A physician’s thoughts after spending 16 nights at Universal and Disney

[Archie123]

I appreciate him telling his point of view. I have a trip in November, and it sounds like things are being done to the level I was hoping, but I haven't had COVID yet(at least according to the anitbody test I took a 2 weeks ago)so I am still nervous.

Oh I'm all for the sharing of knowledge but there are people who have and will solicit medical advice from people on random websites which is dangerous. Now if the OP is legit, and I have no reason to believe he is not, then just giving some insight to his experience at WDW is fine.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Oh I'm all for the sharing of knowledge but there are people who have and will solicit medical advice from people on random websites which is dangerous. Now if the OP is legit, and I have no reason to believe he is not, then just giving some insight to his experience at WDW is fine.

I appreciate him telling his point of view. I have a trip in November, and it sounds like things are being done to the level I was hoping, but I haven't had COVID yet(at least according to the anitbody test I took a 2 weeks ago)so I am still nervous.

Thinking about this always brings me back to the same answer. WDW is doing all the things our government Drs are saying; all the sanitation, distancing, limited capacity, and mask compliance at about 98 percent of the guests. If it’s not safe in WDW then nowhere is safe, including the supermarket, and all of these rules made by the government are fake and useless.

 

[Storm]

Oh I'm all for the sharing of knowledge but there are people who have and will solicit medical advice from people on random websites which is dangerous. Now if the OP is legit, and I have no reason to believe he is not, then just giving some insight to his experience at WDW is fine.

Pretty much what I was thinking really , the word physician just did not need to be in the title or the post , his point of view as a guest would have been enough

 

[Archie123]

Thinking about this always brings me back to the same answer. WDW is doing all the things our government Drs are saying; all the sanitation, distancing, limited capacity, and mask compliance at about 98 percent of the guests. If it’s not safe in WDW then nowhere is safe, including the supermarket, and all of these rules made by the government are fake and useless.

You seemed logical to your silly comment at the end.

 

[Disstevefan1]

You seemed logical to your silly comment at the end.

I think all the precautions WDW put in place are being followed by nearly all visitors and therefore makes it safe to be there, but everyone needs to make up their own mind.

 

[Miss Bella]

Pretty much what I was thinking really , the word physician just did not need to be in the title or the post , his point of view as a guest would have been enough

It’s never a good idea to state your profession on social media. It’s a lesson I’ve recently learned.

 

[MickeyCB]

I too am a doctor (internist) and the value of this report is in part due to the optics of a trained physician. We do have more experience with infections, prevention, treatment, etc. and while I can't speak for the OP, I am in no way an expert but do follow guidelines from our various agencies.
I am very comforted by what I read that the OP has experienced with his critical eye as I am a little concerned with travel and we have an October trip planned.
It is no different and I would appreciate it if a builder, engineer etc. saw something a little concerning structurally on a ride, a pathway or whatever and pointed it out.
I would then take that information and make a decision about how to proceed.
No different here.

 

[Miss Bella]

You're right, the medical community is all over the place! Some are very doom and gloom and some are a little more relaxed. I like to think I fall in the middle. I take precautions, respect the rules, but still want to experience life with my immediate family. I am also the kid who's Dad went to work one day and never came home. I have always felt you make time for experiences with family when you have them. So...to each their own but in the mean time we need to find ways to live life around the pandemic because there is no magic cure/ vaccine that is going to stop this anytime soon.

Healthcare workers are no different than the general public. You have travel shamers, travelers, pro-lockdown people, anti-lockdown people, pro-maskers, anti maskers, pro-vaxxers, anti-vaxxers, and people all over the political spectrum. Why so many people think healthcare workers all think alike is beyond me. We are not defined by our jobs.

I leave for Orlando in a few days and I have a feeling there's going to be a lot of healthcare workers enjoying the parks. One thing we all have in common at this moment is the need for vacation or staycation if that's your choice.

 

[ToTBellHop]

What ridiculous comments in here. Stating one’s profession adds context. I do that all the time. Would people be as angry if he said, “As a professional clown who constantly worries about other people’s respiratory droplets...”?

It sounds more like people don’t believe a doctor’s opinion matters more than their own, but I have news for you: in the case of a pandemic or any other healthcare issue, YES, a doctor’s opinion matters more than yours. Good grief.

To the OP, thanks for your insight.

 

[Storm]

What ridiculous comments in here. Stating one’s profession adds context. I do that all the time. Would people be as angry if he said, “As a professional clown who constantly worries about other people’s respiratory droplets...”?

It sounds more like people don’t believe a doctor’s opinion matters more than their own, but I have news for you: in the case of a pandemic or any other healthcare issue, YES, a doctor’s opinion matters more than yours. Good grief.

To the OP, thanks for your insight.

Healthcare professionals don’t all have the same opinion , so I don’t see why their opinion matters more than the usual public. If they can’t even be on the same page , their opinion is worth the same as anyone else. If they all had one clear position on the COVID subject , I would agree with you. However this isn’t the case , far from it. You have healthcare professionals saying that the government is not doing enough , some saying they're doing too much , some saying the virus is not as big as they make it to be and that the numbers are manipulated. Which further confirms my point that their opinion is not more valuable until they all agree with each other.

