Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Pickle Rick]

It's obvious that you see Universal as some sort of cut rate park, but dismissing it as a "locals park" is pretty insulting. Plenty of people come from all over America and overseas and happily spend a week or more there, never setting foot in Disney. Is it really that hard to just enjoy what you like without putting down what others like?

While Disney is certainly more popular, I agree that UO is more than a "locals park", at least now for sure.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

At this time they deserve the jabs about how they are handling this.

The reason I like Universal more is the lack of planning and being able to ride multiple attractions in the same day. The last time I was there I rode the Mummy about 10 times in one day. Disney you're lucky to ride some attractions once.

Hearing maybe 3 notes from an embarrassing amount of songs from around the parks has the power to make me cry at the drop of a hat. A fireworks show soundtrack will be full on tears down my face. On arrival day I keep my sunglasses on as much as possible so my family doesn’t mock me for tearing up at EVERYTHING.

It’s not a slight against Universal, but the rides at Disney are just a small part of the appeal so being able to ride as many as possible isn’t a draw for us.

 

[JayhawkCruiser]

It's obvious that you see Universal as some sort of cut rate park, but dismissing it as a "locals park" is pretty insulting. Plenty of people come from all over America and overseas and happily spend a week or more there, never setting foot in Disney. Is it really that hard to just enjoy what you like without putting down what others like?

Well said. Plus UO needs to be examined through the prism of the last 10 years and the work they’ve done. The HP expansions are the best themed park area I’ve ever seen regardless if you like the IP or not. Volcano Bay makes Disney water parks look like Fun Spot designed them. The people they poached from Disney to lead the design, theming, and story for Epic Universe are elite. When that 4th gate opens a lot of people will be eating their hats as a result.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

It's obvious that you see Universal as some sort of cut rate park, but dismissing it as a "locals park" is pretty insulting. Plenty of people come from all over America and overseas and happily spend a week or more there, never setting foot in Disney. Is it really that hard to just enjoy what you like without putting down what others like?

Locals park isn’t an insult, Disneyland is often referred to the same way.

 

[MaC410]

This park vs park debate is worse than the mask debate. At least the mask debate was slightly relevant to the topic.

 

[5onadime]

I am a HUGE Disney World fan. My family has gone almost every year since 1996.

Universal seems to be outshining Disney a bit. Not because they are opening first, but it just seems they've taken the leading role here. They are the most vocal in these task force meetings. And they just seem to be more motivated to work all this out. They are the trendsetters right now. Usually its the other way around.

Disney just seems to be a bit indecisive and hesitating to do anything. Perhaps this is because of the musical chairs with the executives lately. Certainly a bad time for all that.

I agree completely! Disney has not managed this well.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Universal seems to be outshining Disney a bit. Not because they are opening first, but it just seems they've taken the leading role here. They are the most vocal in these task force meetings. And they just seem to be more motivated to work all this out. They are the trendsetters right now. Usually its the other way around.

Disney just seems to be a bit indecisive and hesitating to do anything. Perhaps this is because of the musical chairs with the executives lately. Certainly a bad time for all that.

All will be forgotten and forgiven once Disney is open again, IMO.

 

[xuxa777]

Disney Springs opened about a week/two weeks after City Walk, not too far of a stretch to expect the same pattern with the parks.

 

[AvidDisReader]

There is a bigger picture here than just opening so people can go on vacation and Cast Members can go back to work. WDW, as the largest single site employer in the US, is a symbol for all Americans that once they open their doors, we are getting back to some normalcy. Once they announce their opening it will be a big shot in the arm not just for their stock, or the stock market in general, but for the moral of the entire country,

 

[summerw]

Universal seems to be outshining Disney a bit. Not because they are opening first, but it just seems they've taken the leading role here. They are the most vocal in these task force meetings. And they just seem to be more motivated to work all this out. They are the trendsetters right now. Usually its the other way around.

