Bob Iger recently stepped down as CEO of The Walt Disney Company and became the Executive Chairman leaving the reigns for the CEO position to Bob Chapek. This week, Iger spoke with Barron’s about the coronavirus pandemic and how that has impacted Disney. Throughout the course of the interview, he also shared about transitioning to his new role and also working at home.
One of the big questions everyone is asking is what will happen with the Disney Parks when people return. There have been lots of speculating but not a lot of facts about what that will look like. Iger shared that a priority will be making sure people feel both comfortable and safe to come to the parks. One way that is being looked at could be with “more scrutiny, more restrictions. Just as we now do bag checks for everybody that goes into our parks, it could be that at some point we add a component of that that takes people’s temperatures, as a for-instance.” Iger recognized that a feeling of comfort and safety would also come from a vaccine but that will not be available yet when the parks reopen.
Iger shared that Disney is studying what China is doing to attempt to return to normalcy. Monitoring health is apparently one of the big things being done there. One of the key components of that is having people’s temperature taken. As Disney continues to collect the data and analyze it, Iger shared they are preparing for “a world where our customers demand that we scrutinize everybody.” This could lead to inconvenience and a longer process to get into the Disney parks Iger acknowledged.
Does this mean that there will be temperature checks when the Disney parks eventually reopen? Not necessarily. What it does mean is that the idea is being studied and floated. Safety and comfort are always important to Disney when it is regarding not just its guests, but also its cast members. It would be no surprise if there are some new safety protocols when the parks reopen to address both of these needs.
What do you think of the idea of temperature checks when arriving at the Disney parks when they reopen? Do you think this is something that is necessary? Would it make you feel more safe and comfortable? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
