Earlier today, Dr. Pam Hymel, Chief Medical Officer for Disney Parks, released a statement that included a variety of precautionary measures being explored for re-opening the Disney Parks.
Included amongst those measures being explored were increased sanitation, virtual queues, and a gradual phased re-opening.
While not directly confirmed to be a measure that will be implemented, Hymel did give a glimpse into what a phased re-opening at the parks could look like. Specifically, she mentioned a “gradual reopening and/or partial reopening of certain locations.” Citing an example, she mentioned that this could include “the opening of retail and dining locations prior to the opening of our theme parks.”
If implemented at Disney World and Disneyland, this would not be the first time that a gradual re-opening was done at a global Disney Park. Shanghai Disneyland, which has just confirmed a re-opening date of May 11th, previously participated in a phased re-opening. In March, Shanghai Disneyland Resort re-opened limited dining and retail experiences at Disneytown, Wishing Star Park, and Shanghai Disneyland Hotel.
What could this look like at the American Disney Parks? We’ve explored potential paths that Disney World and Disneyland could look at previously. A gradual re-opening of dining and retail experiences first could include limited re-openings at Disney Springs, or perhaps at Disney Resort hotels prior to the theme parks.
While Hymel made it clear that, at this point, these are paths that Disney is examining for re-opening rather than firm plans, they would be in line with what is currently being implemented to re-open Chinese theme parks such as Shanghai Disneyland and Fantawild.
We will continue to keep you updated as we learn more about the re-opening of the Disney theme parks worldwide.
Want to learn more about the Disney Parks closures?
- The Disney Parks Closures: Here's Everything We Know
- Here's Everything That Disney World is Refunding Due to the Temporary Closure
- Here's Everything That Disneyland is Refunding Due to the Temporary Closures
- Here's Everything That the Disney Cruise Line is Refunding Due to Suspended Itineraries
- Should I Cancel My Disney Trip? Taking a Closer Look at Our Most FAQ
- Flattening the Curve: Why Disney is Closing Everything
- All the Times That Disney World and Disneyland Have Closed Throughout History
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