Though we still don’t have an opening date for theme parks in Florida, this week marked several important milestones for theme parks in Florida looking to reopen in the near future. From big theme parks and resorts like Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort to smaller parks like Busch Gardens Tampa, SeaWorld Orlando and LEGOLAND Florida, there now seems to be a roadmap in place that could lead to openings in the very near future.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis offers roadmap for theme parks to reopen
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has addressed the current shutdown of all theme parks earlier this week and has said that in order to get theme parks open operators will need to submit their reopening plans to both the Governor as well as their local government officials (county and city mayors, etc.), and should identify the date that they believe that they can resume safe operations. These plans need to be extremely detailed, and theme park operators need to outline how they’re going to open, what kind of social distancing measures will be in place, how they’re going to accommodate guests, and how they’re going to protect their workers.
In the coming days and weeks theme parks will likely be using some of the recommendations put forth by the Orange County Economic Task Force, which includes representatives from both Disney and Universal. Among the preliminary recommendations from this task force are 50% capacity restrictions during a Phase 1 period, and an increase to 75% capacity in Phase 2. Increased cleanliness measures will also be implemented, including touchless hand sanitizer at each ticketing entry and turnstile, and increased sanitation procedures, including wipe-downs of ride surfaces, railings, and surfaces.
And while these are some pretty general guidelines for all theme parks in Florida, several unions representing Disney Cast Members have set some very specific safety standards for Walt Disney World that will make the park experience very different when it reopens…
Masks will be required for guests and employees when Disney Parks reopen, and other social distancing measures will be enforced
Earlier this week Walt Disney World Resort reached an agreement with several Cast Member unions about new safety rules that will ensure the health of workers at Disney’s theme parks. Among these new rules will be the requirement for all visitors to wear masks when visiting the Disney theme parks, as well as go through a temperature screening before they are allowed to enter. The same requirements will apply to Disney Cast Members, who will be required to wear masks and have their temperature taken every day when they report for work.
This agreement also requires Disney to install clear plastic barriers at all of its cash registers, and encourage touchless transactions to minimize the virus transmission risk to both visitors and employees.
Though we don’t know exactly when theme parks in Florida will reopen, with Disney’s Cast Member unions setting safety standards for workers in the theme parks and Ron DeSantis giving the go-ahead for parks to begin submitting proposals for reopening, it looks like things are finally moving in a positive direction for the theme parks in Florida with regards to a reopening.
As always, while this situation is evolving, all theme park fans 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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