Disneyland Resort Update for April 27 – May 2, 2021

Disneyland Resort Update for April 27 – May 2, 2021

News and Views

Disneyland Resort readies for reopening day

Disneyland will have been closed to the public for 1 year, 1 month and 16 days when it reopens this Friday, and fans can't wait to take their first steps onto Main Street, U.S.A.

With so much excitement around the opening, it's hard to remember that a lot has changed since you last saw Sleeping Beauty Castle in person. If you're heading to Disneyland for opening weekend, here are some things to remember.

Tickets and reservation confirmation

You need both a theme park ticket and a park reservation confirmation for the same day to enter the theme parks, so it's a good idea to know how to access those on the Disneyland mobile app. You can also print out the email confirmation you received from Disney, but really, use the app if you can.

Proof of residency

Disney says that proof of residency may be required to enter the theme parks. We aren't going to get into the debate of whether Disney will or won't check IDs—we're just going to remind you that they reserve the right to. If you're at all uncertain whether your government-issued ID is enough to confirm you as a resident of California, you can always bring a utility bill or some other official correspondence with you just in case.

If you are active military and your ID doesn't reflect a California address, you can use a copy of your orders to verify residency.

Parking

Theme park parking is only available in the Mickey and Friends and adjoining Pixar Pals parking structures—the Toy Story parking lot will not be open. For opening weekend, April 30 through May 2, the parking structure will open at 6 a.m. each day, though the theme park is not scheduled to open until 9:00 a.m.

As with all major Disney events, there are going to be people who just must be the first ones in line at the gates. If that's you, please keep in mind that California currently doesn't allow eating or drinking in queues, which means you'll be waiting for three hours without refreshment. Downtown Disney will not open until 10:00 a.m., so there won't be an early-morning run to Starbucks, Jamba Juice, or La Brea Bakery.

You will not need to show your ticket or reservation to enter the parking structure, but be prepared for the cast member at the toll booth to ask if you have one. They're trying to weed out people who show up without tickets before they get turned away at the gate.

Walking, Wheelchairs and Strollers

The Disneyland trams will not be operating, so be prepared to walk about half a mile from the parking structure to the Disneyland main entrance. The accessible vans will be running for guests who need them, but be prepared for a long wait. The tram route has benches all along, so you can stop for a break if needed.

Disney will have wheelchairs, strollers and electric convenience vehicles (ECVs) available for rent at the parking structure, just before the security screening checkpoint.

Masks and Physical Distancing

The Disneyland website states that “face coverings are required for all Guests (ages 2 and older) and Cast Members, including those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine.”

That's everyone ages 2 and up. Even if you've been vaccinated. Even if you hate masks. Even if they smudge your lipstick and make it hard to talk.

Disney cast members are trained to enforce this policy, in the most Disney way possible, so please do not put them in the awkward position of having to remind you to wear your mask properly.

By now we're all very used to seeing physical distancing markers every six feet whenever we go out in public, but it will still probably come as a surprise the first time you encounter one outside Pirates of the Caribbean. Expect the unexpected during this first trip back to the parks, and be prepared for the new physical distancing measures as you wait in line and board rides.

Rise of the Resistance Virtual Queue

Disneyland's Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance had only been open for three months when the park closed due to the global pandemic; certainly not enough time for Star Wars fans to get their fill of the incredible attraction. When Disneyland reopens on Friday, Rise of the Resistance will use a virtual queue to assign boarding groups and manage the wait for hopeful riders. This is the same system Walt Disney World uses to manage the queue for its version of the attraction in Florida.

The only way to access the virtual queue is through the Disneyland mobile app, and now there are two chances each day to try for a boarding pass: One at 7:00 a.m. and a second at noon.

AM Virtual Queue

Visitors with a valid park pass and reservation to Disneyland for that day can enter the virtual queue when it opens at 7:00 a.m. each morning, from wherever they happen to be—even their homes or hotel rooms—instead of crashing the gates at opening.

Now that an advance ticket purchase and reservations are required to enter Disneyland, you should be able to link the tickets for your entire travel party well before you try to enter the virtual queue. This is an important step if you want your entire party in the same boarding group once the virtual queue opens, and will allow each person to request a boarding group for the entire party, increasing your chances. We posted step-by-step instructions for linking tickets in Rise of the Resistance Virtual Queue Update, so give that a read if you need a refresher.

PM Virtual Queue

Disneyland will open a second virtual queue at 12:00 noon to accommodate park hoppers. You can also try again if you didn't get into the morning queue. To enter the afternoon virtual queue, you must have used your ticket to enter a theme park, but you don't need to still be inside a park at noon (so go ahead and have lunch in Downtown Disney if you want). Guests with park hopper tickets may join the virtual queue while still over at Disney California Adventure, and hop to Disneyland for their boarding group once park hopping begins at 1:00 p.m. each day.

A word of caution from Alan Dalinka, our Walt Disney World editor, “The afternoon slot is risky—if the attraction has had a lot of down time [in the morning], there'll be no slots.”

Virtual EVERYTHING

The Disneyland mobile app is going to get quite a workout during your visit, so be sure to bring a spare power supply or two. You will want to use the app to check on attraction wait times, place mobile orders at restaurants, and keep an eye on your Rise of the Resistance boarding pass.

Downtown Disney parking update

A new parking policy goes into effect for Downtown Disney starting Friday, April 30.

Prior to the pandemic, Downtown Disney charged an hourly fee for parking, with validation available from participating merchants. The fee schedule was:

• First three hours free with $20 purchase from participating merchandise or quick-service restaurant locations.
• First five hours free with validation from participating table-service restaurants.
• $14 per additional hour, charged in 30-minute increments.
• $56 maximum daily rate.

