Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion

[Disney Analyst]

I think it's just a bit too early... they should have announced something like this once they had a comfortable level of all eligible for vaccine - vaccinated. I believe you should be at 60% or so, or a good herd immunity level, before you allow this easing, as so many will take advantage of it who are not and don't plan on it.

The honour system does not work, and the yelling and screaming will continue.

 

[havoc315]

Nah...your narrative fell flat. You aren’t taking away the good vibes from today

It's not a narrative. I address the facts. There was some very good news from the CDC, from Chapek, and others: They are increasing capacity, masks will be gone soon, at least outdoors.

There was some interesting news: Demand is the SAME as 2019. That defeats your narrative that demand will remain down because of the lack of international guests.

Then there was news confirming my statement that they are having labor problems: Acknowledgement that 20% of employees are opting not to return.
Think about how hard it is to replace 1/5th of your staff practically overnight.

Those are the facts:
Same demand as 2019, but only 80% of the staff.

I spoke to someone who works for Patina -- the whole reason Space 220 isn't opening, is because of staff shortage.

 

[danlb_2000]

New business opportunity. Sell masks that say “I got the shot“

And that quick, someone has stolen your idea...

 

[Andrew C]

And that quick, someone has stolen your idea...

View attachment 557340

That G looks like a 6...

 

[DisneyFan32]

Based on Mayor Demings' statements (who discussed these with park operators), it looks like the plan was to remove masks certainly before WDW's 50th anniversary (October 1), and ideally by the 4th of July.

It looks like Chapek is now focused on the earlier date.

Less than 2 more months of masks at WDW?

Anyone who is thinking about going soon should consider delaying a few weeks (if they don't want masks) or hurrying up (if they do want masks).

We have trips starting tomorrow (May 14) and on July 10. Unless there is another surge, this looks like my last trip with a mask.

Ah please no more surges.....I can't stand it anymore...

 

[GoofGoof]

I wish I shared your optimism. There are people who are yet to be fully vaccinated due to legitimate concerns (such as the immunocompromised person earlier in the thread), but a lot of the unvaccinated-by-choice will just lie because the vaccines are a conspiracy, worthless, etc. And many of those are the same ones that call masks 'diapers' and other nonsense.

There are many people who aren’t vaccinated simply because they haven’t gotten around to it. 59% have at least 1 shot, 18-20% say they won’t get the vaccine ever (I agree they will lie but we can still call them out on it) but the 21%-23% in the middle are fair game and can be gotten. If this lights a fire under their rears then it’s a great thing. It’s not about the 18-20% of Covid deniers who are a lost cause. It’s how many we can get to to get the number from somewhere between 59% and 82%.

 

[sullyinMT]

To be fair, Chapek said some degree of masking.

Even if they adopt CDC guidelines, un-vaccinated individuals will still be asked to mask (whether Disney tries to enforce that, I doubt).

I imagine the next shoe to drop from the CDC will be that kids under 12 don't need to mask.

If our cases go to half what they are now, knowing deaths are likely to start plummeting any day now as hospitalizations trend sharply down, I say go for it. I’m glad the CDC didn’t quite go that far quite yet, though. Let’s make our “good enough” as good as it can be.

 

[danlb_2000]

I have to check, but supposedly Chapek said that they are seeing WDW demand at 2019 levels now...

As I've suggested, demand is ramping up faster than the operational capacity. Could make for an interesting (and frustrating) summer.

Which is interesting, because if the pandemic had not happened, they might have been looking at a soft summer due to people putting off trips in anticipation of the 50th.

 

[The Mom]

"People who get their coronavirus vaccine at Winn-Dixie will be able to save money on their groceries, as the company is offering coupons for the vaccinated.

Jacksonville-based Southeastern Grocers, which also owns Harveys Supermarket and Fresco y Más, said customers and employees will get $5 off SE Grocers products after their first dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and then another $10 off after the second dose. Those who get the one-shot Johnson & Johnson can get $10 off.

