Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion

[Amused to Death]

Maybe they can just scan the magic band

Now you're talking a new programming feature that would only take IT six months to complete.

 

[JohnD]

@wdwmagic , I certainly hope Chapek doesn't "indict" anyone. I don't think he can anyway. But he could certainly "indicate"

Disney CEO Bob Chapek talks to CNBC and confirms masks likely for Cast Members and Guests at Walt Disney World

Bob Chapek comments on today's opening of Shanghai Disney and the road ahead for Disney's parks.

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[Incomudro]

But again, what point is that even? Those people aren’t going to WDW and contemplating the mask issue.

If someone has the means to travel or visit WDW I would say they are fairing pretty well during the pandemic, and the mask is a minor annoyance if required.

It’s literally the biggest first world problem... “ I have the means to travel to a Disney park but if they require a mask the world is ruined and we will all die from the heat.“

It’s a ludicrous argument. I’d say their is a small segment of people who likely would not be able to wear a mask for health reasons, the rest are just being babies.

Well Chapek did say that “masks for guests would be trying especially in the hot humid summers that we get”. He seems to be fully acknowledging that masks aren’t very practical in the summer at WDW. Of course the sentence before that he said masks would be required for both guests and CMs...so read into that what you want.

I really believe that much is still up in the air.
I can certainly see them opening the parks with some level of mask requirement as I've said in the past.
Whether that is full on, everywhere and all the time except for eating as is happening in Shanghai, or some lesser requirements - we'll find out soon enough.
I can imagine a Shanghai approach to open, then some tapering off as time goes by.
So much will hinge on infection rates.
Do they go up?
Do they go up quickly?
Do we stay at some steady rate plateau?

 

[Disney Analyst]

 

[dolbyman]

Well now I know what grandpa or grandma do all day long, sit in a yellow square to reserve it (for the rest of the family) for the 6pm parade

 

[xyz123]

I say the guests should wear masks if Chapek spends a week in July at the parks with his grandkids, all wearing masks for the 12 hour days. If he can handle show that it is "no big deal", then he can say that guest should wear them. He should go one step further and work in the parks with a mask. It's easy to sit on your throne and tell people what you think they should do. But actually doing something yourself is another thing.

similarly, I worry about CMs being told to wear the masks and being reprimanded for pulling it under their noses for 5 seconds by managers who are sitting in their a/c offices all day. I hope the managers are out in the heat all day in solidarity and as extra help enforcing the mask rules on the guests.

 

[Amused to Death]

Fantastic news for rapid testing at Disney!!!

Is this the Abbott Labs test? Five to thirteen minutes is hardly rapid when you've got 30,000 people looking to enter the Happiest Mask Party on Earth. I've always thought they've needed a back-of-the-line-for-you countdown clock and buzzer for when people take too long at the entry touch points as it is.

 

[GoofGoof]

Is this the Abbott Labs test? Five to thirteen minutes is hardly rapid when you've got 30,000 people looking to enter the Happiest Mask Party on Earth. I've always thought they've needed a back-of-the-line-for-you countdown clock and buzzer for when people take too long at the entry touch points as it is.

They won’t ever test guests no matter how quick. That will not go over well. I think he was thinking for CMs.

 

[Polynesia]

They won’t ever test guests no matter how quick. That will not go over well. I think he was thinking for CMs.

It would be great if Disney tested the guests as they check in to their hotel. It would be part of the registration process. It won’t catch day guests but it would help. But I agree that Disney probably won’t test guests

 

[Miss Bella]

They won’t ever test guests no matter how quick. That will not go over well. I think he was thinking for CMs.

I wonder what the legalities are to even forcing cast members to test or to divulge their health records.

 

[donsullivan]

It would be great if Disney tested the guests as they check in to their hotel. It would be part of the registration process. It won’t catch day guests but it would help. But I agree that Disney probably won’t test guests

Keep in mind that even if they were running at normal capacity models (not likely any time soon) testing resort guests would only cover about 50% of the guests visiting the parks on any given day.

 

[Lilofan]

They won’t ever test guests no matter how quick. That will not go over well. I think he was thinking for CMs.

Everyone reports to someone. If Chapek issues an order, and that order is not followed and or executed, then executives that report to him will need to answer to him.

 

[GoofGoof]

I wonder what the legalities are to even forcing cast members to test or to divulge their health records.

Places have already started with temp checks. I would think for the union workers they would need to negotiate with the union to do it. If it’s a requirement to bring people back to work I can’t see the union blocking it. For non-union you are an at-will employee. I believe they can require it as long as you aren’t discriminating against a protected class.

