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

[Nick]

Interesting to hear about USH’s VIP plan. All of my concert tickets through the end of October for shows in LA have been canceled or rescheduled, with Coachella being the only hold out. Can’t imagine that going forward. Based on LA’s concert cancelations, I don’t foresee West Coast parks reopening even in the fall.

I think it’s possible the parks could open to VIPs only, which would be EXTREMELY low capacity.

But the California parks opening up to masses I can’t really see until at least September or later.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Hey everyone,

Doing some housekeeping this afternoon. If you haven't seen I created one-stop-shop Park Policies and Procedures thread to discuss all the COVID-19 related policies at Universal, Disney, and other major chains. PLEASE KEEP THIS THREAD FOR FACTUAL DISCUSSION OF THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. I expect not many posts in this thread.

Additionally as things reopen and for general discussion of park policies and procedures I created a Theme Parks & Shopping Districts Reopening General Discussion thread. This is for photos, reports, coverage, discussion, and opinions on the parks reopening.

 

[brkndwnbus]

I'm currently booked for a trip to Universal in December and have tickets for one night of the Orlando Informer meetup event. We're one of the families which chooses to stay in the Wizarding World areas far more than any areas. If Florida moved to a guide, I wonder how they'd handle if a group wishes to stay in one area for hours at a time rather than move from attraction to attraction. Probably not worth worrying about yet until we have some real info for how Florida will handle re-opening, but it would play a factor in my decision to keep my trip booked or postpone.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I just can't with VIP tours, I know the cast members means well but this is how I would feel the entire time. It's like when I did this VIP tour at Disneyland and they told us Toontown has always been int he park just in secret and after the person walked away, I said that is a lie.

 

[snayberry]

I’d cancel my AP if they did something dumb like that.

 

[shiekra38]

I’d cancel my AP if they did something dumb like that.

I understand Nick's line of thinking though...It would make sense from the policing and pacing front

 

[Nick]

I understand Nick's line of thinking though...It would make sense from the policing and pacing front

Also, the stricter restriction that California is under.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Universal throws everything at the wall with these surveys, I highly doubt a VIP tour guide for each party is actually going to happen.

 

[Nick]

Universal throws everything at the wall with these surveys, I highly doubt a VIP tour guide for each party is actually going to happen.

No, I don't think so either. I also acknowledge that Universal throws out everything they can in these surveys.

What I meant, however, was that USH *could* open to VIPs only. If enough people are willing to pay the big bucks for a once in a lifetime experience of being one of the only people in the park, then it could work as a soft opening of sorts. Emphasis on could. I do not think this is a likely scenario, but i'm just throwing it out there as what they could be going for if it was actually implemented.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

No, I don't think so either. I also acknowledge that Universal throws out everything they can in these surveys.

What I meant, however, was that USH *could* open to VIPs only. If enough people are willing to pay the big bucks for a once in a lifetime experience of being one of the only people in the park, then it could work as a soft opening of sorts. Emphasis on could. I do not think this is a likely scenario, but i'm just throwing it out there as what they could be going for if it was actually implemented.

My comment wasn't directed at you and more *in general*.

 

[Nick]

My comment wasn't directed at you and more *in general*.

Well, either way I guess

 

[JoeCamel]

Universal throws everything at the wall with these surveys, I highly doubt a VIP tour guide for each party is actually going to happen.

That is a role requiring talent, the ones I have had were excellent and they didn't pick that up out of a training video or when they learned their assignment for the day.
Might hapen but it would be a massive training effort to get there.

No, I don't think so either. I also acknowledge that Universal throws out everything they can in these surveys.

What I meant, however, was that USH *could* open to VIPs only. If enough people are willing to pay the big bucks for a once in a lifetime experience of being one of the only people in the park, then it could work as a soft opening of sorts. Emphasis on could. I do not think this is a likely scenario, but i'm just throwing it out there as what they could be going for if it was actually implemented.

I'm not sure I would want that experience. It is more satisfying to me with a crowded park and my guide cuts right through that to the action.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Surprised no one has posted this yet...looks like Six Flags might be making the first move in the states.

Six Flags Reservations | National

In the interest of guest safety, social distancing and creating the best possible experience for our visitors, we are introducing a new guest reservation system.

sixflags.com

Why is Six Flags implementing a reservation system?

In the interest of meeting national, regional, and expert social distancing guidelines, we will be setting capacity limits for each of our parks. Without a reservation system, there is the risk that more guests will show up than we are able to accommodate. Our reservation system allows guests to know in advance, before they arrive at the park whether they will be allowed to enter.


