UPDATED: Disneyland will reopen on April 30, 2021! See below for details.
Update as of March 17, 2021:
Great news! Disney CEO Bob Chapek has announced that Disneyland in Southern California will be reopening with limited capacity on April 30, 2021. Until further notice, the parks will only be open to California residents. From the official announcement:
“Because theme park capacity will be significantly limited to comply with governmental requirements and promote physical distancing, the Disneyland Resort will manage attendance through a new theme park reservation system that requires all guests to obtain a reservation for park entry in advance. To enter a park, both a park reservation and valid admission for the same park on the same date are required for guests ages 3 and up. Theme park reservations will be limited and subject to availability and, until further notice, only California residents may visit the parks in line with current state guidelines. More details about this new reservation system will be available soon.
In the days leading up to the public opening on April 30, Disneyland Resort will invite cast members and members of the local community to be the first theme park guests after more than a year of closure. A Touch of Disney, the limited-time ticketed experience which has sold out, will go on as planned from March 18 through April 19.
Guests will also have the opportunity to stay in the middle of the magic as the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort plan to welcome guests once 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 will plan to reopen May 2. Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel and the Disneyland Hotel will reopen at a later date.
The health and well-being of guests and cast members remain a top priority. Just as the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort reopened with enhanced health and safety measures, operational changes will be in place at the theme parks and hotels to align with guidance from health authorities and learnings from our parks around the world to promote physical distancing, enhanced cleanliness and reduced contact. This guidance is fluid and applicable at any given time as community situations change. With that guidance, many factors will determine the timing of when offerings may be available. Cast members will be available to explain our new procedures and answer questions Guests may have.”
Disneyland has added an “Experience Updates” page to their website with reopening FAQ.
Disneyland Theme Park Reservation System
Potentially the biggest change we see to how guests will experience Disneyland going forward will be the theme park reservation system. In addition to park admission, guests will be required to have a reservation to visit a theme park. We do not have much information on this right now but will update as we learn more!
Walt Disney World has been using the Park Pass reservation system since they reopened in July, so it is safe to say it will be similar.
Safety and Social Distancing When Disneyland Reopens
From the Disneyland website:
“We recognize that the COVID-19 situation is constantly evolving, which is why our reopening approach is deliberately fluid and phased, and there are many factors that are helping us determine the timing of when various aspects of our business will reopen in a responsible way. In addition to following existing state and local guidelines, which continue to evolve, we currently are working with our unions to responsibly and thoughtfully implement new health and safety measures for Cast Members. These enhanced health and safety measures include:
- Enhanced Protective Measures: We will require mandatory face coverings for both Cast Members and Guests, ages 2 and older, with the addition of hand-washing stations and physical barriers, where appropriate.
- Physical Distancing: We will reduce theme park capacity to enable physical distancing and add appropriate signs to help Guests move responsibly throughout the property.
- Temperature Checks: All Guests will undergo temperature screenings prior to entering the Downtown Disney District or the theme parks; in addition, health screenings and temperature checks will be required daily for Cast Members.
- Limited-Contact Enhancements: We are recommending cashless transactions and we will reduce Cast Member and Guest interactions with helpful technology, including the expansion of Mobile Order in our Disneyland app, Apple Pay and more.
- Enhanced Cleaning and Sanitation: We will build upon our existing standards of cleaning with heightened protocols.
While it may be a bit different from the last time you visited, we’ve come up with new ways to create magical moments together—and memories to treasure forever.”
Will these changes affect your Disney vacation? Let us know in the comments! We will continue to update this post as more news is released.
P.S. Now that you’ve found us, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter below or in the link on the side! You can also check us out on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram!
