Disneyland confirms it will not be reopening until officials issue guidelines for theme parks

‘We have no choice,’ says theme park

(Getty Images)

Disney has confirmed it will delay the opening of its California theme parks in light of the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

On Wednesday, the company issued a statement explaining that it was not yet safe to reopen its two Disneyland parks in Anaheim.

The company had originally planned to reopen its parks on 17 July, but now say this will now have to be pushed back since state officials have said they won’t be issuing guidelines for theme parks on how to reopen safely until after 4 July.

Once the guidelines have been issued, Disney said it would have a better idea of when it will be safe to reopen its theme parks and will announce a new reopening date.

The company’s statement reads: “Given the time required for us to bring thousands of cast members back to work and restart our business, we have no choice but to delay the reopening of our theme parks and resort hotels until we receive approval from government officials.”

The news of Disney’s delayed opening comes after Disney workers in Florida have launched a petition to delay the reopening of Disney World in Florida due to concerns over the rising number of coronavirus cases.

“This virus is not gone, unfortunately, it’s only become worse in this state,” reads the petition posted on MoveOn.org.

“While theme parks are a great way to relax and enjoy free time, it is a non-essential business; it is not fair to the people who work there to risk their lives, especially if they are at risk or have family members who are at risk. People are more important than making a profit.”

A spokesperson for Disney told CNN Business that the company is implementing several measures to ensure guests and staff are safe.

“We are in active dialogue with our unions on the extensive health and safety protocols, following guidance from public health experts, which we plan to implement,” they said.

Last week, it was revealed that some businesses in Florida had shut within one week of reopening as coronavirus cases spiked in the state.

The state’s health department has since confirmed two consecutive days with more than 2,000 new cases, breaking records set when the pandemic began in March