Disney World is set to begin reopening in Florida this weekend despite surging numbers of new coronavirus cases in the state. Two of the entertainment giant’s Orlando theme parks, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, will open their gates on Saturday to guests with pre-booked reservations, with Epcot and Hollywood Studios following suit on 15 July. The four parks, along with the numerous hotels of the Disney World resort, have been closed since mid-March. Florida recorded 120 Covid-19 deaths on Wednesday, a record high for the state that is seeing one of the largest coronavirus outbreaks in the US, where more than 132,000 people have died in the pandemic, far more than any other country in the world. More than 4,000 people have died of Covid-19 in Florida, according to the state’s health department. Unlike Disneyland in California, whose planned reopening this month was delayed by a resurgence of the virus there and a backlash from employees, managers of Disney World plowed ahead with an aggressive reopening schedule. The Florida plans, which include a vastly reduced capacity, strict social distancing measures and a vigorous cleaning regimen, have been drawn up in consultation with the workers that Disney calls its cast members. “There’s absolutely people that are nervous, when you hear the reports of the virus, the statistics, but what they see every day is Disney taking the steps necessary to keep them and the guests safe,” Matt Hollis, head of the Service Trades Council Union (STCU) coalition, which represents 43,000 Disney World employees, told the Guardian. “There’s certainly going to be a learning curve as we learn the new normal, but the cast members will do everything they can to adapt with the new measures designed to keep everyone safe. “They’re Disney workers. They love what they do, they certainly want to be able to do it in a safe environment.” About 20,000 furloughed employees are returning to Disney World for the first phase of the resort’s reopening, and the STCU has negotiated safeguards, including two week’s paid quarantine for workers who become infected, as well as any colleagues they had contact with. But there is also opposition. An online petition on moveon.org, purporting to be from “concerned cast members”, was close to its 20,000 signatures, urging the state’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, and other local officials to delay the reopening for “until it’s safe”. “While theme parks are a great way to relax and enjoy free time, it is a non-essential business; it is not fair to the people who work there to risk their lives, especially if they are at risk or have family members who are at risk. People are more important than making a profit,” it reads. Disney’s Parks, Experiences and Products unit brought in more than $26bn in the 2019 fiscal year. But the media giant’s profits dropped more than 90% during the first three months of 2020, a crash mainly attributed to the closure of its 12 parks due to the coronavirus pandemic. DeSantis is an ally of Donald Trump, who has pushed states to reopen their economies as quickly as possible. DeSantis has been criticised for his response to the pandemic, including his refusal to issue a statewide mask mandate. He has continues to push ahead with the state’s reopening plans despite concerns from public health officials, and said he had confidence in Disney’s plan, which he called “very, very thorough”. “Disney, I have no doubt, is going to be a safe environment,” he said at a press conference this week. “I think that where you start to see the spread is just in social situations where people let their guard down. Usually like a private party or something like that.” The parks completed two closed preview days this week, with cast members acting as guests, to test the new safety protocols. They include plexiglas screens where guests queue, spaced out seating on rides and attractions, and reduced capacity dining available only with reservations. Mickey Mouse will also be at arm’s length. Children’s interactions with characters will be from a distance, there will be temperature checks for everybody entering the parks, and masks will be mandatory, including full-face shields for many workers. Disney outlined its “commitment to health and safety measures” for workers and visitors in a detailed blogpost by the company’s chief medical officer, Dr Pamela Hymel, including links to separate procedures at individual parks, hotels and the Disney Springs shopping and entertainment complex that has been reopening gradually since May. “We are still in the early days of our phased approach. We will continue to monitor the situation and make adjustments based on the guidance of local government and health authorities,” she said.