At long last, Disneyland has set a reopening date of July 17th. Downtown Disney opens July 9th. Our beloved Disneyland has been closed since March 14th, 2020 due to the worldwide health crisis. It was a tearful “See ya real soon” when we departed on that last working day. Since then, all we’ve wanted to know is WHEN WILL DISNEYLAND REOPEN?! Today, Disneyland answered that question. If all goes well, you’ll be able to visit Disneyland again in time for the historic park’s 65th anniversary this July.

Are those happy tears in your eye I see? Here’s what to expect from Disneyland’s reopening. . . . 

Pending state and local government approvals, here’s the schedule of Disneyland Resort reopening:

  • Downtown Disney – Opens July 9
  • Disneyland and California Adventure – July 17th (Disneyland’s 65th anniversary)
  • Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel  – reopen on July 23 (No mention of Disneyland Hotel)

Information to Note: 

  • Park access will be limited via a theme park reservation system. All guests, including Passholders will need to obtain a reservation in advance. 
  • Theme park reservations will be subject to availability. More details about this new reservation system will be available soon.
  • As they did in Florida, a temporary pause will be placed on new ticket sales and Annual Passport sales and renewals. Additional details will be available soon. 
  • Once approved, the Disneyland Resort will reopen with enhanced health and safety measures. In addition, a Guest Experience Team will be available throughout the parks and Downtown Disney District to assist guests with questions regarding these new policies.
  • Certain experiences that draw large group gatherings – such as parades and nighttime spectaculars – will return at a later date. While character meet and greets will be temporarily unavailable, characters will be in the parks in new ways to entertain and delight guests.
  • Downtown Disney District will begin reopening on July 9 in line with the state’s reopening guidelines, with its unique variety of shopping and dining experiences, including the flagship World of Disney store. With the health of guests and Disney cast members at the forefront of planning, several operational changes will be implemented based on guidance from health authorities to promote physical distancing and cleanliness throughout the Downtown Disney District.

Josh D’Amaro, the new Chairman of the Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products said:

While certain aspects of your visit may change, I assure you the quality of our storytelling, magic of our experiences and the caliber of our cast members has not. We recognize the trust that you have in the Disney brand, and we will continue to earn your trust every day.  

My confidence comes in part from all of the hard work our teams have been doing behind the scenes in the past few months… as well as by the early successes we have seen at Shanghai Disneyland, the first of our theme parks to reopen. Guest satisfaction has been extremely high, and we will continue to make sure that as we bring back experiences, our attention to promoting your safety, maintaining your trust and providing unique ways for you to come together with family and friends to create new memories remains high as well.

Walt Disney once said that it takes people to make the dream a reality, and as we prepare ourselves to reopen his original park, I want you to know how eternally grateful I am for all of you who have made Disney parks, stores, hotels, cruise lines, guided tours and vacation properties part of your lives, as well as for the cast members, crew members, Imagineers, and employees who have brought them to life for the past 65 years.  

This is a breaking news article and will be updated as more information is announced.

California Theme Park Closures

Theme parks across California have been closed since mid-to-late March.  As places where large groups of people congregate, high-touch and high-density tourist attractions were among the first things to shut down in the United States. At first, it seemed that they would have to wait until a vaccine or reliable therapeutics before they could reopen, perhaps as late as the end of 2020 or early 2021. But social distancing, masks, and sanitation have flattened the curve enough for many attractions to reach a stage where they feel comfortable opening again under strict new guidelines. 

Disneyland has only been closed for two full days over its 65-year history. The park was shuttered for a day after the death of President John F. Kennedy, and for the 9/11 terrorist attacks. While the park did shut attractions after major earthquakes and closed early for weather on occasion, the prolonged closure due to our current world health crisis is completely unprecedented and would have been unthinkable even a few months ago.

California has put together a Four-Stage reopening plan that will gradually resume daily functions while maintaining safety precautions appropriate to the current situation. Currently, we’re in Stage 2 (that began on May 8) but are rapidly approaching Stage 3 which is set to begin on Friday, June 12. Stage 3 allows higher-risk businesses like gyms, schools and day camps, and bars to reopen. But most importantly, this is the stage that theme parks will be permitted to reopen! By Stage 4, life will begin to resemble its pre-pandemic feel, with concerts, conventions, and other mass gatherings also allowed to reopen.

Some Southern California attractions like the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park are set to open later this month on June 20. SeaWorld and LEGOLAND in San Diego have filed for a July 1st opening. Other theme parks like Knott’s and Universal Studios have not made any reopening announcements yet. But after Disneyland’s statements today, you can expect to hear from other area attractions very soon.

Disneyland Reopening!

We’ve been anxiously waiting to hear from Disney when Disneyland might reopen. There’s been so much speculation in the last few months, and even some heated discussion regarding whether Disneyland should even be considering reopening in the middle of a pandemic which continues to expand every day. But many Parks in Florida have already resumed operation, Disney World will begin phased reopening of the parks on July 11th. Now we know that Disneyland will be opening just a few days later on the 17th of July. 

