The “happiest place on Earth” is doing its best to convince visitors that it is also among the safest.
Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida reopened the doors to guests on July 11, three months after closing them in March at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Masked staff welcomed visitors to the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Parks as confirmed cases of the virus spiking to record levels in Florida.
But Disney hopes to prevent any spread in the park through new security protocols. In addition to workers wearing face covers, the Disney website claims that guests are now also required to put on masks, undergo temperature testing, and maintain social distance from others.
The new mandates have significantly changed the atmosphere of the park. A clip and photos taken on opening day show new signaling and sanitation stations, and there are now regular audio reminders for guests as well. “About every 10 minutes there is a health and safety announcement throughout the park. Reminding guests to stay away, wear your mask and more, ”she wrote on Twitter @thrillgeek, who documented the reopening of Disney’s first day.
Another Twitter user compared a reopening promotional video to “Koyaanisqatsi: Life Out of Balance,” changing the original audio from the video to Philip Glass’s dark soundtrack from the 1982 experimental film.
However, for Disney fans, the reopening is a hopeful occasion. “We are happy to be here,” says a masked mother in a clip, walking through the park with her family. “Welcome home,” says a staff member, waving and smiling visibly, despite her covered face.
This weekend, Florida set a new record for the highest number of single-day COVID-19 cases: The state recorded more than 15,000 cases on Saturday, breaking New York’s previous highest number of 12,847 set at peak. of the pandemic in April.
Despite the new record, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis continues to resist calls for a face mask mandate statewide.
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