Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[BGinCali]

Yep I saw several of the same reports. Cms were having to get out paper and pencils and had folks sign it with their name, room number, and phone number and they were calling when spots opener up. At CSR, the pool hit capacity 30 min after opening and had a minimum 2-3 hr wait the entire day.

Do you know if this was for quiet pools too or just the Dig Site?

 

[helloconnie]

Well, All Star Movies opens next week, Beach Club on May 30, Wilderness Lodge June 6 and the Poly sometime in the summer.

I bet these dates for resort openings move up. Once everyone is eligible for the vaccine in May, I bet travel restrictions get amended by the CDC. They know that people are going to travel this summer and they will have no option but to ease up on restrictions.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

This vaccine passport stuff is so beyond speculation right now. It really has very little to do with this thread. Not even worth discussing until there’s some sort of credible reason to discuss it as an operational update. Can we just let that go or move that discussion over to the community board or something?

 

[Eric Smith]

I bet these dates for resort openings move up. Once everyone is eligible for the vaccine in May, I bet travel restrictions get amended by the CDC. They know that people are going to travel this summer and they will have no option but to ease up on restrictions.

I don't think travel is going to come back that quickly. People will probably be mostly vaccinated by the end of the summer and travel should start ramping up in the fall. It'll probably take years for travel to get back to the level it was before the pandemic. I don't think there is going to be a flood of people heading to Disney this summer who haven't already booked trips.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

I saw some guests of other resorts posting wait times on FB. Not necessarily as bad as 2-3 hours, but many weren't happy with even having to wait 30-60 minutes. And from a few comments I saw, it was a physical line they had to stand in.

I would definitely be stressed even by a 30-60 minute wait. The whole point of a hotel break is to get a break from standing in lines! And if you have kids... oof. Mine would have been on the verge of hysterics just from exhaustion (kids need that afternoon break sometimes!) and disappointment.

I saw the post on the DISboards FB group originally, if anyone wants to go follow it. One person said that they couldn't swim until 8PM and another said it was at capacity their entire trip so they didn't get a chance to. This was all for Coronado.

 

[Eeyore daily]

Once everyone is eligible for the vaccine in May, I bet travel restrictions get amended by the CDC.

Just because everyone will be eligible, doesn't mean everyone will automatically be vaccinated.

Yes Fauci said we should have a semi-normal 4th of July but that's only if you're able to get the vaccine by the beginning of June to have enough time to get the two shots (unless you get the J&J) and have two weeks for it to build up in your system. I can see things being eased by late summer but until then I don't see the necessary rush to take away restrictions.

 

[mshanson3121]

For those curious:

https://www.who.int/ith/2016-ith-county-list.pdf

 

[abs1978]

Yeah the big difference for spring break seems to be the resorts are much closer to capacity than before

Blog Mickey just did a comparison of wait times in the park for now vs prior "at capacity" park days and the wait times were very similar - but appears now there are more people traveling there vs in the past when it was more locals - so bigger "issue" is increases crowds at resorts

Exactly. When we went over Thanksgiving the GF was very quiet. We could swim every afternoon no problem, we saw very few people in our building, and we even had the monorail all to ourselves more than once. It was kind of eerie how quiet it was. Sounds like people are getting more comfortable with travel again. This is great for Disney but if this attendance keeps building they are going to have to make some changes. I forgot that more resorts are opening soon. That should help spread out the crowds. They may also need to look at pre-booking pool times.

The Blog Mickey comparison was interesting. The wait times last week didn't seem a whole different than our November trip.

 

[mshanson3121]

Exactly. When we went over Thanksgiving the GF was very quiet. We could swim every afternoon no problem, we saw very few people in our building, and we even had the monorail all to ourselves more than once. It was kind of eerie how quiet it was. Sounds like people are getting more comfortable with travel again. This is great for Disney but if this attendance keeps building they are going to have to make some changes. I forgot that more resorts are opening soon. That should help spread out the crowds. They may also need to look at pre-booking pool times.

The Blog Mickey comparison was interesting. The wait times last week didn't seem a whole different than our November trip.

While I don't doubt capacity has increased, some, I would wager the increase has far more to do with people just becoming more comfortable with traveling and/or Covid fatigue and just not giving a crap anymore.

 

[abs1978]

While I don't doubt capacity has increased, some, I would wager the increase has far more to do with people just becoming more comfortable with traveling and/or Covid fatigue and just not giving a crap anymore.

Absolutely. Our Spring Break is this week and while we are staying put very few people I know are. I think seeing pools at capacity is an indicator that more are traveling.

 

[mshanson3121]

Absolutely. Our Spring Break is this week and while we are staying put very few people I know are. I think seeing pools at capacity is an indicator that more are traveling.

Same. Ours was a couple weeks ago, and we decided to try and do a staycation at a nearby city. In the end we didn't - the entire city was almost completely sold out. One receptionist I spoke to said they have NEVER had such a busy spring break, because normally everyone heads south lol.

