Effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19) On Entertainment & Tourism Industry

[Nick]

More like "assuming".

I mean if they have evidence I'm more open to it but seems like some just want to close the world down for over a year and rather not have to bail out Companies again if they can be safe and let people in. Yes, sucks some will get around the rules and get some sick but really we can't control people and at some point just have to accept that if we don't let businesses open up that we could really be looking at a bad future for everyone.

They're open, much of the day is spent outside, they're able to spread out big crowds (which aren't coming), and they're cleaning the crap out of everything

I would say theme parks are the least of my concerns

I have a friend who works in attractions and this person says they’ve never felt less safe at work and people are constantly coming up in their face, sometimes without mask on and they have no choice but to deal with it. Mind you thousands of TM’s are exposing themselves everyday to similar situations. Does that sound like something you’d like to have to deal with in this environment for $13/hour when the business is non-essential?

 

[Jerroddragon]

I have a friend who works in attractions and this person says they’ve never felt less safe at work and people are constantly coming up in their face, sometimes without mask on and they have no choice but to deal with it. Mind you thousands of TM’s are exposing themselves everyday to similar situations. Does that sound like something you’d like to have to deal with in this environment for $13/hour when the business is non-essential?

I mean this is another issue.

1) Should TM's Make more, especially now? Yes, they are the life blood of helping keep the company alive so we can have the business open (be it a theme park or Mc Donalds)
2) Management might need to get more involved then and if you see someone you report it and either a manager or a person who is hired for the job of asking Guests to put masks on or kindly leave.
3) I think Masks need to be more like no shoes, no shirt no service and become just something all Businesses unit in forcing you to wear, yes their will be dicks but think messaging might just need to be more clear on what is being asked here.


But while I know the TM's don't feel safe, the honest question after that is, if all businesses that are part of entertainment are such down are they fine with the fact theme parks might not come back? If all area's of fields they have contacts in/training in are gone for the next few years where will they get a job from or money?
I'm more asking then trying to be a dick, but it is a complicated subject and all I can do is wear a mask and stay 6 feet from people and would do that at Universal or Disneyland, they just need to find a way to kick the people out who can't follow these simple rules so the world can keep spinning.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I have a friend who works in attractions and this person says they’ve never felt less safe at work and people are constantly coming up in their face, sometimes without mask on and they have no choice but to deal with it. Mind you thousands of TM’s are exposing themselves everyday to similar situations. Does that sound like something you’d like to have to deal with in this environment for $13/hour when the business is non-essential?

Yes, this is another question - why are we so sure Universal is doing a great job? We aren’t privy to information on sick TMs, and a lot of our info is anecdotal from interested parties.

TMs are in an untenable position - they need to remain friendly and non-confrontational while strictly enforcing a guideline a lot of guests will deeply resent.

Even in a best case scenario, mask enforcement will be spotty, unless you assign each family an individual TM to watch them at all times (which is insane, of course). And the “eating and drinking” exception, while necessary, is a gigantic loophole.

And there should be no danger of Universal or Disney, huge multinational conglomerates with multiple revenue streams, not reopening their parks. If there is, this is a huge indictment of the companies’ financial planning (stock buybacks) and of the government response.

Look, The pandemic can be controlled. A lot of other nations have done it. Our inability to control the crisis is why we have to even discuss whether Universal should be closed. Control the crisis first, save the economy and open the parks next.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Yes, this is another question - why are we so sure Universal is doing a great job? We aren’t privy to information on sick TMs, and a lot of our info is anecdotal from interested parties.

TMs are in an untenable position - they need to remain friendly and non-confrontational while strictly enforcing a guideline a lot of guests will deeply resent.

Even in a best case scenario, mask enforcement will be spotty, unless you assign each family an individual TM to watch them at all times (which is insane, of course). And the “eating and drinking” exception, while necessary, is a gigantic loophole.

And there should be no danger of Universal or Disney, huge multinational conglomerates with multiple revenue streams, not reopening their parks. If there is, this is a huge indictment of the companies’ financial planning (stock buybacks) and of the government response.

Look, The pandemic can be controlled. A lot of other nations have done it. Our inability to control the crisis is why we have to even discuss whether Universal should be closed. Control the crisis first, save the economy and open the parks next.

Well Theme parks are apart of the communities and Economy....so how do you think we will save it? By telling certain places you cannot open....and then what? Wait for a cure for a year or two and hope the virus doesn't change by the time we have a cure?

The government would have to pay trillions to keep all the none essentials jobs afloat...and then when your just handing out free money many business will fight to not have to be open and get money for doing nothing. Then you have the people who have to doing dealing with it all and getting paid not much while CM's and millions of others just lay around collecting money.

