It’s been a rough start of the month for Anaheim and Disneyland. Fears about Coronavirus (COVID-19) have led to a growing number of vacation cancelations and one of Anaheim’s largest annual conventions, the Natural Products Expo, has “rescheduled” (with no new date) at the last minute, leaving hotels, vendors, and attendees high and dry.
In the last week, MiceChat’s various groups and inbox have been flooded with requests from folks wanting to know if it’s safe to visit Disneyland. So we’ve reached out to experts and partners to seek some answers and advice.
What is the Threat of COVID-19?
Part of the fear of the Coronavirus is that it’s not yet well know. It broke out in a region of China where medical and hygiene standards aren’t what they are in the United States. As a result, fatalities and rates of transmission appear to be higher than they are with the common flu. However, much is still unknown and most cases of the virus, even in China, are mild in severity.
The Centers for Disease Control and Transmission shares the following information about COVID-19:
The complete clinical picture with regard to COVID-19 is not fully understood. Reported illnesses have ranged from mild to severe, including illness resulting in death. While information so far suggests that most COVID-19 illness is mild, a report out of China suggests serious illness occurs in 16% of cases. Older people and people with certain underlying health conditions like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, for example, seem to be at greater risk of serious illness.
What Precautions Should You Take to Prevent COVID-19 Infection?
We spoke to Dr. Kipper, a noted pediatrician here in Southern California, who has been keeping daily tabs on reports about this year’s flu season.
She shared that while the thought of getting sick can be scary, there’s a lot you can do to protect yourself and your family. That starts with avoiding touching potentially infected surfaces, and if you do, not touching your face (primarily mouth, nose, eyes) with unclean hands. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.
Dr. Kipper advises washing your hands before eating as well. If you absolutely cannot get to soap and water, wipes and gels will work in a pinch, but are less effective than simply washing your hands with soap and running water.
While you will see a lot of folks wearing them, masks are not very helpful at preventing flu or Coronavirus unless they are N95’s AND the fit is properly checked by a professional and has no air gaps. Once it gets taken off, that mask is no longer effective. So, rather than stress over masks, focus on keeping those hands clean and off your face!
Be a good citizen and stay home if you are sick, have recently been exposed to someone who is sick, or have a sick child. If you need to cough or sneeze, do so into a tissue or into your elbow, never into your hands or directly into the air. At a time of great concern about viruses, it’s best for you not to be the one spreading it!
Finally, it should be comforting to those visiting the parks that being in an open-air situation is fairly protective because of the airflow. If you are concerned, stay away from crowded, enclosed spaces.
Dr. Kipper is not afraid for her daughter Natalie (who just happens to be MiceChat’s merchandise columnist) to visit Disneyland. That reassured us.
These tips aren’t just for COVID-19, they’re for flu season in general and any time you are around large groups of people. Use your best judgment, wash your hands, and when in doubt, consult your personal physician.
Should Visitors Avoid Disneyland?
In short, that’s a decision you need to make. But if you are in good health, now is a beautiful and cost-effective time to visit. There’s going to be a flu season every year. Follow the tips above and you’ll be on the right path whether you are at Disneyland, the supermarket, or at home.
As a whole, Disneyland is a pretty safe place to be and has robust sanitation standards. The following document was provided by Disneyland to some of their “good neighbor” hotels yesterday:
To protect our Guests and Cast Members and prevent the spread of illness, we employ rigorous sanitation standards and robust cleaning procedures, including:
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- Extensive training for Cast Members, with testing of their knowledge on a regular basis;
- Defined cycles for frequent cleaning and disinfection of targeted areas throughout the day;
- Procedures for cleaning and disinfection of areas where illness has been suspected or reported;
- Quick response to spills, trash and other situations;
- End of day sanitation procedures following park close, for everything from bathroom faucets and sinks to kitchen surfaces and backstage areas;
- End of day cleaning and “wash down” of outdoors locations, including walkways and queues;
- Guest First Aid locations to assist with minor health issues.
- We maintain close relationships with local, state, national, and international public health authorities, and take their guidance when additional preventive measures are needed.
Now is Actually a Great Time to Visit Disneyland
Now is actually a pretty good time to visit Disneyland. The weather in Southern California has shifted to Spring with warm daytime temps and cool evenings. It’s also Food and Wine Festival time at Disney California Adventure and Disneyland has a brand new parade.
There’s another great reason to visit right now . . . deals. Because so many people have scared themselves out of travel in general (not just to Disneyland but everywhere), you’ll find great deals right now on airfare, hotels, and even tickets.
If you are concerned that something might interrupt your travel plans, we strongly recommend getting travel insurance. For a small amount of money, you’ll get some peace of mind. So plan that trip, but protect yourself.
To help you get in on the deals, we’ve collected some info for you below from our travel partners . . .
Save with MiceChat’s Travel Partners & Hotels
There are a number of reasons you may need to make changes to your vacation, our partners at Get Away Today have crafted a service to help you do just that. Whether you have unexpected health concerns, changes in your schedule, or other factors that lead you to alter your plans, you have the flexibility to make those changes when you add a Get Away Today Peace of Mind Plan.
Peace of Mind Plan
Get Away Today is the only company that offers refundable Disneyland tickets. When you purchase the optional Peace of Mind Plan, you’re protected when making ticket and hotel changes for your upcoming vacation.
For $25, the Peace of Mind Plan covers changes made to ticket-only packages, and for $75 you can apply a Peace of Mind Plan to packages that include both tickets and a hotel stay.
Get Away Today theme park tickets offer flexible dates, so if you’re just making changes to your hotel reservation, you can still redeem your tickets in full during the calendar year for which they were purchased.
Find out more about refundable tickets and the Peace of Mind Plan by visiting www.getawaytoday.com, or call a travel expert at 855-GET-AWAY.
Hotel Savings
HOJO – Our partner hotel, the Howard Johnson Anaheim Resort and Water Playground is offering rates of up to 50% off on available days (for an undisclosed period of time). Call 714-776-6120 and ask for “in-house reservations.” Use code LKHF to find out the very best rate for your dates. In-house Reservations is available Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Pacific Time.
The Anaheim Hotel – Get rates as low as $69 a night on select dates. The Anaheim Hotel is directly across the street from Disneyland and a short walk to the front gate. You can check availability and rates HERE.
Airline Savings and Flexibility
“Flexibility” is not a word you hear much about airlines these days, but in the shadow of a global health scare, airlines are waiving change fees or making it easier for passengers to flex dates and times. There are also some amazing rates if you are willing to shop airlines. For example, flights from Texas to Los Angeles are as low as $100 right now. We could fly from Los Angeles to Orlando for under $200. Those are some amazing opportunities.
Disneyland Ticket Deals
Spring Kids Special:
This spring, kids ages 3-9 can visit the Disneyland Resort for less than $65 per day! Just purchase a child 3-Day Disneyland Resort ticket for travel now through May 21, 2020. See how much you’ll save off of gate prices with this special: Get the kids ticket deal HERE for a limited time.
SoCal Resident Offer:
This spring, Southern California residents living in ZIP codes 90000-93599 can visit the Disneyland Resort for less than $65 per day! Just purchase a 3-Day Disneyland Resort ticket for travel now through May 21, 2020. See how much adults will save off of gate prices with this special: Get the Disneyland SoCal Resident Offer HERE
Let’s Hear from You
Have you been scared off by Coronavirus? Do great deals and new Disneyland offerings help tempt you to make a visit? Please share your fears or lack thereof below.
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