What if Disney World had a birthday party and no one came?

Walt disneyof (NYSE: DIS) The most visited theme park station is gearing up for a milestone. Disney World in Florida turns 50 this October, and the House of the Mouse hopes to put as much time as possible to blowing out the candles. Disney announced on Friday that it would expand the celebration to a full 18 months. In short, we’ll be celebrating Disney World’s 50th anniversary later this month through the end of March 2023.

Disney is no stranger to trading its milestones for as long as possible. As it turns out, it’s a particularly smart move for Disney to take that route right now. In this difficult climate, the further you move into the future, the better the prospects for a return to normal for the theme park operator.

Image source: Disney.

There is a big big beautiful tomorrow

Disney World reopened in July of last year after a thorough social makeover. The guests are spaced from each other in the queues. Plexiglass partitions protect guests at the expense of partially obstructing views. Most shows, parades, character interactions, and nightly festivities are either put on hold or drastically reduced to prevent crowds from gathering in large groups. Masks are mandatory at all times, except when eating or drinking while stopped.

It’s a buzzkill, but it’s better than being Disneyland. Law?

Disney World currently only allows 35% of the regular capacity of each theme park at any given time. It requires customers to make reservations in advance to visit a particular park on a given day.

Disney World is also limiting annual pass sales to renewals for now, but that’s better than being Disneyland and eliminating passes altogether. Law?

A lot can change between now and October, but right now it’s hard to see Disney World at its best in October. The number of COVID-19 cases is on the decline again, but travel restrictions – at the very least, international travel restrictions – will likely still be in place to some extent.

In a call for results earlier this month, CEO Bob Chapek said he did not see masks disappear in 2021. He hopes the face covers and necessary social distancing measures will disappear by 2022, and that’s just another good reason for 546 days of celebration. .

The weather will help bring back visitors and the economy. It can also help get some projects back on track.

Many of the new rides and experiences Disney World unveiled four years ago in anticipation of the resort’s 50th birthday party either won’t be ready in October or have been quietly wiped off the board. Nobody expects that TronDisney’s Magic Kingdom-themed roller coaster will be open by October, but it should definitely be rolling at some point during the celebration. A 900-room nature-inspired lodge, as well as several Epcot attractions, including a Mary Poppins ride, have been scrapped for now.

Disney is fortunate to be a well-diverse media store right now. Stocks soar to a high level as Disney + carries the growth stick that takes the action to record highs.

Disney World isn’t ready for a celebration at the moment, but there’s a good chance the stick will be well within his reach at some point before spring 2023 for him to be the main sprinter. It may take a while for Disney World to get back to where it was a year ago, but that’s why an 18-month-old party clock is a brilliant watch for the most successful theme park operator in the world. world.