What's Still On and What's Now Off

[Josh Hendy]

Sorry, but that simply isn’t true. The media would like you to think that because Trump touted it, and they hate him. But the results are still going good in the U.S.

Link please. We could use some good news.

There have been only 2 small studies reporting on trials of hydroxychloroquine as far as I know. One in France was positive, one in China was negative (showed no improvement). None of the speculative commentary that I've been able to find is enthusiastic, it ranges from negative (unlikely to work) to neutral (needs to be studied) with lots of concern about side effects and other questions.

Since as I said the disease progresses fairly rapidly, I expect that given the hype about it, if the drug is really effective then we would have seen more promising results by now, or we'll see some good results very soon.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm not an expert on pharmacology but that reminds me, a quick check of the headlines shows that the hydroxychloroquine hope has sputtered out. A couple of places (Bahrain and Belgium) reported promising results but everyone else seems to be saying it's a bust.

I doubt that there are any other off-the-shelf, approved drugs with antivirus potential that haven't been tried yet. Remember the hoo-haw about HIV drugs? Seems like a long time ago doesn't it.

I'm pessimistic because this disease is generally cured or kills within a couple of days to a couple of weeks ... effective drugs would presumably either work very quickly, or not at all (in time).

If there is a problem with this disease of very long latency or dormancy (or whatever they call it) like HIV, THEN there may be some existing drugs that work over months or years, but I'm afraid there are no quick fixes in sight.

BTW Covid-19 has a sequence of genes very similar to HIV. Making it a very dangerous little booger. The question of how and where that chunk of its DNA um, evolved, is an interesting one that has not been answered ...

Remember that there’s no “money” in anti-virals. Not a big enough score. So those were developed decades ago...mostly publicly...through a dedication to progress and research.

Oh...nevermind...i’ll stop. I don’t want to end up being lectured by another night school economist about why stock buybacks are “good”

 

[No Name]

This is kind of an important time to have a head of Parks, Experiences, and Products, no?

The problem is the OP came in, used his apparent street board cred as an "insider" and laid out all this stuff is going to be abandoned. Not delayed or redeveloped or reimagined. No evidence to back anything up and in conflict with some of the information that other publications have put out and that other insiders here have mentioned.

Now here we are on page 21 of this thread still going on about it, and there have no further details or confirmation that any of the things from the OP. The OP even said in his first post that " I likely won't be checking in often for conversation"

Now where have we seen this before @Disnerd2003 and @MouseBrayden....

This is the same dude who claimed he knew from industry friends that there was no way Frozen II would pass a billion at the box office, which it easily did. I do think a lot of what he says is likely regardless of whether he’s hearing things or predicting himself.

 

[CastAStone]

Favipiravir looks more promising at the moment based on another small test, but larger clinical trials for it are also just getting underway. It's not an FDA approved drug in the US, so there are no trials here, and even if it does prove effective it'll be a while before it could be used in the US even with an expedited approval process.

Since as I said the disease progresses fairly rapidly, I expect that given the hype about it, if the drug is really effective then we would have seen more promising results by now, or we'll see some good results very soon.

There is so little good research available so far. Everything we’ve seen is based on 1 or 2 very small studies that are only looking at outcomes.

There are several antivirals that are mainly used in veterinary medicine that have yet to receive even this level of trial. There are also combinations that have yet to be tried. HIV treatment became much more successful when they found the right cocktail of drugs, not a 1 off miracle drug.

Additionally, Some antivirals are effective at stopping the spread of Specific viruses by reducing viral shedding (there are HIV treatments like this). To my knowledge We haven’t even started trialing drugs to see if they are effective at reducing the spread of COVID-19, everyone’s been focused on outcomes. But stopping the spread (combined with widespread testing) makes life go back to normal too.

There’s several clinical trials coming back in April. So more to come.

 

[GhostHost1000]

The whole thing is baloney. You go to the store where thousands of others have been all day touching all of the food items on the shelves and the produce. Then you pick it up and take it home and eat it.

Some think they are clever and order groceries curbside. I suppose elves with natural immunity selected those items for you, stocked the shelves, unloaded the delivery trucks, packed the delivery trucks, produced and packaged the food. I guess you believe everyone who has been involved in the food chain would know when they are infected even before they show symptoms and immediately leave work, right?

SO...it's true, I don't think it's wise to take the unnecessary risk of further exposure to be in a theme park. Especially knowing how many people go to WDW when they are sick. However, you really can't fully isolate yourself from possible exposure unless you never leave your home for any reason, including work, and have your own independent food source.

spot on

 

[KrazyKat]

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The whole thing is baloney. You go to the store where thousands of others have been all day touching all of the food items on the shelves and the produce. Then you pick it up and take it home and eat it.

Some think they are clever and order groceries curbside. I suppose elves with natural immunity selected those items for you, stocked the shelves, unloaded the delivery trucks, packed the delivery trucks, produced and packaged the food. I guess you believe everyone who has been involved in the food chain would know when they are infected even before they show symptoms and immediately leave work, right?

