David KrisoWalt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland-Paris, Disneyland-Tokyo, and Disney Cruise Line operations are currently out of service until the Coronavirus pandemic has dissipated. Both the Shanghai and Hong Kong Disneyland resorts are closed until further notice. Who doesn’t look forward to a Disney vacation? No matter which Disney resort, or whatever the occasion may be for a Disney vacation, it’s a great time had by all. With everything Disney at a standstill, and families waiting to see when their upcoming trip will be, there’s still plenty health-related issues to discuss. Rather than talking about new attractions, shows, and resort areas opening, it’s the proper time to discuss what can Disney travelers do once they visit any Disney park or resort in the post-Coronavirus era. Coronavirus will be in everyone’s rear view mirrors eventually, but taking proper sanitary measures may be the deciding factor between a memorable Disney vacation and a Disney vacation being downright contemptible. What can Disney travelers do? The approach is simple, by applying the four Disney standards.
The very first of the Disney standards is safety. The Walt Disney Company, and all of its resorts around the world, take safety seriously. How’s safety related to preventing such harmful illnesses such as Coronavirus? Safety is not just followed by Disney’s cast members. Guests need to abide by it, too. For instance, a guest may come down ill at dinner, and potentially wind up vomiting. The guest may have come down with a reaction to something he or she had eaten. The moment a guest should come down ill, a family member must act quickly and alert the nearest cast member. Once doing so, the cast member and management will secure the area, and proper action will be taken. Further, cast members are obligated to offer first aid. A cast member will ask a guest at least three times if he or she needs first aid attention. The most important for all guests regarding safety is to not to panic. As long as the guest, the family, and fellow guests in the vicinity keep calm, the medical team can do their job safely.
Next on the list of the Disney standards is courtesy. At any Disney resort or park, courtesy is exemplified on the utmost professional level. Disney puts the well being of its guests first. When Disney parks, resorts, and Disney Cruise Line resume operations, there will be some new forms of courtesy featured. After the parks close, the third shift team springs into action, cleaning and disinfecting every restroom and public facility guests set foot in. After the Coronavirus pandemic, guests will see it much more often. Yes, there will be an increased presence of sanitizing gel dispensers. Hand sanitizing wipes may be another feature put to use. Wherever they appear, guests will be encouraged to use the them before entering and exiting parks, attractions, resort areas, and show venues. Further, custodial cast members will be making sure that restroom supplies will be well-stocked with liquid soap and paper products. More importantly, cast members will be going out of their way to assist guests with situations at a minute’s notice. For example, there isn’t a single Disney park that doesn’t sell Tylenol or aspirin over the counter. If any guest should be in need of these items, they won’t have to look far.
The second most important of the Disney standards is efficiency. Ever wondered how Disney’s parks, resorts, and cruise line operations go so smoothly? It’s all because of efficiency. There’s not a single situation which Disney cannot handle on an efficient level. In the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak, Disney will be taking its efficiency to the next level. In the event of an emergency, if a guest or cast member should require medical attention, the emergency response time is lightning fast. Guests are encouraged not to dial 9-1-1 on their cell phones. By dialing 9-1-1 on a resort phone, the call is immediately patched through to the Reedy Creek Fire Department. Once dispatched, an ambulance will be on the scene in less then three minutes. Sometime ago, a guest was returning from his resort’s pool. He saw the tail of a reptile creeping through the bushes. It was a Water Moccasin, a highly venomous snake found in Florida’s marshlands. He approached the nearest cast member, and immediately, the Reedy Creek Fire Department dispatched the animal control. The snake was immediately removed, and all guests continued to go about their business without any disruption.
The fourth and last of the Disney standards is show. What Disney means by show, is image or first impression. As they say, “You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression!”. That’s 100% true with Disney. Proper show is paramount in everything. Has anyone noticed how clean and orderly Disney restrooms are on a daily basis? Has anyone noticed how orderly the streets are in the Magic Kingdom? Has anyone seen any public facilities at any Disney resort in an unsightly condition? Rarely, and never has it ever happened. Proper show, and keeping guest areas in a sanitary and safe condition is preeminent. A question for all guests would be, “Has a Disney cast member ever acted disrespectfully towards them?”. If ‘no’, that is a good sign, because Disney cast members are not just trained on proper show, they’re indoctrinated on the topic.
There’s no specific date when Disney’s resorts, parks, and cruise vessels will resume normal operations. When they do, guests will again be impressed at the level which Disney handles any serious situation. The four Disney standards-safety, courtesy, efficiency, and show are the golden rules of Disney’s everyday operations. In fact, they’re more than just golden rules. They serve as proven models as to how a major family entertainment company should handle any health, hygienic, and medical occurrence.
