Walt Disney World Permanently Closing Stitch’s Great Escape and Other Attractions Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Walt Disney World has permanently closed Stitch’s Great Escape, Primeval Whirl, and Rivers of Light at the park. Disney has confirmed that all of the attractions have permanently closed in a memo to cast members today. (via: WDWNT) There was some speculation that Stitch’s Great Escape was being primed to get replaced by some sort of new attraction. However, the coronavirus pandemic has changed the math on all of this very quickly. With so much revenue lost in the early portion of the year, due to the closings, it looks like the company will be putting all of its efforts towards trying to ensure safety to Guests making the trek to Florida this year. At some point, the spot where Stitch’s Great Escape stood will be home to a new attraction, but it probably won’t be the case for at least a year or two.

Disney Parks chairman Josh D’Amaro is very hopeful that the park can remain open and that the company can keep people safe despite healthy skepticism from observers of the spiking COVID diagnoses in Florida.

“We are in a new normal right now, so what’s happening outside of the gates of Walt Disney World is our new world,” D’Amaro said to CNBC Business. “I think you know we were one of the first theme parks to close, and we’ll be about the last to open. And we spent every minute of every day thinking about how to operate in this new normal that we’re in.”

“I’m exceptionally proud of this group in terms of what they’ve put together from a protocol perspective and being able to open in a phased and really responsible way,” he continued. “I had a chance to walk Main Street just a few minutes ago. It feels really good in the park. So yeah, the world is a different place, but we feel really prepared to operate in this new environment that we’re in.”

Disney World’s webiste also made sure to try and inform visitors before they arrive, this is a whole new ballgame everyone: “Persons who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, have been in contact with someone with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 symptoms without completing a 14-day quarantine, or are under quarantine orders must not enter Walt Disney World Resort. Walt Disney World Resort Guests may be subject to additional screenings. Before you leave home, please check the temperatures of everyone in your party—including yourself—as an extra layer of precaution. If you need to reschedule your reservation, please call the Disney Reservation Center at (407) W-DISNEY or (407) 934-7639. If you’re a Disney Vacation Club Member, please call Member Services at (800) 800-9800.”

What attraction do you miss most at Disney World? Let us know in the comments!