Should Disney World Stay Closed?
With rising case numbers in Florida, many readers have been increasingly vocal that it’s too soon for the Walt Disney World theme parks to reopen. In this post, we’ll look at whether opening should be postponed, with the potential pros & cons, plus ramifications of the parks staying closed for now.
As you’re undoubtedly aware, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are set to reopen on July 11, followed by Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15. These reopening dates were set over one month ago, at a time when Florida’s new daily case numbers were at a fraction of their current levels.
This upward trend has prompted one local union and many guests to urge Walt Disney World to remain closed, worrying that the major tourist destination will only exacerbate Florida’s woes. With Disneyland delaying its planned reopening, more have suggested Walt Disney World should follow suit. So…should Walt Disney World stay closed for now?
We’ll be blunt and up-front: we truly do not know. We’re humble enough to admit that, and would likewise suggest the same is true for you. The problems facing Disney and Florida leaders are complex ones, with no easy answers.
Rather than presuming to have the requisite knowledge (we absolutely do not) to address every component of this convoluted issue, we’ll cover a few and analyze those, while clearly acknowledging that there is much more we simply do not know.
Obviously, new daily cases have risen. The Florida Department of Health reported 8,942 new cases last Friday, followed by 9,585 new cases on Saturday. These numbers shattered the previous daily high of 5,508 infections made earlier in the week. This week, numbers have been trending in the right direction, with 6,093 new cases being this week’s high.
Closer to home, Central Florida now has 25,727 cases, up 1,440 from a day earlier. Orange County’s latest heat map shows fewer cases along the tourist corridor (which includes Universal Orlando), with far more in the downtown Orlando area. Nevertheless, we won’t sugarcoat it–that’s still an alarming number of new cases. It’s also exponentially more than when Walt Disney World made the decision to reopen. This alone is sufficient basis for many to believe Walt Disney World is reopening too soon.
However, Florida’s weekly reported deaths have been under 300 for seven weeks in a row. From the week ending April 19 to the week ending May 10, reported deaths were 300 or over.
Moreover, even though over 80% of general and ICU beds are in use at hospitals in Orange and Seminole counties, local health officials say that they are not concerned, as elective surgeries and unrelated emergency procedures have increased in recent weeks. They further state that Central Florida hospitals continue to have enough capacity to handle any potential surges.
There remain a lot of unknowns about what activities are less and more likely to be conducive to spread. As we covered in our recent Best Outdoor Dining at Walt Disney World post, it’s safer to dine al fresco as being outdoors dramatically lowers the risk of transmission. That’s corroborated by this study where only two cases out of 7,000-plus could be traced to outdoor activity.
Public health authorities have identified bars as the locus of outbreaks in a number of states, including in Florida. These have been shown to be super-spreader scenarios for a variety of reasons, and we’re hopeful that Florida’s decision to close all bars after an explosion of cases and widespread non-compliance will further reduce new numbers. As that move was made only a week ago, we really won’t know its effectiveness for another week due to the incubation period.
Research also shows that contaminated surfaces and fleeting encounters are low-risk, whereas sustained person-to-person interactions, crowded events, and poorly ventilated areas are higher risk. This bodes well for constantly-moving and properly-spaced queues (even indoor ones), but not so much for indoor stage shows.
There’s also the reality that Universal Orlando and other Central Florida theme and amusement parks have been open for roughly one month, and we’ve yet to see any outbreaks traced to these parks. In fact, aside from a few isolated cases with connections to (but not causal ones) theme parks, nothing has been traced to them, period. This is despite Florida health officials documenting community spread in the state beginning last December.
This should not be construed as conclusive proof that theme parks are “safe” places to visit right now. To the contrary, the expert consensus is that there are aspects of the theme park experience that are inherently higher-risk for visitors. More importantly, the parks being operational puts thousands of Cast Members who are in regular and direct contact with guests at risk.
The hope is that the enhanced safety standards, health protocol, and operational changes are sufficient to mitigate those risks. However, there are still simply too many unknowns about the efficacy of such measures. Studies and research continue, and our collective knowledge is evolving.
We won’t rehash all of the health and safety measures here as this is already going to be a long post, aside from one: face masks. The science is clear on masks, and they have proven effective in combating spread elsewhere around the globe. (From a purely economic perspective, even Goldman Sachs supports a nationwide mask mandate, asserting that it could substitute for another lockdown and save the economy from a 5% GDP hit.)
