Actors union asks Disney to delay opening Florida parks too
Source: AP
By MIKE SCHNEIDER and TAMARA LUSH
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A day after Disney said it would delay reopening its California theme parks, the union representing actors at Walt Disney World said Thursday that the company should also postpone welcoming back guests at its Florida parks which are scheduled to reopen next month after being closed since March because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Actors’ Equity Association said that it was unclear how Disney World could “responsibly” reopen as coronavirus cases continue to soar in the Sunshine State. Florida reported having more than 114,000 confirmed cases on Thursday, a jump of about 5,000 cases over the previous day. The state has had at least 3,327 coronavirus-related deaths.
Disney World’s four theme parks are slated to start opening July 11. The theme parks resort has already reopened some hotels and its restaurant-and-shopping district. Orlando’s other major theme park resorts — Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando — started welcoming back visitors earlier this month.
The actors’ union said it was concerned that not enough testing was planned for the parks’ actors who are unable to use face masks when doing their jobs — performing — unlike other park workers. The union represents about 600 actors at Disney World, out of a total workforce of 77,000 employees at the theme park resort.
FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2019 photo, guests watch a show near a statue of Walt Disney and Micky Mouse in front of the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, part of the Orlando area in Fla. SeaWorld and Universal Orlando reopened earlier June 2020, while Disney plans to reopen in phases starting July 11, 2020.(AP Photo/John Raoux, File)
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