Speculation on future changes

[Poppins2010]

Someday.... the park will reopen. What do you think the changes might be in response to this current health emergency?
The first thing that comes to mind for me is the packing of people in the Haunted Mansion's stretching room.

 

[midnight star]

The joke is that “there’s no such thing as personal space at Disneyland”

maybe they’ll somehow make it to have personal space now?

 

[alvernon90]

I don't think the park is capable of operating in a manner that allows for reasonable social distancing. First, it is very small so to keep crowds away they need to limit capacity, but they cannot operate at a profit if they limit the number of people in the park. (On slow days they cut staffing so there is still crowding in lines and stuff.)

Second, they couldn't possibly hire the giant army of people they would need to keep surfaces clean. Imagine how much labor it would take to disinfect every table and chair in every restaurant between each group of diners. Plus keeping every handrail and restroom surface wiped, every ride vehicle, etc.

Third, they will have to set up health checkpoints in addition to security checkpoints, taking the temperature of every single person who enters. People probably will not tolerate that.

Disney is going to have to ride this thing out, and the lost revenue will hurt the parks for years to come.

 

[Blue32]

Biggest changes will be based on financial decisions I believe.
Reduced hours. Reduced shows and times of shows. Reduced food offerings? Maybe. Reduced construction and refurbs.

 

[Gaugersaurus]

All virtual queues? They added the virtual queue section to the app so the possibility of VQ for everything isn't out of the question.

 

[Poppins2010]

Maybe selling a package of disinfectant wipes with a Mickey logo?

 

[Evita_W]

First thing that people need to be aware of is they are finding that the virus dies after about 5 minutes on most surfaces, so it may not be necessary to disinfect everything between every guest.

Here are changes that I think are likely, at least until a vaccine is available:

• Finding Nemo Submarines will be completely closed, possibly other attractions where mass quantities of people are in small enclosed spaces like this, but it is the main one I can think of. I honestly wonder if Disney will just completely close them and re-purpose the land for something else, given how much land it takes up. It has been in the rumor mill for a while anyway.
• Shows, if they run, will be run at half capacity or less. Unfortunately Disney is going to need the shows, because my guess is they are going to have to heavily depend on locals for the bulk of their business for the next year or so.
• Most attractions will probably not run at full capacity. They may keep all ride vehicles running, but say at Pirates they may put guests in every other row, then the next time the boat loads, guests will load into the rows that were empty on the previous trip. This will give the virus time to die on the surfaces between trips. On attractions where that strategy won't work, then they load every other vehicle, spacing it so that each vehicle has a ride cycle where it is empty.
• Virtual Queues whenever the standby lines are over a certain length
• Attractions with FP will likely not have any standby queues and only offer FPs, this would allow Disney to control the number of people in the queue at any given time and use the entire standby queue to allow for more distancing.
• There will be a lot more janitorial staffing
• It will be highly likely that Disney will be taking temperatures of everyone entering. Luckily, this really doesn't have to be done individually, there are group thermal scanning, which can help them figure out if people are needed for secondary scanning. Alternatively, they could modify the metal detectors to take temperatures at the same time as going through. But I am sure there will be some form of monitoring in place.
• A lot more hand sanitizers everywhere, including in queues
• We will see reduced overall park capacity as well
• The parks, resorts and Downtown Disney becoming completely cashless, as cash is a major germ carrier and one of the surfaces the virus doesn't die on as quickly apparently.

I am sure some of these won't come to be and there will probably be other measures, but I think most of these are highly likely to happen.

 

[Evita_W]

Third, they will have to set up health checkpoints in addition to security checkpoints, taking the temperature of every single person who enters. People probably will not tolerate that.

As I said, this can actually be done at the same time as the security check, not going to really slow anything down.

 

[mentos]

I don't think there will be any changes. Covid-19 will eventually be treated like seasonal flu, especially with a high likelihood of a vaccine being released.

My thoughts:

2020-2022: Parks reopen, extra push for sanitizer, maybe masks (unlikely), and signs for handwashing. Recommendation (but not an outright ban) for those in affected groups to not go to the park (age > 65, chronic conditions, etc...)

