Disneyland Resort Update for March 29 – April 6, 2021

Disneyland Resort Update for March 29 – April 6, 2021

News and Views

California sets guidelines as theme parks prepare to reopen

The State of California earlier this month gave theme parks the green light to reopen as soon as this coming Thursday, April 1, but only last week released detailed guidance for that reopening. These plans outline how theme park operators can proceed with their reopening plans, and give Disney fans an idea of what they may expect when Disneyland and Disney California Adventure reopen on April 30.

The guidance for amusement parks and theme parks details precautions to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 among theme park workers and visitors, with an emphasis on five key areas: physical distancing; face coverings; ventilation of indoor areas; hand-washing and cleaning; and worker training and testing.

Many of the requirements are fairly commonplace in our COVID world: workers and visitors alike must wear face coverings; non-related parties are to maintain a six-foot separation from other groups; and eating and drinking are only permitted in designated areas.

The state suggests that park operators “limit shuttle service whenever possible and in accordance with obligations to individuals with disabilities,” which could mean that we need to get used to the long walk from the Mickey and Friends parking structure. Disney has not yet said if they will offer stroller or ECV rental when the parks reopen, but it's worth noting that these rentals are not currently offered during the Touch of Disney event.

Disney has already said it will manage attendance through a new advance reservation system. Not only is admission limited to California residents until further notice, but the new guidelines also require theme park operators to obtain “an attestation that when visiting the park, the guest’s party size will not contain more than three households and the guest, and all members of the guest’s party will be in-state visitors.” Park operators must also collect the ticket purchaser's name and phone number for possible future contact tracing.

Some of the new details will definitely impact the operation of favorite Disney rides. One requirement is that indoor rides must be no longer than 15 minutes, which means “it's a small world” and the Haunted Mansion are probably OK, but Pirates of the Caribbean and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance may be just a bit too long to qualify.

Further, all queues must be located outdoors, which could prove tricky for attractions with elaborate interior queues, such as the Indiana Jones Adventure, Space Mountain, and Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. You can also expect to see some unusual queue configurations in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, as the usually indoor queue is shifted outside.

When loading a ride, people from one household must be at least six feet apart from members of another household, and the state recommends discontinuing the use of single rider lines.

Under these guidelines, theater-style attractions like Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and Mickey's PhilharMagic cannot reopen, nor can the Disney Junior Dance Party. Disney has already said that parades, nighttime spectaculars, and character meet-and-greets will return at a later time.

While it's not surprising that the state requires employers to offer optional weekly COVID testing for workers, one startling element of these guidelines is that workers who do not participate in the testing are counted towards the park's 15% or 25% capacity limit. Simply put, each worker on the schedule who hasn't been tested for COVID in the past week is one less ticket the theme park can sell that day. This has the potential to cause some serious conflicts between theme park operators, employees, and the various unions.

Some of the state's guidelines change based on the which of the state's color-coded COVID tiers the theme park is based. In the purple (widespread) tier, theme parks may not operate at all. If COVID infections spike once more and a county returns to the purple tier, all theme park operations must close.

Theme parks can open in the red (substantial) tier, which is where both Orange County and Los Angeles County sit at press time. However, we expect Orange County to drop into the orange (moderate) tier this week, and for Disneyland to open subject to those guidelines.

In the orange tier, theme parks are limited to no more than 25% of their capacity, based on either fire department occupancy or operating design capacity. Indoor dining in theme park restaurants is also permitted in the orange tier, but only at 25% capacity.

At whatever point Orange County moves to the yellow (minimal) tier, park managers could increase attendance to 35% capacity, reopen indoor operations at 25% capacity, and increase indoor dining capacity to 50%.

Regardless of tier, however, attendance will still be limited to in-state visitors as long as a travel advisory from the California Department of Public Health is still in effect. And it's always worth repeating that there's no “green” tier of California's Blueprint to Recovery, and no indication at what point the state will revoke these guidelines entirely.

Ticket update and sales speculation

When Disneyland closed last March due to the global pandemic, thousands of travelers were left holding unused or partially used tickets, either purchased in advance of a planned trip or as part of the 2020 Southern California resident ticket offer.

Last week, Disney posted an update about new extensions to the expiration dates of those tickets, which should help travelers as they begin to plan their return to Anaheim. It's easy to get bogged down in the fine print, so you need to know what type of ticket you hold and when it expires.

There are also extensions for the promotional Child Ticket, Canadian Resident ticket, Australia/New Zealand Resident ticket and the 2020 Military Salute ticket. Visit the Disneyland website for full details.

While this is good information for people holding onto unused tickets, it still leaves vacation planners wondering exactly how they can redeem those tickets or buy new ones for Disneyland's reopening day. Disney has yet to release on-sale information, and fans are anxious for details.

The delay may have to do with Tuesday's expected announcement that Orange County, California has met the standards to move into the orange (moderate) tier of the state's color-coded system. A move to the orange tier means Disney could open the park at higher capacity—25% instead of just 15%.

