Walt Disney World will reopen to the public in July, Disney company officials announced Wednesday.The Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom parks will resume business on July 11, followed by EPCOT and Hollywood Studios on July 15. The four theme parks are in Florida.In a presentation to an economic recovery task force, the multibillion-dollar entertainment company said that the moves will occur in stages to minimize health and safety risks.It is not clear when Disneyland, located in California, will reopen.Precautions approved by local governments in Florida and California include requiring that guests wear face masks, submit to temperature checks and comply with social distancing requirements. Reduced park capacity and cashless transactions will also be implemented. Disney closed its parks around the world after the coronavirus pandemic swept the globe but reopened its Shanghai amusement parks in early May. The location in China had been closed since January.Disney World in Florida employs about 77,000 people. According to CNN, the company’s theme parks accounted for 37% of its annual revenue in 2019. It says the forced closings caused an estimated 58% drop in profit for the parks and experiences unit of the company last quarter.”The theme parks define Disney for millions of its fans around the world,” Robert Niles, editor of ThemeParkInsider.com, told CNN Business. “Returning its parks to operation signals that Disney is coming back to full speed as a company again.”
 
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