Right now, it looks like mid-July will represent a return to normal for the Walt Disney Company as it will see reopenings of theme parks at Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, and the first phases of reopenings at Disneyland Paris. However, with COVID-19 cases once again on the rise, there has been growing concern about whether or not it is truly safe for the theme parks to reopen, not only for guests visiting but for Cast Members as well.
Disneyland and Walt Disney World Cast Members create petitions asking Disney to delay reopening
Last week, Disneyland Cast Members created a petition asking government officials in California to delay the reopening of Disneyland Resort theme parks on July 17th, citing rising cases in the state as a serious safety concern for Cast Members. As of this writing, this petition has garnered nearly 50,000 signatures, but no official statement or reaction has come from Disneyland Resort in response.
Walt Disney World Cast Members are in a similar situation, and are urging park executives and state and local officials to delay reopening as well, as COVID-19 cases are accelerating in the state, reaching over 100,000 total cases just a few days ago, and adding between 3000 – 4000 new cases a day. This petition hasn’t gotten as much traction as its Disneyland counterpart, and only around 7,000 signatures as of right now. And as you might expect, Disney has not made any official comments about this petition either, forging ahead with their reopening procedures this week, reopening hotels to DVC Members.
Cast Member safety
Though Disney has not said anything in regards to these petitions, the company has said that it is doing everything possible to facilitate a safe return to work for its Cast Members, including temperature checks, required masks, and new regulations when it comes to break times and common backstage areas. However, social media reports from several Cast Members working currently at Disney Springs have painted a disturbing picture of guests not only avoiding the new safety guidelines and restrictions, but assaulting Cast Members for trying to enforce them, which are making many uneasy about their return to work.
Guest concerns have not gone away either
And of course, beyond Cast Members’ safety, guests may also be concerned about conditions inside the theme parks as COVID-19 cases continue to skyrocket in the Sunshine State. Though masks will be required and social distancing measures will be in place, at the end of the day many guests may simply feel unsafe returning to the theme parks while this pandemic is still ongoing.
Right now, both Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Resort are running full steam ahead with their reopening plans. However, it looks like calls for Disney to push back these openings are growing, and Disney may not be able to ignore them much longer. Do you think Disney parks are opening too early?
As always, while this situation is evolving, all travelers should check out the CDC’s official site here, which has information on the virus and how to prevent its spread.
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