 

[Miss Bella]

Healthcare professionals don’t all have the same opinion , so I don’t see why their opinion matters more than the usual public. If they can’t even be on the same page , their opinion is worth the same as anyone else. If they all had one clear position on the COVID subject , I would agree with you. However this isn’t the case , far from it. You have healthcare professionals saying that the government is not doing enough , some saying they're doing too much , some saying the virus is not as big as they make it to be and that the numbers are manipulated. Which further confirms my point that their opinion is not more valuable until they all agree with each other.

When someone posts an article from a Dr or virologist. I roll my eyes. I could find ten articles from different Doctors all with different opinions. There are many things in medicine that are black and white, but Covid is not one of them. A lot of grey areas an unknowns and then you throw in the social and political aspects of it and it’s a hot mess.

 

[cmb5002]

Something that may be difficult for people who aren't in the medical field to understand is that most people who are in the medical field view almost everything through a certain lens. In my case that means minimizing risk, but not eliminating it. It's not like when I leave my office I stop being a physician and don't wash my hands and start spreading germs like a child or many people I see at the grocery store. It's very difficult to separate a mentality that I've had for over 20 years from "just being on vacation". As Obi Wan might say, I see things "from a certain point of view" and see no shame or reason not to include that my perspective is that of a practicing physician.

Honestly, it isn't that difficult to understand. I'm an engineer that builds roads and bridges for a living. I see the world through that lens all the time. My wife (who also happens to be a physician) doesn't notice any of the things that I do, but she does notice things relating to health and sanitation more than me.

Thank you for providing your perspective, and the mentality that frames that perspective.

 

[Donald Esq]

Healthcare professionals don’t all have the same opinion , so I don’t see why their opinion matters more than the usual public. If they can’t even be on the same page , their opinion is worth the same as anyone else. If they all had one clear position on the COVID subject , I would agree with you. However this isn’t the case , far from it. You have healthcare professionals saying that the government is not doing enough , some saying they're doing too much , some saying the virus is not as big as they make it to be and that the numbers are manipulated. Which further confirms my point that their opinion is not more valuable until they all agree with each other.

They may not “all” have the same opinion, but the proportions of the range of their opinions is not the same as the general public, and their basis for their opinion is more informed than the people who watched a YouTube video. I appreciate the physician’s perspective and self identification because it gives greater clarity on this guest’s perspective and the level of weight it should receive. Yes, the doctor knows more than you on this topic. It’s not that hard.

 

[Storm]

They may not “all” have the same opinion, but the proportions of the range of their opinions is not the same as the general public, and their basis for their opinion is more informed than the people who watched a YouTube video. I appreciate the physician’s perspective and self identification because it gives greater clarity on this guest’s perspective and the level of weight it should receive. Yes, the doctor knows more than you on this topic. It’s not that hard.

You have the right to your opinion but it’s not a fact. As I said , If at some point there was a joint position from health professionals , I would agree with you , until then I will take it for what it is which is a citizen’s opinion and not a health professional.

 

[Archie123]

Again, don’t take medical advice from a random stranger who says they are a doctor whether they are or aren’t. If you do then feel free to ask me how to invest your money as I am a financial expert. Trust me...what can go wrong!!

 

[larryz]

Again, don’t take medical advice from a random stranger who says they are a doctor whether they are or aren’t. If you do then feel free to ask me how to invest your money as I am a financial expert. Trust me...what can go wrong!!

Of course, the OP didn't give any advice -- he merely reported his observations.

 

[cmb5002]

Of course, the OP didn't give any advice -- he merely reported his observations.

Yes. In fact the OP seems to be avoiding providing any advice. Not telling anybody where to go or what to do. Certainly not saying what is or is not safe. Almost like a physician that wants to avoid that liability while still providing some observations to fellow Disney fans.

 

[durangojim]

Of course, the OP didn't give any advice -- he merely reported his observations.

Yes. In fact the OP seems to be avoiding providing any advice. Not telling anybody where to go or what to do. Certainly not saying what is or is not safe. Almost like a physician that wants to avoid that liability while still providing some observations to fellow Disney fans.

Thank you for your sensible reasoning. It would be irresponsible for me to give advice to people I don't know anything about, medical histories, risk factors, etc.
I find it amazing that some people are so affected by the internet and message boards that they assign some kind of nefarious idea that I'm trying to manipulate people into going to Disney. You guys caught me, I actually work for Iger and Chapek and am trying to inflate the stock price because I'm so important that I know people will absolutely read what I said and divine the subliminal message of "Go to Disney World, it's safe!" found within. Ugh.

 

[NelleBelle]

Thank you for your sensible reasoning. It would be irresponsible for me to give advice to people I don't know anything about, medical histories, risk factors, etc.
I find it amazing that some people are so affected by the internet and message boards that they assign some kind of nefarious idea that I'm trying to manipulate people into going to Disney. You guys caught me, I actually work for Iger and Chapek and am trying to inflate the stock price because I'm so important that I know people will absolutely read what I said and divine the subliminal message of "Go to Disney World, it's safe!" found within. Ugh.

My stock would appreciate the bump!

 

[KikoKea]

@durangojim , thanks for sharing your observations from your point of view. We have a trip scheduled in Sept; I am hesitant, but DH is gung-ho to go. He suggests we go, enjoy what we wish of the parks, and relax by the pool with our Kindles. I'll share with him your rules for your trip, if you don't mind, and discuss how we'll approach our time there.