 

[tink2424]

Depends on what country. I lived in Angola (West Africa) for two years and every time you entered the country you had to provide your yellow vaccine card to prove you had your vaccines for diseases like yellow fever. If you did not, they would pull you aside and give you the shot right then and there. Although countries are not requiring the COVID vaccine right now, they will once it is widely available. Right now, not everyone can get it so it is not required but testing is. For example, my husband was planning a trip in May to go sailing in the BVIs with some friends, until they found out that they would be required to test negative before they went. Then they would be tested when they arrived in the BVIs and would only be allowed to sail to four islands until their test results came back, which they said would take four days. That would allow them only 2 days to sail where they wanted to go. Trip has been cancelled. When vaccinations are widely available, this scenario will change and you will need to provide your proof of vaccination or vaccination passport.

I respectfully disagree and you can't know that for sure. I really don't see that this is going to the be the case for the majority of countries especially when the numbers drop very quickly. The reason yellow fever vaccination is needed is due to the spread from mosquitoes which can't be eradicated. COVID is mainly spread through people. Please stop saying that something is a fact when it is your opinion. I could be wrong as well but neither of us know for sure.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Not exactly true... There are VERY few countries that require MANDATORY vaccination to visit them. I have traveled all over the world and have never had to have a vaccination.

Only a good chunk of the African continent.

If you travel through Africa you will come across Yellow Fever vaccine required. Here is the list of 17 countries it’s required no matter what. Most of the rest of Africa requires it if you have been in those high risk countries for 12 hours or more.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I bet these dates for resort openings move up. Once everyone is eligible for the vaccine in May, I bet travel restrictions get amended by the CDC. They know that people are going to travel this summer and they will have no option but to ease up on restrictions.

Not a chance. And if the fact the administration *might* bless *small* 4th of July gatherings did not scream to folks restrictions aren’t actually gonna ease until end of summer at the earliest I don’t what will.

(The government said while they’ll open it up to all in May there won’t be enough supply for everyone eligible. End of May for shot to be widely available is the estimate. Once there is the timeline for vaccine effectiveness is 2 week after your last shot so that means mid-July effectiveness for the mass public as J&J won’t be going to everyone.)

 

[helloconnie]

There was a study published last week from Massachusetts Public Schools that showed there was no difference in infection rates for students at 3 feet distance vs. 6 feet distance, as long as masks were worn. The CDC has reviewed the study and is looking at additional studies of transmissions in schools. So the question is: If guidance is adjusted to 3 feet social distance as long as masks are worn, how would this impact operations at Disney?

 

[gottalovepluto]

I don't think travel is going to come back that quickly. People will probably be mostly vaccinated by the end of the summer and travel should start ramping up in the fall. It'll probably take years for travel to get back to the level it was before the pandemic. I don't think there is going to be a flood of people heading to Disney this summer who haven't already booked trips.

Good point. None of my friends are even willing to book a trip until they get their vaccine, which won’t be until summer.

 

[gottalovepluto]

There was a study published last week from Massachusetts Public Schools that showed there was no difference in infection rates for students at 3 feet distance vs. 6 feet distance, as long as masks were worn. The CDC has reviewed the study and is looking at additional studies of transmissions in schools. So the question is: If guidance is adjusted to 3 feet social distance as long as masks are worn, how would this impact operations at Disney?

Disney World schools will be able to operate with 3 feet social distancing.

 

[Farro]

There was a study published last week from Massachusetts Public Schools that showed there was no difference in infection rates for students at 3 feet distance vs. 6 feet distance, as long as masks were worn. The CDC has reviewed the study and is looking at additional studies of transmissions in schools. So the question is: If guidance is adjusted to 3 feet social distance as long as masks are worn, how would this impact operations at Disney?

If the CDC issues that guidance for 6ft to 3ft for all, and Disney says they follow CDC guidance - one would expect that capacity limits would be increased, lines would not appear as lengthy, every ride could load every row, fireworks could come back, restaurants could operate at full capacity, shows (outdoors at least) could come back, more people can be a pools at same time....still with masks for now.

Now if Disney does it is another story altogether.

 

[helloconnie]

Disney World schools will be able to operate with 3 feet social distancing.

The assumption would be that if you changed the guidance for schools, you would change it across the board, especially for outdoor areas. Based on that, I asked the question just to give a topic on possible operations updates for discussion. No right or wrong answer, just speculation which is all we can do right now.

 

[tink2424]

Only a good chunk of the African continent.

If you travel through Africa you will come across Yellow Fever vaccine required. Here is the list of 17 countries it’s required no matter what. Most of the rest of Africa requires it if you have been in those high risk countries for 12 hours or more.

Yes, and many of them are not major tourist destinations. And again the reason for the need for vaccination is that yellow fever is spread by mosquitoes not just humans. I have been to South Africa as well as parts of Asia & all over Europe and never needed a vaccination. So yeah, very FEW countries out of the 195 countries require a mandatory vaccination...