What Operational & Health Safety Changes Will Disney World Make to Reopen?
“How will Walt Disney World conduct health security screenings to ensure guest safety?” and “What operational changes will Disney institute when the parks reopen?” are common questions. Many readers are wondering whether all of the parks & rides will reopen at the same time, what measures Disney will take to reassure worried guests, and more.
This is an ongoing speculative series, coming in response to feedback and concerns raised in the comments to other posts. To recap, here are questions what we’ve previously addressed:
- When Will Walt Disney World Reopen?
- Will Walt Disney World Offer Huge Discounts Once It Opens?
- How Bad Will Crowds Be at Walt Disney World After Reopening?
In this post, we’ll share Bob Iger’s recent statements about procedures Walt Disney World and Disneyland will likely utilize to adapt for the current/future climate. We’ll also cover the rumors about operational changes to the parks, including phased openings, virtual queues, reduced capacity, entertainment cuts, and more…
Some degree of changes are unquestionably coming to Walt Disney World. We will dismiss out of hand the notion that the theme parks won’t reopen until there’s a vaccine, which is potentially 18 months or more away. No matter where you fall in debates about public health versus economics, society shutting down for up to 2 years is simply a non-starter. Due to our inextricably interwoven economy, it’s not feasible to simply shutter “non-essential” businesses for a period of years. The consequences would be truly catastrophic.
It’s more a matter of when this year the parks resume operations, and what changes. We originally intended upon waiting until closer to reopening before tackling the latter topic. For one, the operational and safety changes that Walt Disney World implements largely depend upon how factors. What’s the national mood? What level of crowds are projected? What is the expert consensus on prophylactic measures to minimize continued spread?
However, former (and future?) CEO and current executive chairman Bob Iger just did an interesting interview with Barron’s. In that, he covered a range of challenges that face Disney going forward, and how the company might adapt and change in the current climate.
Of pertinent interest here is the theme parks. Here’s what Iger had to say:
“One of the things that we’re discussing already is that in order to return to some semblance of normal, people will have to feel comfortable that they’re safe. Some of that could come in the form ultimately of a vaccine, but in the absence of that it could come from basically, more scrutiny, more restrictions. Just as we now do bag checks for everybody that goes into our parks, it could be that at some point we add a component of that that takes people’s temperatures, as a for-instance.
We’re studying very carefully what China has been trying to do in terms of their return to normalcy. And one of the things that’s obvious is they’ve conscripted a large segment of their population to monitor others in terms of their health. You can’t get on a bus or a subway or a train or enter a high-rise building there–and I’m sure this will be the case when their schools reopen–without having your temperature taken.
So we’ve asked ourselves the question, let’s prepare for a world where our customers demand that we scrutinize everybody. Even if it creates a little bit of hardship, like it takes a little bit longer for people to get in. Just as the case after 9/11 where people ultimately lived with the notion that in order for them to enter a building, if you’re in an office building you have to show a picture ID or get your picture taken and be screened. Or in order to enter a park you have to put your bags out there to be checked and you go through some kind of metal detector. Or certainly what’s going on in airports with the TSA.”
Iger’s ideas aren’t particularly surprising. Look no further than what has been implemented at Shanghai Disneyland thus far, as it has already reopened its flagship hotel plus the Disneytown shopping and entertainment complex.
At Shanghai Disney Resort, every guest undergoes a body temperature screening upon their arrival, is required to present their Health QR Code when entering some venues, and must wear a face mask at all times.
In China, citizens are required to download cellphone tracking software that broadcasts their location to several authorities, including the local police. The app combines geo-tracking with other data to designate people with green to red color codes reflecting who is low to high risk.
Additionally, roadblocks and checkpoints have been set up throughout the country to prevent people from moving freely. Some workers are required to undergo physical examinations and a paper “Health Certificate” from their local authorities before returning to work. Health safety perimeters similar to those utilized at Shanghai Disney Resort exist around virtually every business, meaning the potential for dozens of temperature checks per day.
As a democratic republic, South Korea has had similar success in using technology to decrease cases. There, the government uses phone location data, CCTV, credit-card records, and more to monitor citizen activity. When a person tests positive, local governments issue a push alert that reportedly includes the individual’s last name, sex, age, district of residence, and minute-to-minute record of their movements at local businesses.
