Eight Stories to Monitor As the Disney Parks Reopen
Hooray! From now on, Walt Disney World is open once again, and so the world feels a little lighter and brighter.
With the world’s most popular theme park back in business, we have a few vital aspects to track.
These behaviors will go a long way in proving that the parks are back for good.
Here are seven things to monitor with the parks reopened.
Guest Behavior/ Viral Videos
Let’s start with an uncomfortable conversation. During the pandemic, some agitated people have acted deplorably.
If you’re the least bit familiar with TikTok, you’ve watched some of these outbursts. News organizations have amplified clips for clicks.
Disney recently fell victim to this when a misleading picture from Downtown Disney went viral.
The imagery indicated that early guests failed to socially distance themselves during the entertainment complex’s reopening day.
Now, I’ve spoken to people who were at Downtown Disney on July 9th, and they raved about the safety policies in place.
However, a single misleading viral video could create a stigma about Disney’s approach to Coronavirus.
After all, SeaWorld Orlando absorbed a social media drubbing for failing to enforce its published policies during its reopening day.
Disney cannot afford that, which means that the company must take a hard line with inappropriate guest behavior.
Since Disney customer service has always been exemplary, this position is an awkward one for the company.
Park Traffic
Disney has intentionally limited traffic as a concession to the pandemic.
Guests must book a Park Pass to visit a Disney theme park right now. Also, Park Hopping isn’t allowed until the situation improves.
Park officials hope to maintain social distancing by reducing the number of guests.
However, the company needs to turn a profit. Otherwise, the reopening of Walt Disney World becomes a poor business decision.
So, the company must find the perfect balance between protecting guests and generating revenue.
During cast member and annual passholder previews, the parks have looked empty.
Is this level of park traffic due to Disney’s measures, or is demand lower due to Coronavirus?
We’re all blindly speculating at the moment, but it’s an important topic to monitor.
Vlogger Videos
Of course, much of the information we’re getting comes from professional Vloggers.
MickeyBlog has developed relationships with many of them. We warmly congratulate our friends at ResortTV1 for recently crossing the lofty 100,000-subscriber mark.
Similarly, the aptly named PrinceCharmingDev has soared in popularity in 2020 because he’s so likable.
Vloggers like them will go a long way in establishing how well Disney parks are doing.
The reality is that many of the most passionate Disney fans watch these videos to distract from real-world problems.
Well, everyone needs a happy escape while working from home, which makes these livestreams and vlogs more meaningful than ever.
Coming to you LIVE as we close down Magic Kingdom!
Posted by MickeyBlog.com on Tuesday, July 14, 2020
Many potential Disney guests will use these videos to decide whether a theme park visit looks safe and fun in 2020/2021.
Park Changes/Standby Lines
With all due respect to The Walt Disney Company, the park changes announcements have lacked consistency.
I’m not looking to attack the company during an impossible situation. However, I’m as confused by some of the park changes as you are.
I’m saying this as someone who writes about Disney for a living.
First, Disney hinted that they would have a FastPass replacement ready when the parks returned. Then, Disney said that FastPasses were on hold.
Later, the company indicated that it would rely on old-fashioned standby lines for attractions.
Then, Disney went back on that statement by revealing that virtual queuing is back for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
So, I have concerns about how Disney will handle line management.
However, I counterbalance those worries with the knowledge that nobody in the business understands crowd behavior like Disney.
If the initial plans for everyone to stand in regular lines fail, I’m confident Disney will adapt.
Still, this topic bears careful study. If guests wait too long in physical line queues, they’ll grow grumpy and forget to maintain social distancing.
Park strategists clearly believe that Disney solves this problem by limiting attendance.
Who am I to argue with experts on the subject who have plenty of data to support them?
The first time I notice a ride with a 100-minute wait, I’m going to wonder, though.
Safety Measure Effectiveness
Look, you’re tired of hearing about Coronavirus, and I’m tired of talking about it. Sadly, that doesn’t mean it’s going away, though.
So, Disney’s safety measures matter. Management must protect the health of guests. Otherwise, they won’t feel like they’re at the Most Magical Place on Earth.
We’d discussed park safety measures ad nauseam. As a reminder, they include:
- Hand sanitizer stations
- Cast member training
- Social distancing markers
- Informational signs
- Face mask requirements
- Encouraging contactless payment
- Limited ride capacity
- Removal/alteration of high-touch spots
- Restaurant Changes
I could go on, but you get the point. Disney has reevaluated all its potential Coronavirus vulnerabilities.
Then, the company has taken steps to improve them, thereby protecting guests.
Frankly, I wish that all theme park operators demonstrated such thoughtfulness and dedication to customer safety.
Alas, Disney gets held to a higher standard. So, the company will take the blame for any health issues that occur, whether that’s fair or not.
Park officials face an imperative here. Disney cannot have any outbreaks that people can trace back to the parks.
And let’s be honest here. Some of that will come down to luck, even though Disney’s done more than literally any other theme park to protect guests.
Restaurant Changes
Out of the changes I list here, one has a chance to become permanent.
Disney has streamlined the process at its Table Service restaurants.
QR codes will help you skip several steps. You will scan the code to check-in and request a table.
Then, you will scan another code at your table to read the menu.
By taking these steps, Disney limits the number of customer/cast member interactions, another safety measure.
Park officials hope to improve efficiency at restaurants by eliminating two layers of overhead.
You no longer wait in a line to check-in, and you no longer wait for a menu.
So, the QR code system should allow Disney to serve more customers during a workday while protecting everyone from Coronavirus.
If this strategy works, the days of waiting to speak with a host are gone forever. Guests will have more control over the pace of the meal, too.
Disney had flirted with these concepts when it introduced Mobile Ordering. However, the company excluded Table Service restaurants.
Now, Coronavirus has forced Disney’s hand, and I suspect that customers will reap the long-term rewards…as long as it works well.
Early results are incredibly encouraging, but the park reopening will tell the tale.
Guest Experience
Many Disney fans have expressed fears about the reopening of the parks.
These people have spent the last four months hearing about how the parks will be different.
They know that the night won’t end with fireworks, and parades won’t provide entertainment during the day.
Disney has changed character interactions as well. For many park guests, those greetings matter more than anything else.
So, people understandably worry about the fact that Disney won’t operate regular character meetings or fireworks or parades. And they must wear masks.
None of this sounds like Disney.
Media Headlines/Articles
As much as anything discussed here, the media will determine the success of Disney’s reopening.
The Mouse House finds itself in a PR battle. Disney waited six weeks after Universal and four weeks after SeaWorld.
Despite the company’s patience, a major publication posted an article on July 10th asking whether Disney was right to reopen.
The insanity is that the same publication didn’t give any attention to the theme parks that returned too soon and have remained open as Coronavirus surges.
Disney gets held to a much higher standard. Yes, that’s unfair, but nobody will give Mickey Mouse a pass if Disney struggles.
So, park planners face an imperative. The reopening of Disney theme parks must go well.
Otherwise, a high-profile setback could haunt the company throughout the pandemic.
After all, critics still mention the Disneyland family brawl and Disney Skyliner incidents whenever possible.
A similar embarrassment during the outbreak would receive much more attention.
Thankfully, Disney has taken Coronavirus more seriously than many of its counterparts.
Any negative headlines are likely to come from poor guest behavior or misfortune.
I say this with confidence because I sincerely believe that Disney has done everything that it can to ready Walt Disney World for its triumphant return.