LA Times - "Orange County could leap into yellow tier, with widest reopenings, as soon as next week"

[kristensideaoffun]

He specifically mentioned conventions and other large venue indoor gatherings, I presume to mean places like arenas and theaters and such, where there may be out of state and international visitors (like concerts, sporting events, etc).

I also feel like there will continue to be mask mandates for schools, at least until enough kids can be vaccinated. Many schools have summer school happening this year, so it might be that masks will still be required there.

It was a really confusing statement. His team should have anticipated he would be asked that and really should have been prepared with a clear response to that question. I took his statement to mean community businesses - places like retail, grocery, gyms, restaurants, etc will likely not have a mask mandate and will be free to make their own rules regarding masks in their establishments. Places like theme parks, concert venues, sporting venues, conventions, movie theaters, etc will still have a mask mandate. I agree, I think schools will probably continue to have one, as well. Or he will leave it up to individual districts.

 

[DLgal]

It was a really confusing statement. His team should have anticipated he would be asked that and really should have been prepared with a clear response to that question. I took his statement to mean community businesses - places like retail, grocery, gyms, restaurants, etc will likely not have a mask mandate and will be free to make their own rules regarding masks in their establishments. Places like theme parks, concert venues, sporting venues, conventions, movie theaters, etc will still have a mask mandate. I agree, I think schools will probably continue to have one, as well. Or he will leave it up to individual districts.

Yeah, it definitely seemed like the first statement on Tuesday was specifically in regards to mask mandates in businesses.

Also, he can only speak to state wide mandates, but to my knowledge, local jurisdictions can still have their own mask mandates. Our city in OC, for example, has one, as does Anaheim. I don't think they will drop it just because the state does so, although I hope they consider aligning with state guidelines.

 

[Disney0010]

Problem is I bet that's when they increase capacity. I have no interest in going then. Additionally, I don't do well in the heat and had hoped to slip in a trip sometime in May. I guess I'll wait for 2022.

This. We’re currently at WDW. Tonight is our fifth and final night. Can’t wait to get on the plane back to So Cal in the morning. No to little social distancing, long lines (E Rides averaging 70 minutes) and crowds everywhere. If you do not have an ADR for lunch then be prepared to wait. Today at AK the wait at one place was 45-60 minutes after placing order. Not enough places open to handle the crowds.

I hope to write a trip report once home but we have three nights at the GCH starting June 13th. Will probably cancel. From what we have experienced here at WDW the magic is gone for the time being.

 

[DLgal]

Florida doesn't have a mask mandate. Disney does. They made a deal with the union, and they have to negotiate with them any changes, in addition to the state. Considering the state was hardest on theme parks, I don't expect it to be all hunky dory on June 15.

I don't know what the exact terms of the union agreements were regarding masks, but I have a FEELING that those mask rules only applied to mask wearing by EMPLOYEES.

I have received a couple surveys from Disneyland recently. Some were after DtD visits, and I got on Monday morning after our Disneyland visit the day before. They always separately ask about how I feel about continuing to require guests OR employees to wear masks, but never both together. They are separate questions. Specifically, the park related survey asked how the decision to CONTINUE to require masks for GUESTS at all times, except while actively eating or drinking while stationary, would impact my desire to return again THIS YEAR. They separately asked about how I would feel about cast members continuing to be required to wear masks, and how that would impact my decision to return THIS YEAR. A third question asked if masks were optional for GUESTS, would I return THIS YEAR. So, it seems there is some leeway in the masking requirements as they pertain to guests, specifically.

 

[AndrewC]

CDC just announced guidence that masks AND social distances can be stopped for fully vaccinated people. While medical privacy laws probably won't allow work places to require that staff show vaccinated status (and thus Disney employees might need to continue to mask), theme parks absolutely could only admit fully vaccinated people.

Universal is already allowing out of state residences to visit it they prove they've been fully vaccinated. Disney could do the same... the might not based on children still not being allowed to get vaccinated, but this could be extremely good news for the fall. We might see a rush back for parades and Halloween parties or other special events if kids can start to get vaccinated in the next couple months.

If you don't have to social distance and the state of CA allows an increase to 50% or maybe even full attendance, there is nothing stopping them from turning on the full economic drivers of parties, fireworks, parades, etc and pack the house as much as they can. Probably a link with a national database for vaccination, or a pre-visit upload of a vaccine card with possible random spot checks at the gates or something.

