Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Sandiz08]

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

 

[Tjddis]

@yulilin3 IIRC still said to expect 90 minute waits for popular attractions even with decreased capacities

I could see this being an issue. Lots of the folks who posted they were going to go cited being able to just walk on whatever they wanted due to low capacity. I wonder if early reports confirm anything close to 90 minute wait times if more people will bail.
I’m still not understanding eliminating fp, virtual queues or some sort of crowd management measure

 

[cakebaker]

I dopnt know. I am on twitter and searching a lot and i see much more negativity against Disney than SW and UO

Disney is always scrutinized more than other parks. That’s what happens when you’re supposedly the best. But a great deal of it is that Disney is opening during a huge, uncontrolled record spike. Universal opened when things were relatively calm. The optics alone are bad.

 

[rteetz]

You’re absolutely right of course. There’s lots of things causing the increase in cases. Bars, indoor dining, people not wearing masks, large crowds, etc. But crowded theme parks being open during a pandemic is ludicrous. I mean, Texas counties have started hitting hospital capacity and there’s no way Florida isn’t far behind with these numbers. Disney is somehow going to stay open when people are dying in Orlando hospital parking lots? Because that’s where this is heading.

I don’t disagree but at the same time they have to open at some point or stay closed forever. I also feel for the CMs. Many of them are conflicted due to risks of going back to work but they also need the money. Unemployment doesn’t last forever.

I think at this point no matter when Disney opens it’s going to be a risk. How great that risk is? We don’t know. For all we know Disney parks could’ve been a major spreader earlier this year but we didn’t have the testing in place. I trust right now in what Disney is doing.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I could see this being an issue. Lots of the folks who posted they were going to go cited being able to just walk on whatever they wanted due to low capacity. I wonder if early reports confirm anything close to 90 minute wait times if more people will bail.
I’m still not understanding eliminating fp, virtual queues or some sort of crowd management measure

Probably b/c they need people waiting somewhere...and a spaced out line is probably better than any other crowd control type device they can think of (and there will be less complaining and easier enforcement of that waiting area b/c CMs are already stationed there)...

 

[cakebaker]

Maybe I’m confused but the title of this thread does not specify Disney.

It’s listed under “Disney Rumors and News” . But you’re the mod, if discussing Universal operations is on topic, I’m good with that.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

I could see this being an issue. Lots of the folks who posted they were going to go cited being able to just walk on whatever they wanted due to low capacity. I wonder if early reports confirm anything close to 90 minute wait times if more people will bail.
I’m still not understanding eliminating fp, virtual queues or some sort of crowd management measure

Long lines are crowd management measures. Some of those queues are huge. Better to have people standing in a socially distant line for 90 minutes then all out in front of the castle on Main Street I guess.

 

[SierraT]

I could see this being an issue. Lots of the folks who posted they were going to go cited being able to just walk on whatever they wanted due to low capacity. I wonder if early reports confirm anything close to 90 minute wait times if more people will bail.
I’m still not understanding eliminating fp, virtual queues or some sort of crowd management measure

It’s almost like they are presenting vacationing there as less desirable to limit crowds. Nothing Disney does is by accident.

Still looking forward to seeing the photos of everyone there next week!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Disney is always scrutinized more than other parks. That’s what happens when you’re supposedly the best. But a great deal of it is that Disney is opening during a huge, uncontrolled record spike. Universal opened when things were relatively calm. The optics alone are bad.

I do agree about the optics looking bad. Plus I think one positive angle people have to Disney for delaying their opening was that it would give them more time to see how things develop, etc - and if that is the case, what about anything that has developed since they announced they would open is a signal that progress has been made and now good to open now?

Personally is still think theme parks can be open and do it safely - and seems like from reports Universal is doing a pretty good job. I see a lot of people saying they felt safer there than at publix or other places. Now, "safer" doesn't mean "safe" but I think there are ways to open things up, let companies earn money, and let people enjoy themselves somewhat, but do it safely. I *think* Disney will do it right but if you choose to go you are taking the risk that they won't and, again, that "safe as possible" doesn't mean safe - but hard to do anything right now and be 100% safe


I do see people calling out other theme parks that don't seem to be doing a good job and expect the same if Disney doesn't do a good job of being as safe as possible

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

I don’t disagree but at the same time they have to open at some point or stay closed forever. I also feel for the CMs. Many of them are conflicted due to risks of going back to work but they also need the money. Unemployment doesn’t last forever.

I think at this point no matter when Disney opens it’s going to be a risk. How great that risk is? We don’t know. For all we know Disney parks could’ve been a major spreader earlier this year but we didn’t have the testing in place. I trust right now in what Disney is doing.

Why is it binary that they have to open *now* or they have to *close forever*? They are literally on track to open when the state they are located in has the highest daily case total of any state in the nation, at any time during the pandemic. Again, 11,500 cases today. NY’s peak was just over 12,000. Also, if you look at literally every other first world nation on the planet, or even look at NY/NJ/CT, you can see how they can reopen safely. When numbers get MUCH MUCH lower, and when testing and contact tracing are in place. That’s what euro disney is doing and all the Asian parks are doing. There’s no reason why it should be different here.

