Disneyland and other California theme parks, reopening in just weeks, scramble to get ready
3 years, 9 months ago

Disneyland and other California theme parks, reopening in just weeks, scramble to get ready

LA Times  

Scenic artists Billy Teichert, Jason Young and Carlos Rivas prepare to paint a fence next to a ride at Universal Studios Hollywood. The COVID-19 pandemic has shut California’s largest theme parks for more than a year, creating an unprecedented challenge for the operators of Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood and other parks who are now scrambling to prepare to reopen under more relaxed safety protocols issued by the state. “It’s like turning an aircraft carrier,” said Scott Strobl, senior vice president of operations at Universal Studios Hollywood. Disney and Universal Studios Hollywood officials said single-day ticket prices at their parks are expected to be in line with last year’s prices. Disney already recalled about 1,000 employees and Universal Studios Hollywood rehired several hundred workers to staff the food and shopping events they’re launching this month.

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History of this topic

What the new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ride means for Disneyland
1 month, 1 week ago

What the new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ride means for Disneyland

LA Times  

As people wind through the queue of the new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure ride, they’re greeted by a chalkboard message left by the princess. Updating the rides’ objectionable elements is challenging, but the company is “doing it sensitively and making sure that we keep things relevant,” said Kim Irvine, executive creative director for Disney Imagineering. Adding popular intellectual property such as …

Universal’s new Florida theme park: When does it open and what will be there?
2 months, 1 week ago

Universal’s new Florida theme park: When does it open and what will be there?

LA Times  

The Universal Orlando Resort in Florida is gaining a fourth theme park next year that will feature areas dedicated to Nintendo, Harry Potter and other intellectual property, a move that is expected to significantly ramp up the company’s competition with Walt Disney Co. in the state. Multiday ticket and vacation packages, including entry to Epic Universe, go on sale Tuesday; …

Disneyland gets final approval for ‘biggest thing’ since its opening
54 years, 11 months ago

Disneyland gets final approval for ‘biggest thing’ since its opening

CNN  

CNN — Disney cleared a major hurdle to start developing a colossal expansion of its Disneyland theme parks on Tuesday night when the Anaheim city council unanimously gave final approval to rezone much of the property. But with newly approved “multi-use” zoning, Disney can now expand its theme parks in Anaheim without acquiring any new land, by building attractions where …

Disney receives another key approval to expand Southern California theme parks
7 months, 2 weeks ago

Disney receives another key approval to expand Southern California theme parks

Associated Press  

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Disney has received another key approval to expand its Southern California theme parks in its first push to make major changes to its iconic Disneyland in decades. The proposal doesn’t expand the parks’ physical footprint but will help Disney create new, immersive experiences for visitors by building a land such as the snow-covered hamlet of Arendelle from …

Disney seeks major expansion of California theme park to add more immersive attractions
9 months, 1 week ago

Disney seeks major expansion of California theme park to add more immersive attractions

Associated Press  

Walking through the frosty, snow-covered hamlet of Arendelle from “Frozen,” or the bustling, critter-filled metropolis of “Zootopia” might be possible one day for visitors to Disney’s California theme parks. We need to get the guidance on what we can build there so we can understand how.” After a lengthy meeting late Monday, the city of Anaheim’s planning commission voted to …

Attractions at Disneyland, California Adventure to temporarily close for refurbishment
1 year, 5 months ago

Attractions at Disneyland, California Adventure to temporarily close for refurbishment

LA Times  

The Disneyland monorail, which ferries passengers to and from the park, is one of three attractions slated to temporarily close next month. Two popular rides at Disney California Adventure, as well as the Disneyland monorail, will temporarily close in July for refurbishment. Soarin’ Around the World, which takes riders on a global virtual hang glide tour, will be closed Wednesday …

How does Disneyland rate a year after its COVID-era reopening?
2 years, 7 months ago

How does Disneyland rate a year after its COVID-era reopening?

