Is anyone else feeling a little conflicted?

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

So I’m someone who is really strict about procedures right now. I probably overdo it, but I really don’t want to catch anything, nor do I want to put anyone else at risk. I have a trip planned to Orlando mid-December.

I feel conflicted on both sides. Like, obviously I don’t want to contribute to the spread, but at the same time, if people don’t put money into the tourism industry, more people get laid off. And then on another hand, I don’t want to unknowingly give it to a tourism worker and then they’re out of work because of that. Ugh.

I work in tourism and was already laid off this year, so I really feel for those CMs who lost their jobs. I’m curious if CMs actually WANT people at the parks, same with any other tourism business.

It’s really hard to make sound and ethical choices in our current climate.

 

[MrsBooch]

Are you exclusively going to be in the disney bubble or are you going to be out and about around Orlando?

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

Are you exclusively going to be in the disney bubble or are you going to be out and about around Orlando?

Disney Springs the first night, then Magic Kingdom, then two days at Universal. When I go to Florida, I exclusively stick to the theme parks.

 

[OHmomof2]

I’m curious if CMs actually WANT people at the parks

Very interesting! I’d love to know what they actually think.

 

[MrsBooch]

Disney Springs the first night, then Magic Kingdom, then two days at Universal. When I go to Florida, I exclusively stick to the theme parks.

I mean - a lot of this is personal comfort level and safety measures. Underlying health conditions. How many transfers/touchpoints/lines are you crossing each time you do something.

We are leaving in two days - we are only doing WDW - staying on property. While we have park tickets and passes to the parks, we aren't spending a lot of time in the parks this time. We will do the short lines/no lines rides to minimize the amount of time we're around people. We're doing independent activities like the scavenger hunts and sorcerers of the magic kingdom and we are going to enjoy our room (staying at some great DVC resorts) and their pools. Getting groceries delivered - we have a one bedroom so we'll be primarily eating in our room or outdoors at restaurants with outside seating - or restaurants with open sides (geyser point, whispering canyon)

I think if you're concerned about minimizing risk there are ways to enjoy the parks without maxing out your risk factors. But ultimately the best way to minimize everyone's risk is to not go.

That's kind of how i'm seeing it.

And finally - I can't emphasize this enough - when we get home (even though it isn't required right now) we are quarantining - like it was March all over again - not leaving our home, ordering groceries, kid is doing virtual school, to minimize our community spread.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

I mean - a lot of this is personal comfort level and safety measures. Underlying health conditions. How many transfers/touchpoints/lines are you crossing each time you do something.

We are leaving in two days - we are only doing WDW - staying on property. While we have park tickets and passes to the parks, we aren't spending a lot of time in the parks this time. We will do the short lines/no lines rides to minimize the amount of time we're around people. We're doing independent activities like the scavenger hunts and sorcerers of the magic kingdom and we are going to enjoy our room (staying at some great DVC resorts) and their pools. Getting groceries delivered - we have a one bedroom so we'll be primarily eating in our room or outdoors at restaurants with outside seating - or restaurants with open sides (geyser point, whispering canyon)

I think if you're concerned about minimizing risk there are ways to enjoy the parks without maxing out your risk factors. But ultimately the best way to minimize everyone's risk is to not go.

That's kind of how i'm seeing it.

And finally - I can't emphasize this enough - when we get home (even though it isn't required right now) we are quarantining - like it was March all over again - not leaving our home, ordering groceries, kid is doing virtual school, to minimize our community spread.

I talked to my parents (who I’m going with) and I told them that if I feel uncomfortable with crowds, that we’ll be heading back to the hotel. They drive, so we have a car and won’t be stuck at the parks, and I also want to avoid using transportation.

I’m debating just switch the whole trip over to Disney, but from what I’ve seen, Disney and Universal seem to have similar protocols.

 

[mommasita]

I think a lot of people are conflicted, you bring up a lot of valid points in your post. I think we have at access the risks in each one of our lives, and make a decision going forward. Travel safely, don’t rush things, and please enjoy your time.

I completely agree with @MrsBooch about doing the quarantine when you arrive home. This is so wise regarding any type of community spread after, because at this point we just don’t always know. Enjoy your time also @MrsBooch.

 

[DLgal]

The sound, ethical choice RIGHT NOW is to stay home. Don't travel. This too shall pass, so save your travel for when things have settled down a bit as far as infection/hospitalization rates are concerned.

FWIW, people ARE contracting Covid while on vacation at WDW. Someone on the Dis Facebook page told her story yesterday and said when she contacted Disney about it, they really didn't care/want to hear about it. She stayed in the WDW bubble the whole time and tested positive 2 days after returning home.

 

[MrsBooch]

The sound, ethical choice RIGHT NOW is to stay home. Don't travel. This too shall pass, so save your travel for when things have settled down a bit as far as infection/hospitalization rates are concerned.

FWIW, people ARE contracting Covid while on vacation at WDW. Someone on the Dis Facebook page told her story yesterday and said when she contacted Disney about it, they really didn't care/want to hear about it. She stayed in the WDW bubble the whole time and tested positive 2 days after returning home.

absolutely - statistically it is highly likely that you will be in Disney with someone who is positive for covid and doesn't know it.

I know which post you are referring to - I replied to the poster with a question privately. I'll say this much and you can take it for what you will - she came from a location where there is no mask enforcement. It is possible that based on the length of her stay, she had it when she came to WDW but symptoms presented later. We can't know for sure.

