Disneyland Reopening Speculation Superthread

[littlea905]

While there is a thread in the rumors section of the forums for parks and DCL, it is mostly WDW centered. As some other posters have mentioned, we probably could use a DL-only thread where we can speculate on DLR news, reopening, etc.

I’m and east-coast guy and our family is supposed to go on a trip to visit to DL in August (family’s first time to CA, and my first DL trip since 1989). We’re being realistic that the trip may be cancelled (either by us or Disney) but are being hopeful nonetheless.

Hopefully this will be a place we can discuss rumors, etc. nicely and constructively. Mods, if this is a duplicate thread, I apologize and please remove.

 

[midnight star]

Yay!

 

[laugard]

Thanks for creating this thread! I've been trying to follow the ones in Rumors but they are exhausting and, as you wrote, primarily focus on WDW. One suggestion - perhaps add a link to this thread on your post in the closure superthread?

 

[mentos]

Yeah that WDW thread.... DL is just ignored, hah.

Glad to have a fully unrestricted thread on here! I plan to take full advantage, haha.

 

[Corpsebride]

I know that this doesn't count as speculation, but , I'm sitting here watching the hojo mattercam. And I'm really looking forward to seeing the incredicoaster do its loop and hopefully watch them test World of color when they get closer to reopening DLR. Have a magical day!

 

[DLgal]

I'm gonna go with July 1 for Disneyland. I think Downtown Disney reopens in some capacity by mid June.

Orange County has set an apparently unattainable goal for daily publicly available testing numbers before they will "allow" businesses to begin reopening, at 4,000 daily tests. At this point, in "a few weeks" they expect to hit 1,000 daily tests, 3,000 short of their own goal. OC is really lagging behind in the testing capacity, and it may hinder its ability to move forward with reopening businesses.

 

[midnight star]

Does anyone think DTD would open some of the stores for take out? Like what Knotts is doing with their chicken and jam? I also know Starbucks is opening many of their stores, so I wonder if those locations would open as well?

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

I think I can see Disney opening by sometime in August at the earliest, I think there is a lot to work out and honestly Disney seems to announce their plans after other theme parks in the California area so I think that if Universal announces their opening date soon then Disney will follow suit. I know that Knott's has a plan in place, but the owner of Knotts says it probably won't open until next year. (which I don't see the case for Disney parks)

 

[WonkaKid]

Does anyone think DTD would open some of the stores for take out? Like what Knotts is doing with their chicken and jam? I also know Starbucks is opening many of their stores, so I wonder if those locations would open as well?

Wouldn't surprise me -- if only as a test of reopening procedures.

 

[Pamela M]

My speculation is that if you are staying onsite you have first dibs or automatic reservation to get in the parks. So while I normally stay offsite I have rooms booked at Paradise Pier for my trip in September just in case. I also have rooms booked at my favorite off site hotel in case there is no advantage.

I also think we'll see WDW open first. But only by like 1- 2 weeks. I think that because WDW's vistors are mostly from out of state or have to travel there so they may have an easier time working out the kinks to the reduced capacity as well as new social distancing guidelines . Where as Disneyland gets lots more locals that come. Plus Florida seems to be ahead of CA in opening in general. While I heard they are opening somethings in Orange County and other counties in the Bay Area we are still very much shut down - we've only seen a very slight restriction in outdoor services & outdoor activities. The beach near me is still closed to anyone that is more 5 miles away from it and parking lots are still closed.

 

[mentos]

My speculation is that if you are staying onsite you have first dibs or automatic reservation to get in the parks. So while I normally stay offsite I have rooms booked at Paradise Pier for my trip in September just in case. I also have rooms booked at my favorite off site hotel in case there is no advantage.

I think they're going to have to do this, given the precedent set with the SWGE opening and giving boarding passes to on-park guests.

I calculated this in another thread, if every on-site hotel room was filled to almost to capacity, it comes out to about 12,000 people. That's less than 12% of the total capacity of both parks (33,000 DCA, 75,000 DL).

DL Shanghai was at 25% of max capacity per the government? Chapek said it would be below that, but he also said it needs to make financial sense (that number is not publicly known).

So even if DLR opens at 20% of capacity, that still gives an opening to off-park guests. Or you just have to say DLR guests only AND find a way to manage the AP situation.

The problem with the AP situation is you have fully paid card holders that you can't easily impose new restrictions on without giving them an "out." If I had a DLX pass and now you are requiring reservations or blocking me out, that could get legally precarious.

 

[littlea905]

We live in Maryland, and have been even slower than California opening things back up, so I get it. Right now we haven't even got to our phase 1, but they did start allowing elective surgeries, and certain recreational sports to resume yesterday (golf, fishing, hunting, boating, tennis). Anyways, I digress...

While I do think DL has some work to figure out how they plan to handle capacity restraints upon reopening, they do not at least have to deal with the transportation issues they do at WDW. No buses, boats, or skyliners to deal with. Just the DL monorail, which frankly they can easily operate without.