LA Times  

Regardless of how you feel about the crowds, the strollers and the high prices, Disneyland, like it or not, represents the American dream. You must also pick a starting park — Disneyland or California Adventure — and you can’t park-hop until 1 p.m. Disneyland officials say this helps manage crowd flow and back-end operations and staffing, but let’s hope the …

Now more than ever, a day at Disneyland feels like a journey to another world
3 years, 5 months ago

Now more than ever, a day at Disneyland feels like a journey to another world

LA Times  

Ally Carrasco, 5, dressed as Anna from “Frozen,” at the scenic entrance to Cars Land, one of several places to linger in a post-pandemic Disneyland. My feelings turned to dread when a friend who had made a recent visit revealed that there were many lines, that procuring food was still tricky even when ordering on the app and that getting …

Disneyland starts selling tickets to travelers from outside California
3 years, 6 months ago

Disneyland starts selling tickets to travelers from outside California

LA Times  

When Disneyland and Disney California Adventure reopened April 30, the Anaheim theme parks allowed only California residents to visit. Disneyland and Disney California Adventure have begun selling tickets to travelers from out of state for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic shut their doors more than a year ago, the Anaheim theme parks announced Wednesday. State guidelines that take …

Disneyland California opens its gates for visitors after 13 months
3 years, 7 months ago

Disneyland California opens its gates for visitors after 13 months

India Today  

Disneyland swung open its gates to cheering visitors donning sequinned Minnie Mouse ears and snapping selfies Friday, marking a dramatic turnaround in a state so overwhelmed with coronavirus cases just four months ago that patients were being treated in outdoor tents. California’s world-famous theme park, which reopened after an unprecedented 13-month closure, is admitting only state residents and operating under …

Disneyland reopens: ‘This is a homecoming for us,’ a tearful parkgoer says
3 years, 7 months ago

Disneyland reopens: ‘This is a homecoming for us,’ a tearful parkgoer says

LA Times  

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure opened their gates to guests Friday after an unprecedented 13-month closure, welcoming parkgoers to stroll down Main Street USA, pay a visit to the Haunted Mansion and scream down Splash Mountain as the COVID-19 pandemic loosens its grip on the state. Some are shut for pandemic safety reasons, including Disneyland’s Monorail, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage …

Disneyland reopens: ‘This is a homecoming for us,’ a tearful parkgoer says
3 years, 7 months ago

Disneyland reopens: ‘This is a homecoming for us,’ a tearful parkgoer says

LA Times  

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure opened their gates to guests Friday after an unprecedented 13-month closure, welcoming parkgoers to stroll down Main Street USA, pay a visit to the Haunted Mansion and scream down Splash Mountain as the COVID-19 pandemic loosens its grip on the state. Some are shut for pandemic safety reasons, including Disneyland’s Monorail, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage …

Disneyland and California’s other theme parks are reopening. Here’s what you need to know
3 years, 8 months ago

Disneyland and California’s other theme parks are reopening. Here’s what you need to know

LA Times  

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park are slated to reopen April 30 after being closed for more than a year. The theme park experience at Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, Six Flags Magic Mountain and Knott’s Berry Farm won’t be exactly the same as before the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s a look at how things went in the earliest days: Six Flags …

Which attractions will be open on Disneyland’s opening day, and which will still be closed?
3 years, 8 months ago

Which attractions will be open on Disneyland’s opening day, and which will still be closed?