That being said it is even more important to weigh these things out. Understand that you may at times be near someone who is Covid positive, who is shedding the virus and is unaware. Which is why you can mitigate risk by not jamming into long lines, not feeling the need to ride everything, washing your hands regularly, and minimizing risk at home as well. Eating outdoors exclusively. maintaining social distancing even if it means leaving the park or leaving wherever you are. Not riding certain rides bc of the lines.

You can reduce risk to zero by not going. Period.

But depending on your location in this country, community spread is happening due to inconsistent mask enforcement.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I couldn’t live with myself if I contributed to the spread for a non-essential activity. That is my stance. But I understand the need for the economy to keep going, since we are past the point where we could have dramatically slowed the spread of the country acted as a United front against the virus. So it really comes down to how you feel you can best help humanity at this point. Either way you are helping.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

The sound, ethical choice RIGHT NOW is to stay home. Don't travel. This too shall pass, so save your travel for when things have settled down a bit as far as infection/hospitalization rates are concerned.

FWIW, people ARE contracting Covid while on vacation at WDW. Someone on the Dis Facebook page told her story yesterday and said when she contacted Disney about it, they really didn't care/want to hear about it. She stayed in the WDW bubble the whole time and tested positive 2 days after returning home.

I do agree that it’ll pass, but by the time it passes, it will be too late for some people. Hundreds of businesses are closing down daily, more people becoming homeless, losing their jobs. At my temp job, I get calls daily about people having to close their businesses they’ve had for years and they’re not sure how they’ll survive. That’s really difficult to hear.

As another poster mentioned, there isn’t really a “right” choice here unfortunately.

 

[DLgal]

I do agree that it’ll pass, but by the time it passes, it will be too late for some people. Hundreds of businesses are closing down daily, more people becoming homeless, losing their jobs. At my temp job, I get calls daily about people having to close their businesses they’ve had for years and they’re not sure how they’ll survive. That’s really difficult to hear.

As another poster mentioned, there isn’t really a “right” choice here unfortunately.

But WDW is not one of these small businesses.

 

[happymommy]

I personally would take the advice of Johns Hopkins right now and avoid unnecessary travel. That, and the fact that the experience would not be close to the same, and eating in restaurants is a high risk behavior, would stop me from going. It would also take away from the fun of it all.

You mention going with your parents too; if they don’t live with you that is adding another layer of risk. I haven’t seen my in-laws since the spring in person. They are not coming over for any holidays this year. The recommendation for Thanksgiving is to only dine with members of your household.

The surge right now is putting such a strain on our health care system, so if it were me, I’d wait on travel until earliest next summer.

 

[DLgal]

I personally would take the advice of Johns Hopkins right now and avoid unnecessary travel.

The surge right now is putting such a strain on our health care system, so if it were me, I’d wait on travel until earliest next summer.

We decided long ago that we would not be traveling by air until there is a vaccine, which seems to line up with next summer/fall. We were going to try to go to Aulani for spring break, but that is looking unlikely. We will not allow anyone to stay with us or visit in our home until that point also. My MIL seriously asked my husband last week if she could come for Christmas. She is almost 70, and has a preexisting condition (HBP). She would have to endure a 6+ hour flight with a connection. He told her absolutely not, until she gets a vaccine. I haven't even seen my sisters and their families who live 45 minutes away by car. None of us is willing to break our small bubbles. It's not worth it.

I will say, though, we are Disneyland locals. It's been closed this whole time. *If* it had opened, we would have gone for the day, probably several times by now. I generally feel safe outdoors, and for the most part, we stick with the outdoor attractions there. We might have even stayed at one of the hotels for a short staycation. We did end up having to stay in a hotel last month unexpectedly (had to evacuate from a wildfire) and it didn't make me nervous at all. But taking a full on trip which necessitates flying, traveling on buses, eating in restaurants, etc...nope. Not yet.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

I personally would take the advice of Johns Hopkins right now and avoid unnecessary travel. That, and the fact that the experience would not be close to the same, and eating in restaurants is a high risk behavior, would stop me from going. It would also take away from the fun of it all.

You mention going with your parents too; if they don’t live with you that is adding another layer of risk. I haven’t seen my in-laws since the spring in person. They are not coming over for any holidays this year. The recommendation for Thanksgiving is to only dine with members of your household.

The surge right now is putting such a strain on our health care system, so if it were me, I’d wait on travel until earliest next summer.

I’m still considering my own choices personally, but this was more of an overall ethical question I was posing. If we should stop all travel, for everyone, what would that mean for airlines, Disney, restaurants, hotels, etc? They wouldn’t be able to afford to stay open, more people would be unemployed, overwhelming the system? What would we do then?

This is not meant to come off as rude or argumentative at all, I’m genuinely curious because I think there’s no right answer in our current climate.

 

[cm8]

I’m still considering my own choices personally, but this was more of an overall ethical question I was posing. If we should stop all travel, for everyone, what would that mean for airlines, Disney, restaurants, hotels, etc? They wouldn’t be able to afford to stay open, more people would be unemployed, overwhelming the system? What would we do then?

This is not meant to come off as rude or argumentative at all, I’m genuinely curious because I think there’s no right answer in our current climate.

Like everyone else trying to manage in this environment, it really comes down to what you’re comfortable with and what your beliefs are.

You’re just going to have to make a decision based on the outcome you can mostly live with. It’s not necessarily right and it’s not necessarily wrong. We just have to be ready to live with whatever outcome happens at the end of decision.

Some people feel traveling to Disney is not essential but for those that rely on our travel, it’s absolutely essential to get people there spending money and supporting the local economy. How you choose to do so is what you have to live with.

Just be as smart and careful about it as you can.