Passport to the world

[Aluminum Falcon]

Hey all, long time lurker, first time poster. Just curious what everyone thinks the odds are that Disney attempts to add a type of vaccine passport now that Norwegian Cruise Line won their case against the state of FL

 

[csmommy]

Hey all, long time lurker, first time poster. Just curious what everyone thinks the odds are that Disney attempts to add a type of vaccine passport now that Norwegian Cruise Line won their case against the state of FL

All for it!

 

[Jellybass]

Isn’t that already happening in DLP?

 

[fabfemmeboy]

Isn’t that already happening in DLP?

I think so, but there are VERY different laws and cultures between the two countries. In France there have been a few small-ish protests about the "health pass" this past week, but it's nothing compared to the anti-mask, anti-vaccine, anti-lockdown stuff we've seen in the US.

I suspect they would be hesitant to implement it in US parks for a few reasons:
1. Risk of losing guests. There are already some people on these boards saying they are canceling their trips now that masks are back (partially). Adding a vaccine passport would be no-go for roughly half of people in the US.
2. Kids under 12 can't be vaccinated yet, which is a large part of their visitor base. I suppose they could say people under 12 don't need a pass to enter, but enough people were trying to argue why their 5-year-old didn't need to wear a mask if 2-year-olds didn't need to wear them, that I can see that becoming a nightmare quickly.
3. It creates the idea that people are safe from the virus without doing anything else. After all, if I know every person at the park over age 12 is vaccinated, why have masks? Why have distancing? The issue is that breakthrough cases of covid post-vaccination are on the rise. It's still much better than cases of unvaccinated people for sure. But there are certainly enough of them that people still need to take precautions. Vaccine passports might make people feel like they have eliminated all risk of contracting covid and cause them to reject other precautions (as we've seen with post-vaccination returns to mask-wearing).
4. The case with Norwegian is still ongoing. They won the preliminary injunction, IIRC, meaning they can check people's status while the case continues. Cruise ships already have a lot more authority to check people's health because everyone is so packed together. Theme parks are a different beast, and just because the court ruled for Norwegian doesn't necessarily mean that Disney would win a similar suit for land-based attractions. I think DCL would be fine and expect they will implement a similar check, if they haven't already. But parks?
5. Also...for which parts of Disney? The parks? The hotels? Restaurants at the hotels? Restaurants at Disney Springs? Disney Springs itself? The Governor would throw a FIT at that point, and so would a lot of locals. Which brings us back to point #1.

I'm not saying I agree with these viewpoints at all. Just that there are a lot more considerations for WDW than there are for a cruise or for DLP where the French government mandates them.

 

[JenSop]

I live and work most of each year in Europe. (In normal times, I work on European River Cruises as a Tour Director.) I was just in Vienna a month ago to attend my friend's wedding. I LOVED what they were doing: to eat at ANY restaurant or go to ANY museum, you had to show your vaccination card OR a negative test from the last 48 hours. (You could get take-out food without a card or test.) I also had to show my vaccine card just to enter Austria. (For the record, I am a dual citizen of the USA and Hungary, so I travel within Europe with my EU passport, which means I'm not restricted in the same way people with just a US passport are.)

Honestly, I thought it was all great! It made me feel so much better and safe about just being out and about. You were still required to have masks on inside any stores, as well. But you knew that if you were eating inside a restaurant, that the odds were in your favor.

I wish something like that could be done in the USA, not just Disney. You want to eat out? Vaccine card. You want to go to a national park? Vaccine card. I know it's unlikely to happen, though. Sigh...

 

[csmommy]

I live and work most of each year in Europe. (In normal times, I work on European River Cruises as a Tour Director.) I was just in Vienna a month ago to attend my friend's wedding. I LOVED what they were doing: to eat at ANY restaurant or go to ANY museum, you had to show your vaccination card OR a negative test from the last 48 hours. (You could get take-out food without a card or test.) I also had to show my vaccine card just to enter Austria. (For the record, I am a dual citizen of the USA and Hungary, so I travel within Europe with my EU passport, which means I'm not restricted in the same way people with just a US passport are.)

Honestly, I thought it was all great! It made me feel so much better and safe about just being out and about. You were still required to have masks on inside any stores, as well. But you knew that if you were eating inside a restaurant, that the odds were in your favor.

I wish something like that could be done in the USA, not just Disney. You want to eat out? Vaccine card. You want to go to a national park? Vaccine card. I know it's unlikely to happen, though. Sigh...

