Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion

[GoofGoof]

IMHO, these fights based on "what if . . ." never produce anything worthwhile because people necessarily make up their own scenarios and then fight over the imaginary details as though they were facts.

I agree. In this case though Ticketmaster made public that they are working on a system that would use an app where you could authorize a release of either your vaccination record or proof of a negative test to get into a concert. It’s beyond just a what if for potential future concerts and sporting events. It’s something they are actively looking to do. The Disney part is a “what if”, but you can easily see how that would also work in a very similar way and if it becomes main stream for concerts and sporting events I could see it being adopted for theme parks, business conventions and other places where large groups get together. Maybe even airlines for flying although I don’t see them turning down any customers they can get.

 

[danlb_2000]

We'll see once they submit their analysis to the FDA. Unless they really want to see their reputation destroyed, I would assume they are confident of their numbers and this isn't all just a stock-manipulation ruse.

Yeah, 90% is so much higher then even the experts expected, they must be pretty sure of their data to have announced that.

 

[Heppenheimer]

I agree. In this case though Ticketmaster made public that they are working on a system that would use an app where you could authorize a release of either your vaccination record or proof of a negative test to get into a concert. It’s beyond just a what if for potential future concerts and sporting events. It’s something they are actively looking to do. The Disney part is a “what if”, but you can easily see how that would also work in a very similar way and if it becomes main stream for concerts and sporting events I could see it being adopted for theme parks, business conventions and other places where large groups get together. Maybe even airlines for flying although I don’t see them turning down any customers they can get.

Maybe something similar could be worked into the resort apps?

 

[GoofGoof]

Bad analogy. The lack of transparency is causing people not to be convinced. If there was full transparency then there wouldn't be any reason for a rational person to question if the results are legitimate.

How much more transparent can they be? Outside of allowing people to inject the patients directly and then follow them around I can’t see how they could be more transparent. Most clinical trials are a lot less public. This is the most transparent we have ever seen.

 

[DisneyCane]

How much more transparent can they be? Outside of allowing people to inject the patients directly and then follow them around I can’t see how they could be more transparent. Most clinical trials are a lot less public. This is the most transparent we have ever seen.

I was replying to his analogy about the election. For the vaccine, I think the transparency is at the highest level possible.

 

[Chi84]

What you found convenient about the Walmart pick up, I found annoying. We had placed a total of 5 orders over a month period and not once did they have half of what we ordered in stock yet they don’t tell you that. You just get a email saying available for pickup. One time they substituted regular tea when my wife likes the sugar free stuff. We ended up not ever ordering again from them and returning most of the orders. But I can understand some liking substitutes.

These aren't insurmountable problems - they're just doing a bad job. Instacart would text and ask about substitutions, but our store dropped them in favor of using their own employees, who may or may not substitute or call depending on their whim I guess. The worst (this happened to us) was getting a delivery with all the items necessary to make a dinner except the main one. What do you do then - have a single item delivered from a different store? If we were in the store and saw that item out of stock, we could adjust.

We're doing delivery or curbside pickup now because we want to do our part to be safe, but there's nothing wonderful or easy about many of these services. I'm talking about actual practice, not theory.

 

[SamusAranX]

The next fight on this board... what if Disney requires proof of vaccination before allowing guests to enter the parks or stay at their resorts? How would they assure compliance? Would this change anyone's plans?

I would have no issue with this, provided the policy wasn’t instituted until the vaccine was actually readily available to your average working stiff like me

 

[_caleb]

I'm still convinced that public opinion can be swayed to get people to pull together without forcing people to get vaccinated or heavy-handed shutdowns of business. But it's going to take a lot of work.

Clarify what the problem is, and why a vaccine is a huge part of the solution. Explain the process of vaccine development, and be honest about risks or side-effects. Demonstrate the effectiveness of the vaccine, and then make it easy and free to get vaccinated. Then show how a vaccinated population is protected and can return to life as it was.

 

[_caleb]

I would have no issue with this, provided the policy wasn’t instituted until the vaccine was actually readily available to your average working stiff like me

I know! The MDE app can sort people- vaccinated people get to stay at the Poly and Port Orleans and go to MK, AK, and HS. Unvaccinated people have to stay at the All-Stars and only get to go to Blizzard Beach and whatever is left of Future World.

 

[Kevin_W]

The next fight on this board... what if Disney requires proof of vaccination before allowing guests to enter the parks or stay at their resorts? How would they assure compliance? Would this change anyone's plans?

I wouldn't have a problem with it. The logistics seem complicated, but someone posted the Ticketmaster plan they are working on. If Ticketmaster can do it, so can Disney.

 

[GoofGoof]

I would have no issue with this, provided the policy wasn’t instituted until the vaccine was actually readily available to your average working stiff like me

Absolutely true. It would have to be only after the vaccine is available to anyone who wants it. I would think it would be a temporary thing for the late Spring/Summer. Assuming 1/3 of the population won’t get the vaccine we will eventually reach herd immunity anyway but it will take time for cases to go to zero. Even with a vaccine at 90% effective that’s still 10% of the people vaccinated who aren’t immune too. I could see places like concerts, pro sports, conventions, theme parks and maybe even airlines looking to implement that temporary requirement which would allow things to go mostly back to normal without capacity limits, masks, distancing, etc which are impractical in an arena or at a full theme park. If it also results in more people being willing to get the vaccine then that’s a positive too. Once full herd immunity is reached I would assume this goes away.

