Is Coronavirus affecting your travel plans?

[snappy]

How long until Disney and all recreational activities are forced to shut down?

I think it will be sooner than later.

 

[Haley R]

My sister is in Destin. Apparently people on the beach this week aren’t stressing about the Coronavirus. It can wait until they get home.

My parents have been at Gulf Shores for two months (they're snowbirds). They leave on Friday, but my dad said no one there seems worried at all. They're actually going to stock up on some stuff before driving home because the stores in their town at home are out of stock.

 

[Donzie]

I think it will be sooner than later.

I agree. Never thought we'd see this happen, but Disney and others are gonna have to shut down due to an abundance of caution and expectations. Only time will tell if all these closures and shutdowns were necessary or effective.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Depends on the stadiums' schedules unfortunately.

Maybe, but...lots of jobs and revenue lost instead of postponed. This is way more complicated than some want to admit.

 

[DisneyRobin]

I am shocked that WDW is still open and that we’re not hearing lots of reports of coronavirus in central Florida. The only explanation that makes any sense to me is that people aren’t being tested. So we don’t know. I wonder how long it will be until all FL hospitals are full and Disney is closed.

 

[China Expat]

About to cancel my two week Alaskan cruise. Can't take any chances as I will be 30 days out from a final chemo treatment...

 

[godisney14]

BTW, thanks to everyone hoarding n95 masks, some hospitals are running short on masks and the manufacturers can’t keep up. So, even the CDC, yesterday, changed their recommendations to say regular surgical masks are fine enough for front-line medical providers.
Let’s hope the doctors don’t get sick themselves.
That’s what has been going on in Italy.

 

[godisney14]

Also, my opinion....solely my opinion as I’m not a financial advisor.
Everyone should take care of their 401Ks, IRAs, stock trading accounts, etc. as the statistics will most likely be ugly for the next couple weeks.

 

[godisney14]

I agree. Never thought we'd see this happen, but Disney and others are gonna have to shut down due to an abundance of caution and expectations. Only time will tell if all these closures and shutdowns were necessary or effective.

Even if it is true that there is absolutely no risk to the parks, at this time given how many closures there are, I think it would be bad PR to be the only major entertainment attraction to still be open and milking that cash cow.

 

[MarthaJr.]

I leave in 17 days. I am really really trying to wrap my head around this. We are driving not flying. I’m booked Disney resort. I don’t know what to do but it’s effecting me in just the consideration of rescheduling

Same. We are scheduled to fly in 9 days and am torn on what to do. Waiting it out for now.

 

[MrsBooch]

Also, my opinion....solely my opinion as I’m not a financial advisor.
Everyone should take care of their 401Ks, IRAs, stock trading accounts, etc. as the statistics will most likely be ugly for the next couple weeks.

this is 100% ignorance on my part, regrettably I don't know as much as I probably should by now about how things like this would work, but how exactly would one "take care of" their 401k's etc at this point?

 

[Colleen27]

I am shocked that WDW is still open and that we’re not hearing lots of reports of coronavirus in central Florida. The only explanation that makes any sense to me is that people aren’t being tested. So we don’t know. I wonder how long it will be until all FL hospitals are full and Disney is closed.

There's an data deep-dive by FastAI circulating that links to a really interesting scholarly piece about the intersection between COVID19 spread and weather (temperature and humidity). Their hypothesis is that the virus needs temperate climates to thrive, and that part of China's success in slowing the spread is simply that it is getting warmer in the Wuhan area than is optimal for spread. If there's anything to that theory, it would go a long way toward explaining the apparently slower growth in cases in FL and other southern climates as compared to more temperate areas like San Fran, Seattle, etc. But unfortunately, that would also mean the midwest and northeast US and much of central/northern Europe are just now heading into prime COVID19 spread conditions and are months away from warming enough to slow it down.

 

[Trixi Mouse]

Same. We are scheduled to fly in 9 days and am torn on what to do. Waiting it out for now.

10 days for us. I'm pulling the plug tomorrow. Now is the time to just take care of things at home. I don't want to risk bringing something back to my son's classmates for them to spread.

 

[wallawallakids]

Even if it is true that there is absolutely no risk to the parks, at this time given how many closures there are, I think it would be bad PR to be the only major entertainment attraction to still be open and milking that cash cow.

There are multiple things about this online today. Lots of folks writing that Disney is being greedy about money etc. Yahoo had an article up about Disney and Covid-19 and the comments are vicious about Disney not shutting. I do find it interesting that so much vitriol is being slung at them given no park has closed. I don’t see anything about Universal/ sea world etc. I get Disney is a larger representation of that and has more international visitors but still. The reaction seems a bit harsh. (Albeit I am a Disney fan, so maybe a bit biased).

