Employees at Walt Disney World have signed a new petition that pleads for the company to reconsider its reopening in July as Florida continues to see a rise in COVID-19 infections, according to The Orlando Sentinel.
What’s happening:
- Workers at Disney World signed a petition that said it’s too soon to return to the park, which is slated to open Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11.
- The petition has more than 4,000 signatures. Disney World employees close to 78,000 staffers, according to The Orlando Sentinel.
- The petition reads: “This virus is not gone, unfortunately, it’s only become worse in this state. While theme parks are a great way to relax and enjoy free time, it is a non-essential business; it is not fair to the people who work there to risk their lives, especially if they are at risk or have family members who are at risk. People are more important than making a profit. Mayors, theme park executives, government officials — please hear what we are saying.”
Other Disney petitions
- Disneyland employees have spoken out against the park reopening. A dozen unions representing the 17,000 Disneyland employees wrote a letter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom that said it is not safe to reopen the park, as I wrote for the Deseret News.
- Disneyland fans signed a petition in mid-June, asking Disney to reconsider reopening its theme park amid the coronavirus pandemic, which I reported on for the Deseret News.
- The Disneyland petition calls on Disney to reopen the park later this year. It notes a second wave could cause problems that will lead the park to close down again.
- The petition reads: “Many people have lost loved ones due to this pandemic and by reopening the parks they are endangering cast members and guests to be exposed to COVID-19.”
- “The solution would be to reschedule Disneyland to reopen the parks at a later date when cases of COVID-19 drop and health officials state it is safer for everyone but to still practice social distancing.”