Coronavirus: Impact on Theme Parks

[Professor]

You know that link refers to new mortgages/remortgages - not existing. And states that the rate has fallen beyond the base rate reduction now, so not sure what you’re proving with that one.

Well just like I said. Banks aren't passing on interest changes immediately, thus profiteering. They can borrow money from BOE cheaper than they lend it to individuals and businesses including theme parks. The choice between just more debt or throwing in the towel for theme parks is the whole point of starting to talk about banks in the first place but you are merely picking at straw-men arguments here.

Also you’ve both argued for and against supermarkets in the same paragraph - are they giants with a monopoly, or are they keeping us going through this crisis?

These are not mutually exclusive.

Pets at Home is open so yknow animals don’t die - Debenhams isn’t quite the same thing. And let’s face it, Debenhams were screwed long before this - the fact that supermarkets can sell clothes and food in this time isn’t what has caused Debenhams to close.

I'm pretty sure supermarkets selling cheap clothes over the last 25 years have had an impact on the clothing retailers that were set up in the 1800s.

 

[Hyde]

When it comes to the question of theme park financing and relationship to makes; take with some heart that this really only applies to smaller single/chain parks. Here in America, there is a lot of focus on directing funds to small business owners, such as grant funding to meet payroll and anticipated future injections of funding to get businesses back up and running - for which many small chain operators would be elligible.

For larger park chains, they're publicly traded, and have a variety of financing options (hence the reason they began selling stocks in the first place), and face no real threat outside of stunted growth for the next 1-2 years.

 

[VonRolland]

Shall be interesting to see which parks make it out the otherside and which dont...

 

[Ben]

Well just like I said. Banks aren't passing on interest changes immediately, thus profiteering. They can borrow money from BOE cheaper than they lend it to individuals and businesses including theme parks. The choice between just more debt or throwing in the towel for theme parks is the whole point of starting to talk about banks in the first place but you are merely picking at straw-men arguments here.

They have to borrow it cheaper than they lend it or there wouldn’t be a bank... that’s just silly now come on. You can think banks are evil but if parks approach them and want to salvage their debts, they’ll be doing their best - unfortunately they can’t perform miracles.

I'm pretty sure supermarkets selling cheap clothes over the last 25 years have had an impact on the clothing retailers that were set up in the 1800s.

Yes - that’s... my point? Debenhams was wildly uncompetitive before this point - and that’s not the supermarket’s fault, that’s Debenhams for updating their business. I bet you still have a tape player in your car so CDs don’t put it out of business don’t you.

 

[Antinos]

They have NEVER successfully created a vaccine for any coronavirus, despite decades of effort (common cold, SARS)

To clarify this bit - nobody has been successful in developing a blanket vaccine for all coronavirus strains or all rhinovirus strains (typically what causes common colds). Research teams could develop a vaccine for every singular known strain of virus, but the research, testing, and mass production is expensive and time consuming. Researchers basically say that because the common cold is so mild and viral strains that cause SARS are so rare, they can spend their time and money on more serious diseases.

 

[Nicky Borrill]

To clarify this bit - nobody has been successful in developing a blanket vaccine for all coronavirus strains or all rhinovirus strains (typically what causes common colds). Research teams could develop a vaccine for every singular known strain of virus, but the research, testing, and mass production is expensive and time consuming. Researchers basically say that because the common cold is so mild and viral strains that cause SARS are so rare, they can spend their time and money on more serious diseases.

Almost, particularly in the case of Rhinoviruses, but there is more to it than that, such as the lack of a suitable test host in development.... To quote the national centre for biotechnology information “Attempts to produce a protective vaccine to RV’s have failed due to the large number of antigenically distinct serotypes and the lack of a suitable small animal model of infection to test candidates in.”

And I’m not sure if you intended that to read as if you were saying “they just haven’t tried” but it does, and this simply is not true. They’ve been trying since the 60s, less so in the last decade, granted.

As for SARS... Those efforts went on for almost 10 years (with no success, then they were shelved) Here’s the most recent published results I have seen, before the project was axed. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0035421

 

[Matt N]

When it comes to the question of theme park financing and relationship to makes; take with some heart that this really only applies to smaller single/chain parks. Here in America, there is a lot of focus on directing funds to small business owners, such as grant funding to meet payroll and anticipated future injections of funding to get businesses back up and running - for which many small chain operators would be elligible.

For larger park chains, they're publicly traded, and have a variety of financing options (hence the reason they began selling stocks in the first place), and face no real threat outside of stunted growth for the next 1-2 years.

Do you mean in terms of the parks surviving, the parks investing, or both?

 

[Hyde]

Do you mean in terms of the parks surviving, the parks investing, or both?

Surviving; trying to answer the question “will [X] park go under?” There’s a lot of financial stimulus that will be directed at businesses, which should be helpful lifeline.

