Disneyland has officially been closed for six months, after its temporary closure began on March 14, 2020. As of this writing, a reopening date has yet to be announced, following a delay of its initial reopening plans.
Smoke Above Disneyland
Now, an organization who represents major theme parks in the state of California, including Disneyland, is calling on the governor to issue the key industry guidelines needed to reopen.
A couple of weeks ago, we shared the news that California Governor Gavin Newsom said that discussions regarding the reopening of the state’s theme parks were “forthcoming.” Governor Newsom previously said, “Specific to the issue of many, not just the one group that you mentioned, the one brand, but other amusement park operators, we are working with them. We set our discussions aside on that, they’re forthcoming, it is a very dynamic conversation. And so we didn’t include it in the update today, that is a separate conversation.”
That statement is now being contradicted by California Attractions and Parks Association executive director Erin Guerrero, who appears to claim the exact opposite is true.
Disneyland Hotel
In a statement reported on by Orange County Register, Guerrero says that the “parks require guidance from the state and that guidance has not been forthcoming.”
Disney California Adventure Park
The contradiction in these two statements made by the governor and more recently by Guerrero on what exactly is or is not “forthcoming” may point to what Newsom described last week as “open-ended” negotiations between the state and the theme park industry.
Disneyland Gate
Guerrero also pointed out in her statement that the impact that comes with reopening the theme parks stretches far beyond the gates of the parks themselves. Guerrero stated that “Tens of thousands of jobs have been weighing in the balance. Hundreds of millions of tax revenue that support critical local, state, and federal programs, lost. And local businesses that rely on amusement parks continue to struggle, with many closing permanently.”
Main Entrance to Universal Studios Hollywood
California Attractions and Parks Association, or CAPA, does not just represent Disneyland. They represent other major theme parks as well as smaller parks across the state who may not be as financially secure to weather a long-term closure. CAPA represents Disneyland Resort, Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, SeaWorld San Diego, Legoland California, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom and California’s Great America, and others.
Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland
Last week, Orange County, where Disneyland, as well as another CAPA-represented theme park Knott’s Berry Farm, are located, advanced to the next phase of reopening, which many took as a sign that reopening dates may soon be announced. However, without the industry guidelines from the state, theme parks statewide cannot reopen.
Disneyland Resort
The Disneyland Resort has made some progress in-step with state and county guidance. Indoor dining is once again permitted in Orange County, and within a few days, the restaurants in Downtown Disney were seating guests indoors with limited capacity.
Tortilla Jo’s
We will continue to keep a watchful eye on the Disneyland Resort for any and all announcements! We have noticed an increase in activity in and around Disneyland, which may indicate that the parks are preparing to reopen whenever they get the green light from the state government.
Click here to read more about Orange County’s move into the next reopening phase, and what that could mean for Disneyland.
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I think the headline is misleading as Erin Guerrero is the executive director of California Attractions and Parks Association which is not an entity of Disneyland; the group represents many theme parks. A more accurate headline would be “California Attractions and Parks Association representative says…”
Thank you, Sue.
Newsom has been saying news is “forthcoming” for weeks, if not longer, but no news ever comes. Sounds like a teenager trying to keep delaying doing a homework assignment and hoping his parents forget about it so he can lay on the couch and play video games. Time for him to develop some leadership skills.