News Round Up 2020

[TheMaxRebo]

I believe WDW and DL are carefully watching how they will reopen the Asian parks and see what works/does not work and take their clues from them.

I saw pics on the weekend of a tourist area that was opened over the weekend in Asia when the state-at-home was lifted, and it was scary busy! People were so thankful to be outside after being in their homes for months that they flocked outside to these attractions in huge numbers.

How Disney reopens the NA parks will probably be greatly influenced by what the Asian parks (and society in general) experiences. Since this is just starting to happen there and no word if the Disney Parks reopening, I can’t even fathom how long it will be for our parks to reopen.

yeah, I think even if they wait a bit longer they still need to have some limited openings for the first week or something as a lot of people will really want to go back to get their Disney Fix. Maybe almost have a lottery to get a ticket to a park each day for a week or something (I know that is not ideal, but some system that enables as many people as possible to get a bit of "Disney" in that first period, safely)

 

[Gusey]

So, the Kingdom Keepers series was originally going to be a part of Disney+'s launch but the project was cancelled. I enjoyed the book series wso would've love to see the series:
https://www.cinemablend.com/televis...gdom-keepers-is-a-chance-disney-needs-to-take

 

[Farro]

yeah, I think even if they wait a bit longer they still need to have some limited openings for the first week or something as a lot of people will really want to go back to get their Disney Fix. Maybe almost have a lottery to get a ticket to a park each day for a week or something (I know that is not ideal, but some system that enables as many people as possible to get a bit of "Disney" in that first period, safely)

If I may take a guess, I think they would limit park attendance first to those who already have resort reservations. I imagine that would greatly reduce amount of people in parks at first. They may only have a few resorts open at a time and move existing reservations around?

Would be very hard to explain to people who showed up to their resort, yes we are happy you are here, but unfortunately you can't get into the park today...but others can...

I sense a nightmare coming!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

If I may take a guess, I think they would limit park attendance first to those who already have resort reservations. I imagine that would greatly reduce amount of people in parks at first. They may only have a few resorts open at a time and move existing reservations around?

Would be very hard to explain to people who showed up to their resort, yes we are happy you are here, but unfortunately you can't get into the park today...but others can...

I sense a nightmare coming!

yeah, I definitely am not sure the best way to do it - maybe that is the way, you have to have a resort reservation to start - though at some point need to let locals with anual passes come in too - maybe alternate parks or something? I don't know

 

[TheMaxRebo]

NEWS

Disney parks honor medical workers around the world for World Health Day

https://blogmickey.com/2020/04/disn...orkers-around-the-world-for-world-health-day/

 

[Brianstl]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ba...iger-on-disney-after-coronoavirus-51586252700

We’re studying very carefully what China has been trying to do in terms of their return to normalcy. And one of the things that’s obvious is they’ve conscripted a large segment of their population to monitor others in terms of their health.

Bob, I really don't think it is a good idea to go the China route and have citizens spying on each other for the government.

 

[CastAStone]

NEWS

Bob Iger says Disney's financial health is strong, discusses the possibility of temperature screening at Disney Parks, indicates that Disney will look for ways to run the company "more efficiently, given what we believe business conditions will dictate".

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ba...iger-on-disney-after-coronoavirus-51586252700

Edited as I messed up posting the summary. Bob Iger says Disney's financial health is strong, discusses the possibility of temperature screening at Disney Parks, indicates that Disney will look for ways to run the company "more efficiently, given what we believe business conditions will dictate".

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Bob, I really don't think it is a good idea to go the China route and have citizens spying on each other for the government.

I took it to mean more that they are enabling entities (including privately owned) to check people's temperatures before entering - things like that. So that is how other parts of the population are monitoring health (beyond just health care works, etc.)

 

[Mal6586]

Just a heads up, anybody still holding out hope (for now anyway) for their summer trips, check your flights, they're still getting cheaper. Between the 3 changes I've made to what was once a May trip and is now a tentative June trip, we're up to $148 credit per person in travel funds from Southwest.

 

[rteetz]

I took it to mean more that they are enabling entities (including privately owned) to check people's temperatures before entering - things like that. So that is how other parts of the population are monitoring health (beyond just health care works, etc.)

He also said it’s an option not that they were going to do it for sure. I think Disney is looking at all sorts of possibilities. They like many businesses want to open up their revenue streams again but also want to do it in a safe and well executed manner.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

He also said it’s an option not that they were going to do it for sure. I think Disney is looking at all sorts of possibilities. They like many businesses want to open up their revenue streams again but also want to do it in a safe and well executed manner.

oh yeah, I just meant that was the type of thing he was thinking of, not that individuals should be spying on others and reporting people to the government

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Just a heads up, anybody still holding out hope (for now anyway) for their summer trips, check your flights, they're still getting cheaper. Between the 3 changes I've made to what was once a May trip and is now a tentative June trip, we're up to $148 credit per person in travel funds from Southwest.