“In efforts to further safeguard communities during the ongoing pandemic and encourage vaccine administrations, Southeastern Grocers is now offering community incentives to individuals who receive COVID-19 vaccines in all Harveys Supermarket, Fresco y Más and Winn-Dixie in-store pharmacies,” the company said in a news release.

Elsewhere, customers who get vaccinated at CVS pharmacies will receive a 20% off shopping pass, according to spokeswoman Tara Burke. Adults who get the vaccine in CVS pharmacies that are in Target stores will receive a $5 coupon, Burke said."

Winn-Dixie, CVS offer discounts to customers who get COVID-19 vaccines

People who get their coronavirus vaccine at Winn-Dixie will be able to save money on their groceries, as the company is offering coupons for the vaccinated. Jacksonville-based Southeastern Grocers,…

www.orlandosentinel.com

Publix has been giving gift cards to people getting flu shots for years.

 

[havoc315]

Which is interesting, because if the pandemic had not happened, they might have been looking at a soft summer due to people putting off trips in anticipation of the 50th.

But, in fairness... summer 2019 was soft. Summers, in general, have been soft for the last few years. So when he says "flat compared to Summer 2019" -- That's not saying Christmas level crowds. It's saying the demand is there for 50-60% attendance, which is their "normal" summer.

 

[havoc315]

To be fair, Chapek said some degree of masking.

Even if they adopt CDC guidelines, un-vaccinated individuals will still be asked to mask (whether Disney tries to enforce that, I doubt).

I imagine the next shoe to drop from the CDC will be that kids under 12 don't need to mask.

My guess is that indoor "theater" type masking remains a bit longer than other types of masking. But maybe not.

 

[Bob Harlem]

But, in fairness... summer 2019 was soft. Summers, in general, have been soft for the last few years. So when he says "flat compared to Summer 2019" -- That's not saying Christmas level crowds. It's saying the demand is there for 50-60% attendance, which is their "normal" summer.

This summer may wind up being a record one, all those folks saying "I won't go until they get rid of those darn masks", this is pretty much an all clear for them to book + generally positive vibes, and a lot of other places (and pent up saving from stimulus, etc). It's going to be nuts. The hotels and shows won't be able to reopen quickly enough. Even without the international travelers.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Ah please no more surges.....I can't stand it anymore...

We're not even at 50% of adults fully vaccinated.

I realize heard immunity estimates were educated guesses but I don't recall anyone saying it was 45.6% of adults...

 

[dreday3]

This summer may wind up being a record one, all those folks saying "I won't go until they get rid of those darn masks", this is pretty much an all clear for them to book + generally positive vibes, and a lot of other places (and pent up saving from stimulus, etc). It's going to be nuts. The hotels and shows won't be able to reopen quickly enough.

BRING ON PAID FAST PASSES!!!

 

[Chip Chipperson]

I haven't read much of this thread for the past several days as I'm currently in WDW. I have to say, adherence to WDW's mask policy has been very high - even outdoors, with a few exceptions out of the literally thousands of people I've passed over the last 4 days. The one time I saw someone enter a gift shop with her mask down, a CM immediately told her she had to pull it up and she did. One guy at the ticket center at Disney Springs did nurse a beer the entire time he was there so he could keep his mask down while he waited, but that's been the only instance of someone using the rules in bad faith that I've seen so far.

Compared to my Spirit flight down here, it's night and day. The flight had several people ignore the mask mandate almost as soon as we were in the air (one guy was "asleep" with his mask on his chin 10 minutes into the 11 AM flight) and others spent the whole flight sipping the same drink to remain "actively drinking." Nobody on the flight crew said a word as far as I could tell. Maybe they need to hire Disney CMs?

 

[hopemax]

(As someone who is vaccinated; as is Mrs Willmark; kids will be shortly)

Why do I care if someone is unvaccinated now? I’m not getting Covid nor can I pass it along to anyone so that’s on the person who’s unvaccinated, not me.

And no, I’m not looking for someone to post some link to an edge case. It’s highly unlikely as I’m getting Covid post vaccination, it’s as highly unlikely as I’m winning the lottery tomorrow.

