Disney World Petition Seeks To Delay Reopening

A new Disney World petition seeks to delay the park's reopening. There are more than 7,000 people already signed on to urge lawmakers and business officials to reconsider their stance on opening. Coronavirus cases are spiking across the country and Florida is among the most strongly affected in recent weeks. MoveOn.org hosted the petition created by Katie Belisle. The planned phased reopening is still scheduled for July 11th and July 15th for EPCOT and the Hollywood Studios sections. Disney has remained adamant that they are taking every precaution to keep both guests and employees safe. But, even with these measures in place, there are a growing number of people who are skeptical that those steps will be enough to keep all the visitors and staff out of harm's way. Check out what the petition had to say below:

"With the recent spikes in COVID-19 cases in Florida, the plan to re-open theme parks should be re-evaluated. The state's proposed plan for re-opening theme parks would start at Phase 2, 'after the successful conclusion of Phase 1, which includes a downward trajectory…this will occur when there is no evidence of a rebound or resurgence of COVID-19 cases.' Because of the increase in cases suddenly, it is clear that theme parks – a non-essential business – should not be planning to operate until the cases have gone down again," the petition reads. "The recent spike of COVID-19 cases is concerning due to our proposed opening in July. With a record high of 4,049 new COVID-19 cases in a single day on June 20, 2020, we are now backtracking from where we originally were."

The statement adds, "Retreating back to an earlier Phase in re-opening is our best option at not exposing the virus to thousands and thousands of theme park employees and their families. As individuals who work in the bustling tourism industry in central Florida, we are responsible for ensuring the safety of our guests and our fellow magic makers. Keeping ourselves and our visitors safe is our number one priority, in every theme park. This includes our health and wellbeing. We are encouraged to say something when we see something that we deem is unsafe so we're speaking up."

"This virus is not gone, unfortunately it's only become worse in this state. Having our theme parks remain closed until cases are steadily decreasing would keep our guests, our employees and their families safe. Re-opening the theme parks is only putting our guests, employees, and families at higher risk for contracting COVID-19," they continue. "While theme parks are a great way to relax and enjoy free time, it is a non-essential business; it is not fair to the people who work there to risk their lives, especially if they are at risk or have family members who are at risk. People are more important than making a profit."

How do you feel about visiting Disney World this Summer? Let us know in the comments!