Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[lampshadehead]

The weird thing is my trip isn't until Labor Day and I still got the shipping to the resort message. At first I thought it might have been because it was a newer design (I got the Elsa one) but someone else who customized the exact same band got it in the mail already.

Try going back into the magic band ordering page. This happened to me, and I was confused why my bands were going to the front desk. Well, either I didn't remember this part, or the options have changed, but there is a drop down area for you to enter the address where you want them shipped. If you skip this (like I unintentionally did), it defaults to front desk pick up.

 

[RivShore]

There are some innovative and cost effective things they could do with testing, like running one test on a large group of samples - that way if it comes up negative, you just cleared 20-40 people. If it's positive then you do individual tests. There are companies preparing to do this as they open large offices back up.

Just heard on CNBC this morning that Cornell U is going to test everyone on campus weekly using the group testing method. Estimated cost of $3-5M for 3 months of testing for 35k people. The school said testing cost is dropping so it could be less. This certainly seems doable for WDW.

 

[JacknSally]

Waiting for "Rumors of Light" to open ? I would give an arm and leg for those days again !

I miss when everyone was upset about the changeover to plain paper napkins!

 

[MickeyWaffles]

So yes, while sharing those statistics and sharing your arguments against going might sway someone like me, ultimately the most irresponsible people will go no matter what.

Yes, ultimately the most irresponsible people will go no matter what. So everyone else going should definitely be prepared for that.

I think that is what many people are trying to point out. It is very important for those on the fence to realize that there will be irresponsible people there who won’t do their part. You may not be able to avoid them. Disney can’t protect guests from everything. It’s just part of the risk, even if you are as responsible as you can possibly be.

 

[JenBush]

This is exactly what I was about to say.
I’ve seen a lot of people tell people if they aren’t comfortable seeing people break the rules then they should stay home. Why I’m the world should we stay home? Disney should empower their CMs to enforce the rules to the full extent. Why should people who are willing to follow the rules suffer the consequences of people skirting the rules? They shouldn’t and as said about a guest has every right to expect Disney to enforce the rules they set forth.

While I think Disney will enforce the rules, I don’t think there will be 100% compliance 100% of the time. There’s more than likely going to be a time when a child messes with their mask and maybe it takes the parents a couple minutes to notice that their kid’s mask isn’t fully covering their nose. Or a situation where an adult takes their mask down/off and it takes a few minutes before a cast member asks them to put it back on or leave. Just like how most people are wearing their masks correctly at Disney Springs, there’s always a small percentage that doesn’t and I don’t think the theme parks will be any different when they open.

 

[dreamit]

to the bolded, I agree but feel like that has always been a challenge for Disney as they want to maintain the "magic" and "Disney feels" so they try the soft approach with everyone and often it won't work. Hopefully people will comply and I do hope Disney has enough "extra" CMs to focus on this enforcement rather than leaving it up to front line CMs on top of their day jobs

As to the two older ladies scenario - hopefully with them keeping capacity low it will be easy to just avoid people that aren't complying. but like you said, if in scenarios like when in line for your quick service meal or drink refill it might be more challenging

That has been my thought until thinking of @yulilin3’s daughter. I’m good watching out for myself, but I feel for the CMs who are balancing watching out for their own safety while simultaneously, in a “magical way” dealing with many, many guests, some of who are probably not 100% complying with the rules.

Decided to test drive our mask wearing ability. Walked around our outside outlet mall (a bit like DS) for about 4 hours. 90 degrees and sunny. I was pretty pleased that our masks weren’t terribly uncomfortable. Being able to go in and out of air conditioned spaces helps a lot. Our 5 year old wore his all day without complaining or playing with it. Made me much more confident that we can handle it in the parks!

This is great to hear! What type of masks were you wearing?

 

[Hummingbird]

Disney should enforce this rule especially, but it doesn't mean they will. They have a track record of not enforcing rules or empowering their CMs. And there is already evidence from reputable sources that Disney is not 100% enforcing it. The reason people are saying if you don't want to accept the risks then it's best not to go is because people are people, they can be entitled and selfish, and there is no guarantee that you will be 100% safe-so if people arewilling to take the trip in spite of these facts then we all gave fair and truthful warning.

But that’s not what people are saying.
people are saying “if you aren’t ok with it then you should stay home”. Simply going is accepting the risk, walking out of your home is accepting the risk. That doesn’t mean that I can accept the risk AND also not be ok with rule breakers & expect Disney to enforce their own rules. Maybe tell the people who are hellbent on breaking rules that they should stay home.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

I miss when everyone was upset about the changeover to plain paper napkins!

What’s everyone’s feelings on saving QS tables while someone else from your party orders? Man, when that was the most hotly debated topic on here ... we didn’t know how good we had it

 

[tinkerhon]

I miss when everyone was upset about the changeover to plain paper napkins!

20% merch discount taken away from CP dining package !

 

[JacknSally]

What’s everyone’s feelings on saving QS tables while someone else from your party orders? Man, when that was the most hotly debated topic on here ... we didn’t know how good we had it

Those threads were BRUTAL!!

 

[kverdon]

This sounds like a fun day at the most magical place on earth.