It's happening in NYC! I hope others follow. https://www.npr.org/2021/08/03/1024...roof-of-vaccination-coronavirus-delta-variant

 

[soniam]

We have a theater (movies, plays, live performances) here in Austin that is doing this, either show vax proof or show negative test. A couple of restaurants tried to require vax proof to eat inside; they still had outside seating. However, with the laws in Texas, they were told they could lose their liquor licenses. Doing what the theater is doing is allowed though. I have no issues with it. Makes me feel safer. I think businesses should be allowed to choose their own paths and rules. We as customers can choose to patronage them or not.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

I think so, but there are VERY different laws and cultures between the two countries. In France there have been a few small-ish protests about the "health pass" this past week, but it's nothing compared to the anti-mask, anti-vaccine, anti-lockdown stuff we've seen in the US.

I suspect they would be hesitant to implement it in US parks for a few reasons:
1. Risk of losing guests. There are already some people on these boards saying they are canceling their trips now that masks are back (partially). Adding a vaccine passport would be no-go for roughly half of people in the US.
2. Kids under 12 can't be vaccinated yet, which is a large part of their visitor base. I suppose they could say people under 12 don't need a pass to enter, but enough people were trying to argue why their 5-year-old didn't need to wear a mask if 2-year-olds didn't need to wear them, that I can see that becoming a nightmare quickly.
3. It creates the idea that people are safe from the virus without doing anything else. After all, if I know every person at the park over age 12 is vaccinated, why have masks? Why have distancing? The issue is that breakthrough cases of covid post-vaccination are on the rise. It's still much better than cases of unvaccinated people for sure. But there are certainly enough of them that people still need to take precautions. Vaccine passports might make people feel like they have eliminated all risk of contracting covid and cause them to reject other precautions (as we've seen with post-vaccination returns to mask-wearing).
4. The case with Norwegian is still ongoing. They won the preliminary injunction, IIRC, meaning they can check people's status while the case continues. Cruise ships already have a lot more authority to check people's health because everyone is so packed together. Theme parks are a different beast, and just because the court ruled for Norwegian doesn't necessarily mean that Disney would win a similar suit for land-based attractions. I think DCL would be fine and expect they will implement a similar check, if they haven't already. But parks?
5. Also...for which parts of Disney? The parks? The hotels? Restaurants at the hotels? Restaurants at Disney Springs? Disney Springs itself? The Governor would throw a FIT at that point, and so would a lot of locals. Which brings us back to point #1.

I'm not saying I agree with these viewpoints at all. Just that there are a lot more considerations for WDW than there are for a cruise or for DLP where the French government mandates them.

I can understand every point you have made above and I'm not saying that any of them are invalid. From my perspective, Disney could implement something along the lines of needing a "Passport" (pertaining to guests that can get vaccinated or a negative test to use their restaurants. This way they are not stopping access for certain guests, but making it more uncomfortable for them to not get vaccinated if they do want to go to Disney World.

I am also of the belief that if Disney doesn't implement something, guests will hold off booking for safety concerns, I believe they are going to lose bookings no matter if they implement "passports" or not, and I personally fall more in line of pushing back against the unvaccinated, and giving more "perks" to the vaccinated (hoping that's not wading to much into politics)

 

[kanerf]

Don't care. It would be simple enough to add it to your MDE. What they use it for on the other hand might be a problem. If you show up for your ADR and they tell you it will have to be take-out because of your vaccination status, many will be pissed.

 

[rangerxenos]

I live and work most of each year in Europe. (In normal times, I work on European River Cruises as a Tour Director.) I was just in Vienna a month ago to attend my friend's wedding. I LOVED what they were doing: to eat at ANY restaurant or go to ANY museum, you had to show your vaccination card OR a negative test from the last 48 hours. (You could get take-out food without a card or test.) I also had to show my vaccine card just to enter Austria. (For the record, I am a dual citizen of the USA and Hungary, so I travel within Europe with my EU passport, which means I'm not restricted in the same way people with just a US passport are.)

Honestly, I thought it was all great! It made me feel so much better and safe about just being out and about. You were still required to have masks on inside any stores, as well. But you knew that if you were eating inside a restaurant, that the odds were in your favor.

I wish something like that could be done in the USA, not just Disney. You want to eat out? Vaccine card. You want to go to a national park? Vaccine card. I know it's unlikely to happen, though. Sigh...

I would love to see something like this in USA. This is also the way you entice people to get vaccinated. Want to go to a concert? A play? Get on an airplane, or a train? Then show proof of vaccination, or a negative test within the last 24/48 hours.

 

[Marionnette]

I can understand every point you have made above and I'm not saying that any of them are invalid. From my perspective, Disney could implement something along the lines of needing a "Passport" (pertaining to guests that can get vaccinated or a negative test to use their restaurants. This way they are not stopping access for certain guests, but making it more uncomfortable for them to not get vaccinated if they do want to go to Disney World.