Singapore offers what seems to be a less intrusive iteration of these approaches. There, residents can download the TraceTogether app, which uses Bluetooth to log nearby devices. If someone tests positive, that user uploads relevant data to the Ministry of Health, which notifies the owners of all the devices pinged by that person’s phone.
Normally, I would caution against looking towards these countries for policies the United States will implement. Societal norms are very different, as are standards of privacy, liberty, as well as the balance between the collective and individual. One month ago, such blatant government smartphone surveillance and systemic swabbing & temperature testing might’ve seemed like an unfathomable violation of our dignity and privacy.
However, a couple of months ago I would’ve questioned whether the United States would embrace the same style of lockdowns as were occurring throughout Asia at the time (and to be fair, we haven’t fully). Much more has happened on that front than I would’ve anticipated–I’ve actually been pleasantly surprised by the sacrifices Americans are making for public health.
In August 2001, I likewise wouldn’t have predicted what surveillance techniques would be deployed and widely accepted (I was a teenager, so I probably would’ve only predicted what video game I’d play next). That summer, many of the programs in wide use to this day likely would’ve been dubbed “draconian” by a vast majority of Americans.
However, the September 11 attacks offered a change in perspective. The United States government swiftly and unilaterally expanded its powers, broadening warrantless surveillance by the National Security Agency while also establishing several agencies and programs that are still in use today.
The point is that changed circumstances can cause societal norms to evolve, and dictate what we tolerate. Much of what happened post 9/11 was to allow a return to some semblance of normalcy. The operative difference between then and now is that there’s no reason for this to be permanent–a vaccine should bring an end to whatever surveillance is instituted.
One thing that sticks out to me from Iger’s interview is the remark that “people will have to feel comfortable that they’re safe” before things return to normal. Iger is incredibly careful with his words (one reason he’s probably doing interviews instead of Chapek), and his use of feel is not by accident.
Whatever policies and operational changes Walt Disney World and Disneyland implement will likely be about assuaging minds and creating the perception of safety. Temperature checks are not wholly effective–they’re about mitigation, not blanket safety. As with the pejorative “security theater,” expect “health security theater” to be a term that enters our cultural vernacular.
Like Walt Disney World’s current security checks, the health security procedures and requirements will be a balance of mitigation and theater. This isn’t to cast aspersions–psychological reassurance and comfort can be every bit as important as actual safety. This will likely be even more true after emerging with the scars from months of staying at home and consuming non-stop media about one singular topic.
Screening measures won’t be fully effective, but will follow the mantra: don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. The inherent nature of theme parks means Walt Disney World or Disneyland won’t be completely safe upon reopening. Like most things, there will be some assumption of the risk.
When the parks do open, our expectation is that Walt Disney World and Disneyland will utilize measures similar to those at Shanghai Disney Resort for health security screening. We’d anticipate that Big Tech and the business community will drive this rather than the federal government. Whatever emerges will likely be a “softer” and more relaxed version of what has been deployed in Asia to be palatable to Western sensibilities.
Hopefully, these tools are already being developed and the necessary equipment is being manufactured to deploy such a system within a couple of months.
As for what Walt Disney World and Disneyland will change from an operational perspective beyond the health security screenings largely remains to be seen. A lot of rumors have already emerged, and we view those with some skepticism. Not because we doubt the veracity of the rumor itself, but because it’s premature.
What’s being discussed as theoretical possibilities in Orlando or Anaheim offices months before the parks reopen might bear little resemblance to what comes to fruition. For one thing, there are still many unknowns. For another, business and operational realities will bump up against some of these proposals.
Of the rumors we’ve heard, there are several that are highly plausible. Dining will need to see a variety of changes. One will be reducing restaurant capacity and taking tables “out of service” to maintain <50% occupancy with physical spacing of at least 6 feet. Next, increasing spacing for physical queues at counter service restaurants and strongly encouraging mobile order.
The final big one is entertainment–cancelling virtually all of it. Fireworks, parades, and stage shows result in disproportionate congregating in certain areas (we’ve been bemoaning Central Plaza crowds during the Halloween and Christmas parties for years). Eliminating entertainment also saves Disney money, and a cut done under the guise of safety seems right up Disney’s alley.
Another is reducing capacity on transportation and rides, as well as disinfecting surfaces guests touch between rides on both. Attractions where this is not feasible or practical could simply not open with the rest of the parks, going on ‘seasonal’ status for the next couple of years.
