Universal Puts Disney's Reopening on Defensive

[jensenrick]

WDW has been investigating multiple opening plans, and one includes ONLY World Showcase in Food and Wine festival mode, and only the Epcot resorts open, as well as Hollywood Studios. The idea here is the transportation systems can accommodate social distancing via Skyliner, and no buses, boats, or monorails will need to be operated. The problem with Magic Kingdom is the walkable nature, or rather, lack there of.

There is simply no way to operate the Magic Kingdom transportation with social distancing in place with normalization of park hours. The only way this can be established is if they require not only timed entry to the park, but also timed exits from the park. Reopening the MK is disaster because of the parking situation. The only solution being talked about is to run parking trams up and down World Drive under the water bridge and have it work as a massive exodus system, a la Disneyland and the Mickey & Friends Parking garage. Even then, they would still need to use ferry boat service to reach a decent capacity, and re-allocate parking teams from other parks.

Re-opening the parks will be a disaster, but the MK is a disaster waiting to happen or epic proportions. It’s very likely that MK will be the last to open.

I can’t speak for anything else WDW Pro is saying, although nothing seems all that far off. Anyway, take this with a grain of salt.

Epcot and Hw Studios first?! YEAH, that works for me!!

 

[Moka]

Epcot and Hw Studios first?! YEAH, that works for me!!

.....And Animal Kingdom!

Unless, they worry for the animals health, but I haven't heard too much about animals during the situation besides a few cases.

 

[marni1971]

Then don't open MK, right? If Disney is looking to make this as easy on themselves as possible. Open DAK or DHS as their transportation systems involve your feet.

Any park is possibly getting a capacity cap to begin with. I’ve seen a few figures, some scary. As always, nothing is certain so far.

 

[trainplane3]

There are options on the table to reopen MK with alternate TTC-MK transportation

So slightly on topic with alternative transit. I remember reading about trams having issues with the hills when fully loaded in the rain (back during MKs early years). Is it safe to assume the modern trams have the power to overcome that? Then again, they probably wouldn't be fully loaded to begin with.

 

[djkidkaz]

Epcot in Food and Wine mode sounds like the exact opposite of what would work. A bunch of people walking around with plates of food and no masks on so they can eat it?

Also, how does the skyliner get back in operation? Its constant moving with no time in between to go in and wipe down after every family exits a cabin.

 

[flutas]

So slightly on topic with alternative transit. I remember reading about trams having issues with the hills when fully loaded in the rain (back during MKs early years). Is it safe to assume the modern trams have the power to overcome that? Then again, they probably wouldn't be fully loaded to begin with.

Quick guess, but based on that description it sounds like it would be a traction issue rather than a power issue.

 

[peter11435]

So slightly on topic with alternative transit. I remember reading about trams having issues with the hills when fully loaded in the rain (back during MKs early years). Is it safe to assume the modern trams have the power to overcome that? Then again, they probably wouldn't be fully loaded to begin with.

We might get to find out

 

[twilight mitsuk]

Yeah pretty much everything you are paying for is not possible with distancing. Character meets, special parade and fireworks. I suppose they could still do some sort of candy trail with 6ft. Markers.

So is f&w

 

[brianstl]

We might get to find out

Guest who volunteer to help push the tram in that situation will get an extra fast pass.

 

[Doberge]

There are options on the table to reopen MK with alternate TTC-MK transportation

So... buses from TTC to MK?

I'm curious about transportation from Poly and GF to MK. The boats are too small that they still require either monorail or TTC or a bus. I guess WL could still use boats but severely limit capacity?

 

[easyrowrdw]

I still think it’s way too early to open in June, glad WDW won’t be. Your firework info has me confused though, presumably that industry should have been stockpiling for one of the biggest holidays of the year (4th) and companies would be tripping over each other for business from Disney given how most places have canceled their 4th events. While it might be hard to procure the custom Disney shaped ones (and DLs air launched ones) you think they could get enough generic ones to make it through the late summer.

Even though fireworks do have a shelf which is upwards of 8 years, during the quarantine both Disneyland and Walt Disney World received new Firework Imports. Disneyland in late march received about 29,000lbs of Fireworks and in April, WDW got about 33,000lbs of Fireworks from Pirotecnia Ricardo Caballer SA as per US Import records.

I didn't really understand that either. A few weeks ago the same poster stated that there would be a special fireworks show for the 4th even though the parks would still be closed. There are articles from January about shortages so... Did Disney just learn this or what?

 

[oceanbreeze77]

Any park is possibly getting a capacity cap to begin with. I’ve seen a few figures, some scary. As always, nothing is certain so far.

Scary as in a high number or a low number?

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Epcot in Food and Wine mode sounds like the exact opposite of what would work. A bunch of people walking around with plates of food and no masks on so they can eat it?

Also, how does the skyliner get back in operation? Its constant moving with no time in between to go in and wipe down after every family exits a cabin.

Automatic hand sanitizer right before you get on the Skyliner.
Spread out all of the different places to eat and shop at Epcot. If they eat, they eat. There were pictures of the former WDW President, Josh, string people walk right past them without mask. If he doesn’t correct the behavior, who will? Or just make it optional. CDC will ge that way soon.

 

[trainplane3]

Quick guess, but based on that description it sounds like it would be a traction issue rather than a power issue.

I was thinking that too, it being weight pulling the drive wheels up possibly.

We might get to find out

Very interesting.

 

[marni1971]

Scary as in a high number or a low number?

Low.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

I didn't really understand that either. A few weeks ago the same poster stated that there would be a special fireworks show for the 4th even though the parks would still be closed. There are articles from January about shortages so... Did Disney just learn this or what?

Special show.........on the line

 

[easyrowrdw]

Special show.........on the line

What does this mean?

 

[peter11435]

So... buses from TTC to MK?

Buses are always an option for TTC to MK. They run that route during any peak period to supplement the Monorail and Boats.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

What does this mean?

On line (streaming) The new normal

 

[monykalyn]

Epcot in Food and Wine mode sounds like the exact opposite of what would work. A bunch of people walking around with plates of food and no masks on so they can eat it?

you can space out booths/fewer booths and keep distancing in place. Plus being outside the transmission risk is low. The hot spot cases have nearly all been in close proximity for a longer duration of time in enclosed spaces . With the space Epcot has seems to be “safest” in terms of being able to actually social distance. Of course that may mean way more tables so people aren’t hunched in larger groups around the precious few tables and trash cans.