After weeks of calling upon California Governor Gavin Newsom to release theme park reopening guidelines, Disney has suddenly reversed course and asked the state to delay an announcement. After reviewing a draft of the upcoming guidance, which could come as soon as tomorrow (Friday, October 2nd), Bob Iger has left the state’s Taskforce on Economic Recovery in protest.  It appears that Disney is unhappy with conditions in the new guidelines which would make it very difficult for them to operate successfully in these difficult times.  

And just what are those conditions that Disney is unhappy with? There are a variety of rumors, but the three things which most impact Disney are likely maximum crowd level, which level of the State’s 4 tier reopening blueprint theme parks will be allowed to operate in, and where guests can come from.  

We are hearing from a variety of sources that conditions in the guidelines regarding limitation of where guests reside would prevent visits from outside of a relatively small radius of Disneyland, which might include LA, San Diego, and San Bernardino, as well as all of Orange County. However, the northern part of the state and residents of other states might be blocked in the early stages of reopening.  

Additionally, each of California’s counties is given a color code each week (but it takes a county a minimum of three weeks to move from one level to a less restrictive one).  Highest level of covid infections are in the purple tier, the lowest levels in the yellow tier. Please see the chart below: 

, Disneyland News – Bob Iger Leaves State Taskforce in Advance of Disadvantageous Theme Park Reopening Guidelines

Los Angeles is currently in the purple tier. Orange County is in the Red tier. It is likely that theme parks will need to be in the orange or even yellow tier before reopening.  That sticking point would seriously impact Disney’s ability to operate at a time when other businesses with potentially greater risk are already allowed to open. For example, Museums, Aquariums, and Zoos are allowed to open at 25% capacity in the Red tier and 50% capacity in the Orange tier. Yet Disneyland remains closed in a Red tier county and will likely be held to a higher standard. 

, Disneyland News – Bob Iger Leaves State Taskforce in Advance of Disadvantageous Theme Park Reopening Guidelines

The remaining guidelines are along the lines of what Disney is already doing in Florida: Facemasks for guests and employees, physical distancing, limited queue capacity, reduced ride capacity, sanitary procedures, etc.  

Disney would like the state to hold off on these guidelines which treat the theme park industry differently than other entertainment offerings. If customers can sit for hours in a movie theater, get their hair done and a tattoo, sit indoors in a restaurant, or shop to their heart’s content in malls all over the state –  Disney wants the state to recognize that theme parks are really just an amalgam of those activities which are already allowed.

(Please note, Bob Iger stepping down from the task force, and Disney being unhappy with the draft reopening guidelines is not rumor. However, what is contained in those guidelines is rumor and supposition. We await official word from either Disney or the state on guideline specifics).


Let Us Know Your Thoughts

Should Disney and other theme parks be allowed to operate in the same tiers as Museums, Zoos, and Aquariums? Is it fair that theme parks have been singled out for stricter treatment than restaurants, tattoo parlors, and movie theaters? Let us know your thoughts below. 


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Dusty Sage
Dusty is the founder and CEO of MiceChat.com. When he's not visiting theme parks and writing, editing or speaking about Disney and theme parks worldwide, Dusty is involved in multiple Disney related projects and charities. He helped save and restore the charming Walt Disney Birthplace in Chicago, launched the Dick Van Dyke Foundation, and is the curator of Walt Disney's historic 1930's estate in Hollywood. If you've got news or photos to share with the MiceChat community, or would like to book Dusty for an upcoming event, please contact [email protected]