Both Japan and Hong Kong have been incredible success stories of the pandemic, despite neither having a coherent government response (both were arguably failures on a governmental level). Even with their denser populations, ubiquitous mass transit, and relatively lax restrictions, both have seen far fewer cases and hospitalizations than other nations. The crucial difference is that both Hong Kong and Japan adopted near-universal masking without any government mandate.
This is relevant because, unlike elsewhere in Florida, Walt Disney World and Universal have face mask policies that are being actively enforced. To be sure, compliance is not 100%, but it’s much better than anywhere else in the Orlando area. We’ve been to both Disney Springs and CityWalk a few times, plus our recent resort stay, and have felt safest at those locations.
Our local Publix has been so bad that we won’t even go back there, as it’s the wild west as compared to compliance at Disney and Universal. With that said, there’s an obvious distinction: grocery stores are an essential necessity, whereas theme parks and other entertainment complexes are not.
However, one of the most compelling reasons for reopening Walt Disney World is its instrumental role in Central Florida’s tourism-dependent economy. We hesitate to even broach this, as there has been a lot of cringe-worthy sentiment about ‘sacrificing grandma for the economy.’ This has caused unnecessary polarization and partisanship, which has done a disservice to the larger conversation.
The reality is that what America faces is a multifaceted problem that is now as much about housing and food insecurity as it is about the pandemic itself. Too much of the surrounding conversation has been myopic and reductionist, completely devoid of nuance, and attempting to offer a simple solution to a complex problem. This can be acutely illustrated by what’s already happening in Central Florida.
Florida’s broken unemployment system has made national headlines, with countless stories of system crashes, denial errors, and non-payments. Officially, more than 771,000 claims have been rejected and over 175,000 claims have yet to be verified, with unemployment in the Orlando area jumping to 22.6%, which is the worst in the state and far above the national average.
Every Floridian undoubtedly knows someone impacted (if they haven’t been affected themselves), and there have been harrowing reports on the local and national news. Before continuing any further, we’d strongly recommend reading ‘We Live From the Tourists’ in the New York Times and Orlando Sentinel’s latest on Florida unemployment. These tell vivid stories of the heart-wrenching human toll. In short, for many Cast Members, Walt Disney World reopening is “essential.”
To be abundantly clear: people should not be forced to choose between their financial and bodily health. There are numerous systemic problems on local, state, and federal levels that need to be fixed. However, as a practical reality, there is no waving a magic wand at this point and solving all of those. We have to play the cards we’re dealt, not the ones we wish we had.
There is little denying that America has failed this moment on multiple levels, including individual ones. While we desperately wish many aspects of this had and would still play out differently, we are realists. Our wishes are not viable realities that can instantaneously be ‘snapped’ into existence. Given that Florida’s unemployment system has not been fixed after four months, there is no reason to believe it’s going to be fixed at this point.
The longer the closure stretches on, the worse the economic fallout. Permanent layoffs have already begun throughout the Central Florida tourism sector. Last week, Universal Orlando laid off a number of employees across various departments. One Disney Springs restaurant operator announced it’s permanently laying off 143 workers. Cirque du Soleil has filed for bankruptcy protection and laid off 95% of its workforce.
While there have been no reports that Walt Disney World has begun its own layoffs, it’s naive to think the same won’t occur there. During the Great Recession, Disney laid off around 1,900 Parks & Resorts employees in a single round. During the previous dot-com bubble burst, Walt Disney World laid off 1,200 to 1,400 employees.
Moreover, Walt Disney World’s actions or inactions reverberate through Central Florida. A wide swath of area businesses are critically dependent upon the tourism Disney drives. Restaurants, hotels, smaller attractions, and more all directly rely on spillover business from Walt Disney World. Myriad others in Mousetown are indirectly tied to Disney.
Walt Disney World is a behemoth in Florida, and many industries rise and fall with Disney. There’s a simple reason all other area business leaders on the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force were so emphatic about Walt Disney World reopening–their futures depend upon it.
Experts widely believe that Central Florida’s tourism industry will take years to fully recover, meaning that these are the opening salvos of widespread layoffs that are inevitable throughout the region. The extent of the industry-wide layoffs depends upon how quickly theme park operators can bounce back and convince the general public it’s safe to plan trips.
