It’s the definition of a first world problem: we had Disney World passes, we used them for many months, and then COVID-19 hit. First they closed the parks indefinitely; when they finally reopened last month, they were opening despite Florida’s skyrocketing rates of infection.
As much as Disney is our absolute love, we just didn’t feel safe/couldn’t justify the risk of going into the parks, even with all the precautions. So, in a move we never thought would be an option or a need, we cancelled our Disney passes.
Being a Disney World passholder in normal times is pretty awesome, especially when you live nearby (as we do when our RV is parked in central Florida). We usually visited the parks at least once or twice a week, sometimes for a quick ice cream treat or a ride, and other times to spend most of the day or close out the evening there.
Much to our surprise, during this new era we’ve had no lack of things to do while staying in our RV. In many ways, we’ve been more productive in our businesses than we would have otherwise, despite the feelings of overwhelm and helplessness sometimes. And we’ve indulged in watching new TV shows and of course our new favorite thing, mystery boxes!
When Disney presented us with the option of cancelling our passes, we were torn. Giving them up meant if things were to change in the future, we’d be out of luck. And there’s always the risk that Disney will let annual passes expire and then won’t let new people purchase them. But honestly, our long-term plans don’t include living in Florida. A short-term visit regularly? Yes, please! But for the long term? We’ve got other priorities right now. A little extra money in our pockets doesn’t hurt either.
What ultimately sold us was the feeling that by opening up the parks in the middle of an incredible spike in cases with no sign of state or federal oversight, Disney dropped the ball. We felt that keeping our Disney passes would implictly be an endorsement of Disney’s behavior right now. And we strongly feel that Disney, as one of the largest and perhaps the most prestigious employer in Florida, was uniquely in a position to convince the state government to do more to stop the spread of COVID-19. By opening up the parks, they lost that bargaining chip and opportunity.
So we’re no longer Disney World passholders. We’re still big Disney fans, and we’ve still got our Disney World for RVers as a hub for conversation, but for now, we’ll be sitting on the sidelines.
Thanks for reading. Stay safe, and take care.
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