Disney and Universal to Begin Submitting Florida Reopening Plans
Disney and Universal to Submit Florida Reopening Plans Thursday
(Bloomberg) -- Walt Disney Co., Comcast Corp.’s Universal Studios and SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. are taking another step toward reopening their massive theme parks in Orlando, Florida.
The operators will begin submitting their plans to a reopening task force on Thursday, a spokesperson for Florida’s Orange County said in an email. Universal is slated to make its presentation on Thursday, with the others coming at a later date.
The prospect of the parks reopening sent shares of the companies climbing, with Disney rising almost 5% and reaching its highest level since early March.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said last week that theme-park operators could begin reopening once they submit plans and win approval from local authorities. Jerry Demings, the mayor of Orange County, later said it will still likely be June or afterward before the resorts completely reopen.
Disney and Universal have already taken steps in the process, including reopening shopping centers near their Florida theme parks, with masks and other virus-protection steps required.
In a roundtable discussion with Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday, SeaWorld’s interim chief executive officer, Marc Swanson, said that the company could open its Florida parks “probably sometime in June. If we can get the approvals and the data keeps moving in that direction.”
Separately, the Athletic reported that Walt Disney World is the front-runner to become the National Basketball Association’s first playing site when the 2019-2020 season resumes.
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