Walt Disney World reopening in July isn’t an effort to salvage the summer–it’s about the fall and holiday season. Save for DVC members, Annual Passholders, and diehard fans with existing trips, what’s left of the summer is already a lost cause. No matter when the parks reopen, it’s going to take several months to ramp up operations and even start to return to a semblance of normal and attract tourists back. The greater the delay, the deeper and longer-lasting the wounds.
Ultimately, even this just paints a partial picture. There are no doubt countless other factors and variables, both for and against reopening. And to be abundantly clear, we truly don’t know where we come down on this question. It’s tempting to offer simple solutions to complicated problems, but we’d again caution against that. Frankly, I’m quite thankful to not be one of the Disney or local leaders tasked with the unenviable decisions in front of them. It’s a veritable buffet of least-bad choices. Even equipped with better knowledge, there’s no way of knowing today what unintended consequences will result from any decision.
Finally, we’ll reiterate what we said at the end of “Our Surreal Stay at Walt Disney World” post. While a lot of this likely reads as being pro-reopening, we still would err on the side of not traveling to Florida for vacation right now. (To that point, we are not traveling anywhere.) Even with risk mitigation efforts in the parks & resorts, the fact remains that cases are spiking. Flying to Florida and taking a weeklong Walt Disney World vacation right now is not no-risk or even low-risk. We’d also be incredibly apprehensive about planning a trip for the fall. If you’re an out of state tourist, you can play it safe and take a wait and see view to see how things play out. Such a tentative approach is arguably not as practical for Walt Disney World’s decision-makers when considering the long-term and holistic health of Central Florida.
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
What do you think–is it too early to reopen, the appropriate time, or do you likewise not feel comfortable offering a definitive answer? Are there additional major factors we’ve failed to consider? Agree or disagree with our assessment? We anticipate this being a controversial topic, but please keep the comments civil. A variety of viewpoints are welcomed here, and comments will not be deleted for their perspective alone. However, we will not tolerate insults, arguing, conspiracy theories, or politically-charged comments. Don’t ruin a 95% fine comment with an unnecessary cheap shot—that 5% will get it deleted. Additionally, please do not incessantly harp on the same point across multiple comments. Respectfully share your opinion and move along.
Unless Florida government startings enacting more stringent rules for wearing face masks I guess I won’t be going In mid November. Having respect for your fellow man by wearing a face mask is the American way for me. However I was wondering since I have reservations and tickets with hopper pass for 2 still on them staying at the Boardwalk Nov 14-20. if somehow I could transfer them to someone who really wants to go? We haven’t made a final decision but would love to transfer to a Disney fan if that is possible if we do cancel. Just want to put it out there before we make a decision. Thanks for any info.
I would like to see Disney use their leverage to help DeSantis move toward a comprehensive mask policy for Florida. When a reasonable mask policy is in place, the result will be a marked decrease in FL cases. Once the trend is moving downward for a couple weeks, only then Disney should reopen. Today’s numbers are a record shattering 10,109 in the state. Along with over 50,000 daily US cases, the highest of any single day of the entire pandemic. For the sake of the economy, for our fellow Americans, for the country, let’s all just wear our masks and beat this thing.
I agree with the masks but not everyone can survive not working. We can’t forget about those people. Especially with a virus with a 99.75% survival rate. I feel if your worried stay home. It should be an individuals choice. I also don’t fault people for being scared no one knows What’s right or wrong with this. Stay well and safe all
Eric J Galgay, not sure if you have a source for that survival rate or if you are guesstimating. The New York Times as well as Fox news have the national mortality rate at 4.7 percent. In any case, be it 0.25% as you claim or 4.7%, the rate is incumbent on the health care system running effectively. That is the reason FL needs to gets its case trajectory going down rather that exploding ever higher as it is now with today’s record 10,000+ cases. That will not happen until everyone in FL starts wearing masks. Everyone wearing masks won’t happen until DeSantis makes an enforceable proclamation. And DeSantis won’t make that proclamation, in my opinion, until WDW makes the decision to shut down. It would force DeSantis’ hand. In the long run, this would be good for attendance at WDW and for the FL economy. Crazy daily case numbers are not good for tourism.
Simply put. Stay closed and don’t spread the virus.
