Via wdwnt.com
It has been announced that California would be issuing theme park reopening guidelines sometime this week—considering the timeline, that’d probably mean tomorrow. While this comes as a relief for guests and Passholders eagerly awaiting a theme park reopening, it appears the theme parks themselves, like Disneyland, aren’t as eager about the sudden announcement.
According to Brady MacDonald of The Orange County Register, the California Attractions and Parks Association has actually asked state officials to not finalize plans just yet—not before conferring with park operators and modifying certain protocols before officially issuing guidelines.
In a statement to the OC Register, CAPA Executive Director Erin Guerrero said the following:
We ask the governor not to finalize guidance for amusement parks before engaging the industry in a more earnest manner, listening to park operators’ expertise and collaborating with the industry on a plan that will allow for amusement parks to reopen responsibly while still keeping the health and safety of park employees and guests a top priority. While we are aligned on many of the protocols and health and safety requirements, there are many others that need to be modified if they are to lead to a responsible and reasonable amusement park reopening plan.
It seems the parks have been given a chance to overview a draft of the guidelines, and are not happy with what can only be assumed are strict or overly restrictive guidelines, considering the note about a “reasonable” reopening plan. Guidelines will reportedly vary between counties, possibly limiting who can visit the parks in order to discourage long-distance or out-of-state travel.
Theme park reopening plans will be issued by the California Department of Public Health and ultimately incorporated into the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
No specific date for the release of these guidelines has been issued, but it is likely to take place tomorrow during Governor Newsom’s COVID-19 update. Reopening dates can then be officially announced for local theme parks such as Disneyland Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood. Earlier today, Disneyland Resort began sending cancellation emails for reservations through October 17.
