Superthread for Disneyland Resort Closure and Reopening, 3/14/20 - 7/17/20: Please Post All Relevant Questions and Information Here!

[Epicnemesis]

LA Mayor Garcetti :at least 2 months

https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-19-los-angeles-to-shelter-in-place-for-months-2020-3

Hard to tell if he is level setting on the worst case scenario or if he really believes that. Either way, if this lock down moves into May we are well on the way to Mad Max.

 

[mrstrong]

Just received notification. Great Wolf Lodge is closed until May 19th.

 

[alvernon90]

Newsom has been one of the most concerned leaders in the country in terms of worrying about the coming healthcare need surge and staying informed by experts. If his worst case predictions don't significantly decrease in chance, especially in LA county area, I doubt he will allow any openings of super-spreader businesses such as disneyland until after the predicted peaks are safely passed, which would be well past mid-April.

Saying "peaks" plural is the real issue here, because even if current lockdowns end in May or June we know another peak will hit in the fall and probably a third severe peak next winter. At least the second peak will be severe enough to justify closing theme parks again -- so will Newsom even let theme parks open this summer at all? Even if it is allowed, will Disney spend all the money to staff and supply the resorts knowing they will probably have to shut down again in September? It seems likely that Disneyland will stay closed until after Halloween.

I also wonder if Disney would open WDW because Florida allows it even if DLR has to stay closed due to stricter government orders in California...

 

[hiroMYhero]

LA Times...basically recapping info:
“No, you should not expect Disneyland to reopen on April 1”
https://www.latimes.com/entertainme...-disneyland-is-not-going-to-reopen-on-april-1

 

[Juan M]

Hyatt House in Harbor just cancelled our April 3rd weekend reservation and sent an email saying hotel operations were ceasing through April 18th for now. I’m expecting a Disney closure extension anytime soon

 

[bethwc101]

I'm thinking they are going to open April 18th or 19th. But at a limited capacity. I think this is where they are going to use their virtual queue for all rides and only allow guests staying at GCH and DLH to visit the park maybe CA but I think just DL.
That's my out there thinking plan.

 

[StormyCA]

I was originally thinking end of May/mid-June. I'm not cancelling my 6/25 hotel reservation yet, but I've also pretty much accepted that it's not going to happen. Based on what I'm reading/seeing I don't think we're going to see 'mass gathering places' (DL, stadiums, auditoriums, theaters, maybe even malls) reopening until AFTER the general lockdowns have been lifted and people have resumed their workaday lives. TPTB are going to want to see how things fare in the general populace before they allow huge groups to gather.

 

[dieumeye]

Being told here in California to prepare for at least another 2 months of stay-at-home mandates got me thinking about how the park reopening process is going to affect DL (my home park) and affect a currently booked WDW trip in August. Here's my assessment of the possible scenarios:

1. DL is closed. This is the current situation. Who knows how long it will stay that way. Could be open mid-April, could be closed until summer or longer. Either way, as long as the park is closed, the decision to visit has been made for everyone.

2. DL is open but in a limited capacity. What if in initially only select resorts & dining locations are open, or select parks (say, just DL and not DCA), or only some rides? What if there are no fireworks, no shows, no parades, no character meet & greets? Potential visitors will have to assess what is being offered and see if a trip is still worth it.

3. DL is open but there is "social wariness" about going. This is harder to quantify and strictly a personal decision. If DL is open, there will no doubt be people who will rush to be there opening day. But I imagine for a lot of people there will be some initial wariness about going back into a large group setting - especially at a place like DL where people from all over the country and world are gathering. If the park has only recently opened, some might feel better taking some time to "see how it goes" with others before visiting themselves.

4. DL is fully open (so not option 2) and it has been open for awhile (so not option 3) but there are fundamental changes to the way DL operates (either temporary or permanently). What I'm imagining here is that DL is fully open, but there are new policies and procedures in place, like: you need to have your temperature taken before entering a park, or there are hand washing stations you must use before entering a restaurant (like on a cruise ship), or all rides have a virtual queue, or all shows are filled to only half capacity for social distancing. Whatever these things are, they'd be for the health & safety of guests, so in a way it's not unlike having to go through security. But if the experience changes enough, or in a way that would seriously detract from the trip, you'd have to take that into account when deciding whether to go.

5. DL is open and everything is back to normal like none of this ever happened. It could happen, right? At least some day? But I have a feeling like we won't be at this point for awhile, maybe even a couple years.

I'm hoping we're at least at #4 some time this year, but I have a feeling we may be at some combination of 2 & 3 longer than people think.

That's my assessment anyway.

 

[midnight star]

https://www.piratesandprincesses.ne...f-labor-relations-over-lack-of-communication/Gothic Rosie reported on this. Since other theme parks in the area have announced extending their closures, Disneyland hasn't. So it has left CM's in a limbo.Their union is trying to get more info out of them.

