BREAKING: Disney World wants to reopen theme parks on July 11
Walt Disney World is seeking to reopen its theme parks and resorts with limited capacity in phases throughout July starting with the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11 and then Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15, Jim MacPhee, Senior Vice President of Operations, Walt Disney World Resort told the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force meeting today.
Disney will also launch a new theme park reservation system that will require guests to obtain a reservation for park entry in advance, MacPhee said. He added more information on this will be released at a later date.
Disney will also have some soft opening preview days. “This will allow us to launch, learn and adjust along the way,” MacPhee said.
According to a statement on the Disney Parks Blog: “Because theme park capacity will be significantly limited as we welcome guests back to the magic, we will manage attendance through a new theme park reservation system that will require all guests to obtain a reservation for park entry in advance. 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 theme parks have been closed since March 16 and closed all of the Walt Disney World hotels were closed on March 20, along with Disney’s Vero Beach Resort and Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort.
Disney later announced hat Disney Vacation Club resorts in Vero Beach, Florida, and Hilton Head, South Carolina, will be open to members and guests starting June 15.
Plans to support required physical distancing as well as enhanced cleaning measures, along with a number of other safety and cleanliness protocols, will be implemented as part of this planned phased reopening, Disney said.
Additionally, Disney Vacation Club resorts at Walt Disney World will reopen to members and guests and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground will begin to reopen on June 22.
Some of the procedures Disney outlined that it will implement include:
- Temperature checks at main entrances.
- Requiring face coverings while on property
- Hand-washing and sanitizing stations and signage.
- Plexiglass at points of sale, retail and food locations where distancing can not be maintained.
- Reduce capacity of theme parks, restaurants, buses, monorails and other transportation.
- Temporarily suspending parades, fireworks and other events that create crowds.
- More frequent cleaning across high touch locations and surfaces in operating areas.
- Contactless payment.
- Enable cashless restrictions.
- Further enable mobile ordering
- Suspending meet and greets.
A group of field inspectors visit Walt Disney World on Tuesday, May 26 to review the readiness to implement the plans submitted including employee health screenings and best practices, guest arrival and ticketing, restaurant operations, attraction queue management, signage and communications and sanitation protocols.
The parks are ready to implement the plans as presented to the task force, John Weiss, Director of Orange County Planning Environmental Development Services Department, said.
Disney Springs began its phased reopening on May 20 with third-party retail stores and restaurants opening. Today, May 27, Disney owned establishments open as well. The World of Disney, Market Street Co-Op, and DeLuxe Burgers are now open.
Disney’s proposal is made a week after Universal Studios announced its reopening plans. Universal will open to the public on June 5.
