NEWS: Bill to Reopen Disneyland Sooner Moves Forward

Disneyland remains closed due to the global pandemic.

Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle

Downtown Disney and Buena Vista Street are currently open, and Disney California Adventure is planning to reopen for a limited-time ticketed event in March. However, due to California state mandates, Disneyland Resort as a whole remains closed. But we’ve been following the progress of a bill that may allow the parks to reopen sooner than planned.

This bill was proposed at the beginning of February, and was later approved by the Anaheim City Council with a vote of 6-1. It would allow theme parks to reopen in the moderate (orange) COVID-19 risk tier rather than the minimal (yellow) risk tier. Currently, some smaller amusement parks in the state can reopen in that moderate risk tier. This bill attempts to make the opening timeline the same for larger theme parks like Disneyland or Universal Studios Hollywood.

Disneyland Entrance

On Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously in support of this bill. Supervisor Kathryn Barger wrote in a letter of support to the bill’s sponsors, “With full outdoor operations and the ability to maintain physical distancing, theme parks across the country have proven that they can safely reopen…By opening our theme parks, we will trigger a ripple effect to our local economy, and in turn, create more jobs.”

Disney California Adventure

Barger cites that densely populated areas such as Los Angeles would have a difficult time meeting the minimal risk criteria: one daily case of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents, along with a test positivity rate of less than 2%. She adds that larger theme parks have “safely reopened” across the country with no “outbreaks or spread,” demonstrating that California could follow suit.