California Governor Says Disneyland Reopening Announcement Coming “Soon”

After being shut down for more than six months, it appears that Disneyland may finally be on the verge of reopening. There has been pressure on the state of California to allow Disneyland and other theme parks to reopen, especially since Orlando, Florida’s Walt Disney World was allowed to reopen its gates back in July. California has remained a hotspot for COVID-19, so the reopening of theme parks and movie theaters has largely been put on hold. That could be changing soon.

During a press conference on Wednesday, California governor Gavin Newsome teased the potential reopening of theme parks in the near future, albeit with plenty of rules and guidelines to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Newsome said that he plans to make “announcements soon” in regards to theme parks, and that he will be “making public the fruits of those negotiations very, very shortly.”

Newsome has been under pressure to reopen Disneyland and the rest of the California theme parks. He’s been pushed by Disneyland president Ken Potrock, as well as the entire California Attractions and Parks Association. Earlier this week, CAPA executive director Erin Guerrero released a public statement regarding the opening of the parks throughout the state.

“California’s amusement parks urge the governor to issue amusement park guidelines expeditiously so these vital community attractions can reopen their doors in a responsible manner and get residents back to work,” read the statement. “Six months ago California’s amusement parks and attractions made the difficult decision to close voluntarily in response to COVID — and the impacts have been devastating. Tens of thousands of jobs have been weighing in the balance. Hundreds of millions of tax revenue that support critical local, state, and federal programs, lost. And local businesses that rely on amusement parks continue to struggle, with many closing permanently.”

“Over those six months, parks crafted detailed plans to reopen — they include capacity reductions, face covering requirements, robust health and safety protocols for both guests and employees, and significant modifications to support physical distancing,” the statement added. “These practices will promote health and safety in ways that many activities Californians are currently engaging in won’t. However, in order to reopen, parks require guidance from the state and that guidance has not been forthcoming.”

Disneyland could be on the verge of reopening, but everything is currently stuck in a “wait and see” sort of mode.