Reopening Disneyland

[el_super]

A lot of back and forth between DI and TP; it's hard to figure out whether to be hopeful for a reopening this summer, especially since we haven't even heard any hints of such. For every bit of hope, it feels like it's offset by something negative, if legitimate. I hope the plan to bring the orange-tiered opening does make it to Newsom sooner than later and he does sign it.

Seems to me that it would be far more productive to hope and work toward eradicating the health threat of COVID-19 than hoping that Disneyland will magically reopen.

 

[PiratesMansion]

It's confusing and very murky, even for me after reading that full Sacramento document again today.

Now just imagine how confusing and murky it must be for business owners trying to reopen their properties?

As written, the Guidance from Sacramento simply doesn't allow a ride like Haunted Mansion to operate. Or at least, operate with more than two or three "households" per elevator designed to hold 75 people. You'd need to space each household in the stretching room at least six feet apart from each other. Maybe four households maximum in there, 12 or 16 people, instead of 75 closely packed bodies?

No wonder WDW just said "screw it!" and pried open both sets of stretching room doors and put some ropes up and called that opening show scene part of the queue. They threw in the towel in Florida, and they don't even have Governor Newsom to deal with. (Of course, this is basically how sloppy and lazy WDW managers often ran their Haunted Mansion ride pre-Covid, but that's another topic for a different snarky thread)

They didn't even bother to extend the stretching room the whole way, cutting off the gags in the entire portraits! FLORIDA!

Obviously for Disneyland with real elevators taking you to a tunnel below grade, this isn't going to be an option. Which makes the official Guidance from Sacramento seem to state that running a ride like Haunted Mansion, or even Star Wars: Rise Before Dawn, is not going to be allowed when the park reopens in the Yellow Tier.

Tokyo's doing the exact same thing with their Mansion. Are we blaming them too now?

What do you want to try to limit with covid? Time indoors around other people. The stretching room doesn't NEED to run right now for the rest of the ride to function because there's no elevation change.

Even according to Disney's own Keys, safety trumps show. If they're still doing this when covid is no longer a concern, THEN we can point fingers.

But for how long, though? Would they be closed for good?

Also, that statement from TP2000 makes it seem like that the reopening guidelines would never allow the Haunted Mansion to reopen at all in the yellow tier, which he believes is how it will probably remain when the parks do reopen. It's also really sad that they had to run a literal line through the stretching room, ruining a great effect.

I had also heard that Disney will no longer invest as heavily in their parks (I believe they will focus on the media side of things (i.e., Disney Plus)). Frankly, I'm wondering if they will actually invest in their parks at all.

Here's the thing: nobody knows how long this is all going to take, how long the current legislation will last, when Disneyland will reopen, when covid is over.

Not TP2000, not Newsom, not Biden, not the head of the CDC or the WHO. Nobody. So we may as well embrace the unknown to the best of our ability until we have more definitive answers.

This all could be closed for a few months or a year. It probably won't be forever, because no matter how much Disney complains about California, Disneyland makes money. Will it reopen exactly the way it was in March of 2020? Probably not. But eventually everything will be open and be pretty close to how it was before.

Also, keep in mind that TP2000 would rather tell what he thinks is a good story (especially if it might generate drama) than share what is 100% objective fact. Especially in this situation when he's no more of an authority (less, actually) than any of the other agents I named above. And in this situation, the ONLY 100% objective fact is what I posted above: nobody knows, but an awful lot of people are trying to spin their wheels and offering their "thoughts/take/etc" because it makes them Feel Important if their mouth is moving and words are coming out.

RE: investments into the parks, probably true, but there are always cycles of high investment and low investment. Also keep in mind that they are currently more concerned about their international parks, many of which have had long term struggles, than their domestic parks that print money most of the time. Both WDW and Disneyland do have rides actively under construction that will open at some point, but yes, there will probably be a dry spell for awhile afterward.

