Disneyland Resort Final Walt Disney Co. Property To Reopen
ANAHEIM, CA — Hong Kong Disney re-opened to the public Friday, making Disneyland Resort the last in the Walt Disney Company's resorts to re-open. Disneyland Resort—including Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, the Grand Californian Resort and Spa, Paradise Pier Hotel, and the Disneyland Resort Hotel —await word from Gov. Gavin Newsom for a re-opening strategy, Friday.
Harbor Boulevard is dark, with many restaurants and shops closed to the public. There is no reason to be open with no visitors to serve, according to the City of Anaheim's Chief Communications Officer, Mike Lyster. He discussed the lack of a guideline for theme park re-openings and the need for an economic recovery roadmap with Patch.
Seven months have passed since the coronavirus pandemic broke out in March. The city of Anaheim was hit hard in specific neighborhoods, early in the coronavirus pandemic, Lyster says. Coronavirus infected nearly 9,000 residents. Positive infections have slowed in recent weeks as more people have taken public health to heart.
With Orange County poised to enter the orange tier of Gov. Newsom's Blueprint to Recovery plan, now is the time to know what they need to shoot for to re-open with everyone's safety in mind.
Opening a theme park is a bit like restarting a small city. Disneyland Resort and surrounding properties employ close to 32,000 people. There are 80,000 jobs at stake, according to Lyster. People remain furloughed, he says. They need to know when they can come back to work.
"This isn't a choice between public health and the economy," Lyster says. "Zoos, museums, grocery stores all have guidelines. Theme parks need the same guidelines for re-opening."
According to the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, as of this report with Orange County in the red or "substantial" tier, Zoos can open indoors with modifications, at 25 percent of capacities, as can museums and aquariums.
Downtown Disney's collection of stores and restaurants re-opened over the summer, with strict COVID-19 temperature checking and social distancing rules amid the coronavirus pandemic. As of the last week of September, the Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and the three main resort hotels remain closed, with all looking to Sacramento for re-opening updates.
"For six months, the Disneyland Resort has been closed, and the consequences are dire with our regional tourism industry at a virtual standstill," Todd Ament, President & CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, said. "The economic impact to our region is more than $1.3 billion in lost revenue to the cities, county, and local businesses."
Businesses and cities near the Resort are ready to start their economic recovery and need guidelines, a spokesperson for ReopenOCNow.com tells Patch.
The Disneyland Resort, a centerpiece of the Orange County tourism industry ecosystem, is responsible for about 100,000 jobs in Southern California. People are out of work, furloughed, awaiting return to work instructions.
"In Orange County, the number of cases from COVID-19 has been trending down because cities and businesses have invested in infrastructure, safety protocols, and operational training to ensure the health and welfare of employees, residents, and visitors," Ament said. "It is time we re-open the Disneyland Resort and start the recovery now."
Read also:
Downtown Disney Offers New Kind Of Disney Experience For 2020
Disneyland Facing Racial Scrutiny Over 'Splash Mountain'
Walt Disney Co. To Furlough Workers During Coronavirus Shutdown
Shoppers Flock To Reopened Downtown Disney
This article originally appeared on the Lake Forest Patch
