DISNEY World is likely to open after Disneyland California due flight restrictions, with the majority of the former theme park’s guests being international visitors.
Both theme parks remain closed due to coronavirus, having shut their doors last month.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
David Miller, an analyst with Imperial Capital, believes that the Florida park’s customer base will cause difficulties when the parks reopen, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Since Disney World’s attendees mostly come from out of state, the state of the travel industry is going to have an impact on the park.
He explained: “By our estimation, 85 percent of the attendance base in Orlando, in a normalised environment, forget about the virus for a second, comes from out of state or out of the country. Which means you pretty much have to fly there.
“So, it is a two-step process with getting consumers conformable with going back to the parks.”
While US flights are resuming at a reduced basis, people from the UK and Europe are still banned from visiting the country.
Miller continued: “You have to be comfortable, number one, with getting on a plane and then you have to be comfortable actually going into the park and hope that it is a fairly sterile environment and that people will hopefully adhere to safe social distancing.”
Universal Studios in Orlando may also face the same issue, compared to the Universal park in Hollywood.
However, Miller’s analysis wasn’t all doom and gloom for the theme parks.
“At least with theme parks, there’s no secular threat in going to the theme park unless there is no cure for the virus,” he explained.
“Eventually, there is going to be a vaccine. Eventually, life will return to normal, but no one knows how quickly.”
Not only are the parks yet to announce a preliminary opening date, but visits to the theme parks are likely to be very different post-coronavirus.
Temperature checks could be introduced at park gates, after Disney boss Bob Iger said in an interview to Barrons: “In order to return to some semblance of normal, people will have to feel comfortable that they’re safe.
“Some of that could come in the form, ultimately, of a vaccine, but in the absence of that it could come from basically, more scrutiny, more restrictions.”
Virtual queues – something that is already in place in certain parts of the park – could be rolled out across all of the attractions, while ticket prices could soar in price as the parks face billion pound losses.
It follows a statement from Florida governor Ron DeSantis who said Disney is “far ahead of the curve” in terms of re-opening.
The governor’s comments came days after beaches in Florida began to re-open amid the coronavirus pandemic, as other states are preparing to end some lockdown measures in coming weeks.
Disney is rumoured to be losing up to $20m (£16m) for every day the attractions are shut.
A version of this article was originally published by the New York Post and has been reproduced with permission.
CORONAVIRUS CRISIS – STAY IN THE KNOW
Don’t miss the latest news and figures – and essential advice for you and your family.
To receive The Sun’s Coronavirus newsletter in your inbox every tea time, sign up here.
To follow us on Facebook, simply ‘Like’ our Coronavirus page.
Get Britain’s best-selling newspaper delivered to your smartphone or tablet each day – find out more.
