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Idle Entertainment

Disneyland Is Closed. 31,000 Employees Given 18-Day Paid Vacation (msn.com) 122

There's a Three Stooges movie where aliens try to attack the earthlings where it will hurt them the most -- Disneyland.

The Los Angeles Times points out that in fact the park has been closed just three times in the park's 65-year-history.

But now Business Insider reports: As the spread of the novel coronavirus impacts cities and communities around the world, Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, announced that it will close until the end of the month. It's the first time the park has closed since 9/11... On Friday, representatives for Disneyland announced that the park will donate all excess food inventory that would have otherwise gone to waste during the resort's temporary closure to an Orange County, California, food bank...

Disney World in Orlando, Florida, is also closing starting Sunday until the end of the month, and Disney is also closing its cruise line and international parks in France and Asia for the time being.

31,000 Disneyland employees will now get an 18-day paid vacation starting Saturday, reports the Orange Country Register. And they also described the scene on the last day that Disneyland was open: One young woman put on a black mask for a photo op in front of the Pixar Pal-A-Round Ferris wheel and immediately removed it after a series of selfies. She admitted the mask was little more than a fashion statement for social media purposes.

"I can't breathe in that thing," she said with a laugh.

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Disneyland Is Closed. 31,000 Employees Given 18-Day Paid Vacation

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  • In case you're still not convinced : https://www.washingtonpost.com... [washingtonpost.com]
    • In case you're still not convinced : https://www.washingtonpost.com... [washingtonpost.com]

      Healthy, sick, recovered. How about the other option...
      Dead.
      Still not taking it seriously enough yet.

      • Here [worldometers.info] you go.

      • Still not taking it seriously enough yet.

        All of our local ski areas just closed "until March 22nd" (snort; as if).

        Time to short Vail Resorts?

        • Still not taking it seriously enough yet.

          All of our local ski areas just closed "until March 22nd" (snort; as if).

          Time to short Vail Resorts?

          I should have worded it better.
          That was supposed to be in reply to the heading.

          Finally they're starting to realize...
          They may be starting to, but still aren't taking it seriously enough yet.

          A lot of people are going to die after thinking 'it won't happen here'.

      • Actually Tokyo Disneyland closed closed two weeks ago. Shanghai Disneyland closed a month before that. Apparently the French are almost as slow-witted as the Americans, since Disneyland Paris is also just closing at this late date.

        Hmm... I only searched for Japan, but now I should look over the discussion to see if the other locations were mentioned...

    • It amazes me that people are surprised by the exponential growth. It's very common in biology.

      • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

        by Anonymous Coward

        It amazes me that people are surprised by the exponential growth. It's very common in biology.

        They thought the worm orange glow of MAGA would render them immune.

        • by Anonymous Coward
          Fox told them it was a cold, and Trump said it would be zero cases soon when the US only had 5 or so.
          Bless their little hearts.
    • Re: (Score:1, Informative)

      Like all outbreaks they start out with exponential spread, but then it starts flattening and then declining. Already the curve is flattening in China and South Korea and other countries. Of course in the US is hasn't yet: they are in the early stages.

      • by Kjella ( 173770 ) on Sunday March 15, 2020 @09:31AM (#59832236) Homepage

        You're talking as if it happens simply because you draw a line on a curve. The virus is not keeping a global score, it's just as viral and lethal if it's 1000 infected becoming 2000 infected or 100000 infected becoming 200000 infected. A virus stops spreading when it runs out of hosts or infection vectors. For a new virus with no known resistance or immunity potential hosts are everyone, so unless you're okay with millions dying that's not really an option. Otherwise you have to keep sick people from infecting healthy people by taking action, it's flattening in China and South Korea by rather drastic measures. If you just lean back and look at their curves saying it's flattening out there, I'm sure it'll flatten out here too then it won't.

        • Re: (Score:1, Flamebait)

          Another anti-science person. You "get" viruses all the time. People get sick from them, develop resistance to them, a small fraction die. The curve always flattens. Over 60 million Americans alone got the H1N1 virus in that outbreak. 8000 Americans "got" the H1N1 last year. Viruses don't just "stop". Wash your hands. Self quarantine in your basement. You will be fine. You probably were already exposed to the virus (and many others). I know. Shocking. Welcome to planet Earth.

