Fans of the Disney Parks have been waiting on pins and needles for any official announcement about a Disneyland Resort opening date. I almost wrote “waiting patiently,” but it seems the patience has run out amongst fans, local Anaheim leadership, and the Disney company. Everyone is waiting for word from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has promised an announcement regarding reopening theme parks for weeks now. No one is claiming this is an easy decision to make, COVID-19 is deadly and many states have lifted restrictions, only to quickly shut down again after new reported spikes in cases. However, the Disney Parks have proven that their new policies are keeping guests and cast members safe. You just have to look at Walt Disney World in Florida, along with the international parks in Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. There have been no reported outbreaks tied to Disney theme parks anywhere in the world.
But alas, we wait.
Enter David Koenig. A successful author of many unauthorized behind the scenes books on Disney Parks. Authors note: I own four of his books and they are entertaining reads. Koenig had previously been first to report the initial reopening plans for Disneyland in July. However a summer surge in cases caused the state of California to lock back down, canceling the planned July reopening. While the reopening was scrapped, his reporting as accurate and he is back with a new prediction, the week of November 6th.
Koenig penned an article titled “The Return of Disneyland II” that was reported on the Disney fan site MiceChat. In the article Koenig claims that the Disneyland Resort is starting to rev back up and is doing so with a planned reopening the week of November 6th. He cites the same sources that he used earlier in the summer.
Some of the changes Koenig reports are ones we have already seen in Walt Disney World, these include: dozens of added hand washing stations being installed, plastic coverings on point of sale equipment, minimizing opportunities for guests to cluster by limiting parades, character greetings, and night time shows. He also shares Disneyland specific changes like the closing of Launch Bay, to be used by cast members to expand their backstage area, and the temporary closing of Jolly Holliday Bakery.
It is clear that Koenig has reliable sources within the Disney company, however, the issue is out of Disney’s hands. As previously stated, the reopening date is coming from Governor Newsom. If the Disney Parks had their way, the parks would already be open. It is important to note that, barring any significant changes in the COVID-19 trajectory, we will have theme park guidance from the state of California very soon and that makes the week of November 6th seem reasonable.
It doesn’t take inside sources to conclude that the park would reasonably need one month to call back employees to get the park operating again. But it sure is nice to have them. Thank you to David Koenig and our friends over at MiceChat for their reporting.
As we wait for official word from the Governor in Sacramento, it is important to note that public pressure on public officials is always helpful. A letter, a phone call, or a social media post will help let the state know that guests are ready for a little magic in their lives and the local economy is ready for the Mickey Mouse shaped life preserver to be thrown their way.
Stay close to The DisInsider for details on reopening plans.
David Koenig’s article can be found at MiceChat
About Post Author
Team,
I write this note to you today to share some difficult decisions that we have had to make regarding our Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products organization.
Let me start with my belief that the heart and soul of our business is and always will be people. Just like all of you, I love what I do. I also love being surrounded by people who think about their roles as more than jobs, but as opportunities to be a part of something special, something different, and something truly magical.
Earlier this year, in response to the pandemic, we were forced to close our businesses around the world. Few of us could have imagined how significantly the pandemic would impact us — both at work and in our daily lives. We initially hoped that this situation would be short-lived, and that we would recover quickly and return to normal. Seven months later, we find that has not been the case. And, as a result, today we are now forced to reduce the size of our team across executive, salaried, and hourly roles.
As you can imagine, a decision of this magnitude is not easy. For the last several months, our management team has worked tirelessly to avoid having to separate anyone from the Company. We’ve cut expenses, suspended capital projects, furloughed our Cast Members while still paying benefits, and modified our operations to run as efficiently as possible, however, we simply cannot responsibly stay fully staffed while operating at such limited capacity.
As heartbreaking as it is to take this action, this is the only feasible option we have in light of the prolonged impact of COVID-19 on our business, including limited capacity due to physical distancing requirements and the continued uncertainty regarding the duration of the pandemic.
Thank you for your dedication, patience and understanding during these difficult times. I know that these changes will be challenging. It will take time for all of us to process this information and its impact. We will be scheduling appointments with our affected salaried and non-union hourly employees over the next few days. Additionally, today we will begin the process of discussing next steps with unions. We encourage you to visit The Hub or the WDI Homepage for any support you may need.
For those who will be affected by this decision, I want to thank you for all that you have done for our company and our guests. While we don’t know when the pandemic will be behind us, we are confident in our resilience, and hope to welcome back Cast Members and employees when we can.
Most sincerely,
Josh D’Amaro
Chairman
Disney Parks, Experiences and Products