Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion

[DisneyDebRob]

Watching the local news here in Atlanta, it seems they keep interviewing the same 3 or 4 business who feel it's "irresponsible" to open. A hair salon, a gym owner and a small restaurant owner. They spoke with the same owners there's days in a row and they repeated the same narrative each day.

I spoke with a few restaurant owners where I live (north of Atlanta), who are not opening right away, but they gave me a different (and much more valid) reason. They said they simply wanted to wait another week or two to allow the initial anxiety of people to calm down. Anxiety created by the news and social media of promoting far more stories of "danger" from businesses opening, lest they face backlash from yoga fueled soccer moms (credit that term to PhotoDave) on Facebook for being "irresponsible".

and please note that I am in no way saying that there aren't business owners who want to remain closed for their own reasons. I'm sure there are many. But it's clearly evident watching the news that they are indeed pushing an extremely selective viewpoint on this issue.

The national news seems to handle things more in between the 2 sides. The last 3-4 nights, every interview with someone opening up was followed with someone saying it’s to early and they won’t open up. Fair reporting from what I’ve seen nationally anyway.

 

[Horizons '83]

On the bright side -if they did that -being a Dolphin fan - at least we won't be outnumbered at home games anymore.

Go Phins! Glad we scooped up Tua!

Yes, spread out all the Giant and Jet fans haha

 

[Communicora]

Watching the local news here in Atlanta, it seems they keep interviewing the same 3 or 4 business who feel it's "irresponsible" to open. A hair salon, a gym owner and a small restaurant owner. They spoke with the same owners there's days in a row and they repeated the same narrative each day.

I spoke with a few restaurant owners where I live (north of Atlanta), who are not opening right away, but they gave me a different (and much more valid) reason. They said they simply wanted to wait another week or two to allow the initial anxiety of people to calm down. Anxiety created by the news and social media of promoting far more stories of "danger" from businesses opening, lest they face backlash from yoga fueled soccer moms (credit that term to PhotoDave) on Facebook for being "irresponsible".

and please note that I am in no way saying that there aren't business owners who want to remain closed for their own reasons. I'm sure there are many. But it's clearly evident watching the news that they are indeed pushing an extremely selective viewpoint on this issue.

McDonald's, Chick-Fil-A and Dunkin' are staying closed. It's not news pushing an agenda. It's the reality that a lot of people think it is too soon to reopen.

Georgia, Tennessee, And Alaska Want Restaurants To Reopen — But McDonald’s, Chick-Fil-A, And Dunkin’ Are Saying Not So Fast

The socially distanced future of eating out is coming, but it isn't here quite yet.

www.buzzfeednews.com

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

We've discussed masks, and other potential rules, but what if you had to sign a liability waiver to enter Disney property?

 

[Communicora]

We've discussed masks, and other potential rules, but what if you had to sign a liability waiver to enter Disney property?

There may very well be an updated waiver, but Disney is not going to want a hotspot centered around their parks for PR reasons even more than liability. They aren't going to open without restrictions and just say whoops you signed a waiver.

 

[Parker in NYC]

We've discussed masks, and other potential rules, but what if you had to sign a liability waiver to enter Disney property?

Anyone willing to sign those has no reason protesting to reopen the country. If that isn't a threat, what is? If Disney wants me to sign a liability waiver, they're not exactly making me feel too secure in visiting. Besides, you can catch this thing anywhere. How are people going to prove they contracted it there? Not that people wouldn't try to prove that - but good luck. It would be more of a CYA for Mickey and Co.

 

[DisneyCane]

If they really do boarding groups at least for the big rides and they work anything like the BGs for Rise then almost everyone will be arriving at open or they won’t get any boarding groups for the day. It’s definitely a concern. Maybe they do the equivalent of EMHs every day where resort guests go in earlier, then AP holders not staying on property, then general ticket holders. That at least spreads the crowds a little.

It seems to me the simplest solution would be "boarding groups" done like the original fastpass system. Except this time with no standby line and all done through the app. Combine with marking the queues for 6ft+ distance between parties. For waiting around the park for your window have benches spaced around with signs on them that say "no more than one party per bench."

Eliminate parades and fireworks, spray sanitizer on ride vehicles between uses. One party per ride vehicle on rides where you can't get 6 ft spacing in a single vehicle, skip rows where you can do it.

