Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion

[maui2k7]

Promising trend to see - let’s hope it continues

Daily 7 day rolling averages over the last few weeks per CDC

Jan 14 803k (Peak 7 day avg)
Jan 21 717k (-86k)
Jan 28 543k (-174k)
Feb 4 313k (-230k)
Feb 11 ???

Deaths lag behind cases by about 2-3 weeks and have leveled off as well.

Hospitalizations are trending down as well.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I would have said that but they has a chance to drop in November and did not. Cases were very low... my guess is masks are easy to keep comparatively. Sure there are rule breakers who flaunt not wearing a mask and are rather unkind about it but most aren't bad.

Masks are the last Domino to fall, it’s odd to me that social distancing and plexiglass have disappeared with no fanfare despite being integral parts of the original approach to safety, but somehow ending masks still remains very controversial.

I noticed on my last trip that even the sanitizer stations seem to be slowly disappearing, on my first trip in Nov 2020 they were literally everywhere, my last trip I noticed them at ride and shop exits and that was about it.

Most of the original precautions have already been removed or are slowly disappearing… silently and with no opposition.

Social distancing has the same benefit of masks, I’m all for bringing back 6 feet of personal space and dropping the masks.

 

[correcaminos]

Masks are the last Domino to fall, it’s odd to me that social distancing and plexiglass have disappeared with no fanfare despite being integral parts of the original approach to safety, but somehow ending masks still remains very controversial.

I noticed on my last trip that even the sanitizer stations seem to be slowly disappearing, on my first trip in Nov 2020 they were literally everywhere, my last trip I noticed them at ride and shop exits and that was about it.

Most of the original precautions have already been removed or are slowly disappearing… silently and with no opposition.

Social distancing has the same benefit of masks, I’m all for bringing back 6 feet of personal space and dropping the masks.

I agree that masks will be last to go. I wish personally that social distancing had stayed longer but that's me. Though I was happy on my solo trip that they weren't cramming solo people in too tight as a whole. I just do not like it as it is triggering. Not an issue on rides like EE with very defined seats though. Bench rides... eh

Anyway I don't want masks forever and except in the winter I don't love them at all. Winter isn't bad as they are warm and the tension feels less with hats holding ears different. Otherwise I'm over this all but I do think Disney has shown they are conservative with them so we should expect them for a while.

I don't mind not having the hand sanitizers though. A lot were empty and I prefer to wash hands over sanitize.

 

[maui2k7]

Masks are the last Domino to fall, it’s odd to me that social distancing and plexiglass have disappeared with no fanfare despite being integral parts of the original approach to safety, but somehow ending masks still remains very controversial.

I noticed on my last trip that even the sanitizer stations seem to be slowly disappearing, on my first trip in Nov 2020 they were literally everywhere, my last trip I noticed them at ride and shop exits and that was about it.

Most of the original precautions have already been removed or are slowly disappearing… silently and with no opposition.

Social distancing has the same benefit of masks, I’m all for bringing back 6 feet of personal space and dropping the masks.

My guess regarding the mask policy at Walt Disney World is dependent on 1) CDC guidance 2) Local guidance 3) Possibly California guidance (home office)

Once all three say it is ok to drop masks, I think that is when Walt Disney World will follow. I doubt they will drop masks before those three points are all lined up.

 

[mmascari]

Masks are the last Domino to fall, it’s odd to me that social distancing and plexiglass have disappeared with no fanfare despite being integral parts of the original approach to safety, but somehow ending masks still remains very controversial.

Social distancing has the same benefit of masks, I’m all for bringing back 6 feet of personal space and dropping the masks.

This one is easy, masks are more durable and have less operational impact than distancing. Just look at a queue as an example. It’s much harder to create distance, changes the physical capacity, and it quickly fails if people squish in. Is that 3, 4, 5, or 6 feet really between people? Masks also shift the cost to the guest instead. As long as it’s not restricting attendance there’s no rush or incentives pushing to drop them.

I think they’ll go with yellow not blue too. But, I wouldn’t expect immediately. My guess, 2 to 4 weeks at yellow. So that it’s strongly at yellow and trending towards blue, not hovering at the yellow line drifting above and below it. They may say they can bring them back with no notice, but let’s be realistic, thats going to be a hard sell and unlikely unless it starts to trend really bad. The duration at yellow probably depends on the trend line and likelihood of it staying down.

 

[SingleRider]

This one is easy, masks are more durable and have less operational impact than distancing. Just look at a queue as an example. It’s much harder to create distance, changes the physical capacity, and it quickly fails if people squish in. Is that 3, 4, 5, or 6 feet really between people? Masks also shift the cost to the guest instead. As long as it’s not restricting attendance there’s no rush or incentives pushing to drop them.