Exactly!
A very well thought out post Tom. We are from Oregon and have had a December 1 through 12 combo WDW and DCL trip planned since January. We rely on your posts to keep us updated. We are also in contact with two cast members from Wilderness Lodge we have become friends with over the years. Their thoughts mirror yours in many respects. We’re just trying keep it in neutral and not lose perspective. Sure we’d like to be able to make our trip but this not about us. It’s a day to day thing until such time as a we need to make a go, no go decision or until the decision is made for us. Keep up the good work.
I’m curious about how profitable wdw will be opening with the limited capacity? Is it even worth it? Especially with little turn out. It’s no secret that Florida is a hot zone and the governor is doing a terrible job at controlling the outbreak.
Yes needs to stay closed abit longer.i don’t like that cause we love it there. But better safe than sorry.if open soon and virus spreads then will take even longer to open
Oh, boy. You asked for it. Disney World should absolutely NOT remain closed! Nothing should remain closed. Human beings have the right to assess & assume whatever risks they choose. With all due respect, Tom, the science is not clear on universal mask wearing. You’ve personally chosen to agree with the side that is in favor of it, but there are plenty of well-respected medical professionals that disagree with that approach. Also, I’d argue that the “experts” currently calling all the shots have been wrong countless times. How many wrong guesses does an expert have to make before they’re no longer considered an expert?!? For me personally, the “experts” have made enough mistakes that they’ve lost all credibility. Some of us would like to just live our lives without each move being dictated by an “expert”. We are not children. We do not have to be told what’s safe, what to eat, what time to go to bed, & where we can play. And before anyone decides to hurl insults at me about how selfish I am, please understand this: I have read the same statistics as you, I have endured the same lockdowns as you, I have loved ones who are medically vulnerable just like you. I also wash my hands, cover my coughs & sneezes (which used to be a UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTABLE mitigation against the spread of disease before the almighty COVID emerged), and I exercise extra caution around the medically fragile. The only things I’m not doing are wearing a mask (because I’m claustrophobic & they give me panic attacks!) and hiding in my home indefinitely until some magical vaccine becomes available. Anyone that’s at-risk should stay home. Think of it this way: newborn babies are highly susceptible to the dangers of the world. That is why the parents of the newborn have the responsibility of taking appropriate measures to protect THEIR baby as best they can. I don’t baby-proof MY home for the sake of my neighbor’s kids! Yet that’s what’s being mandated to all of us – we must live our lives as though we have the same vulnerabilities as others. It is extremely frustrating!
What about the CAST MEMBERS who get kicked off unemployment if they can’t go to work? How are the people economically forced to serve you making any choices without coercion?
Take pay out of it for a second, if it purely about personal risk how many employees and in what parts of the company would come back, willingly. The Equity union has already said their employees don’t want to go back, they don’t feel safe or protected. How do they protect themselves when you are coming into their workspace and you have a higher risk tolerance than they do?
Science is not clear on masking?? You are definitely not reading the same statistics as me.
Well said, Stephanie!
Very well thought out comments. Essentially it comes down to this, is it the Government’s responsibility to keep an individual safe, or does each individual bear that responsibility for themselves? Personally, I don’t want ANYONE else, let alone a massive bureaucratic government, making any decisions for myself and my family. No one is being forced to visit Disney World! If you don’t want it open, just don’t go! If you don’t go, it literally has no effect on you unless you make a decision to allow it!
But you’re not just risking your life you’re risking mine by not wearing masks. Try thinking of other people. It’s not about your rights it’s about being a considerate human being.
@ Belle, do you drive??? If you do, you’re putting every other driver’s life at risk when you get behind the wheel. There will always be inherent risk (including risk of death) when it comes to operating a vehicle. Yet you accept this risk on behalf of yourself and every other driver on the road. Does that make you selfish? I don’t think so. I’d assume you drive as safely as possible, but accidents still happen. Same is true of preventing the spread of disease. I stay home when I’m sick, I cover my coughs & sneezes (accomplishing the same thing as wearing a mask), I wash my hands. I’m doing everything I can to protect others. Ultimately, nothing is fool-proof…even masks, lockdowns, and vaccines.