The parks will be at lower capacity but you can have a somewhat normal operation like that with a good level of enjoyment by the guests.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Watching the local news here in Atlanta, it seems they keep interviewing the same 3 or 4 business who feel it's "irresponsible" to open. A hair salon, a gym owner and a small restaurant owner. They spoke with the same owners there's days in a row and they repeated the same narrative each day.

Did they speak to the same people multiple times, or just re-play the same interview 3 times (or say slightly different portions of the same interview 3 times).

Even before the current outbreak, my local stations repeated interviews all the time. They also play slightly different segments of the same interview but both people are wearing the same clothes/same setting/time of day. Actually, it isn't just local news that does this.

They have to fill an hour.

 

[GoofGoof]

It seems to me the simplest solution would be "boarding groups" done like the original fastpass system. Except this time with no standby line and all done through the app. Combine with marking the queues for 6ft+ distance between parties. For waiting around the park for your window have benches spaced around with signs on them that say "no more than one party per bench."

Eliminate parades and fireworks, spray sanitizer on ride vehicles between uses. One party per ride vehicle on rides where you can't get 6 ft spacing in a single vehicle, skip rows where you can do it.

The parks will be at lower capacity but you can have a somewhat normal operation like that with a good level of enjoyment by the guests.

That all makes too much sense

 

[Parker in NYC]

It seems to me the simplest solution would be "boarding groups" done like the original fastpass system. Except this time with no standby line and all done through the app. Combine with marking the queues for 6ft+ distance between parties. For waiting around the park for your window have benches spaced around with signs on them that say "no more than one party per bench."

Eliminate parades and fireworks, spray sanitizer on ride vehicles between uses. One party per ride vehicle on rides where you can't get 6 ft spacing in a single vehicle, skip rows where you can do it.

The parks will be at lower capacity but you can have a somewhat normal operation like that with a good level of enjoyment by the guests.

Sounds like a lovely fairy tale.

 

[Kevin_W]

Some good news on the vaccine front:

6 monkeys given an experimental coronavirus vaccine from Oxford did not catch COVID-19 after heavy exposure, raising hopes for a human vaccine

A team from the University of Oxford is leading the way in the search for an effective vaccine for the coronavirus. Human trials started last week.

www.yahoo.com

Is it me or is that monkey drinking a Sprite

Thanks for sharing the article. Impressive that they are making 40-million doses just in case it works. Given success rate even at this point is not super-high, I'm sure companies are normally much more conservative.

 

[lewisc]

Anyone willing to sign those has no reason protesting to reopen the country. If that isn't a threat, what is? If Disney wants me to sign a liability waiver, they're not exactly making me feel too secure in visiting. Besides, you can catch this thing anywhere. How are people going to prove they contracted it there? Not that people wouldn't try to prove that - but good luck. It would be more of a CYA for Mickey and Co.

The burden of proof for a civil action isn't much more then 50%. The burden of proof for public perception is less. Disney can't be thought of as a place where you get sick, go home then infect family and friends. Not sure how a waiver would work if Disney didn't follow their rules. Empty hand sanitizer dispensers. Failure to enforce mask rules...Could a waiver even apply to a friend of family member who caught the virus from a returning guest.
How do you prove? Contact tracing. A CM is infected. A dozen or more people, spread over the country get infected. All were in Disney 2 weeks ago. All ate in the same restaurant.

 

[Parker in NYC]

The burden of proof for a civil action isn't much more then 50%. The burden of proof for public perception is less. Disney can't be thought of as a place where you get sick, go home then infect family and friends. Not sure how a waiver would work if Disney didn't follow their rules. Empty hand sanitizer dispensers. Failure to enforce mask rules...Could a waiver even apply to a friend of family member who caught the virus from a returning guest.

Agreed.

How do you prove? Contact tracing. A CM is infected. A dozen or more people, spread over the country get infected. All were in Disney 2 weeks ago. All ate in the same restaurant.

If someone decides to get on a plane, should they sign a liability waiver for this thing? My feeling is, if one is making the decision to throw caution to the wind for a vacation, live with the consequences.

 

[GoofGoof]

Thanks for sharing the article. Impressive that they are making 40-million doses just in case it works. Given success rate even at this point is not super-high, I'm sure companies are normally much more conservative.