SO...it's true, I don't think it's wise to take the unnecessary risk of further exposure to be in a theme park. Especially knowing how many people go to WDW when they are sick. However, you really can't fully isolate yourself from possible exposure unless you never leave your home for any reason, including work, and have your own independent food source.

What’s baloney is the inconsistency.

Testing, isolation and distancing is the most effective plan proven to date. Throwing open the doors is not. Science needs TIME fo work for treatments and vaccination.

It’s not China, Korea, Japan or Hong Kong that’s the problem...it’s Italy and Spain where they were quickly overrun.

It involves the long game...which means no Disney trips...and we don’t want that in Merica!, do we?

But that may not be a viable choice. ...More to follow...

 

[FullSailDan]

The whole thing is baloney. You go to the store where thousands of others have been all day touching all of the food items on the shelves and the produce. Then you pick it up and take it home and eat it.

Or you know, do what many of us are doing, wash your hands after handling items foreign to your home. We're getting all of our grocery items delivered, we promptly remove them from bags, placing items in a quarantine zone. Bags are destroyed immediately, hands are washed, and then we begin cleaning all groceries received. We don't touch any cardboard/paper items for several hours after delivery (its been shown to live only a few hours) unless they contain perishables. Boxes delivered from amazon and such sit in the garage or on the doorstep. When we handle them, we wash our hands immediately after. We disinfect countertops and surfaces foreign objects touch in our home. We are not eating raw vegetables or fruits which may have been infected if at all possible (apples/bananas/grapes/etc.) We cook everything, and we have plenty of items we can pull from the freezer/pantry to get by with.

Really the risk is very low of getting infected from objects if you don't touch your mouth/eyes/nose and wash your hands and any surfaces used right after. Respiratory droplets are much more difficult to protect yourself from. Once a virus lands on an object, it doesn't really tend to move about. Hence stay away from people.

 

[BWDVCkidsince96]

Or you know, do what many of us are doing, wash your hands after handling items foreign to your home. We're getting all of our grocery items delivered, we promptly remove them from bags, placing items in a quarantine zone. Bags are destroyed immediately, hands are washed, and then we begin cleaning all groceries received. We don't touch any cardboard/paper items for several hours after delivery (its been shown to live only a few hours) unless they contain perishables. Boxes delivered from amazon and such sit in the garage or on the doorstep. When we handle them, we wash our hands immediately after. We disinfect countertops and surfaces foreign objects touch in our home. We are not eating raw vegetables or fruits which may have been infected if at all possible (apples/bananas/grapes/etc.) We cook everything, and we have plenty of items we can pull from the freezer/pantry to get by with.

Really the risk is very low of getting infected from objects if you don't touch your mouth/eyes/nose and wash your hands and any surfaces used right after. Respiratory droplets are much more difficult to protect yourself from. Once a virus lands on an object, it doesn't really tend to move about. Hence stay away from people.

but the thing is.... plenty of people are not doing that, like me and my family, and we are ok. We are social distancing to protect others, but we aren’t sanitizing and quarantining objects coming into our house to protect ourselves I guess. We are fine. I honestly figure we already had it when we were sick with a million minor colds/bugs this winter that I chalked up to normal life with a two year old. wish they could test everyone for antibodies, give us all wristbands, and unleash all the immune people into Disney world to have fun (and ya know back to work and school and whatnot, fine)

 

[Kman101]

I know I said I wouldn't be posting anything during the pandemic, but I received some information about the severity of cuts coming for projects at WDW. I thought I'd make a brief post about that, although there are much more important issues in the world today. I likely won't be checking in often for conversation, but I may reply from time to time.

What's Likely to Be Completed:

• Tron Coaster
• Guardians of the Galaxy Coaster
• Cinderella Castle Retheme
• Ratatouille
• Space 220

What's Likely to Be Delayed:

• Innoventions Demo
• MFSR Update
• Harmonious

What's Currenty Being Looked at for Abandonment:

• Mary Poppins Expansion
• Moana Expansion
• Unannounced Journey Into Imagination Upgrade
• Star Wars Hotel
• Galaxy's Edge Expansions / Upgrades
• Spaceship Earth Refurb
• Wonders of Life Pavilion Retheme
• Coco Attraction
• Reflections Lakeside Lodge
• Every other potential addition not listed here

Furthermore, Disney is currently working on a plan for what re-opening WDW looks like. Every week it is shut down, it becomes more difficult to reopen. In the best case scenario where WDW can be reopened in May, while still taking massive precautions during a global pandemic, this is the general outline:

Magic Kingdom reopens with 50% capacity. No parades, no fireworks, no indoor theaters, significant number of rides down.
Epcot not currently planned to reopen with the other parks.
DHS reopens with 40% capacity. No parades, no indoor theaters.
Animal Kingdom reopens with 50% capacity. No indoor theaters.
No plans to reopen Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon in the near term.
All ride vehicles would require mandatory wipe down once in station.
No character meets.
Distancing encouraged.

Meanwhile ... Universal says projects will stay on track. SMH. They're handling this 10000x better.

I really don't think they abandon that many projects forever. Halting them for a year or two? Sure. I'd buy that. What happens to Epcot? lol. Some of this makes sense and some of it doesn't.

