COVID-19’s Impacts on BGW
- Thread starter WDWRLD
- Start date
My membership upgrade notice was again addressed to my younger son who doesn't have a membership and isn't anywhere on my membership account.
I can't wait to see the upcoming reservation system in action when we actually want to visit the park.
Even though it pertains to all their parks I thought it might be better to post this survey news here...
On a completely different topic, but related to COVID-19, has anyone heard anything about the status of summer camps at BGW or other SEAS parks? I ask because our son is registered for one week of resident camp at BGT in early June and one week of day camp at BGW in July, and it has been radio silence on the status of camps.
I tried calling today, but I am also just getting the call back later message. Perhaps they also furloughed a ton of that off-shore staff?
I tried calling today, but I am also just getting the call back later message. Perhaps they also furloughed a ton of that off-shore staff?
It appears that this blog post has been updated with some new information.
The specific clause which I had not seen in writing up until now is this: "Members who completed their initial term of their EZpay contract prior to park closure and did not defer payments, will have their payments after the re-opening of the park waived for a period of time equivalent to the length of closure."
The specific clause which I had not seen in writing up until now is this: "Members who completed their initial term of their EZpay contract prior to park closure and did not defer payments, will have their payments after the re-opening of the park waived for a period of time equivalent to the length of closure."
The other day when they upped everyones memberships I took that as something to offset the payments they have up till then been taking with no explanation. Now yesterday they replied that to numerous comments on FB. So if I am reading all thois right they are upping membership tuers, giving away money and free drinks and also comping payments for months closed?
That phrasing sounds like you are forcing a no win. No they aren't comping payments for months closed. They are replacing 2020 months lost with 2021 months. Passes/Memberships end up using the park for roughly 9 months out of the year. They are upholding that end of the commitment by extending the expiration date.
Let me see if I can find the park comments, but no they said "you will not be charged for the months the park was closed once they reopen".
So BGW doesn't say much some are ripping them for saying anything, they do something to make people happy and give more than needed and they still get ripped. ?
Also I don't believe 90% of their responses on Facebook on stuff like this because most the time it's not what happens.
Also I don't believe 90% of their responses on Facebook on stuff like this because most the time it's not what happens.
I like this solution. It makes sense for a lot of business reasons.
- It preserves critical cash flow during the shutdown.
- Essentially the members are providing a short term, no-interest loan to SEAS which will be repaid rather quickly after re-opening.
- It allows a simple, one time instruction from BGW to the EZ-PAY processor. "Suspend payments on all accounts for XXX months".
- In compensation for the loan, BGW gives something which does not increase their operating costs much.
The whole "free upgrade" thing makes little difference to me personally. I'm already a premiere member with a fully paid meal plan, and I'm certainly not going to be traveling to any other theme parks before there is a COVID vaccine.
- It preserves critical cash flow during the shutdown.
- Essentially the members are providing a short term, no-interest loan to SEAS which will be repaid rather quickly after re-opening.
- It allows a simple, one time instruction from BGW to the EZ-PAY processor. "Suspend payments on all accounts for XXX months".
- In compensation for the loan, BGW gives something which does not increase their operating costs much.
The whole "free upgrade" thing makes little difference to me personally. I'm already a premiere member with a fully paid meal plan, and I'm certainly not going to be traveling to any other theme parks before there is a COVID vaccine.
Those were already clearly covered before. It was stated that they will get the payments waved the same way.
They just hadn't released a clear statement what would happen to the ones that are past the 12 months until now.
Im not sure about that. So if you are on ezpay but have not completed that first 12 month contract I dont think ive seeen anything on that. I could have missed it though.
We are publishing our analysis of the upgrades and compensation within a few hours. (Feel free to apply @Zachary math to that timeline.) Hopefully, it will lay out the information in an easier format and answer some of the questions everyone has.
Probably a farfetched notion, but it was either type this or trim some azaleas.
As was said in the SEAS conference call this am, some 2020 projects might be pushed to 2021. In my mind, one of the big reasons to build a major attraction is to drive attendance. And, as Disney's Bob Chapek and others have said, they see a pent up demand by some to return to parks (albeit more local than long distance travel). And, while it's China, you saw how fast Shanghai Disneyland sold out.
So, with this demand, coupled with the probable limited capacity BGW might face for months (who knows how long, really), they might not need Pantheon (or Aquazoid) this year. With SEAS hurting for cash, why push construction spending when you really don't need (or can possibly handle) that additional attendance.
By the time a vaccine hits and people feel more comfortable traveling and going to crowded venues, it'll be the opening of the '21 season, when they might need that traffic boost a major attraction is intended to provide.
Now, on to the azaleas...
As was said in the SEAS conference call this am, some 2020 projects might be pushed to 2021. In my mind, one of the big reasons to build a major attraction is to drive attendance. And, as Disney's Bob Chapek and others have said, they see a pent up demand by some to return to parks (albeit more local than long distance travel). And, while it's China, you saw how fast Shanghai Disneyland sold out.
So, with this demand, coupled with the probable limited capacity BGW might face for months (who knows how long, really), they might not need Pantheon (or Aquazoid) this year. With SEAS hurting for cash, why push construction spending when you really don't need (or can possibly handle) that additional attendance.
By the time a vaccine hits and people feel more comfortable traveling and going to crowded venues, it'll be the opening of the '21 season, when they might need that traffic boost a major attraction is intended to provide.
Now, on to the azaleas...
I would assume the camps are run by the education department at seas, so they probably aren't the most well funded or staffed at the moment(or ever) to decide if they are doing camps this summer. Its probably a good bet though that it they did do the camps it would most likely be Busch Gardens Tampa just given the rate of stuff reopening there vs Virginia(I think they might do winter break camps I Tampa too). With all that being said, I really do hope that Seas gets it all straightened out and that your son gets to go, I got the opportunity to go a couple of years ago in SeaWorld Orlando(theres a review I wrote on this site somewhere too) and it was truly unforgettable.
Just a little food for thought regarding whether or not we should be anticipating a flood of demand when the park reopens: The Norfolk Botanical Gardens, despite all indoor facilities—including restrooms—being closed, has had to turn away guests on two recent weekends. It’s my impression that a lot of people are looking for active, outdoor activities where they can, theoretically, maintain social distancing—and they’re willing to put up with an admission price and a lot of inconvenience to get it.
This is the problem with only limited places being open. Until most everything is open, the few open places will continue to be flooded. It’s why trails are absolutely packed with walkers and cyclists as they closed all the parks people would normally spread out into.