We have two big health care items for you today from Walt Disney World.
Since their July 2020 reopening, Walt Disney World has assessed and updated their health and safety measures in accordance with public health authorities and government agencies, along with their own team of experts.
As guidance continues to evolve with the times, Disney World is making additional adjustments. Based on guidance from the Center of Disease Control and local health officials, Walt Disney World will phase out onsite temperature screenings for guests on May 16th. (Temperature screenings will also be phased out for working Cast Members 8 days earlier, on May 8th.)
Since the Orlando resort’s reopening, touchless temperature screenings have been mandatory prior to entry at all four theme parks, Blizzard Beach, Disney Springs, and table-service restaurants at Disney Resort hotels. The temperature checks were administered by AdventHealth employees, and the area was closely monitored by Disney Cast Members. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher is directed to a nearby location for rescreening and assistance. If the high temperature remains, the guest(s) and their travel party are not allowed into the area.
Disney says they “will continue to follow the guidance of health and safety leaders going forward and most importantly encourage people to get vaccinated.”
This is the second recent change Disney has made as they begin to relax their guidelines. Just last month, WDW updated its policy allowing guests to remove their masks while taking a photo outdoors and socially distanced. For the time being, other measures such as appropriate facial coverings for all guests 2 and up, park reservations, limited park capacity, and physical distancing guidelines all remain in place.
Universal Orlando will also also be dropping the temperature checks and will be taking things a step farther by reducing social distancing requirements in half from 6′ to just 3′.
Of course, all of this will have folks wondering what this means for Disney’s parks in California. But, for now, Disneyland will continue with their current procedures. So these changes won’t be implemented at the Anaheim Resort… yet.
In other Disney World health care news…
AdventHealth World of Wellness
Disney’s partnership with AdventHealth is growing. Advent will become the official health care provider of the Disney World Resort, including some major new services for guests and cast.
AdventHealth will provide health care at Walt Disney World, including a new health care center at the upcoming Flamingo Crossings retail complex. The facility will have an ER and Urgent Care center. In addition, AdventHealth will provide delivery of prescriptions and equipment to guest rooms, provide sports medicine at Wide World of Sports, staff a care call center, and will provide telemedicine services in both Florida and California. A Virtual Care app will soon be available from My Disney Experience.
