Reopening Disneyland before the fall became “unlikely” as California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that mass gatherings with thousands of people are “not in the cards” through the end of the summer.
 
Disney’s two Anaheim theme parks, three hotels and outdoor shopping mall remain closed until further notice amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
, Disneyland Reopening ‘Unlikely’ Through August as California Rules Out Mass Gatherings
 
“The prospect of mass gatherings is negligible at best until we get to herd immunity and we get to a vaccine,” Newsom said in a press conference. “Large scale events that bring in hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of strangers all together across every conceivable difference, health and otherwise, is not in the cards based upon our current guidelines and current expectations.”
 

Newsom didn’t specifically mention theme parks, sporting events, concerts or theaters in his announcement regarding mass gatherings of hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands of people. 

Disneyland attracts 51,000 people per day, according to the Themed Entertainment Association. Disney California Adventure brings in 27,000 visitors daily. The Magic Kingdom, the world’s largest theme park, draws 57,000 people daily, according to TEA.

Disney’s announcement in mid-March of the closure of its U.S. theme parks due to the coronavirus outbreak came amid the cancelations of NBA games, Broadway shows and concert tours. All 12 Disney theme parks around the world remain closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

, Disneyland Reopening ‘Unlikely’ Through August as California Rules Out Mass Gatherings
 
Gov. Newsom said it was “unlikely” that mass gatherings in California could occur in June, July or August. He cautioned that “things can change radically” if a COVID-19 test or vaccine is developed earlier than anticipated.
 
Update 4/14/2020 4:30pm
Newsom laid out a series of steps that would need to be taken to end California’s stay at home orders.
 
“You have bent the curve in the state of California,” Newsom said. “And that puts us in a position to be able to socialize again.”
 
Newsom acknowledged that the stay at home orders “can’t be a permanent state” and outlined how California would slowly begin a return to normal.
 
“We are not out of the woods yet,” he said. “We are not spiking the ball.”
 
Deep sanitation of city parks, playgrounds, sidewalks and streets along with business would be necessary before any “semblance of normalcy” could resume, Newsom said. Businesses would need to redraw floor plans to allow for safe physical distancing, Newsom said. 
 
California could “reinstate more vigorous controls” if coronavirus cases suddenly spiked after restrictions were loosened.
 
“That’s just a process that will perhaps be the most challenging if indeed we lean in, but we have to then lean back out as we toggle from stricter to looser interventions, back and forth as things change, as data comes in, as health concerns make themselves real,” Newsom said during the press conference.

Reopening restaurants would have to follow strict precautionary measures, Newsom said. Servers would wear masks and gloves. Tables would be reduced by 50% to increase physical distancing. Disposable menus would be thrown away after a single use. Customers would have their temperatures checked before entering the restaurant.

Disney executive chairman Bob Iger said last week that security precautions at Disney theme parks could change after the coronavirus crisis. Iger said Disney might institute temperature screenings at security checkpoints in order to meet health guidelines and make visitors feel safe. 

The Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and Disneytown shopping mall have reopened with limited capacity and reduced hours while the resort’s theme park remains closed.

New health and safety measures require Shanghai Disney resort visitors to undergo temperature screenings, wear masks and maintain social distancing. Shanghai Disney resort visitors must also present a color-coded health identification that tracks each person’s health status and travel history.


Let’s Hear From You

Do you think that a summer opening of Disneyland is “unlikely” as suggested by Gov. Newsom? Are you ready for a post-Coronavirus world? Let us know what you think below.

This is a breaking news story and this article will be updated with additional information.
 

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Brady MacDonald
Brady MacDonald is a freelance writer based in California. He wrote the Funland theme park blog for the Los Angeles Times for a decade. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, New York Newsday, Philadelphia Inquirer, Seattle Times, Orlando Sentinel and Orange County Register.