The airlines are trying to incentivize people to book..because well..they need to. But that doesn't translate into the ability to fly anywhere or that one should fly to X destination. SWA was doing cheap flights for late March-April..yeah can't/shouldn't really go anywhere with my stay at home order. All of SWA WGA fare flights are $199 IIRC and below one way through June 17th (I believe you have to book 3 weeks in advance)..that doesn't mean you can utilize it.

They just cancelled our flight to Vegas occuring on April 12th but there are still flights out to Vegas that day..Vegas is shut down now til April 30th..I'm under a stay at home til April 24th so yup. Our flight coming back home on the 16th has not been cancelled yet by SWA.

That's great you got credits though especially if they are included in SWA's adjustment in travel funds expiration dates

 

[scrappinginontario]

Thanks! Just checked our September flights from BUF - MCO and the return had dropped by $9. Not a lot but I took advantage of it. Really can't complain as I only paid $94 in the first place!

Now, to see if we'll be going....only time will tell.

 

[RivShore]

Edited as I messed up posting the summary. Bob Iger says Disney's financial health is strong, discusses the possibility of temperature screening at Disney Parks, indicates that Disney will look for ways to run the company "more efficiently, given what we believe business conditions will dictate".

Thanks for the summary. Do you have a link to a non-paywall version?

 

[CastAStone]

Thanks for the summary. Do you have a link to a non-paywall version?

It should let you read 1 article a month for free. You may need to try a different device. It’s an exclusive interview so I don’t have another link.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Just a heads up, anybody still holding out hope (for now anyway) for their summer trips, check your flights, they're still getting cheaper. Between the 3 changes I've made to what was once a May trip and is now a tentative June trip, we're up to $148 credit per person in travel funds from Southwest.

We rescheduled Seattle March trip to a WDW April trip which has now been moved to a June WDW trip.

For whatever reason, our return flight on Southwest has jumped up to hundreds of dollars. No idea why, but it was interesting with flight prices still falling.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

NEWS

Bob Iger says Disney's financial health is strong, discusses the possibility of temperature screening at Disney Parks, indicates that Disney will look for ways to run the company "more efficiently, given what we believe business conditions will dictate".

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ba...iger-on-disney-after-coronoavirus-51586252700

FYI - for those interested in this story/topic the tag for today's DIS Unplugged says they will be discussing it:

"On this week's episode of the DIS Unplugged, we're discussing Bob Iger's interview with Barron's that speaks to possible changes at Disney Parks in the future and so much more! "

 

[Mrs Geek]

I don't buy this reasoning. DLP had a daily meet and greet with her at Studios in May 18, we met her when we were there. It was very popular. Not sure if it's still there but if not it lasted awhile.

Also she's been meeting at either halloween or xmas parties or both, I can't remember. I think up til now they just don't want to/have a place for her. Even DLR doesn't have a regular meet but she's in the new parade. If they really wanted regular meets with her on either coast they'd find people.

I know I'm a couple pages late to this comment but I think you nailed it- part of the allure of the hard-ticket events is the ability to meet "rare" characters; it's like the Disney vault, but for characters. If suddenly she gets no lines at parties, or something, maybe we'll see her as a meetable character, but the fact that people are clamoring to meet her gives them more incentive to keep her as party-only.

Now, that being said, there is something to the argument about casting the right ethnicities- it probably is actually easier to find someone of Polynesian decent in both France and California than in Florida (or at least someone who can pass as Asian/Pacific origin). So if they do plan to have the new water attraction serve as a place for Moana to meet, I'd bet you we lose the Pocahontas meet in AK (or else both will be reduced times, because the face characters will probably share CMs).

And now back to your regularly scheduled rumors and news discussion...

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I know I'm a couple pages late to this comment but I think you nailed it- part of the allure of the hard-ticket events is the ability to meet "rare" characters; it's like the Disney vault, but for characters. If suddenly she gets no lines at parties, or something, maybe we'll see her as a meetable character, but the fact that people are clamoring to meet her gives them more incentive to keep her as party-only.

I 100% agree with this - though it makes me wonder why they don't do "rare character meet" events that are specific for that. They went the other way with the Villains event int aht they said no meets with characters but I feel like if once or twice a year they did an event just focused on meeting rare characters they could charge a pretty penny for those

 

[RivShore]

It should let you read 1 article a month for free. You may need to try a different device. It’s an exclusive interview so I don’t have another link.

Thanks! That worked in private mode.