Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are expected to be closed for more than a year and not reopen before the end of March or early April, while California theme parks will remain closed according to state guidelines, according to Disney officials.
“Our current expectation is that Disneyland and Disneyland Paris will be closed for the entire second quarter,” said Christine McCarthy, chief financial officer of Disney.
McCarthy comments on the continued closure of Disney’s Anaheim theme parks during a conference call with analysts on Thursday, February 11th. Disney’s second quarter usually ends between March 28 and April 2.
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Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and other California theme parks closed in mid-March and are not expected to return to the COVID-19 health and safety reopening guidelines issued by the state until spring or summer.
“It’s hard to believe that almost a year has passed since the pandemic began, which continues to negatively impact our company’s operations,” said Disney CEO Bob Chapek.
Disney’s theme parks in Florida, Japan and Shanghai remain open after prolonged closures of the coronavirus. Disneyland Paris will reopen on April 2, according to the park’s website, if conditions allow.
“As for the prospects for the parks for the rest of the year and the capacity, it will really be determined by the vaccination of the public,” Chapek said. “It seems to be the biggest leverage we can have to take and enlarge the parks that are currently under limited capacity, or to open parks that are currently closed.”
More than 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered at the Disneyland super site that opened in mid-January, Chapek said.
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Government officials in Hong Kong have announced that theme parks and other entertainment venues may reopen on February 18 with COVID-19 health and safety restrictions, Reuters reports.
“We are hopeful that we can reopen Hong Kong Disneyland during the quarter,” McCarthy said during the call.
The continued closure of Disneyland until the end of March or early April coincides with the first possible date that California theme parks can reopen under state guidelines.
California officials have issued separate guidelines for reopening small and large theme parks under Gepin Newsom’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Small theme parks with a capacity of less than 15 000 visitors can reopen in the orange / moderate level 3, while large theme parks can return in the yellow / minimal level 4.
Orange County – home to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure – is currently at the most restrictive press / widespread level 1 risk level.
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California theme parks could reopen within six weeks if the provinces in which they live can reach the lowest yellow / minimum level 4 – but that’s a big question. At the moment, California theme parks can reopen at the end of March.
A six-week timeline for the reopening of Disneyland is simply a best-case scenario and highly unlikely – but it provides the first possible date on which the park could reopen under state guidelines.