-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion
- Thread starter Parker in NYC
- Start date
-
- Tags
- coronavirus covid covid-19
- Status
WondersOfLife
Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
I don't know if anyone's shared this article or not... But I found it a good read.
what health officials found at Universal Orlando’s CityWalk ahead of reopening day
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health said Universal Orlando invited the agency to examine the steps it has taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus before it reopened CityWalk on Thursday. “They thought out the process,” said Dr. Raul Pino, FDOH Health Officer for Orange County. Pino said he toured the CityWalk attraction, which is full of retail stores and restaurants, on Wednesday. He called what he saw a learning experience.
"We came to realize the large number of surfaces that people will come in touch with -- the handrails especially. The winding lines that we have for the rides," he said. Pino said Universal told him they will be limiting restaurants to 25 percent capacity, and they will have hand sanitizing stations throughout the area. He said the attraction will also have posted signs reminding guests of the new rules the park announced on Tuesday, which include mandated face masks and social distancing.
He said he's hopeful this could help lay the groundwork for a new theme cleanliness standard.
"The question is: is it going to be enough?" he said. "It all depends on the volume and how people behave."
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said he's facing a similar question.
"Can we do it safely? That's the guiding principle for me," he said.
Demings said several of the smaller amusement and theme parks contacted him on Wednesday asking him if they could reopen. He said they've proposed new cleaning protocols and CDC standards. He said it's a decision that would have to be answered by the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force, which was established in the wake of COVID-19.
"It can't just be an emotional argument based on the economics of the conversation," he said. "It has to be balanced with the healthcare data as well." Demings said he was also asked about when Phase Two of the reopening may begin. According to the White House guidelines, Phase Two would see gyms, movie theaters and bars begin to reopen.
Demings said he’s waiting for guidance from Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Florida.
what health officials found at Universal Orlando’s CityWalk ahead of reopening day
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health said Universal Orlando invited the agency to examine the steps it has taken to prevent the spread of the coronavirus before it reopened CityWalk on Thursday. “They thought out the process,” said Dr. Raul Pino, FDOH Health Officer for Orange County. Pino said he toured the CityWalk attraction, which is full of retail stores and restaurants, on Wednesday. He called what he saw a learning experience.
"We came to realize the large number of surfaces that people will come in touch with -- the handrails especially. The winding lines that we have for the rides," he said. Pino said Universal told him they will be limiting restaurants to 25 percent capacity, and they will have hand sanitizing stations throughout the area. He said the attraction will also have posted signs reminding guests of the new rules the park announced on Tuesday, which include mandated face masks and social distancing.
He said he's hopeful this could help lay the groundwork for a new theme cleanliness standard.
"The question is: is it going to be enough?" he said. "It all depends on the volume and how people behave."
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said he's facing a similar question.
"Can we do it safely? That's the guiding principle for me," he said.
Demings said several of the smaller amusement and theme parks contacted him on Wednesday asking him if they could reopen. He said they've proposed new cleaning protocols and CDC standards. He said it's a decision that would have to be answered by the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force, which was established in the wake of COVID-19.
"It can't just be an emotional argument based on the economics of the conversation," he said. "It has to be balanced with the healthcare data as well." Demings said he was also asked about when Phase Two of the reopening may begin. According to the White House guidelines, Phase Two would see gyms, movie theaters and bars begin to reopen.
Demings said he’s waiting for guidance from Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Florida.
As things currently stand, the Disney parks will not.
wishiwere@wdw
Well-Known Member
I won’t get into whether they should or not but it will be interesting to follow how or if Disney responds when Universal beats them to opening. I strongly suspect Universal is nearly ready to go in a matter of 2 weeks.
