Cruise and Theme Park Operational Updates due to Coronavirus

[Rarity]

we've avoided this ride due to the long lines since it opened....going in a few days, is it a huge pain to ask the CM for us to put us in a front row? don't want to cause a backup but have read in some rides it's not a big deal.

Seems to me that it depends on whether or not there's space for guests to safely stand off to the side to wait for a requested row. During my trip a couple weeks ago, I only heard the "cannot accommodate row requests" message played at BTMR. It made sense to me since there really isn't anywhere to be socially distanced and wait for a requested row. We asked for the front row on SDD and had no issue being allowed to wait for it.

 

[hereforthechurros]

With new variants being up to 50% more transmissible, and experts warning against casual errands to even the grocery store, cutting back even further on seeing people, wearing two masks, etc... anything more WDW can be doing? Does anyone feel less safe about going? We're tossing around the idea of going in February because well, AP and $60 flights and it's 10 degrees here. Plus we should have some immunity after recovering from it. But we would consider doubling up on masks, especially indoors.

 

[yulilin3]

Guidelines are the same as VB and Aquatica

 

[TikiTikiFan]

I’m happy to see no reservations will be needed for the water park- I was worrying about how that might clash with our theme park days. Our game plan to survive masks in the July heat is just to retreat to Blizzard Beach if it gets too rough and swim the day away.

So obviously when walking around enjoying the slides and pools you don’t have to wear a mask, correct? As long as you’re on the way to getting in the water?

 

[yulilin3]

I’m happy to see no reservations will be needed for the water park- I was worrying about how that might clash with our theme park days. Our game plan to survive masks in the July heat is just to retreat to Blizzard Beach if it gets too rough and swim the day away.

So obviously when walking around enjoying the slides and pools you don’t have to wear a mask, correct? As long as you’re on the way to getting in the water?

Yeah that's how it's been for VB and Aquatica. Only required while you enter and leave the park and when going into gift shops and quick services

 

[mshanson3121]

With new variants being up to 50% more transmissible, and experts warning against casual errands to even the grocery store, cutting back even further on seeing people, wearing two masks, etc... anything more WDW can be doing? Does anyone feel less safe about going? We're tossing around the idea of going in February because well, AP and $60 flights and it's 10 degrees here. Plus we should have some immunity after recovering from it. But we would consider doubling up on masks, especially indoors.

Myself, no, I definitely wouldn't go. But, if you do, I think you'd find it more comfortable to just buy some new masks - 3 layer disposable medical masks, or even the updated Old Navy ones are good - much thicker than their old ones (but still comfortable)

 

[mattpeto]

With new variants being up to 50% more transmissible, and experts warning against casual errands to even the grocery store, cutting back even further on seeing people, wearing two masks, etc... anything more WDW can be doing? Does anyone feel less safe about going? We're tossing around the idea of going in February because well, AP and $60 flights and it's 10 degrees here. Plus we should have some immunity after recovering from it. But we would consider doubling up on masks, especially indoors.

I don't expect WDW to do anything differently. The capacity limit is still in place and you're going at a time that will likely not be close to their full capacity caps.

If they were planning to bring back F! and EF, maybe they are holding off on that now. My gut now says that rumor was rubbish, though.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

Myself, no, I definitely wouldn't go. But, if you do, I think you'd find it more comfortable to just buy some new masks - 3 layer disposable medical masks, or even the updated Old Navy ones are good - much thicker than their old ones (but still comfortable)

Could also get the KN95s too. We wear those when going in stores if they’re more crowded (typically shop during off times to avoid that) and they’re really no different than a regular mask in comfort. Not sure how well that holds up in Florida weather though.

As for what WDW can do, I think the biggest is to step up their mask enforcement and to do what they can to make sure CMs feel supported to enforce the rule consistently. When we went, hands down the biggest time we saw rule breaking was anywhere near some kind of photo op... the castle, Tree of Life, xmas trees, etc. Perhaps that’s more so because it was during the holidays (the desire for that xmas family picture?) though and that’s improved?

 

[Dopey416]

Has anyone been able to renew their (FL resident) AP ? Mine expires in March.

we renewed ours last month

 

[only hope]

With new variants being up to 50% more transmissible, and experts warning against casual errands to even the grocery store, cutting back even further on seeing people, wearing two masks, etc... anything more WDW can be doing? Does anyone feel less safe about going? We're tossing around the idea of going in February because well, AP and $60 flights and it's 10 degrees here. Plus we should have some immunity after recovering from it. But we would consider doubling up on masks, especially indoors.

Disney can and should reinstate 6ft distancing between all parties on rides, and reconfigure the queues to keep you 6ft apart in every direction- plexiglass or not. They really need to spread the marker out more or mark off every other space as “no stand” since groups with more than two people are not six feet from the next marker. But will they do this? Doubt it.

