Disneyland, Universal and other California theme parks can reopen April 1 - OCR/SCNG

[Stevek]

Good for Disney. Will be interesting to see if they feel it's viable financially. Certainly would be a welcome step toward normalcy for many people.

 

[CastAStone]

15% capacity... Is that even viable?

The measuring people estimated that WDW opened initially between 10 and 15% and expanded from there. I imagine DLR would have done the same anyway.

 

[J2B]

News in my ear just said "in state visitors only".

Good!!!!

 

[Darkbeer1]

Good!!!!

NOT Good for the Resort area and all the Hotels.

 

[J2B]

>>California theme parks can reopen April 1 under updated guidelines from the state’s health department following a year of coronavirus closures that cost the parks billions and forced them to shed tens of thousands of jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new California theme park guidelines and opening date are part of a “refresh” of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s four-tier Blueprint for a Safer Economy.


California theme parks have been closed since March 2020 under COVID-19 health and safety reopening guidelines issued by the state. Many parks have partially reopened for special events and food festivals without rides.

The Newsom administration’s “Blueprint Refresh” allows Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, SeaWorld San Diego, Legoland California and other California theme parks to reopen as early as April 1 once the counties they are located in reach the red/substantial tier 2 risk status.

Starting on April 1, California theme parks can reopen at 15% capacity in the red/substantial tier 2. Capacity levels will shift in the orange/moderate tier 3 and yellow/minimal tier 4.

Theme park attendance will be limited to California residents. Updated guidelines will be worked out over the next couple of weeks in partnership with theme parks.

“We appreciate the administration’s willingness to work with the state’s theme parks on the finer details of the plan so parks can responsibly reopen soon, putting people safely back to work and reinvigorating local economies,” California Attractions and Parks Association executive director Erin Guerrero said in a statement.

Most California counties with major theme parks still remain in the most-restrictive purple/widespread tier 1 risk level — including Orange (Disneyland and Knott’s), Los Angeles County (Universal Studios Hollywood and Six Flags Magic Mountain), San Diego (SeaWorld and Legoland) and Solano (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom).

Orange and Los Angeles counties are expected to move into the red/substantial tier 2 next week — meaning Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s, Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain could reopen on April 1.

Santa Clara County — home to California’s Great America — is currently in the red/substantial tier 2 risk level. The Santa Clara amusement park has already set a reopening date of May 22.

Under the revised theme park guidelines, capacity limits will be placed on indoor rides and attractions.

The move is an abrupt about-face from the “slow, stubborn and stringent” approach to reopening California theme parks taken by the Newsom administration last fall.

In October, California officials issued separate reopening guidelines for smaller and larger theme parks in the state — with small parks allowed to reopen in the orange/moderate tier 3 while large parks could return in yellow/minimal tier 4. Attendance capacity was set at 25% in both tiers.

The California Attractions and Parks Association said the initial guidelines issued in October would keep the state’s large theme parks “closed Indefinitely.”

The “Blueprint Refresh” no longer makes a distinction between large and small California theme parks.

The Newsom administration has been under pressure from the theme park industry to revise reopening guidelines for months.

The reversal by the Newsom administration comes just days before the one-year anniversary of the coronavirus closure of California theme parks in mid-March 2020. It also comes just weeks after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that outdoor amusement parks could reopen on April 9 — making it likely that California theme parks would be the last to return in U.S. A bi-partisan bill proposed in February by California assembly members would speed the reopening of theme parks and override state guidelines.<<

Is this an early April fools joke.

 

[J2B]

NOT Good for the Resort area and all the Hotels.

True but don't you think they will open shortly after...didn't WDW do the same?

 

[TP2000]

So wait...you can't ****ing eat inside at the Theme Park in Red tier, but you can eat inside at any restaurant not inside a theme park?

Newsom is such a ****ing chode.

Good catch.

You're right, when Orange County reaches the Red Tier and Disneyland can reopen, you can eat inside at Captain Kidd's Buffet or China Panda on Harbor, but you can't eat inside at The Blue Bayou or Carthay Circle. Because, you know, places like Captain Kidd's Buffet and China Panda are so much better managed and operated than those trash theme park companies know how to do.

Actual Photo From a One-Star Yelp Review for Captain Kidd's Buffet. That kid's face is what we're all thinking right now!

 

[milordsloth]

I really do think my favorite part is that even down in the Yellow Tier a theme park has to obey this requirement...

"In-state visitors only"

That's a new one, and wasn't part of the Yellow Tier reopening originally. So no tourists are allowed in to California theme parks.

Present your ID to get in!

Maybe that will mean I have a slightly better chance at getting a reservation... Whatever day they decide to open I am crossing my fingers I'll be able to be there!

 

[Stevek]

NOT Good for the Resort area and all the Hotels.

It's a start and it would not surprise me if many folks book weekend visits, staying at local hotels.

 

[milordsloth]

True but don't you think they will open shortly after...didn't WDW do the same?

WDW didn't restrict out-of-state visitors when they opened.

 

[TP2000]

NOT Good for the Resort area and all the Hotels.

