Updated 6-25-2020

Disney Parks Blog continues to announce information in regards to reopening Disney parks around the world. I will keep this post updated as news comes in. So be sure to bookmark this post so you can reference it anytime. While my focus will be on Disneyland, I will also share news about all the Disney Parks according to what Disney reports. There are lots of rumors running around and I will only be sharing confirmed news from Disney. For news on a specific park see below.

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Disneyland

The proposed reopening date of July 17th has been postponed until further notice. “Given the time required for us to bring thousands of cast members back to work and restart our business, we have no choice but to delay the reopening of our theme parks and resort hotels until we receive approval from government officials.” Disney states in an article by Brady McDonald of the OC Register.

“Once we have a clearer understanding of when guidelines will be released, we expect to be able to communicate a reopening date,” according to a statement from Disneyland. Read more in this article from the Disney Parks blog.

Here is the official statement from Disney.

Disney’s Grand Californian and Paradise Pier hotels were scheduled to reopen on July 23rd and that has now been postponed as well.

For information about extension of tickets, annual passports, ticketed events and more check out my post from when COVID-19 started back in March for details.

Downtown Disney reopens July 9th

Here is what Disney shared on their website. A variety of shopping and dining experiences will begin to reopen at the Downtown Disney District on July 9, 2020, including the World of Disney store.

We have implemented new health and safety measures based on guidance from health authorities, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and appropriate government agencies.

For Cast Members, Operating Participant employees and Guests, there are 6 key things to expect when visiting the Downtown Disney District:

Limited parking and clearly defined entrances to the Downtown Disney District
Temperature screenings prior to entry
Face coverings are required
Physical distancing measures, including physically-distanced queues and seating, and physical barriers at select locations
Temporary operations modifications, including reduced hours at select locations and the suspension of entertainment offerings and high-touch interactive areas
An increased focus on cleaning and sanitation, including the addition of hand-washing stations and hand sanitizers in key areas

Since many of these measures will be new, and may evolve, we want to be sure Guests, Cast Members and Operating Participant employees are aware of all these changes before they arrive. Additional measures and information may be shared closer to the opening date. For more details you can read the full article on their website.

Walt Disney World

Walt Disney World Resort will reopen Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom to the general public on July 11, followed by EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15. To read the full article head here.

Here’s some important information to help you plan ahead:

New Ticket Sales and Hotel Reservations: At this time, we are temporarily pausing new ticket sales and Disney Resort hotel reservations so we can focus on guests with existing tickets and reservations. But you can book 2021 vacations, see below.

Dining and Experiences: In order to foster physical distancing during this time, upon reopening, our offerings, restaurants and other experiences such as behind-the-scenes tours will be limited in capacity, and other experiences may remain closed.

FastPass+ and Extra Magic Hours: As a result of the COVID-19 impact, the FastPass+ service will be suspended for the time being as we plan to use additional queue space to manage capacity at our attractions and maintain physical distancing.

For more details from Disney Parks Blog read here.

Walt Disney World is now accepting new reservations for 2021 vacations. Did you know when you book any 2-night or longer Walt Disney World vacation package (onsite hotel and theme park tickets) with Get Away Today you can take advantage of complimentary concierge service? This means you’ll have a travel specialist available to price-match your vacation and make dining reservations on your behalf.

The Disney Parks Blog announced a phased reopening of Disney Springs beginning on May 20th. According to their website, a limited number of shopping and dining experiences that are owned by third-party operating participants will begin to open during this initial phase. On May 27, three Disney-owned and -operated stores and venues will reopen: World of Disney, D-Luxe Burger (mobile order) and the Marketplace Co-Op. You can visit DisneySprings.com/reopening for the most current information on which locations are open.

Disney Springs will have limitations on capacity, parking and operating hours. Disney Springs will begin to reopen in a way that incorporates enhanced safety measures, including increased cleaning procedures, the use of appropriate face coverings by both cast members and guests, limited-contact guest services and additional safety training for cast members. According to the Disney Parks Blog post here is what you need to know prior to your arrival:

Other Disney parks reopening

Shanghai Disneyland resort reopened on May 11th.

Hong Kong Disneyland reopened on June 18th.

Tokyo Disney Resort is reopening on July 1st.

Disneyland Paris is reopening on July 15th.

Plans for reopening all Disney parks

This week the Disney Parks Blog shared a message about Disney Parks from Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pamela Hymel. Here is what she shared on May 5, 2020.

I want to share an update with you about our plans and considerations as we prepare for the reopening of our parks, resorts and stores. At Disney, we’re exploring:

Phased reopening: We’re looking at all of our locations and how best to begin the reopening process, including a gradual reopening and/or partial reopening of certain locations. For example, the opening of retail and dining locations prior to the opening of our theme parks.
Physical distancing and capacity measures: As you can imagine, managing guest density in queues, restaurants, hotels, ride vehicles and other facilities throughout the park and across the resort is a major focus, as we implement physical distancing guidelines based on guidance from health authorities, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and appropriate government agencies. This will likely include implementation of guest capacity measures to comply with state and federal guidelines. We’re also exploring ways to use technology to aid us in these efforts, like with our Play Disney Parks App and through virtual queues at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Cleanliness and sanitization: We’re planning increased cleaning and disinfection, determining where that should take place (for example, in high-traffic areas), and the cleaning products and processes we’ll use.
Screening and prevention support: We’ll follow guidance from the government and the medical community regarding enhanced screening procedures and prevention measures, including those related to personal protective equipment (PPE), such as face coverings. Some measures, like adding hand sanitizers and hand washing stations across our resorts, have already been implemented.
Cast training: We’re further emphasizing our strong culture of health and safety amongst our cast members, and will continue to provide new training and reinforcement as we get closer to reopening.

These are just a few examples of the many areas we are developing plans for, so please keep an eye on our online channels, where we’ll provide more details as we confirm and begin to implement our plans. Given the constantly changing global health environment, these practices may evolve as we consider the latest guidance, but we will share more information with you as we look towards reopening.

All of these updates give a lot of hope about the slow reopening of the Disney Parks. Like I said before, I will continue to keep this post updated as news comes in. While all of this news is encouraging it’s important to remember that when you do decide to return to the Disney parks is a personal choice. I, myself, have not decided what will be best for my family and I. And I will not be recommending what you do for your situation. Just know that the parks are not going anywhere and proceed with caution would be my best advice.

Make sure you’re following along on Instagram where I share daily information about the parks in hopes to bring some Disney Magic to you at home. Stay safe and healthy my friends!