I think they’ll go with yellow not blue too. But, I wouldn’t expect immediately. My guess, 2 to 4 weeks at yellow. So that it’s strongly at yellow and trending towards blue, not hovering at the yellow line drifting above and below it. They may say they can bring them back with no notice, but let’s be realistic, thats going to be a hard sell and unlikely unless it starts to trend really bad. The duration at yellow probably depends on the trend line and likelihood of it staying down.

Soarin had a huge impact from the 6-foot distancing that was in place. CMs had to lean down near guest's faces and buckle seatbelts on empty seats. Every flight. Then on the next flight some of those empty seats may be needed and the CMs had to manually unlock them. All of this increased loading times, further removing capacity from the ride. I saw CMs having to unlock them almost every time I rode it during that time.

 

[drizgirl]

Masks are the last Domino to fall, it’s odd to me that social distancing and plexiglass have disappeared with no fanfare despite being integral parts of the original approach to safety, but somehow ending masks still remains very controversial.

I noticed on my last trip that even the sanitizer stations seem to be slowly disappearing, on my first trip in Nov 2020 they were literally everywhere, my last trip I noticed them at ride and shop exits and that was about it.

Most of the original precautions have already been removed or are slowly disappearing… silently and with no opposition.

Social distancing has the same benefit of masks, I’m all for bringing back 6 feet of personal space and dropping the masks.

Well, let's see. Social distancing would require that Disney dial back capacity (and revenue). Requiring masks wouldn't. It's not hard to see why they're doing it this way.

 

[SingleRider]

Well, let's see. Social distancing would require that Disney dial back capacity (and revenue). Requiring masks wouldn't. It's not hard to see why they're doing it this way.

Agreed. Barring some major change with Covid social distancing at Disney is unlikely to return.

 

[DisneyCane]

Masks are the last Domino to fall, it’s odd to me that social distancing and plexiglass have disappeared with no fanfare despite being integral parts of the original approach to safety, but somehow ending masks still remains very controversial.

I noticed on my last trip that even the sanitizer stations seem to be slowly disappearing, on my first trip in Nov 2020 they were literally everywhere, my last trip I noticed them at ride and shop exits and that was about it.

Most of the original precautions have already been removed or are slowly disappearing… silently and with no opposition.

Social distancing has the same benefit of masks, I’m all for bringing back 6 feet of personal space and dropping the masks.

They keep masks because they don't really impact the operation at all and they are a visible sign that they are "doing something" and "taking COVID seriously" even though they allow cloth masks under their policy which have next to no effect on the spread of Omicron.

Only a tiny percentage of people who are comfortable visiting WDW actually want to wear a mask or care that others do. If they removed the requirement in the middle of the day today, at least 80% of the guests would stop wearing them within 2 hours.

In preparation for my mid-March trip to your neck of the woods, I'm trying to find a mask made of material that looks solid but doesn't restrict my breathing at all. The chance of Clark County dropping the indoor mask requirement by the time I am there is close to zero. I guess I could start smoking so I can chain smoke instead of wearing a mask in the casino.

Plexiglass may have been the least effective mitigation measure of anything so at least they removed that quickly since it had a detrimental effect on many experiences.

 

[correcaminos]

They keep masks because they don't really impact the operation at all and they are a visible sign that they are "doing something" and "taking COVID seriously" even though they allow cloth masks under their policy which have next to no effect on the spread of Omicron.

Only a tiny percentage of people who are comfortable visiting WDW actually want to wear a mask or care that others do. If they removed the requirement in the middle of the day today, at least 80% of the guests would stop wearing them within 2 hours.

In preparation for my mid-March trip to your neck of the woods, I'm trying to find a mask made of material that looks solid but doesn't restrict my breathing at all. The chance of Clark County dropping the indoor mask requirement by the time I am there is close to zero. I guess I could start smoking so I can chain smoke instead of wearing a mask in the casino.

Plexiglass may have been the least effective mitigation measure of anything so at least they removed that quickly since it had a detrimental effect on many experiences.

We find surgical style masks to be the best for breathing while still being effective. I can sing well in these, and let me tell you, that's saying something. I only use cloth masks for warmth now or to wear on top if double masking.

 

[maui2k7]

Back to the office today in TX where I enter the alternate reality of hand sanitizers everywhere, social distancing markers and required masking again. Feels like I’m going back to 2020.

 

[mmascari]

We find surgical style masks to be the best for breathing while still being effective. I can sing well in these, and let me tell you, that's saying something. I only use cloth masks for warmth now or to wear on top if double masking.

Personally, we've found the shape matters almost as much. Which varies significantly on cloth masks and the design. Sometimes that can make a KN95/KF94 easier with the duck bill shape.

For both cloth and surgical styles, we've had good luck with a mask bracket too, to create and hold a shape. Certainly if the problem is inhaling the mask, the bracket prevents that. We also preferred the plastic ones to the softer silicone ones. It sounded backwards when we ordered them, but that's the experience we had. If anyone is getting some, pay attention to the size, they're not all the same. Which is good as you can get them to match small or large faces. The wrong size for someone is a much worse experience instead of helping.

