When Disney World invited the guests to return, the state broke the US records for new cases. Now, people want the governor to resign.
Two guests take a selfie in front of Cinderella’s castle at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. The | fake pictures
Two guests take a selfie in front of Cinderella’s castle at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. The | fake pictures
“The most magical place on earth” reopened to the public over the weekend, inviting visitors to its Florida parks as the state continually breaks records of new daily COVID-19 cases.
Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando officially opened two of its theme parks on Saturday: Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. When the guests arrived, they were greeted by employees wearing masks, temperature controls, and new safety regulations. Several attractions within the theme parks were closed, including the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, a lounge that turns young guests into princesses. The nightly parade and fireworks shows were also canceled to avoid crowds, according to the New York Times.
A day after the reopening of Disney World in Florida, the state reported a record single-day increase in coronavirus cases on Sunday, which toppled more than 15,000 cases, according to state data. That number rises above the highest single-day count recorded in New York State, which was once considered an epicenter of COVID-19.
Disney World posted a deleted video on Twitter of its employees, known as “cast members,” preparing to greet guests while wearing face masks, gloves, and saying, “Welcome home.” After many online closed the video, calling Disney World to reopen as the United States (and particularly Florida) grapple with the health crisis, the tweet was removed.
However, the video can still be seen on other accounts:
Some people edited the video to give it a darker twist, with a version that adds voiceovers that say, “Stay home” and “Please don’t come.”
On its Disney Parks blog, the company said: “Our cast members have been eagerly awaiting this moment and hope to do magic today as only they can.”
Disney World did not disclose the number of people in attendance over the weekend, but the New York Times reported that “the grounds did not feel crowded” and that guests maintained social distance throughout the park.
A visitor said that there were parts of the park that did not allow social distancing and that some people did not follow the rules:
add video to explain the whole problem, which is more than just the line above.
There were also TWO more lanes of pedestrian traffic on the same walkway.
It is not a coincidence either: they directed us directly to the bottleneck. (You can hear it in the background). Pic.twitter.com/nhSB3o8gXm
– 🍭 carlye wisel (@carlyewisel) July 11, 2020
As Disney plans to reopen two more Florida theme parks, Hollywood Studios and EPCOT, on Wednesday, another Disney park on the other side of the world has closed its doors again. Hong Kong Disneyland Park announced Monday that it will temporarily close “as required by government and health authorities” after it reopened in June. The city reported more than 50 new cases on Friday.
Hong Kong is reportedly experiencing a “third wave” of the COVID-19 crisis, with dozens of new cases emerging. CNBC reported that the Hong Kong government will order the closure of several companies, including gyms and gaming centers, and that restaurants will return to take-out after 6 PM. Group meetings will also be limited.
Meanwhile, in Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis said earlier this month that he doesn’t think closing deals again is the right solution, despite weeks of mounting cases in the state. DeSantis also said the increase was due to the socialization of “younger people.”
Florida reopened in early May after cases declined in April, but an analysis by the Miami Herald found that DeSantis’ assurance that the worst was over was premature, as cases in the state skyrocketed as businesses they reopened their doors.
While the reopening of Disney World has just begun, the Universal Orlando Resort has been open to the public since June.
Thousands of people have called for DeSantis to step down if the entire state does not close as COVID-19 continues to spread.
In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Monday that the state is cracking down on travel restrictions for visitors coming from states with large numbers of cases, including Florida. Anyone traveling to New York from any of the 19 states listed will have to be quarantined for 14 days. All travelers entering the state must also complete a traveler form from the State Department of Health and could face a $ 2,000 fine if they don’t comply.
The rules are part of a joint agreement with New Jersey and Connecticut in an effort to stem the increase in COVID-19 cases in the country.
According to Johns Hopkins, more than 3.3 million people tested positive for COVID-19 in the US, and more than 135,000 people died.