Polynesia
Well-Known Member
We’re not sure how phase 1 has gone yet. The numbers aren’t in to see if there’s an uptick in cases. Orange County saw an increase of 10 cases in one day this week and are watching it carefully to see if its a trend. It went from 6 the day before to 16. I watch Demings and Dr Pino give their briefings. They’re very conscientious making sure Orange County cases are continuing to decline. I hope we don’t push too hard to move too fast or we’ll be back where we started. I agree that WDW won’t be in the beginning of phase 2. Everyone has put in the time to flatten the curve. We need to be smart about how businesses reopen.
mdcpr
Well-Known Member
So, if capacity planning is a must, then chances are that priority will be given to those WDW will consider to be high-spenders, therefore day guests or lower tier annual pass holders might be more limited. Not fair, but since WDW will host less people, they will focus on those that will spend more $$$.
Epcotbob
Well-Known Member
There was a rumor a few days ago that AP‘s would be restricted for at least the initial part of the phased openings of the parks.
Given the small amount of resorts likely to be open to begin with I’d doubt it.
Theres also the thought of one or more parks opening before the resorts do. All scenarios are being looked at.
"According to the Walt Disney World website, the 2020 Walt Disney World EGF High School National Championship set to take place June 12-14 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex has been cancelled. The event was scheduled to take place at The Arena, Disney’s newest building at the complex that can hold up to 8,000 spectators."
blogmickey.com
Walt Disney World esports Event Scheduled For June Has Been Cancelled
Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond
blogmickey.com
We will see if what you strongly suspect come to fruition I guess.
I think every other national chain other then Six Flags is looking to Disney for the lead. Other then independent parks located in non hot spot areas (Silverwood, Holiday World) they are looking to Disney to set the standard they will follow.
Following the “standard” is very important in civil cases.
Following the “standard” is very important in civil cases.
Peter Pan's Shadow
Well-Known Member
FYI, I only mention this as it relates to the topic of this thread, but just heard on a conference call with heads of a hospital from extremely deliberate and conservative Dr's that they are pretty confident in a vaccine for covid-19 by end of October. Said they've mulled the data and other reports and are pretty confident, which is hard to believe as they aren't the kind of Dr's that are confident about much in the future and I haven't read or heard this anywhere else. It seems that this would be big news on every TV and website. Along with plasma with antibodies being 99% effective in killing covid-19 virus. Let's hope for a maskless 2021.
Miss Bella
Well-Known Member
I've been hearing this on the news channel I watch for the last couple of weeks.
I think it makes sense to open a park or parks first before the resorts. It will allow them to work through the kinks of reopening the parks with less guests and CMs while not having to deal with the kinks and logistical issues that come with the resorts reopening.
Peter Pan's Shadow
Well-Known Member
Sh@t, where have I been looking? And why isn't it on sides of buildings and projected on clouds overhead. Lol. Between the vaccine and the plasma covid-19 will be a non-issue in a few months. (For more than just us healthy ones...wink).
Because when it comes to getting a safe and effective vaccine this early in the process, people shouldn't believe it until it is actually being injected into people. Even then a healthy dose of skepticism is probably best.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
I love your enthusiasm and I’m right there with you hoping both those things pan out. The Oxford group is in the most advanced stage of clinic trials right now for their vaccine. Their phase 2 and 3 trial is being conducted simultaneously. They said they expect to know by some time in June whether the vaccine works or not. There will still be additional testing after that but their hope is to have a vaccine ready for public use by September. It would be on an emergency basis at first but as they ramp up production it could be rolled out to the public before the end of the year. Outside of that one, most of the other vaccines under development are targeting early 2021 as their earliest timeframe. The plasma thing sounds more promising to be a shorter term solution to bridge the gap until a vaccine.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
Forget even Orange County cases. The largest population center in FL just started phase 1. Even a FL resident only soft opening for WDW or Universal is going to draw lots of people from the Miami area up to Orlando. That’s not good for the people who live and work there. Opening bars early in phase 2 should also be really seriously considered as well. If bars in Daytona or Naples open how many people from the Miami area are going to head straight there. Cheap hotel rooms and pent up desire to party will draw masses of people. This stuff has to open eventually but there shouldn’t be a rush to do it all at once.
Have a guess.
If there is a vaccine available this fall it will be the quickest time in the history of medicine a vaccine was created for a disease by several YEARS. I’m not saying it won’t happen, it could, but if it did it would probably be considered the most impressive biological discovery since discovering DNA.
- Status