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Credit: DisneyMany are concerned with how Disney Parks will operate with the COVID Delta variant spreading worldwide. During the Walt Disney Company Q3 Financial Results Conference Call, Disney CEO Bob Chapek touched on just that.
Related: Orange County Says Theme Parks Can Reduce Social Distancing
When asked how the Delta variant may impact Disney Parks, Chapek replied that despite the Delta variant continuing to spread, the company is still seeing strong demand for the Parks. “The primary noise we’re seeing right now is around group or conference cancellations,” Chapek stated. “Right now, we’re seeing above the Q3 attendance levels; they were pretty darn good.”
Chapek continued to explain that Disney has implemented a reservation system — known as the Disney Park Pass system — that will enable them to spread their demand, increase the yield, and improve the Guest experience simultaneously. A theme park reservation system exists at Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.
Related: What Orange County’s “Crisis Mode” Means For Florida Theme Parks
He continued, “What will be the long-lasting impact is the improvement that we’re making with Guest personalization and Guest choices affecting the tremendous yield benefits we’ve extracted over the last few quarters. That will only grow with our ability to do a world-class yield management system through the new reservation management system.”
Related: Chapek Says Storytelling Will Remain Disney’s Top Priority
Christine McCarthy, the chief financial officer of The Walt Disney Company, also weighed in, explaining that they will continue to monitor the trends of the Delta variant. Still, they expect the Parks to be staffed by the end of the 2021 calendar year.
McCarthy stated, “This is a never-changing landscape with COVID. We will be cautious and bring our capacity online aggressively and measured. We won’t just open up the doors and fling them open. We’re doing this in a measured fashion for the health and safety of our Guests and our Cast Members in the parks”.
It seems as though, at this time, Disney is not planning to make any other changes in its operations due to the Delta variant. So far, the latest change was made a few weeks ago when Disney announced that face coverings would once again be required indoors for all Guests ages two and up, regardless of vaccination status, following an update to CDC recommendations. If you are planning a visit to Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort, read the official rules and regulations before traveling.
You can find Disney World’s safety rules here and Disneyland’s safety regulations here.
Related: Bob Chapek Weighs In on Disney’s Reimagined Annual Pass Program
Are you planning a Disney Parks vacation soon? Let us know in the comments below.