 

[DLgal]

CDC just updated masking guidelines for fully vaccinated people.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/13/heal...pXusucoY2FqGdBlmnUpD3va7V&bt_ts=1620930872655
Will be interesting to see what Disney decides to do with this, if anything, after June 15.

 

[DLgal]

CDC just announced guidence that masks AND social distances can be stopped for fully vaccinated people. While medical privacy laws probably won't allow work places to require that staff show vaccinated status (and thus Disney employees might need to continue to mask), theme parks absolutely could only admit fully vaccinated people.

Universal is already allowing out of state residences to visit it they prove they've been fully vaccinated. Disney could do the same... the might not based on children still not being allowed to get vaccinated, but this could be extremely good news for the fall. We might see a rush back for parades and Halloween parties or other special events if kids can start to get vaccinated in the next couple months.

If you don't have to social distance and the state of CA allows an increase to 50% or maybe even full attendance, there is nothing stopping them from turning on the full economic drivers of parties, fireworks, parades, etc and pack the house as much as they can. Probably a link with a national database for vaccination, or a pre-visit upload of a vaccine card with possible random spot checks at the gates or something.

I would absolutely be fine if Disneyland issued a wristband for the day if you showed proof of vaccination, and by having the wristband, you were then exempt from any further masking requirements.

 

[AndrewC]

I would absolutely be fine if Disneyland issued a wristband for the day if you showed proof of vaccination, and by having the wristband, you were then exempt from any further masking requirements.

That would be a great option and allow a single check/verification and then freedom to park hop back and forth. They could even stage some check points at the hotels to allow guests to swing by in the morning, get their band, and head right for the parks. I doubt this will show up right away, but 90 days or so from now, we could see a very different (and much more normal) Disney. I might start booking some fall plans just for the hell of it in case things are largely normal again come Halloween time!

 

[DLRExpert]

CDC just announced guidence that masks AND social distances can be stopped for fully vaccinated people. While medical privacy laws probably won't allow work places to require that staff show vaccinated status (and thus Disney employees might need to continue to mask), theme parks absolutely could only admit fully vaccinated people.

Universal is already allowing out of state residences to visit it they prove they've been fully vaccinated. Disney could do the same... the might not based on children still not being allowed to get vaccinated, but this could be extremely good news for the fall. We might see a rush back for parades and Halloween parties or other special events if kids can start to get vaccinated in the next couple months.

If you don't have to social distance and the state of CA allows an increase to 50% or maybe even full attendance, there is nothing stopping them from turning on the full economic drivers of parties, fireworks, parades, etc and pack the house as much as they can. Probably a link with a national database for vaccination, or a pre-visit upload of a vaccine card with possible random spot checks at the gates or something.

Vaxxed people can still get and pass the virus. Exact same way as the non-vaxxed. The CDC makes perfect sense.

 

[Malcon10t]

I don't know what the exact terms of the union agreements were regarding masks, but I have a FEELING that those mask rules only applied to mask wearing by EMPLOYEES.

No, the agreement was that CMs would be protected from guests by reinforcing guests would be required to mask. It was about protection of the Cast Member. Unions were not worried about the guests. Which was why there were so many GR CMs in DTD during the time it was open to make sure that guests kept masks on.

Unions at Disney are fairly "mighty", to the extent Disney couldn't even open food festivals last summer/fall because of them.

 

[AndrewC]

Vaxxed people can still get and pass the virus. Exact same way as the non-vaxxed. The CDC makes perfect sense.

That's the great thing about science and research, the more data comes in the more refined the results get. More data has been filtering in from Israel (a population that has a large percentage vaccinated) has been showing very promising results. It appears that spread from vaccinated people is much much less than initially thought from experts (which makes sense, err on the side of caution until more data is collected). Give it another 90 days, which I suspect is about as fast as Disney will be able to act and change on something this large and we’ll have even better data. I don’t expect Disney to say starting this weekend everyone vaccinated can be without a mask, but for deep into the summer and especially fall/holiday season (where a lot of special events and fireworks take place) this is very very promising news.

