Disneyland Reopening Date Revealed

Disneyland closed its doors at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, and now the theme park’s reopening date has been revealed. During an interview with Julia Boorstin on CNBC’s Squawk Alley, Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced that California’s two Disney theme parks would reopen for business on April 30. “We’ve seen the enthusiasm, the craving for people to return to our parks around the world,” he went on to say.

“We’ve been operating at Walt Disney World for about nine months, and there certainly is no shortage of demand,” Chapek added, speaking of the company’s Florida theme park. “I think as people become vaccinated, they become a little bit more confident in the fact that they can travel, and, you know, stay Covid-free,” he continued. “Consumers trust Disney to do the right thing, and we’ve certainly proven that we can [open] responsibly, whether it’s temperature checks, masks, social distancing, [or] improved hygiene around the parks.”

CNBC reports that, in addition to the Disneyland reopening date, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa will reopen ahead of the park, on April 29, with limited capacity. The Vacation Club Villa at the Grand Californian is set to reopen on May 2, with Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel and the Disneyland Hotel scheduled to reopen at a later date that has yet to be announced.

In March 2020, it was announced that Disneyland and Disney World would remain closed indefinitely while the nation battles the coronavirus pandemic. “While there is still much uncertainty with respect to the impacts of COVID-19, the safety and well-being of our guests and employees remains the Walt Disney Company’s top priority,” a Disney spokesperson said at the time. “As a result of this unprecedented pandemic and in line with direction provided by health experts and government officials, Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort will remain closed until further notice. The Walt Disney Company has been paying its cast members since the closure of the parks, and in light of this ongoing and increasingly complex crisis, we have made the decision to extend paying hourly parks and resorts cast members through April 18.”