Universal Puts Disney's Reopening on Defensive

[WDW Pro]

By cancelling the 1st week of June already but not the second it gives them time to test a smaller group of guests my 6/7-13 reservation has NOT been cancelled yes it's still active. All speculation but will will know more in 3 hours.

Everything is on hold for the next few hours so as not to allow early leaks.

 

[donsullivan]

The Disney we knew before this NO I do not see that returning for a good 12-24 months. What will it take to see this again first a vaccine, and second a total rebound of the economy.

We have 35+ million people out of work many businesses will not be coming back I think its going to take 3-4 years before the economy and unemployment returns to a some what normal level. I fear that it will take up to 10 years for pre-covid unemployment numbers to return. So a good chunk of families that would have been going to Disney for vacation will not be returning because of money, I have seen passholders say they will not return until No masks are needed so that will be 10-24 months or until the urges give in.

I do not disagree that it will be a long slow recovery due to the global economic impact of this. However, I tend to dismiss Passholder rants about not coming back until masks are not required. Pass holders as a group like to rant and claim their personal view represents all; which it does not. After all, these are the same people who rant after every price increase that they’ll never go back, but they do every time. Predictions for the next year are a fools errand anyway after this; since we have no historical data to project with. We’ll all just have to watch it play out in real time.

 

[seascape]

I do not disagree that it will be a long slow recovery due to the global economic impact of this. However, I tend to dismiss Passholder rants about not coming back until masks are not required. Pass holders as a group like to rant and claim their personal view represents all; which it does not. After all, these are the same people who rant after every price increase that they’ll never go back, but they do every time. Predictions for the next year are a fools errand anyway after this; since we have no historical data to project with. We’ll all just have to watch it play out in real time.

I am a Platinum Plus pass holder and if the park is open on June 14 or 15 I will be there.

 

[electric]

Everything is on hold for the next few hours so as not to allow early leaks.

What exactly is on hold? Got me curious.... lol

 

[Seanual757]

I do not disagree that it will be a long slow recovery due to the global economic impact of this. However, I tend to dismiss Passholder rants about not coming back until masks are not required. Pass holders as a group like to rant and claim their personal view represents all; which it does not. After all, these are the same people who rant after every price increase that they’ll never go back, but they do every time. Predictions for the next year are a fools errand anyway after this; since we have no historical data to project with. We’ll all just have to watch it play out in real time.

You are correct on that, we are AHP holders we will go do our 3 FP's if that is what is offered and go home to allow others to enter. Do we want to wear a mask no I have 5 kids that is not fun but we will follow any rules that Disney requires us to follow.

 

[Seanual757]

I am a Platinum Plus pass holder and if the park is open on June 14 or 15 I will be there.

Same with us we are ready to go back masks are ready.

 

[disney4life2008]

I am a Platinum Plus pass holder and if the park is open on June 14 or 15 I will be there.

You and all the other APs. Florida residents will be the first in line

 

[disney4life2008]

Disney got bullied into developing a hurried up plan. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Keep Disney closed.

 

[disney4life2008]

I do not disagree that it will be a long slow recovery due to the global economic impact of this. However, I tend to dismiss Passholder rants about not coming back until masks are not required. Pass holders as a group like to rant and claim their personal view represents all; which it does not. After all, these are the same people who rant after every price increase that they’ll never go back, but they do every time. Predictions for the next year are a fools errand anyway after this; since we have no historical data to project with. We’ll all just have to watch it play out in real time.

APs will be back. Florida residents will be back. I am more interested in wait times.

 

[Seanual757]

Disney got bullied into developing a hurried up plan. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Keep Disney closed.

Nope they will be fine open them up the central Florida economy needs them open

 

[zakattack99]

What exactly is on hold? Got me curious.... lol

I think he means Disney's rolling cancellations. That they are not going to cancel anyone until after they make their announcement this morning/afternoon as to not show their cards before they are ready. That being said however the last few weeks the rolling weekly cancellation announcements normally happen on Thursday's. If Disney had not planned on presenting their plan this week we would be looking an announcement to cancel the week starting June 14th.

Its also important to remember that guest do not need to do anything with their reservation if they wish to cancel Disney will auto refund within 7 days of your original check in date. DVC owners seem to have something similar with their points being returned automatically but its not a clear as to when or how quickly they will do so. Point being if your still holding a reservation for any time before June 13th it is not an indication that the parks will be open it just means that they have not refunded/returned your points.

 

[Dutch Inn '76]

Disney got bullied into developing a hurried up plan. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Keep Disney closed.

What makes you think this? The "bullied" part.

 

[Seanual757]

What makes you think this? The "bullied" part.

I don't believe that for a second I think they were waiting to see what the response of the Universal opening was going to be and knowing it was 100% positive Disney feels they will be in a good position to open on 6/6 (my wish).

 

[ToTBellHop]

I don't believe that for a second I think they were waiting to see what the response of the Universal opening was going to be and knowing it was 100% positive Disney feels they will be in a good position to open on 6/6 (my wish).

6/6 is out of the question. It’s more an optics issue for Disney. It’s better for UOR to go first. People expect to have a fun time at Universal. That’s really it. If they go and some people get sick, it will have been expected and not a huge deal.

