Disneyland finally has a reopening date. Disney’s original theme park, as well as Disney California Adventure, will both be welcoming guests back as of April 30, 2021. That’s more than a full year since both parks closed at the start of the pandemic—by far the longest closure in Disneyland’s history. As with Florida’s Disney World, various Covid precautions will be in place, including mandatory masks and physical distancing.
Before you try to book a flight, there are a few caveats you need to be aware of. California is cautiously sliding out of its shutdown, and per state guidelines, only California residents will be able to visit the parks when they open. Capacity will also be limited, and guests will need to make a reservation and buy tickets in advance. The whole resort won’t be reopening yet alongside the two parks. The Grand Californian Hotel and Spa will open a day before the parks, on April 29, with limited capacity; the Disney Vacation Club Villas at that resort will reopen on May 2. The other two hotels at Disneyland Resort—the Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier Hotel—will both remain closed for the time being, with no reopening dates announced yet.
In order to get the parks up and running, over 10,000 employees (or, as Disney calls them, Cast Members) will be returning to work. The company laid off 28,000 employees from its parks division last year, after its Florida resort had already reopened; hopefully this is simply the first step in restoring all of those jobs.
If you happen to live in California and can’t wait to ride the Haunted Mansion or hit up that corn dog stand, keep an eye on the Disneyland website to see when reservations and tickets become available. And if you want a rundown of all the Covid precautions Disneyland will be taking when it reopens, here’s all the info.