Orange County Mayor Says He Doesn’t Expect Theme Parks to Open Until at Least June
As we reported here at MickeyBlog Governor DeSantis announced earlier today that theme parks across Florida can start submitting their re-opening plans. However, as ClickOrlando points out, it doesn’t mean that the theme parks will be opening ASAP.
As part of the reopening plans, DeSantis outlined a date by which theme parks can submit plans to a local official. In the case of Walt Disney World this would be Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. As of going to print Demings said that he hadn’t yet received plans from Disney, Universal or SeaWorld.
Demings said, “Suffice it to say, they’re looking at later dates to reopen and I believe what we can expect or anticipate in our community is a measured reopening. They will likely start with smaller business units, maybe hotels and resort-type areas before the major, massive theme parks themselves will reopen but in any case, I suspect that that is going to be, clearly, sometime in June or thereafter before that occurs.”
Mayor Deming s said that the theme parks could re-open under the second phase of the governor’s plan to reopen Florida. However, it remains to be seen when that phase will start.
If you’ve been following along with MickeyBlog then you know that the theme parks have been shuttered since Mid-March as stay-at-home orders were put in place across the country to stop the spread of COVID-19. The Orlando theme parks are taking small measures to ready the parks for re-opening. Disney Springs, Disney’s downtown shopping district previously announced that they will be opening on May 20th.
It should be noted that on the 20th, only privately leased business will re-open. Disney plans to wait four more days before opening their own shops and restaurants including World of Disney.
Mayor Demings reiterated that the goal is to let as many businesses as possible but in a way that will keep tourists and local residents safe. He added, “So with us moving into this full phase one process, there may be some flexibility there.”
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