LA Times  

It’s a Small World is among the attractions that Disneyland plans to offer the first day back after the theme park’s yearlong pandemic closure. • Meet the legendary ride maker that invented the modern theme park — Jan. 4, 2016 Main Street vehicles • How Main Street, U.S.A. is rooted in Walt Disney’s Missouri childhood — July 10, 2015 Mark …

Universal Studios Hollywood to reopen April 16 with new attraction
3 years, 8 months ago

Universal Studios Hollywood to reopen April 16 with new attraction

LA Times  

Horticulturist Frank Phillips trims a topiary on the grounds of Universal Studios Hollywood. Universal Studios Hollywood is scheduled to reopen April 16, more than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to shut, and on opening day it will debut a ride based on the animated movie “The Secret Life of Pets.” California guidelines released this month allow theme …

New plan at Disneyland calls for squeezing in more rides, restaurants and shops
3 years, 9 months ago

New plan at Disneyland calls for squeezing in more rides, restaurants and shops

LA Times  

Despite a deadly pandemic closing its theme parks for a year, Walt Disney Co. has begun charting a course for the future by announcing plans Thursday to upgrade and renovate its Anaheim resort with new attractions, shops and restaurants within its existing 490-acre footprint. The plan, dubbed Disneyland Forward, is short on details, but Disney officials made clear they want …

Disneyland sets reopening date
3 years, 9 months ago

Disneyland sets reopening date

CNN  

New York CNN Business — It’s been a long year for Disneyland fans, but “The Happiest Place On Earth” is finally set to reopen its doors. “It’s the final sign that things are getting back to normal for the Disney company,” Robert Niles, editor of ThemeParkInsider.com, told CNN Business of the reopening. “Having Walt Disney’s original park closed, even with …

Disneyland Paris Postpones Re-opening Again as Covid-19 Crisis Continues
3 years, 9 months ago

Disneyland Paris Postpones Re-opening Again as Covid-19 Crisis Continues

News 18  

Disneyland Paris, Europe’s biggest tourist attraction, said Friday it will not be able to reopen as planned on April 2 because of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis. Initially, Disneyland Paris had hoped to re-admit visitors in February, before setting April 2 as its new target date, depending on health conditions improving. A union source at Disneyland said earlier this year that …

Disney California Adventure park to reopen for food and shopping event
3 years, 10 months ago

Disney California Adventure park to reopen for food and shopping event

LA Times  

Visitors walk along Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure in November. About a year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of theme parks statewide, Disney California Adventure park plans to reopen starting March 18 at limited capacity, welcoming visitors who buy tickets to stroll through the park and purchase food, drinks and merchandise. Months ago, Disney reopened its …

Disney California Adventure Park to hold food festival, rehire some workers
3 years, 10 months ago

Disney California Adventure Park to hold food festival, rehire some workers

LA Times  

It’s still not clear when Disney’s theme parks in Anaheim will reopen, but the House of Mouse hopes to appease its most ardent fans by holding a food and beverage festival on the grounds of its California Adventure Park in March. To help launch the festival, Disney announced it would recall about 1,000 employees who were laid off or furloughed …

Traveling to Disney Parks during Covid-19: What you need to know before you go
3 years, 11 months ago

Traveling to Disney Parks during Covid-19: What you need to know before you go

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Coronavirus cases remain high across the globe. CNN — If you’re planning to travel to one of the Disney Parks & Resorts around the world, here’s what you’ll need to know and expect if you want to visit during the Covid-19 pandemic. The basics All Disney parks around the world are now open to visitors, though Covid-19 restrictions …

Disney’s partial California Adventure reopening: Why our safe spaces in 2020 feel forever changed
4 years ago

Disney’s partial California Adventure reopening: Why our safe spaces in 2020 feel forever changed

LA Times  

April Levar and daughter Ruth shop in the Downtown Disney District on Nov. 19, the day Disney California Adventure reopened for limited shopping and dining. Holiday decorations and social distancing signs share space in Anaheim’s Downtown Disney District on Nov. 19, the day Disney California Adventure opened without rides but limited dining and shopping. I do not regret going, but …

New rules keep Disneyland and many other California theme parks closed for now
4 years, 2 months ago

New rules keep Disneyland and many other California theme parks closed for now

LA Times  

Knott’s Berry Farm is closed in Orange County. Facing increased pressure from business owners and politicians in places with theme parks, California released protocols for operating the parks, giving destinations such as Disneyland, Universal Studios and Knott’s Berry Farm a path to reopening that is tied to how well each park’s home county throttles the spread of the coronavirus. “I …