2022+: After development of vaccine, return to normalcy. Vague/background recommendation for age > 65 and/or chronic conditions folks to be vaccinated. By now, most of the population will have been infected (hopefully immune).

 

[Where's Wall-E]

First thing that people need to be aware of is they are finding that the virus dies after about 5 minutes on most surfaces, so it may not be necessary to disinfect everything between every guest.

Here are changes that I think are likely, at least until a vaccine is available:

• Finding Nemo Submarines will be completely closed, possibly other attractions where mass quantities of people are in small enclosed spaces like this, but it is the main one I can think of. I honestly wonder if Disney will just completely close them and re-purpose the land for something else, given how much land it takes up. It has been in the rumor mill for a while anyway.
• Shows, if they run, will be run at half capacity or less. Unfortunately Disney is going to need the shows, because my guess is they are going to have to heavily depend on locals for the bulk of their business for the next year or so.
• Most attractions will probably not run at full capacity. They may keep all ride vehicles running, but say at Pirates they may put guests in every other row, then the next time the boat loads, guests will load into the rows that were empty on the previous trip. This will give the virus time to die on the surfaces between trips. On attractions where that strategy won't work, then they load every other vehicle, spacing it so that each vehicle has a ride cycle where it is empty.
• Virtual Queues whenever the standby lines are over a certain length
• Attractions with FP will likely not have any standby queues and only offer FPs, this would allow Disney to control the number of people in the queue at any given time and use the entire standby queue to allow for more distancing.
• There will be a lot more janitorial staffing
• It will be highly likely that Disney will be taking temperatures of everyone entering. Luckily, this really doesn't have to be done individually, there are group thermal scanning, which can help them figure out if people are needed for secondary scanning. Alternatively, they could modify the metal detectors to take temperatures at the same time as going through. But I am sure there will be some form of monitoring in place.
• A lot more hand sanitizers everywhere, including in queues
• We will see reduced overall park capacity as well
• The parks, resorts and Downtown Disney becoming completely cashless, as cash is a major germ carrier and one of the surfaces the virus doesn't die on as quickly apparently.

I am sure some of these won't come to be and there will probably be other measures, but I think most of these are highly likely to happen.

Everything I've read says it can live up to 3 days, which is why it's so concerning and contagious.

What is to come depends on how much social distancing is still encouraged in the future. If there are limitations to gatherings, then things like shows and attractions may have to limit seating. This would have a massive impact on things like parades and fireworks.

The cynical part of me thinks society as a whole won't learn a bleedin' thing from this once it's "over", and we'll go back to being entitled and demanding.

 

[hiroMYhero]

For reference from a study published yesterday, 3/17/2020:

“The novel coronavirus stays viable in the air for several hours and can last on surfaces from hours to days, depending on the material, according to a study published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

What's new: Researchers said the virus that causes COVID-19 remains infectious in the air for up to three hours, on copper for up to four hours, on cardboard for up to 24 hours, and on plastic and stainless steel for up to three days.”

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2004973?query=featured_home

 

[Winnowill]

2022+: After development of vaccine, return to normalcy. Vague/background recommendation for age > 65 and/or chronic conditions folks to be vaccinated. By now, most of the population will have been infected (hopefully immune).

This one seems not to confer any immunity. It's like that other form of coronavirus: the common cold. Having had a cold two months ago will not make you immune to catching one now. And this seems to be true of COVID-19, as well.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

This one seems not to confer any immunity. It's like that other form of coronavirus: the common cold. Having had a cold two months ago will not make you immune to catching one now. And this seems to be true of COVID-19, as well.

I don't think there is enough scientific data yet to say anything definitive about COVID-19 immunity and how long it lasts for those who have had the illness. I do not dispute the possibility that having the illness though may not confer lifelong immunity or even seasonal immunity. We just don't know how long people who have been ill might be resistant to a recurrence.

