Disneyland Park Postpones July Reopening As Downtown Disney Is Set to Reopen Next Week

Disneyland's plans to reopen its theme parks and resort hotels have been postponed until further notice. After closing in March amid the coronavirus pandemic, the theme parks were set to reopen this July in time for Disneyland's 65th anniversary. According to a statement shared with Travel + Leisure, the reopening has been delayed because the state of California recently announced that it will not release theme park reopening guidelines until after July 4. The Downtown Disney shopping and dining area will still reopen as planned next week.

"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," reps said in the statement. They continued to say Disney will announce a new reopening date once they have a better understanding of when those guidelines will be issued.

Downtown Disney will move forward with plans to begin reopening on July 9 with restrictions in place. California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently ordered the closure of bars and indoor dining across the state, so Downtown Disney will only have outdoor seating at restaurants. Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park will not be reopening on July 17 (the date of Disneyland's 65th anniversary) as previously announced.

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel were set to open on July 23, but that has been delayed as well.

Upon reopening, there will be a number of new health and safety measures in place, similar to those planned for the reopening of Disney World. Theme park capacity will be “significantly limited,” according to a statement shared with Travel + Leisure, so Disneyland Resort attendance will be managed through a new theme park reservation system — all guests, including annual pass holders, will have to get a reservation for park entry in advance of their visit. New ticket sales and annual pass sales are currently on hold.

Parades and nighttime spectaculars will be temporarily suspended upon reopening, as will character meet and greets, although “characters will be in the parks in new ways to entertain and delight guests,” according to the statement. If the California resort follows the plans proposed for its East Coast counterpart, new health and safety rules including required masks for all guests and temperature screenings will be put in place.

The hotels will be following a number of new health and safety protocols, including physical distancing and increased cleaning measures. Similarly, Downtown Disney will implement new policies to protect the health of cast members and guests. Disney World recently announced plans to begin reopening resorts at the end of June and theme parks in mid-July. Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are slated to open on July 11, followed by Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15.