I think that would create a bigger issue but thats just me, making many work while allowing others to just collect more money than you...seems like more protests to come and then spread the virus more.

 

[Frank Drackman]

I have a friend who works in attractions and this person says they’ve never felt less safe at work and people are constantly coming up in their face, sometimes without mask on and they have no choice but to deal with it. Mind you thousands of TM’s are exposing themselves everyday to similar situations. Does that sound like something you’d like to have to deal with in this environment for $13/hour when the business is non-essential?

I do start to feel like face shields might be the best thing to wear in public?

I really do not know what to say (about any part of the economy) when it comes to what is expected of 'workers'.

I know there was a time in this country when dying at work was a 'manly' thing to do (I guess)....what do we tend to hear about the Empire State Building?? How many (pick your industry) steel workers died during construction....asbestos...miners....children who ate lead paint chips.

I just think that in the current economy, well, CEOs stock options do not feel like something to die for (my personal opinion) at the, well, pay to risk options afforded us in this country as workers.

I think the insurances companies get to say 'pandemic'....legal seems to have told theme parks that the customers assume all risk...I think the whole world is a little odd right now.

 

[Tbad556]

I have a friend who works in attractions and this person says they’ve never felt less safe at work and people are constantly coming up in their face, sometimes without mask on and they have no choice but to deal with it. Mind you thousands of TM’s are exposing themselves everyday to similar situations. Does that sound like something you’d like to have to deal with in this environment for $13/hour when the business is non-essential?

Thank you. This is genuinely almost every single friend of mine in attractions right now. It also doesn't help that they've been working incredibly long hours, short-staffed, while watching their co-workers occasionally get sent home for a week or two due to symptoms knowing they are risking the exact same thing every single day.

I keep saying this, but you're all acting like all is well just because the front-facing appearances in the parks seem good. Things are rough enough that the 2 TMs from HR in charge of attractions are taking over a week typically to even respond to whether or not a TM can come back to the parks after symptoms because they have so many people to respond to. The same thing goes for giving them instructions on what to do once they are sent home. This wouldn't be an issue if they only had 1 or 2 people to respond to.

I mean this is another issue.

1) Should TM's Make more, especially now? Yes, they are the life blood of helping keep the company alive so we can have the business open (be it a theme park or Mc Donalds)
2) Management might need to get more involved then and if you see someone you report it and either a manager or a person who is hired for the job of asking Guests to put masks on or kindly leave.
3) I think Masks need to be more like no shoes, no shirt no service and become just something all Businesses unit in forcing you to wear, yes their will be dicks but think messaging might just need to be more clear on what is being asked here.


But while I know the TM's don't feel safe, the honest question after that is, if all businesses that are part of entertainment are such down are they fine with the fact theme parks might not come back? If all area's of fields they have contacts in/training in are gone for the next few years where will they get a job from or money?
I'm more asking then trying to be a dick, but it is a complicated subject and all I can do is wear a mask and stay 6 feet from people and would do that at Universal or Disneyland, they just need to find a way to kick the people out who can't follow these simple rules so the world can keep spinning.

2) This is literally what happens already, but management can only be in so many places at once and move so fast. The TMs still have to deal with the negligent guest in the meantime. It also means yet another TM (the manager) has to now come into contact with the non-compliant guest and also risk their safety.

3) This is also already what's happening here.

This is what we're trying to say. These policies already exist. It isn't enough to protect those that work in the park. Disney can put out all of the cult-esque videos with smiling faces saying they can't wait to come back to work all they want, but a lot of these TMs/CMs are scared and worried about their own health. Theme parks are not essential.

 

[Teebin]

Does anyone know if or how often Universal security has ushered people out of the resort/parks for non-compliance? I did notice in one video that many seem to be walking around with a waterbottle or drink in their hands seemingly justifying the mask being down... which is frightening.

 

[Scott W.]

I do have to ask, are their facts that theme parks are a mega spreader or are people just speculating

It will all be speculation. You'll never know for sure.

The way I look at it, it's purely a numbers game. The parks are attracting big crowds but if one person gets through with COVID, even in a clean environment, it could spread to more people than a small group without any precautions in place.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Does anyone know if or how often Universal security has ushered people out of the resort/parks for non-compliance? I did notice in one video that many seem to be walking around with a waterbottle or drink in their hands seemingly justifying the mask being down... which is frightening.

Even in a best case scenario, each TM can only enforce masks in the moment they can see the guest. If the guest raises the mask, they can lower it a moment later and keep it off until the next TM spots them and the process repeats. Universal isn’t going to be keeping some big database of repeat offenders. The only folks who run the slightest risk of expulsion are guests who become instantly belligerent rather then just feigning compliance for an instance. Even then, I suspect Universal will still bend over backwards not to have to kick out a guest. And this is all compounded by the food and drink issue.

