Why Would Disney Close?

When most people think of Disney, they think of magic and fun, however, those are not the qualities that guide Disney’s every action. In all cases, safety is Disney’s number one priority, especially concerning Disney Parks operations.

“Safety is the top quality standard that guides the operational decisions of more than 135,000 cast members at our parks and resorts around the world,” says aboutdisneyparks.com, an official Disney website that offers information on the corporate side of the parks.

This is why Walt Disney World closed for the fourth time on Friday, Oct. 7, 2016.

Disney World has only closed four times since it opened on Oct. 1, 1971, each closure was for a hurricane. The park was also evacuated within 30 minutes on Sept. 11, 2001.

The emphasis on safety came from Walt Disney himself. He originally created Disneyland with the vision that it would be a safe, clean place for families to have fun together. In keeping with this vision, Walt Disney created the Four Keys: Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency. These keys became the guidelines that all Cast Member action would be based on.

As a Cast Member, you can’t do something courteous if it is not safe. A good example of this would be not allowing a child ride Space Mountain if he or she is too short. Although it might make the family upset, in the end it is the safest choice and safety must always come before any of the other keys.

Disney tries it’s best to incorporate all four keys in every action. While the parks did have to shut down on Friday due to concerns for the safety of guests and Cast Members, Disney made sure that all cancellation were waived and that Mickey’s Not So Scary tickets were reimbursed.

The good news?

Disney World reopened on Saturday with regular operating hours and will continue to operate as long as it is safe for guests and Cast Members to be there.

The really good news?

Disney is always looking out for the safety of its guests and Cast Members and will always put safety ahead of earning money. You are always well taken care of in a Disney Park.