Disneyland, California Adventure Park to reopen April 30, Disney announces
ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) -- After a yearlong closure due to the coronavirus pandemic, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park will reopen with limited capacity on April 30, Disney announced Wednesday.
"You'll soon be welcomed back to enjoy unforgettable attractions, see beloved Disney friends, shop for the latest merchandise, savor the world-famous food and drinks, capture fun photos and cherish special magical moments," a statement on the official Disney Parks Blog said.
Earlier this month, after California health officials said certain outdoor activities could resume with restrictions as early as April 1, Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Chapek said the company was planning to welcome back visitors to the Anaheim theme parks in late April.
"We're ready to make magic all over again," Chapek said Wednesday in an interview with ABC7. "We're certainly going to be operating with capacity constraints, but at the same time it's going to be that Disney experience that everyone has come to expect."
Health officials' loosening of coronavirus restrictions was prompted by improving COVID-19 trends across the state.
MORE: ABC7's complete interview with Disney CEO Bob Chapek
"The day all of us have long been waiting for is almost here," Ken Potrock, president of the Disneyland Resort, said in a statement. "We're excited to have more than 10,000 cast members returning to work as we get ready to welcome our guests back to this happy place."
The previously furloughed employees will be retrained to be able to operate according to California's new requirements.
Under the state's new guidelines, theme parks may open at 15% capacity when their respective counties enter the state's red tier designation, Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of California Health and Human Services, said on March 9.
The limited reopening would not include indoor rides, Ghaly said, and theme parks initially would only be open to California residents.
All visitors ages 3 and up will require a reservation. Events that draw large group gatherings, such as parades, will not resume immediately.
"Things like Nighttime Spectacular, where a lot of people tend to gather, we're not going to do that," Chapek said. "Mask wearing's going to be essential and critical, and we'll certainly have some changes that you'll feel. But at the same time, our guest experience scores from around the world have been extraordinary -- operating under the same constraints that we'd have to operate with here at Disneyland."
Under the new California guidelines, there will be both a building capacity limitation and a time limitation. A ride that takes place indoors or goes into a building for a brief period of time may open if it meets both of these requirements.
Indoor dining will continue to be unavailable for the time being.
The Anaheim resort's hotels also plan to welcome guests again, with a phased reopening. Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa plans to reopen on April 29, with limited capacity. Disney Vacation Club Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is set to reopen May 2. Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel and the Disneyland Hotel will reopen at a later date.
'A Touch of Disney' experience coming to Disney California Adventure Park
All of the resort -- including Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and the Downtown Disney District -- was temporarily shut down on March 14 of last year in response to the pandemic.
Downtown Disney reopened at limited capacity last July and Disney California Adventure is launching a limited-capacity ticketed experience that is scheduled to begin on Thursday.
The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of Disneyland Resort and this station.