Very well said, Stephanie!! And let me say that after getting Covid myself and tons of my friends And family recently getting it, it’s not at all a death sentence. (I know there are exceptions) Although I was very fatigued for two week and lost my smell and taste, it was no worse than the common cold.(I’m 35) And my 65 father and 57 year old mother (who has lupus) also got it and are doing well. Let us live our lives. Why does the whole world live in FEAR!! Because they believe everything they see and hear without knowing first hand that the big boogie man they are being told will kill them, is not really scary at all…..
@ Joe D, you mean the janky homemade masks that 75% of the population is wearing incorrectly? There’s actual science on the effectiveness of that approach??? All kidding aside, the studies are dependent upon quality masks, being worn properly, by 100% of the population, and never being touched. In other words, fantasy science. If the science isn’t being replicated in real life, then really how useful is it?
@Maria, no one is forcing anyone to work at Disney. Besides, if the cast members were comfortable working through flu season, there’s no reason they should fear Covid, which has a lower death rate.
I agree with you Stephanie. I do wear masks where mandated, but will enthusiastically throw them away when they aren’t mandatory anymore. Not because I’m selfish, but because my circumstances put us at low risk and that is my personal choice. Any who wish to continue wearing masks and social distance and stay home until there is a vaccine, I completely respect your choice as well. Those at high risk or who care for someone at high risk should absolutely take whatever precautions they feel are necessary for themselves and those they care for, but Stephanie’s baby proofing analogy is spot on. You take the precautions you feel necessary, and others will take precautions they feel are necessary. Yes you may cross paths with someone at the grocery store who went to WDW, but it’s much more likely that you will cross paths with tons of grocery store workers and other customers who have high risk exposures due to jobs or other factors. If you want to remain as low risk as possible, don’t go to stores, restaurants, WDW, or out where others are. Stay home, have groceries and food delivered. And that’s ok. If masks are not required when our WDW trips comes we will definitely go and will definitely not be wearing masks even if they “suggest” mask wearing. As far as Cast Members, their opinions are as widely spread as those commenting on this blog. All of the ones I have spoken to are thrilled to be going back to work (Florida’s unemployment system doesn’t seem to be working well) and are hoping masks go away ASAP. I’m sure there are also many on the other side who are terrified of going back. Both opinions are valid. Personally I wish I felt there was somewhere that gave actual numbers for all things covid and didn’t skew them in any direction. The CDC acknowledging that they have been combining the number of tests positive for covid with the number of tests positive for covid antibodies (and not sure if it’s true but also heard they are not accounting for the same person testing positive more than once) just throws everything into question for me. The fact that there is not even talk of setting up temporary hospitals again seems to be a good thing. I definitely hope WDW opens and the temporary abnormal leaves our lives quickly, but as Tom said, none of us knows, and only time will tell. Regardless of which side you fall in this, I hope everyone stays safe!
Comments like this that make me glad I live in New Brunswick Canada where for the 9th day in a row we have had no virus cases. We have been gradually opening up. It’s not just about me me me. Over 50,000 cases today in the States and over 10,000 in Florida alone! Texas is struggling and short of ventilators. Your, I’ll do what I want and nobody can tell me what to do mentality is really working for you folks.
These comments really worry me.
The fact that cases are much lower in every place where mask wearing is the norm should be sufficient evidence that they work, and is in fact what every recent publication has supported.
The insistence that everyone should be able to do what they want is so fundamentally disgusting to me. No one is scared, no one is hiding. I work in healthcare with a vulnerable patient population. If I make a choice to put myself in a position where I might contract the virus and transmit it to 1500 vulnerable patients, this is absolutely selfish. Likewise, the nursing facility staff who feel the same way as you are the ones who will kill wide swaths of the facility populations by bringing their “colds” into work with them.
No private business owes you anything, including Disney. Much like you’re demanding, they and their employees have the right to “do what they want”. If it is in their best interest not to reopen, whether it’s for perception reasons or because it’s the right thing to do, they should stay closed.
The world is looking at the U.S. with shock, disgust, and quite frankly, pity. I’m interested to see how many international travelers will be willing to return to the U.S. at any point, and I’m sure Disney is interested in knowing the same.