The reservation system also allows us to limit the number of guests at the front gate at any given time (thereby eliminating overcrowding). Whenever a new reservation is made, the guest selects not just the date they want to visit, but also the time (based on availability). On the day of their visit, they will be allowed to enter only during the time period they initially selected.

 

[Mad Dog]

It's not just Americans that are acting like it's a jailbreak after lock downs are ended, or relaxed. Washington Post has an article, Postcards from the World, how the effects of CV are in other places. Here's one from Susan Gottlieb in Vienna,
"With the shutdown mostly over on May 1 in Austria, the streets have the feeling of early holiday shopping. Not even a month ago, Vienna had seemed to me a ghost town. A few people passing by in masks,
the empty public transport-all were reminders of how I should be at home and keep my distance.
Now, the Viennese are flooding the streets. It's like a hungry tide washing over dry land"

 

[Andysol]

It's not just Americans that are acting like it's a jailbreak after lock downs are ended, or relaxed. Washington Post has an article, Postcards from the World, how the effects of CV are in other places. Here's one from Susan Gottlieb in Vienna,
"With the shutdown mostly over on May 1 in Austria, the streets have the feeling of early holiday shopping. Not even a month ago, Vienna had seemed to me a ghost town. A few people passing by in masks,
the empty public transport-all were reminders of how I should be at home and keep my distance.
Now, the Viennese are flooding the streets. It's like a hungry tide washing over dry land"

 

[Mad Dog]

View attachment 12198

Funny thing. That particular scene was actually shot in Vermont. The Von Trapp family came to the US after the war and purchased a very large tract of land that they turned into a hotel/restaurant/bar & a huge cross country ski resort. We went cross country skiing there around 20 years ago, and the beginning of the course is exactly where that scene with Julie Andrews singing takes place. They have a story about that scene and photos in the lodge. Most of the movie was filmed in Austria, but some of the scenes, like the beginning scene, are actually the mountains of Vermont.

 

[Teebin]

^ I’m not sure where you heard that?

Journey to the Meadow: How They Filmed the Opening Scene of 'The Sound of Music'

The ‘The Sound of Music’ crew only had 20 minutes when the sun came out to get the shot.

abcnews.go.com

Filming locations for The Sound Of Music (1965) in Austria, around Salzburg, Mondsee and the beautiful Lake District.

Filming locations for The Sound Of Music (1965) in Austria, around Salzburg, Mondsee and the beautiful Lake District.

www.movie-locations.com

The Sound of Music (1965) - Filming & production - IMDb

The Sound of Music: Directed by Robert Wise. With Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn. A young novice is sent by her convent in 1930s Austria to become a governess to the seven children of a widowed naval officer.

www.imdb.com

 

[Mad Dog]

^ I’m not sure where you heard that?

Journey to the Meadow: How They Filmed the Opening Scene of 'The Sound of Music'

The ‘The Sound of Music’ crew only had 20 minutes when the sun came out to get the shot.

abcnews.go.com

Filming locations for The Sound Of Music (1965) in Austria, around Salzburg, Mondsee and the beautiful Lake District.

Filming locations for The Sound Of Music (1965) in Austria, around Salzburg, Mondsee and the beautiful Lake District.

www.movie-locations.com

The Sound of Music (1965) - Filming & production - IMDb

The Sound of Music: Directed by Robert Wise. With Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn. A young novice is sent by her convent in 1930s Austria to become a governess to the seven children of a widowed naval officer.

www.imdb.com

The complete story of that is in the lodge with photos etc. I also have a photo of us starting the cross country course with that exact meadow and background....The only thing I can think of in regards to the Andrews story is that it may have been manufactured for publicity purposes. it is kind of a wild story. I don't think the Von Trapps would have made up what they posted in their lodge. plus the background there matched perfectly.

 

[OLSinFLA]

The complete story of that is in the lodge with photos etc. I also have a photo of us starting the cross country course with that exact meadow and background....The only thing I can think of in regards to the Andrews story is that it may have been manufactured for publicity purposes. it is kind of a wild story. I don't think the Von Trapps would have made up what they posted in their lodge. plus the background there matched perfectly.

I doubt they imported the Alps to Vermont for the shoot... lol. No, it wasn't shot in Vermont. Most of what is in the Sound of Music is actually hogwash (so much of it is fiction) so I guess that's par for the course

 

[The Storyteller]

good news! apparently there is a drop in new cases across the us. bad news? with economies and businesses reopening, we’re probably gonna be hit with another huge wave.
Coronavirus Cases Slow in U.S., but the Big Picture Remains Tenuous