Using more virtual queues is another possibility, which has gained credence among fans due to app changes to support boarding groups for more than just Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. However, virtual queues have the unintended consequence of displacing guests into other areas of the parks, creating the potential for denser crowds elsewhere.
One theory is that there will be a phased reopening of Walt Disney World. While we’ve referred to both Disneyland and WDW here, this is one (of several) areas where they diverge. It’ll be much easier for Disneyland to resume most operations simultaneously. The smaller and leaner nature of the resort complex, coupled with the more local audience ensures that.
As for Walt Disney World, this could theoretically mean Disney Springs reopening first. That could be followed by Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and some resorts. Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and other resorts could be the last pieces of the puzzle in such a scenario.
This is one of those things that seems highly plausible even if it’s not actually a credible rumor. For one, Walt Disney World is such a complex resort with so many moving parts, and it’s going to be much slower to restart than it was to close. Epcot in particular seems like a logical choice for a delayed opening, for a number of reasons.
However, almost all of these logical moves have an illogical unintended consequence. Reducing capacity in any way increases crowds at what is operational. Some parks or portions thereof not operating disincentivizes guests from booking vacations at a time when Walt Disney World will need a shot in the arm. Eliminating iconic entertainment does the same.
Ultimately, Walt Disney World will also need to communicate operational changes that will negatively impact the guest experience well before the parks reopen. While reasonable guests should anticipate an array of changes and intrusion, people who booked trips aren’t going to be pleased if they don’t find out until arrival that only half of the parks are open and only three-quarters of those attractions are operating. We’d thus expect a trickle of information about how the guest experience will change going forward to adjust expectations. We’ll keep you posted on what other modifications are planned as they’re announced!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you think Walt Disney World will do in terms of health security screenings when the parks reopen? Are you anticipating modified operations–including the elimination of entertainment and reduced ride capacity? Do you expect a phased opening of the parks & resorts? Will you immediately book a trip, or wait until everything is back up and running, and things have returned to normal? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
These are all interesting and thought-provoking responses Jack. I really appreciate this post because it does lay out a logical portrait of what re-opening the park would look like. It makes sense. I’m a medical care provider in a hospital and am seeing the worst results of infection firsthand. I foresee this pandemic having ripple effects on healthcare, society, traditions for years to come. love how Bob Iger said about making people “feel safe”. There is no safe guard to totally prevent this highly contagious virus from taking off again after the economy resurfaces; however, it is clear that the economy must restart and so must Disney. They will do their best to give the best illusion of safety. Ultimately it will be up to the customer as to whether or not to take the risk; especially since Disney is one of the most insanely crowded environments for a vacation. Thank you for you article and insights!
“Still somewhat of a crapshoot that some people will not be comfortable with.”
And, as you know…some are *never* comfortable. Amazes me that although there’s a vaccine for influenza, only 37% will get it, yet complain when they get the flu at WDW and complain about it. ROFL!
@Nanette
Yup. People just ain’t happy being happy. Always gotta have “crisis” to deal with or somebody else’s business to mind. The fun part is that you, dealing with the present one, and I, having dealt with them, mostly trauma, for over a decade, get to be the ones longing for just the daily routine. And if you are like most of the great nurses and doctors I got to know when I did my 600 yearly ER hours on top of the EMS and fire service, and training, and instructing, and maintenance, the last thing we do is recount “war stories.” Give me a simple broken femur any day. Hare Traction ayone?
BTW~social distancing is 6′, but likely should be further…possibly 13. Once COVID aerosolizes, it can be detected for up to 3 hrs and can infect for that long. https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-can-spread-as-an-aerosol.html
Currently an RN on a COVID unit. Many patients don’t have a fever on admit. More apt to have gastrointestinal symptoms…nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, loss of taste/appetite, etc. Also, shortness of breath, feelings of malaise. Taking a temp is not going to prove anything. As for waiting for a vaccine? Flu vaccination coverage among adults was 37.1% for adults for 2017-18 and it’s the primary way to prevent sickness and death caused by flu! It’s a false sense of security when they tell you they will monitor by taking temps, IMO.
Thank you for being on the front lines. I was EMS / Fire for 11 years but never during a situation like this.
One thing you might have overlooked is the efficacy of the flu vaccines. As far as I know they have never been above approximately 70% effective at best.