        • People die because hospitals are overloaded. That is why the fatality rate in one country might be 3%, and in another country .1%. When hospitals get overloaded, people die.
      • If it's flattening in China it's because they were quite strict about enforcing lockdowns of entire cities and villages in order to keep it contained. I'm not particularly sure how well other countries could use that same playbook because it would be viewed as a serious violation of liberties. Fortunately, people generally tend to act in their own self-interest and no one wants to get sick with something that seems a whole lot more scary than the normal seasonal cold. The problem is that people only tend to
        • No it flattens because that is how it always works out. What viral outbreak DIDN'T flatten? I'll wait for your answer. And yeah, it has been flattening all through Asia, not just China. So nice "explanation".

          • No it flattens because that is how it always works out. What viral outbreak DIDN'T flatten? I'll wait for your answer. And yeah, it has been flattening all through Asia, not just China. So nice "explanation".

            Remember how SARS - killed 6 billion people on earth?

            I don't either.

            I think that the present day panic is a result of Safety Culture meets Social Media meets snowflakeism.

            • The Internet also helps spread panic, and also the media is desperate for attention. Plus people forget the other virus pandemics we already experienced. Viruses are a normal part of life on Earth. People are just ignorant of science.

              • Think of it as a 2 week vacation. Back to work April 1st.

                • Think of it as a 2 week vacation. Back to work April 1st.

                  Some thoughts on the coronavirus insane panic:

                  I've been enjoying the lesser crowds at restaraunts lately.

                  If this is the first time people decided to practice good hand hygiene, then they are gaddamned pigs. Gross.

                  If I catch it, I catch it. I'll live in the garage a while, and play video games. There's that vacation!

                  Finally - they call the flu and pneumonia the old person's friend. If I'm some 90 year old living in a nursing home, I have no problem with expiring from it. Beats hell out of dementia, p

                  • by uncqual ( 836337 )

                    I've been enjoying the lesser crowds at restaraunts lately.

                    Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, all those people who aren't in the restaurants are going to the market ten times a day buying stuff to hoard.

                    If I'm some 90 year old living in a nursing home, I have no problem with expiring from it.

                    Agreed -- although I hope there's a much more elegant and sanctioned exit strategy by the time I get there (I'm in the US so perhaps the Social Security Trust Fund Trustees will endorse and push for such a elegant and

              • The Internet also helps spread panic, and also the media is desperate for attention. Plus people forget the other virus pandemics we already experienced. Viruses are a normal part of life on Earth. People are just ignorant of science.

                Side note: Humans seem to be going down a purposeful trail of wrecking our immune systems. If we shut our nations down to make certain no one catches coronavirus, we're going to have ot keep doing it, as there will never be immunity picked up.

                The wife and I were talking this morning, and I noted that humans eat a little e. coli and die. Cats and dogs lick their butts every day, and don't suffer a thing.

                Yeah, the wife and I talk about some weird stuff at times.

            • by uncqual ( 836337 )

              I think that the present day panic is a result of Safety Culture meets Social Media meets snowflakeism.

              The good news is that most people have a short attention span (only slightly longer, it seems, than it takes to look at a couple Instagram pictures or read a couple tweets) and get bored very easily. The panic will get boring to them soon and a semblance of normalcy will return.

              Tests for the virus (do you have it or have you quite recently had it?), tests for antibodies (have you had it in the past year or

          • No it flattens because that is how it always works out.

            Of course it does. The question is when the inflection happens and why.

            And yeah, it has been flattening all through Asia, not just China. So nice "explanation".

            Because much of Asia is taking drastic measures. Just because you only read Chinese news doesn't mean there aren't massive quarantine measures in place. My own parents were picked up by the police along with the entire hotel they stayed in in Vietnam and are now in a quarantine because of a single employee at the place. So far everyone's tested negative except for said employee and yet they have another 8 days to go until they can fly ho

      • Like all outbreaks they start out with exponential spread, but then it starts flattening and then declining. Already the curve is flattening in China and South Korea and other countries. Of course in the US is hasn't yet: they are in the early stages.