 

[Malcon10t]

That would be a great option and allow a single check/verification and then freedom to park hop back and forth. They could even stage some check points at the hotels to allow guests to swing by in the morning, get their band, and head right for the parks. I doubt this will show up right away, but 90 days or so from now, we could see a very different (and much more normal) Disney. I might start booking some fall plans just for the hell of it in case things are largely normal again come Halloween time!

Not like no one has ever slipped a band off one wrist to move to another. This is the exact reason Disney stopped using wristbands after 3 months to allow kids to bypass the height requirements.

I wear wrist bands for various events almost weekly (well, not in the last year.) Even the "well fitted" and expensive ones can be slid off and put back on. So, in the morning, I stop by the hotel desk, get a band, take it off, give it to whoever, go back a few minutes later to a different person and get another one. It is NOT hard.

 

[DLgal]

Not like no one has ever slipped a band off one wrist to move to another. This is the exact reason Disney stopped using wristbands after 3 months to allow kids to bypass the height requirements.

I wear wrist bands for various events almost weekly (well, not in the last year.) Even the "well fitted" and expensive ones can be slid off and put back on. So, in the morning, I stop by the hotel desk, get a band, take it off, give it to whoever, go back a few minutes later to a different person and get another one. It is NOT hard.

If it can be slipped off, it's not tight enough. We got to Great Wolf Lodge frequently. They use RFID wristbands that absolutely CANNOT be slipped off. They won't even come off in the water. They put them on tight enough that they can still rotate freely, but you absolutely have to cut them off.

 

[DLgal]

No, the agreement was that CMs would be protected from guests by reinforcing guests would be required to mask. It was about protection of the Cast Member. Unions were not worried about the guests. Which was why there were so many GR CMs in DTD during the time it was open to make sure that guests kept masks on.

Unions at Disney are fairly "mighty", to the extent Disney couldn't even open food festivals last summer/fall because of them.

Then what would be the purpose of such carefully worded survey questions regarding masks? Answer that. If they absolutely cannot stop requiring masks for guests this year, why suggest so in a survey question?

 

[DLRExpert]

That's the great thing about science and research, the more data comes in the more refined the results get. More data has been filtering in from Israel (a population that has a large percentage vaccinated) has been showing very promising results. It appears that spread from vaccinated people is much much less than initially thought from experts (which makes sense, err on the side of caution until more data is collected). Give it another 90 days, which I suspect is about as fast as Disney will be able to act and change on something this large and we’ll have even better data. I don’t expect Disney to say starting this weekend everyone vaccinated can be without a mask, but for deep into the summer and especially fall/holiday season (where a lot of special events and fireworks take place) this is very very promising news.

The problem is what is happening in Israel is good news for the vaccine, but in other places they are seeing spikes in cases after vaccine rollout (Chile, East Africa, etc.) . Disney will choose the method that best suits them and their bottom line.

 

[DLgal]

Vaxxed people can still get and pass the virus. Exact same way as the non-vaxxed. The CDC makes perfect sense.

No, this is absolutely not true at all.

 

[Malcon10t]

I don’t expect Disney to say starting this weekend everyone vaccinated can be without a mask, but for deep into the summer and especially fall/holiday season (where a lot of special events and fireworks take place) this is very very promising news.

I'm going to go with what Ken Potrock said and think early 2022.

I figure we will see more science come out in early fall, then negotiations, then approvals, then change. It did take less than 45 days to get the approval for WDW to allow masks for pictures. So it could be a little faster, but since Christmas is a huge visitors from overseas time, they may hold back until the new year.

 

[DLgal]

The problem is what is happening in Israel is good news for the vaccine, but in other places they are seeing spikes in cases after vaccine rollout (Chile, East Africa, etc.) . Disney will choose the method that best suits them and their bottom line.

Cases are falling fast in Chile. Where are you seeing otherwise?

 

[DLgal]

I'm going to go with what Ken Potrock said and think early 2022.

I figure we will see more science come out in early fall, then negotiations, then approvals, then change. It did take less than 45 days to get the approval for WDW to allow masks for pictures. So it could be a little faster, but since Christmas is a huge visitors from overseas time, they may hold back until the new year.

With today's CDC announcement, I cannot see Disney keeping masks until 2022 without some type of allowance for vaccinated guests.

 

[DLRExpert]

Cases are falling fast in Chile. Where are you seeing otherwise?

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/19/cov...it-record-levels-despite-vaccine-rollout.html