Brittany Losey takes a picture with her daughter Madison Losey, 7, outside the entrance to Disneyland at the Disneyland Resort is closed in Anaheim, CA, on Thursday, October 22, 2020. MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images | MediaNews Group | Getty Images Before the pandemic Michael Afram’s transportation company was averaging 450 to 500 rides a day in the area between Los Angeles and San Diego. A hefty percentage of Karmel Shuttle Service’s destinations were Disneyland , Universal Studios and SeaWorld San Diego.
With theme parks in California shuttered and air travel demand at a fraction of what it was in 2019, Afram’s business only had 140 transports for the whole month of October. Around 50% of Afram’s business was in the Anaheim resort area where Disney’s two California parks and its Downtown Disney shopping center is located. His shuttle company traveled to local airports, hotels, theme parks, restaurants and other local tourist destinations in the area.
The other 50% included the greater Orange County area as well as Los Angeles, where Universal Studios is located, and day trips to San Diego. Without the tourism boost from Disney’s parks, Karmel Shuttle Service’s revenue is down more than 95%, […]