Party Season 2021

[monothingie]

Masks will be around... until there is proof the current vaccines are long-lasting and effective against current and future mutations. If there isn’t, we will be back to mask wearing in most places. And there are already rumblings by health officials that the current vaccines won’t be effective in 12 months due to the continuing mutation of the virus.

Recent statements and studies from CDC say that they are.

Masks and restrictions in perpetuity are not the answer and the wrong messaging to encourage vaccinations. A reasonable metric for removing restrictions must be created and communicated to create an end goal. Failing to do so will just prolong suffering and confusion.

We also can’t live based on hypotheticals. Eventually people are going to have to evaluate their own risk threshold and conduct their lives accordingly.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Masks and restrictions in perpetuity are not the answer and the wrong messaging to encourage vaccinations. A reasonable metric for removing restrictions must be created and communicated to Create and end goal. Failing to do so will just prolong suffering and confusion.

I don’t disagree. I just have no faith in the guvmint critters, at all levels, having the slightest semblance of a clue.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Recent statements and studies from CDC say that they are.

Masks and restrictions in perpetuity are not the answer and the wrong messaging to encourage vaccinations. A reasonable metric for removing restrictions must be created and communicated to create an end goal. Failing to do so will just prolong suffering and confusion.

We also can’t live based on hypotheticals. Eventually people are going to have to evaluate their own risk threshold and conduct their lives accordingly.

Absolutely. I understood promoting caution as the vaccines were rolling out (we need to protect the at-risk), but in 31 days, vaccine will be available to all at-risk groups. They REALLY need to tell the vaccinated how we return to "normal" at that point if they want to drive up vaccination into the finish-line. Even if they have to say, "it is going to take time to get two doses into those receiving Pfizer and Moderna, but as of 6/30/22, the vaccinated can stop wearing masks indoors and everyone can stop outdoors. Businesses will have the right to request a vaccine passport from those who do not wear masks starting 7/1/22."

 

[mattpeto]

“We have no doubt that when we reopen up in parks that were closed, or increase capacity, that that we will have some level of social distancing and mask wearing for the remainder of this year. That is our expectation.”

expectation is the key word.

I think we should all expect masks to be in play for the rest of the year.

But I'm really hoping the best-case scenario unfolds in the United States (see Israel) over the next few months. If that happens, we won't need masks in Q4.

Long ways away...

 

[MaryJaneP]

The roaring 20's were not the roaring 1918's and not the roaring 1919's.

 

[TTA94]

I wonder if Desantis could or would ever recommend Disney resumes fireworks lol. That is one of the highlights of the evenings in Orlando lol, and he’s all about the tourist industry getting back to normal. Even if he did I feel like Disney would still not budge lol.

 

[disneygeek90]

While guessing at a time schedule is merely a guess, I agree they will be last. We should stick a pin in those conversations until Busch Gardens and Sea World drop their mandates. They we will know Disney will START considering a mandate change (and even then, likely months later).

Six Flags still has a mandate. We are no where near a change at WDW.

They also know FL wouldn’t care, but the governments in charge literally everywhere else they have Theme Parks might get skittish if they did this in FL and say, “you know what? Theme parks aren’t safe.” It’s not a winning proposal for Disney now or soon.

Oh I think they dropped theirs back in July 2020

 

[disneygeek90]

Reasonable? No. I do feel for the CMs since people are getting more resistant. And they already were being jerks to CMs.

Additionally, masks were actually pretty nice over the winter. It's like a blanket for your face. Now that we're getting back into the hot summer weather I think we'll see a lot more "below the nose" type wearers that will have to be reinforced again.

 

[doctornick]

While guessing at a time schedule is merely a guess, I agree they will be last. We should stick a pin in those conversations until Busch Gardens and Sea World drop their mandates. They we will know Disney will START considering a mandate change (and even then, likely months later).

Six Flags still has a mandate. We are no where near a change at WDW.

They also know FL wouldn’t care, but the governments in charge literally everywhere else they have Theme Parks might get skittish if they did this in FL and say, “you know what? Theme parks aren’t safe.” It’s not a winning proposal for Disney now or soon.

Agree that Disney will be among the last - if not the last - to drop any mask requirements among theme parks. As the industry leader who gets the bulk of the media attention, they have the most PR risk by not being overly cautious. Same thing goes for fireworks/parades/etc as they try to avoid crowding.

That being said, I think the quote by Chapek about masks through the remainder of the year is the set an expectation among potential guests. if mask restrictions largely go away in public at some point in 2021, it's not like Disney will be a holdout. As he said, it's an "expectation" not a hard and fast decision - expectations can change based on what is going on.

