Disney Is Missing A Golden Opportunity

[SoCalDisneyFan]

Disney is Not thinking outside the box at all. They have 2 entire parks sitting empty, generating No Revenue, but it Does Not need to be that way.

We know that the State has not given any guidance on opening Theme Parks, and that is what Disney is waiting on. But we also know that CA is permitting Stores to be open, and To-Go Food is still allowed.

Which brings me back to the empty park, and empty parking lots, generating No Revenue. If Disney were to institute a Lottery, first available to Season Pass Holders, and then to the general public, which allowed people to access the Parks for Shopping & To Go Food Only, imagine how much pent up demand there is right now to just BE IN THE PARK.

So you Nix the Rides, and you Nix the Entertainment, but perhaps you do like on Choc Walk Day, and have characters around, to create atmosphere, and good vibes. And then, you sell people overpriced merchandise, and overpriced food/drink. You charge $5 or $10 to Park, and people willingly pay it.

This enables Disney to bring back some staff. It allows them to have people in charge of limiting people entering stores or food venues, and enforcing the wearing of masks.

You do not allow even the limited amount of attendance you will have when the parks are officially fully open, so it helps with the organization and training which will ramp up once that occurs. It shows the State of CA that you are serious about running a smooth operation, and can be relied upon to maintain the protocols necessary to keep people safe.

I see absolutely no downside to this idea. Brings back cast members, brings back an anxious public, even if to a limited experience, but most of all, it generates Revenue and Profit. Significant expense is avoided by keeping ride operations shuttered. For the most part, you're just running an enlarged version of Downtown Disney, and Passholders will eat that up every day if given the opportunity.

[9oldmen]

Or you could just, y'know, have all the in-park merchandise available on ShopDisney and list all the in park and DtD restaurants on Grubhub, Postmates, etc.

I see absolutely no downside to this idea.

Of course you don't see a downside. That's why you (like me) are posting things anonymously on a board, while they (Disney) are running the company. The downside is that they would have to spend money developing the infrastructure for this "lottery" system (or reservation system), and they might use it for one day, and that might be the day that Gov. Newson shuts down the state and makes us all shelter in place again if there's a spike in cases, which there kind of is right now. So all that money would just be out the window.
edit: Also, of course, all the money required to set up security and health/temperature screenings.

[Mr Wiggins]

Or you could just, y'know, have all the in-park merchandise available on ShopDisney and list all the in park and DtD restaurants on Grubhub, Postmates, etc.

Of course you don't see a downside. That's why you (like me) are posting things anonymously on a board, while they (Disney) are running the company. The downside is that they would have to spend money developing the infrastructure for this "lottery" system (or reservation system), and they might use it for one day, and that might be the day that Gov. Newson shuts down the state and makes us all shelter in place again if there's a spike in cases, which there kind of is right now. So all that money would just be out the window.
edit: Also, of course, all the money required to set up security and health/temperature screenings.

And the cost of insurance. And the risk of bad optics tainting a later reopening of the entire DLR if the mini-opening doesn't draw sufficient crowds, or draws crowds that are too large for the staff to handle, or draws crowds that include too many of Orange County's notorious anti-maskers. Not to mention that shopping in the relatively confined spaces of Disneyland's stores is going to sound very risky in a county that is seeing its COVID cases and hospitalizations soar -- which could make Disney appear desperate to make money, or greedy, or both. Add to the downside risks the fact that merch and food are the two offerings of DLR that are traditionally singled out for complaints about overpricing, and you have a potential for a backlash on social media.

[MRaymond]

Keep the chefs employed, have a curb side service. Order online your favorite Disney goodies; Monti Cristos, Churros, big corn dogs, Mickey beignets, etc. Pay online and a character will bring them out to your car. Don't hate me, I'm being silly.