Same. My understanding was in line with this:
I guess that’s the advantage Batuu has by being a brand new idea instead of trying to replicate something to the highest detail, and in the process have to make choices between authenticity and being able to cater to as many different guests as possible.
Well… I think USO Harry Potter had an influence on Disney about immersion if you consider the transitions as you walk into Batuu.
Yes the UG used to have the story, maybe it still does, if imagineers saying they would have to put ramps up to Hagrid’s Hut and she said no, it doesn’t have ramps! I don’t remember much DH couldn’t do but he probably wouldn’t have wanted to go in the shops.
When outside if not able to socially distance. Not that they should wear masks outside all the time.
We went to the NC Zoo a couple of weeks ago and they had already removed the mask requirement outside and asked you to put it back on when going indoors. I am unvaxed and plan to remain that way until the Covid vaccine has full approval by the FDA, not just emergency use approval. I think wearing masks outside, when distanced, when around people for one second while passing them on the street, is ridiculous. I’m glad places are doing away with the requirement to wear them outside. It follows the science. 
I agree that in uncrowded wide open spaces, outside, when passing there is probably a very low risk. I don’t think that WDW crowds fit that profile though and believe that it was premature of them to removed the outdoor mask requirement.
It absolutely doesn’t impact me because not only aren’t we there, but none of us are <12yo and we are also all fully vaccinated (at least will be soon). It would be a deal breaker for me if I was a parent of young children as the crowded pathways of WDW are not quite the same as an uncrowded sidewalk or a public park.
While I understand why WDW decided as they did, I think it was handled poorly and they could do far better to protect their youngest visitors who probably won’t be able to be vaccinated for a few months yet.
WDW is not crowded like it used to be. There is plenty of room to move about and keep distance, and the times there isn’t are brief. At least this is how it was when we went in October. The closest we ever got to another person was in passing into or out of a bathroom.
Everyone has been spouting “follow the science” about vaccines. Why are they unwilling to follow it about the risk of the spread of Covid outdoors? We’ve all known the risk was small for a loooong time. Now with so many people being vaccinated the risks are even less. I just think it’s funny how people choose which science they want to follow (not directing this at you, just an observation).
Unfortunately, along with the lifting of the outdoor mask requirements WDW is also increasing capacity. If they are bringing back shows, parades, & fireworks along with the increased capacity I would expect that the outdoor crowds will be significant by the end of the summer if not before then.
(…and I am big follow the science girl having worked in the field for the last 25+ years. Our scientific knowledge of this virus and how it works is ever evolving. Wading through studies, judging their validity, figuring out what to do for yourself and your family…it is all a difficult road to follow and we are all doing the best we can with the information we have.)
This is going to sound confrontational. I apologize in advance.
You say:
but just before that you say
but full approval doesn’t mean more science it means completing all of the bureaucracy and formality of the approval. The science has been there. The science tells us it’s safe, or it wouldn’t have met emergency use authorization either.
It feels like you contradict yourself. Am I misunderstanding?
I also have never gotten a flu shot. I am fully vaxed otherwise, including the rabies series. I honestly have no intention of taking a Covid vaccine ever, but certainly not before full approval. Science tells us it is safe for at least six or so months afterwards. They have no idea the long term effects of this vaccine. Others are willing to risk it on this vaccine because they feel the benefits outweigh the risks. I never have taken that risk with a flu vaccine and don’t really plan to with the Covid vaccine. I may decide otherwise if getting it is the only way to return to our home in Russia, but if I do that I will be going with old technology (J&J) over new technology until the MRNA ones have been studied for more than 6ish months.
I think the young man I was referring to really wanted to do the wand shop and selection and couldn’t access the shop.
Just to throw this out there. mRNA vaccines have been studied for several decades, not 6 months.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html
Um. This is not really true. Epcot on Saturday night was wall to wall people many of whom are just standing around, not moving. No one wearing masks. The days of feeling like it’s not crowded are long gone, I’m afraid.
I think there are some areas that become very congested in WDW. I found myself putting my mask back on when there were too many ppl around.
I think the CDC was trying to motivate ppl to get vaccinated, “See what you can do if…” 
agree
Yes and no. Depends on whether one considers the phase 3 participants being observed for a longer period of time to see the duration of protection and if there might be rare adverse events along with much more data review as more science or just bureaucracy.
The science will continue to unfold — for forever.
But if you look at the difference between full approval and emergency use authorization approval, there is not a lot of science upon which the full approval relies. That part of the science already happened and (as shared by @Alewis678 ) has been for a long time.
In a public health emergency, manufacturing and approval of vaccines can be streamlined through an Emergency Use Authorization or EUA. An EUA does not affect vaccine safety, because it does not impact development, such as research, clinical studies and the studying of side effects and adverse reactions. Instead, it speeds up manufacturing and administrative processes.
and also
All vaccines follow the same testing processes, whether they are approved for emergency use or through a typical license.
yep!
I agree with this. It felt like typical May crowds when we were there, just without FastPasses…
True, but I think both sides can be right on this. Was the vaccine proven to be safe and effective? Overwhelmingly yes. Is there more information to be gained about them between EUA and BLA? Also yes. Manufacturers still have to provide follow up plans and are expected to continue trials. Will anything new of scientific importance come of that? I doubt it, but it’s fair enough for someone to want to see that whole process through to completion in my opinion.
My final thoughts before I leave this thread:
I think sometimes people assume that those of us (me!) who are super excited about the vaccine and got right on board with it the moment it became available, first for me and then for my daughter and finally now for my son have no reservations or concerns or worries. I do. I assume that many or most of us do worry that something could come up later that we don’t know is a concern today.
But the fact is, the vaccine will help to increase the odds that I am alive then to deal with it
My SIL asked what if it causes infertility in my children. Yes - hugely challenging, very sad, and causes changes to a person’s life that are often difficult or impossible to overcome.
But they are alive. And we can do something about it. We can work with that.
What if it causes some kind of cancer? AWFUL stuff right there. Terrifying to think about. But I get to live at least until then, and God willing for much longer because science will continue to find ways to beat that awful disease.
Ideal? No way. But I can work with it, because I’m alive to work with it.
But if I don’t get this vaccine - if we don’t get this vaccine - we may not get to be alive to manage whatever long term side effects there may be.
Looking back over the history of vaccines there have been few (none???) severely detrimental life-altering effects of any vaccine developed (I mean something that can’t be treated in any way – perhaps life-ending is a better description). And I gotta believe we are a HELL of a lot smarter today than we were way back in the 1700s when the smallpox vaccine was invented.
I am not 100% without concern. But I believe in science. I believe in the people who have been studying this. And I believe that whatever happens from here, this vaccine (and all the others I have received before it and will receive in the future) will have helped me be there to experience it.
I agree. I have been concerned and conducted my own research, hence knowing that mRNA vaccines have been studied for decades. (I also love DNA stuff from biology, so I know that mRNAs are not permanent structures in our bodies). I still worry a little and I worry about my 12 year olds getting the vaccine on Saturday. But I also worry about a lot of other things in life. I have my Christian faith to trust that things will work out as they should and that the knowledge of being able to create this vaccine came from God to help save lives and keep others from harm. (I know not all of you share my faith, but it is part of my decision, so I added it).