(01/60) THREAD: The Case for Reopening Disneyland & How California Has Failed Its Citizens

I had originally predicted (back in March when all of Disney’s parks went offline) that WDW was going to open b4 the DLR. But for it STILL not to be open is complete insanity, here’s why:

(02/60) To start, we have to reevaluate why the parks even shut down in the first place: to flatten the curve. Remember, the point behind “flattening the curve” was to preserve the healthcare system; NOT to keep ppl from getting C19 but ensuring that ppl don’t get it all at once.

(03/60) Placing ourselves back in March, this was CRUCIAL as C19’s mortality rate was expected to be astronomical w/o as many beds & hospital resources preserved as possible. Worse yet, there were no known therapeutics & very little known at all about this novel virus.

(04/60) Whatever little information was known was sparse but it was apparent that not only was the virus transmissible, but extremely contagious w/ both an extremely long incubation period for transmission & asymptomatic carriers who could contribute to spread. We had no choice.

(05/60) Using what we knew at the time, it was determined that theme parks were at severely increased risk of contributing to spread based on the characteristics believed to be inherent to their operation (tightly packed crowds, excess capacity, highly transmissible venues, etc.)

(06/60) Well folks, it’s no longer March; MUCH has changed & we’ve learned A LOT about this virus that we thought unfathomable earlier this year. But for some inexplicable reason, @GavinNewsom hasn’t caught up yet & his citizens in CA are paying an inordinate & unnecessary price.

(07/60) The “curve” has flattened in that anyone who has ever needed a hospital bed, has received 1. Meanwhile our knowledge base grew w/ the most at-risk population determined & w/ jeopardizing comorbidities identified. Best of all, the mortality rate was significantly reduced.

(08/60) Armed w/ the rapid influx of testing, cutting-edge advancements in therapeutics & beneficial treatments, & the protection of the most vulnerable, the case fatality rate plummeted. It was now time reevaluate blunt mitigation strategy; luckily, we made progress on that too

(09/60) The “3 Vs” was established as a guide, allowing for the reopening of a variety of businesses & modifications to others already open. Regarding theme parks, FL immediately took the charge w/ the Gov establishing a task force in cooperation w/ operators & local officials.

(10/60) FL’s OC Economic Recovery Task Force expedited the opening of its pivotal tourism sector & within weeks, every park proprietor was open BESIDES Disney. Meanwhile, every international Disney Resort was reopened w/ operational modifications,specifically tailored to C19,made

(11/60) Back in FL, Disney made the conscientious decision to open their parks LAST. They understood, as the face of an entire industry, that they had the monumental responsibility of proving to the entire world that operating a park during a pandemic could be achieved safely.

(12/60) People forget that because Disney opened late, after the sunbelt had begun to have its initial wave of cases, that they reopened WDW during almost the apex of FL’s outbreak. This was an extremely controversial move, one that would test Disney’s methodology to its limits.

(13/60) Disney implemented temp screenings at the gate (reducing possible carriers by 87-99%), enacted & strictly enforced an “at-all-times” mask mandate, dramatically increased sanitation intervals (such as for ride vehicles every 20 min) & reduced overall & conditional capacity

(14/60) The result was that Disney implemented the most stringent measures of any proprietor up until then, & it paid off. New cases fell off a cliff & w/ more parks operating in the area than ever, it became apparent that they DID NOT significantly contribute to FL’s outbreak.

(15/60) Better yet, FL hospitalizations also steadily decreased. It was clear that FL had encountered its full initial wave along with the rest of the sunbelt, far later than the rest of the country & yet initial fears surrounding theme park operation simply did not materialize.

(16/60) Refusing to be complacent, Disney remained vigilant in keeping guests safe, updating their mitigation strategy w/the latest emerging science published by local & federal health officials. To their credit,they committed themselves to the idea that success not breed content

(17/60) Remarkably, even theme parks lacking Disney’s strict mitigation measures & policy enforcement also proved successful, nationally. Universal, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Six Flags, Legoland & Cedar Fair parks in FL, TX, IL, PA, OH, NJ, VA & MI have yet to report outbreaks.

(18/60) Internationally, the exact same story played out yet again. It seemed conclusive to anyone examining the data and the numerous de-facto case studies playing out in tourism sectors all over the world, that theme parks, w/proper mitigation, DID NOT result in outbreaks.

(19/60) For those that are interested, even theme parks that DID NOT enforce a strict mask mandate for outdoor spaces (instead, focusing primarily on indoor spaces, attractions, & ride vehicles), such as Alton Towers in the UK, proved similarly successful in mitigating outbreaks.

(20/60) NOTE:The term "outbreak" is key. It is likely that someone, be it guest or CM, will eventually become infected, but does 1-2 ppl constitute an outbreak? The mitigation policies implemented can never completely eliminate the chance of spread, but can prevent an “outbreak.”

(21/60) To further substantiate these claims, consider the fact that there have been zero reported cases among major YouTube vloggers who regularly frequent various resort and theme park properties. Admittedly, a limited sample size but notable for their recurrent visitation.

(22/60) Meanwhile, back in CA, state & local officials were uninterested in relinquishing their firm grip over their citizenry; attempting to prosecute individuals over 7/4 fireworks & threatening to shutdown power & water to those who would dare host parties at their residences.

(23/60) Believing that the relationship between the State & Disney was amicable, & w/ their Executive Chairman, Robert Iger, dedicating his time on CA’s Economic Recovery Taskforce earning them at least some cache, the company forged ahead undeterred. This was a grave mistake.

(24/60) This is when what I call “the split” occurs, referring to the diverging subjective philosophies providing the foundation for policies related to managing C19, between states run by either Democratic or Republican Govs; both seemingly based on objective “science” & “data.”