Stay safe!
You’re correct, and they believe the same will apply with this. They believe that COVID19 has already mutated. So, they will have to do the same with this vaccine. A vaccine doesn’t eliminate a disease, as many believe, but improves immunity.
@Nanette
Still somewhat of a crapshoot that some people will not be comfortable with.
On another note, I have read that Legoland Japan is now partially open, a decision that was based on “carefully considering the risk of mass infection, confined space, density, and social distance.” Guests can visit both Legoland Japan theme park and Sea Life, Nagoya.
Also read that Shanghai Disney Resort is in a phased reopening with current operations limited. Only a few shopping, dining, and recreational locations and other offerings are apparently open in Disneytown, Wishing Star Park, and at the Shanghai Disney Hotel. The resort’s Disney Car and Coach Park and the Disneytown parking lot also reopened earlier this month.
I’m thinking that if these functions hold, we can expect that this is going to be a template for the eventual reopenings here.
My family ( 20 people in all) have reservations for Sept. 2020. If the parks are not fully operational by then. We will cancel. And no temperature checks. Not worth the money or the hassle.
If the changes Disney Implements severely impacts the experience, that would be a total no go for my family and I. We are booked in Dec. 2020. Just not worth spending all that money if Disney cannot provide the experience.
We are booked for the same time – generational family of 13. We will not go either. Also, we are coming from Canada. The travel alone to get there may not even work out for us. I think we are already planning to cancel.
Also booked for Dec. 2020. We were there in 2015 when the monorail was not running and the escalators in the Contemporary were not working. That was enough of a hassle to severely impact the trip. I cannot imagine spending tens of thousands of dollars for a “partial” experience. Since we rented DVC points for Dec.2020, i’m already stealing myself for the fact that I paid big bucks for nothing.
Screenings are already being done across the country at manufacturing facilities, utility providers, and healthcare establishments just to name a few. Currently, given our gross lack of preparedness, they are “only” the temp checks and risk assessment questionnaires. Work is being done to design and implement quicker and more accurate screenings, but the timeline of mass implementation is unclear. It will go to “essentials” first, but hopefully manufacturing and training can be swift, quickly rolling out these screenings to other entities.
There is absolutely a balance of safety and the economy. There is no way the isolating will continue until a vaccine is created and mass produced. Not only can a single country’s economy not withstand that, but the global economy is deeply entangled, and it needs to reopen as a whole. And if you want to talk about the US alone, we have a surprisingly large percentage of the population who do not have access to critical infrastructure, whether you are talking about internet or running water. Nearly half of the country is employed by small business, and well over half are hourly. We need strong, honest leadership to get us caught up on testing and to get new screening measures in place. Those are the two things that will keep the virus in check while allowing some semblance of normal.
Was planning on taking our family of 10 to Disney to celebrate our 50th in June. It was going to be special since some of my grandchildren had never been. Given how expensive this trip is, we won’t be going until it makes for a better experience.
Hello! Great review!!! I think it has to be done in phases: I totally agree with Disney Springs and a few hotels maybe, Magic Kingdom , DHS, and AK and Epcot. I think the need cabins to continually measure your temperature. I Think they should go with spray cabin with antiseptic solutions on every entry of a ride. Hopefully some ”rapid test” testing at the entrance or the day before… (that could be awesome! A drop of blood 5 minutes away the answer, testing I believe would make everything go “normal” faster) . cleaning each ride per time with a rapid antiseptic or acohol 70• . Plus wearing face masks, and social distancing. Probably not all rides will be available. No Shows, no parades at first. And Yes I would definitely go back whenever and whatever form the reopen. thank you for all you do keeping us informed
At what level of restrictions will Disney still be profitable ? Restrictions include limited attendance / hotel occupancy / food options / park openings / ride capacity? If safety is the name of the game, Disney has to balance that with profitability. What % of the park has to be operational to be profitable? And then, what % of operational will they consider to be safe??? If 75% of the park has to be operational to be profitable, but they consider the park safe only if 50% is operational, that is a conflict. I don’t think Disney will put profits ahead of safety.
For me and my family, we will not be back until the park is 100% open with NO restrictions. I am also applying this to sporting events, concerts, fairs… any events in public that pull massive amounts of people together with little room for personal space. When the MEDICAL COMMUNITY says it is safe to act normal again, that is when I will enjoy my old life again.
