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Coronavirus Impacting Theme Parks


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I'm not trying to be selfish at all by saying this, I do care about the lives lost and those affected. However how many more freedoms are we truly willing to sacrifice for this virus? KI is not even in my window of worries I can go without a season if it comes to that, but what about everything else?

 

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It was known this was coming but a huge deal worked out at Disney for 43,000 employees furloughed.

An important item of the agreement includes a possible idea on how long both sides may think this lasts:

Health insurance (including medical, dental, life, etc.) will remain effective for the duration of the furlough up to 12 months, including both full-time workers as well as part-time workers who qualify under the Affordable Care Act. Disney will pay all insurance costs with workers not needing to owe payments when they return to work.

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2020/04/11/breakingwalt-disney-world-to-furlough-43k-more.html?ana=yahoo&yptr=yahoo

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6 hours ago, disco2000 said:

It was known this was coming but a huge deal worked out at Disney for 43,000 employees furloughed.

An important item of the agreement includes a possible idea on how long both sides may think this lasts:

Health insurance (including medical, dental, life, etc.) will remain effective for the duration of the furlough up to 12 months, including both full-time workers as well as part-time workers who qualify under the Affordable Care Act. Disney will pay all insurance costs with workers not needing to owe payments when they return to work.

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2020/04/11/breakingwalt-disney-world-to-furlough-43k-more.html?ana=yahoo&yptr=yahoo

Unions usually have it written in contracts how long benefits are paid during furlough already. It wouldn't necessarily be because of COVID that these terms were established. 

My work is union and the current contract was agreed on in 2015 still had 90 days benefits paid for furloughs included in the language.

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10 hours ago, spooky21 said:

I'm not trying to be selfish at all by saying this, I do care about the lives lost and those affected. However how many more freedoms are we truly willing to sacrifice for this virus? KI is not even in my window of worries I can go without a season if it comes to that, but what about everything else?

 

What freedoms are you so concerned about giving up temporarily?  I would like the freedom to live long enough to see my grand kids or at least see my kids graduate from high school.

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9 hours ago, PatchesC said:

Unions usually have it written in contracts how long benefits are paid during furlough already. It wouldn't necessarily be because of COVID that these terms were established. 

My work is union and the current contract was agreed on in 2015 still had 90 days benefits paid for furloughs included in the language.

While what you say is true that these benefits are generally already in union contracts, this is a brand new settlement revision just signed on April 11th specifically in response to COVID-19...

The first line of the union statement issued even says "Today, we reached an Agreement with Disney regarding the Company’s decision to furlough its employees starting April 19 because of the COVID-19 crisis." 

The 2017 Disney Union Contact, that is in effect until October 1, 2022, only called for 30 days of health benefits being provided.  Parties to that contract probably would have never imagined Disney would shut down for longer than that.  Would any of us had thought that would happen?

Disney could have simply told the union they are honoring the previously agreed to contract and they get 30 days of insurance, but instead they sat down at the table and negotiated a new deal for up to 12 months of health insurance benefits at no cost to the employee, as well as some other items of benefit to the employee...

How many employers are you aware of that would do that on an existing contract in full force and effect?  None that I have worked for would.  This will cost Disney significant money when they could have simply pointed to an existing agreement and Disney did not do that.  Would your employer do that in the event they have to furlough and it is longer than the 90 days in your union contract?  I have no idea where you work, but let's hope your employer doesn't put your co-workers in that situation...

Obviously both parties must feel this will be a long term shut-down...

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1 hour ago, disco2000 said:

While what you say is true that these benefits are generally already in union contracts, this is a brand new settlement revision just signed on April 11th specifically in response to COVID-19...

The first line of the union statement issued even says "Today, we reached an Agreement with Disney regarding the Company’s decision to furlough its employees starting April 19 because of the COVID-19 crisis." 

The 2017 Disney Union Contact, that is in effect until October 1, 2022, only called for 30 days of health benefits being provided.  Parties to that contract probably would have never imagined Disney would shut down for longer than that.  Would any of us had thought that would happen?

Disney could have simply told the union they are honoring the previously agreed to contract and they get 30 days of insurance, but instead they sat down at the table and negotiated a new deal for up to 12 months of health insurance benefits at no cost to the employee, as well as some other items of benefit to the employee...

How many employers are you aware of that would do that on an existing contract in full force and effect?  None that I have worked for would.  This will cost Disney significant money when they could have simply pointed to an existing agreement and Disney did not do that.  Would your employer do that in the event they have to furlough and it is longer than the 90 days in your union contract?  I have no idea where you work, but let's hope your employer doesn't put your co-workers in that situation...

Obviously both parties must feel this will be a long term shut-down...

Interesting Disney was willing to extend benefits for much longer. With the forecasts of 2 years for return to normal crowds at Disney, I can see where that is good reasoning.

We are already furloughed off for at least 3 weeks, possibly longer. Previous layoff was back 2008 and had only the 90 days, didn't return to work for 11 months. I hope we don't go very far past the 3 weeks but suppliers are controlling what we are able to produce.

