Do you smell churros? We totally smell churros. Disney CEO Bob Chapek told CNBC on Wednesday morning that Disney will reopen its two theme parks in Anaheim, California, on April 30. The Disneyland and Disneyland California Adventure theme parks closed on March 14, 2020, because of the coronavirus pandemic, and while Disney’s Florida parks reopened in July 2020, the California locations remained closed because of the state’s tighter protocols. Along with Chapek’s announcement, Disney Parks released a statement with further details about the reopening plans, which will feature “significantly limited” capacity, a mandatory advance-reservation system, and the temporary suspension of parades and “nighttime spectaculars.” One notable restriction: In line with current state guidelines, only California residents will be allowed to visit the parks until further notice. This reopening-date announcement comes after the state of California gave an official guideline for theme parks to reopen at 15 percent capacity beginning April 1.
Disney had previously announced the ticketed event series “A Touch of Disney,” in which visitors can pay $75 to walk around the park and kind of just vibe with the ambience while the rides and attractions are closed. The sold-out event will still run from March 18 to April 19 and will let guests eat and shop in the parks before the official, full reopening.
