Disneyland Delays Reopening Indefinitely
Closed for months because of the pandemic, Disney has spent recent weeks preparing to reopen all of its theme parks around the world, with most expected to begin welcoming back tourists wearing mouse-shaped hats in mid- and late July. That includes the company’s original park, Disneyland, which had previously announced a plan to reopen by July 17. That would have been an appropriate day for an opening; it marks the anniversary of the park’s original opening day back in 1955.
Alas, that plan is now off the table. On the same day that California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the state had over 7,000 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, Disney announced that its Disneyland reopening plan was officially (and indefinitely) on hold because the company is waiting for “reopening guidelines from the state” which are not coming “until sometime after July 4”:
Given the time required for us to bring thousands of cast members back to work and restart our business, we have no choice but to delay the reopening of our theme parks and resort hotels until we receive approval from government officials. Once we have a clearer understanding of when guidelines will be released, we expect to be able to communicate a reopening date.
Disney also needs to come to terms with the unions that represent its thousands of employees; thus far, the company says, they have “signed agreements from 20 union affiliates.” The previously announced plan to reopen the nearby Downtown Disney shopping and dining area will proceed as scheduled on July 9. Those looking to ride Space Mountain, however, will need to wait a while longer.
Gallery — Movie-Based Theme Park Rides That Were Never Made: