[Question] Disneyland Closing (again)...

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I'm not starting a rumor, but asking a legit question. With the recent announcement of Hong Kong Disneyland closing for at least 2 weeks, due to the increase in Covid cases, I'm curious to know if anyone has heard, or thinks, our Anaheim Disney Parks will do the same? Each time you turn on the news, it just seems our Covid cases are getting worse and worse again, almost out of control.

As a person who works in the hotel industry, right near Disneyland, it concerns me. Because we all know from before, if Disneyland closes (temporarily) again, it will have a drastic affect to all the business around the Anaheim Resort. It'll be a nightmare!

What are your thoughts?

[kjhorton25]

Disneyland won't close unless it's illegal for them to be open. At this point doesn't seem like something even California, a historically strict state on COVID, is willing to do again. The cases are going up, yes this is true. However, deaths are not following nearly as closely simply because of how this new strain has adapted, anyone can look at the graph on google and see that.
Bottom line, I don't think you have to worry about Disneyland closing anytime soon.

[Mr Wiggins]

Disney is unlikely to close DLR unless ordered by the state... or, as is increasingly happening to businesses across the country, so many employees call out sick that they can't operate:

Los Angeles Times: Growing number of Southern California facilities closing amid Omicron surge

CNN: Overwhelmed hospitals. Staffing shortages. Businesses closing. Here's how the Omicron wave is ravaging local communities

Orange County Register: Omicron surge prompts Newport Beach to close City Hall, other spots, to public

Bloomberg: U.S. Schools Close in Droves as Omicron Drives Staff Shortages

Los Angeles Times: L.A. healthcare system hit with widening staffing shortages as workers get coronavirus


Shutdowns are hitting the retail, hospitality and entertainment industries as well:

Washington Post: Restaurants are closing again as staff test positive for coronavirus amid omicron surge

NPR: The omicron surge is making it hard to staff stores and restaurants. Some are closing

Bloomberg: Restaurants and Shows Close as Omicron Grips the U.S.

Hollywood Reporter: 'Star Trek: Picard' production shut down after more than 50 test positive for COVID-19

Fox News: Sundance canceled due to COVID surge

HuffPost: Grammy Awards Postponed Indefinitely Amid COVID-19 Surge

[Captain Andy]

Disney is unlikely to close DLR unless ordered by the state... or, as is increasingly happening to businesses across the country, so many employees call out sick that they can't operate:

Agreed. It's more likely Disneyland Anaheim will close due to short staff than the latter... even then, they can just close the specific restaurants or attractions where they are short-staffed, and charge the guest the usual price.

I have my doubts even then, but it's a possibility.

[Eagleman]

Agreed. It's more likely Disneyland Anaheim will close due to short staff than the latter... even then, they can just close the specific restaurants or attractions where they are short-staffed, and charge the guest the usual price.

I have my doubts even then, but it's a possibility.

I agree -
Disneyland won't close unless it's illegal for them to be open.
Imo

[Stormy]

Agreed. It's more likely Disneyland Anaheim will close due to short staff than the latter... even then, they can just close the specific restaurants or attractions where they are short-staffed, and charge the guest the usual price.

I have my doubts even then, but it's a possibility.

I share your doubts. I agree that if it's an issue of short staffing they'll just close facilities and consolidate staffing. I think the only closure would come if it started shutting down a good number of major attractions. My understanding is that ride operators have specific mandated training for 'their' attraction, so it's not like you could shut down Pooh and Gadget's and send them all over to 'run' RoTR and IncrediCoaster. But even then, I think a big number of 'headliners' would have to be impacted.

[Dtimeisnow]

Definitely not gonna happen again, let alone any major lockdowns will happen in CA.

