Disney theme park employees voiced their frustrations and fears about reopening amid coronavirus concerns. In March, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a pandemic, leading civilizations around the world to take security precautions against the aggressive virus. In an attempt to prevent further COVID-19 outbreaks, the Mouse House shuttered all theme parks indefinitely.
As of late, U.S. States are gradually lifting lockdown orders, leaving theme parks to workshop how to reopen amid the pandemic. Experiencing a financial shock due to the closure of the parks, the Walt Disney Company configured plans to stay in business, including padding up the Disney+ catalog, raising $11 billion in debt, and putting employees on furlough. In May, sections of Shanghai Disney reopened, while implementing new safety policies. These include limited capacity and mandatory mask-wearing. Earlier this month, Disney revealed Disneyland had a reopening date of July 17, pending government approvals. Following the announcement of a July reopening date, visitors started an online petition to delay the park’s planned reopening. Now, Disney employees have revealed they are not happy with the Happiest Place on Earth.
Speaking with io9, Disneyland cast members revealed concerns at the possibility of the theme park reopening soon. Opting to remain anonymous, five non-union cast members expressed there are still a “number of health and safety concerns.” Speaking on the topic of masks, one Disney employee states that policing guests to wear masks would be difficult since guests could fail to comply with guidelines once inside the park. Additionally, these front line employees are “terrified” that they could expose high-risk family members to coronavirus since Disney allegedly has “no inclination or want at this time to test employees.”
Recently, California has witnessed a surge in coronavirus cases, leading to the state’s governor, Gavin Newson, to implement additional security measures. Newsom assured Disney patrons that health officials continue to be in contact with the Mouse House to coordinate a safe reopening. As it stands, Downtown Disney will reopen, as previously announced, on July 9. One Disney employee expressed the sentiment, “Disney is a magical place where they can escape the realities of the world, but the reality of the situation is that the pandemic is everywhere, even at Disneyland. The pandemic doesn’t magically go away just because you’re at a theme park.”
Despite the delay in reopening at Disneyland in California, Walt Disney theme parks around the world are cracking open their doors - with safety guidelines in place - including Hong Kong Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. However, maintaining worker morale and following guidelines that will ensure the safety of employees should be the top priorities for the company and will allow for Disney theme parks to safely reopen in the future.
Source: io9
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