 

[socaldisneylover]

Our country is not taking this seriously enough. We are also not prepared to handle this crisis medically. There are people who still believe we are nearing the peak, and that in April, things will start getting back to normal. We're being lied to and fed fantasy timelines, yet nobody has bothered to tell the virus of these plans. Even Italy, where they waited far too long, have now taken this far more seriously than the U.S. has. And they are nowhere near an end to their isolation measures.

The U.S. has gone less than 2 Weeks. Let me say that again.....2 WEEKS, where places have been under stay at home orders. But the worst part is that there are still plenty of places in the U.S. where they are ignoring any restrictions, and going about their regular lives, as if the virus is somehow going to respect their city/county/state borders. It's Insane. Meanwhile this virus is spreading exponentially, and there is no end in sight.

If we had reacted like China, I think we maybe could have realistically seen a place like Disneyland open by perhaps July or August. Since we preferred to ignore the problem, and continue to ignore the problem, there's no way to know what the timetable will look like. I could easily see it taking until September/October, before heavily attended public venues such as Disneyland, can even slowly re-open. Probably with many limitations, until the virus is under control, or there is treatment or a vaccine, although it may be up to 12-18 months before the latter occurs.

 

[EmJ]

Our country is not taking this seriously enough. We are also not prepared to handle this crisis medically. There are people who still believe we are nearing the peak, and that in April, things will start getting back to normal. We're being lied to and fed fantasy timelines, yet nobody has bothered to tell the virus of these plans. Even Italy, where they waited far too long, have now taken this far more seriously than the U.S. has. And they are nowhere near an end to their isolation measures.

The U.S. has gone less than 2 Weeks. Let me say that again.....2 WEEKS, where places have been under stay at home orders. But the worst part is that there are still plenty of places in the U.S. where they are ignoring any restrictions, and going about their regular lives, as if the virus is somehow going to respect their city/county/state borders. It's Insane. Meanwhile this virus is spreading exponentially, and there is no end in sight.

If we had reacted like China, I think we maybe could have realistically seen a place like Disneyland open by perhaps July or August. Since we preferred to ignore the problem, and continue to ignore the problem, there's no way to know what the timetable will look like. I could easily see it taking until September/October, before heavily attended public venues such as Disneyland, can even slowly re-open. Probably with many limitations, until the virus is under control, or there is treatment or a vaccine, although it may be up to 12-18 months before the latter occurs.

I’ve started to contemplate the very real possibility that my son will not start kindergarten in a physical school building on August 18. I feel so beaten down. It’s like living in a B rated movie.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

I think it’s so hard not knowing when the end in sight will be. And my go to for destressing is planning our Disney trips and now I feel like that’s been taken away because I realistically just don’t know when we’ll get to go. I guess just keep planning and know it will happen.... at some point!

It’s really frustrating to not hear an announcement from Disney yet, I don’t blame the CMs for being upset.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Article published in today’s OC Register:

https://www.ocregister.com/disney-f...ne-two-punch-at-u-s-theme-parks-analysts-warn

 

[hiroMYhero]

Tokyo DLR info also confirmed by TDL CMs:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1243564188653498370

 

[LoriLovesMickey]

Get yourself some popcorn and something fun to drink, sit down, and listen: Disneyland 60th Anniversary Album. Enjoy!

This makes me happy and sad all at the same time.

 

[alvernon90]

3. DL is open but there is "social wariness" about going. This is harder to quantify and strictly a personal decision. If DL is open, there will no doubt be people who will rush to be there opening day. But I imagine for a lot of people there will be some initial wariness about going back into a large group setting - especially at a place like DL where people from all over the country and world are gathering. If the park has only recently opened, some might feel better taking some time to "see how it goes" with others before visiting themselves.

Well, at least one bit of good news about this is after the first infection wave burns through the country like a wildfire, a lot of people will get the virus and not be sick enough to seek treatment. Once that happens, those people will be immune.

The big problem we face right now requiring us to shut down the whole country is that we do not know who is currently infected and who already has been infected, so everyone needs to stay home. But six months from now, a lot of us will be able to take a cheap and easy blood test to see if we are immune, and anyone who is can go back to normal life without fear because they can't catch it and can't spread it. So the wariness may not be such a big deal if the parks reopen this fall, even with another virus wave ready to hit.

 

[SeaDis]

Not sure if posted:

12:32 PT - Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort will remain closed until further notice and hourly parks and resorts cast members will continued to be paid through April 18, the Walt Disney Company says in statement.

 

[pepperandchips]

In case anyone is not following the main news thread, the parks are now closed until further notice. The below was posted by @rteetz

 

[hiroMYhero]

The updated Closure info is also on the DL app.

 

[socaldisneylover]

The indefinite wording in that press release may indicate that Disney is finally realizing we're no longer living in Fantasyland, and this crisis is going to last more than 16 days.