I read somewhere that the federal government is picking up the tab on a lot of the ramp up for multiple trials. They know not every trial will pan out but if we wait for the trials to be finished to pick a winner it adds months or years to get the vaccine to market. This is how they get to 12-18 months vs the 2+years for a normal vaccine to be developed.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

If someone decides to get on a plane, should they sign a liability waiver for this thing? My feeling is, if one is making the decision to throw caution to the wind for a vacation, live with the consequences.

So, is that a NO?

Or a YES?

 

[DisneyDebRob]

It seems to me the simplest solution would be "boarding groups" done like the original fastpass system. Except this time with no standby line and all done through the app. Combine with marking the queues for 6ft+ distance between parties. For waiting around the park for your window have benches spaced around with signs on them that say "no more than one party per bench."

Eliminate parades and fireworks, spray sanitizer on ride vehicles between uses. One party per ride vehicle on rides where you can't get 6 ft spacing in a single vehicle, skip rows where you can do it.

The parks will be at lower capacity but you can have a somewhat normal operation like that with a good level of enjoyment by the guests.

Omnimovers?
A good level of enjoyment?
I’m not trying to say it won’t work or some would find it enjoyable but I would love to see the people that have paid thousands of dollars enjoying that experience.

 

[George]

The virus already has a name, Covid-19.

Dang it. After all the meetings, I was hoping that my proposal of "Billy Ray Virus" would catch on.

Anyone willing to sign those has no reason protesting to reopen the country. If that isn't a threat, what is? If Disney wants me to sign a liability waiver, they're not exactly making me feel too secure in visiting. Besides, you can catch this thing anywhere. How are people going to prove they contracted it there? Not that people wouldn't try to prove that - but good luck. It would be more of a CYA for Mickey and Co.

I dunno. I signed a liability waiver before doing all this nonsense at the behest of the NSA in Belgium. Dirty money, dirty bombs, breaking and entering...I suppose there was some threat, but overall the liability waiver increased my inner peace level from a 4 to a 8. Didn't want Uncle Sam fretting about a lawsuit in this time of deficit spending.

 

[Hawg G]

And the best cheesesteaks on the planet, Pat's and Geno's.

Delassandros blows both of them away. Not even a contest.

 

[Hawg G]

I can tell you from personal experience that there are no steep discounts for July. I paid over $200 per night for a room at the Pop. The cast member I spoke with said that he had been with the company for over 20 years and there has been, as far as he could tell, little to no drop in reservations. He said that this was nothing like post 911 where the reservations dropped significantly.

My opinion is that will not see any discounts except the usual. They haven't even updated the annual pass discounts past July 9th. I can also tell you that DVC availability looks about normal for the summer. I kind of thought that if they were planning on reducing theme park capacity that they would stop taking hotel reservations.

Because 911 was truly a huge deal, for everyone. This has strangely morphed into a political battle. At least half the country will have no problem returning to Orlando ASAP.

 

[wdisney9000]

McDonald's, Chick-Fil-A and Dunkin' are staying closed. It's not news pushing an agenda. It's the reality that a lot of people think it is too soon to reopen.

Georgia, Tennessee, And Alaska Want Restaurants To Reopen — But McDonald’s, Chick-Fil-A, And Dunkin’ Are Saying Not So Fast

The socially distanced future of eating out is coming, but it isn't here quite yet.

www.buzzfeednews.com

A lot of people think it's too soon because all they've seen and heard is the news showing selective reporting that it's "too soon". then they hop on Facebook or other social media platforms and copy and paste what they've seen and read. It's happened here in this very thread to no end. And I did not use the word agenda. I said a very selective viewpoint.

but in that same breath do you not know that there are several major chains the decided to actually open? Longhorn, Waffle House (in certain areas) and I saw several other restaurants open yesterday. does that qualify them as irresponsible since they did not make the same decision as somebody else?

The entire "too soon" concept makes little sense in the long run. When will it be ok? When they create a vaccine, which they've been unable to do for any of the other corona strains? When they test ten million more people? When Fauci tells us it's ok? When Bill Gates says it's ok? What difference would any of that make considering we've had over 40 days of being shut down and the millions of people they claimed would die, haven't. The amount of worldwide deaths hasn't even reached what people (even many here) claimed we would see in the USA by now.

and it's a shame that people have to add this as a disclaimer but I'm not saying the country should just reopen and go back to life as it was before this started with full stadiums andn Disney World open for everybody. But "new normal" has to start at some point.