I'm going to a little social thing tomorrow evening and there will be two old friends there who are very tied in to the commercial real estate biz in OC, and know Anaheim's current precarious situation well. I can't wait to hear their thoughts on this stuff!

I may even print out some of this info from Sacramento in case they haven't read the details yet.

 

[milordsloth]

So hard to believe I was at WDW in July last year, and only now finally getting news on local California parks. Better late than never!

 

[Darkbeer1]

Looking at the Outdoor Sport and Concert Venue rules....

>>RED:

Effective April 1, 2021: • Max 20%, includes suites with 25% occupancy per suite and suites no more than 3 households. Weekly worker testing program • In-state visitors only, check for current CDPH Travel Advisory in effect • Advanced reservations only • Primarily in-seat concessions (no concourse sales)<<

ORANGE:

Effective April 1, 2021: • Max 33%, includes suites with 25% occupancy per suite • Weekly worker testing program • In-state visitors only, check for current CDPH Travel Advisory in effect • Primarily in-seat concessions (no concourse sales) • Max 67% if all guests are tested or show proof of full vaccination

YELLOW:

Effective April 1, 2021: • Max 67%, includes suites with 25% occupancy per suite • In-state visitors only, check for current CDPH Travel Advisory in effect • Primarily in-seat concessions (no concourse sales)<<

 

[LukaLand]

NOT Good for the Resort area and all the Hotels.

Ok, so I, a Washington state resident, on April 1st, can legally visit DTD but NOT either theme park? I am livid. Not even in the yellow tier? Dear idiotic hopefully recalled Governor Newsom: I've spent more money than I would like to admit visiting your state specifically for Disneyland for the past 20 years. At this point, I'm getting awfully frustrated and starting to give a lot of my leisure money to Arizona, Texas and Florida. Others will do the same. And as we discover that we enjoy those trips, our likelihood of returning to your sad state shrinks.

 

[ayyylmao]

So hard to believe I was at WDW in July last year, and only now finally getting news on local California parks. Better late than never!

Remember when the media was claiming Florida was supposed to have their hospitals over-run and people dying in the streets when they opened for business last July...but instead it was California that got overrun? Pepperidge farm remembers

 

[Jiggsawpuzzle35]

NOT Good for the Resort area and all the Hotels.

Lots of people from the Bay Area visit Disneyland weekly. Still better than nothing.

 

[ayyylmao]

Weren't these the same restrictions that Disney was rumored to have rejected?

You must be really torn up today.

 

[el_super]

You must be really torn up today.

Not at all. I'm still disappointed that stubbornness and inaction resulted in having to wait until the vaccine was distributed though. Pretty sure somewhere on this board I stated I was absolutely against the idea of having to wait this long but here we are..

I also know that realistically it will still be months before any of us go to the parks.

 

[Darkbeer1]

More from the original article, which has been updated.

>>Theme park attendance will be limited to California residents. Updated guidelines will be worked out over the next couple of weeks in partnership with theme parks.

“We appreciate the administration’s willingness to work with the state’s theme parks on the finer details of the plan so parks can responsibly reopen soon, putting people safely back to work and reinvigorating local economies,” California Attractions and Parks Association executive director Erin Guerrero said in a statement.<<

>>
Disneyland resort president Ken Potrock said the announcement provides a path toward reopening California theme parks.

“We are encouraged that theme parks now have a path toward reopening this spring, getting thousands of people back to work and greatly helping neighboring businesses and our entire community,” Potrock said in a statement. “With responsible Disney safety protocols already implemented around the world, we can’t wait to welcome our guests back and look forward to sharing an opening date soon.”

The extended closure of Disneyland has had a “profound and devastating” impact on Anaheim workers, according to city officials.

“This will mean so much for our working families and small businesses which have suffered so much while our largest businesses have been closed for the past year,” Anaheim mayor Harry Sidhu said in a statement. “Disney has gone to great lengths to be ready for a safe and responsible reopening, and everyone should feel comfortable and confident about coming back to Anaheim.”

United Food and Commercial Workers, which represents Disneyland cast members, applauded the move by the Newsom administration.

“Our Disney cast members are heartened by this good news today that the Disney parks will be reopening in a month,” UFCW Local 324 president Andrea Zinder said in a statement. “They have been furloughed or out of a job for a year now and are excited to go back to work to provide Californians with a bit more magic in their lives.”

Universal Studios Hollywood president Karen Irwin said the park is eager to return.

“We are ready to reopen, ready to bring our team members back to work, ready to help stimulate the local economy and ready to welcome guests,” Irwin said in a statement.

Six Flags Magic Mountain plans to announce an opening date soon.

“We are pleased by the governor’s announcement and eager to welcome our guests back to Six Flags Magic Mountain with a full complement of our world-class coasters in a safe, outdoor environment,” Magic Mountain officials said in a statement. “An official opening date will be posted on our website and social channels in the near future.”<<

 

[milordsloth]

Anyone remember when the Santa Cruz Boardwalk was able to open for only a single weekend last year? I really hope nothing like that happens again...