Walt Disney World employees are petitioning for the theme park to delay its reopening date as Florida coronavirus cases surge

• Disney employees are petitioning Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, to delay its reopening.
• Florida's daily coronavirus cases have more than quadrupled since May 4, when most Florida counties began reopening.
• "Re-opening the theme parks is only putting our guests, employees, and families at higher risk for contracting COVID-19," the petition, which has over 7,500 signatures, says.
• In a statement to Business Insider, a Disney spokesperson said: "The safety and well being of our cast members and guests are at the forefront of our planning, and we are in active dialogue with our unions on the extensive health and safety protocols, following guidance from public health experts, which we plan to implement as we move toward our proposed, phased reopening."

For some people, the theme-park division of the "happiest place on earth" should stay closed a little while longer.

As coronavirus cases in Florida surge, Disney employees are urging Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, to delay its reopening with a petition that has been signed by more than 7,500 people. The theme park, which employs more than 70,000 workers, or "cast members," in central Florida is set to begin a phased reopening on July 11.

Florida's daily coronavirus cases have more than quadrupled since May 4, when most Florida counties began reopening. On June 21, the state reported 4,600 new cases of COVID-19.

"This virus is not gone, unfortunately it's only become worse in this state," says the petition on MoveOn, which urges officials to delay the reopening date to a safer time that will not put guests and employees at risk. "Having our theme parks remain closed until cases are steadily decreasing would keep our guests, our employees and their families safe."

In a statement to Business Insider, a Disney spokesperson said: "The safety and well being of our cast members and guests are at the forefront of our planning, and we are in active dialogue with our unions on the extensive health and safety protocols, following guidance from public health experts, which we plan to implement as we move toward our proposed, phased reopening."

Disney plans to implement a variety of safety measures upon reopening its parks, including operating at reduced capacity, requiring face masks for guests older than 2 years old, encouraging social distancing, mandating temperature checks for guests upon entry, and ramping up cleaning and disinfecting efforts across the parks.

This petition follows a recent movement of unions representing Disneyland Resort workers in California that hopes to push back plans for the theme park to start its reopening process there on July 17, pending government approval. A petition to delay this date has garnered nearly 50,000 signatures on Change.org.

Disney Springs, the sprawling retail and entertainment center of Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, reopened on May 20. Shanghai Disneyland reopened on May 11.

If you're a Disney employee with a story to share, email sciment@businessinsider.com, or message this reporter via encrypted messaging app Signal at +1 (646) 376-6018 using a nonwork phone.