Descent into madness (aka Disney World) — Post 1

Disney has a mixed record on social issues and a disastrous record on worker rights here and abroad.

I’ve decided to blog my experiences during my trip to down to Florida and Disney World, a magical land of underpaid, exploited workers (as detailed by this article in the Guardian) and rampant glorification of capitalism, in a state run by a corrupt fascist who falsified covid data likely leading to thousands of unnecessary deaths in nursing homes.

As you can probably tell, I’m thinking it should be a lot of fun! I’m trying not to be a Debbie Downer, but I really don’t want to go for dozens of reasons. But my wife and daughter really want to, and we’re also going to see my in-laws, so I’m kind of obligated to go.

If it were just up to me, we’d be at home for the holidays after the stressful experience traveling last Christmas where I caught covid and we had to be quarantined for several days.

We’re doing our Disney vacation for what goes for on the cheap these days. We’re staying off-site at a “resort” (aka a hotel that wants to sound fancier than it probably really is). As a state employee in Tennessee, I also was able to take advantage of a large employee discount (the discount was large, although I guess I am a larger employee than I’d like to be since I could lose a few pounds…). So it’s not as bad financially as it could be.

My most immediate concern is the spike in cases in covid. Unlike the cruise we went on last year, where people were required to wear masks (which wasn’t really enforced, which is likely why I caught covid), no mask mandates. A giant park with tens of thousands of people every day during a resurging pandemic. What could possibly go wrong?

I’m going to try not to be in a bad mood the entire time. At this point, there’s nothing I can do about it, so I might as well make the most of it. I’m sure I’ll have plenty of thoughts though about what we’re doing and seeing that my wife and in-laws wouldn’t necessarily appreciate or be interested in hearing, so it will also be a good occasion to blog about some of my experiences. This is also only the second time I’ve ever been to Florida, and the first time I’m in Florida since DeSantis became governor, so I’m sure politics will come up at some point with my conservative in-laws and in blog posts.

Wish me luck in the land of where make-believe reigns! Oh and at Disney World, too.

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