On paper, Orange County meets all of the criteria to move into the orange tier, and has met the three-week waiting period required to drop down a tier. The state officially makes new tier designations on Tuesdays, so we expect the change to be announced on March 30, and for Disney to open ticket sales later this week.

If you're already itching to make travel plans, we recommend working with an authorized travel agency like MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Today so you get the most up-to-the-minute information on hotel and ticket availability as it is announced.

Disney seeks zoning update in advance of possible resort expansion

Disney officials are asking the City of Anaheim to update the terms of decades-old planning agreements, as it prepares for a possible major expansion of the Disneyland Resort.

Company representatives laid out their case for revising the Disneyland Resort Specific Plan during a conference call last week. The 1993 agreement set up land use and site development standards for the Disneyland Resort, and restricts the type of development allowed on each parcel to a single specific use, such as theme park, hotel or parking.

Concept art provided by Disney invites the viewer to imagine the possibilities if the city of Anaheim permits Disney to create a mixed-use development. Photo © Disney.

In an initiative dubbed DisneylandForward, the company seeks to update the existing approvals to allow development of new theme park, hotel, shopping and entertainment venues on land Disney already owns, including the existing Toy Story and Simba parking lots. The company seeks integrated, multi-use development on land currently zoned only for hotel space.

Jeanette Lomboy, Disney Portfolio Executive from Walt Disney Imagineering, said,

“We’ve had a long history of being bold in Anaheim, and we want to continue to be bold. But we do have constraints here in Anaheim. For our Imagineers, there is no shortage of good ideas, content and stories to tell. Unfortunately, if we can’t bring these ideas to Anaheim based on the current limitations, then Disney’s investment goes elsewhere to our other parks.”

Disney envisions a multi-year public review and approval process, which would culminate in a formal presentation to the planning commission and approval by the city council. Disney officials stress that they are not seeking tax concessions or public funding for any future expansion, and are not ready to announce any specific plans for the parcels at this time.

An artist rendering of possible development on the west side of the Disneyland Resort, expanding theme parks into the hotel district. Photo © Disney.

However, the company did provide some concept art showing possible future uses for two parcels, and has launched a DisneylandForward website to give Anaheim residents a vision of what could come to town if the company gets the zoning changes it seeks.

We covered the DisneylandForward announcement here on MousePlanet last week, but wanted to briefly revisit the topic.

To be clear, and despite what you may have read elsewhere, Disney has not announced a third theme park. Everything Disney has presented here is a concept, with the artwork clearly labeled “for illustrative purposes only” and accompanied by an answer in the Frequently Asked Questions which says “Right now, we don’t have any specific projects planned for the future.”

All of the beautiful concept art showing lands inspired by Frozen, Peter Pan, Tangled, Zootopia, Tron and more are images of things Imagineers are building in other Disney theme parks, not necessarily anything earmarked for Anaheim, regardless of whether Disney gets the approvals it seeks.

Disney could get every single thing they ask for and not spend another dime on expanding their holdings in Anaheim. There is no building commitment, no time line, and no revenue guarantee.

The existing Toy Story parking lot could be developed as a mixed use district, similar to the Disney Town complex at Shanghai Disney Resort or Disney Springs in Orlando. Photo © Disney.

The Disney Springs-esque complex shown as one possibility for the Toy Story parking lot is certainly compelling –  and would also be directly across the street from the Anaheim Garden Walk, an existing shopping district which is struggling to attract or retain tenants, and has already been through bankruptcy.

Disney also wants to revisit the Eastern Gateway project, which would put a 7,000-space parking structure to the east of Disneyland, with a pedestrian bridge across Harbor Blvd. linking the structure to the Disneyland main entrance plaza. The company dropped the project in 2017 due to ongoing disputes with the city and local business owners, and instead built the Pixar Pals parking structure on the west side of the property.

Disney says their intention to revisit these agreements with the city predates, and was actually delayed by, the pandemic. That's probably true, and you can see the seeds of that plan were likely sown in late 2018, when then-Disneyland Resort president Josh D'Amaro asked the City of Anaheim to set aside two controversial tax agreements which had become a wedge between the two entities.

But it's also true that the landscape has changed dramatically for Disney since 2018, with a new city council in place and a year-long shutdown which has pushed Anaheim to the financial brink. Just last week it came out the city is looking to borrow $200M to fill budget holes caused by the year-long closure of the Disneyland Resort and related businesses. Disney didn't create this current situation, but there's no doubt the company enters these negotiations in a much stronger position than would have been the case 18 months ago.

Hopefully the company also recognizes a much greater responsibility to the community than may have been the case previously. All those Harbor Blvd. business owners who were once concerned about Disney whisking visitors right past their doors are now struggling just to reopen their doors at all, and the community has been devastated by the loss of employment due to the extended closure.

With so many stark facts about Anaheim's economy now laid bare for everyone to see, this is the perfect time for all parties to come together and negotiate in good faith for the benefit of the entire community.

This and That…

…Starbucks East has reopened in Downtown Disney.

