Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion

[MisterPenguin]

You aren't typically staying near the same person for any great period of time.

That's the exact opposite of a good thing. The more people you're exposed to, the more likely you're exposed to someone who's contagious.

 

[Twisted Ballerina]

Outdoors is A LOT less risky. Outdoors at Disney is different in a good way. You aren't typically staying near the same person for any great period of time.

With the current capacity restrictions, even on busy days, it isn't that difficult to keep your space from strangers.

For the most part at Disney theme parks or any other theme park you are moving around and with the lighter crowds most people can position themselves away from other groups unless you are in a line that is at a standstill for some reason.

Really with the lighter crowds there is no reason to walk right next to another group of people with the amount of space given at the theme parks.

 

[ptlohmysoul]

I don’t think anyone’s personal beliefs about how effective masks are factors into Disney’s decision. They will continue to have a mask policy as long as the vast majority of health experts and officials from various agencies like the CDC and local departments of health recommend it. It makes it much more difficult to monitor and enforce the rule if there are more exceptions created. They tried allowing an exception for people walking around to eat/drink with their mask off and the enforcement caused too many issues. They had to simplify the rule to no walking around without a mask on and if you want to eat or drink step to the side away from others to do it. IMHO Disney will go from the full current mask policy to no masks required when it’s time to do that vs a gradual relaxing of the rules.

Any guess on when the "experts" will remove the mask recommendation? Or what event would allow that? Vaccine available? Vaccine available and distributed to high-risk groups? or more than that?

 

[Chi84]

That's the exact opposite of a good thing. The more people you're exposed to, the more likely you're exposed to someone who's contagious.

That may be true, but the virus is primarily transmitted by prolonged (around 15 minutes), indoor contact with an infected person. I haven't seen any health experts state that it is likely you will get enough of the virus to make you sick by merely walking past someone. People need to stop treating every encounter as equally dangerous - they are not.

 

[GimpYancIent]

That's the exact opposite of a good thing. The more people you're exposed to, the more likely you're exposed to someone who's contagious.

With the protocols WDW has (short of going through a sterilization airlock) the risks of exposure to someone infected are way less than at any other venue outside Disney property. Of course people move around but do not remain in close proximity to each other very long, they do distance.

 

[Twisted Ballerina]

Any guess on when the "experts" will remove the mask recommendation? Or what event would allow that? Vaccine available? Vaccine available and distributed to high-risk groups? or more than that?

Quite the difficult question to answer. I certainly think the vaccine will be involved before masks will be dropped entirely from the picture. What percentage of people vaccinated I couldn't tell you that. Could it 75% or 50%. I don't know.

 

[Disstevefan1]

For the most part at Disney theme parks or any other theme park you are moving around and with the lighter crowds most people can position themselves away from other groups unless you are in a line that is at a standstill for some reason.

Really with the lighter crowds there is no reason to walk right next to another group of people with the amount of space given at the theme parks.

The only problem now is, the crowds are no longer light at WDW and Disney Springs and the capacity of both will be cranked up and up over time.

Having said that, (in my opinion) with all the precautions WDW is taking, even with the loss of distancing, its still reasonably safe at WDW.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Any guess on when the "experts" will remove the mask recommendation? Or what event would allow that? Vaccine available? Vaccine available and distributed to high-risk groups? or more than that?

WDW must first sell out the entire stock of all of their masks before they remove the mask recommendation

 

[Twisted Ballerina]

The only problem now is, the crowds are no longer light at WDW and Disney Springs and the capacity of both will be cranked up and up over time.

Having said that, (in my opinion) with all the precautions WDW is taking, even with the loss of distancing, its still reasonably safe at WDW.

I myself have never been to WDW. I have only been to Disneyland California. I live in Vancouver, BC so it is quite the distance from WDW, but we do hear some news from there from time to time and it does seem like they are doing everything they possibly can to keep the guest and workers as safe as possible.

 

[HongKongFooy]

On a positive note Disney is starting weddings back up in October. It’s a big money maker for them so it’s great news.

Why is that great news??

What,.... are you in line for some of that money? Great news? I don't think so.

 

[Chi84]

Why is that great news??

What,.... are you in line for some of that money? Great news? I don't think so.

Some people want Disney to make money so they can stay in business.

 

[easyrowrdw]

Oh, I agree personal beliefs may not influence Disney's decision, but no one knows when or how they are going to relax/drop the mask requirements. People feel very strongly that their opinion is the correct one, but the fact is no one actually knows. Our grandson turns 2 years old a few days before our trip in May - we will probably cancel if Disney requires us to put a mask on him while he's being pushed in a stroller outside. My opinion is that we will be there in May.

I hope you're right! I'd like to be there, mask-free, in June.

 

[Twisted Ballerina]

Why is that great news??

What,.... are you in line for some of that money? Great news? I don't think so.

I suppose if someone had plans on getting married at Disney and had to keep pushing the wedding date back it is great news. However if I ever get to walking down the aisle it won't be at Disney because it is too damn expensive.

 

[oceanbreeze77]

Remember: Outdoors is less risky, not risk-free. Outdoors isn't magic.

Certainly, the larger air volume of outdoors reduces risk with light breezes blowing aerosols away... unless you're downwind of someone with COVID.