Yes, the new variant is showing to be a more contagious strain of Covid, but along with the boosters mostly providing protection, but closing the park is usually mandated by the state and not the company. Travel companies were hit the hardest in 2020 and 2021 (and likely 2022 also) and a lockdown would create two issues. On a financial level, it would be another blow for Disney. The box office was not that strong (except for Spider-Man No Way Home, but they have to share that profit with Sony), Disney+ subscriptions have had a major slowdown, the PR between the executives and fanbase are damaged, moral between the cast members and their bosses are at a low and Chapek as CEO is proving controversial. You could say that the company as a whole has a lot of their shoulders. Currently, the theme parks are the one major source of income that's pretty much become "turn key" thanks to the Magic Kay crowd. All they have to do in wait for the reservations and expect guests to come in, buy food, buy snacks, buy merchandise, rinse and repeat. Plus longtime Disney fans still get their theme park fix, so it's been a win-win. Closing it once more would only be another major burden to overcome.

While I could see a scenario of it closing due to staffing issues, even thats more of a "Plan X" scenario where they absolutely have no other option. There have been times where the park has had to operate with fewer castmembers due to strikes from specific unions. In those cases, many of the managers and even imagineers would step into the needed positions until the strikes were over. This would probably be the plan as well today.

[jish5555]

Closing would be the absolute last thing Disney will try to do and will fight tooth and nail to keep the parks open for as long as feasibly possible. The only way we'll see any place close again is either enough people quit or we see a virus that makes covid look like a picnic.

[Brian PieGuy]

Hong Kong Disneyland is owned by the Chinese government, with Disney owning a minority stake. What Hong Kong Disneyland is forced to do and what Disneyland will do is an apples and oranges comparison in this case.

I panicked when I saw the news too, but for a different reason; I was scrolling through my news feed and I saw the headline "Disney Parks Close", with a picture of Mickey and Minnie standing in front of what looked like the Disneyland in Anaheim. When I saw that, I immediately thought -hit was about to hit the fan in Cali, and I started mentally planning an extended vacay in other state, as I've done the past few years. Oddly enough, the rational side of me decided to actually read the article, and I quickly realized this was in Hong Kong, which has some of the most extreme mitigation measures in the world, so it's totally unsurprising.

Staffing shortage is another issue that could be trickier, but I think Disney would be able to pull through. The show must go on.

[Eagleman]

I hearing/reading Staffing.......is getting be big Issue all over.....Not just Disney

[Norcalxx]

I wouldn't think that there is one chance in the world of this happening. I have absolutely zero interest in arguing about this or any other topic. If my pending comments cause anyone any kind of stress or negative feelings, especially the moderators, that is absolutely not my goal so please feel free to take them down. I'm not commenting on whether tlany Disney parks should or shouldn't stay opened or close. I have no opinion on that and I have no interest in reading anyone else's. I just want to contribute what little information I've gathered in the last several days. So, with all that said, I really don't have anything to add on this subject. Just kidding🤣🤣🤣. What I've seen is that the surrounding counties before today, while having no problems with hospital bed availability, have begun having employees return to working from home. Also while most of the hyperventilating reporters on the news have only talked about fears that it's possible there could be problems in the future, up until today, there hasn't been any hospitals saying they are having any problems with bed availability. This morning however, for the first time that I've heard, they were reporting that some hospitals in Orange County are having problems with overcrowding. I know this is really long but to be honest I have just way too much time on my hands.

[Captain Andy]

Called it, though it's not quite dire to the point where many facilities are closed. I hope the remaining staff are taking care of themselves and managing the stress alright.

Via Micechat update:

"Like everywhere else in the country, Disneyland is suffering a major staffing shortage right now. Cast are calling out in droves across the resort and staffing was already tight before. As a result, some operations have been impacted. But the Resort is shifting resources as much as they can to continue operating as normal as possible.

The Napa Rose Princess Breakfast will be closed for six weeks due to staffing issues, and guests are being notified of reservation cancellations by email.

The holiday treat station in the Grand Californian was operated off and on throughout the last week as staffing allowed. It won’t be back again until the end of the month at the earliest with new Valentines themed treats."

[Starcade]

I also do not think they will close but they will take every chance they get to skimpflation the parks further in the guise of short staffing or Covid. It will be 2024 Covid could be as common as the measles as more people get vaccinated and vaccines get better etc. and yet if Cheap park is still CEO expect Disney to keep claiming Covid hardships as the excuse why they have X, Y or Z closed.