side of politics you lean towards there is no denying this thing has been politicized to the extreme.

Also a large quantity of the deaths in Florida are attributed to nursing homes. It's possible as the virus death rate reveals the lower mortality rate of the virus that certain things like mask requirements go away.

I do believe, strongly, that their is pent to demand. Once the pandemic is over people will flood back to the parks. I give it 6 months, roughly.

I disagree the virus will fade after the election. News to me in Canada that this virus is cause of the US election. Why is it so hard for Disney fans to see demand isn't there?

 

[hopemax]

I respectfully disagree. I admire your optimism tho.

This pandemic won’t end until mid 21 / early 22.

9/11 was a speed bump compared to what’s happening and it took years for the guest level to return to what it was. Hell, there was a day in March 2004 when me and @mkt did all three mountains in an hour. Some random Friday with a 7PM close. place was a ghost town.

As for politics? Politics has zero effect on this virus, propaganda About nursing homes not withstanding. This virus is like a honey badger, it doesn’t give a (..... Duck?) about Anyone’s world view. All it cares about is finding a new host to infect and reproduce and infect and reproduce. It’s airborne and people are most infectious in the 24-48 hours before symptoms appear. People are spreading this without knowing they’re sick. Anyone can get this and die. Young. Old. Athletes. Immune-compromised. The virus doesn’t care who. It just wants to infect and reproduce.

Oh, thank god.

I don't *like* the 21/22 timeline, but went through my, "this is America, we can figure this out, oh crap, no, this is just how novel viruses operate, and oh crap we're going to do nothing about it, even if we do something about it, it's going to be with us for 2 years" in the first month. Now, I just want to bang my head every time someone mentions how this will just all go away as soon as the sheep wake up. Or even the people who are simply naive and just can't imagine this going to still be a thing that long. So I appreciate when someone else says it.

But I hope people have more juicy Disney gossip and this doesn't turn into another virus thread.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Oh, thank god.

I don't *like* the 21/22 timeline, but went through my, "this is America, we can figure this out, oh crap, no, this is just how novel viruses operate, and oh crap we're going to do nothing about it, even if we do something about it, it's going to be with us for 2 years" in the first month. Now, I just want to bang my head every time someone mentions how this will just all go away as soon as the sheep wake up. Or even the people who are simply naive and just can't imagine this going to still be a thing that long. So I appreciate when someone else says it.

But I hope people have more juicy Disney gossip and this doesn't turn into another virus thread.

Hey I’ve been back for two hours, I’m not gonna tear into anyone like the old days. I’ve changed. I look at the world differently. Medication and therapy are good things as well as other life changing issues.

I came to grips that I’m pretty much Stuck at home for the rest of the year with occasional special trips to drive thru McDonalds. It’s like I’m 5 again only with color TV and the internet.

I have no juicy gossip but I leave you with the experience we learned from 9/11 - if dirt hasn’t moved on a project? Don’t expect it to happen. Assume it’s been cancelled. Best Hope is that things get shifted to FY22.

 

[pheneix]

The entire idea of “the virus will go away after the election” is absolute propaganda to downplay the seriousness of what we are facing.

There’s ridiculous economic uncertainty. Unemployment is at record levels. People missing rent payments are at record levels. People simply can’t afford a Disney trip let alone risk getting the plague because of it.

The local passholders are the only hope to keep the parks afloat.

Get used to 7PM closes again.

I think every park in Orlando will be down to five day operating weeks in the not too distant future. WDW will put it off to the bitter end because that will completely torpedo future bookings and their optics of a resort that can stay open. Reality: this resort cannot stay open as it is currently open. WDW is careening towards bankruptcy. The parent company is too.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I've forgotten what months and days of the week are, and now measure time by how hungover I am when I wake up.

Im out of whisky BUT NoVa cases are spiking where I am so Imma make do with Tequila.

 

[JJJ]

What you are about to see from WDC will be shocking and it will permanently change their business forever. The bloat is about to be gone. The mediocrity that's failed upward all our lives is about to be purged. A new company is emerging.

For what it's worth, the New York Times article about Iger/Disney from the beginning of the pandemic corroborates this sentiment:

Mr. Iger also sees this as a moment, he has told associates, to look across the business and permanently change how it operates. He’s told them that he anticipates ending expensive old-school television practices like advertising upfronts and producing pilots for programs that may never air. Disney is also likely to reopen with less office space. He’s also told two people that he anticipated the company having fewer employees. (Mr. Iger said in an email on Sunday evening that he had “no recollection of ever having said” that he expected a smaller work force. “Regardless, any decision about staff reductions will be made by my successor and not me,” he added.)

 

[PhotoDave219]

I think every park in Orlando will be down to five day operating weeks in the not too distant future. WDW will put it off to the bitter end because that will completely torpedo future bookings and their optics of a resort that can stay open. Reality: this resort cannot stay open as it is currently open. WDW is careening towards bankruptcy. The parent company is too.

The parks spinning off into their own company and operating under a licensing agreement like Tokyo & OLC might be the best possible thing long term.

short term this is gonna suck.

 

[rk03221]

Well say goodbye to any 50th celebrations at wdw. I could see the company selling off wdw tbh and keeping Disneyland. This is going to get ugly. I’m so thankful my wife and I left working there, as fun as it was and moved back up north. Orlando sucks

 

[mkt]

WDW will put it off to the bitter end because that will completely torpedo future bookings and their optics of a resort that can stay open

2 days full resort closure? Or staggered park openings in order to have resort reservations all week?

 

[pheneix]

2 days full resort closure? Or staggered park openings in order to have resort reservations all week?

The latter for sure.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Well say goodbye to any 50th celebrations at wdw. I could see the company selling off wdw tbh and keeping Disneyland. This is going to get ugly

Depends on the money and what’s already been spent.

I wouldn’t lose hope, I can see them launching a giant campaign in October 21 to celebrate the 50th at WDW.

HOPEFULLY this will be over by then and we can begin cleaning up the mess.

 

[rk03221]

Depends on the money and what’s already been spent.

I wouldn’t lose hope, I can see them launching a giant campaign in October 21 to celebrate the 50th at WDW.

HOPEFULLY this will be over by then and we can begin cleaning up the mess.

If we have a vaccine by January than yeah, I think there’s hope but if this thing goes on longer...it’s time to panic for the company and Florida locals

 

[pheneix]

The global economic depression we are entering will send Orlando tourism volume crashing back to the early 90s. I think the entire region did like 40 mil a year back then? Good luck spreading that around all the new stuff that's opened since.

I can't wait and I for one look forward to $99 rooms at the Wilderness Lodge.