 

[doctornick]

Absolutely. I understood promoting caution as the vaccines were rolling out (we need to protect the at-risk), but in 31 days, vaccine will be available to all at-risk groups. They REALLY need to tell the vaccinated how we return to "normal" at that point if they want to drive up vaccination into the finish-line. Even if they have to say, "it is going to take time to get two doses into those receiving Pfizer and Moderna, but as of 6/30/22, the vaccinated can stop wearing masks indoors and everyone can stop outdoors. Businesses will have the right to request a vaccine passport from those who do not wear masks starting 7/1/22."

Yep. I don't know if you need to have specific dates (it's good to have some wiggle room) but it would be beneficial to see the CDC and such that there is an anticipation of mask wearing going away by (say) July for those who are vaccinated - especially if we reach a certain percentage of the public being vaccinated - will encourage more vaccination amongst those on the fence and help to end this quicker.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Yep. I don't know if you need to have specific dates (it's good to have some wiggle room) but it would be beneficial to see the CDC and such that there is an anticipation of mask wearing going away by (say) July for those who are vaccinated - especially if we reach a certain percentage of the public being vaccinated - will encourage more vaccination amongst those on the fence and help to end this quicker.

I don’t know...Biden already mentioned some normalcy by July 4. We will see if that happens.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Agree that Disney will be among the last - if not the last - to drop any mask requirements among theme parks. As the industry leader who gets the bulk of the media attention, they have the most PR risk by not being overly cautious. Same thing goes for fireworks/parades/etc as they try to avoid crowding.

That being said, I think the quote by Chapek about masks through the remainder of the year is the set an expectation among potential guests. if mask restrictions largely go away in public at some point in 2021, it's not like Disney will be a holdout. As he said, it's an "expectation" not a hard and fast decision - expectations can change based on what is going on.

Of course. I actually read it as a “worst-case scenario” so, as you say, people aren’t caught off guard. I read it as, “I’m confident masks will go away in 2022, at the latest.” On the other hand, I don’t think it will be as soon as this summer. I think masks are likely to wait until kids can get vaccines. With today’s news on 12-15 year olds, I’d imagine younger kids will be eligible sometime in the fall (I know they are saying early 2022, but they seem to be hedging like they do on everything else).

 

[Crazydisneyfanluke]

I don’t know...Biden already mentioned some normalcy by July 4. We will see if that happens.

Local governments in Orlando are starting to announce Fireworks and events for July 4th. Hopefully we hear some kind of news soon.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Pineapple sake and a certain member of management do not mix well, as the combination revealed yet another (negative, IMHO) impending change when I was at WDW recently:

Magic Kingdom to start closing to “day guests” at 6pm starting July 1. New daily after-hours hard ticket event to be announced soon for 7p-10p in the park, including fireworks. Rumored price to start at $175/person, running up to $250-300/person closer to holidays and for upcoming Halloween and Christmas parties.

 

[dreday3]

Pineapple sake and a certain member of management do not mix well, as the combination revealed yet another (negative, IMHO) impending change when I was at WDW recently:

Magic Kingdom to start closing to “day guests” at 6pm starting July 1. New daily after-hours hard ticket event to be announced soon for 7p-10p in the park, including fireworks. Rumored price to start at $175/person, running up to $250-300/person closer to holidays and for upcoming Halloween and Christmas parties.

April Fools!

 

[HauntedPirate]

April Fools!

What? This is serious news! I even heard about a third hard-ticket option potentially coming - The Disney Overnight Magic event. 12am-6am in MK, for only $399/person. This would allow 2 hours per day for park and ride maintenance, which TDO has deemed more than sufficient to keep things up and running in top form. Starbucks is also rumored to be on-board with this idea, and will be selling coffee and other drinks for only 3x their normal price.

 

[TTA94]

Funny how July 4th has open availability for park passes. Wanna see how fast that changes the minute anyone gets wind of fireworks coming back lol.

 

[TTA94]

We’ll see what happens but a special event for nighttime shows definitely seems a bit crazy, especially when Uni and SW are doing nighttime shows as they always have which is open to everyone. Granted there’s a big difference in crowds compared to Uni and SW.
But a part of me feels like the options on the table are either temporary after hours firework events, or nothing until 2022.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Don't know where else to post this, but I saw a video today of Mr. & Mrs. Easter Bunny doing an egg hunt near the castle and thought it was adorable and a great way to have the characters out in a distanced way and honestly better than just having them pose for photos next to City Hall.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Don't know where else to post this, but I saw a video today of Mr. & Mrs. Easter Bunny doing an egg hunt near the castle and thought it was adorable and a great way to have the characters out in a distanced way and honestly better than just having them pose for photos next to City Hall.

I smell a new hard-ticket event coming in 2022...