Report from Bay Lake Tower 6/22

Joshuy

Earning My Ears
Joined
Feb 3, 2012
Messages
57
Hey all
Got here today around 3 pm. I was told we were around family #40 to get here. And that they severely limited total number of guests in the building. We spent the afternoon in the pool. At most there were around a dozen families? Most of the time there were only 2-3 other families in the pool. My wife went to Contempo Cafe to get dinner. Only two others there. Contemporary is closed to guests. So everything feels very safe and quiet from a coronavirus perspective.

A little more on that....I’m a geriatrician who works in an academic hospital and nursing home in Philadelphia. We’ve been hit hard with COVID in our city and we’ve learned a lot. We were able to shut down an outbreak in my NH for example. Lessons I’ve learned is that mask wearing is the key thing to keep everyone (guests and staff) safe and cleaning matters. Along with distancing. It is my job to keep patients and staff safe so I look around Disney as if I’m in my NH.

I couldn’t be more impressed. All Disney staff are masked and wearing masks perfectly (one guy had it a bit low). Multiple staff are dedicated to environmental cleaning. I see people wiping down high tough surfaces constantly.

Every guest is wearing masks, even kids. Overall it’s a great culture. Even in my hospital and NH I catch people cutting corners all the time. Taking mask breaks, scooting the mask off their nose, only wearing it around some people and not others. I’ve been watching the staff and everyone-housekeepers, life guards, front desk staff have surgical masks and are wearing them properly. From personal experience that is a crazy amount of training to get people to do this right and persist at it.

Guests have to do their part to and the guests right now seem like all veterans. I was told that too. So everyone is wearing their mask and staying apart.

I was worried hearing about the surge in FL. When we traveled to GA and stayed in a Hilton property no one (staff) was masked over the weekend on our drive down. I really am impressed.

The one thing that Disney can not control is the overall spread in FL. If it surges bad enough it will affect their staff. But as long as they are masked, danger to guests will be significantly lessened. I hope that the staff are masked when interacting with each other in break rooms. Obviously I have no idea if they are, but that’s another potential weak spot.

I’ll update this later!
 
Thanks for your report. Your lucky PA folks can travel to FL, us NJ people have to wait.
BLT is my Home Resort. Enjoy your stay and keep cool.😎❤️
 
Yeah that’s a bad policy. FL is so far worse than NJ and NY right now. We drove and there was a COVID checkpoint at the border with GA on 95 South and tons of police but no one was being stopped. I’m guessing they were scanning license plates?
 

Please tell if the Electrical Water Pageant makes it’s way around the lake tonight!
 
Nope. No pageant last night.
So we went to Riviera Topolino’s last night. We were the second table seated at 5:30. Tables initially were at the four corners of the restaurant and felt very safe. I chatted with the waiter. Every staff person goes through 8 hours of covid training! Every staff is expected to wear a mask while on property. Restaurant staff were all masked. Towards the end of the dinner the restaurant was getting to the point where every other table was being filled. Not there but getting there. If you are concerned about indoor eating (which is me and my wife) I would take very early reservations. Again I couldn’t be more impressed. Every staff from the community rooms, to the elevator contractor repairmen, to lawn folks and housekeeping are all masked.

I will say that unless you make reservations at another propoerty for dinner, we are limited to our resort and Disney springs. Can’t go to boardwalk. So it’s been relaxing. Since choices are limited. With the covid spread in FL I don’t feel safe leaving to go to Universal or Legoland. Or sea world. I do feel safe here. It’s fun being here this week having everything quit quiet. Staff are so happy to be here (even more than normal). Disney nails it when it comes to safety.
 
Wow, so interesting to read your experiences. I am missing my trip this summer. Hope you continue to have a relaxing time. Are they having movies out on the lawn? Or other in resort activities?
 
Thank you for this last update! We have reservations at Topolino's at 7:30pm in a week and a half and now I'm considering moving them earlier. (we also don't like eating inside). How was the food? Selection?

I waited on hold this morning to move a Topolino's breakfast from 8am to 9am. I hope that wasn't a mistake...
 
The community club is open. Video game controllers are wiped down between kids but no one else was there anyway they are setting up for a movie tonight.

For dining earlier is less crowded would be my guess but this is the first week and there are few guests anywhere to be honest. What it is like after July 4th when I was told there will be significantly more guests, who knows. There are supervising managers everywhere watching things. I’ve talked to a bunch. Very vigilant.

