Things I wouldn't mind staying after all this is over

[pumpkinqueen93]

Eventually all this will be settled down. There will be a good vaccine and places will reopen again as they were before covid. But here are some things that I kinda hope will stay.

Temp checks, given time off when sick. Let's be real, if jobs and schools weren't so strict when someone is sick, things wouldn't have spread so fast. Most places will give you points for calling out, even if you're sick and some ppl only have so many points before getting fired. So instead of calling off they go into work sick. I feel temp checks will continue to help with not letting anyone sick go into work or anywhere else, thus not spreading their virus to anyone else and giving them time to rest and recover. Stay home for 2 weeks if you have a fever and then come back when you're all good. Some places can let them work from home, and with school they can still do work virtually. Also I don't know about anyone else, but when it comes to if I have a plan to go somewhere fun, (a theme park) and I get sick, well I'm just gonna change my plans cause I wouldn't have much fun if I'm sick at a theme park. Now vacations might be harder to change or back out of, but you can modify how you vacation and bring medicine with you. A day trip somewhere close is easier to change the date than a distant and expensive vacation.

QR menus. A lot of ppl have phones so it's easier. But still have the option of a paper menu. Some ppl might not have a phone, or it could be dead. It's nice to have the option.

At Disney, the character cavalcades. It's fun, it's surprising to just walk down the middle of main street and suddenly characters are coming down your way. Maybe that's how they come out and go to their meet and greet spots. It might be harder to do with more ppl in the parks cause of foot traffic, but who knows maybe they can still pull it off. It's like how Universal has that mini character parade and then they stop and have a little meet and greet with them all. Disney and more parks can do something like that.

Theme park reservation system. That way if they end up hitting max capacity ppl aren't then turn away at gates being told that they can't go in.

Although I actually wouldn't mind if parks stayed at a lower capacity than what their normal is. There's more space to walk around. So if they never get back to a 100% capacity, I'm okay with that.

Buffets...yeah no more self-serve, that's fine with me cause some ppl are gross and will touch stuff and put it back or poke at food. I'm fine if it's no longer gonna be self-serve.

 

[MissStitch626]

Things I'd like to keep:

Option to work from home for anyone who can and wants to. I love not having to commute and being to work in a quiet, street free environment.

Physical distancing. It would be good if we could keep a reasonable amount of personal space as the new normal even when this is all over, especially on public transport, in supermarkets etc

People staying at home when they're sick. It seems unimaginable now how many people used to come to work sick and spend their whole day coughing and sneezing, going in and out of different meetings, travelling back and forth on public transport.

Relaxed Christmas. This year our family have decided to "cancel" Christmas. We're not exchanging gifts due to local restrictions and lockdown rules. Over the last few years I've been really conscious of the waste at Christmas with excessive packaging, unwanted/unused gifts and the dreaded inevitable gift card money swap. I'm hoping after this year we decide to slow down and relax every Christmas!

 

[AlohaNow]

I'm thinking that airlines will almost have to keep the relaxed change fee policies.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Good hand washing habits.

The character cavalcades.

Personal space in store checkout lines.

The rest of it needs to disappear asap

 

[barkley]

respect for people's personal space. i've always felt more comfortable limiting hugs to close family and friends so i've been relieved these days not to have people i may only know in passing or even be just meeting for the first time swooping in for a hug (seemed to have become for some the modern day handshake).


the reemergence of verbal interaction, courtesy and appreciation among 'strangers'. i've not heard people say 'thank you' or 'take care' as much in decades as i have this year. complete strangers in grocery stores noticing someone waiting to go down an aisle and offering to step aside and let them go ahead of them, people seeing another searching for a wet wipe to wash the handlebar on their grocery cart and offering to let them take one from their own personal packet, a college student engaged in a conversation with an older person on what soup bones are, how to prepare dry beans or cook rice absent a rice cooker people thanking the grocery shelf stockers and cashiers, telling one another 'be safe'....it reminds me of a much more caring time in my youth.

At Disney, the character cavalcades. It's fun, it's surprising to just walk down the middle of main street and suddenly characters are coming down your way.

as a kid in the 60's and 70's that's the only way i remember encountering characters at disneyland. they would just appear randomly somewhere in the park. it REALLY added to the magic to round a corner and end up face to face with pooh, be standing in a line and have chip and dale come running past and chasing each other, be sitting on a bench and have goofy plop down next to you (all things i honesty remember happening to me). for a little kid it really reinforced the belief that disneyland was the place all these characters lived, and for one magic day i got to visit their 'house'.

 

[Avery&Todd]

DH and I were at WDW 2 weeks ago and he commented that he enjoyed not having everyone on top of each other while in lines and not being packed into small spaces - even though we both missed the Stretching Room!

I enjoyed having access to the hand sanitizer and the extra spacing on the rides, but for rides that are more separate, like HM, I could see them using every Doom Buggy vs. every other one.

We did really enjoy the cavalcades - those were great little surprises!

I agree with others that I felt every CM working seemed happy to be there and very welcoming - it brought me to happy tears several times!

oh and I LOVE the new security process with bag check now a walk through! Once I learned what I needed to pull out of my bag it was super easy!!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I would love to see better policies toward staying home when you're stick remain - both for schools and workplaces!

