Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California is the only US Disney Park to remain closed to the public. California has set some strict guidelines for their re-opening, and, so far, Orange County is not meeting those guidelines. Has their been a new Disneyland update? Yes, there has been!
Disneyland Update: What’s Open and What’s Not
It could be another year before Disneyland can open with more typical operations. Unless California takes a new approach to its guidelines on the spread of COVID-19, Disneyland will remain limited in its opening abilities. Ironically, the bright spot in this story is likely to be California Adventure, the park built in celebration of the state.
Continued Loss of Disney Jobs
Throughout all this, Disney continues to lay off staff in California. From Imagineers to theme park employees and executives, no one has been safe from these dramatic job losses.
The biggest hit seems to have come to the new Disneyland development Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, which cost billions to make and saw an underwhelming first year in 2019.
A New Phase in Reopening Disneyland
All is not lost, however. There are a few bright spots in the Disneyland Resort. For starters, Downtown Disney has been open to the public since July. The shopping and dining District has been thriving.
Because of its success, Disney has explored ways to take advantage of California’s business categories to find a way to reopen Disney’s California Adventure.
Disney California Adventure Re-Opening Plans
In early October, Disneyland opened an empty soundstage as a seasonal shop. Guests were ushered “backstage” and into the pop-up shop via a red carpet experience. Now, Disney’s California Adventure will be opening Buena Vista Street as well. This section of the park is being billed as a new shopping and dining district and will open on November 19, 2020.
Disneyland tried to open back up on July 17, the theme park’s anniversary. November 19 is one day after Mickey Mouse’s birthday.
It may be that the company was afraid of jinxing their plans with another historical date. Whatever the reason, the timing is perfect for a beautiful holiday stroll through the park after a long absence.
What is Opening at Disney’s California Adventure?
The shops open along Buena Vista Street include Elias & Co, Julius Katz & Sons, Kingswell Camera Shop, and Trolley Treats . Starbucks, also known as Fiddler, Fifer, & Practical Cafe, along with Trolly Treats, and Award Weiners will also be open for dining.
Dining in Disney’s California Adventure will also include the Carthay Circle Lounge with a special new menu and Smokejumpers Grill, which is part of the Golden State area adjacent to Buena Vista Street.
When combined with the Backstage shop in Hollywood Land, the three locations make up a substantial portion of Disney’s California Adventure that will be available to guests.
The Grand Californian is Coming Soon!
Another new development is Disneyland’s plan to open the Grand Californian in the near future. The Grand Californian will open Disney Vacation Club villas to guests next month.
This also helps open up the California Adventure theme park into Downtown Disney. By allowing guests to stay here once again, they are slowly regaining ground in the resort’s functional capacity. The phased reopening of the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa begins on December 6, 2020.