 

[Professor]

They have to borrow it cheaper than they lend it or there wouldn’t be a bank... that’s just silly now come on. You can think banks are evil but if parks approach them and want to salvage their debts, they’ll be doing their best - unfortunately they can’t perform miracles.

Yes - that’s... my point? Debenhams was wildly uncompetitive before this point - and that’s not the supermarket’s fault, that’s Debenhams for updating their business. I bet you still have a tape player in your car so CDs don’t put it out of business don’t you.

No need to make it personal.

I agree with much you have said and where I don't, it was good to hear an opposite perspective.

 

[Nicky Borrill]

Well it looks like the WHO have finally seen sense and put the wider population above unfounded fears of mask shortages for health workers.

On BBC Hard Talk Dr David Nabarro from the WHO has just stated that “Face Coverings” will be essential in public places where distancing cannot be guaranteed as countries begin to unlock.

He was keen to emphasise ’coverings’ though and insisted that N95 masks etc should be saved for health care workers.

Now that support for their use is growing I can see more parks following Energylandia’s lead and not only selling them, but requiring them... That’s if the country the park is in doesn’t mandate them first!

 

[Professor]

Well it looks like the WHO have finally seen sense and put the wider population above unfounded fears of mask shortages for health workers.

On BBC Hard Talk Dr David Nabarro from the WHO has just stated that “Face Coverings” will be essential in public places where distancing cannot be guaranteed as countries begin to unlock.

He was keen to emphasise ’coverings’ though and insisted that N95 masks etc should be saved for health care workers.

Now that support for their use is growing I can see more parks following Energylandia’s lead and not only selling them, but requiring them... That’s if the country the park is in doesn’t mandate them first!

I expect a lot of masks to be lying around on both sides of Intamin launch tracks and none next to the Mack ones in that case.

Really question if we will be going down this route though in Europe and in the USA. I can see a lot of people objecting to this. Maybe people wearing masks in mass transit (as some already are doing now). But do you really expect people to wear a mask whilst in a theme park, on a ride, in a pub, in a cinema?

 

[BlueSonicHD]

I can’t see wearing a mask at a theme park happening .
Trying to make all the kids wear a mask all day

Not gonna happen.

?

 

[rob666]

If masks become mandatory in crowded areas, which seems a good preventative step until a better solution is found, people will still have a choice, wear the mask or dont do the activity in a public place.
Want to watch a film with no mask...netflix.
Want a beer with mates with no mask...do it in private.

 

[Hixee]

Want a beer with mates with no mask...do it in private.

I wonder how a beer in public will work. Lift up the face mask, straw hole, waterboarding?

 

[Professor]

I wonder how a beer in public will work. Lift up the face mask, straw hole, waterboarding?

Drip Feed.

 

[SimonProD]

In some German states Zoos are allowed to open again today. So far under the following restrictions which I think are similar for themparks if they re-open:
- no restaurants
- no indoor exhibits like aquariums
- no animal shows like public feeding or eagle shows
- outdoor sales of cold snacks and icecream is allowed but park has the make sure there are no long lines, and short lines with 2 meter distance

On Covid meds: It was confirmed by my hospital doctor that if you have a chronic inflammatory disease and get immune modulators like Infleximab you cannot get the critical lung inflammation - the complication most deadly during Covid-19. But as this therapy needs 8-12 weeks to saturate inside the body its not a solution for critical cases. Also as its cost about €2000 per infusion its also no solution for the majority.

 

[Edward M]

Drip Feed.

 

[Hyde]

On Covid meds: It was confirmed by my hospital doctor that if you have a chronic inflammatory disease and get immune modulators like Infleximab you cannot get the critical lung inflammation - the complication most deadly during Covid-19. But as this therapy needs 8-12 weeks to saturate inside the body its not a solution for critical cases. Also as its cost about €2000 per infusion its also no solution for the majority.

Interesting to hear - I'm actually on Infeximab for Crohn's Disease! (Remicade by the street name)

I wonder how a beer in public will work. Lift up the face mask, straw hole, waterboarding?

Beer delivery direct from breweries essentially popped up overnight here in Ohio (alongside carry-out orders of crowlers and growlers). They're even throwing in free goodies like pint glasses and swag; helpful way to keep business going in lieu of taprooms and bars being closed for in-service.

In our neighborhood, we've also sorted out how to socially distance socializing - use the case of beer as a measurement of distance, with everyone socializing standing in a 6 foot radius from the case.

 

[rob666]

Home draught Guinness deliveries have been stopped in Ireland due to legal issues.

 

[Matt N]

Apparently Disney anticipates closures of no longer than 6 months:

Disney Doesn't Anticipate A Closure of More Than 6 Months

Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond

blogmickey.com

However, there's also modelling that anticipates Florida could relax its social distancing measures from 1st June, so maybe we could see Walt Disney World begin to reopen on this date: https://blogmickey.com/2020/04/upda...eak-and-can-relax-social-distancing-june-1st/