The authorities have decided to reopen Disneyland Resort in Southern California and other theme parks and amusement parks in the state. That would come as a huge relief to the young and the old who had been missing the attractions on offer in these venues. Coronavirus led to the forced closure of parks, sports and concert venues, and cinema halls. The closure has been going on for nearly a year to prevent the spread of the disease. Businesses lost revenue, and Disneyland theme parks suffered. The reopening will be with limits on capacity and include Magic Mountain and Universal Studios.
An official of the Health and Human Services made the announcement. He is Mark Ghaly, and he said - "We feel like now is the appropriate time to begin to reintroduce these activities in some fashion, and in a guarded way, slowly and steadily." The intention is to bring back normalcy in a phased manner. In March 2018, Disney theme parks were added to Google Street View.
CNN says Walt Disney World Resort in Florida reopened earlier. That was in July 2020. There was a capacity limit, and the strict COVID-19 regulations did not help much. These parks offer plenty of entertainment to all, and it is difficult to avoid crowds. Therefore, a visit to such places loses its charm if there are empty spaces around.
The Travel industry struggled to come to terms with the situation.
The reopening of theme parks would help revive business
Ken Potrock is the president of Disneyland Resort. He explained to a section of the media that theme parks' reopening is a positive sign for businesses. It would mean people could get back to work. He added that Disney had implemented safety measures around the world to ensure the safety of the visitors.
In May, there were reports that Disney theme parks could lose $21 billion during the lockdown. CNN goes on to mention profits for the company that has reduced. This is understandable because it depends on footfalls. The result of the virus was the loss of revenue. Disney tried out alternate sources like the Disney+ streaming service to maintain continuity.
The labor union applauded the announcement because many Disney cast members were furloughed or out of a job for nearly a year. Obviously, they see a glimmer of hope.
Criteria for reopening theme parks
The reopening of theme parks is necessary to boost businesses that had been struggling to remain visible. The authorities have spelled out certain criteria to ensure safety from the spread of Covid-19. These parks and similar enterprises have to adhere to these guidelines, like limited capacity plus a time limit on indoor rides. Those who seek thrills have to queue up outside and enter in groups. CNN adds that the disease has affected Disney's park operations globally. Hong Kong Disneyland reopened in February.
Disneyland Paris shifted its reopening date to April. As far as Disney facilities in Japan go, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea are open. However, it has to restrict the number of daily visitors.
Theme parks get the green signal to reopen
According to Mirror UK, California gave the green signal to reopen Disneyland and other theme parks. They were closed for almost a year due to the coronavirus. In March, Disney downed shutters on theme parks in Anaheim and Orlando. California Department of Health announced health officials in the US had granted permission to the venues to reopen to the public on April 1. However, they have to reduce their capacity. An official of the Disneyland Resort said such an action would get thousands of people back to work. It would also help business that was fighting to survive. In September, Disney indicated it was furloughing a section of workers attached to its US theme parks in California and Florida.