Your decision of course, but IMO you’re going to have a long lonely wait for all those conditions to be fulfilled.
Long wait? Perhaps. Lonely? No more lonely that everyone else who is waiting for the country to open up. And really, with family and wonderful friends to keep me entertained, how can I be lonely???
I don’t see how any theme park, concert, sporting event… can open up if there are still social distancing advisories in place. How do you distance yourself in a queue if you are supposed to be six feet apart? That’s not just front to back but also side to side. A queue that is meant to hold a few hundred people will only hold 50. Don’t forget six feet apart at lines for food, lounge chairs at the pool, lines to get on the buses / monorail / gondola.
Imagine going to a concert or football game with 1 in every 6 seats filled. That’s 1/6th ticket revenue. 1/6th food & beverage revenue. 1/6th merchandise revenue. Is it still profitable for NFL teams to operate at 1/6th capacity? Of course, they could increase prices by 600% to compensate for lower attendance.
Simply put, they won’t open that way. As you pointed out, it isn’t practical. In my opinion they will mitigate to a point but then it will be up to the customer whether or not to visit.
Since you missed my point I’ll try to state it differently. Again in my opinion, if you hold to the criteria you first posted as your conditions to visit Disney you will probably never go again. The lonely part had nothing to do with your personal situation. What I contend is that if you are not willing to adjust to what Disney finally concludes is adequate for our safety you’ll be among the few out there telling Disney what they need to do to have you in the park while the rest of us are in there enjoying what we enjoy. And, again in my opinion, Disney’s final decisions on environment will ultimately be based on turning a profit.
Thinking about it, if WDW re-opens with limited capacity and only certain parks open with limited function doesn’t that then create a scenario in which you now create a crowd in the places that are open? The only real way to create a safer distancing scenario within the parks is to have limit capacity with full functionality of all parks and attractions.
We have a trip planned for 6/10-6/15. Today is the first day available to make Fastpasses. I logged in at 7am and was very surprised to find that nearly every major attraction was already sold out of Fastpasses for 6 straight days. No availability at Minnie/Mickey, Smugglers Run, Slinky Dog, Frozen, Seven Dwarfs, Thunder Mountain, Flight of Passage … at any time to day.
Is it possible that WDW has already taken steps to reduce allowable capacity and that is showing up in Fastpass availability? Very odd how many attractions have no availability for 5 days in a row … 60 days in advance.
Nope. Nothing special at all. Welcome to “Disney Normal.”
Nope. There is nothing special at all about this. Welcome to “Disney Normal.”
Tom Bricker posted a nice udpate indicating that, in his opinion, Fastpass availability clearly seems to be reduced in June. Apparently not “Disney Normal.”
@G
Don’t know how much experience you’ve had with trying to snag fastpasses prior to the onset of the virus closure but . . . . We’ve found that, given what we consider to be overbooking due to too many DVC points out there and the fastpass and extra magic access granted to people buying off-property packages, fastpass access is more limited as time goes on, even when trying to get them on the first “legal” day. “Disney Normal” to me is this overcrowding and overselling, which was noticable long before the present situation developed. We’ve been DVC members since the get go, and before that we used to come down on what was called the “Grand Plan.” And before that we came down when the Magic Kingdom was the only game in town. As such. We remember what Disney was BEFORE they went full monte on profit. What is now “normal” to most is, to us, a real decline in the overall experience.
Tom has his opinion and reasoning, I have mine. The cause is kind of immaterial. The result is the same: large crowds, long lines, constant price increases and limited facility access. The new “Disney Normal” that all of the relative newcomers are used to and thus accept, was not a function of the original, in fact, neither were fast passes, but most people don’t have any experience with what Disney used to be. For instance, do any of you actually remember using the ride tickets? Discovery Island? No Disney Springs? MGM? No DVC? Even ten or twelve years ago?
Given the details provided yesterday by Disney about he reopening plans for Shanghai, it seems very clear that DisneyWorld in Orlando prudently began planning to limit park capacity well in advance …. reservations, number of Fastpasses, etc. “Disney Normal” was not taking place and it was obvious.
Hope you are right. I’m skeptical. Been doing this for 25 yrs+ and have never seen literally no availability for 5-6 days starting at 60 days in advance.