 

[Pirate Athos]

I do have to ask, are their facts that theme parks are a mega spreader or are people just speculating

I was talking in general and not theme parks in particular. I feel they need to go back and rethink the whole reopening plan, because their plan clearly isn’t working. For instance one local mom and pop shop I went to myself and the elderly cashier were the only one in masks. All the customers waiting in line,and the sandwich makers were all without masks in a tight enclosed space talking. Those customers included firefighters, and other county officials, and I was in a county that still had a mask mandate. I left.

People are just being careless and I can’t help but think that maybe it’s because the plan has no real teeth to it. Shut everything down again. Make it clear that it happened because people were not following the rules. Add some other punishments for not following the rules, and when numbers start getting low again start reopening.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I was talking in general and not theme parks in particular. I feel they need to go back and rethink the whole reopening plan, because their plan clearly isn’t working. For instance one local mom and pop shop I went to myself and the elderly cashier were the only one in masks. All the customers waiting in line,and the sandwich makers were all without masks in a tight enclosed space talking. Those customers included firefighters, and other county officials, and I was in a county that still had a mask mandate. I left.

People are just being careless and I can’t help but think that maybe it’s because the plan has no real teeth to it. Shut everything down again. Make it clear that it happened because people were not following the rules. Add some other punishments for not following the rules, and when numbers start getting low again start reopening.

I agree with Punishment but its a bad time as others have pointed out for Police to get too involved and look like Peacekeepers from the hunger games.

Fines I think will work best, people hate losing money but then you have to make sure judges and governors are for it or else its all smoke and mirrors.

In the end it's not black and white but sometimes are true, if theme parks shut down and can't reopen until a cure is out there then they are dead, Cast Members and other people having to work in the public should get paid more and this is what unions should fight for, maybe face shields should become the new normal for people in these positions while we are at it.
But I think it's just dangerous to shut down all entertainment until this is over, thats millions that could FOREVER lose work and while I'm not saying the economy is worth risking dying for your job and livelihood might be and if people in these jobs hate how they are being treated and paid, it might be a time to go back to school or trade school and find something new.

 

[Tbad556]

Does anyone know if or how often Universal security has ushered people out of the resort/parks for non-compliance? I did notice in one video that many seem to be walking around with a waterbottle or drink in their hands seemingly justifying the mask being down... which is frightening.

Even in a best case scenario, each TM can only enforce masks in the moment they can see the guest. If the guest raises the mask, they can lower it a moment later and keep it off until the next TM spots them and the process repeats. Universal isn’t going to be keeping some big database of repeat offenders. The only folks who run the slightest risk of expulsion are guests who become instantly belligerent rather then just feigning compliance for an instance. Even then, I suspect Universal will still bend over backwards not to have to kick out a guest. And this is all compounded by the food and drink issue.

As @Casper Gutman said, they almost definitely haven't escorted anyone out. From my experience working in the park, they're almost always all for show. I've had guests full-on threaten & follow me and when security finally got involved a decent chunk of time later, they gave them a light warning and were laughing and joking with the guys minutes later. I don't really know any TMs who are a fan of Universal Security and many have similar stories

 

[Red Carpet]

Right now there is a temporary ban on evictions in Florida. At some point that will end. When that happens, many who don't have jobs will instantly become homeless. I think many park employees would rather go to work and risk getting covid than be homeless.

 

[Pirate Athos]

I agree with Punishment but its a bad time as others have pointed out for Police to get too involved and look like Peacekeepers from the hunger games.

Fines I think will work best, people hate losing money but then you have to make sure judges and governors are for it or else its all smoke and mirrors.

In the end it's not black and white but sometimes are true, if theme parks shut down and can't reopen until a cure is out there then they are dead, Cast Members and other people having to work in the public should get paid more and this is what unions should fight for, maybe face shields should become the new normal for people in these positions while we are at it.
But I think it's just dangerous to shut down all entertainment until this is over, thats millions that could FOREVER lose work and while I'm not saying the economy is worth risking dying for your job and livelihood might be and if people in these jobs hate how they are being treated and paid, it might be a time to go back to school or trade school and find something new.

There’s things in you post I agree with and some I don’t. I’m just touching on two for the sake of brevity.

Your are right this whole thing has no good answers it’s why there is so much debate.
While some people feel livelihood and jobs might be worth risking death for (and I can see that argument) when dead there is no options, hope, or even chances. When alive even if it sucks at this moment with limited entertainment and no job, there is a chance later that it will get better. And it will get better this isn’t a new normal, it’s just a temporary normal. But if dead those people will never get back to the way things were.