I just wonder how much farther they will be behind WDW. I hope it's only a matter of weeks but there doesn't seem to be as much of a public display of discussions, plans, etc. as compared to what's been going on in FL. Disney is the 3rd largest employer in California, so I would have thought that there would be more talking (at least publicly) between the Governor Newsom, Bob Iger and Rebecca Campbell. I cannot even fathom the area around Disneyland and all the jobs dependent on tourism there.

I will say this though... I'm not putting too much stock into what Cedar Fair says about some parks not opening up this summer. While that very well may be true because they are dealing mostly with parks that operate only seasonally (not cost effective to hire, stock, test all the rides, etc. for much shortened season), it may not apply to the year-around Knott's Berry Farm. I will be paying more attention to see what Universal does (and of course specifically Universal Studios Hollywood).

Would Downtown Disney get much foot traffic with the parks and hotels closed? Would it make sense to open that up (when able) early like Disney Springs? And not to get into a mask debate, but how bearable is wearing a mask in Anaheim-type weather in the summer? It would be tough here because it gets so humid totally unlike SoCal.

 

[travelplanningnerd]

Would Downtown Disney get much foot traffic with the parks and hotels closed? Would it make sense to open that up (when able) early like Disney Springs? And not to get into a mask debate, but how bearable is wearing a mask in Anaheim-type weather in the summer? It would be tough here because it gets so humid totally unlike SoCal.

I am by no means a DL expert in any way, but I just can't see how it would be busy without park traffic. I honestly can't imagine it busy without resort traffic, either.

 

[DesertScorpion]

I’m wondering how close DL will mirror what Shanghai is implementing. We have a trip booked for mid-July and it will be my kid‘s (3 & 5.5 yrs) first time there. While I don’t necessarily mind having to social distance from the characters, wearing a mask, etc. I just think it would be too restricted of a first time Disney experience for the kiddos. We are still holding on to our booked vacation package at the moment to 1) see if they actually do open by mid-July and 2) to see what kind of restrictions in place but I have a feeling we’ll end up cancelling even if they are open due to a more limited experience.

 

[travelplanningnerd]

I’m wondering how close DL will mirror what Shanghai is implementing. We have a trip booked for mid-July and it will be my kid‘s (3 & 5.5 yrs) first time there. While I don’t necessarily mind having to social distance from the characters, wearing a mask, etc. I just think it would be too restricted of a first time Disney experience for the kiddos. We are still holding on to our booked vacation package at the moment to 1) see if they actually do open by mid-July and 2) to see what kind of restrictions in place but I have a feeling we’ll end up cancelling even if they are open due to a more limited experience.

I think unless everything is fully open (which is obviously highly unlikely) you are right that it would be a limited first-time experience. Plus at that age, trying to watch everything they touch and/or put their mouth close to would be really hard. My kids are 8 and 10 and we were there last October, and even at their age it was difficult.

 

[mentos]

I am by no means a DL expert in any way, but I just can't see how it would be busy without park traffic. I honestly can't imagine it busy without resort traffic, either.

There are so many better (and more convenient) areas to dine that Downtown Disney would be a ghost town if it were not for parks and hotels serving a relatively captive audience.

The offerings there just aren't enough to entice me to go, but they're just good enough that I'm not trying to leave if I'm a GCH/DLH guest.

I mean... maybe Salt and Straw? Earl of Sandwich?

 

[travelplanningnerd]

There are so many better (and more convenient) areas to dine that Downtown Disney would be a ghost town if it were not for parks and hotels serving a relatively captive audience.

The offerings there just aren't enough to entice me to go, but they're just good enough that I'm not trying to leave if I'm a GCH/DLH guest.

I mean... maybe Salt and Straw? Earl of Sandwich?

Exactly. Both the sentiment and the two places you mentioned. Last time we went we actually ordered food from Postmates when we were too tired to leave but needed to eat.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

I agree with everyone on the WDW board front! I think since CA’s governor is much more strict than Florida’s that’s going to be a huge deciding factor for reopening. State by state things look so different and that will definitely impact the parks.

I’m going to put my bet in for August 1st. Based on nothing more than my own unrealistic optimism haha!

 

[midnight star]

There are so many better (and more convenient) areas to dine that Downtown Disney would be a ghost town if it were not for parks and hotels serving a relatively captive audience.

The offerings there just aren't enough to entice me to go, but they're just good enough that I'm not trying to leave if I'm a GCH/DLH guest.

I mean... maybe Salt and Straw? Earl of Sandwich?

I rarely eat in DTD. It just doesn't appeal to me. If I want to pay for an overpriced meal, I might as well do it while in the park lol

 

[DLgal]

I am by no means a DL expert in any way, but I just can't see how it would be busy without park traffic. I honestly can't imagine it busy without resort traffic, either.

It gets a lot of local traffic. All you have to do is look at how full the parking lot gets. We go all the time without visiting the parks. If they opened DtD, it would be packed with locals, IF they relax the parking fee situation. If they announced DtD open with FREE parking, it will get quite crowded with locals. People are dying to go ANYWHERE.