        The economic cost of the country shutting down is going to be impressive.

        • The economic cost of the country shutting down is going to be impressive.

          Na, she's right. Trumps on it.

          Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin downplayed the likelihood of an economic recession as American economy takes a beating from coronavirus, saying “I don’t think so” when asked about the prospect.

          See all good...

          • The economic cost of the country shutting down is going to be impressive.

            Na, she's right. Trumps on it.

            Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin downplayed the likelihood of an economic recession as American economy takes a beating from coronavirus, saying “I don’t think so” when asked about the prospect.

            See all good...

            I guess! 8^) I suppose it depends on what economic group one is in. Maybe it's all funny money, but our local economy has already lost many millions. We have several college sports venues that have been cancelled. Each has caused losses in Restaurant and hotel, and ticket and goods sales. Conference cancellations, the same thing. Even Disneyland and world. They've been having a rough year to begin with, and I haven't done a BOE on the ticket sales and vendor losses, for Disney, but the "compassionate" adva

            • Sometimes I let my sarcasm get the better of me.

              I agree the hit to the economy is going to be enormous.
              It's all a balancing act between social distancing to stop the spread and keeping people employed to save the economy.

              Which makes me shake my head at all the people who keep claiming China only cares about the economy and not its people.
              They sacrificed a good chunk of their economy to try and keep people safe, with no guarantee it would even work.

              Seems most other countries can see what happened but ar

      • Of course in the US is hasn't yet: they are in the early stages.

        And also China locked their country the fuck down. So, that's something the US hasn't really done just yet.

  • I wonder.. (Score:5, Funny)

    by webnut77 ( 1326189 ) on Sunday March 15, 2020 @07:49AM (#59832056)

    I wonder if those 31,000 employees will take a traveling vacation. Maybe go see China?

  • by h33t l4x0r ( 4107715 ) on Sunday March 15, 2020 @07:53AM (#59832066)
    Is simply unfair. Why must the Goofiest among us be forced to shoulder this burden?
    • by Mashiki ( 184564 )

      Want an even better one? Tim Hortons here in Canada requires a sick note from your doctor [thestar.com] if you become ill. Said note costs between $40-100 in most cases.

      • whoosh, but also, what happened to free Canadian health care?
        • by Strider- ( 39683 ) on Sunday March 15, 2020 @08:23AM (#59832114)

          The Canadian single-payer insurance system doesn't cover doctor's notes because they're a stupid waste of time and money for the doctors, and cause more problems then they solve. Ergo the patient has to pay the doctor directly for their inconvenience.

          • I live in the US and I'm pretty sure my insurance wouldn't cover a "doctor's note" either. But I'm also pretty sure my particular doctor would just write the note and not charge anything for it.

          • The Canadian single-payer insurance system doesn't cover doctor's notes because they're a stupid waste of time and money for the doctors, and cause more problems then they solve. Ergo the patient has to pay the doctor directly for their inconvenience.

            My doctor finds the whole idea preposterous, as do I think most all of them. If people tell them they don't feel well, who is he to say "yes you do"? He is going to write the note regardless, because it is not his job to be the HR police. He goes on to add the welfare system requires him to write prescriptions for many non-drug items as well, like winter coats and telephones. "Who doesn't need a fucking telephone?" were his exact words.

      • Want an even better one? Tim Hortons here in Canada requires a sick note from your doctor [thestar.com] if you become ill. Said note costs between $40-100 in most cases.

        Yeah but it's Canadian dollars so it's a lot less than it sounds.

    • 3+ months? Things will be back to normal on April 1st. China and SK already have a declining number of cases. Sorry kids, your dreams of Fallout won't happen. Back to ordinary life.

      • by wimg ( 300673 )
        In some places maybe, in the US it will probably be at its peak then.
        • Probably. My guess is that the curve will flatten after the first week in April, based on the results from other countries.