Not sure how soon they will get younger kids into trials, but I could see schools requiring the vaccine too to go back to physical school with the option to remain virtual without the vaccine.

 

[Kevin_W]

I know! The MDE app can sort people- vaccinated people get to stay at the Poly and Port Orleans and go to MK, AK, and HS. Unvaccinated people have to stay at the All-Stars and only get to go to Blizzard Beach and whatever is left of Future World.

But SSE is still in my top 5 or 10 Disney attractions! So as long as they implemented this after the refurb starts, I'm okay.

 

[Chi84]

I know! The MDE app can sort people- vaccinated people get to stay at the Poly and Port Orleans and go to MK, AK, and HS. Unvaccinated people have to stay at the All-Stars and only get to go to Blizzard Beach and whatever is left of Future World.

Can we have the vaccinated people at Blizzard Beach, please

 

[GoofGoof]

I'm still convinced that public opinion can be swayed to get people to pull together without forcing people to get vaccinated or heavy-handed shutdowns of business. But it's going to take a lot of work.

Clarify what the problem is, and why a vaccine is a huge part of the solution. Explain the process of vaccine development, and be honest about risks or side-effects. Demonstrate the effectiveness of the vaccine, and then make it easy and free to get vaccinated. Then show how a vaccinated population is protected and can return to life as it was.

I don’t see that proposal as an attempt to force people to get vaccinated. WDW cannot expand capacity without removing Covid restrictions and they also probably won’t get a big enough bump in demand while still requiring masks and limiting crowds. It makes sense from a business prospective that if 2/3 of the population is vaccinated that’s an easy way to not need those restrictions for them. Then you make all the CMs get the vaccine. For people who couldn’t get the vaccine for medical reasons or just choose not to they have the alternative to take a Covid test and show they aren’t infected. With all of that done you probably can remove the Covid restrictions knowing that there are a very low number of people who could potentially infect someone or be infected in the parks. So I don’t see it as a punishment for those who didn’t get the vaccine but more as an early way out of Covid restrictions. Without that plan it’s likely that WDW has to keep the Covid restrictions until cases go way down, possibly through the summer or even the end of 2021. I see something like this as a way to get WDW back up to speed months ahead of just waiting.

 

[DisneyCane]

I know! The MDE app can sort people- vaccinated people get to stay at the Poly and Port Orleans and go to MK, AK, and HS. Unvaccinated people have to stay at the All-Stars and only get to go to Blizzard Beach and whatever is left of Future World.

Forget that, if you are vaccinated you get a guaranteed BG for RotR. That will get close to 100% voluntary compliance!

 

[Heppenheimer]

I would have no issue with this, provided the policy wasn’t instituted until the vaccine was actually readily available to your average working stiff like me

Yes, good point. Disney would be shooting themselves in the foot anyway if they made vaccination a requirement prior to general availability. Their potential customer based would shrink to only healthcare providers, first responders and military... and not even their family members.

 

[GoofGoof]

Forget that, if you are vaccinated you get a guaranteed BG for RotR. That will get close to 100% voluntary compliance!

If I get both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines do I get 2 boarding groups? I have 2 arms

 

[_caleb]

I don’t see that proposal as an attempt to force people to get vaccinated. WDW cannot expand capacity without removing Covid restrictions and they also probably won’t get a big enough bump in demand while still requiring masks and limiting crowds. It makes sense from a business prospective that if 2/3 of the population is vaccinated that’s an easy way to not need those restrictions for them. Then you make all the CMs get the vaccine. For people who couldn’t get the vaccine for medical reasons or just choose not to they have the alternative to take a Covid test and show they aren’t infected. With all of that done you probably can remove the Covid restrictions knowing that there are a very low number of people who could potentially infect someone or be infected in the parks. So I don’t see it as a punishment for those who didn’t get the vaccine but more as an early way out of Covid restrictions. Without that plan it’s likely that WDW has to keep the Covid restrictions until cases go way down, possibly through the summer or even the end of 2021. I see something like this as a way to get WDW back up to speed months ahead of just waiting.

I agree with you. Someone upthread mentioned "forced vaccinations" and that's what I was responding to. Also, I'm still convinced we can unify people and gain cooperation and compliance without always having to resort to heavy-handed closures and penalties.

And I agree that a place like WDW might be in the best position to do something like what you outline.

 

[Heppenheimer]

I agree with you. Someone upthread mentioned "forced vaccinations" and that's what I was responding to. Also, I'm still convinced we can unify people and gain cooperation and compliance without always having to resort to heavy-handed closures and penalties.

And I agree that a place like WDW might be in the best position to do something like what you outline.

Heck, because it's heavily in their interest that people get vaccinated, the entire leisure and entertainment industry could offer prizes and incentives. Might be something that could be coordinated by a high-level government task force (I'll leave it at that...)

 

[sullyinMT]

Yes, good point. Disney would be shooting themselves in the foot anyway if they made vaccination a requirement prior to general availability. Their potential customer based would shrink to only healthcare providers, first responders and military... and not even their family members.

And shortly thereafter, those with pre existing conditions. ECV crowding will become worse than stroller parking