I'd be comfortable talking to a neighbor outdoors six feet away with no masks. But that's not what being outdoors at Disney is like.

Outdoors at Disney is not just one neighbor, it's several thousand neighbors. And many are walking near or past you over and over and over again. Outdoors is a large volume of air. Several thousand people is a large number of possible virus vectors all exhaling into that volume of air. If they're all wearing masks, that risk drops significantly, but not entirely... masks aren't magic -- neither is the outdoors.

I always kind of chuckle and shake my head when I drive by a place with outdoor dining and the outdoor seating/tents are full.

 

[DisneyCane]

That's the exact opposite of a good thing. The more people you're exposed to, the more likely you're exposed to someone who's contagious.

No. For goodness sake, this thing doesn't transmit in 10 seconds of being near somebody that is infected. If it was as contagious as that implies, over half of the population would have been infected in March before anybody did any "mitigation."

 

[hopemax]

Any guess on when the "experts" will remove the mask recommendation? Or what event would allow that? Vaccine available? Vaccine available and distributed to high-risk groups? or more than that?

I think the masks are going to be one of the last things to go; we'll keep masks but drop capacity and social distancing requirements first. Since they are low cost and easy. So "more than that." Either this is declared endemic, or when case numbers drop to minimal levels in a post-vaccine world indicative of growing immunity. That may not mean every business will require them, especially businesses that can do rapid testing. So, people might have to wear them in an airport before the "check" point, but after a negative rapid test then people can remove them. So your flight would be mask free. Same for WDW, maybe you wear them when you arrive at a park, but once inside they can be removed. But I think the expert advice will be to wear them as much as possible. Honestly, I think the way the restrictions have tampered down flu season in the Southern Hemisphere, that if the North does the same, I think the experts will want to normalize mask wearing for illness, like in Asia. This doesn't mean everyone wears masks all the time, but you may see at least one person wearing a mask every day. Especially, on public transportation.

The TL : DR version: Through all of next year, but rapid testing may eliminate the use in specific places.

 

[danlb_2000]

Any guess on when the "experts" will remove the mask recommendation? Or what event would allow that? Vaccine available? Vaccine available and distributed to high-risk groups? or more than that?

When the case numbers come way down and stay down for an extended period of time. Vaccine itself would be a criteria, but it will indirectly by helping lower the case numbers.

 

[Miss Bella]

No. For goodness sake, this thing doesn't transmit in 10 seconds of being near somebody that is infected. If it was as contagious as that implies, over half of the population would have been infected in March before anybody did any "mitigation."

You could also live in the same house as someone that's infected and never get infected.

 

[mdcpr]

You could also live in the same house as someone that's infected and never get infected.

So true!

 

[GoofGoof]

Oh, I agree personal beliefs may not influence Disney's decision, but no one knows when or how they are going to relax/drop the mask requirements. People feel very strongly that their opinion is the correct one, but the fact is no one actually knows. Our grandson turns 2 years old a few days before our trip in May - we will probably cancel if Disney requires us to put a mask on him while he's being pushed in a stroller outside. My opinion is that we will be there in May.

Any guess on when the "experts" will remove the mask recommendation? Or what event would allow that? Vaccine available? Vaccine available and distributed to high-risk groups? or more than that?

I have no idea when Disney will relax the mask requirement. They have said from day 1 that their safety protocols that were put in place were based on recommendations from various experts and government health agencies (not just based on FL or Orange County requirements). They are free to change that at any time but as discussed earlier they also have a union contract which mandates masks as well and a park in CA they are desperate to get open and will definitely need masks and distancing and capacity limits to be a major part of their plan there . I believe the unions will gladly agree to amend the contract and remove the mask requirement at whatever time they deem to be safe to do so. It’s my opinion that the safe time to do it will be dictated by when the so called experts no longer recommend it. I don’t think Disney will go against recommendations and remove the requirement but I could be wrong. I also don’t think they will have 2 sets of rules...1 for WDW and 1 for DLR. They will both have the same set of standards. That I am pretty confident will be true.

As far as timing it’s really hard to know. I would say there’s almost zero chance it’s now or anytime soon based just on the FL governor’s executive order. Orange County still has a mask mandate anyway so they would be in violation of that at least for indoor locations. Outside at the parks is a grey area. It’s my opinion that the experts won’t recommend a relaxing of protocols until there’s a prolonged and sizeable reduction in overall statistics (cases, percent positive, hospitalizations, deaths, etc). I don’t think approval of a vaccine has as much impact as when it gets distributed and the impact it has on cases. So if a vaccine is approved before year end, distributed in Q1 (at least to the “first movers”) and then we see a major positive change in the overall stats it’s likely that by May we could see rules relaxed. I’m sure Disney would love to do it by Spring Break but that seems overly optimistic to me. due to the logistical nightmare it’s going to be to get the vaccine approved and distributed I think some time this summer is a better bet than Spring Break but that assumes the vaccine works, is safe, gets approved and people actually get it. Without a vaccine the protocols will still be relaxed eventually but I don’t see it happening as quickly. The Spanish Flu pandemic lasted 2 years just as an example of how long it could take naturally. Obviously that’s a terrible scenario for Disney.