@G
“Disney Normal” is the inability to obtain Fastpasses or reservations if you don’t start at 12:01 on the first day of your ability to do so. Sorry but it still exists, possibly for other reasons but it still exists.
Same here, our trips are almost at the same time, however, our window opened up on the 10th(April) for FP’s and we were able to get most popular rides. A few of the biggies were already gone.
I did the same thing Sunday morning, 0700, the only decent attractions I got fast pass for was splash mountain (at 7pm mind you) and test track. the rest i just filled to fill hoping to adjust later. I have absolutely NO PLANS of attending Disney on June 11th but I wanted to practice my fast pass picking for when we reschedule. We were going for my twin boys 9th bday and first airplane ride, first trip to Disney but I will try again at the farthest date I can possibly reschedule 🙂
This whole situation has turned into such a nightmare. My family (a group of 10) were supposed to be in Disney on March 21st. We rented a home offsite. I had flights scheduled that I could only cancel for flight credits. Our Disney Park tickets were extended through the end of the year and I was able to get the rental home rescheduled to September (if they are even open ). Here’s what really frustrates me…we paid a premium price for everything – tickets, flights, house ect…so to hear they may only partially open or not have certain attractions when they do open… and then talks about further discounts they may offer…uggh……that’s just a punch in the gut! At the very least I wish Disney would somehow do something for ALL of the guests who had tickets scheduled during the closing….being that we had a house offsite we aren’t eligible for the free dining they offer. So we just basically got screwed all around. I’m not even excited to go anymore.
So you are saying that since you paid Disney to buy tickets and had to reschedule they should give you free meals for your whole visit? The free dining is given to people who purchased a package from Disney room and tickets at least Disney makes no money off the house you rented.
Maybe you just shouldn’t go. That seems an easy decision. Use your airline tickets for another location. Cancel the house rental. See if you can sell your tickets. Disney really doesn’t owe their day guests anything more. Everyone in this country has had some kind of experience during g these shut downs that has hurt them. They are people who lost their jobs. Some may lose their homes. Who’s going to make them whole?
Hate to ask this but did you purchase travel insurance, particularly the cancel for any reason insurance
Spoiled much?
Yep, totally spoiled for wanting to have the experience I paid thousands of dollars for. My point is the closure left a lot of people’s vacations in limbo…not just those staying on site. I’m holding onto the tiniest shred of hope that maybe we will still be able to go on our trip at some point. But if it’s going to be less value than we paid for or they are going to be slashing prices then I think they should of course do something for those who already had tickets dated to be used during the closure. That would be right thing to do.
I appreciate this article. It preps us all for the probability of upcoming change. Disney has bright people working for them & I’m sure they’ll come up with ways to make guests feel safer. I just hope things can be kept in perspective. When going to a theme park there is, & has always been, risk of catching something. We always carry hand sanitizer to use after each ride etc & I give my family things like Emergen-C a couple days before visiting & during our visits to try to reduce our risk. I hope there won’t be anything drastic implemented permanently. I guess I’m ok with taking temps (maybe over the next year) if they’re giving refunds to anyone who’s turned away. Overall, I don’t want to see my happy place go under because of fear.
Five months ago, I bought very expensive nonrefundable DVC points and tickets for eight days in November. I want to get the value I paid for. If they can’t open the whole resort with all attractions and shows, they should not open at all.
Ij – I am with you 100%!!!! And while the government may be tracking everyone already, at least I remain ignorant to it. If I’m told I must agree to them doing it – NOPE!!! The people in this country have lost their minds. How many people died in car accidents in 3 months? Are we gonna be forbidden to drive IN CASE we might die? How many people die from choking? Are we gonna be forbidden to eat so we don’t die but then we will die from not eating? It’s freaking crazy! If people are afraid to go out, let THEM stay home. Stop making me stay home because THEY are afraid. UGH!!!!
PEACHY FOR PRESIDENT!!! Woo hoo!!!
We Must always protect our CIVIL LIBERTIES and rights protected by that thing called THE CONSTITUTION. All these mayors, governors that are testing what rights we are willing to give up are crazy! Don’t be fooled my fellow AMERICANS, all we need to do is follow the hygene guidline, social distancing. Our founding fathers wrote the Constitution to protect the people from the possibility of the government taking away our rights.