Stephanie, you just make so much sense
Maria, “Take pay out of it”? Seriously? If you take pay out of it, 90% of the country’s employees would stay home and let the magic food arrive, the magic utilities stay on, and the magic health care be provided. If you are under 65, relatively healthy, you have a minimal chance of dying. There are thousands of traffic deaths, but we don’t shut down the highways or limit the car to 35 MPH. Life is risky and everyone (not just Disney employees) cannot stay home waiting for the magic vaccine. Anyone who works in the public or with other people, be it Disney, a bank, a post office, utility, grocery store, or McDonalds, is at risk, Do you advocate all of these services end too? Of course not. The “stay at home” people and for that matter, nobody, should decide who has to work or not. The single parent, working at Narcoosees, trying to support their family, may feel just as essential as the person working at Sam’s Club. The only one who should “pick and choose” is the individual.
All this is great and good, but there is also a group no one ever factors in — those of us who have had this and recovered. That’s currently 11% or more of the US population. I’m a physician who has spent the last four months treating hundreds of COVID cases and and myself and family have all had it — yes, I’ve been in the trenches. Also you never mention that the increased numbers is due to the increased testing. Duh. The recovered will become a big part of this movement and we are here — and many of us are long term DISNEY NUTS. So all this is very frustrating from our perspective and something Disney has not considered but must begin to factor in. Just sayin.
Joe D
July 2, 2020
Science is not clear on masking?? You are definitely not reading the same statistics as me.
So can someone cite the statistical data (Science) of how many PPM of virus are transmitted through a Mask. Joe, you’re correct, I’m not reading the statistics, can you provide a link.
Yes, I believe Disney should remain closed for the rest of the year. This is not about money, it’s about LIVES!!!
Unfortunately both need to be considered. If we simply shut it all down through the end of the year you’re honestly messing with passing a point of no return economically and socially.
@Deb – I’ve lost my job, I’m losing my house and my mental health. Its not about money? You going to pay my mortgage and buy me groceries? You going to feed my family? Didn’t think so.
Those who say “its not about money are the extrenely privileged who have some and refuse to help those who don’t. Talk about social classes, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
Sensible comments, but might fall on deaf ears.
I’m on Florida unemployment and the website is ridiculous. You have to jump through hoops and fill out lengthy forms every week to “claim your weeks” fields are mandatory that shouldn’t be (they ask where you looked for work but that requirement is waived until next week).
I had to quit my job because I don’t have daycare. I don’t see that clearing up anytime soon. I’m still very lucky. I don’t need my unemployment to live. I was able to navigate the stupid website (oh also it’s down most of the time except for very specific days). I realize many CMs are back and work who wouldn’t be if they had any other option. I don’t it’s fair to them that we go breathe on them.
Even if they are open we shouldn’t go. People are going to get sick and contact tracing in Florida is terrible. People are getting sick at Universal but we have completely terrible contact tracing. We also, and this is important to note, added over 10,000 new cases today. So many that experts say contract tracing is useless, it’s not fast enough and there is too much virus.
Also, even if prolonged exposure is the biggest risk, repeated brief exposures are also a risk. So, you may not have any one 10 minute exposures but we’re coming in hot at about a 15% positivity rate right now. Will you not have 15 one minute exposures? A mask can only do so much and only when fitted perfectly. Some virus is bound to get inside the mask the idea is that it won’t be enough to start an infection. If 15% of people at Disney have COVID your odds are still good enough droplet nuclei will get in to make you sick, particularly after several days.
15% positivity rate is of those tested. It does not indicate the infection rate of the population. Currently infected in orange county FL is estimated by one model at between .07% and .58%. 1.4% of the population infected to date.
Here is a hard truth that few seem to recognize, your statement “I realize many CMs are back and work who wouldn’t be if they had any other option.” isn’t true. No one is physically forcing these CMs back to work. They are 100% free to find employment elsewhere. Its their choice to go back to work at Disney, just like us guests have a choice to visit or not.
Dan, our unemployment rate is 22%. There are no jobs to be had particularly not in the service industry.
How about this? Stay home if you are over 60 or immune compromised. Better yet, just stay home if you feel you need to stay home.
For the rest of us (I’m from an original hot spot in NJ), open things back up. A vast majority of the new cases are simply because they are testing a lot more now. The numbers that matter, the deaths or seriously complications, remains steady.
If you’re under 60, this is no worse than the flu as far as death rates go. In fact, many of the people getting this show no symptoms at all (unlike the flu).
No one is forcing people to go to Disney or even leave your house. People can make their own choices.
