Disneyland set to reopen next month after being closed for a year

Park will be capped at around 15 per cent capacity to start with

Disneyland will reopen to a limited number of guests next month more than a year after the  California theme park closed its gates due to Covid.

Disney’s two theme parks in California will reopen on 30 April and be initially capped to around 15 per cent of capacity, Disney chief executive Bob Chapek said on CNBC.

Guests will need an advanced reservation, have to wear masks and remain socially distanced at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.

The resort includes the original Disneyland and the nearby California Adventure theme park.

Florida’s Walt Disney World reopened to visitors in July 2020 and Disney bosses had called for California to ease its restrictions.

“We’ve seen the enthusiasm, the craving for people to return to our parks around the world,” said Mr Chapek. 

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“We’ve been operating at Walt Disney World for about nine months, and there certainly is no shortage of demand.

“I think as people become vaccinated, they become a little bit more confident in the fact that they can travel, and, you know, stay Covid-free.

“Consumers trust Disney to do the right thing, and we’ve certainly proven that we can open responsibly, whether it’s temperature checks, masks, social distancing, or improved hygiene around the parks.”

California is now reporting under 2,900 new Covid cases per day, a nearly 32 per cent decline compared with a week ago.

More than 2.4 million people a day nationwide are being vaccinated and Joe Biden says that every adult American will be able to book their vaccination from 1 May.

During the pandemic more than 29.6 million Americans have tested positive for the virus and 536,000 people have died.