Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Eric Smith]

Related to your post but off-topic - I've been noticing that the majority of people in my area who aren't wearing masks in public in recent days (our state has a mask mandate) are the older people. This is a new development, and I don't have any evidence for why, but my suspicion is that they are vaccinated. People's tolerance for "restriction fatigue" is going way down after being vaccinated.

In our area, it was usually the older people not wearing masks. I'd say as much as 2/3.

 

[Missingmypooh]

Related to your post but off-topic - I've been noticing that the majority of people in my area who aren't wearing masks in public in recent days (our state has a mask mandate) are the older people. This is a new development, and I don't have any evidence for why, but my suspicion is that they are vaccinated. People's tolerance for restrictions are going way down after being vaccinated.

YES! It was mostly the older people, and then younger kids (like 6 and under).

I wonder if that’s why they didn’t say anything? Assumed they were vaccinated?

 

[J-Dog]

.

 

[jerry557]

Political Posturing. It's not really within his domain to tell businesses they can't ask for proof of vaccine. For instance, most ports of calls for cruise ships will require proof of vaccination so cruise lines must ask for it. Notice that cruise lines and airlines were not mentioned as a scenario were it would not be acceptable. How can you ban it for some businesses and not for others?

Because the business operates in Florida. That business has to follow Florida law. Now airports and seaports may fall under federal domain. So it becomes a different issue with airlines and cruises. But the theme parks that are located in Florida is state domain.

So with this executive order, and possibly if the legislature acts too, WDW will not be allowed to ask for proof of vaccination for admission. Disney World is a business operating in Florida.

Businesses also can’t use the liability excuse either because DeSantis has banned those lawsuits as well. So you won’t be able to sue Disney if you catch COVID in the Magic Kingdom.

 

[buttersnix]

Nope. Kids under 16 aren’t even eligible and kids 12+ are just as efficient at spreading Covid as adults even though they aren’t as susceptible to becoming ill. Since Disney is marketed as a family park, they won’t relax restrictions with a large portion of their target population not even being allowed to be vaccinated. I think they can certainly add more offerings by summer, but it won’t be “normal” (whatever that is we don’t even know)

I don’t think the kids thing is accurate. There was a study in Iceland and this is what they found
“This 40,000-person study found that children under 15 were about half as likely as adults to be infected, and only half as likely as adults to transmit the virus to others. Almost all the coronavirus transmissions to children came from adults.”

 

[Spridell]

Because the business operates in Florida. That business has to follow Florida law. Now airports and seaports may fall under federal domain. So it becomes a different issue with airlines and cruises. But the theme parks that are located in Florida is state domain.

So with this executive order, and possibly if the legislature acts too, WDW will not be allowed to ask for proof of vaccination for admission. Disney World is a business operating in Florida.

Businesses also can’t use the liability excuse either because DeSantis has banned those lawsuits as well. So you won’t be able to sue Disney if you catch COVID in the Magic Kingdom.

yeah. The legislatures in the states do have the power to do this.

This is going to get interesting.................

 

[xuxa777]

I don’t think the kids thing is accurate. There was a study in Iceland and this is what they found
“This 40,000-person study found that children under 15 were about half as likely as adults to be infected, and only half as likely as adults to transmit the virus to others. Almost all the coronavirus transmissions to children came from adults.”

and you are exactly right, many other studies in the US and around the world say the same thing

 

[TikiTikiFan]

yeah. The legislatures in the states do have the power to do this.

This is going to get interesting.................

I'd be all for a vaccine passport if it meant we could do away with masks, bring back shows/fireworks, raise capacity, etc. In other words, give me normality and you can look at my vaccine card all you want.

I'm so ready for this to be over. But I know we all feel that way.

 

[hereforthechurros]

I'd be all for a vaccine passport if it meant we could do away with masks, bring back shows/fireworks, raise capacity, etc. In other words, give me normality and you can look at my vaccine card all you want.

I'm so ready for this to be over. But I know we all feel that way.

This is where I am. You cannot force people to be vaccinated but we can’t all continue to be locked down because of it. That’s not fair to those willing to get it. Don’t get vaccinated but certain businesses may not allow you in.

Crazy that so many of the anti-mask, anti-shutdown crowd is now the anti-vaccine crowd. Like, what do you people want?!

 

[jerry557]

This is where I am. You cannot force people to be vaccinated but we can’t all continue to be locked down because of it. That’s not fair to those willing to get it. Don’t get vaccinated but certain businesses may not allow you in.

Crazy that so many of the anti-mask, anti-shutdown crowd is now the anti-vaccine crowd. Like, what do you people want?!

But it won't. Doctors and the CDC say we all still need to wear masks and do social distancing even after the vaccine. If you say we can end masks and social distancing when 80% of the population is vaccinated (herd immunity), that would be an incentive. But they are NOT saying that at all.