STAND TALL MY FELLOW AMERICANS and never ever let someone use fear to convince you to give them power over you.
To be clear, I’m not advocating for any of that, I’m simply pointing to what other countries have done.
I do think it would be naive to think that nothing at all will change and that Americans won’t tolerate more inconveniences/intrusions if it means an end to the current isolation. Just look at how much we gave up post-9/11 for the feeling of safety. Who would’ve fathomed all of those concessions back in August 2001?
Hi Tom,
What were the Civil Liberties that we gave up post 9/11?
Our province of Alberta (Canada) has already told us at Tuesday’s update that they’re looking into the cell phone tracking for people who are to be under quarantine when we loosen the health guidelines and start reopening businesses. The specific example they gave was international travellers arriving in the province.
Flattening the curve is pretty serious here as they don’t want to end up with an early spike. Modelling countries like Singapore, Japan, and South Korea who have maintained their low curves is the goal.
Although I initially was a little shocked at the idea of the apps on the phone, if that’s what we need to do to reopen our economy and prevent a 2nd wave, then that’s what we have to do. (As long as there is proper oversight and transparency)
Heather, When they overtly track my phone is when it stays home and I fire up a “burner.
Mr. Humble, while I agree that people should be considerate of others, I contend that, in general, they are. The only thing keeping you cooped up is your own fears. It’s convenient to blame others but if you want to get out of the house wear a mask, grab some sanitizer and go. I know someone with a rare blood disease, on meds for it, who is still out there doing window screen repairs (Which is considered a necessary occupation.) He just asks people to stay away when he does them and tries to stay outside as much as possible. You’ll either take responsibility for your own health by staying inside or take the “risk” of going out. You drive, don’t you? That’s a risk. You THINK you re in control behind the wheel until someone runs a stop sign and T-Bones you. Once again, the only person keeping you cooped up is you.
As I have been saying for over a month, public places (restaurants, theaters, concerts, amusement parks, etc.) can only return to a sense of normalcy when we begin fighting the virus (and future pandemics) with light (UV light, that is). UV light tends to sterilize everything. The coronavirus is no exception. Whether they use UVA, UVB, or UVC (or a combination) doesn’t so much matter (although I think UVC might be the best choice).
We humans are neither exempt from the effects of UV light so we will have to take precautions. So what if we have to put on sunscreen before we visit these places? We should probably be wearing it any time we go out in the sun anyway.
If they are really interested in helping assure health safety, they will remove all bathroom doors or make them all open outwards (should be a code requirement everywhere) so you can push it open without touching door handles the unwashed masses have contaminated with unwashed toilet hands. Even stall doors should all open outwards instead of in.
You’ve made lots of interesting posts today. Where to begin? Stall doors don’t open out because of the possibility of clocking someone passing by. Wish they did but it ain’t happening.
TSA Precheck is only worth the 80 odd bucks if you spend lots of your time in the air as I do. Wouldn’t be without it! It’s a real timesaver if customers won’t pay wet costs of my little Citation ‘Stang.
And finally, social media as it relates to forums. Social media allows people to take anonymous positions in which they adopt morally and intellectually superior positions and attempt to dictate to others by “shaming” them while at the same time announcing their obvious superiority because they “care” more than their target. The problem here, besides the obvious hypocrisy, is that the target of this moral outrage has to give a fig about what the shaming poster and their allies think and say. Also, it is interesting to note that all of this “shaming” tends to occur when the poster has lost or cannot maintain an intellectual argument.
In any case, Disney will reopen when and how it sees fit. In my opinion, given financial considerations, that will be sooner than later. We’ll then have the option of attending or not. We can criticize, whine and complain all we want but in the end the rules will be theirs and the choice will be ours.
One final thought. For those who lament the end of the “magic,” in my opinion the magic left years ago. We’ve been going to Disney since there was only the Magic Kingdom and one could get a reservation on property a week ahead of their planned arrival. Anybody remember the ride ticket system? The new normal is wall to wall people, sold out accommodations and rides months ahead of time, and all sorts of marathons and other events having nothing to do with the “magic” but lots to do with making money and obliterating any if the slower periods. In my opinion, and, but the rodent has become a world-wide money machine for some, a machine that has to be fed. Which, is the main reason that Disney will reopen soon, whether or not we approve of the methodology.
