Walt Disney World Suspends College Internship Program Amid Pandemic

Bruce Haring pmc-editorial-managerAdd “eating and drinking while walking” to the list of things you can’t do at Walt Disney World in the pandemic era.Like some Las Vegas casinos, the park has banned consumption of food and drink on the move in order to ensure masks are worn at all times.Disney World has been under fire in some quarters for reopening at a time when COVID-19 cases are spiking, particularly in its home state of Florida.

Cowen analyst Doug Creutz has downgraded his rating on Walt Disney's stock from "outperform" to "market perform" after cutting his financialestimates and price target due to what he now expects to be a "longer impact on parks and film" from the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Trevor Noah on Monday lit into those who visited Walt Disney World over the weekend during its reopening as the novel coronavirusremains rampant in the U.S., especially in Florida. A large portion of Disney World welcomed back guests Saturday, which includedthe Magic Kingdom Park and Disney's Animal Kingdom Park.

the coronavirus pandemic.Masked staff welcomed back visitors to the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Parks as confirmed cases of the virus surge to record levels in Florida.But Disney hopes to prevent any in-park spread through new safety protocols.

Bruce Haring pmc-editorial-managerEven as Disney World reopens and the Florida state government was being pushed to host in-person classes for the fall school semester, the Sunshine State is setting new records for COVID-19 cases.The Florida Department of Health reported 15,299 new coronavirus cases Sunday. That’s the highest total for any state since the pandemic started.

Despite being totally closed since the mid-March beginnings of the coronavirus pandemic here in the United States, Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort is now open once again — and it’s got a lot of critics calling the place out for its shortsightedness and poor leadership amid the ongoing COVID-19 scare.

Bruce Haring pmc-editorial-managerUPDATE: ESPN has suspended NBA star reporter without pay, according to reports, the result of an obscene message he tweeted in reply to US Senator Josh Hawley.Wojnarowski will not be in Orlando, Florida to cover the NBA restart of its pandemic-shortened season. The length of his suspension has not been revealed.Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, sent a mass letter criticizing NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the league’s relationship with China.

Brandon Choe Photo EditorAs Disney reopened their premier theme park, Walt Disney World, today in Florida amid exploding coronavirus numbers, social media immediately took the entertainment conglomerate to task by criticizing the decision to resume theme parks operations, calling premature and risky.Florida has now seen more than 250,000 total cases of confirmed coronavirus cases and has tallied more than 300 deaths in the last three days, with 11,000 new cases reported on today’s park reopening

Disney World has reopened in Florida after being shut down for nearly four months during the coronavirus pandemic.

Also Read: Disney World Reopening Pushes Forward Despite Florida's COVID-19 SurgeDisney was forced to close its Orlando park and resort in March, along with its Disneyland park in California. As a result, Disney’s parks business took a roughly $1 billion hit to operating income during its most recent quarter.

Elaine Low Senior TV WriterBefore Krysta White heads to her job as an attraction host at the Animal Kingdom Park in Orlando, Fla., she takes her temperature at home.

Also Read: Disney World Reopening Pushes Forward Despite Florida's COVID-19 Surge“Since our public request that Disney test performers in the park, there have been more than 114,000 new coronavirus cases in Florida,” Mary McColl, executive director of Actors’ Equity Association, said in a statement.

Greg Evans Associate Editor/Broadway CriticActors’ Equity Association says Walt Disney World has “locked out” its union members as a way of retaliating against Equity’s demand for coronavirus testing as a condition for returning to work.Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, is set to begin a phased reopening this Saturday, July 11.

on social media of some of the safety measures that the park has implemented, including plexiglas dividers in some queue lines and on ride vehicles, including for popular rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Instead of in-person character meet-and-greets, characters will be riding in vehicles.

Greg Evans Associate Editor/Broadway CriticJust days after Actors’ Equity Association urged members not to take jobs with Florida’s Walt Disney World until the resort agrees to provide COVID-19 testing, the amusement park reports that “tens of thousands of cast members” are preparing to return for the phased opening that begins July 11.On the official Disney Parks Blog today, Laurel Slater, Manager of Communications, Walt Disney World Public Affairs, writes, “With just eight days until we reopen

coronavirus pandemic. Disney said in a blog post on Thursday that the internship's participants won't be among those returning to work when it reopens its Florida theme parks later this month.