Would you visit Walt Disney World with these health-based operational restrictions in place?

[beertiki]

No.

Currently there are around 25,000 Covid cases in South Florida. I am sure some of them are AP holders, and will be making the 3 hour drive to WDW in the first few days of opening. If Disney is going to require masks, it is because they know that there is going to be an significant risk of catching the virus.

From what I have seen as far as several beach towns opening up to tourists, people are ignoring all social distancing practices. I would expect the same or worse at Disney. We have all seen adults and kids with horrible behavior at WDW, and that will not change with the restrictions. The first day that WDW opens, we will see reports here of - kids running all over the dinning room, kids and adults jumping ahead of you in the queue to catch up to another group, kids and adults smashed up against you to get a better view, and every other complaint about rude people before the virus.

 

[GoofGoof]

Ok so new question: Face masks are happening..... but if I read the agreement correctly..... its says that guests and CMs will initially wear masks upon reopening. Also the language on Disney website says things like "temporary adjustments" and "initial phase". So how LONG do we think the face mask thing will actually last? Does "initially" mean 2 weeks? A month? The rest of 2020?

Nobody knows. My guess is much longer than a few weeks or a month from now, but maybe not the whole year. A lot will have to do with public sentiment and what others are doing. It’s also in the union contract now so they will have to amend that or maybe there’s a clause in there that defines when it’s OK to loosen things up. Disney will likely be conservative and keep a rule like this as long as it’s part of the CDC and other government recommendations. In terms of timing the federal guidelines say when we hit phase 3 there’s only limited physical distancing needed and group gatherings are back. That’s a good basis point for when masks will probably no longer be required. In theory that’s also when parades, fireworks and larger shows could come back. There may still be some attempt to keep people distanced in lines and on transport but outside of that most of the more extreme social distancing discussed here should be gone. The million dollar question is when will the majority of the country be in phase 3? My gut says if things continue to go well it will be before year end but we need to see how re-opening goes.

 

[Piebald]

I like Disney a lot but I dont think I would go until I have a better grasp of the data trends and getting a much better idea of how things go. IMO Disney is a huge benchmark to see how this disease is spreading because per the Google mobility data people really arent going out in droves. So regardless of what has reopened now it's not like people ran out of their homes and straight to the malls, gyms and other random places.

Theme parks are a completely different animal and I would be very cautious to go for the first few weeks/months.

 

[Katelynbird]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say I would go to WDW if I had to social distance and wear a mask. I don't really think I'd have must issue with those things myself. The problem that I would have is those things being enforced or not being enforced. That would irritate the you know what out of me. If I am putting forth the effort, I want everyone else to do the same not only for the safety of myself, but for them as well. If the CM's are going to sit back and not enforce this then I want no part of it.

 

[Sweet Thing]

I am going to go out on a limb here and say I would go to WDW if I had to social distance and wear a mask. I don't really think I'd have must issue with those things myself. The problem that I would have is those things being enforced or not being enforced. That would irritate the you know what out of me. If I am putting forth the effort, I want everyone else to do the same not only for the safety of myself, but for them as well. If the CM's are going to sit back and not enforce this then I want no part of it.

This is essentially how I feel. I'll go with these measures in place, but I wonder if it will be strictly enforced or if we'll see the "no smoking in the parks" level of enforcement. If that's the case, I will not go.

 

[Katelynbird]

This is essentially how I feel. I'll go with these measures in place, but I wonder if it will be strictly enforced or if we'll see the "no smoking in the parks" level of enforcement. If that's the case, I will not go.

This is exactly what I was thinking. If the CM's react the way most reacted to the smoking then I'll stay away. It will just lead to more problems.

 

[CLEtoWDW]

I mean, that's how you handled another airborne virus without a cure, otherwise known as the flu.

This!
Something that has gone completely unmentioned is that one of the main reasons COVID19 is so “contagious” is because 99.9% of people have never come into contact with this virus. We come into contact with a different strain of the flu every season and some people can fight it off naturally while others depend on vaccines. I’m a firm believer that will be the same case for COVID in upcoming “seasons.”

 

[Kingoglow]

I mean, that's how you handled another airborne virus without a cure, otherwise known as the flu.

