Disney World on track to reopen as coronavirus cases surge in Florida

Florida counties announce beach closures, curfews after record-high COVID-19 spike

A surge in coronavirus cases forces Florida to close beaches; Phil Keating reports from Miami.

Walt Disney World is still set to begin its phased reopening later this week after a four-month closure, despite COVID-19 cases in Florida having topped 200,000 over the weekend.

Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom will welcome visitors on Saturday, July 11, with Epcot and Hollywood Studios set to follow on Wednesday, July 15. The iconic Orlando theme park has been closed to the public since March 14.

Walt Disney World remains empty during business hours in this March 23, 2020 photo.
(Alex Menendez/Getty Images)

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Disney's annual pass holders can receive a sneak peek of the park's grand reopening on Thursday and Friday, the theme park said.

Visits to Disney World, however, will look a bit different amid the ongoing outbreak. Guests must book attendance through the Disney Park pass reservation system, wear a face mask and receive temperature checks for entry at some locations, according to a coronavirus updates page, among other health and safety measures in the fight against the viral disease.

The entrance to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World is seen on the first day of its closure.
(Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The Actors' Equity Association, which represents about 600 actors among the resort’s 77,000 employees, has previously pushed for the opening date to be delayed as COVID-19 cases have soared in the Sunshine State.

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Florida health officials announced on Sunday that more than 200,000 people have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since the pandemic began.

The latest state statistics showed an additional 10,000 confirmed cases. The highest number of confirmed cases in a single day came Saturday, when over 11,400 cases were reported. As of Monday, some 3,731 people had died.

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Fox News’ Bradford Betz and The Associated Press contributed to this report,

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