Disney has temporarily closed both Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland in an effort to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. The unexpected closures have forced guests to rethink their travel plans and may force Disney to make financial adjustments to offset their lost revenue abroad.
Walt Disney World and Disney’s other properties around the globe could see some slight adjustments based on financial fears caused by the closures. Reports of financial tightening have already been leaked and discussed over on WDWMagic.
I’m hearing that in the wake of closures of both Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland that there will be some tightening of the belt at Walt Disney World. Savings will need to be made, likely starting with labor.
The heart of the report suggests that labor at Walt Disney World will be impacted, meaning select cast member positions and hours could be scaled back to cut costs. The example provided was a scenario where a store could go from six operating cash registers to four, creating longer lines for guests and reduced hours for cast members.
We’ve seen Disney make similar cuts, specifically cuts to entertainment, during previous times of financial turmoil. This current rumored rollback shouldn’t come as a surprise given Disney’s habit of making quick changes to offset dropped revenue. Hopefully these rumored changes aren’t too drastic and won’t be felt or noticed by paying guests.