Won't argue that but at this time, it is the current reality so we are prepared. We'll have a good time just hanging out on our balcony with the Animals at AK Kidani, geetting into a park(s) will be a bonus. I'm more concerned about getting into a park to walk off all the nice food and wine we are going be cooking and enjoying in our room

 

[Anna_Sh]

Would you be concerned if someone in front of you on a ride removed their mask during the ride when you couldn’t move any farther away from them? I’m just pointing out that people may encounter some unavoidably risky situations.

That’s what planning is for. I don’t know that I’m going to ride anything at this point. For the record, some of my best times at F&W consisted of browsing the booths and shopping. I’m waiting to see what social distancing measures Disney puts in place on the rides that seem like they lend themselves to it particularly well (like Spaceship Earth imo). Since I’m blocked until August anyway, I’ll have plenty of time to see exactly how everything is handled at EPCOT.

 

[chicagoshannon]

But that’s not what people are saying.
people are saying “if you aren’t ok with it then you should stay home”. Simply going is accepting the risk, walking out of your home is accepting the risk. That doesn’t mean that I can accept the risk AND also not be ok with rule breakers & expect Disney to enforce their own rules. Maybe tell the people who are hellbent on breaking rules that they should stay home.

I'm sure Disney will enforce it however CM's can't be everywhere all the time. So if people are nervous about potentially walking past someone who might briefly have their mask down, now is probably not the time to go.

 

[AmberMV]

But that’s not what people are saying.
people are saying “if you aren’t ok with it then you should stay home”. Simply going is accepting the risk, walking out of your home is accepting the risk. That doesn’t mean that I can accept the risk AND also not be ok with rule breakers & expect Disney to enforce their own rules. Maybe tell the people who are hellbent on breaking rules that they should stay home.

I think there is a misunderstanding. I don't think anyone is saying people who comply and follow the rules should stay home. I think what everyone is saying is that people break rules all the time, and the only thing we can all do is our part and understand that not everyone will do theirs.

 

[vinotinto]

Its very simple. If you are worried about people wearing masks or not, dont go. If you arent, go ahead. This is why Disney put the covid disclaimer out for you to agree to in order to visit the parks.

They have not only put a disclaimer, but they have also put out that masks are mandatory and you agree to that as part of reading and acknowledging the disclaimer.

My family will be wearing masks with filters. In indoor areas, we will likely put on a surgical mask on top of the other mask. We will sanitize and wash our hands consistently. We are not relying on others to make us safe. My DH works in a hospital and has been exposed to COVID on a weekly basis, and we are serious about safety.

I am a Disney fan and I care about the well-being of the CMs and for Disney to stay open during a pandemic, they will have to enforce their mask and distancing rules. Otherwise, their CMs will get infected and it will snowball.

 

[andyman8]

I understand where both sides are coming from, but I will say I don’t think “Disney shouldn’t have to enforce the mask requirement” is a winning argument, especially with the situation escalating. Now, 100% enforcement just isn’t really possible. There are always going to people who slip through; in any sort of large gathering (even with limited capacity, Disney will still be a large gathering), there will be those who get away with breaking certain rules. If that possibility raises serious concerns about your health and safety, then I’d advise you to reschedule. On the other hand, rules are rules, and if Disney actually wants to go through with a 7/11 reopening then they best be sure they’re doing absolutely whatever they can to make sure people are wearing masks. I think that’s a fair expectation to have, and it’s in the interest of not only other guests and their business but also their employees who are going to be exposed to thousands of different people each day. All I can say is I’ve been assured they’re going to be more “firm” about masks than they’ve been about other rules in the past. While that will certainly be a departure for them, I believe that that will be the case, especially in the parks.
Seeing someone not wearing a mask isn’t evidence that they’re not being “firm.” Like I said, people slip through and not every CM is going to catch it, but if we start seeing a good chunk of people not complying then I’d be very concerned.

I’ll also add that none of us should have any sort of sympathy, empathy, or even large sense of tolerance for anyone who breaks any Disney rule. Obviously, don’t create a scene but to see people quasi-excusing it worries me; this reopening has to be executed carefully and must go well, especially now. I’d have to imagine the tolerance level on here for rule breakers of, for say, no line cutting would probably not be as high.

 

[Jothmas]

Anybody going to Disney needs to be prepared for the stereotypical Disney guests who leave their brains and manners at home. They were there before COVID, they’ll be there after and forever lol. There are going to be people behaving in a risky manner either because they don’t care or because they’re oblivious. CMs won’t be able to catch and stop all of it.

Even though I will miss not having the parade and the fireworks, the positive thing is that guests won’t have to endure parents who push their kids at the last minute in front of others who have been waiting for an hour for the parade, or despicable people who put their kids on their shoulders when the fireworks start. Also, if CMs police the walkways and stop people from walking on the left side instead of the right, a trip right now may be a lot more enjoyable than normal.

 

[Dulcee]

This is great to hear! What type of masks were you wearing?

Homemade ones! Two layers of a 100% cotton and then a layer of a moisture wicking fabric that is typically used for cloth diapers. Super soft and moves moisture away from the face.

 

[Raggou]

Well My Magic Bands arrived! 2 weeks.... Im going to miss receiving the magic bands in 2021 always got me excited for my trip!

 

[Racheldb]

I"m sorry if I've missed this discussion, but has anything been mentioned about securtiy and bag checks upon entry into the parks? I am not thrilled with the prospect of security going through my bags while they've been touching every other guests bags....I know they were testing a new walk through system in Disney Springs, but don't know if this will be used in the parks?