Doesn’t it seem odd to you the US is the ONLY country doing it this way? If that were the logical conclusion why did every other developed nation throw more money at containing the spread and dropping their numbers? Hmmm…Either every other country is wrong (unlikely) or we are not making decisions based on hard data.
It’s not our fault. Lets be real. The same politicians that are telling you to stay in where marching with protesters in the last three weeks. In many cases there were thousands, heck even tens of thousands of people. Now they want the rest of us to sit at home because they said protesting was more important than the virus.
They need to pound sand. Enough is enough.
Maria – not to sound simplistic, but we’re a much more open society that have not been through some of the same events as other nations. We haven’t had a war on our soil since the Civil War, so we don’t have the same experience with outright long term disaster as Europe. Asia deals with outbreaks all the time and have populations that are deferential to their governments. We’re not the same as a county. We’re a collection of diverse states. Plus, we drive the world economy. If we shutter it for as long as some have advocated it truly won’t matter who wins an election. You’re starting to mess with an entire decade.
Matt, you are my spirit animal!
Hi
I live in the Uk near Heathrow, and am booked into All Stars Sports 27th October 2020 for 14 nights. If President Trump will let me in, I will come.
Where is that picture from of the water feature in that tunnel at the hotel???
Riviera
I live in Destin,Florida. Destin is a tourist destination. Locals were good until we opened to the public. Tourists, for the most part, don’t care about health and safety. They do not practice social distancing and they do not wear masks. It’s incredibly disrespectful. Our rates have skyrocketed. Props to the cast members standing up to it.
Yup. Same here we live right y Disney the planes a packed with tourists coming down here and they don’t care. And most are form New York
If we decide to come, we will constantly be wearing masks and washing hands. For you to assume all tourists aren’t as careful isn’t necessarily true. For us it’s a wait and see, we’ll be monitoring the numbers closely prior to arrival, and hope lake buena vista area stays low.
Also, the more testing we do the more cases we are going to find. Fact is hospitals are not overrun with strictly Covid patients and the mortality rate is falling.
You are absolutely correct. Whole picture needs to be looked at. To be honest I don’t even believe the numbers anymore! It’s all political!!
So my perspective is from someone in the industry. Having your place of business open up poses a tough challenge for anyone who is a caretaker for kids/parents. Who will watch the kids while you have to go to work? Is there childcare open? Is it affordable? If you don’t go back, will you lose unemployment (that’s if you were lucky enough to get it in the first place)? For those employees in the service industry – 50% capacity in a restaurant means at best, you’ll make 50% of the money you would on a normal shift. So while opening up Disney is good for morale and the overall economy, for those cast members forced to go back to work it’s not likely going to improve their income enough to risk their health and lives in the midst of a COVID outbreak. There is NO WAY for cast members to stay 6feet away from each other in the hospitality industry and still provide the level of service most people demand (for example, I can’t get your family’s drink order to you in two minutes because I now have to wait in line for access to the soda station versus being shoulder to shoulder with two other people.
My family has a trip planned in October; we don’t yet have tickets but we’ve been telling our kids daily that it’s not likely we will go. I don’t even think 2021 will be better/safer because of the number of people who postponed vacations from this year will make the situation overall more crowded. In order to open in the next month, I think Disney should postpone opening to anyone outside of resort reservation holders or Florida APs and I think they should require a negative COVID test within a certain # of days (not sure what the time threshold is on this) before people can go to the park. It would make people mad, etc., but If you aren’t willing to do something simple like this, you probably aren’t willing to obey all the health rules at Disney. They probably cannot do this as everything is already in motion, and I hope that those of us that do still go remember to be KIND and COURTEOUS to cast members- all of them.
“for those cast members forced to go back to work” – no one is physically forcing cast members to go back to work, its their choice, and most are choosing to accept some level of risk to make money, just like most people would. They are all 100% free to find employment elsewhere.
The virus isn’t going away. We have lived with many viruses and have never shut down the economy. We have to get moving again, we have to find a way to continue living, working, providing for our families, and enjoying our lives. If people are at a high risk group they should absolutely take more precaution if they choose to. I know many in this group that refuse to give into fear and are going about their business and lives. It’s a choice each individual has to make. No one is forcing anyone to go to Disney. I walk into our Walmart to grocery shop and maybe 5% of people are wearing masks. I would think I would be at higher risk to catch the virus there than at Disney where masks are going to be required. I think we need to open up. Let individuals decide if and when they want to venture out into the world.
Totally agree. The fear is overblown in my opinion. WalMart never closed and there weren’t spikes from folks shopping there.
Totally agree with Seth!!! Keep it open! Open all the way. Let people make own decision!!!
Agree with you! I’d like to see the data on who is sick, not just who tested positive. People need to look at the data and it will
show getting this isn’t a death sentence.
Tom
Thanks for the feedback.
You’re welcome. Didn’t mean for that to sound as harsh/defensive as it might’ve come across, either. My apologies! 🙂
to me the fact there has been no outbreak associated with Universal Studios is a really critical factor. In the beginning of this, we took a lot of action without data because we had to. Now that we have more data, I’m not sure why we’d make decisions that aren’t grounded in that data or why we’d take the absolute most conservative position (stay closed) vs. a more intermediate position where we learn how to operate in the world with some extra precautions. The second is obviously higher risk but balanced against the benefits of getting back to life and getting the economy back on track (since I don’t think this problem is going away soon) it seems worth it to me.
Contact tracing In Florida is all but non existent. There are hardly more than 100 people and they were recruited from the local university. When there was a positive at my spouses work the health department said they wouldn’t come unless there was another one. So one of the supervisors called employees and did their own contact tracing. It’s BAD.
My doctor has already seen one case from Universal. There are no mass spread events that’s true but people are going and getting sick. Just not a lot of people.
It’s not going away anytime soon. I get that this is a virus and that people are afraid and people have died. But I don’t recall a ticker/counter going on daily or even on the hour every hour for any other virus. We have to find a way to live with it, and not continue to hide away hoping it will go away. Cases were always going to rise when we opened up and when we began more testing.
It is too bad that many people did not take this pandemic seriously. So many thought it to be hype…well hype did not kill all those that have died from this disease. So many that REFUSED and still refuse to wear masks and social distance have caused all of this. Their know-it-all arrogant stubborn attitudes have caused the widespread of this deadly disease. If everyone had done what they should have during the shut down, we would be a lot better off, but arrogant pride is a killer. The bar hopping, party people, protestors, and beach goers have caused the increased numbers. There will be those that don’t agree with me…you have the right to your opinion, but you do NOT have the right to be flippant and cause the crazy spread of this disease. Stop the irresponsibility and start caring about others.
I believe that it is time to go on with opening Disney and businesses. If Disney and businesses are forced to shut down again, there would be irreparable damage to our economy. If everyone will do their part and be careful, we can get through this. Please, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”…wear a mask and social distance.
@Sandy
People took it more seriously when the original numbers showed 10% death rates. We are having a lot more testing now and the last study puts the death rate between 0.04% and 0.26%. For reference, the typical flu is 0.1%.
By the way, 43% of deaths are in nursing homes. Take those out and you have an even loser fatality rate.
At some point, we need to stop acting like this is going to kill healthy adults. It’s not a huge deal to anyone healthy. Most people don’t even know they have it.
Here’s what should happen. If you are immune compromised or you’re over 60, stay home if you want. Let the rest of society get on with their lives for something that is less likely to kill (or even make them sick) than the typical flu.
People went to work every day, sent their kids to school every day, and didn’t give the typical flu one thought in their daily lives. Now everyone is going nuts over something that as more testing comes out will be no worse than that same flu.
We are destroying people’s lives because some people are scared. Those people should just stay home and stop the nonsense of making everyone else suffer. In the grand scheme of things, many people can’t even put food on their table because of something that may be marginally worse than the flu at best, and if you’re under 60, it’s not even close to being the flu.
Maria, that makes sense re: contact tracing. I think it would also be tricky to trace if tourists get it and then are back in their own state, so yes, we are probably missing cases of people who got at Universal. But I think it’s the employee numbers we should really be looking at. Employees are probably the most high risk from theme parks opening, since they have to deal with guests all day every day, and I think employees are also the ones theme parks really need to protect (park-goers are going at their own risk, but employees are essentially forced to be there). So if we aren’t seeing big outbreaks with employees I don’t know why we wouldn’t reopen (and let guests decide if they’re willing to take the risk).
If employees start getting it – calculus changes.