An Update on Disney Parks from Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pamela Hymel
Dear Guests,
As we continue with the phased reopening of Disney locations around the world, I wanted to update you on our plans and the principles that guide us as we welcome guests back to the magic.
Josh D’Amaro, our Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, said it best when he spoke about the trust you have in the Disney brand. As we prepare for the reopening of our destinations, this is a responsibility we take very seriously. We know what a privilege it is to continue to earn your trust every day.
Our domestic theme parks were among the first to close earlier this year and they will be among the last to reopen when guests return in July in California, pending state and local government approvals, and in Florida. Disney parks have always been places for families to gather, to celebrate important moments in their lives, and to make memories that will last a lifetime. This legacy of integrity, care, and community is what guides us as we prepare for the return of our cast members and guests.
What to Expect at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort
We’re taking a multi-pronged approach to our reopening, after considering the guidance of various governmental authorities and health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and recommendations from our team of health and safety experts. We’re also actively working with industry groups and research universities to discuss best practices.
At both parks, this includes reducing capacity; temperature checks for guests prior to entering our theme parks; increasing cleaning and disinfecting, especially in high-traffic areas; adjusting experiences to accommodate physical distancing; requiring face coverings for guests 2 and older; and empowering our guests with options like contactless payments and easy access to handwashing and hand sanitizer locations.
Our deliberate and phased approach at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort emphasizes multiple layers of health and safety measures. And as always, our cast members are at the center of our approach. We’ve already adopted a number of important guidelines for cast members at work at the Walt Disney World Resort, such as increasing the frequency of cleaning in work areas, adjusting our work practices to promote physical distancing, requiring temperature checks and wearing face coverings. We are also working with our unions to responsibly and thoughtfully implement these health and safety guidelines at the Disneyland Resort. As reopening approaches, we’re providing our cast with additional training on both new measures and the continued importance of personal health best practices, such as handwashing, covering coughs and of course, staying home when ill.
Promote Safety Together
Many of the actions we all take in our daily lives to help reduce the risk of spread of COVID-19 are designed to help protect not only ourselves, but others as well. For example, I wear a face covering in public spaces because it may help protect you, and in turn, you wear a face covering because it may help protect me.
When you wear a face covering during your visit, wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or even make the important decision to reschedule to another day if you’re not feeling well, you help make the experience safer for everyone.
This shared responsibility is an important strategy to help reduce the risk of infection. And so, when you join us for the first time after reopening, you will find not only enhanced health and safety measures, but also a special group of cast members that are trained to share information about our new policies. They will be available to explain our new procedures, answer questions guests may have, and encourage everyone to follow these measures so we can all have a safer visit to the parks.
We hope you’ll also be interested in our new Incredibles-themed health and safety campaign . This campaign spotlights healthy behaviors that can help everyone have a magical experience, featuring beloved characters from the Incredibles animated movies.
The Magic Returns
We are looking forward to celebrating the return of Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort with our cast members, our guests and our communities next month.
As exciting as this moment is for all of us, we are still in the early days of our phased approach. We will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments based on the guidance of local government and health authorities. And in the coming weeks, we will share additional details about the policies and procedures that our guests can expect when we reopen our domestic theme parks.
We will do some things differently when we return, but what has not changed is the special Disney magic that awaits you at each of our destinations around the world.
On behalf of the entire Disney family, be well and take care. We can’t wait to welcome you back very soon!
Dr. Pamela Hymel
Chief Medical Officer
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products
