Disney World Sets Partial Opening For May 20

Disney World is planning a soft opening for later this month in Florida, THR reports.

The happiest place on Earth is set for a partial opening for May 20 at Disney Springs, just one portion of the massive theme park.

Disney World, along with many other of the theme parks across the world, have been closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The site is reporting that a handful of park employees will be back at work this weekend to get the section ready for the opening. The rest of the employees remain furloughed.

Precautions put in place include that all guests and employees will be required to wear masks, with Disney providing employees three washable masks, and custodians will be retrained to pay attention to high-touch areas.

Guests will also have their temperature checked, and plexiglass dividers have been installed at registers. They’ll also be swiping their own payments cards, as they will no longer be handled by employees.

A rep from the local union for the workers shared that many were apprehensive about the plans to reopen.

“Some are anxious to get back because the unemployment system [in Florida] is completely broken,” Eric Clinton, president of UNITE HERE, Local 362, said.

The parts of the park that will be open start with the sub-contracted shops in the Disney Springs shopping and dining complex. The next phase will start four days later when Disney retail shops, such as World Of Disney Store and Disney eateries reopen.

Just last week, Disney announced the reopening of Disney Shanghai, which will operate at half capacity.