 

[darkridelover]

Well that is why you have personal responsibility and have the ability to do things like not eat near others (if the parks are empty most restaurants have the room for you to be more than 6 feet apart)

If a business wants to run and is doing all they can to be safe then they should be allowed to run, if you are so against it then do not go but the rest of the people willing to risk it (once again safely) then they should be allowed Planes and Cars have risks to, hell even walking in the city so what we stop everyone from doing anything that has a percent of endangering others?

It's like how the beaches are closed right now, I get it some are idiots but I'm not. I go by myself there is a .001 percent chance of me getting sit at the windy open beach but because some jerks ruined it the entire country has to shut down? How about we just fine those who are breaking the rules and in terms of theme parks kick them out if they wont comply, most America's support being safe so really don't see why we don't just crack down more on those being stupid instead of just shutting things down.

Personal responsibility is not an option for TM and Cast members. They have to go to work or go broke. Same things with bartenders, servers, cashiers, cooks, etc. This myth that if you don't feel comfortable you can stay away is not true. Even office workers who are forced back to work are working in close proximity to other coworkers and the disease is spreading. A month ago the numbers were low and it seemed to make sense to start a phased reopening. Now with record breaking infections, IT'S NOT SAFE FOR ANY NON-ESSENTIAL WORKER TO BE AT WORK RIGHT NOW.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Personal responsibility is not an option for TM and Cast members. They have to go to work or go broke. Same things with bartenders, servers, cashiers, cooks, etc. This myth that if you don't feel comfortable you can stay away is not true. Even office workers who are forced back to work are working in close proximity to other coworkers and the disease is spreading. A month ago the numbers were low and it seemed to make sense to start a phased reopening. Now with record breaking infections, IT'S NOT SAFE FOR ANY NON-ESSENTIAL WORKER TO BE AT WORK RIGHT NOW.

And it wont be for sometime.....and at said time the whole world might be broke.

I don't like the system we have but it's the system we've got. If these people all loses their jobs at once that's it for many of these people, we can't make new work fast enough and they all have nothing. They lose their homes, careers and lives we do not have the means without taking Amazons CEO's money to support more American's for years.

But since at a drop of a pin everything could go back to not safe, we need to find a way to reopen businesses. It's unpopular on here I know but the alternative is very bad as well and we can't just ignore what would happen if all these places go under and people don't have jobs to return to.

 

[Casper Gutman]

And it wont be for sometime.....and at said time the whole world might be broke.

I don't like the system we have but it's the system we've got. If these people all loses their jobs at once that's it for many of these people, we can't make new work fast enough and they all have nothing. They lose their homes, careers and lives we do not have the means without taking Amazons CEO's money to support more American's for years.

But since at a drop of a pin everything could go back to not safe, we need to find a way to reopen businesses. It's unpopular on here I know but the alternative is very bad as well and we can't just ignore what would happen if all these places go under and people don't have jobs to return to.

You have the alternatives wrong. It is not open up and see illness skyrocket vs. stay closed and starve. The actual choice is control the virus like many other countries vs. just ignore it and let a lot of people get sick while the economy fails to recover.

We can control this. Many other nations have. And if we have to lockdown, businesses do not need to disappear and people do not need to starve. America is powerful and rich, arguably more so then any other nation in the history of the world. The attitude that sees opening up and letting the illness spread as the only option is defeatist, not realist.

To save the economy, we MUST control the outbreak. There is no other way.

 

[Red Carpet]

We locked down in the Spring. All that did was push infections off to the Summer. If we lock down in the Summer, that will just push infections into the fall. If we lock down in the fall, that will just push infections into the winter .Lock downs don't solve the Covid problem. They just push the problem off to later date. Eventually the virus will catch up and infect most of us.

 

[Tbad556]

We locked down in the Spring. All that did was push infections off to the Summer. If we lock down in the Summer, that will just push infections into the fall. If we lock down in the fall, that will just push infections into the winter .Lock downs don't solve the Covid problem. They just push the problem off to later date. Eventually the virus will catch up and infect most of us.

We locked down poorly in the Spring and rushed back far too soon. Look at the half of the country that did it right. Their numbers aren’t spiking again. Same thing goes for a large chunk of the rest of the world. There’s a reason our numbers are so much worse than most states and countries right now.

 

[Red Carpet]

Most of the states that are seeing decreases are states that got hit hard early on and have a significant portion of the population that is immune. Plus some of those states like New York and New Jersey still have a lot of their businesses shut down.