The Disneyland Resort has released its plans to begin a phased reopening from July 9. Its theme parks are planned to reopen on July 17, 65 years to the day that Disneyland first opened its gates.
In May, California’s Governor confirmed that theme parks could reopen in Stage Three of his reopening plan. Now, following state and local government approval, the Disneyland Resort has released its phased reopening plan.
The Downtown Disney District will start to open on July 9. The resort hopes to reopen Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel on July 23.
Reduced theme park capacity
Theme park capacity will be significantly reduced once Disneyland Park and Disney’s California Adventure Park reopen on July 17. There will be a new reservation system in place.
All guests, including Annual Passholders, will have to get a reservation in advance. New ticket sales and Annual Passport sales and renewals have been paused temporarily.
Experiences such as parades and nighttime shows that draw large crowds will not take place. Character meet and greets will also be suspended, but there will be characters in the park to entertain guests in other ways.
Increased safety precautions will be in place
As part of the reopening of the resort’s hotels, increased health and safety measures will be in place. These include increased cleaning measures and plans to support social distancing.
There will also be new policies for the reopening of Downtown Disney that will be shared at a later date. These policies will be guided by health authorities.
“While certain aspects of your visit may change, I assure you the quality of our storytelling, magic of our experiences and the calibre of our cast members has not,” said Josh D’Amaro, Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.
He continued, explaining that the success of Shanghai Disneyland gives him confidence in their plan for reopening the Disneyland Resort. D’Amaro reiterates that “we have been deliberate about keeping the health and safety of our cast, guests and local communities top of mind.
And as we look forward to bringing our cast members back to work, and welcoming you back as cherished guests—we know it will take all of us working together responsibly to recapture the magic”.
Walt Disney World Resort plans to reopen on July 11, while Universal Orlando Resort reopened on June 5. CEO of Universal Orlando Resort, John Sprouls, stressed that ensuring guests feel safe is the most important part of reopening the park.