Disney just seems to be a bit indecisive and hesitating to do anything. Perhaps this is because of the musical chairs with the executives lately. Certainly a bad time for all that.

I think it’s intentional. Universal has always taken a harder line when guests ask for accommodations. These changes will be so big for the public mindset, I think Disney is content to let Universal take the heat being the leader.

I don’t think they’re being indecisive. I think they’re being purposely cautious. Disney’s brand relies so much on family and nostalgic feeling, they have more to lose If they look greedy rather than concerned.

 

[Brianstl]

If they’re keeping the parks closed because they’d be worried that NBA players would get too close to us “normies”, then theyd have to close the entire property off from the general public, including DS.

They are not going to close anything besides a resort for NBA and MLS players.

 

[rteetz]

Disney Springs opened about a week/two weeks after City Walk, not too far of a stretch to expect the same pattern with the parks.

I am expecting the same. Disney is being conservative, they don’t want to jump the gun. They played wait and see with Springs vs. City Walk and will do the same with the parks. Disney is no doubt watching what others are doing.

 

[Eric Smith]

It's obvious that you see Universal as some sort of cut rate park, but dismissing it as a "locals park" is pretty insulting. Plenty of people come from all over America and overseas and happily spend a week or more there, never setting foot in Disney. Is it really that hard to just enjoy what you like without putting down what others like?

It’s just stating a fact. The majority of Universal guests are locals. It’s not trying to put down Universal.

 

[atricks]

I think it’s intentional. Universal has always taken a harder line when guests ask for accommodations. These changes will be so big for the public mindset, I think Disney is content to let Universal take the heat being the leader.

I don’t think they’re being indecisive. I think they’re being purposely cautious. Disney’s brand relies so much on family and nostalgic feeling, they have more to lose If they look greedy rather than concerned.

Universal has done a lot of misc park improvements and kept up construction while the parks have been closed. Disney stopped pretty much everything. Universal is taking a proactive approach, and Disney is being more passive. It'll be interesting to see which one was the right approach in a year or so.

 

[RamblingMad]

I am expecting the same. Disney is being conservative, they don’t want to jump the gun. They played wait and see with Springs vs. City Walk and will do the same with the parks. Disney is no doubt watching what others are doing.

Let Universal do the hard work, and we’ll copy has been WDW approach since Universal got HP.

 

[Brianstl]

If Disney opened tomorrow, people would be there and people would say its too soon to open

If Disney opened on Jan 1st, 2021 people would be there and people would say its too soon to open

And many of those people at the parks would be the same people saying Disney is opening too early.

 

[gatour]

I saw that too. I was wondering what exactly what was the point of the announcement. “We just wanted to announce that we have nothing to announce.”

Probably because they just wanted to announce just that. Otherwise people will ask why they haven't announced anything. At least they attempted announce that we have basically not decided on anything that we want to publicly announce.

 

[RamblingMad]

What ride does Universal have that Disney copied when they built FoP and RotR?

Disney didn’t have anything like the Harry Potter areas. Universal is far more immersive. They copied the concept with first Carsland and Avatar and then Galaxy’s Edge.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

They are not going to close anything besides a resort for NBA and MLS players.

I totally agree. Bringing in the NBA and opening the parks are not mutually exclusive. I'm speculating the NBA will take over the entirety of CSR and, obviously, WWOS. Have dedicated transportation back and forth to only those locations and the NBA will be completely sealed off from the rest of WDW. It would be a major win for CSR, WWOS, NBA, Disney, ESPN/ABC and wouldn't affect park operations, DS, water parks or the rest of the resorts in any way.

 

[Mit88]

Disney didn’t have anything like the Harry Potter areas. They copied the concept with first Carsland and Avatar and then Galaxy’s Edge.

Disney laid the foundation of lands when they built Disneyland. I love Hogwarts and Diagon alley, but let’s not act like Universal invented the wheel