Disney to present reopening plan for Walt Disney World

[May 27, 2020]  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co will present its proposal for a phased reopening of its Orlando, Florida, theme parks to a local task force on Wednesday, the company said in a statement.

Disney closed theme parks around the world starting in January to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

It began reopening the parks earlier this month by allowing a limited number of guests into Shanghai Disneyland with social distancing and other safeguards. Guests must wear masks and have their temperatures checked, among other measures.

A Disney executive will detail the company's plans for Walt Disney World in Orlando to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force on Wednesday. The county must approve Disney's plan before sending it to the governor's office, which also must sign off before the parks can open their gates to the public.

Disney operates four theme parks at Walt Disney World that attracted 157.3 million visitors in 2018, according to the Themed Entertainment Association. They rank as the most-visited theme parks in the world.

Last week, shops and restaurants at the Disney Springs shopping area outside the Orlando parks reopened to visitors for the first time since March.

Sea World Entertainment Inc also will present a reopening plan to the Orange County task force on Wednesday, a statement from the county said.

(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Tom Brown)

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