This week, Bob Chapek talks about reopening the parks around the world, what that is going to look like, Disney sending out surveys asking about re-openings, a glimpse inside the parks from cast members, construction restarts at the resort, we talk Shanghai Disneyland reopening and what that means for Disneyland, and more!
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News:
Disney CEO Bob Chapek was interviewed on CNBC this week talking about what it is going to take to reopen the US parks. Chapek began talking about attendance and demand. They are really encouraged by what they are seeing from Shanghai’s first day. They are going to be very disciplined on how they open up, and are going to take their time. Chapek said that it has to be Disney operations in partnership with guest behavior to make it successful. The biggest challenge that he sees is getting guests to comply with things like masks, especially in the hot weather. – https://wdwnt.com/2020/05/bob-chapek-talks-about-the-future-of-phased-disney-parks-reopenings-films-and-his-role-as-ceo-on-interview-with-cnbc-emphasizes-guests-must-wear-masks-and-do-their-part-for-u-s-reopenings/ and https://www.cnbc.com/video/2020/05/11/watch-cnbcs-full-interview-with-disney-ceo-bob-chapek.html
The Resort has updated their resort operations page online with updates on how they will handle the reopening of the parks. Things that we have talked about on the podcast previously are on the guidelines like capacity limitations, social distancing, experiences being modified, and more. – https://www.micechat.com/258995-disneyland-update-weeks-not-months/
With the opening of the Shanghai Disney Resort in China, we have seen what mass temperature screenings at the parks would look like and there is a real possibility that these measures will also be coming to Disneyland. The machines that would be used for this would scan guests as they pass an entrance and only guests with an elevated temperature would be pulled aside for additional screening. – https://www.micechat.com/258995-disneyland-update-weeks-not-months/
Disneyland has been sending out surveys to guests trying to determine what guests want, expect, and would be comfortable with. What company, resort, local, state, and federal measures would be needed before they would come back and more. – https://www.micechat.com/258995-disneyland-update-weeks-not-months/
Reopening anything at the Disneyland Resort could be a ways off still, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel with the beginning of the phased reopening of Disney Springs out in Walt Disney World. For those not familiar with Disney Springs, it is basically Disney World’s version of Downtown Disney. The shopping and dining district will open with a limited number of third-party establishments. The rest of WDW will remain closed including the theme parks and resort hotels. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/05/disney-springs-begins-phased-reopening-on-may-20/ and https://wdwnt.com/2020/05/wdwnt-weekly-recap-shanghai-becomes-the-first-resort-to-reopen-disney-springs-phased-reopening-set-to-begin-this-month-a-shopdisney-security-scandal-company-losses-and-more/
With the update to the phased reopenings in the state of California, Disneyland might be closer to opening than many anticipated. Theme parks are not scheduled to open until Phase 3, which wasn’t expected to happen until late summer or later, but Governor Newsom said it could come in less than a month. – https://www.micechat.com/258995-disneyland-update-weeks-not-months/
On the evening of May 6th, Disney security teams at Disneyland and Walt Disney World shared some images from inside the parks during their shifts. Some of the iconic p