The food at Topolino’s was amazing my wife had a fish and I had lamb. Both excellent. The spacing every other table is definitely six feet apart at least. I would prefer more but they are easily meeting spacing rec’s. Depends on your comfort level, how high risk you are etc.
 
Hi, Joshuy, M,D.

Thank you for your excellent reports reconfirming the need for every caring individual to wear masks in order to protect others.

If you travel by bus again, and if you have time, could you take some photos? Or take notes. I use a wheelchair and I would like inform my other friends of rumors.

Markings on the ground at bus stop for social distancing.
Posted signs at bus stop
WDW Driver having to wear mask, to carry hand sanitizer.
I heard WDW Driver's either clean the interior seats with a micro-mister or wiping.
The possible six seating zones with partitions and a few seats with a sign that says do not sit here.
I heard WDW Driver's leave both doors open for four minutes whenever they are at a bus stop to aid airing out the bus,

I just thought that I would ask to see what bus driver said.

no worries if you can't.

After all...you're there to vacation and relax.

On a side note I am a retired respiratory therapist.

I wish I could find a Medicare Geriatrician in Atlanta, Georgia.



Hey all
Got here today around 3 pm. I was told we were around family #40 to get here. And that they severely limited total number of guests in the building. We spent the afternoon in the pool. At most there were around a dozen families? Most of the time there were only 2-3 other families in the pool. My wife went to Contempo Cafe to get dinner. Only two others there. Contemporary is closed to guests. So everything feels very safe and quiet from a coronavirus perspective.

A little more on that....I’m a geriatrician who works in an academic hospital and nursing home in Philadelphia. We’ve been hit hard with COVID in our city and we’ve learned a lot. We were able to shut down an outbreak in my NH for example. Lessons I’ve learned is that mask wearing is the key thing to keep everyone (guests and staff) safe and cleaning matters. Along with distancing. It is my job to keep patients and staff safe so I look around Disney as if I’m in my NH.

I couldn’t be more impressed. All Disney staff are masked and wearing masks perfectly (one guy had it a bit low). Multiple staff are dedicated to environmental cleaning. I see people wiping down high tough surfaces constantly.

Every guest is wearing masks, even kids. Overall it’s a great culture. Even in my hospital and NH I catch people cutting corners all the time. Taking mask breaks, scooting the mask off their nose, only wearing it around some people and not others. I’ve been watching the staff and everyone-housekeepers, life guards, front desk staff have surgical masks and are wearing them properly. From personal experience that is a crazy amount of training to get people to do this right and persist at it.

Guests have to do their part to and the guests right now seem like all veterans. I was told that too. So everyone is wearing their mask and staying apart.

I was worried hearing about the surge in FL. When we traveled to GA and stayed in a Hilton property no one (staff) was masked over the weekend on our drive down. I really am impressed.

The one thing that Disney can not control is the overall spread in FL. If it surges bad enough it will affect their staff. But as long as they are masked, danger to guests will be significantly lessened. I hope that the staff are masked when interacting with each other in break rooms. Obviously I have no idea if they are, but that’s another potential weak spot.

I’ll update this later!
Yeah that’s a bad policy. FL is so far worse than NJ and NY right now. We drove and there was a COVID checkpoint at the border with GA on 95 South and tons of police but no one was being stopped. I’m guessing they were scanning license plates?
Nope. No pageant last night.
So we went to Riviera Topolino’s last night. We were the second table seated at 5:30. Tables initially were at the four corners of the restaurant and felt very safe. I chatted with the waiter. Every staff person goes through 8 hours of covid training! Every staff is expected to wear a mask while on property. Restaurant staff were all masked. Towards the end of the dinner the restaurant was getting to the point where every other table was being filled. Not there but getting there. If you are concerned about indoor eating (which is me and my wife) I would take very early reservations. Again I couldn’t be more impressed. Every staff from the community rooms, to the elevator contractor repairmen, to lawn folks and housekeeping are all masked.

I will say that unless you make reservations at another propoerty for dinner, we are limited to our resort and Disney springs. Can’t go to boardwalk. So it’s been relaxing. Since choices are limited. With the covid spread in FL I don’t feel safe leaving to go to Universal or Legoland. Or sea world. I do feel safe here. It’s fun being here this week having everything quit quiet. Staff are so happy to be here (even more than normal). Disney nails it when it comes to safety.
 