Jack, we’re pretty much in total agreement on this stuff, all of your responses the last few days, etc. You’re right about the reasoning for stall doors, except it’s really not a big danger, and ADA stalls do always open outward because it’s the only way for a wheelchair to clear. Granted, these are generally located at the far end of the row for that reason. Another good reason to make them open outward is for fire egress. SO many times, you almost have to step to the side of the toilet just to close the door behind you. Not good in a fire or earthquake situation. I’ve done design or construction work on so many military and federal projects that I just laugh at some of the dumb things done in the commercial sector. Working in VA hospitals the last few years is interesting too. I didn’t know until recently that over 200 people die every day in these USA from hospital-acquired infections. Let that sink in compared the mania that this Wuhan Coronavirus and COVID19 have created.
I’ve said multiple times here or on Facebook, etc that Disney will reopen when THEY decide to, not because of any external influence like whatever Universal does, or some play in NYC, or a village brothel in Bangladesh. And yes, they ARE an essential business just like gun shops, ammo sellers, grocery stores, etc. People, especially non-Disney folks, cannot seem to grasp the totality of what Disney experiences represent in our culture, or just how big and powerful the company is. Most don’t know they secured the right to build a nuke plant on property back before MK was built…
I’ll see your hospital-bourne infections, which is totally correct, and offer this gem for our touchy-feely-no-value-can-be-placed-on-a-human-life friends. Sorry to burst your bubbles but it already has been done. By the airlines among others. Allow me to explain
Let’s take those seats you get crammed into for example. Now I’m sure that you’ve all thought, there HAS to be more comfortable and safer seats than these. And you’d be right. Problem is, they’d be larger and heavier which would cut back on the number of people that could be crammed into a given aircraft so guess what?
This also goes for cabin exits. They could have more doors but weight and cost take precedence. And all of the tests they have to do to show that a cabin can be evacuated in X minutes are done with people who know what to expect without the benefit of smoke, fire, panic, dangling oxygen masks, luggage in the aisles. . . .
Anyway, decades ago a cost benefit analysis was done to determine the cost per passenger beyond which any safety improvements did not make financial sense. I honestly forget the figure but to the best of my knowledge it was under a hundred thousand dollars. Well under. I’m sure it has been revised upwards since, but yeah Robespierre, there IS a value assigned to your life, and airlines and aircraft manufacturers aren’t the only companies to do it. Who else? Go look in your driveway.
But Disney? Think.of this. Here you are in a packed park. Pick any one. Now for some reason the heard gets panicked. 90 percent of the people are gonna head for the way they came in. Human nature. Proven time after time. Do you game an alternate way out for your family in a crowd situation? Anyway, wanna bet Disney hasn’t gamed this? Taken a look at their security procedures? Emergency exits for crowds? Imparting knowledge of said exits? Emergency egress flyer handouts? Could they do better? Yeah but at what cost? Guess what? Disney has assigned a value to your life.
Anybody doing any thinking?
Nail on head, Jack!
Agreed. I’m standing by my earlier prediction that Disney will begin opening in July at the latest.
To reduce the number of guests entering the Park, WDW could limit access to on-site guests. That would enable them to manage numbers a bit more easily. I guess they could even open hotels in phases and gradually allow access to more guests from the open hotels.
I thought that we be a good idea. Maybe even having ‘set’ days to visit the different parks Depending on the hotel you stay in to even out the amount of people in each park?
I agree. We have had a special room reserved for months. We saved for a long time for this and Disney is making money for our hotel stay and park tickets so why not open to resort guests first. Then as things go on open up to others.
The problem with that is there are people who have already bought tix that are off site. It’s easier and more fair to simply say if you’ve already bought tix you’re good. If you haven’t yet you’re not. Also, making it on site only would upset all of the off site hotels and businesses. It would be terrible pr for Disney to look selfish.
The New York Times reports that The Broadway League has agreed for Broadway theaters to remain closed until June 7, and that closures will likely remain longer, perhaps until Labor day.
https://www.broadwayleague.com/press/press-releases/broadway-theatres-extend-suspension-through-june-7-2020/
The ONLY thing Broadway being closed would impact Disney is the opportunity to hire some talented people out of work from those closed shows. Otherwise, it’s not relevant at all to what Disney does.
I may be wrong, but I think David is making a connection to Broadway bc of crowd density and the possibility that Disney may follow similar estimated opening times.