Disneyland: See You Next Summer?
Despite news on vaccines and an uptick in Disney stock is Disneyland closed until summer 2021..
I am pretty sure I referenced this tune earlier, but it just fits…
But if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like
Nothing changed at all?
And if you close your eyes
Does it almost feel like
You’ve been here before?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
How am I gonna be an optimist about this?
Bastille – “Pompeii”
Today, Disneyland and other large theme parks in California slipped farther down the calendar in terms of returning to even truncated operations.
Like, we’re not going to see anyone on rides in Walt’s original park until (possibly) summer 2021.
(Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland Resort)
When I Met You In The Summer
The OCR’s Brady MacDonald posted:
Photo: hansencreative.smugmug.com
Gov. Gavin’s Newsom’s decision to move nearly all of California into the most restrictive tier of his Blueprint for a Safer Economy puts Disneyland, Knott’s, and other major California theme parks one step further away from reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Newsom announced that Orange County — home to Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and Knott’s Berry Farm — will be moving into the state’s most-restrictive purple/widespread tier 1 during a news conference on Monday, Nov. 16.
Large California theme parks remain closed and are unlikely to return to full operation until early 2021 or next summer under COVID-19 health and safety reopening guidelines issued by the state.
Photo: Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Of course, the state of play is in constant flux. Currently, two vaccines have given some hope to late 2020. However, Dr. Anthony Fauci was clear in his recent assessment of the current state of the pandemic.
The Cavalry Is Not Here Yet
Today, CNN reported:
Fauci said [at 95%] the efficacy of the Moderna vaccine is more than he would have predicted. “For me, that was aspirational to get to that level. I would have been comfortable with a 70 to 75% effective vaccine,” he said.
Still, Fauci said, Americans should do risk assessments before holiday gatherings.
“The cavalry is coming, but the cavalry is not here yet,” he said at the American Medical Informatics Association event.
(Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)
Newsom’s Renewed Restrictions
And that is why Governor Newsom is being so stringent in his approach to the pandemic.
Of this renewed uptick in regulation and the effect on the Disneyland Resort, MacDonald explained:
Photo: Rich Pedroncelli/AP
Downtown Disney businesses will have to stick to outdoor dining and limit retail shopping to 25% capacity. The same goes for Buena Vista Street when the main entry area of Disney California Adventure partially reopens for shopping and dining on Thursday, Nov. 19. Expect virtual queues for Downtown Disney and Buena Vista Street shops to grow longer with the shift to the stricter regulations. Carthay Circle restaurant will offer outdoor dining while other Buena Vista Street food locations will serve to-go orders.
This week, we’ll keep an eye out for more info from California. And certainly, we’ll be watching to see how the partial opening of Disney California Adventure actually looks come Thursday.
Until then: How [exactly] am I gonna be an optimist about this?
Feature Image: Photo: Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG
