Photos of crowds at Disney World’s shopping center show how difficult social distancing might be once the theme park reopens
by Amanda Krause![https://www.businessinsider.my/assets/placeholders/pa-image-placeholder.jpg https://www.businessinsider.my/assets/placeholders/pa-image-placeholder.jpg](https://www.businessinsider.my/assets/placeholders/pa-image-placeholder.jpg)
- People have been flocking to Disney Springs in Orlando, Florida, since it reopened on May 20.
- The crowds continued to grow on Wednesday as fan-favorite stores like World of Disney reopened for the first time since March.
- According to WDW News Today, social distancing was nearly impossible as people waited in a giant line that snaked throughout the shopping center.
- Some Disney fans say the latest crowds prove how difficult social distancing might be once the theme parks start to reopen.
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Disney World is still temporarily closed, but that isn’t stopping die-hard fans from visiting the theme park’s recently-reopened shopping center.
On May 20, limited stores and restaurants within Disney Springs opened for the first time since temporarily closing in March. The reopenings continued Wednesday when World of Disney, a fan-favorite merchandise store, reopened its doors to shoppers. However, people weren’t able to browse T-shirts and plush toys as normal.
According to WDW News Today, crowds began to form shortly after 8 a.m. local time, when Disney Springs allowed guests to enter the shopping center early. Many “made a beeline” for World of Disney, according to a tweet from the publication, hoping to purchase limited-edition merchandise.
Eventually, a line formed, and quickly extended throughout the shopping center. However, the physical line wasn’t the only one shoppers had to wait in to enter World of Disney, according to WDW News Today.
Employees, commonly known as cast members, also entered visitors into a virtual queue, which would later provide them with a text message notifying them that it was their turn to shop.
The length of the line to enter the store can be seen in a video posted by WDW News Today on Twitter. People waiting are seen wearing masks, and standing at varying distances from others on line.
At the entrance of World of Disney, however, crowds were seemingly much denser. According to WDW News Today, a cast member began “yelling at guests to disperse” at one point, as social distancing was not occurring.
Despite the crowds, Disney employees took multiple measures to ensure social distancing and sanitization, according to the publication. For example, WDW News Today tweeted that cast members could be seen putting social-distancing markers on the floor and wiping down doors with disinfectant wipes.
As World of Disney reopened at Disney Springs, Disney World announced in a press release that it has plans to begin a phased reopening of its theme parks on July 11. Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom would reopen on that date, while Hollywood Studios and Epcot would open again on July 15.
Still, Disney World noted that for the time being, its parks will operate in a ” very different way from what we’ve known before.” For example, the press release said temperature checks and face masks will be required throughout all locations, park capacity will be limited, and social-distancing markers will be in place. Parades and character meet-and-greets will also be temporarily suspended, according to the press release.
The plans were approved by a local economic recovery task force, but are still pending Orange County and state approval. Still, some people are concerned that recent crowds at Disney Springs prove that social distancing might be even more difficult at the theme park.
Representatives for Disney World did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
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