Walt Disney World Still Has Long Wait Times Even With Coronavirus Fears

While production companies are pushing back film release dates and professional sports leagues are [...]

While production companies are pushing back film release dates and professional sports leagues are suspending entire seasons, Walt Disney World is still functioning as usual. Fears of the coronavirus haven't slowed business for the beloved theme park in Orlando, Florida, at least not by much. Guests at the park are still experiencing pretty long wait times for Disney's most popular rides, despite the warnings of large crowds during the outbreak.

At the time of writing this article on Thursday afternoon, the lines for rides at the various parks in Walt Disney World have yet to shrink, with several Magic Kingdom rides topping the wait times list. As of 3 pm ET, Space Mountain has a wait time of 140 minutes. Splash Mountain, fresh off renovations, has a 110 minute wait. Haunted Mansion, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, and Peter Pan's Flight are all sitting at an hour or more.

Things are similar over in Hollywood Studios. Rides like Slinky Dog Dash, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, Smuggler's Run, Toy Story Mania, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, and Tower of Terror will all take longer than an hour to ride.

Over in Animal Kingdom, Expedition Everest and Na'vi River Journey both have waits of around 80 minutes, while the Kilimanjaro Safari currently shows a 105 minute wait. The longest wait belongs to Avatar Flight of Passage at around two hours. However, that one is actually a bit shorter than usual.

Of course, these times are always changing, so they could slow down in the coming days. Walt Disney World is still taking the stance that it will remain open for the time being.

"As part of our commitment to the health and well-being of our cast, guests and the larger community, we are carefully monitoring the evolving coronavirus situation and are in regular contact with health agencies for information and guidance," Disney Parks chief medical officer Dr. Pamela Hymel explained in a statement. "Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, are welcoming guests as usual and we continue to implement preventive measures in line with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health agencies."

As more events and venues close their doors over the coming days, there's always a chance Disney could do the same.

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