Stay at Home Orders Effectively Extend Disney World Closure
Walt Disney World’s closure is effectively extended beyond its current March 31, 2020 end date due to an Orange County stay at home order that will begin Thursday night. It covers 1.3 million residents and all 13 municipalities in the county, which is also home to most of WDW.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer (or “the voice from the MCO People Mover,” as you might know him) issued the order last night for a period of at least two weeks. Their stated goal is to flatten the curve so that local medical facilities (already overburdened thanks to the area’s population explosion) aren’t overwhelmed as more cases emerge.
The portions of Walt Disney World that are not in Orange County are part of Osceola County, and an executive policy group there has likewise passed a stay home order by 6-2 vote. Officials have tentatively scheduled a briefing for 4 p.m. today…
Just one week ago, there was only one confirmed case in Orange County–today there are 52. There are now 1,682 cases in Florida, over 55,200 cases nationwide and over 438,700 globally as of Wednesday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University Resource Center. There have also been 22 deaths in the state of Florida.
Orange County’s stay at home order will take effect at 11 p.m. on Thursday and only allows people to leave their residences for essential business, including trips to work, grocery stores, the pharmacy, and to pick up take-out food.
Businesses including hardware stores, gas stations, laundromats, liquor stores, construction sites, and repair shops are allowed to remain operational. People are also allowed to exercise outdoors if they practice proper social or physical distancing.
At roughly the same time that Orange County issued its stay at home order, Universal Orlando Resort quickly announced that their closure is extended through April 19, 2020. This includes both theme parks, Volcano Bay, and CityWalk. The Universal Orlando Resort hotels have also temporarily suspended operations.
“For now, we must make the health and safety of our guests and team members our top priority and we will continue to take guidance from health agencies and government officials,” a statement from Universal Orlando reads.
The Orange County stay-at-home order means non-essential businesses including but not limited to movie theaters, shopping malls, golf courses, and other recreation will close.
As you can probably imagine, amusement and theme parks fall into the non-essential category.
For Walt Disney World, this doesn’t have much of an immediate impact. Almost everything–resorts, theme parks, miniature golf, water parks, and Disney Springs–is already closed.
The lone exception to this is Disney’s Palm, Magnolia, Oak Trail, and Lake Buena Vista Golf Courses, all of which remain open along with FootGolf. Even following the stay at home order, we’ve been notified that these golf courses will remain operational through Thursday.
The goal is to stop the spread as multiple first responders including firefighters and medical professionals have been infected, as have five TSA officers at Orlando International Airport. One Orange County deputy, who traveled overseas, has also tested positive.
The order will be in effect for two weeks, but Mayors Demings and Dyer said it could be extended then. The two mayors stated that it’s urgent that we make sacrifices for the “next few weeks” would ensure positive results to allow increased testing and get in front of any kind of surge that negatively impacts the ability of our hospitals to be able to care for all of our community.
The stay at home order comes as Florida gets more serious and aggressive in its response. Governor Ron DeSantis has resisted calls from local officials for a statewide stay-at-home order, contending that such a move would be a “blunt instrument.”
Governor DeSantis has requested that Floridians ages 65 and older, plus those with medical conditions self-isolate for 14 days, following a recommendation from the state’s surgeon general.
The governor also issued an executive order mandating a 14-day self-quarantine or isolation period for travelers coming to Florida from airports in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. It’s unclear whether Florida could constitutionally enforce such an order–but it’s likely a symbolic move, anyway.
For its part, Orange County has increased its testing efforts with a free drive-thru site set up at the Orange County Convention Center. The location will administer up to 250 tests per day to those who meet Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria–meaning symptomatic people ages 65 and older or first responders and health-care workers.
Orange County’s order comes as the federal government is signaling that it wants to reopen the country by Easter in an attempt to revive the economy, which has been hobbled by the public health crisis. This desire is at odds with local and state governments, several of which have pushed for stricter social distancing policies.
With states like California, New York, and Illinois–among many others–effectively shutdown until after Easter, it seems highly unlikely that Walt Disney World will reopen by that date. Disney is dependent upon tourists from the Midwest and East Coast states, and governors in those locations have indicated that they do not expect peaks for several more weeks.
This all means that Walt Disney World will be closed until at least April 9, 2020. (We’d again caution that this does not mean that Walt Disney World will return to business as usual on April 10. Anticipate another extension.) It’s a bit surprising that the company hasn’t released an official statement extending the closure. We’ve been expecting one for the last couple of days now–perhaps we’ll finally get one today after 4 pm?
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Are you surprised by the extension of Walt Disney World’s closure? Do you think Disney will reopen the parks as soon as it’s allowed to do so by the federal, state, and local governments–or will Disney hold off out of “an abundance of caution”? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments! (All politically-charged comments and any replies thereto will be deleted.)
“Until further notice”.
I wonder how cancellations will happen. Maybe on a rolling two week ahead basis ?
Definitely waiting to find out. We had 2 extras paid for and booked for week of April 4. Hope I can get my refund now.
Do you think that they are waiting for the end of this fiscal quarter to announce the extended closure? I have tickets for 4/1 (just five days away!!) and as of right now, Disney will not refund them or provide a credit for future use.
Their last dividend date was 12-13-2019 so if it were quarterly, 3-13 already passed. I think they want markets to close for the week first. I’ve been watching the stock all week.
BREAKING NEWS IN UNITED KINGDOM – Virgin Atlantic are asking the UK Government for a billion pound bail out package. This potentially means that many from the UK may loose their ongoing bookings, money paid upfront for flights, tickets, accommodation etc. This may well have an ongoing effect in the US, and probably Florida.
With what is going on across the world right now, wouldn’t it be safer to stay closed until the beginning of May 2020. We’re hearing of new cases all the time and there probably is still more to come before it gets better.
I just think if everything stayed shut until the beginning of May 2020, we may have chance to recover. Opening up to early could cause more problems and then we’re back to square one. Stay shut for another month.
I’m surprised at the lack of response too we’re meant to arrive 4/9. I haven’t canceled yet my husband suspects it’s all about money and that they’re waiting because they’re making interest on our money and they hope people cancel on their own without the announcement so they can’t get their initial deposit back. I don’t know. We’re definitely not going but I wanted to hear their announcement first before cancelling.
We are expected to arrive 4/26 for 8 days, I planned a famil ytrip.. So, far disney is not interested in any refunds for park tickets or resorts paid for by point system. Grandson is now out of school till the fall and family members are laid off. There is no way we could go this year and who knows how long this is going to continue? Hopefully they do the right thing, not happy with Disney right now!
Let’s agree to disagree. This is not the forum for politics. This from a Guy who is loudly political, but not here. No one in our hierarchical leadership has done anything wrong and some have done things better than what others wanted them to do. One day this virus will be treated as a severe influenza that we get our yearly vaccine for and try to not spread to others. I have not seen anyone in Government do anything wrong.
Really!?! Very mature attitude! President Trump is doing everything in his power despite the constant stonewalling from the dems.
On the Other Hand, His Leadership just might be the Reason why You can Afford to Visit Disney!
True. if we kill enough of our population disney might lower their prices. yay trumo
Disney is refusing to refund or cancel my April 5 tickets so far. Extremely frustrating.
Did they say if they are waiting to see if they reopen? It is so frustrating that they haven’t updated their dates yet, especially since the stay at home order was announced yesterday. We are booked for April 8 and I have been putting off the call as I know it will take forever but hearing your news is making me dread it even more!
Orlando Sentinel just reported that the county has confirmed that Disney is included in their order.
We should all be questioning the constitutionality and lack of authority for states, counties, and local governments to even issue these ‘orders’ in any case. I’m not saying people shouldn’t self isolate and stay out of crowded areas, but these bureaucrats simply do not have the authority to do all this. Orange County cannot force Disney to stay closed. Not saying it is or is not the right move to stay closed, but this chicken little syndrome has gotten too far out of hand.
That ain’t right. Wake up Disney!
We are from Canada and in the same boat. Borders are closed and we have useless tickets. Sure they extended the date we can use them, but good luck getting a flight for us before that date and I have a husband whose company has placed travel bans till the end of the year. Guess we are out $1700 in this time where we could really use it to pay our bills.
What is this “Disney World” you keep talking about?
I know of a Walt Disney World, in Florida. It’s awesome!
The reason for isolating is not just to save seniors but really to give enough time to build health care capacity. In my experience it’s been the baby boomers who have this attitude that one cannot tell them what to do and how dare the govt tell them to stay at home. Very narcissistic. I’m a believer in independence but this unprecedented. We need to do what is right for everyone in this great country of ours.
