If you are an entertainer at the Walt Disney World, how do you pass your time not being able to entertain the guests that come to see you??
Well, some have gone to releasing short videos called #VoicesFromHome (found on YouTube). Check out the Dapper Dans from the Magic Kingdom and the JAMMitors from EPCOT.
As the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic peak throughout Central Florida, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings says that local hospitals are seeing fewer patients admitted for COVID-19. Local businesses, including the theme parks, are eager to reopen their doors once the stay-at-home order is lifted, and according to Click Orlando, the mayor believes it could be another two months before any reopenings.
Mayor Demings stated the following regarding current restrictions and possible reopenings:
“I believe, given the models, it could be June — early June — where we see some relaxing of the restrictions in place. But they would have to stay in place to some degree through late summer.”
Government officials like Mayor Demings are trying their best to gauge when it’s safe enough to let people go back to work and resume their lives. With social distancing guidelines still in place and likely to be extended as well, it’s likely that businesses like Walt Disney World will have to adapt to them in order to operate upon reopening. In the meantime, Walt Disney World Resort remains closed “until further notice”, with only essential Cast Members reporting to the property––with face masks.
Governor Ron DeSantis held a meeting yesterday with the task force to reopen Florida’s economy to discuss, among other things, how to reopen the tourism industry. John Sprouls, CEO Universal Orlando Resort, Executive Vice President Universal Parks & Resorts and Josh D'Amaro, Present of Walt Disney World are on the task force.
According to Spectrum News 13, some of the steps being considered by the task force include:
- Timetable for coming back
- Reopening will have to be gradual
- State residents, then national and international visitors
While the committee looks to create guidelines and best practices for reopening, here are some of the key takeaways that Universal is looking at, per Sprouls:
- Actions will be guided by Local Officials and Health Officers
- Theme parks are different than sports venues by their ability to social distance guests and pace their movement through the parks and resorts
- Screening of every Team Member (employee) daily
- Allowing or encouraging face coverings for guests
- Enhance their overnight cleaning and clean throughout the day
- Make cleaning visible to guests to help them feel safe
- Utilize technology such as mobile ordering for contactless transactions
- Expand Virtual Queues to more attractions
- Utilize more outdoor queues vs indoor queues
- Staggered seating for attractions and shows, perhaps only filling every other seat or row
- Putting limits on park attendance to encourage social distancing
- Reconfiguring queues to ensure social distancing in all directions
Even though these comments came from the Universal Orlando CEO, they were presented as possible best practices that the resort will look into implementing. It’s too soon to say if Disney will join Universal in taking these mitigation steps or not, but Governor Ron DeSantis is looking to have recommendations from the tourism industry by Friday.
I hope and pray this will work and WDW opens soon, it is so hard sitting in our house for over a month not daring to go out because we are in the worst area of the country if not world. Going back to Florida, they opened the beaches, in 2 weeks we will see if the virus spreads or it's over in that state. I also saw that the Governor of Florida wants residence to vacation in that state this summer. Does this mean WDW will be told to open? Time will tell.
Many guests with Walt Disney World vacations in May are holding on to those reservations until ultimately met with a cancellation email. In line with recent cancellations through May 23, it seems Walt Disney World Resort has now removed park hours through May 23 on their website as well as on the My Disney Experience app.
If you have heard, Walt Disney World released plans for a phased reopening before the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force group, the last major Central Florida theme park to do so after finalized announcements from Universal Orlando and Sea World, on May 27th. Additionally, Walt Disney World has received approval from the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation as of today, May 29th.
So, as the above says Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will open Saturday, July 11, 2020 while EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open Wednesday, July 15, 2020.
Here are some signs Disney will be installing throughout the parks: