As we sit around and wonder what's going to happen with Disneyland Resort, the biggest theme park that has yet to reopen following the pandemic shutdown, the first place to look for an indication of what might happen is, obviously, the other theme parks that have already reopened. Specifically, one has to ask the question, how exactly has Walt Disney world been doing so far, and the answer, as far as anybody can tell, is, fine, actually.
There were a great many concerns surrounding Walt Disney World as the resort reopening was going to mean crowds of people back in the park. Certainly, those crowds have been managed and other precautions have been taken to try to allow people to stay as safe as possible while still experiencing as much as possible of what Walt Disney World has to offer, and as far as the New York Times can tell, everything has worked exactly how it was supposed to work. According to Eric Clinton, president of UNITE HERE Local 362, the union that represents over 8,000 Walt Disney World cast members...
We’ve had very few, and none, as far as we can tell, have been from work-related exposure.
This is the best-case scenario and exactly what Disney is pointing to when the company tries to convince the state of California that it should be ok for Disneyland Resort to reopen. If a massive complex like Walt Disney World can reopen with, as far as we can tell, zero incidents, then the California park should get the same benefits.
All this is also coming from a strong source, as the union leader is somebody whose focus and consideration is for the workers, not necessarily Walt Disney World. There'd be no reason to speak in glowing terms about the lack of infection if that wasn't the case because such a thing would put more of the unions' members at risk.
Coronavirus transmission is all over the map, to be sure, and Florida has, during more than one time, seen some of the worst, and so the fact that such things have not been a problem at Walt Disney World, especially when we know that locals are the ones currently visiting the parks, would seem to indicate that the health and safety measures that have been implemented have been enough.
The state of California, thus far, does not agree. The state recently released its guidelines for theme parks to reopen and while small parks will be able to reopen in the orange tier, the second-lowest of four tiers of transmission rate, larger parks will have to wait until their county enters the lowest, or yellow, tier. Orange County, Disneyland Resort's home, is currently in the red tier, the second-highest of the four designations.
It does not seem Walt Disney World's success is going to help Disneyland much. Perhaps it will ultimately give some people the confidence to make the trip to Walt Disney World.
