As a child and child at heart, everyone’s dream was to go to Disneyland. As parents, the dream is to take their child to Disneyland. However, the arrival of Covid-19 has turned the once “happiest place on earth” into every other business: closed. The virus has not only resulted in the furlough of over 100,000 Disney employees and over $1 billion in lost revenue, it has also transformed the way that people behave in public areas. No longer at amusement parks does touching roller coaster handrails come without a second thought or opening a lobby door happen without hand sanitizer. Constant awareness of how hands interact with surfaces has become the new normal and it appears as if that is here to stay. Although Disney is more than just its parks and resorts, much of its revenue is sourced from these assets and the impact of Covid has left many wondering how this corporate giant will bounce back. 

Now you may be wondering, where do we come in? How can a startup help save a company that has been around for longer than some of us were born?  The answer is simple: make everything bacteria-free. While Disney does have several escalators in its nationwide properties, our focus is primarily on keeping visitors safe. Applying antimicrobial treated film onto public areas such as door handles and handicap railings would reduce the exposure to viruses and just as importantly, provide peace of mind to guests who haven’t experienced it since the year started. 

Picture this: You are the parent of an energetic two year old son. As most two year olds do, putting his hands into his mouth throughout the day is not uncommon. Running around amusement parks without a care in the world is the gift that makes a child so special. Worrying about the consequences is mommy’s or daddy’s job. You’ve spent the past five years saving up money and now you are finally able to afford a trip to Disneyland with your family. This summer was supposed to be it; the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow of hard work and sacrifice. Though Disney is planning to reopen its parks soon, the uneasy feeling of you and your child being exposed to COVID has not quite settled. Is a rollercoaster ride really worth weeks in a hospital bed? 

For those planning on visiting the amusement parks when they reopen, there are several precautions that you can take to minimize the possibility of contracting the virus. The first is washing hands. The virus spreads primarily through exposed contact to bacteria and future transmission to the face. Even a quick twenty second rinse is better than nothing. Furthermore, being aware of high contact points and wearing a mask to prevent airborne particles from carriers are other important precautions to take. Door handles, rollercoaster railings, and even the merchandise in the stores are all areas that require hand washing after touching.

Now Imagine. Imagine a Disneyland that advertises itself as the first amusement park in the country with antimicrobial surfaces, certified by a global commissioning agency, and taking measures nobody else has thought of to protect its family. Feelings of comfort and security will start to accompany trust in the company that’s doing the most it can to keep everyone safe. This magical land is not far off from being a possibility. With hand sanitizing stations, temperature checking tents in Downtown Disney, and social distancing markers, the addition of an antimicrobial treated film could be a small but significant step towards a new post COVID-19 society.  

Along with an antimicrobial treated film, RailEyes also has found a way to make your escalator rides around the parks become another rollercoaster. By implementing social distancing messages on escalators, the 30-second journey from one point to another will become transformed from ordinary to one worth remembering. For those children that are too young to go on rollercoaster rides, this provides an alternative that ensures that their time spent at the park is worth your money. Seeing their favorite character- whether it’s Olaf or Goofy or even Jiminy Cricket- providing instructions where to step on the escalator is just another detail that can make Disney even more magical. Artful Antimicrobial treated film in vivid colors applied on the escalator handrails also promotes safety and a potential point of virus contact is now no longer a concern.

With the reopening of its parks and resorts, Disney is not far from attempting to return to the wonderful place that it has become for previous generations. However, while Disneyland has become a beacon of happiness for every child, now it’s time to make it a pillar of safety, too.