This is the part no one wants to talk about and the only part that resonates with me.
I always expected my family and I to get coronavirus. I only hoped we wouldn’t die if it.
I can’t wait until the world is risk-free to enjoy it.
2 Likes
While not technically “this year” as the post title asks, my entire family informed me last month that no one wants to go to WDW in January when we have reservations for our next trip. We are in ISUamanda’s camp. My fellow Cyclone’s comment above is why I answered to the survey the way I did. That, and the uncomfortable experiences my wife & I ran into during our own 650 mile trip back home to Iowa in June. It has become obvious now in this COVID world that it’s the other guy one needs to look out for when traveling. I see that every day where I live. As much as it pains me to say, I don’t need to experience more of it on a long trip to WDW, even though Disney might possible say it is “The Happiest Place on Earth” these days because of what is doing to thwart COVID on site.
3 Likes
I can attest to that, haha.
I’m kinda the opposite. Until I started booking vacations (in the UK and US) I had zero expectation I’d get COVID because the virus would just not have any opportunity to find me. I’m a bit of a hermit.
Now that I’m giving it some opportunities, I don’t fear death. If I die, I die. Big whoop. I fear suffering with an unpleasant disease, I fear loss of income (I’m self-employed), I fear practicality (who’s going to look after Calvin if I can’t?)
Yeah, I think you might be waiting a long time for that.
1 Like
Two points have occurred to me.
First, I think this is an excellent example of cock-up vs. conspiracy. How it’s possible to superimpose your own judgement on something and totally misread it on the internet. There was no grand conspiracy here. I intended to judge no-one.
The proof is my second point.
Why would you not be scared of COVID. It’s a very nasty disease. If you’re very lucky you’re asymptomatic. If you’re lucky you just feel like crap for a couple of weeks. If you’re unlucky you’re in hospital for a couple of weeks. And if you’re really unlucky you die.
I’ve spoken before about how ghoulish I find mask-wearing. This is because it’s a reminder of what a suddenly and unexpectedly scary world we now live in. People are wearing masks to protect themselves. That’s never been necessary before outside of wartime, and even then only occasionally.
That’s legitimately scary.
3 Likes
Knowing that you’re there and that they could bump into you? Yes, good point.
2 Likes
This is exactly us.
1 Like
I agree scary can be an appropriate word here in the literal sense.
But at least on this side of the pond referring to someone being afraid of the virus has become a pejorative. Kind of like calling someone a snowflake or a wimp.
This may not be a universal interpretation but has been my experience even living in a very left-leaning region (say by people disagreeing with each other online in my nhood listserv, or evening disagreeing with each other in a group setting re what to do about school openings). Just filling you in on the slang baggage if you weren’t aware. I’m not sure if it’s been the same in the U.K.
That said, I am into words by profession and I often tell for example my husband he shouldn’t get mad at words I use very technically appropriately when he’s bringing his own baggage to interpreting what I “mean.” So I’m all about the dictionary. But just saying scared/fear/afraid might be kind of loaded now more than you would think. Silly right?
I feel like this virus had made me rethink what enjoying this world means. What is important to me? What makes me truly happy? What do I enjoy? Are there other activities that have less risk that I will equally enjoy?
I am cancelling my October WDW trip because we have decided the risk (especially traveling) is not worth the reward. But, I just got a springer spaniel puppy, who is joy and laughter (and pain - sharp little teeth - ouch) and years of companionship. Without virtual learning and work from home and cancelled trips we never would have gotten her.
Overall the reevaluation has been a weird upside. I keep coming back to something my husband and I decided in May - our goal is for all of us to live through the year. (We are at higher risk than others, so isn’t just drama). Goal number 2 is to figure out how to live life to its fullest while meeting goal #1 and not putting others at risk. It has certainly been challenging and sometime disappointing but also invigorating in a weird way.
4 Likes
Absolutely. We have experienced a BUNCH of introspection through all of this.
My mom decided by Easter that her life wasn’t worth living if she couldn’t be with her grandchildren.
We decided by the end of May that we weren’t going to stay apart from friends one day longer and we’ve been enjoying play dates galore.