 

[mharrington]

Seems to me that it would be far more productive to hope and work toward eradicating the health threat of COVID-19 than hoping that Disneyland will magically reopen.

Apparently, that's what's happening because it seems no fun places will ever reopen until the threat is completely eradicated. Why only open part of a park with social distancing in place when you could reopen everything with no distancing measures at all?

 

[Stevek]

Apparently, that's what's happening because it seems no fun places will ever reopen until the threat is completely eradicated. Why only open part of a park with social distancing in place when you could reopen everything with no distancing measures at all?

It does not have to be completely eradicated, just at a very manageable level. If vaccines are in the arms of most folks by June as some predict, It's very possible Disneyland is opened not long after but still at a reduced capacity that will likely ramp up over time.

 

[el_super]

Apparently, that's what's happening because it seems no fun places will ever reopen until the threat is completely eradicated. Why only open part of a park with social distancing in place when you could reopen everything with no distancing measures at all?

You can't reopen the park with no distancing measures at all.

 

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

Apparently, that's what's happening because it seems no fun places will ever reopen until the threat is completely eradicated. Why only open part of a park with social distancing in place when you could reopen everything with no distancing measures at all?

3 reasons: Cost savings, safety, feasibility.

For one thing retraining all attractions CMs is an expense that may not be worth it particularly if a county is at risk of “cratering between tiers” triggering a re-closure. Some attractions may not open with the park for this reason if the maintenance costs are simply too high in the immediate term. But the pandemic will end, and as the pandemic moves into endemic territory with increased vaccinations/herd immunity, rules will be loosened and more will be opened.

With a (rumored) day parting strategy being considered Disney could easily double park capacity per day. Someone limited to a 6 or 7-hour 1/2 day to roam the park isn’t likely going to be able to go on every ride in the parks thus it may not be prudent to open EVERY ride at first. The key is strict limits on ticketing/capacity per time period, maximizing outdoor physical walking space, and simultaneously promoting mobile queues for food, shopping, and attractions.

We all may have reasonable disagreement on how long these protections should be in place on this board, but keep in mind with everything that this is still temporary. For folks to suggest anything else is pure hyperbole. Things will change, but don’t be shocked if the reopening of the park is more of a dimmer light switch than an off/on button.

 

[TP2000]

A lot of back and forth between DI and TP; it's hard to figure out whether to be hopeful for a reopening this summer, especially since we haven't even heard any hints of such. For every bit of hope, it feels like it's offset by something negative, if legitimate. I hope the plan to bring the orange-tiered opening does make it to Newsom sooner than later and he does sign it.

Don't worry, it's not just you. I think it's hard for all of us to figure out when and how Disneyland will reopen. No one really knows.

All we currently have to go on is the Guidance released by Governor Newsom in October, 2020. That has not changed. And that means that Disneyland has to wait for OC to get to the Yellow Tier for three consecutive weeks and then reopen at 25% capacity, no indoor queues, massive operational changes, etc., etc.

Until Governor Newsom rescinds the Guidance he issued for theme parks in October, or until OC reaches the Yellow Tier, all we can do is wait. Tick, tick, tick...

 

[TP2000]

Tokyo's doing the exact same thing with their Mansion. Are we blaming them too now?

What do you want to try to limit with covid? Time indoors around other people. The stretching room doesn't NEED to run right now for the rest of the ride to function because there's no elevation change.

Even according to Disney's own Keys, safety trumps show. If they're still doing this when covid is no longer a concern, THEN we can point fingers.

I kid about the Florida Mansion. Although really it would be nice if they rolled the portraits all the way down to establish the full sight gags.

But the inconvenient truth is this is not the first time Florida has done this with its Mansion, and it won't be the last. I first experienced this queue phenomenon during a trip in November, 1999 for the Millennium Celebration. The other Californians I was with, and me, all had our minds blown when the queue just wrapped into the daylight flooded "stretching room" and then on to the loading area.

