Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Gives Park Green Light To Submit Plans To Reopen

It looks like the parks may be a little bit closer to opening, as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis gave parks the go-ahead to submit their reopening plans to the state, according to WESH.

What’s Happening:

  • Florida State Governor Ron DeSantis has announced that the many parks of Central Florida can now submit their plans for reopening to the state.
  • He also added that the plans should include the date that they believe they can reopen while resuming safe operations, while also explaining the plans on how to protect the guests, the staff, and that the plan would have to have an endorsement from an official in their locality, citing Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings as an example.
  • The many major theme parks of Central Florida, including the parks of Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando have all been closed since Mid-March because of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
  • CityWalk at Universal Orlando reopened last night (5/14), operating at limited capacities and requiring guests to go through temperature checks upon entry, as well as wearing a face mask.
  • Disney Springs will be entering its phased reopening on May 20th, with only third-party restaurants and stores operating at that time. Disney owned restaurants and shops are expected to reopen beginning on May 27th.

What They’re Saying:

  • Florida Governor Ron DeSantis: “They have to provide how they are going to do it, how they’re going to accommodate the guests, how they’re going to protect the staff and then they need to have an endorsement from the local official in their locality.”