Exciting news! Per the OC Register, Disneyland has started recalling hundreds of employees from a months long furlough to begin preparing Disney’s Anaheim theme parks for reopening on July 17th after an extended coronavirus closure, according to union officials. Disneyland has been closed since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Disney fans have been eagerly awaiting for months to hear some news on when the parks will re-open.
Over the past weekend, Disneyland was expected to have started contacting 775 cast members and they are expected to return on June 28th. Workers United Local 50 was “shocked” Disneyland was recalling cast members for essential positions, union president Chris Duarte wrote in a Facebook post. Duarte said on Facebook, “If you are a trainer, lead, production scheduler, receiver, chef or area chef start preparing for the company to contact you as early as the weekend.”
The OC Register also reports that Disney plans to reopen the Downtown Disney outdoor shopping mall on July 9th and Disney’s Grand Californian and Disney’s Paradise Pier hotels on July 23rd. Disney has proposed reopening Disneyland and Disney California Adventure theme parks on July 17th pending government approval.
“The safety and well-being of our cast members and guests are at the forefront of our planning, and we look forward to continued dialogue with our unions on the extensive health and safety protocols, following guidance from public health experts, which we plan to implement as we move toward our proposed, phased reopening,” a Disneyland official said in a statement.
The new Disneyland COVID-19 health and safety protocols for guests include:
- Reduced capacity in the parks
- Required face coverings for visitors 2 years old and older
- Temperature checks for visitors prior to entering the parks
- Physical distancing throughout the parks
- Increased cleaning and disinfecting, especially in high-traffic areas
- Additional handwashing and hand sanitizer locations
- Contactless payments at shops and restaurants
Health and safety guidelines for Disney cast members will include:
- Required face coverings and temperature checks
- Adjusting work practices to promote physical distancing
- Increased cleaning in work areas
- Encouraged to stay home when ill
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