The Florida Keys opened to tourists on Monday. There was not the surge in business and people that was expected. Duval street is empty. No cruise ships. Some of our issues will also affect Disney. There are almost no foreign tourists and all bars are still closed. I am not sure how Disney makes up for the lack of foreign tourists. Our bars being closed is similar to Disney not having shows, fireworks, character meets, and parades. The Keys is not the same experience for many visitors without our bars. For many, the best part of their vacation here is having a few drinks and watching the sunset from a waterfront bar. We will not have those visitors return until the bars are open. Disney will have the same issues. For my family, the biggest issue with Disney is the lack of park hopping. We are up early, rope drop, then back at the pool about noon, nap, then a few hours at a different park. Only one park a day will keep us from making the 6 hour drive north.
I had posted before about the locals dislike of cruise ships here, and how they cause crowding while not spending much money. There was a petition to limit the size and environmental impact of cruise ships in Key West. This week it got enough signatures that it will be on the ballot this fall. When we had to vote to allow a study to widen our channel to let bigger ships into our port, it was defeated by a large majority. I would expect the same anti cruise ship result at our next election. This will mean no DCL ships in Key West.
). The only email I have received to date was the announcement of the cancellations. My ADRs slowly faded away and my last holdout disappeared last night. I now have a blank slate to re-plan my trip.