Before letting California theme parks reopen, Newsom is looking out of state
4 years, 2 months ago

Before letting California theme parks reopen, Newsom is looking out of state

LA Times  

Gavin Newsom, aiming for an eventual safe reopening of California theme parks, said Monday that he was sending a team of people to parks open in other states to learn what precautions they are taking to avoid the spread of COVID-19. California Health and Human Services Agency spokeswoman Kate Folmar said her agency sent health officials last week to assess …

California theme parks must stay closed for now, Newsom says
4 years, 2 months ago

California theme parks must stay closed for now, Newsom says

LA Times  

Visitors at Disneyland on March 13, the last day before the theme park closed because of the pandemic. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that California theme parks have to remain closed for now — a stance that has put him at odds with park owners such as Walt Disney Co. and some legislators. “We don’t anticipate in the immediate term any …

Disneyland presses for reopening, proposes COVID-19 safety measures
4 years, 3 months ago

Disneyland presses for reopening, proposes COVID-19 safety measures

LA Times  

Walt Disney Co. officials added their voices to a chorus of politicians, business owners and tourism industry leaders Tuesday to press California‘s governor to let Disneyland and Disney California Adventure reopen, vowing to adopt specific health precautions to help protect guests from the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are offering technology solutions that make it easier for our guests to minimize contact …

Disney World’s last two theme parks reopen to visitors
4 years, 5 months ago

Disney World’s last two theme parks reopen to visitors

Associated Press  

ORLANDO, Fla. — Days after reopening two theme parks amid a spike in coronavirus cases in Florida, Walt Disney World on Wednesday welcomed back visitors to two more theme parks that had been shuttered since March because of the new coronavirus. The Florida theme park resort reopened Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, completing a rolling opening of Disney World’s theme …

Disney delays Southern California theme park reopenings
4 years, 5 months ago

Disney delays Southern California theme park reopenings

Associated Press  

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Disney is postponing the mid-July reopening of its Southern California theme parks until it receives guidelines from the state, the company announced Wednesday. Gavin Newsom “appreciates Disney’s responsiveness to his concerns about reopening amid the recent increases in COVID-19 infections across many Southern California counties,” Newsom spokesman Nathan Click said. “The governor, the state and our public …

Coronavirus Outbreak: Disney announces plans to open theme parks in Paris, Tokyo in July
4 years, 6 months ago

Coronavirus Outbreak: Disney announces plans to open theme parks in Paris, Tokyo in July

Firstpost  

Walt Disney Co will reopen its Disneyland Paris theme park in phases from 15 July, days after it plans to open its parks in the United States. Walt Disney Co will reopen its Tokyo Disney Resort and Disneyland Paris theme park next month. It expects to reopen Disneyland Park, Walt Disney Studios Park, Disney’s Newport Bay Club hotel and Disney …

Disneyland workers' unions send letter to California governor questioning move to reopen theme parks in July
4 years, 6 months ago

Disneyland workers' unions send letter to California governor questioning move to reopen theme parks in July

Firstpost  

17,000 workers at California Disneyland Resort have sent a letter to the state’s governor, stating they are not convinced the theme parks will be safe enough to reopen by the company’s July target date. Unions representing 17,000 workers at Walt Disney Co’s Disneyland Resort in California have told the state’s governor they are not convinced the theme parks will be …

Disneyland offers reopening details, but some workers want a delay
4 years, 6 months ago

Disneyland offers reopening details, but some workers want a delay

LA Times  

People walk toward the entrance of Disneyland on March 13. Opening not only affects the state of California but the guests that visit us worldwide.” The coalition of labor unions, including those representing musicians and workers in the resort hotels and eateries, says in the letter to the governor that the opening should be delayed because “there are numerous questions …

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