Disney World may not be opening up soon. But Disney has already begun planning safety measures for those opening up the Disney Springs shopping and dining complex, offering a glimpse of what’s to come at Disneyland and Disney World.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney will begin “treating the safety of both guests and employees with the utmost seriousness.”
Safety precautions are already being added to the resort, said Eric Clinton, president of Unite Here, Local 362, which manages employees for Walt Disney World.
- Disney will give employees three washable masks.
- Guests will need to have their temperature checked.
- Plexiglass dividers will be installed at registers.
- Guests will swipe their own payment cards. Employees will no longer handle them.
- Custodians will receive training on how to handle high-touch areas.
- Employees will need to do self-assessments at home before they arrive at the park, too, according to Clinton.
Clinton told The Hollywood Reporter that Shanghai Disneyland will be the model going forward, adding that “what you see there is a lot of what you’ll see here.”
Shanghai Disneyland opened up on Monday, May 11, with a slew of changes, including increased social distancing measures and increased cleaning routines, as I wrote for the Deseret News. Guests and cast members were required to wear masks.
“We have a very dedicated team of custodial cleaners that we’ve increased the number of those throughout the park that are constantly wiping down all the surfaces,” said Andrew Bolstein, SVP of operations for Shanghai Disney Resort, according to CNN. “We’ll be able to strike that right balance between the safety and health and confident side, and then the magic that we’re able to deliver every day.”
But are employees excited to get back to work? Clinton told The Hollywood Reporter it’s a “mixed bag of emotions” for returning employees.
“Some are anxious to get back because the unemployment system (in Florida) is completely broken,” Clinton said.