 

[hereforthechurros]

But it won't. Doctors and the CDC say we all still need to wear masks and do social distancing even after the vaccine. If you say we can end masks and social distancing when 80% of the population is vaccinated (herd immunity), that would be an incentive. But they are NOT saying that at all.

Are you saying people aren’t getting the shot because they don’t believe it will help? Or not getting to because they’ll still have to wear masks for a few more months? Masks make obvious sense. While we’re rolling things out we still have to be safe. Main reason we are in a race right now is the more unvaccinated people we have the more chance for mutation and variants we cannot control.

We won’t know how many eligible adults are vaccinated until late spring/summer. From there we can start quantifying percentages.

 

[mrsap]

Epcot from above!! It looks so empty!!!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1375644226919206915

(no, I’m not trying to change the subject or anything...)

 

[jerry557]

Are you saying people aren’t getting the shot because they don’t believe it will help? Or not getting to because they’ll still have to wear masks for a few more months? Masks make obvious sense. While we’re rolling things out we still have to be safe. Main reason we are in a race right now is the more unvaccinated people we have the more chance for mutation and variants we cannot control.

We won’t know how many eligible adults are vaccinated until late spring/summer. From there we can start quantifying percentages.

My point is that it's not like they are saying, "Hey everyone! The quicker we all get vaccinated the faster we can take our masks off, take down the plexiglass, and see firework shows!" They are not saying that at all. The CDC has not put out any guidance of when such mandates should be lifted. Has Disney put out any information on what is needed for them to relax the mandates in the parks? I don't think so. If they have, let me know.

You also disregard the fact some people have legitimate reasons to be hesitant to get the vaccine. They may have had adverse reactions to vaccinations in the past and thus fear this one. And some people ultimately may not like the idea of governments and businesses (who are both primarily motivated by profits and money) forcing them to inject a vaccine that was rushed through development. And of course you have some religious people who don't get vaccines also. What do you do about them? Are those people no longer welcome in Disney World or on airplanes?

I have a coworker that got the first shot of the Pfizer vaccine last Thursday. He's now called out sick Friday and Monday. You think that makes me excited to go out and get it? I tested positive last summer for COVID and had no symptoms. Now you want me to go and get a shot that might make me sick in order to ward off a virus that doesn't make me sick? It doesn't make sense. At some point down the line, MAYBE I'll think about getting the J&J one if the reports continue to be positive that it doesn't have many side effects. But I ain't touching that Pfizer one! No way.

 

[Oldnewfan]

Related to your post but off-topic - I've been noticing that the majority of people in my area who aren't wearing masks in public in recent days (our state has a mask mandate) are the older people. This is a new development, and I don't have any evidence for why, but my suspicion is that they are vaccinated. People's tolerance for restrictions are going way down after being vaccinated.

Mine has. I fight it but is has. Honestly its dropping way off in my part of Georgia.

 

[hereforthechurros]

My point is that it's not like they are saying, "Hey everyone! The quicker we all get vaccinated the faster we can take our masks off, take down the plexiglass, and see firework shows!" They are not saying that at all. The CDC has not put out any guidance of when such mandates should be lifted. Has Disney put out any information on what is needed for them to relax the mandates in the parks? I don't think so. If they have, let me know.

You also disregard the fact some people have legitimate reasons to be hesitant to get the vaccine. They may have had adverse reactions to vaccinations in the past and thus fear this one. And some people ultimately may not like the idea of governments and businesses (who are both primarily motivated by profits and money) forcing them to inject a vaccine that was rushed through development. And of course you have some religious people who don't get vaccines also. What do you do about them? Are those people no longer welcome in Disney World or on airplanes?

I have a coworker that got the first shot of the Pfizer vaccine last Thursday. He's now called out sick Friday and Monday. You think that makes me excited to go out and get it? I tested positive last summer for COVID and had no symptoms. Now you want me to go and get a shot that might make me sick in order to ward off a virus that doesn't make me sick? It doesn't make sense. At some point down the line, MAYBE I'll think about getting the J&J one if the reports continue to be positive that it doesn't have many side effects. But I ain't touching that Pfizer one! No way.

We don’t expect vaccine rates to be 100%. We have to take in account a small amount of people who cannot get it. 30% is not a small amount and will absolutely hold us back from getting to normal. Side effects are mild in the vast majority of people. They are not the same as long term effects in the slightest. My husband and I both had COVID. He just got his vaccine last week, no side effects. But our respective experiences are anecdotal and don’t mean much.

The vaccines were not rushed through. I won’t go into it here but there are plenty of resources out there to show you that coronavirus vaccine have been in the works for decades and it shows what the world can accomplish when we pour resources into an emergency situation. If these vaccines hadn’t have passed testing they wouldn’t be on the market. Plenty of vaccines don’t make it to market. Even in this case so many were being developed but couldn’t cut it in trials. Plain and simple.