We also inject the flu into ourselves to blunt the effects of the flu over time. I see very few people volunteering to inject themselves with COVID-19.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

This!
Something that has gone completely unmentioned is that one of the main reasons COVID19 is so “contagious” is because 99.9% of people have never come into contact with this virus. We come into contact with a different strain of the flu every season and some people can fight it off naturally while others depend on vaccines. I’m a firm believer that will be the same case for COVID in upcoming “seasons.”

I would add that Disney has always been a germ factory! We always get sick with something respiratory before coming home, usually on the last day of our visit. Sometimes it's fever and chills with respiratory. We have NEVER gone to WDW without at least one of us getting sick before heading home. Our trips are typically 9 to 10 days and therefore, we must to have been exposed at some point after 5 days for it to have developed. (not a doctor just a guess as to the time limit). There is NO way that Disney can keep all these various viruses and illnesses out of WDW; too many people from too many different areas and countries. So we must all have been exposed to multiple viruses/illnesses while at Disney at some point. Just another way to think of it. I always expect to come home sick. We do all the stuff you are supposed to do such as handwashing, sanitizers, washing the doors, sinks, handles, and phone and remote with Clorox based products. That hasn't changed. We avoided handrails, etc, too. With all that we still were exposed to viruses and illnesses. That may be a good thing to build up immunity to those things, as happens with other viruses/illnesses. It's hard telling just what we were exposed to while at Disney on our many many trips the same as everyone else who visits once or multiple times.

 

[Amused to Death]

I also don't think I'll go once masks are optional if a majority of cast members continue to wear them. I also don't like the idea of plexiglass in between cast and guests. That's not how human beings are meant to interact with one another.

Agreed. Who wants to interact with CMs, whether it's getting on a ride, ordering a meal, or buying that souvenir you absolutely don't need, without being able to see the expressions on their faces? Without seeing smiles, or even an occasional frown, what kind of experience is to be had? Certainly not a "human" one.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Agreed. Who wants to interact with CMs, whether it's getting on a ride, ordering a meal, or buying that souvenir you absolutely don't need, without being able to see the expressions on their faces? Without seeing smiles, or even an occasional frown, what kind of experience is to be had? Certainly not a "human" one.

I'm not sure if you're mocking me or not, but yes that's how I feel 100% unironically.

 

[Jrb1979]

I'm not sure if you're mocking me or not, but yes that's how I feel 100% unironically.

Doesn't anyone like going to parks to hear the screams of people on the coasters. Expressions on people's faces don't mean as much as the screams of people on rides

 

[jsand99]

Doesn't anyone like going to parks to hear the screams of people on the coasters. Expressions on people's faces don't mean as much as the screams of people on rides

I wonder what the muffled mask scream will sound like?

 

[Amused to Death]

I'm not sure if you're mocking me or not, but yes that's how I feel 100% unironically.

No, I am not mocking you. Serious!

 

[wdwmagic]

Here is a look the the new health and safety measures in place at Disney Springs

VIDEO - First look at the Disney Springs temperature screening checkpoints and social distancing measures

Disney Springs will reopen tomorrow with temperature screening and mask requirements.

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Here is a look the the new health and safety measures in place at Disney Springs

VIDEO - First look at the Disney Springs temperature screening checkpoints and social distancing measures

Disney Springs will reopen tomorrow with temperature screening and mask requirements.

www.wdwmagic.com

I mean.... they're dreaming, right?

 

[Lilofan]

I mean.... they're dreaming, right?

Disney is going to push it in your face and I commend them for it.

 

[Amused to Death]

Just look at all of those smiling faces!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Disney is going to push it in your face and I commend them for it.

It just doesn't make any sense. Physical distancing in a theme park is like requiring shirts and shoes in a swimming pool. It's silly and people won't comply. If they think this is necessary, they just shouldn't open.

 

[GoofGoof]

It just doesn't make any sense. Physical distancing in a theme park is like requiring shirts and shoes in a swimming pool. It's silly and people won't comply. If they think this is necessary, they just shouldn't open.

Speaking of swimming pools, if you think social distancing is hard in a theme park imagine trying to enforce it in a crowded pool.

None of what they are doing is ideal, but that’s what needs to be done to open. I’m right there with you that I don’t want to experience WDW that way and I also tend to agree that it may be easier to just not open until at least some of this isn‘t needed. Problem is that we have no idea when that will be.