More than a year after closing due to the pandemic, the theme parks at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim are scheduled to open April 30 with limited capacity and restrictions on some attractions.
Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Bob Chapek made the announcement Wednesday, telling CNBC: "We've seen the enthusiasm, the craving for people to return to our parks around the world."
The resort also plans to reopen its hotels in phases, with Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa set to reopen on April 29, Disney Vacation Club Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa on May 2, and Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel and the Disneyland Hotel at a later date, the park announced on its website.
Since the park closed in March 2020, Disney executives, elected officials and business leaders in cities around the resort have been urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to allow the parks to reopen to help reopen struggling businesses that rely on tourists who visit the parks.
With COVID-19 cases dropping and the vaccine rollout expanding, the state unveiled new guidelines March 5 that would allow theme parks and sports stadiums in counties with low enough virus transmission to reopen with limited capacity starting April 1. Chapek has said Disneyland needed more time to staff up.