      • 3+ months? Things will be back to normal on April 1st. China and SK already have a declining number of cases.

        Stanford just evacuated their campus, and will remain so through Spring semester. China and SK have not re-opened yet.

        It won't be Fallout, like you said, but it's looking like it will be a deep recession.

      • 3+ months? Things will be back to normal on April 1st.

        Hahaha. Sure, you keep thinking that.

        China and SK have undertaken very drastic measures you have not even begun to think about. You peak may be months away yet.

    • That's what happens when The Mosue catches you fucking Minnie

    • >"Is simply unfair."

      "Fair?" What is "fair"? Especially in this situation. Is it fair that Disney is pressured to close or needs to close? Is it fair to Disney or their investors to lose many millions of dollars? Is it fair to people with 401K accounts invested in things like Disney?

      Lots of places are shutting down and employees get nothing "free" at all. And Disney hasn't even said what they are going to do after the end of the month, you simply guessed.

      Life isn't fair. And, by the way, I do not l

    • Is simply unfair.

      . . . as all the employees join in a rousing chorus of . . .

      "It's a Cruel World, After All!"

    • 18 days pay, on a likely 3 months+ shutdown?

      You are reading the headline, not the details.

      The facts are this: Disney is shutting down for 18 days, and is paying people who would otherwise be working until that time.

      What has not been said, is if the closure will be extended, and if it is will employees continue to be paid. We simply do not know either, so what is unfair is for you to complain about something Disney has not said they will do, or not do.

  • What the hell does some young woman dressing up in black face have to do with the rest of the article?

  • by dwywit ( 1109409 ) on Sunday March 15, 2020 @08:15AM (#59832098)

    "Happiest place on earth", huh?

    Now think of the shyster lawyers ^W^W legal liability if they *didn't* close.

    There are those who - now, follow me for a minute, here - those who would sue Disney if they got sick after visiting a theme park, despite warnings to avoid such places.

    It's just like anyone closing operations during this event - it's not so much "health and safety of our customers", as "we don't want to give anyone an inch in court later"

    Can't blame them, TBH.

    • I'm sure there are people who would sue Disney, but you can sue for anything. However, unless it's some particular disease that arises as negligence on the part of Disney (food-borne diseases or something resulting from not following sanitation codes) I'm not sure how much of a case that person has. It wasn't Disney that infected them, but some other patron of the park. There are probably thousands of people who contract regular colds during visits to Disney theme parks each year. No one sues Disney over th
      • Also being known as the company responsible for spreading the virus would cost billions in ad buys to fix.

        Finally, the ruling class do NOT want the American people to demand paid sick leave as a regular thing. Better to let the pleebs have it just this once then risk a pandemic that kills tons of old folks, leading to them turning socialist.

        That's the big thing to remember, right now the Baby Boomer generation dominates politically. They've been in line with the Establishment since the 80s (remember
      • by mark-t ( 151149 )

        but you can sue for anything.

        Obviously, but generally speaking when people say that "you can't sue for ", what they actually mean is that X does not, by itself, create objectively meritable grounds for a sustainable lawsuit.

        That doesn't necessarily mean you can't sue... it doesn't even mean you won't win, however... it just means that to win, you are going to have to depend on something beyond just the merits of X, such as pursuading someone through emotional intimidation or in some cases,simply being wi

      • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • They mean and always meant that super-creepy fake "happiness" with fake cheering and smiling (with murder eyes) that reminds one of a crazy "laughing" cult, or a dystopic Outer Limits episode, and the kind of psychopaths that will commit bloody rape-murder later on.

      And no, if this was a sane reaction, then imagine the "appropriate" reaction to the cold or the flu, which kills more people each *day*.
      (Also, wanna bet all those dying from the flu or a cold will be chalke up as corona victims later on? I've put

    • There are those who - now, follow me for a minute, here - those who would sue Disney if they got sick after visiting a theme park, despite warnings to avoid such places.

      Absurd lawsuits like that are thankfully mostly an American problem.

  • Dont know why people think 2 weeks or 3 weeks of self quarantine would be enough. People are scared, they stay home now but eventually they will start moving about. The virus causes simple fever on most healthy people, fortunately. But it is unlikely to be over in a few weeks.

