Disney like a lot of other businesses is now going to be facing an uncertain future. 3 months ago there was no end in sight to the ever expanding Disney World and crowds. All of a sudden thats going to change. The parks arent going to be nearly as crowded for a few years. People are going to be afraid to go, or they arent going to be able to afford a vacation at all now.
Scary times for sure.
I don't think anyone knows. I did watch a video from TP yesterday, and supposedly the prognosticators there believe that there will be a low period for a couple of months after a re-open, but that after that for the next 6 months-a year, the crowds will be VERY high, no matter what season it is. Because, all the re-schedulers are going to have to have somewhere to re-schedule to, and the longer the closure, the more people to spread over a shorter amount of time. Which makes sense.
I don't know that I agree completely on that, because it doesn't really take into account a lot of mitigating factors, like the economic situation, the school situation, the park experience situation. But, they are the experts, and I'm not. But still, I think there will be a lot of factors to consider on the busyness of the parks.
Quite a cost savings to not run fireworks shows too.
I should have asterisked *other than financial* in my post. Obviously, there is a financial gain to not having parades/fireworks. Maybe. But, to the other poster's point, yeah maybe they are in their shops/restaurants, spending money. Maybe. Or, maybe not. Those things are a huge crowd-suck, and helps the flow of the park. If you think of all those people in lines for attractions, that creates a HUGE wait time issue. Also, consider the revenue lost from fireworks dessert parties. And Fantasmic dining packages. And so on. Also, people use FPs for premium view experiences. Think of all of those FPs back in circulation, for other attractions, meaning the FP system runs into a logjam, and FP waits increase.
WDW cannot survive being a locals-only resort, the way
Disneyland is a locals park. It just can't. And, it will become a locals-only experience by taking away those things that bring visitors and tourists from far away. Certainly, in the short-term, it is the prudent thing to do. But, long-term, sure it MAY make financial sense, if you look at the very surface level financials.
But, if you start looking at the visitors lost, due to park experience. (And I know the typical line: WDW takes things away, and the crowds will still come. But, this feels different) the add-on experiences lost, the flow of the park compromised...I think the financials start to even out a little bit.