Disney Confident Parks Safe; Expect Strong Summer
Company Unveils New Resort & Spa
POSTED: Thursday, May 27, 2004
UPDATED: 12:54 am EDT May 28,
2004
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Top Disney company executives said Thursday that they are not overly concerned about the safety of the company's various properties, despite heightened concerns of terrorism, according to a report. 
President of Disney World Resort Al Weiss said that Disney would not open its theme park gates "if we didn't feel it was safe for our guests or cast members."Weiss was in Florida to unveil Disney's newest resort, Disney Saratoga Springs Resort And Spa. Officials said time-share resorts like Saratoga Springs are part of the company's newest business strategy in a growing Florida tourism industry.
Weiss and other Disney executives said they are optimistic about the Central Florida tourism industry heading into the summer vacation season."We are certainly seeing a rebound in our business and it's continued for the last few quarters as we are beginning to see more and more guest coming out," Weiss said. "Summer looks very strong."Weiss noted record passenger loads at Orlando International Airport in March as evidence of the area's tourism rebound, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported. The 2.93 million passengers passing through the airport was the busiest month since March 2001, when 2.91 million passengers used the airport.New numbers released Thursday showed that the resort is generating more than $5 billion a year -- or 9 percent of Central Florida's economy, Local 6 News reported. Also, an estimated 1 out of 7 people working in Central Florida are tied directly or indirectly to Walt Disney World, according to the report.Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa is the fifth Disney Vacation Club to be built at Walt Disney World.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
President of Disney World Resort Al Weiss said that Disney would not open its theme park gates "if we didn't feel it was safe for our guests or cast members."Weiss was in Florida to unveil Disney's newest resort, Disney Saratoga Springs Resort And Spa. Officials said time-share resorts like Saratoga Springs are part of the company's newest business strategy in a growing Florida tourism industry.Weiss and other Disney executives said they are optimistic about the Central Florida tourism industry heading into the summer vacation season."We are certainly seeing a rebound in our business and it's continued for the last few quarters as we are beginning to see more and more guest coming out," Weiss said. "Summer looks very strong."Weiss noted record passenger loads at Orlando International Airport in March as evidence of the area's tourism rebound, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported. The 2.93 million passengers passing through the airport was the busiest month since March 2001, when 2.91 million passengers used the airport.New numbers released Thursday showed that the resort is generating more than $5 billion a year -- or 9 percent of Central Florida's economy, Local 6 News reported. Also, an estimated 1 out of 7 people working in Central Florida are tied directly or indirectly to Walt Disney World, according to the report.Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa is the fifth Disney Vacation Club to be built at Walt Disney World.Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.Copyright 2005 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and Local6.com.
All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten
or redistributed.
Authorities release a chilling 911 call from a 19-year-old woman who hid in the back bedroom of a Central Florida home while four men attempted to break into the house.
An ex-wife of the man who found the remains of Caylee Anthony says that she thought her ex-husband was responsible for or involved in the girl's death.
Officials release the 911 call made by a deputy after a reported attack at her home.
A missing 5-year-old Central Florida boy is found safe in a heavily-wooded area following a six-hour search, according to authorities.
Dashcam video shows a Florida woman offering an officer sex instead of getting a ticket.
It really works! An Iowa man makes a Halloween costume that switches from robot to truck in seconds.
South Carolina police say an obese man died after not moving from his recliner for the past eight months. Police say the man's body was physically stuck to the chair and firefighters had to cut him out. He died a few hours later at the hospital.
A woman tired of hearing her son say he lost another sock has come up with an idea to prevent it from happening again.
Thirty Victoria's Secret supermodels take over New York's Times Square this week.
Take a quick look at the flicks headed to your multiplex. Check out the trailer, too.
A man who passed a teller at a Central Florida credit union a note announcing a robbery turned around and walked away without any money, deputies say.
Email Alerts
RSS News Feeds
Mobile
Live Streams
Slideshows
Video
Search
