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Disney World is bringing park hopping back

Disney World will allow people to visit multiple theme parks in one day now despite spiking COVID-19 cases.

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In this March 16, 2020, file photo, the entrance to the parking lot at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World is closed in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Squeezed by limits on attendance at its theme parks and other restrictions due to the pandemic, The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, it planned to lay off 28,000 workers in its parks division in California and Florida.

In this March 16, 2020, file photo, the entrance to the parking lot at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World is closed in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Squeezed by limits on attendance at its theme parks and other restrictions due to the pandemic, The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, it planned to lay off 28,000 workers in its parks division in California and Florida.

John Raoux, Associated Press

Walt Disney World will soon allow park guests to hop between parks, bringing back the park hopping feature for the first time during the coronavirus pandemic.

What’s going on?

Beginning Jan. 1, 2021, Disney World will allow guests to visit two theme parks in one day yet again, according to The Orlando Sentinel.

  • The new policy works a little different, though. Guests will need to make reservations at the first park and then travel to that park.
  • Then, beginning at 2 p.m., guests can head to any other Disney Park for the rest of the day without making another reservation, The Orlando Sentinel reports.

Key quote:

  • “As we continue to operate in a responsible way, we are reintroducing the Park Hopper option so our guests have the opportunity to see and do more during their visit while we manage attendance and foster physical distancing,” Disney spokeswoman Erica Ettori said.

Why it matters

This is a major moment in Disney World’s reopening. The park first reopened back in mid-July. Now, it’s adding a feature back to the park that will allow people to see multiple parks.

Flashback:

Earlier this month, Disney World increased its capacity to 35% after operating with only 25% capacity since the beginning of its reopening, as I wrote for the Deseret News. The park increased the number to maintain health guidelines laid out from the state.

  • “We’re very pleased with how we’ve become adept at operating under these constraints,” Disney CEO Bob Chapek said.