When Downtown Disney first reopened last June, parking was free, but we noted that Disney had installed self-pay kiosks around the lot. When a $10 flat-rate parking fee went into effect in November, and there was no offer of free or reduced parking with validation.

Starting this Friday, parking will return to an hourly system, and Downtown Disney shops and sit-down restaurants will once again offer validation with a qualifying purchase. However, we hear the details have changed and you may have to spend a bit more at the shops to qualify.

One last change is that Disney is completely eliminating the “complimentary” parking window. Even with validation, shoppers will pay a minimum fee. We haven't heard what that fee will be, but we expect it will be between $5 and $10, even with validation.

What in the (Sea) World?

If you missed the story last week about Sea World, let's catch you up.

When California theme parks got the green light to reopen as early as April 1, the state handed down a set of guidelines that regulated everything from how many people could visit a theme park to how long they could remain inside an indoor attraction.

The guidance for amusement parks and theme parks also required theme parks to restrict admission to California residents only, pursuant to a travel advisory from the California Department of Public Health.

One local theme park, Sea World in San Diego, had already reopened under guidelines for zoos, and decided to keep operating under those more lenient guidelines through the spring break period because zoos were permitted to sell tickets to out-of-state visitors.

Last week, the park announced that it was open with rides and roller coasters, and also welcomed out-of-state visitors. A notice posted on the website Tuesday night read:

“Per state COVID-19 restrictions, attendance is limited to California in-state visitors, and now out-of-state visitors will be required to show proof of a completed COVID-19 vaccine or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of their park visit (required for guests 3 & up).”

Not surprisingly, this announcement caused quite a stir in the Southern California travel market, with everyone from travel agents to yours truly trying to figure out on what basis Sea World had made this major departure from the published California guidelines—and whether other theme parks might follow suit.

At this point, it's helpful to note that the state of California has issued a master Blueprint for a Safer Economy for the state, industry-specific guidance for theme parks, along with a travel advisory for residents and non-residents. The three documents are updated periodically, and occasionally contradict one another. Further, the guidelines are extremely situational, which is why Downtown Disney restaurants can operate at 50% of indoor capacity right now, but the Blue Bayou Restaurant inside Disneyland can't open at all.

While representatives from Sea World didn't respond to our inquiries, it seems that their actions were based on an addendum made to the Blueprint back on April 13. Though the document still states that theme parks can open to in-state visitors only—and refers back to the CDPH travel advisory, which also prohibits non-essential travel—the addendum states that “fully vaccinated persons from out of state may visit or attend activities or events that are restricted to in-state visitors.“

Even so, Sea World's policy was not consistent with that addendum, and by Wednesday, the park changed its announcement  to remove the option to provide a negative COVID-19 test. The new announcement reads:

“SeaWorld San Diego is now operating as a theme park. Per state COVID-19 restrictions, attendance is limited to California in-state visitors, and now out-of-state visitors will be required to show proof of a fully completed COVID-19 vaccine (you are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your second shot, or two weeks after the one-dose vaccine).”

The California Amusement Parks Association, an industry trade organization of which the Disneyland Resort is a member, issued a statement last week agreeing that the addendum applies to theme parks, saying, “individual parks may update their own responsible reopening plans in accordance with state and local public health regulations.”

For their part, Disney says, “Until further clarification from the state, only California residents may visit our parks, in line with current state guidelines. Please visit our policy here.“

None of the other major Southern California theme parks have changed their policies at this time, which is truly not a surprise. First, the guidance is not at all definitive, with officials from the California Department of Public Health themselves issuing conflicting statements to the media. While one spokesperson told InPark Magazine that the addendum does encompass theme parks, a different official told Deadline.com that it only applied to “movie theaters, museums, zoos and aquariums,” which are already subject to less-stringent rules.

Second, this is a policy that would be a logistical nightmare to implement. With no standard vaccine passport in place, theme parks would be in the impossible position of having to verify the vaccination status of every traveler, using whatever documentation that person happened to bring with them. And let's not forget that fakes and forgeries are readily available for sale online.

Also, it's worth pointing out that children under 16 can't even get the vaccine at this time, so this may be a great development for those Disney-loving childless millennials we keep reading about, but families with younger kids are still stuck at the border.

As confusing as this situation is, it really puts a spotlight on a much bigger event that's right around the corner: June 15 is the date Governor Gavin Newsom said the state could be ready to lift most COVID-19 restrictions and “reopen” for business as usual. We're less than 60 days away from this red-circle day on the calendar, and there's still no clear guidance on which rules would be relaxed or removed, who and how many would be allowed to visit California, and where they'd be allowed to go once here.

I'm sure theme parks would love some guidance on what to expect so they can start recalling furloughed employees they need to scale up operations, and vacation planners would love to know if it's time to make reservations yet. Given the economic impact of tourism on the state, it seems a lot better communication is in order.

Anaheim Comeback Tour

Join Todd Pickering and me this Thursday as we take part in the Anaheim Comeback Tour, hosted by our partners at Get Away Today.

As you know, the last year has been absolutely devastating for the city of Anaheim. Because of Disneyland’s extended closure, local hotels were some of the hardest-hit businesses. With the Disneyland Resort reopening this week, we're going to visit almost a dozen Anaheim area hotels, including some new properties that opened during the pandemic. We'll check out the rooms, scope out the amenities, and let you know which are best for couples, families, and family reunions!

We'll also get the details on the new Anaheim Resort Transit system, just in time to head back into Disneyland on Friday. You can follow along on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to let us know if you have a question about a property we feature.

This and That…

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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.

Please let us know if the menu bar doesn't work on your screen.

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 February, 2020.

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!

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

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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