Organization Representing Disneyland, Universal, and More Calls on California’s Governor To Reopen the Theme Parks

Although we’ve been able to enjoy Downtown Disney lately, it’s been 6 months since we’ve been able to step foot into Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure.

Orange County — the county where Disneyland is located — has advanced to the next reopening tier, but we still do not have an official reopening date yet for Disneyland. Now, it seems some theme parks — including Disney — are calling on California’s Governor to take action.

Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure closed temporarily on March 14, 2020, and remain closed “until further notice.”

As we mentioned, Orange County — the county where Disneyland is located — recently advanced to the next reopening tier, and indoor dining is now being allowed, in accordance with county guidelines, in Downtown Disney.

California, however, has yet to release the industry reopening guidelines needed to determine when and how Disneyland and other theme parks in the state can safely reopen. According to California’s Governor Newsom, the negotiations on this are “open-ended,” but the discussions are in fact taking place and are progressing.

According to The Orange County Register, California Attractions and Park Association (CAPA) — a trade organization that represents Disney, Universal, and other theme parks like Legoland and SeaWorld — has now called on Governor Newsom to reopen the California theme parks.

A statement issued by the CAPA executive director — Erin Guerrero — notes, “California’s amusement parks urge the governor to issue amusement park guidelines expeditiously so these vital community attractions can reopen their doors in a responsible manner and get residents back to work.” Disney’s officials have stated that once they have a “clearer understanding of when theme parks can reopen from the State of California, [they] will be able to work with the state and Orange County Health Care Agency towards a reopening date.”

The Orange County Register reports that CAPA has been working closely with Governor Newsom and his administration on reopening plans for the theme parks in California. In Guerrero’s statement, he noted that California’s theme parks closed 6 months ago due to COVID-19, and it has had a significant impact on a variety of individuals and sectors. Guerrero said, “Tens of thousands of jobs have been weighing in the balance. Hundreds of millions of tax revenue that support critical local, state, and federal programs, lost. And local businesses that rely on amusement parks continue to struggle, with many closing permanently.”

In Guerrero’s statement, he notes that California’s theme parks have created detailed plans to reopen which include reduced capacity, face mask requirements, and more safety protocols, but that the parks require guidance from the state in order to reopen. Although Governor Newsom has indicated that discussions regarding California theme parks reopening are “forthcoming,” Guerrero’s statement indicates, to the contrary, that the State’s “guidance has not been forthcoming.” 

While acknowledging that visiting theme parks will not look the same as it did prior to COVID-19, Guerrero notes that California’s theme parks “are ready to responsibly open.” In fact, some theme parks — like SeaWorld San Diego — have partially reopened for limited capacity events, without making their rides available to guests.

Disneyland, however, has recently canceled all hotel reservations through late September. We’ll keep an eye out for any response from Governor Newsom regarding this statement from CAPA, and any other news regarding the ability of California’s theme parks to reopen. Be sure to come back for all the latest Disney news.

Do you have plans to visit Disneyland this year? Chat with us about it in the comments!