    In some sense it is a good wake up call. May be the arrogance of the mankind would be a tempered a little. May be science will get some respect again. May be the corruption of the institutions would slow down? Or am I being too naive

    • No it won't. The number of cases is already flattening in China and SK and life is returning to normal there. You can ask the people who actually live there. Give it another 2-3 weeks. I know you guys like to fantasize about Fallout type stuff, but it isn't reality. We have had viral outbreaks before. This isn't 1918.

      • I know you guys like to fantasize about Fallout type stuff, but it isn't reality.

        Thank god. I'd hate to liquidate my bottle cap stash to pivot to toilet paper reserves.

      • your 'advice' is dangerous, mis-informed and you should shut the fuck up right now.

        take the red hat off, its stopping bloodflow to your brain.

        seriously, dangerous advice from a redhat should be ignored.

    • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • by AK Marc ( 707885 )
      China is "cured", in that the number of "cured" per day is more than new cases. It is dying out. Quickly. And any new clusters are identified and eliminated quickly. Italy is going to pass China for infected by the end of the week, and dead either this week or next. It's over in China, and normality is resuming. Sure, there are some adjustments to how some things are done, but they arne't in outbreak mode anymore, and the mass quarentines of cities have stopped. The last temporary hospital has shut d
  • And here I thought mice and ducks were not in danger.

    • Well bats carry the virus, so why not the Mouse? I'd think the Duck is safe, but if he's having to self-isolate from Daisy he'll probably be more Grumpy than Goofy - and he's already hard enough to understand even in the best of circumstances.

  • by BAReFO0t ( 6240524 ) on Sunday March 15, 2020 @12:02PM (#59832550)

    If this was a sane and rasonable reaction,
    then imagine what we should have done to prevent the flu and common cold killing as many people in a DAY than Corona has in *total* (even in regions that are over the hump).

    It's truly a debilitating pandemic, this coronaphobia.

  • COVID-19 is just beginning its exponential growth in the USA, we are really just China in December... Cases won't likely peak for several weeks and that's assuming we have a total lock down on travel in the meantime, which hasn't happened yet...but probably will in the next week or so.
    • by j-beda ( 85386 )

      COVID-19 is just beginning its exponential growth in the USA, we are really just China in December... Cases won't likely peak for several weeks and that's assuming we have a total lock down on travel in the meantime, which hasn't happened yet...but probably will in the next week or so.

      One would hope that they would re-assess before actually re-opening....

      That might be asking a lot...

  • by ErichTheRed ( 39327 ) on Sunday March 15, 2020 @02:16PM (#59832818)

    I wonder if this is going to change companies' behavior long term. Large companies that have enough reserves to weather a temporary loss of productivity sent their people home first. Disney has enough of a profit margin on basically everything that they can afford to do this, probably with little overall long term effect. There's also the added plus of not ending up on the news as the company that produced 25000 new cases a day or whatever. Smaller companies have been basically playing chicken waiting for their competitors to announce closures.

    Most smaller companies (and some big ones) have spent the last 11 years running up debt instead of saving, given the economic expansion and low interest rates. At the same time, the MBA "don't do anything that isn't your core competency" thing has taken hold everywhere. Companies are asset-poor and basically pass-through entities that rely on a steady stream of business to keep the place running. I doubt many smaller companies can survive more than a couple weeks in a severe downturn of business. They need that cash flow to feed the machine of renting offices, paying offshore IT providers, paying (insert service here) providers that do everything for the company, and servicing debt. If that drops off and the providers aren't willing to let them slide, lots of businesses will go under. In comparison, back when companies were allowed to own assets like buildings, they might have something to sell and generate money in an emergency.

  • Can they donate their toilet paper too? I only have 3 rolls left and zero local availability.
  • I caught H1N1 at Disneyland, so this is probably a good thing. H1N1 for me was an average cold. One of my friends who caught it from me had it much worse, that's how we knew. She got tested and was positive, and went through her recent interactions, and we figured out it was me.

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