I am also of the belief that if Disney doesn't implement something, guests will hold off booking for safety concerns, I believe they are going to loss bookings no matter if they implement "passports" or not, and I personally fall more in line of pushing back against the unvaccinated, and giving more "perks" to the vaccinated (hoping that's not wading to much into politics)

Vaccination "passports" are the last straw for a lot of people. They are too easily forged. My vaccine card is just a small piece of cardstock with vaccination dates and lot numbers on it. It wasn't even given to me with my personal information on it. I filled that in myself.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Vaccination "passports" are the last straw for a lot of people. They are too easily forged. My vaccine card is just a small piece of cardstock with vaccination dates and lot numbers on it. It wasn't even given to me with my personal information on it. I filled that in myself.

that's a fair point, mine is the same way. I am out of Massachusetts, and I believe the state also keeps a digital record, because they run a Vax lottery, and check your status prior to selecting a winner. So maybe there will be a more advanced way of checking status down the road, but for now I definitely see where you're coming from

 

[csmommy]

Vaccination "passports" are the last straw for a lot of people. They are too easily forged. My vaccine card is just a small piece of cardstock with vaccination dates and lot numbers on it. It wasn't even given to me with my personal information on it. I filled that in myself.

In NY we have an app where you put your name & date of birth & they pull your Covid Vax record. When I show my app to get into a venue I also have to show my Drivers License to prove it is me.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

In NY we have an app where you put your name & date of birth & they pull your Covid Vax record. When I show my app to get into a venue I also have to show my Drivers License to prove it is me.

That sounds like a solid system, I think the problem would be that states like Florida & Texas would never even think about an app that shows vaccination status, which would muddy the waters.

 

[Karin1984]

Isn’t that already happening in DLP?

Yes, but it's for the whole of France. To get access to anything public, except essential stores, you need to be vaccinated, tested within the last 48 hours, or have a statement of being recently recovered.
Several countries in Europe, like Italy, also have some sort of vaccine passport. China was one of the first. When Disney in Shanghai reopened last year they already had an app with a QR code.

I'm not from the US, so not exactly sure how your laws work. But Disney is a follower. Disney will not say 'this will make it safer, we are going to take this extra step', not until a CDC or a Florida Governor says so. They are more afraid to scare off guests.

 

[ATL Gator]

I live and work most of each year in Europe. (In normal times, I work on European River Cruises as a Tour Director.) I was just in Vienna a month ago to attend my friend's wedding. I LOVED what they were doing: to eat at ANY restaurant or go to ANY museum, you had to show your vaccination card OR a negative test from the last 48 hours. (You could get take-out food without a card or test.) I also had to show my vaccine card just to enter Austria. (For the record, I am a dual citizen of the USA and Hungary, so I travel within Europe with my EU passport, which means I'm not restricted in the same way people with just a US passport are.)

Honestly, I thought it was all great! It made me feel so much better and safe about just being out and about. You were still required to have masks on inside any stores, as well. But you knew that if you were eating inside a restaurant, that the odds were in your favor.

I wish something like that could be done in the USA, not just Disney. You want to eat out? Vaccine card. You want to go to a national park? Vaccine card. I know it's unlikely to happen, though. Sigh...

Proof of vaccination to go to a National Park?!?! I'm glad I don't live in such a country...

 

[Karin1984]

Proof of vaccination to go to a National Park?!?! I'm glad I don't live in such a country...

I think a lot of Europeans would say the same about yours

 

[ATL Gator]

I think a lot of Europeans would say the same about yours

Touché! There are many things I admire about Western Europeans vs. Americans: much more risk averse when it comes to not just health-related issues but also financial accountability. However, where we differ culturally is that a majority of Americans do not want state interference when it comes to pursuing life's goals. Some of us (obviously not anyone posting on this thread ) think that requiring vaccination passports to do anything outside your own home encroaches on our "life's goals."

 

[looking4themouse2]

While I love the idea of this I do not love the idea of enforcing this. TBH I work in the field and have had guests screaming at myself and my staff an incident where I had to call the police due to an entire family causing a scene in the restaurant and all of this due largely in part to me enforcing the mask policy in our establishment. A policy that was not imposed by me but the government. There were also several incidents where people were shot at simply trying to enforce a policy that was not of their doing. As it is now people are on edge and angry because they can’t receive the same level of service they are accustomed to due to severe staff shortages in almost every sector. Adding this would add undue burden to an already abused population of service workers leading to further staff shortages. Also If this were to be implemented the government would have to spend some serious money training staff in these types of positions to handle the hard to handle guest who refuses.