What Theme Parks Can Learn From Disney Shanghai’s Reopening

As the world begins to open up, the future of Disney and other theme parks is uncertain. In this interview the Voice of B2B, Daniel Litwin, chats with Disney expert Ziggy Oskwarek, of ZiggyKnowsDisney.com. Ziggy, a Disney fanatic since childhood, began his blog about four years ago, providing insights and insider tips for those traveling to the parks.

Thus far, Disney Shanghai is the first to open, albeit with many changes. Ziggy said, “There are a lot of changes to get the parks back open. For example, limited guest attendance began at only 25% of normal capacity to reduce crowds and encourage social distancing.” Further precautions have also taken place, including reservation requirements, temperature screening, and the requirement of facemasks.

Disney World in Florida announced it would reopen in July, likely adhering to these same guidelines. Based on guests’ feedback on Ziggy’s website, he sees many theme park lovers pushing these vacations to 2021. Profitability for the industry is also something he believes won’t be realized under these restrictions, especially in reference to capacity. The strategy for increasing this will depend on things going right, as Disney Shanghai has since expanded the number of guests to around 35% capacity.

Some initiatives were already in place or newly implemented that are not only helping with risk mitigation but have long-term viability for parks.

 “Virtual queuing through the Disney app was already in place, and using it long-term is practical. They’re also using contactless payments and scanning codes to read menus from a phone instead of paper,” Ziggy shared.

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