Original Article By Bruce Haring At Deadline.com
Disney World has reportedly put its COVID-19 vaccination mandate on hold, according to a media report. Local TV station Fox 35 was first to report the news, sourcing it with a cast member at the resort complex.
The theme park has not yet officially confirmed the news. Reuters reported that a Disney spokesperson responded by email to its inquiry: “We believe that our approach to mandatory vaccines has been the right one as we have continued to focus on the safety and well-being of our Cast Members and Guests. At this point, more than 90% of active Florida-based Cast Members have already verified that they are fully vaccinated.”
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DIsney World, based in Orlando, Florida, has been in a battle with other Florida theme parks over staffing and minimum wage issues. Earlier this week, Florida state legislators, strongly urged by Gov. Ron DeSantis, passed a flurry of bills that curtailed mask and vaccine mandates.
“No nurse, no firefighter, no police officer, no trucker — no anybody — should lose their job because of these Covid jabs,” said DeSantis on Thursday before signing the bills. “Florida is leading. This is the strongest piece of legislation that’s been enacted anywhere in the country in this regard.”
Disney World’s parent corporation, the Walt Disney Co., has met with White House officials over the vaccination mandates. The company this summer announced mandatory vaccinations for all salaried and non-union hourly employees in the US working at any of its sites.