…The MousePlanet Newsletter contains a recap of the week's articles (in case you miss a day), news that may have developed since the weekly Updates were published, and tips for keeping the Disney magic going at home. We'll also include a fun bonus, such as an Eye Spy or a trivia question. To subscribe to our free newsletter, just enter your email in the box below.

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Refurbishments and Attraction Closures

Note: Due to the ongoing closure of the Disneyland Resort, refurbishment has been postponed or rescheduled. Information presented below was current as of March 14, 2020, but will certainly change when the parks reopen. We recommend checking for updates as you plan your visit. All information is subject to change without notice. To get the most recent updates, visit Disneyland.com or use the MyDisneyExperience smartphone application on your iOS or Android device.

View the different areas of the Resort by scrolling horizontally and selecting the one you want to read about.

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Resort Events

Check here to see if a large convention, competition, or park event might fall during your next trip to the Disneyland Resort. If you know of any in-park events, official or unofficial, that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail.

New! Just click the year you want to expand (or close).

2021-2022

We also recommend checking the convention calendar at the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor and Convention Bureau website. When looking at that site, remember to note both the number of people and the number of rooms resulting from each convention. A gathering of 25,000 people booking few room nights (indicating most will be driving in to the area for their meeting) can impact traffic around the resort much more than a crowd of 25,000 staying in area hotels. Of course, that second group is going to make finding a hotel room more difficult (and possibly more expensive), so it's best to book your own room as early as possible if you see that a big convention is in town during your trip.

Non-Disney Resort Events

Notable events at parks and attractions around Southern California. If you know of an event that should be listed here, please send us an e-mail.

Current Discounts and Promotions

Disneyland prices as of January 6, 2019.

Note: MousePlanet does not edit past Updates to reflect price increases; for up-to-date prices, check the most recent Disneyland Resort Update. Several current promotions offer discounted admission to the Disneyland Resort. For your convenience, we have grouped the discount offers based on the number of days the tickets are valid. Check out the category that best matches the amount of time you plan to spend at the resort, and pick the offer that works best for you. And keep those tips coming—let us know if you find a better or different offer, so we can share it with other readers!

This first section is a list of discounts on ticket-only purchases. Though it has become more common in recent years, Disneyland tickets are rarely offered at deep discounts unless you are a resident of Southern California or Northern Mexico. For residents outside that area, the best discounts available tend to be simple advance purchase discounts. If you know of any additional discounts, offers, promotions, or contests that should be listed in this section, drop us a line. Note, we are no longer listing offers from the Anaheim-Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau, as their convenience fee negates any savings.

Don't get scammed! Never buy tickets from an unofficial or secondary outlet, such as through eBay or Craigslist. Never rent or purchase tickets from people approaching you outside the gates stating they have remaining days or leftover tickets. This practice is against the terms of use for Disneyland admission, and may result in denial of entry. It is also common for criminals to shoplift inactivated Disney theme park tickets from supermarkets to resell them. There is no way to determine if these tickets are valid until you try to use them to enter the parks. Only purchase Disney theme park tickets directly from Disney, an authorized seller, or travel agency like MousePlanet travel partner Get Away Today.

Ticket Prices and Promotions

New! Just click the number of days or ticket type you want to view.

Additional Discounts

Did we miss an offer? If you know of an authorized discount on Disneyland Resort tickets, standing offers for Annual Passholders from non-Disney vendors, or other promotions which might interest our readers, please drop us a note!

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Everyone

Annual Passholders

Disney Rewards VISA Credit Card Holders

Southern California Residents

Disney Vacation Club Members

Service Members

Hotel & Travel Packages

If you can't see the categories, please let us know!

Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

• DL – Disneyland
• DCA – Disney California Adventure

Annual Pass blockouts:

• SL – Southern California Select Annual Pass
• SC – Southern California Annual Pass
• DX – Deluxe Annual Pass
• SG – Signature Annual Pass

Flex Pass blockouts:

• Good to Go – may enter park without prior reservation
• Reservation only – must make advance reservation to enter park
• Blocked out – may not use pass to enter park

Early Admission – full description available on the Disneyland website:

• MM – Magic Mornings for 3-plus day ticket holders and promotional “bonus” tickets.
• EMH – Extra Magic Hour for Disneyland Resort Hotel Guests
• EA – Early Admission for Annual Passholders (not currently offered)

Disneyland Resort Special Events:

• F&W – Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
• GN – Grad Nite. Canceled for 2020
• OBB – Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure

Visit our Annual Passholders Blockout Dates page to see more dates. You can see future calendar schedules at Disneyland. As always, specifics are subject to change without notice (or occasionally, without us noticing) so when information conflicts between what is presented here and that presented by Disney, it is best to assume Disney's information is correct.

Visit the Park Hours section of our Disneyland Park guide for additional details about Magic Morning and Toontown Morning Madness, including available attractions. Entertainment schedule: Go directly to the Disneyland Resort schedule for this week at Disneyland.com here.

The Ticket Tier calendar is published on the Disneyland website for the next eight to 11 months.

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