A Scary Thought: Will WDW Need To Close Again?
This might be the scariest article you read on Halloween: Will Walt Disney World need to shutter, again?
I was having a great Halloween morning, on Facebook watching Greg and Elyssa from a socially-distanced, 25% capacity Magic Kingdom. And then, well, I read the newspaper.
One of my favorite writers, Rick Munarriz of The Motley Fool, got a byline in USAToday.com’s money section asking the question, “Will Disney World in Florida close before Disneyland reopens?”
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not naive. However, in contrast to the distressing news regarding COVID-19 cases in the United States, watching MickeyBlog.com and MagicalNewsLIVE on the ground in Florida are a lifeline.
Is a Walt Disney World shutdown in the Cards?
Unfortunately, and in the eyes of at least this particular Disney stock analyst, there’s a distinct possibility Walt Disney World may have to shut down. Munarriz rightly explained that governments in Europe are already shutting down theme parks as their home countries look to stave off the coronavirus.
“Disney is feeling the sting,” wrote Munarriz. “Disneyland Paris closed on Thursday. It hopes to reopen by Dec. 19 in time for the peak two-week holiday season, but that stipulation naturally rests on prevailing conditions and what the government guidance will be at the time… But with U.S. cases hitting record daily highs this week, one has to wonder if Disney’s stateside operations will also have to hit the pause button.
“We have to start bracing ourselves for the grim possibility that Florida’s Disney World might have to close again before the original Disneyland gets a chance to reopen.”
A Tough Set of Possibilities
Obviously, everyone involved wants the best for Disney’s guests and castmembers. But, oh man – does that stink (on ice).
To his credit, Munarriz was completely transparent about his speculation (“Suggesting that Disney World may have to close in the next few weeks is a jarring notion, and it’s one that certainly isn’t on the table right now,” he wrote). But, Rick pointed out that the United States set new case records several times this week.
And Munarriz also pointed out that WDW is tough to read:
It’s gradually starting to reopen some of its previously shuttered resort hotels and restaurants, but this week, the Florida resort did send pink slips to more of its hires. Disney’s in-park entertainment division is getting the brunt of this round of layoffs, as many live-show casts and roaming performers feel the pinch. It’s just another grim reminder that Disney World may be technically open for more than three months now, but we’re not getting any closer to how things used to be at the self-billed “most magical place on Earth.”
Hoping For Cooler Heads
Moreover, Munnarriz, who (like me) owns Disney stock, says Walt Disney World “continues to lose money.”
And, no matter how successful Disney has been in keeping outbreaks from happening at WDW, none of the above is a good combination of factors for those who love their Disney vacations (or going to the mall, for that matter).
In the end, here is hoping that cooler heads (in both decision making and fevers) prevail. Be sure to read all of Munnarriz’s article over on USAToday.com.