Effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19) On Entertainment & Tourism Industry

[Freak]

If people are unsure about visiting the parks, seeing Universal fighting back against people refusing to wear a mask could result in more people feeling safe enough to visit.

Like I mentioned, does Universal really want to fight their paying customers that will shell out more money? Are there going to be enough people concerned about Covid wanting to go to theme parks that will outweigh the people that refuse to wear a mask the entire time? We will see. But just like we tend to underestimate how many people that go are not “well versed” in theme park knowledge (I.e. “does this ride go in loop de loops?” “Is this a coaster or a show?”) I think we’re underestimating how many people are just not gonna comply with the restrictions. As time goes on, I’m sure you will see compliance drop further, especially as summer rages on. Just look at Sea World.

 

[Nick]

I'm not sure exactly who the person was but they were a wrestler and posted a photo in front of the Universal globe with a mask and their girlfriend. Plenty of people were commenting that they would have never guessed who they were. I think they also mentioned that they were enjoying the freedom to roam the parks.
If the people get removed from the park for not wearing a mask and cause up a stink, that's a small amount of monetary loss and bad PR and but can easily be fought with the common sense argument. Horrendous PR would be people not wearing masks and having a large COVID breakout traced back to the parks.

If people are unsure about visiting the parks, seeing Universal fighting back against people refusing to wear a mask could result in more people feeling safe enough to visit.

Weirdly, I think I know who you're talking about.

It really doesn’t matter who I was talking about, but we aren’t talking about the same person.

 

[Scott W.]

Like I mentioned, does Universal really want to fight their paying customers that will shell out more money? Are there going to be enough people concerned about Covid wanting to go to theme parks that will outweigh the people that refuse to wear a mask the entire time? We will see. But just like we tend to underestimate how many people that go are not “well versed” in theme park knowledge (I.e. “does this ride go in loop de loops?” “Is this a coaster or a show?”) I think we’re underestimating how many people are just not gonna comply with the restrictions. As time goes on, I’m sure you will see compliance drop further, especially as summer rages on. Just look at Sea World.

It's not that black and white. Look at the blow back that SeaWorld got when it first opened when they were barely enforcing the mask rule. What the parks could lose by enforcing the rule is less than the loss of business of people refusing to visit because they don't feel safe.

People can't claim ignorance to this. It's been covered in the news, it's sign posted before you even get through security, I'd be surprised if it wasn't sign posted before even entering the car park. Even my mum who lives over 4000 miles away in a different country, separated by the Atlantic Ocean, doesn't do social media, is completely technology inept, knew about the mask policy at the parks and made a comment that she was glad we weren't visiting now.

Disney are going to struggle when they open between aiming for high guest satisfaction scores and the crazy obsessed people that visit the Disney parks, especially when they're still paying top dollar for a lesser experience.

 

[Teebin]

Something I do not understand is why Disney and Universal can’t create mannequin versions of their M&G characters for people to stand with for photographs. Of course people wouldn’t be allowed to touch them but they could stand with them. I think guests would enjoy that. No one at home would be able to tell the difference in a photograph.

 

[Scott W.]

Something I do not understand is why Disney and Universal can’t create mannequin versions of their M&G characters for people to stand with for photographs. Of course people wouldn’t be allowed to touch them but they could stand with them. I think guests would enjoy that. No one at home would be able to tell the difference in a photograph.

Like Dom at Fast and Furious?

 

[Teebin]

Like Dom at Fast and Furious?

no, like a stuffed Mickey Mouse costume or a bunch of posed Minion costumes. Donald Duck, Spongebob etc. It would have to be better than the standing 8’ in front of them stuff that they are doing now.

 

[Scott W.]

no, like a stuffed Mickey Mouse costume or a bunch of posed Minion costumes. Donald Duck, Spongebob etc. It would have to be better than the standing 8’ in front of them stuff that they are doing now.

I’ve got this image in my head.

 

[Teebin]

I’ve got this image in my head.

View attachment 12580

No dear, it would look like this:

or this...

If I reset my brain, I can’t tell if either one of those are statues or people inside a costume.

 

[Mad Dog]

No dear, it would look like this:

or this...

If I reset my brain, I can’t tell if either one of those are statues or people inside a costume.

I'd rather pose with the good looking blonde. :thumbsup:

 

[shiekra38]

no, like a stuffed Mickey Mouse costume or a bunch of posed Minion costumes. Donald Duck, Spongebob etc. It would have to be better than the standing 8’ in front of them stuff that they are doing now.

The characters are supposed to be "alive" in the theme parks.

I feel Disney would say no based on premise of some kid coming up and say "Hi MIckey" and Mickey just staring off into space

 

[Mad Dog]

On MLB...Sources in the league are now saying 40 players & team employees in Florida have tested positive as of Sunday....and the league is sending 200 tests to each Florida team to test additional players & employees.

 

[SeventyOne]

32% unemployment in Osceola County (think Kissimmee), highest rate in Florida. Orange County (Orlando and most of the touristy areas) in the high 20s.

 

[Mad Dog]

32% unemployment in Osceola County (think Kissimmee), highest rate in Florida. Orange County (Orlando and most of the touristy areas) in the high 20s.

And the negative press from the huge spike , much due to unwise celebrating and mass partying, sure to discourage some potential tourists. isn't doing anything to help lower that unemployment rate. People need to realize the ramifications of their conduct. Have loads of fun, and party on now, but don't cry when there's no jobs when they graduate from school......They need to realize that without tourism, Orlando will become a ghost town.

 

[Jeepers Reaper]

Hearing on twitter that Virgin have cancelled all flights to Orlando from Glasgow until March 2021

Further to this, they've also pushed back dates a month for Heathrow and Manchester subject to approval, whilst confirming both Belfast and Glasgow passengers won't be visiting until March 2021..

 

[HandsomePete]

32% unemployment in Osceola County (think Kissimmee), highest rate in Florida. Orange County (Orlando and most of the touristy areas) in the high 20s.

Federal unemployment support ends in six weeks - things are going to go south after that.

I can't help but look back at the last two months when we should have been making as much progress as possible with mask usage. The impact of bad PR from the spike will be much worse than the impact of people staying home from work when the Feds were subsidizing it.

 

[Nick]

 

[Clive]

This feels connected to the odds of USH reopening.

 

[Bobharlem]

Midway Mayhem/Dan is saying there was quite a few layoffs at Universal today, unfortunately.

 

[SeventyOne]

Midway Mayhem/Dan is saying there was quite a few layoffs at Universal today, unfortunately.

Hearing over 500 salaried positions cut at Universal.

Slightly less confident on this one, but scuttlebutt is only like 900 of 7000 DAK CMs have been called back. As I've been warning all along, just because the parks are re-opening doesn't mean we're anywhere close to "normal."

 

[Viator]

This feels connected to the odds of USH reopening.

Seems like @RollermanDan may be able to shed a bit of light on it..at-least for the Orlando side.