 

[RWinNOLA]

It’s listed under “Disney Rumors and News” . But you’re the mod, if discussing Universal operations is on topic, I’m good with that.

But as he already mentioned, the thread title includes “Theme Park“ and since the very beginning all theme park news has been discussed here. There was a lot of focus on Universal in the days leading up to and just after reopening.

 

[sara_s]

Why is it binary that they have to open *now* or they have to *close forever*? They are literally on track to open when the state they are located in has the highest daily case total of any state in the nation, at any time during the pandemic. Again, 11,500 cases today. NY’s peak was just over 12,000. Also, if you look at literally every other first world nation on the planet, or even look at NY/NJ/CT, you can see how they can reopen safely. When numbers get MUCH MUCH lower. That’s what euro disney is doing and all the Asian parks are doing. There’s no reason why it should be different here.

I have to say I agree with the bolded. Everything seems to be measured in absolutes, but why can't it be measured in phased, slooooow opening(s)? And that's not just with Disney, that's in the states in general.

I am keeping my fingers crossed very tightly for Disney - please let it go smoothly. And please let them have the awareness to make adjustments if it starts to look bad.

 

[andyman8]

Happy Fourth of July to my fellow U.S.-based DISers.

Have you heard any whisperings about the return of CG brunch? I realize that there is a buffet component but I think a pastry basket (I dream of those guava pastries) and charcuterie type platter could easily sub for the self-serve areas.

Haven’t heard anything. I find it weird that the original plan was to have CG and CM open by the end of next week, yet we haven’t heard anything (and neither have most CMs there). I’m hoping we’ll hear more on Monday.

Universal should absolutely be closed. You can probably trace back the problems that Orlando are currently having now specifically to the reopening of Universal. Disney will make it so much worse.

If that were the case, cases would be spiking in Orange County (and possibly the surrounding counties) but not all over the state (or in others for that matter). Most days at UOR have not been crowded at all, and it seems the vast majority of those visiting UOR now are locals and passholders. I don’t know even many Floridians (from outside of Greater Orlando) who are in a rush to go back to UOR anytime soon. Though it’s probable that UOR reopening didn’t help things, I think there were a lot of other factors at play that resulted in the spike we’re currently seeing.

 

[Brianstl]

Universal should absolutely be closed. You can probably trace back the problems that Orlando are currently having now specifically to the reopening of Universal. Disney will make it so much worse.

You have anything scientific evidence to back up your claim about Universal being responsible to Orlando’s cases?

My guess, is that now that testing is being administer to a much broader section of Florida’s population is that we are seeing how wide spread asymptotic carriers have been in Florida for months among demographic groups that weren’t being tested. An actual CDC antibodies study done back in the first week of April actually suggests to this being the case and that infection levels in South Florida were 11x higher than what testing was showing.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

.

If that were the case, cases would be spiking in Orange County (and possibly the surrounding counties)

Things are spiking in Orange County versus the rest of the state (excluding Miami):
Source: https://www.wesh.com/article/florida-coronavirus-cases-thursday/33078499

 

[andyman8]

Things are spiking in Orange County versus the rest of the state (excluding Miami):
Source: https://www.wesh.com/article/florida-coronavirus-cases-thursday/33078499
View attachment 506386

See but you can’t just exclude Miami or Palm Beach, for example. I can tell you cases are spiking in South Florida yet very few have been to UOR within the last month down here. Way more have been to (illegally operating) bars, for example. That’s just one factor. There are many.

 

[Brianstl]

How can you possibly in good faith post that things have *stabilized* when they are hitting a new record high in daily numbers every three or four days.

Maybe, just maybe, now that testing is more wide spread in Florida we are now actually seeing how common the virus has been in Florida for months and there isn’t an actual spike in cases.

 

[Beachmom0317]

I respectfully was also thinking the same thing- doesn’t seem to be stabilizing?! Ugh I’m just so bummed we are scheduled for November and I was really hoping by some miracle by then restrictions would be loosened. I’m in MA and we are finally doing great and I really don’t want to travel to a hot spot and deal with quarantined upon return. This stinks!

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

You have anything scientific evidence to back up your claim about Universal being responsible to Orlando’s cases?

My guess, is that now that testing is being administer to a much broader section of Florida’s population is that we are seeing how wide spread asymptotic carriers have been in Florida for months among demographic groups that weren’t being tested. An actual CDC antibodies study done back in the first week of April actually suggests to this being the case and that infection levels in South Florida were 11x higher than what testing was showing.

See but you can’t just exclude Miami or Palm Beach, for example. I can tell you cases are spiking in South Florida yet very few have been to UOR within the last month down here. Way more have been to (illegally operating) bars, for example. That’s just one factor. There are many.

Again, this isn’t binary. Universal isn’t the only thing causing a spike in coronavirus cases and clearly large cities like miami with large crowds are getting badly hit all over the country, but again, look at Orlando compared to every other county in the state.

 

[constanze]

Also happy 4th to all my fellow US disers!! for those going the first week of opening —( I’ll be there on the 19th) I know you’ll be having fun vacationing, but if you have any time to post updates and hints would love to hear!!! I’ll also check in during my trip to post as well— May the force be with us all