Disney’s Changes For Capacity Management and Safety

Disney’s Changes For Capacity Management and Safety

September 21, 2020
Lisa M. Spencer

Walt Disney World plans to keep some of its COVID-19 health and protocol changes even after things return to pre-pandemic levels of magic.

Even before the pandemic began, Disney was creating new ways to address problems like capacity management and guest experience. Some of these were implemented in recent months. These new approaches are here to stay, including a park reservation system, mobile ordering at park restaurants, queue reservation systems, and even paying for merchandise without cash or credit card.

Meanwhile, occupancy rates at Disney resort hotels remain at all-time lows.  With theme park attendance drastically reduced, some Disney hotels are set to remain closed indefinitely.

Video Spotlight: 

This post is based on the CinemaBlend article, Disney Parks Chairman Thinks Some of Walt Disney World’s Pandemic Changes Are Here to Stay, by Dirk Libbey, August 27, 2020; the Fox Business article, This Disney World hotel won’t reopen this year as others stay closed indefinitely, by Jeanette Settembre, August 31, 2020; and the YouTube videos Continue reading →

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Forecasting Halloween During a Pandemic

Forecasting Halloween During a Pandemic

September 20, 2020
Lisa M. Spencer

Tricky forecasting leaves chocolate companies wondering how candy sales will fare this Halloween.

Mars’ time horizon for planning for the Halloween season spans two years, yet no one could have known how different things would be this year because the pandemic.  For Hershey, Halloween spending comprises ten percent of annual sales.

No one is sure right now if “self-consumption,” when people buy Halloween candy to eat themselves rather than to distribute to others, will be enough to fill the gap of sales lost from trick-or-treating.

Video Spotlight: 

This post is based on the Fortune article reposted to Yahoo Finance, How scary will a COVID-19 Halloween be for candy companies?, by Beth Kowitt, August 29, 2020, and the YouTube video in the Spotlight. Image source: Shutterstock / Sandy Morelli

Discussion Questions:

1.   What role does aggregate planning play in the current availability of candy for Halloween of 2020?

Guidance: Many companies have a long planning horizon.  In part this may be to ensure adequate supplies of materials and resources when it comes time to manufacture product to meet demand. In addition, manufacturers need to Continue reading →

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DoorDash Delivers: Groceries

DoorDash Delivers: Groceries

August 31, 2020
Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.

DoorDash is providing on-demand grocery delivery with its DashPass service.

Customers can place orders with participating grocery retailers and have their orders delivered within an hour. The DashPass service is an end-to-end online grocery solution including ordering, fulfillment, and delivery, extending its meal delivery and last-mile delivery services.

Video Spotlight: How to Get Groceries Delivered DoorDash, 7-Eleven, Target, CVS Delivering  (Apr 2, 2019, News Today)

This post is based on the Supermarket News article, DoorDash makes foray into on-demand grocery delivery, by Russell Redman, August 20, 2020, and the YouTube video in the Spotlight. Image source: Shutterstock / Maria Sbytova

Discussion Questions:

1.   What are the implications of DoorDash’s DashPass service for operations management?

Guidance: DoorDash’s DashPass is an end-to-end grocery solution including ordering, fulfillment and delivery.  As such, DoorDash will need to expand its suppliers to grocery retailers and adapt its operation to include online ordering and fulfillment.

2. Comment on DoorDash’s DashPass service from a service design perspective.

Guidance: From a service design perspective, DoorDash’s DashPass is an expansion of its meal and last-mile delivery services to on-demand grocery ordering and fulfillment services.  It is a service design Continue reading →

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