No April Fools’ joke for amusement parks
California theme parks can reopen April 1 under updated guidelines from the state’s health department following a year of coronavirus closures that cost the parks billions and forced them to shed tens of thousands of jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new California theme park guidelines and opening date are part of a “refresh” of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s four-tier Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
California theme parks have been closed since March 13, 2020, under COVID-19 health and safety reopening guidelines issued by the state. Many parks have partially reopened for special events and food festivals without rides.
The Newsom administration’s “Blueprint Refresh” allows Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, SeaWorld San Diego, Legoland California and other California theme parks to reopen as early as April 1 once the counties they are located in reach the red tier status.
They can reopen at 15% capacity in the red tier, 25% capacity in the orange tier and 35% capacity in the least-restrictive yellow tier.
Theme park attendance will be limited to California residents. Updated guidelines will be worked out over the next couple of weeks in partnership with theme parks.
“We appreciate the administration’s willingness to work with the state’s theme parks on the finer details of the plan so parks can responsibly reopen soon, putting people safely back to work and reinvigorating local economies,” California Attractions and Parks Association executive director Erin
Guerrero said in a statement.
Most California counties with major theme parks still remain in the mostrestrictive purple tier, including Orange (Disneyland and Knott’s), Los Angeles County (Universal Studios Hollywood and Six Flags Magic Mountain), San Diego (SeaWorld and Legoland) and Solano (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom).
Orange and Los Angeles counties are expected to move into the red tier next week — meaning Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s, Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain could reopen on April 1.
Santa Clara County — home to California’s Great America — is currently in the red tier. The Santa Clara amusement park already has set a reopening date of May 22.
Under the revised theme park guidelines, indoor rides and attractions must maintain a 15% capacity in the red tier and 25% capacity in the orange and yellow tiers, while outdoor
rides and attractions can accommodate more riders provided social distancing mandates are followed.
The move is an abrupt about-face from what some in the industry called the “slow, stubborn and stringent” approach to reopening California theme parks taken by the Newsom administration last fall.
In October, California officials issued separate reopening guidelines for smaller and larger theme parks in the state, with small parks allowed to reopen in the orange tier while large parks could return in yellow tier. Attendance capacity was set at 25% in both tiers.
The California Attractions and Parks Association said the initial guidelines issued in October would keep the state’s large theme parks “closed indefinitely.”
The Blueprint Refresh no longer makes a distinction between large and small California theme parks.
The Newsom administration has been under pressure from the theme park industry to revise reopening guidelines for months.
The reversal by the administration
comes just days before the one-year anniversary of the coronavirus closure of California theme parks. It also comes just weeks after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that outdoor amusement parks could reopen on April 9.
A bipartisan bill proposed in February by California Assembly members would speed the reopening of theme parks and override state guidelines.
Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock said the announcement provides a path toward reopening California theme parks.
“We are encouraged that theme parks now have a path toward reopening this spring, getting thousands of people back to work and greatly helping neighboring businesses and our entire community,” Potrock said in a statement. “With responsible Disney safety protocols already implemented around the world, we can’t wait to welcome our guests back and look forward to sharing an opening date soon.”
The extended closure of Disneyland has had a “profound and devastating” impact on Anaheim workers, according to city officials.
“This will mean so much for our working families
and small businesses which have suffered so much while our largest businesses have been closed for the past year,” Anaheim Mayor Harry Sidhu said in a statement. “Disney has gone to great lengths to be ready for a safe and responsible reopening and everyone should feel comfortable and confident about coming back to Anaheim.”
United Food and Commercial Workers, which represents Disneyland cast members, applauded the move.
“Our Disney cast members are heartened by this good news today that the Disney parks will be reopening in a month,” UFCW Local 324 president Andrea Zinder said in a statement. “They have been furloughed or out of a job for a year now and are excited to go back to work to provide Californians with a bit more magic in their lives.”
Universal Studios Hollywood President Karen Irwin said the park is eager to return.
“We are ready to reopen, ready to bring our team members back to work, ready to help stimulate the local economy and ready to welcome guests,” Irwin said in a statement.
Knott’s Berry Farm, whose Taste of Boysenberry Festival kicked off without rides on Friday and is scheduled to continue through May 2, also applauded the move.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the specific details and guidelines in the coming weeks that will help inform our plans for reopening,” Knott’s officials said in a statement.
Six Flags Magic Mountain plans to announce an opening date soon.