 

[Kman101]

Out of all those, the SW Hotel seems the most surprising. It's almost built and has been hyped for ages.

I could see delaying the opening for a while, but boarding it up I wouldn't have imagined.

Yeah. I have a hard time believing all of those projects will be abandoned completely. I think they'll evaluate where they are on construction and spending, personally, but who knows. Meanwhile, Universal has no plans to stop their investments. Says everything, doesn't it ... Regardless of the parks losing money by not being open, Disney can afford to do all of that and more.

 

[Kman101]

If they didn't open the parks at close to full capacity people wouldn't go. It wouldn't be worth the money.

It's also likely they reopen to state residents and passholders. I mean, none of us really know how they'll handle reopening at this point. I'd feel better with that, personally. We also need to keep the hand washing stations and encourage less packing into queues. Things need to change in the theme park experience, even without a pandemic, changes were needed, IMHO.

 

[celluloid]

It's also likely they reopen to state residents and passholders. I mean, none of us really know how they'll handle reopening at this point. I'd feel better with that, personally. We also need to keep the hand washing stations and encourage less packing into queues. Things need to change in the theme park experience, even without a pandemic, changes were needed, IMHO.

Well it is a good thing they were not spending the last ten years reducing capacity, creating virtual queue systems that inflate the regular waits of other attractions and adding interactive touching to everything new.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

We also need to keep the hand washing stations and encourage less packing into queues.

It will be VERY interesting how Disney, especially the Florida parks, reacts to all of this. They have been shouting out “fill in all available space” for decades now.

(I say Florida only vs. California, I haven’t been to the international parks but it’s a bit more laid back in California, even when it’s crowded. Even 4th of July with a 100% at capacity Main Street it was miserably crowded but not scary crowded like I’ve seen in Florida. Just my observation).

 

[Kman101]

It will be VERY interesting how Disney, especially the Florida parks, reacts to all of this. They have been shouting out “fill in all available space” for decades now.

(I say Florida only vs. California, I haven’t been to the international parks but it’s a bit more laid back in California, even when it’s crowded. Even 4th of July with a 100% at capacity Main Street it was miserably crowded but not scary crowded like I’ve seen in Florida. Just my observation).

I've heard the same about California. It's apparently handled better. Which makes sense as they've likely had to adapt to smaller walkways and huge crowds packing them. I haven't been to the international parks yet either and haven't been back to California in a long time. lol.

Agreed on the fill in all available space. They're a bit ... rude about it, honestly. I did lol at how they had castmembers with flashlights in the Runaway Railway outdoor queue ushering guests to keep the line moving. Kudos to that. Same with the theater filling. A lot of procedures, I've noticed, could be improved, IMO.

 

[Kman101]

Well it is a good thing they were not spending the last ten years reducing capacity, creating virtual queue systems that inflate the regular waits of other attractions and adding interactive touching to everything new.

lol, exactly

It's time to remove the interactive queues too. No one cares about them. Peter Pan's interactive queue is far superior to touching a disgusting "honey screen". Give us magic in the queues, not touch screens.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

The DVC would be easy to abandon, they haven't even started vertical construction yet.

When Disney stock tumbled and debt offerings were announced, I was ecstatic with the possibility that Hyatt Place: The Art of Disney might follow in the steps of Pop Century Legendary Years.

 

[DCBaker]

 

[VaderTron]

but the thing is.... plenty of people are not doing that, like me and my family, and we are ok. We are social distancing to protect others, but we aren’t sanitizing and quarantining objects coming into our house to protect ourselves I guess. We are fine. I honestly figure we already had it when we were sick with a million minor colds/bugs this winter that I chalked up to normal life with a two year old. wish they could test everyone for antibodies, give us all wristbands, and unleash all the immune people into Disney world to have fun (and ya know back to work and school and whatnot, fine)

@FullSailDan This is why it's pointless. Unless everyone was doing what you're doing (and I would argue you are still missing a few things [wide range of ideas, including more than a day, of how long the virus can live on cardboard as one example]) you will have to stay in your house and do what you are doing for the rest of the year. Because people are not going to that extent. I would say less than 1% of the population is doing what you are. It's just going to keep spreading.

 

[celluloid]

@FullSailDan This is why it's pointless. Unless everyone was doing what you're doing (and I would argue you are still missing a few things [wide range of ideas, including more than a day, of how long the virus can live on cardboard as one example]) you will have to stay in your house and do what you are doing for the rest of the year. Because people are not going to that extent. I would say less than 1% of the population is doing what you are. It's just going to keep spreading.

Yes, and it always will keep spreading. But that does not make efforts designed to reduce(not eliminate) spread pointless. The hope is that things are done in masses imperfectly, rather than all doing perfectly. A bigger impact of change is everyone being a little more cautious and we all sacrafice entertainment and gathering venues. Whether it works or not, time will only tell. No one is saying that the virus is not here to stay on planet earth forever.

I know the flu comparison gets cliche, but in that regard the flu phased out a lot because of herd immunity and many getting vaccinated, not because everyone gets vaccinated.