No, it’s the foundation of our nation. Government is merely a necessary evil and is not the ultimate authority. People are responsible for their behavior, just as we always have been. If these childish generations under 40 think that freedom is granted by the government, perhaps they should spend some time in other nations where they might be jailed simply for voicing their opinions.
By the way, amongst the hysteria and recriminations, has anyone noticed that all of these draconian measures, constitutional or not, dont seem to be working? Does anyone think that just maybe this virus is far more prevalent, especially in milder forms, that there are lots of essentially asymptomatic carriers in the populace and that, other than treating people symptomatically, we’re just going to have to ride it out until enough of the population get it such that it abates of it’s own accord? Nah. That may be a bit too logical and it suggests that there are just some things in nature we can’t control, and since we’re unable to accept stuff like that we’ll just keep on doing more of what doesn’t work faster. Pardon me while I go get some more popcorn!
Its kind of hard to fathom that with 5 days to go before the official closure ends on march 31st, that Disney has no announced an extension yet. Everybody knows it is coming, why are they waiting? Travel agents are waiting. Families are waiting. Plans are waiting. It cannot be that hard of a decision to make at this point in time…………..
I could understand holding off until the end of last week–maybe the beginning of this week.
After Orange & Osceola Counties issued the stay at home orders AND after Universal extended its closure, not so much. It makes Disney look a bit inept, regardless of the internal motivation.
I’m wondering if they were waiting for the stimulus bill to pass. Maybe waiting to see what it would offer workers if they furloughed them so they wouldn’t have to make the decision to keep paying them? Now that the stimulus bill allows for furloughed workers to receive unemployment, and get an extra $600 dollars a week on top of what their state pays them, Disney can announce an extension and not pay their workers. Just a thought, but the only thing I could think of because it makes no sense to wait this long to announce an extension.
It’s totally bizarre, I had actually become slightly and suspiciously hopeful they were going to reopen on the 1st since no announcement had been made, until they announced the stay at home order yesterday.
Universal is indeed selling single-day, date-specific tickets starting April 20. Disney’s selling date-fungible tickets that have to be used by sometime in June.
Up in New York, the Metropolitan Museum doesn’t expect to open until about July 1. They figure on taking about a $100 million hit. In Orlando, losses to the hotel industry are staggering. The airport’s empty. I might get to visit it next week.
As a nearly 70 year old, I’m inclined to remain in semi-hiding through the summer. I want to be up and running September-December.
David
Universal is, however, letting one cancel ticket purchases and resort bookings, if made March 4- May 1 (up from April 15 just this past weekend), for tickets and resort stays from March 4 through August 31, with no penalty (if cancelled more than 24 hours in advance).
My family was planning a trip to Universal the second week of August; I purchased our airfare back on February 4, and we just booked our resort stay this past weekend.
If the virus should lose it’s punch and some semblance of normalcy returns by then, we are set. If unfortunately it does not, the cost of our stay is not lost, though the airfare is another matter.
Be safe and stay well.
I really do think it’s best to stay close until they have a cure all we know for sure no one else will be infected by this or should I say everyone is safe and healthy the rain’s house
There will be no cure. Vaccines, yes, cure, no. Due to its contagiousness, it may likely never go away. We had gotten a handle on swine flu and that SARS 1, but this one may become like the common cold or the seasonal flu typ A and B.
Today I was in a restaurant in Sanford FL. 7 if the 8 people that came in for pickup were seniors. What the hell are we doing if the SENIORS we are supposedly trying to protect wont stay the hell home!!!??
I have to say that, being 74 myself, I’m somewhat amused at all of this “Protect the seniors!” mantra. Nobody ever asked me if I WANT to be protected.
Don’t misunderstand. I don’t want to catch this virus, spread this disease or infect anyone and I take precautions not to, but every time I drive, fly my plane, or even cross the street I take a risk. As well, I live in a state that has an older demographic. You ought to see all of the blue hairs in my supermarket. And I don’t see a heck of a lot of social distancing going on there either. How about you?
Nope. Nobody ever asked me or any other senior I know about being protected, it was just assumed. In my opinion, what is being done now is the easiest and most politically expedient way to handle this infection, except that anyone with the observational abilities of a clam can see it isn’t working and that there will very likely be a reinfection bounce once the social proabitions are lifted. In fact, i just heard that China just affirmed that tonight.
Reality can really mess up a fairytale, no?
