Walt Disney World reopens in Florida amid Covid-19 surge

11 July 2020

A view of Walt Disney World — Image caption,
Walt Disney World was closed in March due to concerns over coronavirus

Walt Disney World Resort has begun to reopen in Florida despite a coronavirus surge across the US state.

The site's Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom opened on Saturday. Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios are expected to follow from 15 July.

Visitors will be required to wear masks and adhere to other safety measures across the complex in Orlando.

More than a quarter of a million cases of Covid-19 have been reported in Florida, along with 4,197 deaths.

Disney first closed the resort in March during the early months of America's outbreak. While infections were largely concentrated in New York and California at first, Florida is among several states recording a rise in cases in recent weeks.

In Orange County, where the resort is based, authorities have reported 16,630 cases - some of the highest numbers in Florida.

As a result, many cities and counties across Florida have reinstated restrictions that were lifted in May when infections began to drop.

Despite the outbreak, hundreds of people made their way to the Disney flagship resort on Saturday.

Some of its competitors, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando, reopened to visitors several weeks ago.

Disney has also resumed limited operations at its four parks in Asia, and at Disney Springs - an outdoor shopping mall in Orlando. Disney reported a $1.4bn (£1.1bn) hit to profits in the first three months of the year.

"The world is changing around us, but we strongly believe that we can open safely and responsibly," said Josh D'Amaro, Disney's theme park chairman, in an interview with the New York Times.

"Covid is here, and we have a responsibility to figure out the best approach to safely operate in this new normal."