 

[correcaminos]

Personally, we've found the shape matters almost as much. Which varies significantly on cloth masks and the design. Sometimes that can make a KN95/KF94 easier with the duck bill shape.

For both cloth and surgical styles, we've had good luck with a mask bracket too, to create and hold a shape. Certainly if the problem is inhaling the mask, the bracket prevents that. We also preferred the plastic ones to the softer silicone ones. It sounded backwards when we ordered them, but that's the experience we had. If anyone is getting some, pay attention to the size, they're not all the same. Which is good as you can get them to match small or large faces. The wrong size for someone is a much worse experience instead of helping.

Remember no KN95s so far for me that really fit well. I have one n95 from wood working that has a valve though and even that one is not as breathable as the surgical style. For singing I actually do a tuck n tie with. All cloth masks come in too far with deep breaths for singing. Mask brackets are meh on singing for me for a few reasons but the end result even with them reality is cloth and singing really kind of sucks. They are not breathable at all and we've tried a ton - not to mention they are not as safe. I sing multiple times a month and even weekly with surgical style. My kid has to sing daily this year and that's his choice too. I have a friend who uses KN94s but has to remove for solo work. I defer to their experiences but they are not as easy to sing in and do muffle a lot.

In the Florida heat they are my choice as well.

 

[Disstevefan1]

So because the study said that there is no statistical significance when wearing a cloth mask, you ignore that fact that is says the wearing other types of masks does have benefit? Also, remember this study only looks at the benefit of masks to the wearer, it doesn't look at the benefit to others.

To be clear, I am pro mask, my only point was, folks gotta read entire graphic including the footnotes and the asterisks.

We are going through a strange time, I said I am pro mask, so now I am automatically on one side of an argument, but I am also pro vaccine but ANTI mandate, so when folks hear that, now I am no longer on the "right" side of the argument.

Folks have different opinions on everything, it's not wrong, it's just human.

 

[danlb_2000]

To be clear, I am pro mask, my only point was, folks gotta read entire graphic including the footnotes and the asterisks.

We are going through a strange time, I said I am pro mask, so now I am automatically on one side of an argument, but I am also pro vaccine but ANTI mandate, so when folks hear that, now I am no longer on the "right" side of the argument.

Folks have different opinions on everything, it's not wrong, it's just human.

Unfortunately we are in a time where facts are often treated like opinions.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Unfortunately we are in a time where facts are often treated like opinions.

I agree, many times opinions are presented as facts, fact checks are just opinions, folks can’t tell the difference any more.

 

[G00fyDad]

To be clear, I am pro mask, my only point was, folks gotta read entire graphic including the footnotes and the asterisks.

We are going through a strange time, I said I am pro mask, so now I am automatically on one side of an argument, but I am also pro vaccine but ANTI mandate, so when folks hear that, now I am no longer on the "right" side of the argument.

Folks have different opinions on everything, it's not wrong, it's just human.

Full mask mandates should have been a thing at the start of this along with the people in charge (WHO, CDC, local health departments, etc) shutting down all of the misinformation. If people had simply adhered to the science and followed the suggestions from the start then mask wearing would just be a bad memory at this point. But I do understand your desire to end mandates. Really. Honestly, at this point the mandates are no more effective than trying to get a toddler to eat brussel sprouts.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Full mask mandates should have been a thing at the start of this along with the people in charge (WHO, CDC, local health departments, etc) shutting down all of the misinformation. If people had simply adhered to the science and followed the suggestions from the start then mask wearing would just be a bad memory at this point. But I do understand your desire to end mandates. Really. Honestly, at this point the mandates are no more effective than trying to get a toddler to eat brussel sprouts.

Hey, my toddler actually ate brussel sprouts last night. So maybe there's hope for us all.

 

[Kevin_W]

Hey, my toddler actually ate brussel sprouts last night. So maybe there's hope for us all.

Ha. I'm much older than a toddler and won't eat brussel sprouts.

 

[DisneyCane]

Full mask mandates should have been a thing at the start of this along with the people in charge (WHO, CDC, local health departments, etc) shutting down all of the misinformation. If people had simply adhered to the science and followed the suggestions from the start then mask wearing would just be a bad memory at this point.

THIS IS NOT TRUE. There aren't even any very pro-mitigation experts (like Fauci) that suggest this would be the case. No amount of mask wearing or any other practical mitigation was ever going to lead to SARS-CoV-2 disappearing.

MAYBE if you literally locked down the entire world for 8-10 weeks and didn't let anybody on earth come into contact with anybody outside of their household for any reason (including getting medical attention or buying food) it would have ceased to exist. Unfortunately, many more people would have starved to death or died from treatable conditions than have died due to COVID.