Disney proposed a potential reopening date and plan for Disney World yesterday, and it’s a lot to dig into.
Yesterday, we heard some comments from Disney CEO Bob Chapek about the reopening and how Disney is looking to welcome guests back responsibly. Today, Chapek spoke with Good Morning America to further lay out the reasoning and expectations behind what a reopening day in Disney World will look like.
Explaining the July 11th date Chapek noted that they chose that date by working backward. As their ability to reopen safely became clear, they picked the date by determining how much time the company would need to open responsibly considering all of the imminent training and procedure changes.
He explained that Disney is going to be a little bit different when we return. Unfortunately, that means an environment where not everyone can be accommodated like they normally could. He asked for patience and understanding from guests as these sorts of situations arise.
“In order to go to full speed, you gotta start somewhere,” Chapek explained, “And we’re going from the beginning and we’re going to be very responsible in doing it.”
When asked about how things will look different, Chapek talked about how the park has had to be re-engineered in a way to allow for appropriate physical distancing. Guests will definitely see areas that are taped off to help with this.
Beyond that, we’re going to see much less density in the parks. Disney is not releasing capacity numbers, but the limits will be significant. Chapek explained that as some things remain closed in the parks, most will be open. “Do the math,” he said — fewer people means shorter wait times.
Chapek called the reduction in waits a “silver lining” of the new measures. He mentioned that for those lucky enough to get into the new reservation system, it’s going to be quite the magical day.
When asked about the biggest challenge to reopening the parks, Chapek spoke on the inherent trust that people have in Disney.
To wrap the interview, Chapek made a few comments about the conversations of the NBA completing their season at Disney World. He noted that Disney is in daily conversations with the NBA to see if that’s something that they want to happen. He noted, “We certainly want it to happen.”
Chapek’s insights certainly shed some light on what we can expect as Disney World steps toward that reopening. We’ll be sure to keep you updated with any more information as it becomes available!
Click here to read more of Chapek’s comments on reopening!
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What do you think of Chapek’s statements? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Is there any word on how the park reservation system works? Due to covid and an upcoming long military deployment my family has moved our trip 4 times and we are out of options. We want to go still (late July), but so can’t see driving for 11 hours and having to tell my kids we can’t get into the parks plus losing the $ we paid for four day parkhoppers. We are staying on site at a moderate resort, but idk if being on site will make any difference. 🤷🏻♀️
JC, we don’t know how it will work yet. You could call Disney (you may encounter a long wait to get through) to find out or wait for the news to come out.
Will the NBA players have to wear masks and social distance during games? Or is that just for the “Little People?”
Do you think wait times will really be shorter if the ride vehicles aren’t being filled or there is cleaning between every use? Is there any word on if rides will run normal capacity?
Abby, I’m not sure that Disney has released info on that. But I’m definitely curious about it, too. We will update if Disney releases info and (of course) when the Parks reopen.