The gears of change are turning in California’s legislature. Assemblywomen Suzette Valladares, R-Santa Clarita, and Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Buena Park, have introduced a bipartisan bill with the goal of reopening Southern California’s theme parks sooner than what has was previously spelled out by the state’s blueprint for a safer economy.
One of the main points of the bill is for authorities to not make distinctions between large and small theme parks and treat them equally. Back in December, state guidance was amended to allow smaller theme parks to reopen in the “Orange” tier of the state’s 4-tier ladder to reopening. However, the bill placed larger parks, like Disneyland, in the final “yellow” tier. Most of Southern California is firmly in the most restrictive “Purple” tier at the moment.
Zoos, aquariums, museums, and restaurants are all now able to reopen outdoor services, while shops, nail and hair salons, and many other businesses are allowed to operate indoors in the current Purple tier, with safety and capacity restrictions. But theme parks will need to wait.
It’s unclear how likely bill AB 420 is to pass, and then whether or not the Governor would sign it. But it will continue the discussion about why theme parks are being treated so differently than other similar businesses.
“Now, more than ever, we need to strengthen our resolve to care for each other and to create clear and proper tiers to ensure the safety and health of our community and businesses,” said a statement from Quirk-Silva, chair of the Assembly Committee of the Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media.
“Through collaboration with industry leaders, responsible and safe tourism can be used as a pathway to recovery,” Quirk-Silva said. The California Attractions and Parks Association (CAPA) announced its “strong support” for the bill, “AB 420.”
At the moment, Orange County and Los Angeles County are in the “Widespread” purple tier, which means that even if the bill is passed, it would be quite some time before the region reaches even the Orange (third) tier.
“We should be in Tier Three, along with other industries that have proven they can reopen responsibly,” said Karen Irwin, president and COO of Universal Studios Hollywood in a statement in October. “Our employees are ready to go back to work and the fact that they won’t be able to do so until well into next year [2021] is shameful.”
Reintroducing the Theme Park Bill
This isn’t the first time state officials attempted to introduce a bill to the governor for reopening theme parks sooner than current state guidelines allowances. In November, the mayors of eight California cities, which included Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and the mayors of Anaheim, Santa Ana, San Jose, San Diego, Bakersfield, Riverside and Fresno, came together and signed a letter to the Governor to reopen the parks sooner.
On Wednesday, it was reported that Governor Newsom said he sees “the light at the end of the tunnel,” due to increased vaccinations and lower case rates. However, he has not made any announcements on his current position for California’s theme parks.
We believe that as the most vulnerable populations get vaccinated, resistance to the reopening of theme parks will lessen, just as it has for schools and many in-person businesses and activities.
Meanwhile, Disneyland continues to donate its Toy Story parking lot as a mass-vaccination site. Downtown Disney has remained open since July, with varying levels of availability and services. Dining returns to select Disney California Adventure locations tomorrow (February, 5th):
Disneyland Dining Returns – Here’s What’s Open and How to Reserve
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