Earlier this month Walt Disney World announced the opening of a COVID-19 testing site that provides free testing for Walt Disney World Cast Members and their families, which had previously been a point of contention between Disney and the local actors union. With this development the union was quick to announce that its executive committee had signed off on an agreement with Disney that would allow these Cast Members to return to work at shows like Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage, Finding Nemo: The Musical, Festival of the Lion King and more.
No shows yet
However, even though it has been several weeks since the union gave the all-clear for actors to return to work at the resort, no return dates have been set and actors have not yet been called in for work. And unfortunately, it looks like this week several acting Cast Members received notice that their furlough was being extended indefinitely, casting doubt on whether or not some shows could return at all in the near future. Already Rivers of Light has been permanently cancelled, and rumors indicate that Voyage of the Little Mermaid will never return as well. Hopefully we won’t see any more shows join this list, but with so much uncertainty, anything is possible.
Safety issues
One big issue that could be impacting the return of shows at Walt Disney World is safety, as there are legitimate concerns about potential spread of COVID-19 through actors interacting with one another on stage in close proximity. Already Disneyland Paris has had an outbreak related to their Jungle Book Jive show (where characters perform unmasksed) and we could see a similar incident at Walt Disney World.
However, it is worth mentioning that right down the street Universal Orlando Resort has been able to run shows like The Bourne Stuntacular and the Horror Make-Up Show with characters and actors in masks in an effort to keep everyone as safe as possible, and if Disney could find a way to implement masks into some of its entertainment offerings they could avoid this issue.
Unfortunately there is no way to know exactly what Disney’s plan may be in regards to the future of live entertainment at its parks, but we’ll keep you updated if there are any confirmed show returns in the near future.