Point being if someone chooses to remain unvaccinated that’s their problem, not mine.

Up until you need to see a doctor for something, they have high turnover of staff because of the burnout of the last year, and they're booked with unvaccinated people dealing with covid or long covid. And you start hearing that due to the unprecedented number of people using their insurance, insurance companies need to raise their premiums. How busy is your doctor normally during cold & flu season? We've been saying we will accept this to be like flu, so for your doctor's office, that's a potential doubling of patient volume. For the vaccinated, it's shifted to primarily broad financial implications and appointment availability for family doctors and specialists like cardio or pulmonary. People hate queues, and some queues we experience in life will be fuller than if everyone was vaccinated.

 

[matt9112]

https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-vaccine-updates-05-13-21/index.html

I'm a little emotional.

This never-ending nightmare might ACTUALLY end.

So wierd seeing everyones reaction in most of the world where lockdowns are still in effect to some degree. Here in Florida i feel like it ended a year ago? Minus the mask inconvenience.

 

[DCBaker]

 

[hopemax]

Just watching Spectrum News 13... in their story they didn't put the qualifiers of "continue to follow federal, local, and business rules." They just, twice, very enthusiastically said "no masks outdoors and indoors for vaccinated people!"

So yeah, that's going to be a problem for businesses.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

OK, here's where I am on this. (Hint: pretty much the same as yesterday.)

I come at this as: (#1) a high-risk individual with a high-risk spouse, both fully vaccinated + 2 weeks++ and (#2) a small business owner with some responsibility for the outcomes of my staff (several of whom are high risk, and at various stages of vaccination) and my customers (presumably the same.) Our county is about 35% fully vaccinated and 46% first dose. We get regular foot traffic from two other counties with similar statistics.

When I say small business, I mean it's not uncommon to find an employee there alone. Naturally, they have never had to wear a mask in that case. Some have chosen to do so rather than take it off and on. It's also not uncommon to see just one employee with one customer or party at a time. That situation currently requires everyone to be masked. Those two scenarios probably take up half the hours in a typical weekday.

The problem I have with the new CDC guidance is our Governor prohibited "vaccine passports." Therefore, there is no way to tell who is actually vaccinated, and who is just an anti-mask, anti-vax nut job who wants to push boundaries by walking in and saying, "Hey, I'm vaccinated!" (aka lying, without concern for consequences.)

Others here have laid out the potential options. I feel I have no choice in theory but to assume everyone is not vaccinated. That would offer the same experience for every customer. On one level it stinks, because if 2 or more people in the building are all vaccinated, why not take a mask off? So, because of our Governor and fake freedom, we can't do that.

Of course, that's in theory. Reality is we know many of our customers well. We probably know some of their vaccination status from casual chat, or because they are personal facebook friends, etc.

I do not know every employees' status. I know most, again from casual chat, requesting days off to recover, helping them schedule, and in one case, ubering them to the appointment. I know at least two are in-between the first and second shot, and therefore no policy will change until they are both two weeks after their second shot.

Requiring every customer to be vaccinated would be inconsistent with how we have been doing business for the last year.

So would completely dropping mask requirements.

My default policy would seem to be to put no changes in writing and keep our mask signs up. If a conversation happens with a customer and I (or an employee) say, "I'm fully vaccinated, but I'm not allowed to ask a customer's status," and the customer voluntarily shows me their completed vaccine card dated more than two weeks ago, then we can both remove our masks if they want to...until another customer walks in.

At a place like Disney, that would be impossible. At a little hole-in-the-wall place, not really. Issues: Busy days like weekends would be an inconsistent experience for someone who had just come in on Wednesday. And whiny babies, "Hey, you let so and so in without a mask..."

We have already done before and after hours private shopping for folks who are immuno-compromised or just generally jittery. I've considered doing maskless before and after hours private shopping on the other end of the spectrum, but that would seem almost moot at this point.

There's no easy answer, and that's because of leadership across the board, past and present.