Disney World still draws crowds despite flu alert

By Barbara Liston

ORLANDO, Florida, April 30 (Reuters) - Mickey Mouse, Pluto, the Fairy Godmother and other Walt Disney favorites were still dishing out kisses, handshakes and high-fives at the Magic Kingdom on Thursday, despite the flu virus alert gripping the United States.

At the world famous Florida theme park, which is run by Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) and visited by millions each year, enthusiastic crowds filled the avenues and rides, apparently unworried by the warnings of a possible pandemic of a new strain of influenza A (H1N1) virus.

The United States has declared a health emergency and in Mexico, where up to 176 people have died following the outbreak there of the virus originally termed "swine flu," the government has ordered a five-day partial shutdown of nonessential government offices and businesses. The Mexican Health Ministry also warned people against touching or kissing while greeting each other.

Authorities in the United States, who have reported 109 confirmed swine flu infections but only one death, are recommending that people sick with flu symptoms seek treatment and stay home. Florida is testing a number of suspected cases.

At the Magic Kingdom on Thursday, one mother pressed her baby's face into the costumed character Pluto's furry snout for a kiss. Other youngsters continued to snuggle up to various other Disney characters and share "high-fives," while fidgety kids slid their hands along the rope lines while waiting to get on the rides.

Among the crowds were the Jansens from Amsterdam in the Netherlands. They said they were not worried about bringing their 2-year-old and 7-year-old children to the Magic Kingdom.

"There's no concern for us. We always go to the big public places with the kids," said Ed Jansen. "Just like any Dutch man or Dutch woman, we have both feet on the floor. We're not a panicked people."

Coordinating the international campaign against the new flu virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) has its current alert level just one notch below a full pandemic.