Walt Disney World has released a statement following their reopening plan presentation at the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force meeting this morning. Walt Disney World announced that they will start a phased reopening starting with Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11 and Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15!
In preparing to reopen during this unusual time, we have to manage our theme parks in a very different way from what we’ve known before. As we begin to reach out to our cast members and call them back to work, they will be focused on operating our parks in a responsible way that continues to give our guests opportunities to create magical Disney memories.
The plan will be reviewed by Mayor Demings. Once approved by Mayor Demings the reopening plan will be submitted to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for final approval.
The phased reopening plan details new safety and operational changes including:
Limits on attendance and controlled guest density that aligns with guidance on physical distancing
Guests 3 years of age and older will be required to wear appropriate face coverings in theme parks and common areas of resort hotels
All guests will also undergo temperature screenings prior to entering a theme park; cast members will also have temperature check
Parades and nighttime spectaculars and other experiences that cause crowds will return at a later date
“High-touch” experiences such as makeovers, playgrounds and character meet and greets will remain unavailable
Characters will still be in the parks to entertain guests.
Cashless transactions are recommended
Cleaning and disinfection procedures will be increased in high-traffic areas
In order to significantly limit theme park capacity, Disney will manage attendance through a new theme park reservation system that will require all guests to obtain a reservation for park entry in advance. In order to limit capacity Disney states:
At this time, we are temporarily pausing new ticket sales and Disney Resort hotel reservations so we can focus on guests with existing tickets and reservations (Disney Vacation Club members can still make new reservations). Existing ticket holders and Annual Passholders will be able to make reservation requests in phases before new tickets are sold; we’ll be reaching out to these guests soon to provide additional details. We will resume new ticket sales and hotel reservations after that period of time. Theme park reservations will be limited due to attendance limitations and will be subject to availability. More details about this new reservation system will be available soon.
Disney Vacation Club resorts & Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground at Walt Disney World will reopen to members and guests on June 22.
Disney Vacation Club resorts in Vero Beach, Florida, and Hilton Head, South Carolina, will open to members and guests starting on June 15.
Disney concludes their statement with:
We’re looking forward to reopening our theme parks, Disney Resort hotels and stores and doing so in a responsible way. In this spirit, our destinations will continue to follow enhanced safety protocols based upon applicable guidance from health authorities and government agencies.
Additional information on enhanced health and safety measures and operational changes for reopening locations will be shared soon. These policies are under continuous review and are subject to change as we monitor conditions and receive guidance from health and government authorities.
We’re being deliberate during these phased reopenings, and we’re encouraged by how our guests are responding at Shanghai Disney Resort and Disney Springs. We’re doing our part, and we need our guests to do their part, too, as we work together to focus on safety.
Media and News Source: Disney Parks Blog
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