 

[ronandannette]

Holy Cow! Now maybe our last-minute, very, very second-choice consolation vacation (leaving for an AI in Puerto Vallarta Saturday morning) won't happen either. Our federal Ministry of Health has issued another advisory today recommending that all people over the age of 65 refrain from all travel. My DH turned 65 a few months ago. At this point I don't think there are any actual restrictions that will prevent him from boarding the plane but at the rate this snowball is rolling down hill, who knows what the next 48 hours will bring?

 

[VandVsmama]

My sister's business trip to the UK is officially on hold. So are plans of another friend who was going to spend a few days vacationing in Mexico at the end of the month.

 

[Donzie]

There are multiple things about this online today. Lots of folks writing that Disney is being greedy about money etc. Yahoo had an article up about Disney and Covid-19 and the comments are vicious about Disney not shutting. I do find it interesting that so much vitriol is being slung at them given no park has closed. I don’t see anything about Universal/ sea world etc. I get Disney is a larger representation of that and has more international visitors but still. The reaction seems a bit harsh. (Albeit I am a Disney fan, so maybe a bit biased).

We are all biased Disney fans and I agree with your statements. But this is happening very quickly and with States declaring emergencies and schools closing Disney and Universal, et all... will have to respond in the next few days. Beyond we have stringent cleaning processes and hand sanitizers in place. Once one does it the others will follow immediately.

 

[RamblingMad]

I wouldn’t leave the country. You might not be able to get back in. Very little lead time was given with this travel ban. I’m sure Americans will be stranded in Europe for a month. They didn’t really think that one through.

 

[ten6mom]

The body that runs a competition for my son's winter drumline just canceled the rest of their season, so we just canceled our (road) trip to San Bernardino for next weekend. Thankfully I had ample notice to cancel my hotel room, and didn't have plane tickets or anything.

 

[godisney14]

There's an data deep-dive by FastAI circulating that links to a really interesting scholarly piece about the intersection between COVID19 spread and weather (temperature and humidity). Their hypothesis is that the virus needs temperate climates to thrive, and that part of China's success in slowing the spread is simply that it is getting warmer in the Wuhan area than is optimal for spread. If there's anything to that theory, it would go a long way toward explaining the apparently slower growth in cases in FL and other southern climates as compared to more temperate areas like San Fran, Seattle, etc. But unfortunately, that would also mean the midwest and northeast US and much of central/northern Europe are just now heading into prime COVID19 spread conditions and are months away from warming enough to slow it down.

This one has been thoroughly discussed online, and so everyone has their own thoughts. It is dangerously false to claim a simple 1:1 association between viral activity and warm climate. What is known is that virus is sensitive to temperature, humidity, and sunlight. The biggest of those being sunlight because it is the UV that slows it down. The virus can still survive on hard surfaces for up to 4-5 days at ~70 F, though not anywhere near the severity as the first hour. None of these factors have any effect if someone just sneezed within 2 meters of you.
And we are still seeing quick growth in Australia.

I wouldn’t leave the country. You might not be able to get back in. Very little lead time was given with this travel ban. I’m sure Americans will be stranded in Europe for a month. They didn’t really think that one through.

The ban from Europe applies only to foreign nationals. You will still be allowed back if you are a US citizen, but you would have to be quarantined.

BTW, Wuhan completely locked down their region to any movement when they had ~500 cases reported (very likely underreported since it was novel and they didn’t have the necessary tests. We are only starting to have semi-lockdown in NYC and public gathering cancellations all over, and the EU foreigner ban. This is starting to only happen now when we are at well over 1,000 cases (similarly, likely to be underreported due to test deficiencies).

Note: If anyone has any flu-like symptoms, especially a fever and cough, keep yourself at home for about a week. It’s hard to tell if it’s regular flu or COVID-19 in the beginning since symptoms overlap. If it makes you feel at ease, go ask for a test. Just know that testing is still not widely available yet everywhere. Those showing severe flu symptoms are definitely tested. If you feel any shortness of breath at any time, definitely go to get it checked out immediately. Looking at patient cases, if symptoms don’t get better by the end of a week, pneumonia symptoms seem to come on suddenly and severely starting at about 7-8 days from onset of first symptoms. This happens in about 10-20% of positively identified cases for us. Then pray that you’re not one of the unlucky to go to the ICU.