Here Are the Rides that Will Be Running When Disneyland and California Adventure Reopen in April
Francesca Billington is a freelance reporter. Prior to that, she was a general assignment reporter for dot.LA and has also reported for KCRW, the Santa Monica Daily Press and local publications in New Jersey. She graduated from Princeton in 2019 with a degree in anthropology.
More than a year after closing, Disneyland and California Adventure will reopen their doors on April 30 with limited capacity and fewer rides.
"We've seen the enthusiasm, the craving for people to return to our parks around the world," CEO Bob Chapek told CNBC on Wednesday. "We've been operating at Walt Disney World for about nine months, and there certainly is no shortage of demand."
The company is asking guests to make a reservation through Disneyland Resort's new system, although Disney did not say when it would go live.
But for guests lucky enough to nab a slot: no screaming on rides, please.
The opening comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced earlier this month that theme parks could reopen under limited capacity starting April 1. And with screaming restricted on thrill rides like Disney's Space Mountain - so as not to spread the coronavirus. Under the plan, parks in the red tier can have 15% capacity and 25% in the orange tier. Orange County is currently in the red tier.
Live performances and sporting events will also pick back up come April 1, with restrictions varying in each county.
For months, officials and Disney have asked Gov. Gavin Newsom to reopen the Anaheim park. The closure of Disneyland and California Adventure hit the company's bottom line hard, forcing the entertainment giant to layoff thousands of workers as Disney sunk its resources into streaming services.
"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," he added. "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."
Disney said that experiences that draw large group gatherings — think parades and firework displays — will return at a later date.
To enter the park, guests aged 3 and up will show a park reservation and valid admission for the same park. For now, only California residents can visit the parks to adhere with current state guidelines.
Several of the surrounding Disney hotels will also open including the Grand Californian on April 29 and the Vacation Club Villas on May 2.
Here are the rides slated to open at Disneyland:
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- It's A Small World
- Indian Jones Adventure
- Space Mountain
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- King Arthur Carrousel
- "New magic" at Haunted Mansion
- Peter Pan's Flight
- Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
And at California Adventure:
- Toy Story Midway Mania
- The Little Mermaid — Ariel's Undersea Adventure
- The Incredicoaster
- Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
- Radiator Springs Racers
- Snow White's Enchanted Wish
- Disney Lays Off 28,000 at U.S. Theme Parks - dot.LA ›
- California Reopens Without A Vaccine Verification Plan - dot.LA ›
- Disney, Walmart Will Require Worker Vaccinations - dot.LA ›
Francesca Billington is a freelance reporter. Prior to that, she was a general assignment reporter for dot.LA and has also reported for KCRW, the Santa Monica Daily Press and local publications in New Jersey. She graduated from Princeton in 2019 with a degree in anthropology.
Image Source: Waymo
Image Source: Snap
Image Source: Dodgers 
Image Source: ChatGPT