 

[Miss Bella]

Places have already started with temp checks. I would think for the union workers they would need to negotiate with the union to do it. If it’s a requirement to bring people back to work I can’t see the union blocking it. For non-union you are an at-will employee. I believe they can require it as long as you aren’t discriminating against a protected class.

I’m sure some of this stuff is going to end up in the court room.

 

[GoofGoof]

I’m sure some of this stuff is going to end up in the court room.

Probably....and probably both ways. Someone somewhere will sue over temperature checks or testing and somewhere else a person who gets sick at work will sue over the employer not doing enough to keep them safe (like the meat packing plant with a mass outbreak now).

 

[Polynesia]

First amusement park in United States is opened! A amusement park in Pigeon Force with attractions, rides, and arcades open and operating!


Hopefully this sets a precedent for other regional parks to open (Six flags, Cedar Fair, and other independents) and will put pressure on Universal and Disney to open as well.

I want Disney and Universal to open when it’s safe to do so. They need to listen to the health experts and not feel pressured to open because others have. No disrespect intended.

 

[Amused to Death]

It would be great if Disney tested the guests as they check in to their hotel.

Good luck with that. Abbott's ID Now COVID-19 platform can only process one test at a time. You could be looking at the better part of an hour to process a single family. There are also safety issues...

Running a test involves swabbing a potentially infected person’s nasal passage and swirling the specimen in an open container with liquid chemicals, raising the potential of releasing the highly contagious virus into the air.

More...

Abbott’s Fast COVID Test Poses Safety Issues, Lab Workers Say - KFF Health News

HHS said this test would “save personal protective equipment.” But Abbott’s very design ― devised for mobile testing — means those working with specimens need even more protection, experts warn.

khn.org

 

[jaklgreen]

This is kind of a ridiculous argument. If you don't like the rules they put in place (and that is your right) then you are not required to visit Walt Disney World while those rules are in place. It's not that difficult of a concept. But the indignant tone I keep seeing on this topic is really ridiculous.

These are the guidelines they've decided they need to implement (at least for now) for the safety of guests and cast members. If you don't like them, then don't visit.

My point is that it is easy to say that people should have to wear masks to the parks when you are not the one who will be walking around all day in them. The whole "well if you don't like it, don't go" argument is besides the point and is what someone says when they don't have a valid counter argument to the discussion. He needs to make decisions, not only to appease the people who are concerned, but also those who will be there and don't feel like they want to wear a mask for whatever reason. Wearing masks is not conducive to spending a whole day at the parks. The masks will be taken on and off continuously throughout the day, kids will get fed up with them and throw them on the ground, etc. Wearing a mask when you go out and about to the stores is nothing like wearing one all day in the Florida summer. Instead of saying that everyone needs to wear a mask and those who don't like do not have to go. We can easily say that masks are not required and that anyone that is that concerned should stay home.

 

[JohnD]

Good luck with that. Abbott's ID Now COVID-19 platform can only process one test at a time. You could be looking at the better part of an hour to process a single family. There are also safety issues...

Running a test involves swabbing a potentially infected person’s nasal passage and swirling the specimen in an open container with liquid chemicals, raising the potential of releasing the highly contagious virus into the air.

More...

Abbott’s Fast COVID Test Poses Safety Issues, Lab Workers Say - KFF Health News

HHS said this test would “save personal protective equipment.” But Abbott’s very design ― devised for mobile testing — means those working with specimens need even more protection, experts warn.

khn.org

So many scenarios where testing guests could and will go wrong for millions of guests checking in. Violation of privacy rights. Discarded swabs everywhere capable of creating hotzones for COVID. No thank you. If you're trying to re-open and want to find a way for re-opening to fail, this would be the way to do it.

 

[GoofGoof]

My point is that it is easy to say that people should have to wear masks to the parks when you are not the one who will be walking around all day in them. The whole "well if you don't like it, don't go" argument is besides the point and is what someone says when they don't have a valid counter argument to the discussion. He needs to make decisions, not only to appease the people who are concerned, but also those who will be there and don't feel like they want to wear a mask for whatever reason. Wearing masks is not conducive to spending a whole day at the parks. The masks will be taken on and off continuously throughout the day, kids will get fed up with them and throw them on the ground, etc. Wearing a mask when you go out and about to the stores is nothing like wearing one all day in the Florida summer. Instead of saying that everyone needs to wear a mask and those who don't like do not have to go. We can easily say that masks are not required and that anyone that is that concerned should stay home.

Or option C which is don’t open the parks until there isn’t a need for masks.