Disney is expected to transport guests away from the real world and protect them from all danger. If (when) folks get sick, it will make national headlines and damage the brand. Think of the gator attack. Many viewed it as unacceptable that a wild animal would attack someone in the pixie dust bubble.

So by not rushing to go first, they can more reasonably say they waited longer than government guidelines, did more than the government required, and cared more about guest health than their competitor.

The calculus for Disney is far more complex than for Universal. Open too early, and they view their guests as dollar signs. Wait too long (especially once guests can visit other parks), and you are spitting in the faces of your biggest fans. This points to all four parks reopening within the next 8 weeks.

 

[robhedin]

Disney got bullied into developing a hurried up plan. Right is right and wrong is wrong. Keep Disney closed.

I doubt there's a "hurried up" plan at all. There's not much to really "plan" in the grand scheme of things-- the only questions are when do you start to initiate it and how aggressive is it. Don't forget-- they've had since at least March to work on the plan.

I suspect that the biggest issue is customer sentiment- when do they feel that enough people will feel that it's safe enough to start returning? That drives the economics of the whole thing. Given what we saw over Memorial Day, it looks like a large contingent of the population feels safe enough these days; eg: Pensacola Beach evidently saw the busiest Memorial Day weekend in 3 years (see: https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2020...-memorial-day-weekend-three-years/5260250002/ )

 

[robhedin]

6/6 is out of the question. It’s more an optics issue for Disney. It’s better for UOR to go first. People expect to have a fun time at Universal. That’s really it. If they go and some people get sick, it will have been expected and not a huge deal.

Disney is expected to transport guests away from the real world and protect them from all danger. If (when) folks get sick, it will make national headlines and damage the brand. Think of the gator attack. Many viewed it as unacceptable that a wild animal would attack someone in the pixie dust bubble.

So by not rushing to go first, they can more reasonably say they both waited longer than government guidelines, did more than the government required, and cared more about guest health than their competitor.

The calculus for Disney is far more complex than for Universal. Open too early, and they view their guests as dollar signs. Wait too long (especially once guests can visit other parks), and you are spitting in the faces of your biggest fans. This points to all four parks reopening within the next 8 weeks.

We'll find out in a little over an hour.

I see your point on optics, but what you're saying is that a full month after UO opens is too soon for Disney to open. That seems excessive in that in appears that - literally - every other theme/amusement park in Florida (plus some in other states eg: Six Flags) are open, but Disney can't get it's act together.

I expect Disney to open after UO, but weeks after not months. My expectation is some form of phased opening starting either 15 or 22 June. That provides a solid 1-2 weeks to see how customer sentiment is trending.

But again, we'll see Very Soon Now!

 

[ToTBellHop]

We'll find out in a little over an hour.

I see your point on optics, but what you're saying is that a full month after UO opens is too soon for Disney to open. That seems excessive in that in appears that - literally - every other theme/amusement park in Florida (plus some in other states eg: Six Flags) are open, but Disney can't get it's act together.

I expect Disney to open after UO, but weeks after not months. My expectation is some form of phased opening starting either 15 or 22 June. That provides a solid 1-2 weeks to see how customer sentiment is trending.

But again, we'll see Very Soon Now!

I didn’t say at least a month. I said within 8 weeks because I don’t know the date. My gut says it will be by June 30. But that’s just a gut feeling (and for the reasons you mention mixed with an understanding of the actual reopening plan and expected guest demand). They certainly can’t reopen a day after Universal.

 

[danv3]

Watch here (I think): http://ocfl.net/OpenGovernment/OrangeTVVisionTV/OrangeTVLive.aspx

 

[pdude81]

We'll find out in a little over an hour.

I see your point on optics, but what you're saying is that a full month after UO opens is too soon for Disney to open. That seems excessive in that in appears that - literally - every other theme/amusement park in Florida (plus some in other states eg: Six Flags) are open, but Disney can't get it's act together.

I expect Disney to open after UO, but weeks after not months. My expectation is some form of phased opening starting either 15 or 22 June. That provides a solid 1-2 weeks to see how customer sentiment is trending.

But again, we'll see Very Soon Now!

Nah, he said the day after Universal was too soon.

 

[Seanual757]

6/6 is out of the question. It’s more an optics issue for Disney. It’s better for UOR to go first. People expect to have a fun time at Universal. That’s really it. If they go and some people get sick, it will have been expected and not a huge deal.

Disney is expected to transport guests away from the real world and protect them from all danger. If (when) folks get sick, it will make national headlines and damage the brand. Think of the gator attack. Many viewed it as unacceptable that a wild animal would attack someone in the pixie dust bubble.

So by not rushing to go first, they can more reasonably say they waited longer than government guidelines, did more than the government required, and cared more about guest health than their competitor.

The calculus for Disney is far more complex than for Universal. Open too early, and they view their guests as dollar signs. Wait too long (especially once guests can visit other parks), and you are spitting in the faces of your biggest fans. This points to all four parks reopening within the next 8 weeks.

It can be done in a short time they have the man power to do it, CM's can be called back w/in 48 hours and they could have the parks ready for a 6/6 do I think that is realistic Yes, do I think they will do it maybe, my gut is telling me pretty close to yours 7/1. But in reality we are just $$$ to them so the quicker they can stop the bleeding they will. We will all know in an hour what Disney will decide.