Disneyland California getting ready to reopen parks July 17
No parades or character meet-and-greets in plan
Disneyland Resort plans to reopen Disneyland and sister theme park Disney’s California Adventure on July 17, the 65th anniversary of Disneyland’s opening.
The Anaheim, California, theme parks will open a week after Walt Disney World in Florida, pending local and state government approval, Disney says in a statement posted on its website Wednesday. The parks have been closed since mid-March during the coronavirus crisis.
The statement says park capacity will be limited, and advance reservations are required. It does not provide any other details except to say they will “be available soon” on the parks’ website.
The parks’ signature parades, nighttime shows and meet-and-greets with Disney characters will not resume immediately. Characters will roam the parks, though.
“It’s time for magic and we look forward to welcoming you back,” the company says.
Shanghai Disneyland was the first Disney park to reopen, in May.
There, Disney limits the number of parkgoers, requires masks and checks the body temperature of everyone entering to make sure they aren’t running a fever, one of the symptoms of the coronavirus. It’s yet to be seen what safety measures are required at Disneyland.
Downtown Disney District, a shopping and entertainment district at Disneyland Resort, will open first, on July 9.
Disney has not said when reservations will open, only that details “will be available soon.”
Three of the hotels in the Disneyland complex are scheduled to open July 23, also pending government approval. They are the luxury Grand California
Hotel and Spa, the more moderately priced Paradise Pier Hotel and Disney Vacation Club Villas, a timeshare.
Disney did not say when Disneyland Hotel will reopen.
The reopening can’t come soon enough for Anaheim, where Disneyland is the largest employer. The park’s temporary closure led to projections of a $75 million deficit in the city budget next fiscal year, since hotel room taxes are the biggest source of revenue, city spokesman Mike Lyster said in an interview with USA TODAY.
“Disneyland, for many, captures the hopes, dreams and spirit of America, so when it closed, it really had a significant impact,” Lyster said. “Now, as we gradually and safely move forward, it represents an incredible morale boost not only for Anaheim but California and the nation as well.”
He said a July 17 reopening date appears realistic.
Lyster said he expects there will be changes in attractions that would normally have guests in close proximity to each other, such as the gathering room at the Haunted Mansion or tight queues to wait for a trip on the Peter Pan’s Flight ride.
Lyster pointed out that Disney can use its expertise in reservations, which it used to keep crowds manageable in its popular Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area.