A new report from Visit Florida attempts to put a number on the impact that the tourism industry took during the second quarter of 2020. The report covers the months of April, May, and June – a time period in which the Walt Disney World theme parks were completely shut down. As you may know, Disney closed its theme parks in mid-March and didn’t reopen until July 11th.
The report says that the tourism industry saw a 60.5% drop in visitation, with international travel down more than 90% as quarantines and travel bans discouraged travel. Most tourism came from other states, according to the report. Visit Florida noted that the data was preliminary and subject to change.
Please note that due to the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it has had on data used to produce visitor estimates, the numbers provided … are likely to face larger-than-normal revisions as new data become available.
While the time period covered does not include the Disney World reopening, Disney has seen a slow return by guests, with Disney CEO Bob Chapek noting that the demand has been lower than Disney predicted.
As a result of lower than expected demand, and a naturally slower fall season ahead, Disney is shortening theme park hours beginning September 8th. In the month of September, Disney World theme parks will see a 28% reduction in operating hours when compared to the same time period in 2019. Disney has implemented a theme park reservation system that has made it difficult for its most loyal guests to visit.
Disney has also taken the unprecedented step of cancelling Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party as many elements of the party such as parades, stage shows, and fireworks aren’t able to operate with physical distancing in place.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!