A Disney Park Meets a Stranger, Mid-Pandemic

Although the world is seething with tension, there’s always fun to see in technology news. A man was found camping in an abandoned Disney World’s Discovery Island in Alabama.

The 42-year-old man defended himself by telling police he wasn’t aware he was trespassing into the “tropical paradise” despite numerous “no trespassing” signs posted around the park. He faced bans from the rest of the company’s properties.

According to the report, the man went into the island to go camping on Monday or Tuesday. He planned to stay there for about a week. He initially denied claims that he was camping on the island and he was there to record a YouTube video.

The island the guilty man stayed at was an 11-acre zoological park with aromatic foliage, trees, and flowers. Online maps show that the park had a flamingo lagoon, a turtle beach, and an alligator swamp. It opened in 1974 and closed in 1999.

Bright Sun Films founder Jake Williams was one of the filmmakers fascinated by abandoned Disney Parks. He previously made a documentary asking the mystery of why the company left it there.

Disney and Rivals’ Parks vs the Coronavirus

Several major theme parks around the world were similarly closed amid lockdowns prohibiting gatherings of more than 50 people. Comcast was the first modern technology company that offered its earnings report at the theme park world, showing an expected slump.

The Disney rival showed a 32% year-over-year decline during the first quarter of 2020. Some of its Universal Studios theme park resorts also sit in Central Florida and Southern California.

Comcast said that if its own parks remain closed throughout Q2 2020, the technology company might suffer a massive loss. Earnings before interest, tax, and depreciation and amortization loss could result in about a $500 million loss.

Meanwhile, Mickey already staged a limited reopening of Shanghai Disney Resort. Fans of all ages are still exploring the park as investors wait to see how it could last mid-pandemic.

Analysts predict that the happiest places on earth would reopen all parks as early as June to January 1, 2021.

More than 157 million people visited Disneyland and co. in 2018. Analysts believe that the company will find a way to see some of them again through the pandemic.

Of course, health risks would still be present. Only a vaccine would provide full reassurance for park-goers, which was already surveyed to only be available by next year.