.
Interesting how split we, even here in this group, are about this topic. I am one of the people who was tentatively planning an October trip but was worried about facing unmasked, only partially vaccinated crowds. I’ve been fully vaccinated and thus unlikely to get extremely sick if catching the virus, but I worry about those too young for the shot and those (e.g. immunocompromised), whose bodies don’t react fully to the vaccine and who therefore don’t get the same level of protection.
This is why this new policy makes it far more likely that our October trip is in fact going to happen (we had booked two separate Disneyland trips last year, both of which ended up canceled)
Yes, indoor masks are a hassle, but I feel they are important, not just because even vaccinated folks can have breakthrough infections and still infect others, who are more vulnerable, but also to show solidarity with the little ones who still have to be masked. My kids are 13 and 15 now. Both understand why protecting others is important. However, when they were little, they would probably had huge issues with it in their eyes being “unfair,” if they had to wear masks and other guests wouldn’t have to. I believe that the perceived “fairness” and shared hassle of universal indoor masking would have made a huge difference to them.
To me, this is not about “fear” but about kindness (and totally in line with Walt Disney’s original vision of a kinder, more caring, less self-obsessed, better world). That is why, to me, trading the comfort of my perfect, escapist bubble for protecting others, who are more vulnerable, is worth it. To be willing to endanger others (or to, since, given all the misinformation and vaccine hesitancy that are out there, I doubt that this will go away any time soon, make it too risky for them to visit for the indefinite future), in order to maintain my own sense of normalcy, seems antithetical to so many of the ideas, which Disney supposedly stands for.
In my “perfect,” hypothetical fantasy world, DLand would abandon all capacity restrictions, institute indoor masking permanently, bring back Fastpass/Maxpass/EMH/unlimited hopping, but also ask for proof of vaccination and rapid-testing of everyone who isn’t able or willing to get vaccinated (as well as giving refunds and maybe some kind of generous make-up gift/access to a VIP quarantine lounge for those testing positive and not being able to visit the parks). This would still not guarantee 100% safety—there simply is no such thing, since there would be people who use fraudulent vaccination cards and people who were infected so recently that the test wouldn’t yet identify them as potential spreaders—but it would maximize safety, based on what we currently know (from peer reviewed studies rather than official government announcements and various people’s random opinions) about transmission and risk.
I don’t think the above scenario will happen, though, since it would most likely trigger a huge backlash of potential visitors from areas, in which many people think that this disease isn’t such a big deal.
If this post overstepped the line as to what is permissible talking about here, I apologize. In this case please feel free to delete away…
Thank you so much for elaborating and for reminding me that each of us have to assess, based on what matters to each particular family, if such an altered experience is worth the big bill that any Disney trip comes with, and for, even more importantly, reminding me that this ABSOLUTELY DOESN’T MEAN that somebody, for whom masks and a great Disney vacation are just not a good combo, doesn’t care about the well-being others. ❤
Thank you so much for elaborating and for reminding me that each of us have to assess, based on what matters to each particular family, if such an altered experience is worth the big bill that any Disney trip comes with, and for, even more importantly, reminding me that this ABSOLUTELY DOESN’T MEAN that somebody, for whom masks and a great Disney vacation are just not a good combo, doesn’t care about the well-being others. ❤
Thank you also for wording what you said with such kind thoughtfulness and respect. ❤❤❤ This is a topic that can really stir up passions, and conversations such as this one give me hope for our country’s (and the parks) being able to, over time, heal and recover from this (not just from the virus but also from the occasional frustration with one another’s actions and attitudes that such difficult situations can come with).
This is what I love about DisBoards! We might not always arrive at the same conclusions but sharing our love for all things Disney can cover and soften a multitude of differences and disagreements.
Here’s hoping that my concerns that indoor masks are here to stay for a long, long time are far too pessimistic, that Life will pleasantly surprise me by having this pass sooner rather than later, and that you and I will at some point in the hopefully near future be able to enjoy the parks the way they are meant to be enjoyed—joyfully, playfully, and with all our worries left far away…
All of it, well said!Interesting how split we, even here in this group, are about this topic. I am one of the people who was tentatively planning an October trip but was worried about facing unmasked, only partially vaccinated crowds. I’ve been fully vaccinated and thus unlikely to get extremely sick if catching the virus, but I worry about those too young for the shot and those (e.g. immunocompromised), whose bodies don’t react fully to the vaccine and who therefore don’t get the same level of protection.
This is why this new policy makes it far more likely that our October trip is in fact going to happen (we had booked two separate Disneyland trips last year, both of which ended up canceled)
Yes, indoor masks are a hassle, but I feel they are important, not just because even vaccinated folks can have breakthrough infections and still infect others, who are more vulnerable, but also to show solidarity with the little ones who still have to be masked. My kids are 13 and 15 now. Both understand why protecting others is important. However, when they were little, they would probably had huge issues with it in their eyes being “unfair,” if they had to wear masks and other guests wouldn’t have to. I believe that the perceived “fairness” and shared hassle of universal indoor masking would have made a huge difference to them.
To me, this is not about “fear” but about kindness (and totally in line with Walt Disney’s original vision of a kinder, more caring, less self-obsessed, better world). That is why, to me, trading the comfort of my perfect, escapist bubble for protecting others, who are more vulnerable, is worth it. To be willing to endanger others (or to, since, given all the misinformation and vaccine hesitancy that are out there, I doubt that this will go away any time soon, make it too risky for them to visit for the indefinite future), in order to maintain my own sense of normalcy, seems antithetical to so many of the ideas, which Disney supposedly stands for.
In my “perfect,” hypothetical fantasy world, DLand would abandon all capacity restrictions, institute indoor masking permanently, bring back Fastpass/Maxpass/EMH/unlimited hopping, but also ask for proof of vaccination and rapid-testing of everyone who isn’t able or willing to get vaccinated (as well as giving refunds and maybe some kind of generous make-up gift/access to a VIP quarantine lounge for those testing positive and not being able to visit the parks). This would still not guarantee 100% safety—there simply is no such thing, since there would be people who use fraudulent vaccination cards and people who were infected so recently that the test wouldn’t yet identify them as potential spreaders—but it would maximize safety, based on what we currently know (from peer reviewed studies rather than official government announcements and various people’s random opinions) about transmission and risk.
I don’t think the above scenario will happen, though, since it would most likely trigger a huge backlash of potential visitors from areas, in which many people think that this disease isn’t such a big deal.
If this post overstepped the line as to what is permissible talking about here, I apologize. In this case please feel free to delete away…