Your doubts are unfounded but they’re still yours. Hence why we cannot force people. But you cannot force business to cater to you either. And we don’t have the info you want yet as far as what exactly has to happen for things to reopen as normal/no masks, we have to wait for infection rates to drop.

 

[hereforthechurros]

View attachment 565901

Epcot from above!! It looks so empty!!!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1375644226919206915

(no, I’m not trying to change the subject or anything...)

Wow I’ve been used to the walls for so long now I forgot how much land is actually behind them!

 

[leahgoogle]

My point is that it's not like they are saying, "Hey everyone! The quicker we all get vaccinated the faster we can take our masks off, take down the plexiglass, and see firework shows!" They are not saying that at all. The CDC has not put out any guidance of when such mandates should be lifted. Has Disney put out any information on what is needed for them to relax the mandates in the parks? I don't think so. If they have, let me know.

You also disregard the fact some people have legitimate reasons to be hesitant to get the vaccine. They may have had adverse reactions to vaccinations in the past and thus fear this one. And some people ultimately may not like the idea of governments and businesses (who are both primarily motivated by profits and money) forcing them to inject a vaccine that was rushed through development. And of course you have some religious people who don't get vaccines also. What do you do about them? Are those people no longer welcome in Disney World or on airplanes?

I have a coworker that got the first shot of the Pfizer vaccine last Thursday. He's now called out sick Friday and Monday. You think that makes me excited to go out and get it? I tested positive last summer for COVID and had no symptoms. Now you want me to go and get a shot that might make me sick in order to ward off a virus that doesn't make me sick? It doesn't make sense. At some point down the line, MAYBE I'll think about getting the J&J one if the reports continue to be positive that it doesn't have many side effects. But I ain't touching that Pfizer one! No way.

Thank you for saying this!!! People automatically assume that if someone doesn't want the vaccine, they are some crazy anti-vaxxer. I have a daughter that reacted poorly to some childhood vaccines. I know family friends who have been injured, as well (one almost died and was paralyzed for weeks). Our family all had covid and it was no more than a cold for us. I understand that it is not like that for some and they should get the vaccine, but we are in no rush and don't plan on getting vaccinated for a disease that our immune system can handle given the risk for vaccine injury as evidenced by past experience. Nobody should be excluded for not getting a vaccine. Vaccine passports are stepping over the line IMO. And, get ready to get a booster 2-3 times a year. No, thanks. I will rely on my immune system since it has proven itself.

 

[buttersnix]

Mine has. I fight it but is has. Honestly its dropping way off in my part of Georgia.

Yeah same here. Plus I’ve gotten the first Pfizer dose so I’m about as vaccinated as I can be. In my area they opened the local amusement park and I think they are having trouble with social distancing. They’re trying to run the rides half full but everyone is crowding shoulder to shoulder in line so it seems silly to then space people out on the actual ride. On at least one water ride, where there are like ten to a raft, they were only putting parties and families that came together on at a time, so people were saying they were “family” with the strangers behind them to load the boats up more. I’m sure Disney is better at maintaining control but it is interesting to watch.

 

[leahgoogle]

We don’t expect vaccine rates to be 100%. We have to take in account a small people who cannot get it. 30% is not a small amount and will absolutely hold us back from getting to normal. Side effects are mild in the vast majority of people. They are not the same as long term effects in the slightest. My husband and I both had COVID. He just got his vaccine last week, no side effects. But our respective experiences are anecdotal and don’t mean much.

The vaccines were not rushed through. I won’t go into it here but there are plenty of resources out there to show you that coronavirus vaccine have been in the works for decades and it shows what the world can accomplish when we pour resources into an emergency situation. If these vaccines hadn’t have passed testing they wouldn’t be on the market. Plenty of vaccines don’t make it to market. Even in this case so many were being developed but couldn’t cut it in trials. Plain and simple.

Your doubts are unfounded but they’re still yours. Hence why we cannot force people. But you cannot force business to cater to you either. And we don’t have the info you want yet as far as what exactly has to happen for things to reopen as normal/no masks, we have to wait for infection rates to drop.

His doubts are actually not unfounded. They are based on what he has seen. There are plenty of people who have been injured by this vaccine. And, in his case (as, in mine) the risk for adverse side-effects from the vaccine is greater than the side effects of the covid we had. So, your experience has been positive with the vaccine which is great. But, just because someone doesn't agree doesn't mean it is unfounded.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

And here is the announcement...

Most Americans will be eligible for Covid-19 vaccine by mid-April, Biden says (nbcnews.com)

as of right now even with that my husband and myself will have to. wait until end of April not that we have covid but been exposed and will have to wait that long. we are in the group that should be first but still have to wait