I also experienced them doing this at WDW's Mansion during a trip in the late 2000's. If I can catch it happening on random cross-country visits, you know darn well they do this pathetic operation routinely. Go Florida!

Here's the thing: nobody knows how long this is all going to take, how long the current legislation will last, when Disneyland will reopen, when covid is over.

Not TP2000, not Newsom, not Biden, not the head of the CDC or the WHO. Nobody. So we may as well embrace the unknown to the best of our ability until we have more definitive answers.

This all could be closed for a few months or a year. It probably won't be forever, because no matter how much Disney complains about California, Disneyland makes money. Will it reopen exactly the way it was in March of 2020? Probably not. But eventually everything will be open and be pretty close to how it was before.

I agree with you there, much like I just said to try and cheer up our friend @mharrington. No one really knows.

I have a hunch the current Guidance from October will be rescinded by Easter and replaced with something less restrictive, but that's just my opinion based on Governor Newsom's past willingness to move goalposts and replace current systems with brand new ones. I can tell you one thing, the next 90 days will be fun to watch!

Also, keep in mind that TP2000 would rather tell what he thinks is a good story (especially if it might generate drama) than share what is 100% objective fact. Especially in this situation when he's no more of an authority (less, actually) than any of the other agents I named above. And in this situation, the ONLY 100% objective fact is what I posted above: nobody knows, but an awful lot of people are trying to spin their wheels and offering their "thoughts/take/etc" because it makes them Feel Important if their mouth is moving and words are coming out.

Oh... you lost me.

I'm a guy sitting on my patio with lemonade in the afternoon, or in my den with a Scotch in the evenings, just posting and chatting and sharing my thoughts and opinions. Been doin' it this way since the late 1990's, probably not gonna stop. (Dropping my 'g's? Where the heck did that dialect come from? Sorry!)

I do try and back up my opinions with some hard data, and during Covid that has been really easy for me to do with all the various government websites and "dashboards" from the County, the State, the CDC, and the Federal Government.

As for why or how often people are posting here and your critique of that, this is a Discussion Forum. We are all free to post as often or as infrequently as we like here, so long as we remain polite and abide by the website owner's simple guidelines. I don't get a credit in the gift shop for posting here, nor do I pay anyone to post here.

The moment it stops being fun or entertaining, I'll stop posting and focus on gardening or something else. Until then, I'm here!

 

[TP2000]

So, anyway... Reopening Disneyland.

Here's some news. After taking most of the winter off and going about 10 weeks without posting on his Instagram account, Disneyland President Ken Potrock has returned to Instagram in the past few days.

His most recent post was for the opening of the Star Wars gift shop in the old Rainforest Cafe. The Social Distancing displayed by these CM's at the opening ceremony is impressive!

But it's also a good sign we are hearing from Mr. Potrock again. His Social Media silence since Christmas was a tad worrisome.

Ken Potrock (@kenpotrock) • Instagram profile

31K Followers, 91 Following, 348 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Ken Potrock (@kenpotrock)

www.instagram.com

 

[el_super]

But it's also a good sign we are hearing from Mr. Potrock again. His Social Media silence since Christmas was a tad worrisome.

No it wasn't.

 

[TP2000]

No it wasn't.

Well, it was to me. He just kind of went into total radio silence there for a couple months.

But he's back! Opening new gift shops and such. Hooray for executive leadership!

I really do wonder if he's up to the challenge of restarting the Disneyland Resort later in 2021. He may be great at this, and we'll rank him up there with Matt Ouimet and Josh Damaro. Or... he may be another Ed Grier, except he only lasts for 8 months before he leaves to pursue new endeavors, or whatever the current phrasing is they use.

 

[el_super]

Well, it was to me. He just kind of went into total radio silence there for a couple months.

He's too busy running the resort to post on social media all day.

 

[TP2000]

He's too busy running the resort to post on social media all day.

