Theme park employees unite in support of Orlando shooting victims
by Tom Anstey | 13 Jun 2016
In a show of support, employees from many of Orlando’s parks, including Disney, SeaWorld and Universal took to social media, making heart symbols with their hands for the victims and their families
Orlando’s theme parks have united in solidarity following the tragic events of the weekend, which saw more than 50 people killed in a mass shooting at an LGBT nightclub in the city.
In a show of support, employees from many of Orlando’s parks, including Disney, SeaWorld and Universal took to social media, making heart symbols with their hands for the victims and their families.
Kevin O’Brien, who has worked in the industry for some time as an entertainer, posted a range of photos which included performers from Disney's Animal Kingdom, characters from Universal's Islands of Adventure, divers at SeaWorld Orlando and the entertainers from Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Since the initial post on Facebook, the outpouring of support has continued to spread with more than 7,200 shares and employees from parks from all over the world offering their own photos.
"Keep them coming Disney! This is family. We are one, strong band of people,” said the post from O’Brien. “From entertainment, costuming, techs, attractions, merchandise, custodial, and all other depts. Show that there is love out there!"
In the wake of the tragic shootings, Orlando’s theme parks have been put on “high alert”, with the Orlando Sentinel reporting that visitors at Magic Kingdom carried out incredibly thorough security checks with one employee reportedly going as far as to unzip visitors’ wallets.
"We are all heartbroken by the tragic and horrific events in Orlando, and offer our thoughts, prayers and support to everyone in our community affected by this senseless act," said Disney chair and CEO Bob Iger, whose company has more than 74,000 employees living and working in the central Florida area.
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Orlando’s theme parks have united in solidarity following the tragic events of the weekend, which saw more than 50 people killed in a mass shooting at an LGBT nightclub in the city. In a show of support, employees from many of Orlando’s parks, including Disney, SeaWorld and Universal took to social media, making heart symbols with their hands for the victims and their families. Kevin O’Brien, who has worked in
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