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16 minutes ago, PatchesC said:

Interesting Disney was willing to extend benefits for much longer. With the forecasts of 2 years for return to normal crowds at Disney, I can see where that is good reasoning.

We are already furloughed off for at least 3 weeks, possibly longer. Previous layoff was back 2008 and had only the 90 days, didn't return to work for 11 months. I hope we don't go very far past the 3 weeks but suppliers are controlling what we are able to produce.

I am sorry to hear that about your job.  Hopefully they can get you back sooner.  I am sure that some Disney employees are complaining about this settlement, but it is way better than what they have in the current contract and most of us being put through this wish our employers would extend benefits beyond the terms of the original contract!

Maybe some other companies are or will follow suit, but this one was relevant to this thread as it does give some insight as to where Disney is at regarding this impacting their parks.

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18 hours ago, spooky21 said:

I'm not trying to be selfish at all by saying this, I do care about the lives lost and those affected. However how many more freedoms are we truly willing to sacrifice for this virus? KI is not even in my window of worries I can go without a season if it comes to that, but what about everything else?

 

On April 11: New York felt it was flattening the curve, doing better, and making progress. That state still lost 783 human beings that day. Across the nation, 22,018 Americans have died as of this post. Worldwide, over 113,000 people have died as of this post.

You can wait a little while longer to ride Orion.

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Agreed on waiting to ride Orion.  

I have been working at home since March 13th, as has my wife. 

However, I work for a small architectural firm.  Our prospective work has all but dried up.  Clients that were considering doing projects (including some that we had already gone in for permit on), are now on indefinite hold.  Over the last week, I spent less than a quarter of my time on billable work.  While I am not concerned with losing my job in the next month or so, if this stretches on much past the summer, I do not have a good feeling about maintaining my job.  I would be the last to let go, as I was the owner`s first hire back in 2013.  Fortunately, we have a rather large emergency fund set up that can last us for a while, and my wife`s job seems like it would be stable.  We lived off of my income when she was paying off $130,000+ in student loans from undergrad and law school.  This whole thing is especially trying for parents with young kids who are now forced to try and educate their children, watch their children during the day, and work from home (if they still have that option).  It broke my heart the other day when my son asked why he couldn`t go to preschool.

These will be trying times for sure.  Hopefully, with the stay at home orders, most of us will make it through without getting Covid-19.  There will be a time when we will be able to ride roller coasters again.  When exactly, we do not know yet.  But our health and safety is of paramount concern.  You cannot be riding roller coasters if you are no longer with us, or stuck in an ICU.

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1 minute ago, KIguy2004 said:

I'm surprised that DeWine hasn't closed the state again. The way it looks he probably will again on May 1st.

I anticipate many governor's cautiously opening up more places May 1st, but with social distancing policies mandatory. If Walmart & Kroger can be open with social distancing policies, why can't Kohls or Macy's or Best Buy?

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8 minutes ago, bjcolglazier said:

I anticipate many governor's cautiously opening up more places May 1st, but with social distancing policies mandatory. If Walmart & Kroger can be open with social distancing policies, why can't Kohl's or Macy's or Best Buy?

Yeah. They should still be able to be open. I feel like maybe those stores are closed due to them being non-essential. If they were open they would most likely be enforcing social distancing. I do know that Best Buy is only accepting online orders for shipping and curbside pickup. Nintendo is only accepting orders for digital items right now, no physical items for sale right now. I am trying to save me some money to buy myself my very first Switch. I plan to buy the Animal Crossing Special Edition and a few games.

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Been reading up on the small aerosols we create while walking, running and biking. Some of the research is not looking good for getting outside. The distances it can travel appear to be much greater than current CDC guidelines.   

If the science bears out not good for distancing in amusement parks either especially on coasters or even most flats for that matter. Kids and teens run, we see it all the time. Even I have to correct my kids when they get worked up.  
 

https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/6-feet-of-social-distancing-not-nearly-enough-cdcs-recommendation-driving-some-experts-nuts.html

https://www.fox13news.com/news/simulation-research-shows-covid-19-can-spread-farther-by-those-exercising-outdoors

51 minutes ago, bjcolglazier said:

I anticipate many governor's cautiously opening up more places May 1st, but with social distancing policies mandatory. If Walmart & Kroger can be open with social distancing policies, why can't Kohls or Macy's or Best Buy?

None of those are essential.  We have to eat, well I could probably go a few months but you get the idea.  Although we may need need to ramp up the curb side pickup type service.  At least for us over 50 Expendables, you kids should be fine going inside.  :P

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11 minutes ago, bjcolglazier said:

Looking at the lines of cars at the food banks in major cities has made me re-evaluate the word "essential" on all sorts of levels. I can't imagine...

On that subject one thing I have started doing is marking the expiration date non perishable goods with a sharpie so if it something we might not use we can get it to a food bank a month or two before it expires.  

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6 minutes ago, gforce1994 said:

I don't think we'll be locked down and have everything shut down for 18 months. However, I could see over the next year or more having some brief flareups and maybe some shutdowns that are brief. 

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