We haven’t been taking the bus because we drove down. Right now most of them are parked. Only going to Disney Springs. They have markings and signs everywhere for masking and distancing. Everywhere. I’m sure they are cleaning but I can look. The issue is the guests. I think the guests this week are crazy like me and all Disney veterans who are willing to follow rules. But I worry when people have been waiting for the bus and they really want to get on etc. I see more guests cheating by putting their mask below their nose etc. but Disney has certainly created an at,o sphere where it is more weird to not wear a mask than wear one.

At Disney Springs they had storm troopers commenting on people social distancing and maintaining formations that was the most Disney creative way to remind people about the rules that was still fun.

Last night we are allowed to go to any resort which opens up quick service dining options and makes me feel a little less confined. Other than grand Floridian and yacht club (nba hotels)
 
Personally if I had to take a bus or be in an enclosed area where others aren’t masking, I’d wear an N95 and bring my own hand sanitizer. I’ve been covid negative by nasal swabs and antibody testing despite being around a decent number of covid pts.

Emory has some good geriatricians! But the issue is availability.
 
We haven’t been taking the bus because we drove down. Right now most of them are parked. Only going to Disney Springs. They have markings and signs everywhere for masking and distancing. Everywhere. I’m sure they are cleaning but I can look. The issue is the guests. I think the guests this week are crazy like me and all Disney veterans who are willing to follow rules. But I worry when people have been waiting for the bus and they really want to get on etc. I see more guests cheating by putting their mask below their nose etc. but Disney has certainly created an at,o sphere where it is more weird to not wear a mask than wear one.

At Disney Springs they had storm troopers commenting on people social distancing and maintaining formations that was the most Disney creative way to remind people about the rules that was still fun.

Last night we are allowed to go to any resort which opens up quick service dining options and makes me feel a little less confined. Other than grand Floridian and yacht club (nba hotels)
Howdy. We have been at Riviera since Monday. We are tired of Disney Springs and are getting a little restless. So we can go to other open resorts for quick service?
 
We just arrived at BLT last night. Wonderful so far. Everybody is masked. Packages of extra pillows were strip tied and "clean" was on the tag. Had to cut off the tie to access the bedding. Remotes were wrapped. Seems like they have most/all bay view folks on upper floors. We are on 14. Beautiful sunrise this morning and a nice breakfast at the Wave.
 

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Yeah that’s a bad policy. FL is so far worse than NJ and NY right now. We drove and there was a COVID checkpoint at the border with GA on 95 South and tons of police but no one was being stopped. I’m guessing they were scanning license plates?
Wait, they had a checkpoint on I-95?
 
We haven’t been taking the bus because we drove down. Right now most of them are parked. Only going to Disney Springs. They have markings and signs everywhere for masking and distancing. Everywhere. I’m sure they are cleaning but I can look. The issue is the guests. I think the guests this week are crazy like me and all Disney veterans who are willing to follow rules. But I worry when people have been waiting for the bus and they really want to get on etc. I see more guests cheating by putting their mask below their nose etc. but Disney has certainly created an at,o sphere where it is more weird to not wear a mask than wear one.

Hi, Joshuy.

Thank you.

I think many guests are probably driving like you are considering the WDW early reopening. I can understand.

I found some recent photos of the buses.

504275

Jeff Lange sitting in one of the WDW buses, Zone 5 sections between partitions.

504277

Jeff took this photo standing in front of his seat where he was sitting in the previous photo looking toward the front of the bus. I see one seat in Zone 5 as has a do not sit here sign. It must be a long row.

I see two bus drivers. It must be a shift change.

The side view of one driver shows him wearing a mask.

504285

And this from WDW.

At Disney Springs they had storm troopers commenting on people social distancing and maintaining formations that was the most Disney creative way to remind people about the rules that was still fun.

I agree.

Last night we are allowed to go to any resort which opens up quick service dining options and makes me feel a little less confined. Other than grand Floridian and yacht club (nba hotels)

That's great. I didn't realize they were going to do open up other resort quick service dining.

Personally if I had to take a bus or be in an enclosed area where others aren’t masking, I’d wear an N95 and bring my own hand sanitizer. I’ve been covid negative by nasal swabs and antibody testing despite being around a decent number of covid pts.

I agree. My next visit will be this upcoming December.

Emory has some good geriatricians! But the issue is availability.

Exactly.
 

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