I definitely think many companies will continue to make working from home an option. It not only allows those with mild illnesses to work without spreading germs, it has the potential to save money (smaller office buildings to construct/heat/cool) and be good for the planet (smaller offices again, plus fewer commuters on the roads).

I second what people said about courtesy!

Family connections - this one might be more personal, but I know in my own extended family, we're actually communicating more. I'm talking about people who live so far away that we only saw each other once or twice a year before all this, but we were really lazy about calling and writing in between those visits. Now I talk to my Dad every Sunday, my aunt and I e-mail back and forth once a week, etc. I definitely look forward to being able to travel and spend face-to-face time with them again, but I also plan to keep up the new habits.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

Shorter store hours
no more insanity of Black Friday which starts on Thanksgiving Day

 

[emer95]

Small class sizes! What a difference it has made. I have 14 kids in my class this year (face-to-face, 5 days a week, 3rd grade). Last year I had 26. I am able to do so much more this year. I get more one-on-one time with each kid, I can do small groups, and differentiate instruction. Less behavior problems too. It has been a dream year so far.

 

[barkley]

Family connections - this one might be more personal, but I know in my own extended family, we're actually communicating more. I'm talking about people who live so far away that we only saw each other once or twice a year before all this, but we were really lazy about calling and writing in between those visits. Now I talk to my Dad every Sunday, my aunt and I e-mail back and forth once a week, etc. I definitely look forward to being able to travel and spend face-to-face time with them again, but I also plan to keep up the new habits.

along the same lines-i'm hoping that we might see an uptick in physical christmas cards where people actualy write a little note might happen this year. i mean-those mass produced preprinted photo cards people have sent in recent years with a snapshot from their most recent vacation are nice and all-but with the lack of physical contact/the portion of the population that doesn't use social media to keep in contact, i would really like to get cards from friends and family with an update letting us know 'hey, we're o.k., we are getting through this'. i know i plan to send more out this year-just to let a few folks i've lost regular contact with know i'm thinking about them.

 

[NannyBeBe]

I'm hoping we will be cleaner because people will wash their hands more and cover their coughs and sneezes.
I agree with the PP about restaurant menus. They are filthy. Before the pandemic, I always looked at the menu and ordered my food and then went to the restroom to wash my hands again.

 

[disneychrista]

Walmart pharmacy being open early one day per week, so I can go in before work to pick up my prescriptions instead of after work or on Saturday when the store is crowded.

 

[luvsvacation]

I’ll agree with the PP who said airlines not charging change fees! It has been so convenient this year to be able to change our flights without any hassle or fees! We were originally booked for Hawaii this past June, that had to be cancelled. We rebooked to Costa Rica in December. Just this week I finally cancelled that one, realizing there was no way it was going to happen. I’m hoping to rebook for Hawaii next summer. It is so nice how easy the airlines are making it right now, just a click and you flight is cancelled and your credit is on your account for when you’re ready to rebook.

 

[tcufrog]

Family dinners. Before the pandemic, we were often too busy in the evening to sit down together to eat. During the weekend we were all too tired from the week to do it, not to mention our weekend commitments. Now, the kids set the table and my DH is often able to help me get dinner on the table since he's mostly working from home. He's an excellent cook but hasn't been able to help in the past because of his commute.

 

[Christine]

I think my favorite thing has been when I go to see any physician, I can wait outside in my car. They also aren't overbooking and my appointments have been so on schedule, it's just beautiful. I'll be sad to see that go.

 

[barkley]

being able to do some types of doctor's appointments remotely. one of my kids has been able to trade her 4x per year/5 minute face to face appointments w/one of her docs that her insurance requires to renew some scrips, and dh has been able to trade the twice yearly our insurance requires to keep covering his cpap supplies. in both cases they spend the same amount of time with their doctors 'face to face' but no travel time, sitting in the office waiting time.....

 

[emer95]

I thought of another one. Small, reasonable weddings. I do feel badly for the brides who didn’t get to have their dream weddings, but my neighbor’s daughter got married in their backyard. It was absolutely lovely and they had a blast. Only 30 people. Didn’t break the bank or go into debt, and the newlyweds are very happy.

We have two daughters in their 20s, so I wouldn’t mind if this trend sticks around for a while!

 

[JimMIA]

respect for people's personal space. i've always felt more comfortable limiting hugs to close family and friends so i've been relieved these days not to have people i may only know in passing or even be just meeting for the first time swooping in for a hug (seemed to have become for some the modern day handshake).

This one will require a major realignment of the planets for adoption in Miami! Here, saying hello ranges from fake hug/air kiss to "Get a room!"

 

[LuvOrlando]

I agree with all the above and would add:

I hope people keep the habit of wearing a mask during Flu season ALWAYS, no need for so many people to die every year.
I hope our government (big and local hospitals and municipalities) will be of the mind to share with us all when there are upticks of this or that via announcements (like hey Strep is going around so wash your hands & grocery carts) in regions because so so so much money is lost in sick time from school and work, there is no need to just let things go.
I hope Dr's will keep the telemedicine option going, I normally hide out from everything from Thanksgiving through Easter, this keeps me in touch and I feel safer. It's safer for the medical staff too, they can't get sick from a screen, no need unless they want to escalate.
I hope curbside pickup stays around as an option, I'm ok with paying for it.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Personal hygiene and telemedicine ...