Disney World has announced plans to reopen its gates to eager guests after spending the last several months closed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
In a recent press release , Disney Parks explained the Florida-based location plans to begin a phased reopening of its theme parks in mid-July after receiving approval from the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force.
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All 12 Disney parks around the world effectively closed at various points throughout this year in response to the outbreak.
In America, Florida’s Walt Disney World, as well as the Disneyland resort in Anaheim, California, shut their gates in mid-March , one of only a few times in history that the locations have closed. These include the national day of mourning following President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, and the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Shanghai Disneyland in China closed on January 24 but recently reopened to the public on May 11.
On Wednesday morning, Orange County’s Economic Recovery Task Force voted to approve Disney World’s reopening plan.
However, it will still require approval from Orange County’s mayor and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis before the theme parks will officially be given the green light to reopen to the general public again.
If approved, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom will be the first parks to reopen on July 11.
Hollywood Studios and EPCOT will then follow on July 15.
Just like its sister park in China, Disney World will “significantly limit” the number of attendees it allows inside, and will also require that visitors purchase their passes ahead of time before arriving on location.
Other significant safety measures will be implemented to ensure the reopening goes as smoothly as possible.
These include requiring guests and employees to wear face masks and undergo temperature screenings before entering the parks. The resort will also be entirely cashless and will feature an increased number of hand sanitizing stations around the location.
Historically crowded events like parades and “nighttime spectaculars” will remain cancelled, but costumed characters will still be available around the park to greet guests and take pictures.
h/t: Disney Parks , CNN
