Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[huskies90]

The other reason is that this is not about the virus anymore but the "perception" of how you are handling the virus. Disney pretty much was forced to close by simply public perception and public pressure. A lot of events are being cancelled because they don't want to be THAT one that doesn't do look like they are doing something. Basically we are shutting down our economy and country for 2-3 weeks. I fully expect most public schools in most states to be close by the end of the day .. this is quickly becoming a downward spiral.

I just find our (the world's) response to this just odd and concerning. The economic destruction will vastly destroy more lives than the virus itself kills. I don't remember the world coming to a standstill for a month or two for H1N1.

You are 100% correct. I don't think people have thought this all the way through. It is nearly impossible to not spread the virus even with all this closure. It will slow down the spread but people will still be getting it and when people see that people are still getting it, everything will remain closed even if it is months down the road. You can say it is just Disney or just sports or whatever but the travel and entertainment sector is a huge part of our economy and everything ties to that - financial institutions, insurance, etc. So many businesses are going to close. So much unemployment is coming. Nobody is looking that far ahead and if we wait until the virus goes away, it will be months and the economy and people's lives will be destroyed.

Closing everything is the right thing to do right now because there is so much unknown. My hope is that it is temporary and in the next 2 weeks, we have more knowledge about what is going on to better script out a way to deal with it other than just close everything. It seems like most people who have been affected seriously have underlying health conditions or are old and/or in nursing homes others who are younger/healthier have had mild symptoms. That has to be better understood and maybe the plan can be to better protect those at risk.

 

[sw33t_angel]

What case could they make for not refunding people for date based park passes? My park hopper pass is specifically for a date range that occurs during the closing.

I’m in the same boat- I bought multi day park tickets only good for the dates I am there and honestly won’t be back for several years- I appreciate them closing for the well-being of the public and CMs and I was already considering canceling- but didn’t want to lose my tickets value so I was holding off to see if they would announce anything.

I would think if you couldn’t schedule by the end of the 2020 they should offer a refund. My tickets are no different than special ticketed events- why refund some and not others?

 

[CastAStone]

Does anyone know if you can use the value of your unused WDW ticket for a Disneyland ticket? I don't see another trip to Florida in the near future and I live in CA.

You cannot. Sorry.

 

[CastAStone]

What case could they make for not refunding people for date based park passes? My park hopper pass is specifically for a date range that occurs during the closing.

I don’t know. If you do call and ask let us know what happens.

 

[ellbellthomps]

I have a trip booked for memorial day, and I'm really hoping it settles by then.

 

[osufeth24]

Wonder if it's even worth booking a dinner res at disney springs next week.

 

[halfpintpeggy]

Just throwing this idea out there. For those who are still planning a resort only stay, perhaps seeing if you can switch to Hilton Head might be a good alternative?

 

[tlmadden73]

My hope is these cancellations CALM us from this hysteria, make us "feel" safer and then help us get back to our normal lives at the end of March. (Because let's face it -- these cancellations aren't going to STOP the spread, just slow it .. people are still meeting in small groups at churches, schools, homes, restaurants).

But the ripple effect on jobs and businesses from just these 2-3 weeks will be devastating for a long, long time.

 

[Farro]

My hope is these cancellations CALM us from this hysteria, make us "feel" safer and then help us get back to our normal lives at the end of March. (Because let's face it -- these cancellations aren't going to STOP the spread, just slow it .. people are still meeting in small groups at churches, schools, homes, restaurants).

But the ripple effect on jobs and businesses from just these 2-3 weeks will be devastating for a long, long time.

Someone stated the rate of restaurant closures (due to no customers) in Seattle, it's sad.

Honestly, I still see everyone FREAKING OUT if Disney re-opens at end of March if there are still cases being reported.

Does the common person realize this disease won't ever be eradicated? It will now turn into a cold/flu type virus that ebbs and flows every year.
Perhaps, later down the line, the news can stop telling us every time someone is diagnosed with the virus.

 

[atkinstogram]

You are 100% correct. I don't think people have thought this all the way through. It is nearly impossible to not spread the virus even with all this closure. It will slow down the spread but people will still be getting it..

These measures aren't to stop the spread of the virus. That's going to happen no matter what. This is to try and flatten out the curve and spread out the time period over which people will be overwhelming the hospitals.

 

[DeniseJH]

Does the common person realize this disease won't ever be eradicated? It will now turn into a cold/flu type virus that ebbs and flows every year.
Perhaps, later down the line, the news can stop telling us every time someone is diagnosed with the virus.

Hopefully there will be a vaccine in 12 - 18 months.

 

[Brianstl]

This isn’t some unfounded hysteria. Italy is the real world example of what can happen if you don’t take drastic action before it is too late.

 

[Farro]

Hopefully there will be a vaccine in 12 - 18 months.

Disney, or any business, can't wait 12 - 18 months to reopen. And then you'll have the people who won't get the vaccine. And people who will still get it with the vaccine. Yes it will be more spread out, slowed down, but it will still be there.

 

[tarak]

The Public Health Service Act does not trump the constitution. The Supreme Court has held that there is a constitutional right to travel between states. Saenz v. Roe 526 U.S. 489 (1999). The point is arguable I guess though.

I think it's arguable. Constitutional rights are not without limits. Any legislation that infringed the right to travel would presumably subject to the strict scrutiny test, which requires a showing that the restrictions are narrowly tailored to serve a compelling state interest.

 

[Brianstl]

The Supreme Court has been pretty willing to give the government extra powers at times of national emergency in the past.

 

[Tandy]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1238271013789392896

I think that is a funny post because two post earlier you told someone to "Let's stick to Disney Please"

 

[rteetz]

I think that is a funny post because two post earlier you told someone to "Let's stick to Disney Please"

Trying to keep this thread informative and helpful. Posts like this don’t do that.

 

[MassJester]

The Supreme Court has been pretty willing to give the government extra powers at times of national emergency in the past.

It sure has. Since Jacobson v. Massachusetts in 1905

 

[Tandy]

I understand I just thought the context was funny given the response before

 

[Disneymom1126]

The other reason is that this is not about the virus anymore but the "perception" of how you are handling the virus. Disney pretty much was forced to close by simply public perception and public pressure. A lot of events are being cancelled because they don't want to be THAT one that doesn't do look like they are doing something. Basically we are shutting down our economy and country for 2-3 weeks. I fully expect most public schools in most states to be close by the end of the day .. this is quickly becoming a downward spiral.

I just find our (the world's) response to this just odd and concerning. The economic destruction will vastly destroy more lives than the virus itself kills. I don't remember the world coming to a standstill for a month or two for H1N1.

I think you can look to Italy (who had a delayed response like the U.S. has compared to other countries) to see why places are taking drastic measures. The goal isn't to stop the spread, it is to slow the spread, to avoid the decisions that Italy is making now (old person, you don't get a ventilator, single mom of 3, you get a ventilator, etc.). There are a number of useful graphics out there, but essentially, if there is a peak (lots of cases at the same time, which is what happened in Italy) then the health care system will get overwhelmed. At that point, it is not just people with COVID19 who are struggling to get care, but also people who have heart attacks, strokes, cancer patients, people with seizure disorders, people who fall down and break an arm, etc. Slowing the spread will allow for the health care system to keep pace with the demand. Places like Disney have a huge role to play in slowing the spread because people come there from everywhere, stay for a few days/weeks and then leave taking their germs back with them...

H1N1 was not as easily spread as COVID19 as proven to be. There are ways to safeguard the economy as well, but I won't get into that here because it is political and this is a Disney board.