Stock Analyst: Disney World SHOULD Open In July!
Wall Street Is Watching Walt Disney World
We watch Rick Munarriz’s posts pretty closely; over at The Motley Fool, he writes the Disney stock beat.
And he owns shares of The Walt Disney Company. So, he is personally “invested” in the health of “The Mouse.”
So, obviously, we were interested in what Munarriz might say.
Will Disney World Open This Month?
There is a better argument to be made against opening now because it just won’t be profitable for Disney. Central Florida’s theme parks have been open for weeks, and they have announced layoffs since resuming operations — a cruel reminder that the new normal won’t be as lucrative as the old normal anytime soon. However, this is a time for Disney’s theme parks to transition from being a historical cash cow to a temporary loss leader… Disney’s parks also afford the media giant a platform to promote its other businesses… Safety is paramount, of course. The entire industry comes undone if families start contracting COVID-19 after spending a few hours at a theme park.
Okay, Rick. What about the surge in cases?
Is the rise in new COVID-19 cases alarming? Yes, but it would be a more pressing concern if the mortality rate weren’t on the decline. The recent surge in cases in Florida has been tied mostly to bars, restaurants, open houses, and other social gatherings where the same dedication to temperature checks, face-covering requirements, and social distancing norms as theme parks is not being honored. Theme parks have been open for more than a month, and there aren’t widespread reports of the gated attractions as a pandemic hotbed. If you want more anecdotal support, consider that cases in California are also surging with no theme park attractions available.
Beyond Disney World, Key July Dates
Interesting thoughts. And what’s more, Rick thinks July remains integral to Disney’s overall success and named several dates to watch:
July 1
The next Disney-branded theme parks to resume operations [were] Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.
July 3
In what is likely to be the biggest thing to hit Disney+ since The Mandalorian last November, the game-changing Hamilton musical will be available on the fast-growing streaming service [Today].
July 11
The first two of Disney’s six stateside theme parks will soon open for the first time since its resorts on both coasts shuttered nearly four months earlier. Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will resume operations on July 11. The resort’s other two theme parks — Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios — will unlock their turnstiles four days later.
July 15
A few hours before Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios get back to business, Disneyland Paris is set to open the gates at its two theme parks.
July 31
It’s not just Hamilton debuting on Disney+ in July. Muppets Now will launch at the end of the month, billed as the franchise’s first unscripted series as well as first original series for the streaming platform.
Image Credit: Disney
