Disney did not say how many people entered Walt Disney World on Saturday, but Mr D'Amaro said he saw"really good demand" for reservations in the short term and into 2021.
The resort suspended parades, fireworks and other activities that draw crowds, as well as up-close encounters with Mickey Mouse, Cinderella and other characters. Instead, characters appeared on floats or on horseback.Some pictures online showed people close together waiting to get in. Disney employees, called cast members, began enforcing distancing requirements after about 30 minutes, Carlye Wisel, a journalist who writes about theme parks, said on Twitter.
Still, many Disney fans and workers were eager for Disney World to open its gates. The resort employs 77,000 people. Coronavirus shutdowns have devastated Disney's film, TV and theme park businesses. Having guests back at Walt Disney World is key to the company's financial recovery. About 75 per cent of the parks unit's operating income comes from Orlando, Imperial Capital analyst David Miller estimates.