Walt Disney World released a new video via Instagram and Twitter over the weekend designed to welcome guests back to its theme parks after the COVID-19 closure. The video, which depicts employees wearing masks around the parks, may not have the desired effect.
The brief clip–which was actually later deleted from Twitter, though not before going viral–shows the masked employees in a variety of different environments around Walt Disney World with rides and attractions in full operation. From beneath the masks, the employees say “Welcome home” to viewers. Several of the cast members also wear face shields and latex gloves. Of note: the rides that do operate in the video don’t show anyone riding, and the only person not wearing a mask in the video is the character Merida from the animated film Brave (which raises questions about the safety of character performers).
Related: Gay Twitter drags angry mother who wants all childless adults banned from Disney World
Needless to say, comments on the video didn’t share its enthusiasm about the parks reopening. “Terrible. Please provide testing to employees. Also offer hazard pay. This is not safe. You guys should really close,” wrote commenter @punnysang.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
“Save yourselves Disney staff. No job is with losing your life,” said user @rachelminbrooklyn.
“So scary & ruthless, Disney!” commented @thebeachrepubliclives. “Walt is turning in his grave! How this place brought joy as a kid. I couldn’t imagine ever going with anyone in my family. You reopen as virus numbers surge to record levels as the state responds poorly along with poor leadership by the executive branch. So sad for the money.”
Walt Disney World closed on March 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Disney has endured wide criticism for moving to reopen the parks even as COVID-19 cases in the state of Florida continue to skyrocket. Meanwhile, Disney World’s California counterpart Disneyland was set to reopen later this month. Disney has since announced the theme parks there will remain closed indefinitely.
That being said, it looks like opening day wasn’t a failure — here’s a look at what the experience was like for park guests.
Catholicslutbox
“ the only person not wearing a mask in the video is the character Merida from the animated film Brave (which raises questions about the safety of character performers).”
Face masks are meant to reduce the odds of those infected from spreading the bug and not prevent you, the wearer, from catching it.
The only ones that help are n95 masks that are properly fitted and discarded after use.
Kangol2
Is that true? I’ve read more than once that triple layer cloth masks, or even double layer ones, which you can wash after each use, can actually prevent most transmission in public and even in enclosed spaces if you are not in the spaces for extended periods of time and they are not poorly ventilated.
Catholicslutbox
A medical report said that wearing one reduces your chances of catching it by 6% and that’s only for properly fitted ones. -That’s one of the reasons the CDC was originally saying that it was only necessary to wear one if you’re sick… but the people that were spreading it didn’t know that they were sick.
Kangol2
OK. I checked several medical sites. The reputable Mayo Clinic says this: “Asking everyone to wear cloth masks can help reduce the spread of the coronavirus by people who have COVID-19 but don’t realize it. And countries that required face masks, testing, isolation and social distancing early in the pandemic seem to have had some success slowing the spread of the virus.”
In study from Oxford University, from the British Academy and the Royal Society as part of Royal Society’s SET-C (Science in Emergencies Tasking – COVID-19), another reputable institution, says this: “Cloth face coverings, even homemade masks made with the correct material, are effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19 – for the wearer and those around them – according to a new study published today [July 9, 2020] from Oxford’s Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science.” Also: “Cloth face coverings are effective in protecting the wearer and those around them.”
Lastly, “And a modeling study, published this month in Proceedings of the Royal Society A, concluded that if the majority of a population wore face masks in public — even just homemade ones — that this could dramatically reduce transmission of the virus and help prevent future waves of the pandemic.”
So I take all of this to mean it’s better to wear a mask properly in public than not, to social distance whenever possible, to wash your hands and use sanitizer, and so on.
Kangol2
You should find the altered clip where someone changes all of the chipper “Welcome home” statements to “Please don’t come” and “Stay away” etc. It’s actually both funny and disturbing, but clearly the better message right now.
cuteguy
The only reason Disney World continued with its opening is bc it’s in a state run but governor Ron Disaster, who happens to be a trump puppet. It’s no surprise Florida is now a covid 19 hotspot. Looking fwd to going back to Disney but not any time soon. The park will be there soon after all those ppl that die from covid 19 wont be. I’ll wait
rocknstan
I wouldn’t be surprised if Disney Corporation offered a Coronavirus Day if it meant some profit.
Jim
Just can’t buy anywhere as the happiest place on earth at this time.
Florida has more Covid cases than all but 3 countries, and yet Disney opens.
Can’t say I feel that their guests are job one!
ThinkPlease
I just picture Mickey, “Hee! Hee! Hold ’em down, Goofy, while I check their temperature! Hee! Hee!”
And you know that ain’t gonna be orally or via IR. Thanks, I’ll pass until there’s a vaccine.