(Reuters) – Walt Disney Co’s two theme parks in California will reopen on April 30 to a limited number of guests, the company said on Wednesday, over a year after they closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Attendance will initially be capped at roughly 15% of capacity, Disney Chief Executive Bob Chapek said on CNBC television.
Advance reservations and an admission ticket will be required for entry. Guests age 2 and up will need to wear masks, except when eating, drinking or swimming, and follow other safety measures including temperature checks before entering and social distancing on rides and throughout the parks.
Under state guidelines, capacity may increase if the prevalence of coronavirus in the area continues to fall.
The Disneyland Resort, located in Anaheim 35 miles southeast of Los Angeles, closed in mid-March of 2020. The resort includes the original Disneyland, nicknamed “The Happiest Place on Earth,” and the adjacent California Adventure theme parks.
Florida’s Walt Disney World parks reopened to visitors in July 2020 and Disney officials had been urging the state of California to ease reopening restrictions.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles and Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; Editing by Richard Chang and Steve Orlofsky)
