There are more signs that the American public is tired of the endless COVID theater, especially as the mask mandates and lockdowns have failed to stop the new surge.
After being called-out by park visitors, Disney World will stop editing on-ride photos to make maskless guests appear masked.
“We are no longer doing this and continue to expect guests to wear face coverings except when actively eating or drinking while stationary,” said the Orlando, Florida-based amusement park in a statement to WDW News Today.Disney World had reportedly been digitally “enhancing” on-ride photos by superimposing facewear onto visitors without masks, which park-goers are required to wear, in line with anti-COVID mandates. The policy was initially rolled out on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin at the Magic Kingdom and aboard Dinosaur in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.The charade came to light after Disney World visitor Tony Townsend posted on-ride photos to the group Disney World Junkies on Facebook, Townsend told The Post. They showed that the masks in the photos were too large for the faces, as if Photoshopped in. Visitors also reported longer wait times for pictures, which some attributed to Disney World staffers editing the snaps, Gizmodo reported.
The photo-editing may have been a move by Disney to get photo-images to customers who were not following park protocol.
A picture taken the DINOSAUR attraction in Animal Kingdom appears to show a rider with a digitally altered face covering. The image was reportedly taken last week.Since reopening in July Disney states on its website that ‘face coverings are required for all Guests (ages 2 and up) and Cast Members’ as part of their COVID-19 rules….Disney had refused to release images where guests were not in masks, according to reports. But they now appears to have changed their policy by digitally altering images instead.
Clearly, the parks are struggling under the COVID lockdowns. Walt Disney Company plans to lay off over 30,000employees, and curtail cruises until well into the 2021 season.
On Thanksgiving Eve, the company revealed around 32,000 workers would lose their jobs in the first half of the 2021 fiscal year. This figure includes 28,000 staffers Disney said in September it would lay off from its parks division.”Due to the current climate, including COVID-19 impacts, and changing environment in which we are operating, the Company has generated efficiencies in its staffing, including limiting hiring to critical business roles, furloughs and reductions-in-force,” Disney said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Wednesday.The additional layoffs come after Disney executives slammed California officials earlier this month for not allowing Disneyland to reopen, perhaps for months. The California park has been closed since March.Disney reported a nearly $600 million loss for its fourth quarter.
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