Like it or not, masks aren’t going away anytime soon
As the country works to gain control of the coronavirus, some safety measures will stick around even after vaccines are administered.
Disney CEO Bob Chapek said he expects the strict safety precautions at the parks to last through the end of the year.
“We have no doubt that when we reopened up parks that were closed or increased the capacity that we will have some level of social distancing and mask-wearing for the remainder of the year, that is our expectation,” Chapek said on the call.
During an earnings call Thursday, Chapek told investors that he believes there will be at least some level of social distancing and mask-wearing at the resorts for the remainder of the year, but not in 2022.
He hopes there are vaccines for everyone who wants them by April, Chapek said that could be a ‘gamechanger’ for the theme parks.
Disney parks in Central Florida are also expected to stay at some level of limited capacity. As of this publication, capacity is capped off around 35%.
“We have no doubt that when we reopen up in parks that were closed or increase the capacity that we’ll have some level of social distancing and mask-wearing for the remainder of this year. That’s our expectation,” Chapek added.
On the West Coast, Disneyland in California remains closed and has not opened its gates during the pandemic. Disney Cruise Line is also closed. Recently, the cruise line extended its cancelations through April.
The battered cruise industry continues to rock Disney’s business plan, and the parks division alone reported a $119 million loss last quarter.
Disney made a $2.5 billion profit a year earlier.
While Central Florida may not have the ideal mask-wearing weather, some places, like Disney World, may be worth melting for.
What do you think about the extended safety precautions? Comment below to let us know.
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