FILE - In this Monday, March 16, 2020, file photo, the road to the entrance of Walt Disney World has few cars, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Two more unions have reached agreements with Walt Disney World over furloughs caused by the theme park resort’s closure during the new coronavirus outbreak. The agreements reached late Friday, April 10, apply to security guards and workers involved in facilities and operations. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
In this Monday, March 16, 2020, file photo, the road to the entrance of Walt Disney World has few cars, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Two more unions have reached agreements with Walt Disney World over furloughs caused by the theme park resort’s closure during the new coronavirus outbreak. The agreements reached late Friday, April 10, apply to security guards and workers involved in facilities and operations. John Raoux, Associated Press
Herb Scribner

By Herb Scribner

The coronavirus pandemic will change how Walt Disney World looks when the park reopens, as new guidelines suggest the park can’t open at full capacity.

What’s the news:

The Orange County Economic Task Force in Florida issued preliminary recommendations for how Walt Disney World and other Orlando theme parks would reopen.

The phased reopening plan “are initial suggestions only, and will be assessed and updated in the coming days,” according to Deadline.

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According to the plans, larger theme parks would open with 50% capacity during the first phase. That number jumps to 75% in the second phase, WESH reports.

  • Employees would need to wear masks at all time.
  • Each ticketing booth, turnstile, ride entry and exit would have hand sanitizer stations.
  • Staff would receive temperature checks before their shift starts.
  • All railings and surfaces would be wiped down.
  • Anyone 65 years old or older would be asked to stay home.
  • Taped markings would separate people in line by 6 feet, too.

More recommendations:

  • Universal Orlando Resort CEO John Sprouls said the resort is already looking into how to reopen its theme parks, according to The Tampa Bay Times. Enhanced cleaning, temperature checks and on-site medical personnel would be added to the park.
  • Sprouls said guests will need to be confident the parks are safe before they return.
  • “We would be capping attendance to make sure we could create a maximum amount of social distancing. And then, as we gained confidence in those practices and procedures that we’re employing, and as we learned from what we’re doing, we would gradually see that attendance rise.”

Disney plans

  • Analysts predict Disney parks might not open again until January 2021, according to MarketWatch.
  • Disney has its own rumored plan to reopen, called the “secure circuit” protocol, which would reopen parks with limited capacity. Rides would be sanitized after each guest under this plan. Social distancing guidelines would exist at the park for the foreseeable future, too, according to my report for the Deseret News.
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