 

[Pyotr]

With new variants being up to 50% more transmissible, and experts warning against casual errands to even the grocery store, cutting back even further on seeing people, wearing two masks, etc... anything more WDW can be doing? Does anyone feel less safe about going? We're tossing around the idea of going in February because well, AP and $60 flights and it's 10 degrees here. Plus we should have some immunity after recovering from it. But we would consider doubling up on masks, especially indoors.

I would still go. In fact, if I had immunity, I wouldn’t even think twice.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Disney can and should reinstate 6ft distancing between all parties on rides, and reconfigure the queues to keep you 6ft apart in every direction- plexiglass or not. They really need to spread the marker out more or mark off every other space as “no stand” since groups with more than two people are not six feet from the next marker. But will they do this? Doubt it.

It was crazy over Christmas to see some people in every queue completely ignore the markers on the ground. Groups of four, five, six would stand in a single file line essentially claiming all the dead space between what should have been distance between them and the next group. If you're a smaller group, stand side by side or cluster together, it's not the hard!

 

[yulilin3]

It was crazy over Christmas to see some people in every queue completely ignore the markers on the ground. Groups of four, five, six would stand in a single file line essentially claiming all the dead space between what should have been distance between them and the next group. If you're a smaller group, stand side by side or cluster together, it's not the hard!

People switch off common sense at the tapstiles. Social distance in queues is easy enough though, you can leave extra markers in front of you and ask people behind you to stay on their marker

 

[hereforthechurros]

I would still go. In fact, if I had immunity, I wouldn’t even think twice.

Issue is we don't have enough data on these new variants to know if people who have had COVID are totally immune. Early studies shows that yes, we should be protected at least some, but I don't feel like I have some carte blanche to do whatever I want now. We still want to be mindful.

 

[Funfire240]

People switch off common sense at the tapstiles. Social distance in queues is easy enough though, you can leave extra markers in front of you and ask people behind you to stay on their marker

We had no problem doing just this. I asked many people to back up too lol. We were a party of 6 for part of the time but kept as close together as we could. The problem I noticed mainly was when in the switchbacks some like FOP were side by side and the markers on the ground show to space out but the way the spaces were it at times it would like a large open space so that you are not standing right next to the person on the other side of the rail but I think a lot of people just looked at it like there was a sticker missing, not realizing they should have stayed back and left a 12 foot distance because the 6 foot distances were directly on either side. If any of this makes sense, I wish I had a picture to better show what I'm talking about

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

It was crazy over Christmas to see some people in every queue completely ignore the markers on the ground. Groups of four, five, six would stand in a single file line essentially claiming all the dead space between what should have been distance between them and the next group. If you're a smaller group, stand side by side or cluster together, it's not the hard!

We've found that the most difficult areas to distance in queues is on switchbacks. People tend to totally ignore that there are no "please wait here" stickers on them, and will stand what they think is 6' away from the party ahead of them. They tend to not think about distancing on either side.
During our last trip, the party directly ahead of us did wait at the beginning of a switchback. We heard the party behind us complaining that they weren't moving up, so we told them it's bc there are no stickers on the switchbacks to help maintain distance in all directions. The group behind us acted like they'd never thought about that, but also like it shouldn't matter anyway.

 

[Farro]

For anyone on the fence about going soon to WDW and was vaccinated -
Just a note, if anyone got the Moderna vaccine - - they announced yesterday it does protect against the UK variants, and for the South African variant, it is not a full protection, but well above what is needed. And they are already working on boosters. That is fantastic news.

The vaccine generated a weaker immune response against the South African strain, but the antibodies remained above levels that are expected to be protective against the virus, the company said, adding the findings may suggest “a potential risk of earlier waning of immunity to the new B.1.351 strains.”

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/25/cov...d-booster-shots-for-south-african-strain.html

 

[Sarahslay]

We've found that the most difficult areas to distance in queues is on switchbacks. People tend to totally ignore that there are no "please wait here" stickers on them, and will stand what they think is 6' away from the party ahead of them. They tend to not think about distancing on either side.
During our last trip, the party directly ahead of us did wait at the beginning of a switchback. We heard the party behind us complaining that they weren't moving up, so we told them it's bc there are no stickers on the switchbacks to help maintain distance in all directions. The group behind us acted like they'd never thought about that, but also like it shouldn't matter anyway.

This is what I noticed too, and it was really frustrating for people actually trying to follow all the rules and then have one big family just ignore it and not use common sense. We had a couple of families at Thanksgiving get really rude after we asked them to step back a bit, to the point one family got aggressive, but thankfully at Christmas everyone was like "Oh yeah, sorry!" and stepped back like they just forgot they were supposed to get a distance.

 

[jlwhitney]

Guidelines are the same as VB and Aquatica
View attachment 552367

But it doesn’t address walking around , since you could be on the way to a slide or to food

 

[yulilin3]

But it doesn’t address walking around , since you could be on the way to a slide or to food

Walking around you won't need them