With about a month to go until its planned reopening, Disneyland has unveiled new health and safety measures for guests and employees to help curb the spread of coronavirus.
Last week, Disney announced plans — pending state and local approval — to welcome back visitors to the “happiest place on Earth” on July 17. Disneyland and Disney California Adventure have been closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Visitors to the Anaheim theme parks, as well as cast members, will see a number of new changes implemented, according to new guidelines posted on the Disneyland Resort’s website.
Guests will have their temperatures taken prior to entering the theme parks or the Downtown Disney District, which is slated to reopen July 9. Employees will undergo similar health screenings.
Facial masks will also be mandated for everyone under new and enhanced protective measures.
To ensure physical distancing can be maintained, Disney will limit capacity at both theme parks and add signs to help visitors “move responsibly.”
Some live attractions, such as parades and nighttime spectaculars like “World of Color” and “Fantasmic,” will be temporarily paused, while character meet-and-greets will be placed on hold.
It’s unclear yet whether any rides will be affected.
Cashless transactions are being recommended to reduce interactions between guests and cast members. As part of the effort, the mobile ordering feature in Disneyland’s app will be expanded.
Additionally, hand-washing stations and physical barriers will be added, when appropriate. And the park said it would “build upon our existing standards of cleaning” with enhanced cleaning and sanitation measures.
“We recognize that the COVID-19 situation is constantly evolving, which is why our reopening approach is deliberately fluid and phased, and there are many factors that are helping us determine the timing of when various aspects of our business will reopen in a responsible way,” Disney’s website states.
It’s not immediately known how many people will be allowed in daily, but attendance will be managed through an advance reservation system that all visitors — including annual passholders — will have to utilize in order to visit. Details on the new system will be made public soon, the company said.
Disney has also temporarily stopped new ticket sales, and annual passport sales and renewals.
