Posted in: Disney, Pop Culture | Tagged: Disney Park News, Disney Parks, disney world, Walt Disney World Resort, when will Disney reopen

Walt Disney World Resort to Begin Phased Park Opening in July

After Closing in March due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, the Walt Disney World Resort theme parks will begin a phased reopening starting this July. This comes after the reopening of Shanghai Disneyland earlier this month, followed by the phased reopening of Disney Springs — the popular shopping district inside the Walt Disney World Resort.

As reported by Variety earlier today, Walt Disney World executives presented a reopening proposal to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force. The proposal was approved. Guests will be able to experience Disney's Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom when they reopen on July 11, followed by the opening of Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios on July 15. The parks will have new security measures in place, similar to how Disney Springs and Shanghai Disney are operating. Guests and cast members will have to go through temperature checks upon arrival, as well as observing social distancing. Handwashing stations will be present throughout the park, and Disney is also amping up their "limited-contact enhancements" with things such as mobile ordering, contactless payment (such as Apple Pay), and frequently touched surfaces will be cleaned more frequently. Guests and cast members alike will both be required to wear face masks.

Fan-favorite experiences, such as character meet and greets, will be suspended until further notice. Playgrounds and water spots within the Disney Parks (such as the Casey Jr splash area in the Magic Kingdom) will be closed. In Shanghai Disneyland, character meet and greets have been replaced with mini parades so guests can still see their favorite Disney characters. Face characters (such as the Princesses) are not required to wear a mask, which might also be the case for when Walt Disney World Resort reopens.

As of now, there is no word on when the other Disney Parks, including Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, and Tokyo Disney Sea, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris, will reopen.

We've been watching the phased reopening of our favorite theme parks for the past few weeks. While I am personally happy to see the parks reopening, I'm still on the fence about visiting. Will you be visiting the parks when they reopen? Let us know in the comments below!

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