Disney World Is Reopening in Their Newest Ad, But People Aren't Having It
Some seem hesitant to head back to the happiest place on Earth as the coronavirus pandemic spikes in Florida. As Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida preps to reopen their parks this weekend, people are skeptical that grabbing your Mickey Mouse ears and heading to the park is a good idea. The theme park is slated to open Magic Kingdom Park and Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park on July 11, followed by EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios on July 15.
The park released a video about the reopening on July 8, titled "Walt Disney World Resort Theme Parks Prepare for Their Phased Reopening this Weekend." The ad features shots of the park opening up, as employees in masks and face shields clean equipment, prepare rides, and clean hotel rooms. This welcome back gesture from Disney World has been deemed by critics as more forced and eerie than comforting
The Disney Parks Twitter account also shared a video of the parks reopening on July 3, featuring Cast Members expressing excitement about returning Disney World. "It's so nice to finally come home," one worked gushed. "I'm really happy to be wearing this again," another said, referring to their uniform.
Walt Disney World Resort cast members prepare for opening with health and safety as a focus. https://t.co/CutO0Tu3h5 pic.twitter.com/hoWsqRWjl5
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) July 3, 2020
People took to Twitter to voice concerns about the park opening. Even though Disney World has a plan regarding signage to encourage social distancing, constantly disinfecting often-touched surfaces and performing temperature checks at the park's gates, many slammed the park's reopening.
"It's insanity and irresponsible that you are even considering reopening in the middle of a deadly pandemic in a nation that has not got the virus under control at all," one person posted. "I'm no theme parks expert, virologist, or mathematician, but opening Disney World this week is an alarmingly moronic idea," another chimed in.
"The level of ignorance and greed of Walt Disney World opening The Magic Kingdom is astonishing," a third tweeted.
But go ahead and open Disney World anyway. ๐
— ๐ Bee ๐ดโโ ๏ธ (@OhNoAZomBee) July 9, 2020
So sad. https://t.co/XgMX0vRKja
i'm confused how disney world is opening back up when florida is literally on fire with coronavirus?
— dakota (@dand391) July 9, 2020
To all the people going to #DisneyWorld I hope it's worth it to you to be going into a hotbed of infection while cases and deaths are on the rise in the state
— ๐pepper๐ (@opaldrite) July 9, 2020
The level of ignorance and greed of Walt Disney World opening The Magic Kingdom is astonishing.
— Marginally Wicked (@PinkyD124) July 7, 2020
Iโm no theme parks expert, virologist, or mathematician, but opening Disney World this week is an alarmingly moronic idea.
— Jesse Lifson (@DoYouEvenLif) July 6, 2020
Please donโt go to Disney World. You are going to die. https://t.co/rV8JCI6S70
— Justin Carter (@GigawattConduit) July 7, 2020
Itโs insanity and irresponsible that you are even considering reopening in the middle of a deadly pandemic in a nation that has not got the virus under control at all.
— iamQ (@whatwastheQ) July 3, 2020
March 16: Disney World closes; 11 new coronavirus cases in Florida
— Dylan Randazzo (@dyl_boi) July 5, 2020
July 5th: Disney World is opening; 10,059 new coronavirus cases in Florida pic.twitter.com/dVPVpLHgmN
Disneyworld is reopening. If public schools wonโt reopen, I recommend giving every parent an education savings account so they can homeschool their children from the Magic Kingdom.
— Brooke Medina (@Brooke_Medina_) July 9, 2020
Who are these people taking their children to disney world? I need names...
— ๐ ป๐ ฐ๐๐ ธ๐ ฝ๐ ๐ ฟ๐ พ๐๐ ด๐ (@sapphiresdust) July 8, 2020
According to Fox13 in Tampa Bay, as of July 9, the number of known cases of COVID-19 in the state rose by 8,935 since yesterday morning. The Florida Department of Health reported that the total number of cases in Florida is now 232,718.
On July 6, Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, said that the theme park would be safer than a private gathering. "Disney, I have no doubt is going to be a safe environment. I think that where you start to see the spread is just in social situations where people let their guard down. Usually like a private party or something like that," the governor said at a press conference.
Disney World previously shut down in mid-March because of the pandemic. The Disney Springs shopping and dining complex in Orlando began its phased reopening on May 20, which is still ongoing.
Newsweek did not receive comment from Walt Disney World at the time of publication.