 

[AndrewC]

First thing that people need to be aware of is they are finding that the virus dies after about 5 minutes on most surfaces, so it may not be necessary to disinfect everything between every guest.

Not sure where you were hearing that, but the NIH as of yesterday reported that it's findings are several hours to days, and CNN and mainstream media is reporting today that it's up to 3 days. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/new-coronavirus-stable-hours-surfaces

I suspect we'll see fairly few changes at Disney and other theme parks. Think about it, buses, airplanes, etc aren't going to be completely grounded forever (they actually aren't right now!) and all those spaces are smaller than a big event space like a theater for a show. They may initially limit capacity on shows or number of shows run, but I suspect that will be weeks or months after opening again. I would think they'll be back to "normal" operations in a year or less. I doubt any of the rides will undergo much changes either. They may have staff at each ride wipe down a frequently used surface more often (think a restraint system or rail that every guest touches when getting in or out) but I suspect it would be a quick "every half an hour use this Clorox wipe" etc.

I think the most noticeable changes may be an increase awareness to washing hands. They may position sanitizing gel at all food stations, quick service and carts, everything. Near more established food areas they might even try to build some kind of out door hand washing area with real soap and hot running water, but I would think even that will be limited and probably down the road a bit. They may also require more strict hand washing guidelines for employees and (hopefully) will enforce sending people home if they seem sick. It may be a situation where every 30 minutes employees are required to wash hands instead of just before returning to work or something like that. It could also be that they are more strict on front line food service workers handling anything that is ready to eat or a food prep service. IE not having someone that just accepted cash from a customer at the window then turn around and open a package of paper trays or something to stock. I think Disney is already pretty good at that and seems to have the staffing levels high enough that people don't seem to have to jump around like that too much, but I haven't seen what the "norm" is during slow times...

The world is largely going to go back to normal. People will still pack a subway car (until a time that capacity just allows more empty cars), people will still join 100+ others on an airplane to fly around the US and overseas, people will visit a movie theater on opening night for a blockbuster and be sandwiched next to other people when every seat is sold out. It might ramp up in stages at first, but 12 months down the road I suspect things will be almost back to normal (or even before then!) I wouldn't be surprised if there are seasonal adjustments and flare ups for awhile, but I would be surprised if Disney ended up closing again for weeks or months next year, we might just see (not directly of course) some lower capacity weeks next winter/spring depending on how prevalent cases are.

 

[AndrewC]

Think about it, if this is here for the long term without at least some extended periods of normal then we have SERIOUSLY more problems than Disney. Airlines won't exist without being owned by the government. A couple weeks is killing them right now. I doubt we would have nearly as many movie theaters if this was a long term thing 12+ months, 50% or less density would probably mean many just decided to close down and get out of the business. Schools can't stay closed forever and while it might not hit children as hard, they can still be a vector for it. If you think online education will just get more robust.... where are they going to learn at? Will one parent from every family have to stay home to be with their kid? Will we just leave 6 or 7 year olds and up home alone all the time? Can't have them just all go to church or their friends house or daycare because then it's just school, but less official. This would literally ruin the United State (and world). It's killed the economy already and we'll feel that for years to come, but if this disruption hangs around for a year or more, there will almost be no economy to speak of. I honestly think at that point it's just going to turn into "well, what other option do we have, just get sick and try to take care of yourself" and then we might see the at risk people living more in isolation until something can be figured out. There is no way things just stay shut down or even 50% capacity for more then maybe 3 months continuous.

 

[mgd]

Shanghai Disneyland has reopened limited shopping and dining and has done the following:

every guest entering Shanghai Disney Resort will be required to undergo temperature screening procedures and present their Shanghai QR Code. Only guests with a green Shanghai QR Code will be allowed to enter the resort. Guests must wear a mask during their entire visit (except when dining), and will also be reminded to maintain respectful social distances at all times while in stores, queues and restaurants.

 

[azdisneylover]

The big, round concrete water ball in Tomorrowland, and the big, round Pixar ball in Pixar Pier would be gone or covered. That is a germ ball on a good day.