The isolation is to slow the spread and ensure the maximum number of sick people can be treated. If you don’t want to be protected, does that mean you will decline a hospital bed no matter how sick you get?
If you are in regular contact with other seniors, and you are exposing yourself to risk, you also expose them. Would you be ok with catching the virus, inadvertently passing it on to your dearest friends before you showed any symptoms, then watching them die because they aren’t as physically strong as you? Even if you think that’s fine, I suspect they won’t.
Yes, it’s very inconvenient, and some folks are hurting right now – mainly the younger workers that probably wouldn’t die anyway. First responders are risking their own lives to treat people that are seriously ill. Please don’t disrepect their efforts by ignoring the restrictions.
Jack, I agree with you.
Driving a car carries a risk of death, every single time we do it. But it doesn’t stop most of us from getting in our cars and driving. We accept the risk, but we don’t stop our way of life because of the chance we might get in a car accident and die.
This is a serious virus. It’s new, we don’t know much about it yet, and anyone claiming to know exactly what we “should” and “shouldn’t” be doing is just speculating (including myself and everyone on this comment thread). Because no one has their heads fully wrapped around this thing. Just as was the case with swine flu, and every other new virus that has popped up over the history of mankind.
Look, I’m all for a concentrated attempt to “flatten the curve” through social distancing, though I question how effective it really is when there is always going to be a segment of the population that either willingly or ignorantly chooses not to.
At some point in the future, however, life must continue. People are not going to stay home for the next year, or I predict even the next 8 weeks. They are ultimately going to say, “yes, there are risks, but I’m willing to take them in order to get on with my life”.
I agree with Gary.
In the county where I live, we have 54 people who have tested positive so far. Of those 54, only 2 are seniors. The vast majority are between 20 – 45 years old. Just saying…
Has any of this coved-19 Sunk In Yet? This is Not Going to Go Away Anytime Soon….Not Untill Mass Vaccination happens, or were all Infected by the virus! This is a Germ that Human Kind has Never been Exposed to Before…..Ever! Disney will Not be Open for Quite Some Time Untill medical science defeats it…if we’re Lucky to have that happen!
Exactly! We aren’t going to wake up some morning and find that this virus has disappeared and we can travel with no risk. Somewhere along the line we will have to balance risk / reward and even a vaccine may not be the ultimate solution. Look at the seasonal flu. We have a vaccine for this and we still infect millions here in the US every year with deaths in the tens of thousands, lots of them in the older and younger age brackets, but I don’t see this having the effect Corona is now. The best bet we seem to have is treatment, and the anti-malarial drugs at this point seem to be our best bet.
And while you’re at it, look up viral diseases. You’ll find lots of them and lots that are old, still active and still deadly. We need a realistic attitude here folks. Deus ex Machina is on vacation. When Disney reopens there will still be risk. The question is, are you going to be willing to take it or not.? That will ultimately be up to you.
Jack,
We have been forced to rebook and Air Canada will not refund only reschedule so Mrs Millennial and I will be in Florida for the Marathon weekend in January (both hoping to participate in the Marathon).
Likely accommodation will be at Kidani so we will be happy to meet at Jiko to celebrate our 26.2 and the end of Covid with you there,
Millennial
Millennial
Sorry to hear that but probably for the best until this calms down. Still looking forward to dinner. Stay safe and sane!
Best
Jack
Seasonal flue consists of multitudes of flue virus strains, hence the yearly flue shot is hit or miss! Coved-19 is a specific strain of Corona Virus, which we do not have a effective vaccine for, as of yet
We are in the UK and have moved our trip for the Easter break. We are on stay at home mode much the same as this, only going out if absolutely necessary. Our schools are closed with no date for re-opening. We are disappointed that we have had to postpone our trip but feel this is a necessary move to protect both our own communities and those worldwide. Our daughter is 8 years old and her only concern was that when we do get to go, we still go as a family (there are 8 of us patiently watch & waiting & hoping our new date will be ok).
Tom thank you for keeping us all updated with you brilliantly informative blog, it really helps to keep me going & planning. Stay safe.
Better push your date back…. Easter break not going to happen. Aim for summer. That seems more realistic.
Hi Gemma, we have moved it from Easter to October (which is actually my favourite time to go so silver linings!). We are hoping that is far enough away to not be moved again!
Nope, summer not happening. Aim for late Fall. That is reality.