I sincerely enjoyed the 8 weeks of family meals and having my kids to myself, but we don’t want to live in isolation.
We each need to create our own risk:benefit ratio.
8 Likes
100% my answer, right down to May 2020 getting cancelled and going again May 2021.
2 Likes
This is key, to me. My grandniece lives with us and is 2/3 of the way to her black belt, which in the ultraconservative style she’s in takes 8 - 10 years. We’re a competitive family; she’s been competing in tournaments for the last 5 or 6 years. Usually at least one a month.
Our last tournament was 2 March. Properly so, 2 March tournaments, 2 April tournaments and 3 June tournaments were cancelled or postponed. Next Saturday is the first non-virtual tournament. Mask wearing in the whole city is mandated, as well as in the tournament area. Social distancing areas marked off. Sanitizing. Changes in protocols to keep transmission down. Sessions by age group to further distance - probably a third of the divisions competing at a time. It’s an experiment to be sure and the less than 50% of usual registered competitors indicates that.
I look for good compliance - after all, respect = control and control = respect. If very few can trace a covid positive to this event, it shows us a way forward.
1 Like
It’s so interesting to me, MT’s curve is almost exactly following AZ, TX and FL (only with tiny little numbers 
). We also did not shut down tourism, which is almost as big to us as it is to FL.
Our cases started to fall just before the mask mandate went into effect- though anecdotally I thought people were starting to wear them more as our numbers ticked up. I think the mandate did help quite a bit, though.
At Yellowstone they test the staff almost fanatically, and one concession worker tested positive, along with three out-of-state visitors who must have been voluntarily tested at gateway communities. I really do think WDW is a safe venue (although some of the new queues make me a little queasy!)
3 Likes
My thoughts, which might be self-serving since I have traveled both to Yellowstone and now am going to WDW, is that the key is not where you are or where you go, but rather how well you follow the safety guidelines such as distancing and masks. This to me is key. So many people around here are having parties and family gatherings with large-ish numbers of people from many different households. They have the parties outside which gives them an out (in their view) on distancing and masks. Yet these parties are a significant source of spread here. So is it really that much worse to travel if you are following distancing protocols and wearing your mask religiously? The plane is a hiccup, but I’ve been reading up on this extensively. The conclusion almost everyone comes to is it is a low risk, but not no risk, activity if everyone is masked.
4 Likes
I actually planned on getting to Universal this year in Nov, and stopping by Hollyweird for a day to storm around GE and ride Tower Of Terror 10 times - (I’d probably be able to talk the fam into a day at MK as well, to burn thru fastpasses, too) but… yeah, not happening.
I’ve seen people.
If we are relying on hygienic practices of other human beings? Yeah, I’ve seen people. I might not be talking specifically about you, gentle reader…but I’ve been in public and seen PLENTY to form an opinion on whether or not to trust a large amount of peoples’ hygiene. Not even CLOSE to being worth any risk, imo.
But, dammit if flights aren’t almost FREE…
4 Likes
Nope. I think travel itself is no different that going to town.
Exactly. The consequences for me, I think, are not worth the risk but my entire family has flown at least twice during the pandemic. Since masks are now required, it seems pretty safe to me.
Really, the weak link I the chain is probably the hotel room, but one can fix that with either Clorox wipes and opening a window, or asking for a room that’s been empty for a few days. I also would probably forgo maid service if possible.
2 Likes
This exactly. Everyone I know has different points of confort/discomfort. (Luckily my DH and I are pretty closely aligned.)
I also reserve the right to change my mind and revise this at anytime!
6 Likes
In direct proportion to how close I am to WDW!
2 Likes
Edited: nevermind.
I’m reminded that I stopped engaging in the COVID posts here for a reason.
4 Likes
I’m very sorry your family is struggling and that you feel some guilt for traveling. I have been praying for them.
There are liners at WDW now, some en route, and still others who shared they would have gone but that return quarantines were the deal breakers.
I’m not going to judge them. They used their own ratios to make their decisions as you did when you went. I trust their judgement. 
4 Likes