Of course, which is why he never bothers with actually hitting the send button or flagging down someone to take the cute pic.

He has a Communications team that does all of that for him. They all do. For decades it's been like that, only the technology has changed.

In the 1990's it was handled by a staff sending Faxes for execs, and issuing press releases.

In the 2000's it was handled by a staff sending emails for execs, and issuing press releases.

In 2021 it's handled by a staff curating Social Media for execs, and issuing press releases.

 

[el_super]

He has a Communications team that does all of that for him. They all do.

Yep. He sure does.

 

[TP2000]

Yep. He sure does.

Exactly. Which is why it was notable when he went silent there for a couple of months.

It could have been something as simple as not wanting to muddy the message the entire theme park industry sent as a unified front last November. Just lay low over the holidays, regroup and re-strategize for 2021 before muddying any message. That would be understandable.

Or hell, maybe the entire Communications team got laid off in November including the person who knew the Instagram password?

 

[el_super]

Exactly. Which is why it was notable when he went silent there for a couple of months.

Not really. I wouldn't expect them to be posting to social media, their detailed reopening plans or their deliberations toward removing and rebuilding the AP program.

 

[Travel Junkie]

If I quote Covid statistics that are incorrect, or any other statistics on any topic, please do call me out on it. I'd love to have the correct data on Covid's impact, the biggest story of our lifetime.

Otherwise, this will continue to be a Discussion Forum where we come here and... discuss.

Interesting since the last time I brought up something that was contrary to your opinion you discounted the source. Instead you doubted that individuals that study infectious diseases their entire life didn't know what they were talking about.

All that anyone is asking is that if you are indeed wanting to discuss and debate then do so in good faith. As someone who has been on this forum for quite some time and read your ramblings for a while, you have not been interested in having good faith discussions.

 

[TP2000]

Not really. I wouldn't expect them to be posting to social media, their detailed reopening plans or their deliberations toward removing and rebuilding the AP program.

No, that's not what any executive at any company would use their curated Social Media accounts for.

Executive Social Media accounts are merely used to help create a leadership brand for their employees (or at least the ones who care slightly), further product/business goals when the inevitable high-affinity customers follow them too, and/or align with current corporate outreach strategies du jour (environmental goals, disaster relief, Women In The Workplace, recycling trash, etc.).

It's all puffed up cotton candy type stuff. All scripted and planned and strategized. And then a few of the best photos/posts are included in an end of year performance report to make them look hip and relevant to their boss.

But the fact remains, Mr. Potrock went silent on his official Instagram account for 12 weeks, from November 19th (when Buena Vista Street dining could still operate) until DCA's anniversary on February 8th. And the photo posted on February 8th was so vague that it could have been taken at any time in the previous few months, so they had to put some DCA 20th logo clip art on it. That's kind of odd.

It's probably nothing. I like the scenario where they laid off the guy in November who knew the Instagram password.

 

[TP2000]

Interesting since the last time I brought up something that was contrary to your opinion you discounted the source. Instead you doubted that individuals that study infectious diseases their entire life didn't know what they were talking about.

All that anyone is asking is that if you are indeed wanting to discuss and debate then do so in good faith. As someone who has been on this forum for quite some time and read your ramblings for a while, you have not been interested in having good faith discussions.

Are you talking about that LA Times article you posted that tried to support the ban on outdoor dining in LA County?

Because that read to me like what it seemed to be; a politically slanted puff piece by the LA Times (what's new?) trying to bolster the shaky political ground that Mayor Garcetti and the Time's favorite county Supervisors had staked out for themselves by banning outdoor dining without any scientific evidence that could stand up in court. You do have to remember that you can spot an LA Times Editorial Board position from outer space.

That's my opinion on that Times article you posted awhile back.

 

[mharrington]

You can't reopen the park with no distancing measures at all.

You can if you choose to wait to reopen until the virus cannot possibly an issue anymore.