This photo was taken on Disneyland’s last day of operations, March 13

For more news about Disneyland and other theme park reopening, check out the Disneyland Update from this week.

Disneyland Update – Rumors, Reopenings, and Renewal

Information from Disney about steps they are taking at hotels to keep you safe: 

Which Disney Parks Are Reopened

For the first time in Disney history, all of the Disney Parks worldwide were closed due to the pandemic. The closures were a huge financial blow to The Walt Disney Company. Currently, the only park that has been able to reopen so far is Shanghai Disneyland, which closed back on January 25th and reopened May 11th. For health safety, an array of new guidelines were put in place. Some of the guidelines for a safer theme park environment include guests being required to wear face masks at all times except when dining, significantly limiting park attendance, requiring advance reservations for visiting and practicing social distancing. As noted in our last week’s Disneyland Update, Shanghai Disneyland has slowly been increasing its capacity by adding 5,000 each week to their daily attendance. Reopening theme parks is a gradual process. 

For more information about Shanghai Disneyland’s changes, read our coverage of the opening day in the Disneyland Update below.

Disneyland Update – Weeks, Not Months . . .

Which Disney Parks Are Closed

Right now, all the Disney Parks except for Shanghai are closed. However, most of the locales are beginning to lift restrictions, and reopenings are anticipated in the near future.

Walt Disney World is planning to open next month in a phased reopening on July 11th and 15th. There are many changes ahead for a visit to Disney World, and we’ve compiled all the new guidelines in the article below. 

Disney World Update: Everything We Know About the Reopening of the Parks

The other Disney resorts around the world are still closed as well. Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea have been closed since February 29. Although, some of its competitors are planning to reopen this month, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see a reopening plan stated in the coming weeks.

Similarly, Disneyland Paris remains closed since March 16th but has recently updated its landing page today that they look forward to announcing an official reopening date as soon as possible. 

Hong Kong Disneyland closed a day after Shanghai Disneyland on January 26th, 2020 and has not been reopened yet. However, park staff have returned and are testing the park. We could hear about openings of Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Disneyland Paris very soon.  

Disney Parks Reopening Tracker

(listed in the order they were built): 

CLOSED WITH NO REOPENING ANNOUNCED – REOPENING ANNOUNCED – ALREADY REOPENED

  • Disneyland & Disney California Adventure – Closed March 14th, 2020 – Reopening July 17th, 2020
  • Walt Disney World – Closed March 16th, 2020 – Phased Theme Park reopening July 11th for Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, July 15 for Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios park. Disney Springs resumed operation on May 20th, 2020. 
  • Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea – Closed February 29th, 2020 – Reopening TBA
  • Disneyland Paris & Walt Disney Studios Park – Closed March 16th, 2020 – Reopening TBA
  • Hong Kong Disneyland – Closed January 26th – Reopening TBA
  • Shanghai Disneyland – Closed January 25th – The Park Reopened May 11th, the shopping village and hotels opened approximately one month prior to the park. 

UPDATE: Universal Studios Hollywood Announces Immediate Reopening of CityWalk

Universal Studios Hollywood has announced an immediate phased reopening of CityWalk. The shopping destination will be open daily from noon until 8:00 p.m. daily. Parking will be free during this transitional period.  A short list of dining and retail establishments will be available today. 

Restaurants reopening now: Voodoo Doughnut, Johnny Rockets, Blaze Pizza, Starbucks, Crepe Café, Pizza Hut,  KFC, Taco Bell, and Buca di Beppo. Retail reopening now: Shoe Palace, Skechers, Guess Accessories. 

Similar to the parks in Orlando, Universal CityWalk is implementing new health and safety measures that focus on Screening, Spacing and Sanitization.

  • There will be a single point of entry to CityWalk where guests will be temperature checked. Face coverings will be required for all guests.
  • Face coverings will also be available for purchase. 
  • A guest will be denied entry if they have a temperature of 100.4° Fahrenheit or greater.
  • Limited occupancy at all venues to help enforce social distancing.
  • Rigorous cleaning and disinfecting at all high touchpoints, including chairs and tables.

IT’S TIME TO MAKE MAGIC AGAIN! 

Theme parks are reopening at last, and there’s no better time to lock in low rates on future travel. Special comeback rates are now available at some of your favorite theme park hotels. 

Our travel partners at Get Away Today are here to help you with your theme park shutdown concerns and rescheduling plans. We know you’re as uncertain about the future as we are. That’s why Get Away Today is offering the most flexible Disney travel options available:  

PLEASE NOTE: Disneyland has suspended ticket sales and hotel bookings. HOWEVER, Get Away Today still has a limited number of tickets for MiceChat readers and alternate Anaheim hotels. Act fast and be sure to let them know you are a MiceChat reader!  

Let’s Hear From You

It’s been a long two months since Disneyland closed. Are you excited about the announcement of an opening date? Will you be one of the first people to return? Or will you cautiously wait to see what happens? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

 

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