NEWS: Disneyland May Not Open Until Next Summer According to Orange County Health Care Agency

The state of California just released its reopening guidelines for theme parks.

Disneyland

We’ve heard statements regarding the new guidelines from several people including the Disneyland President, Anaheim’s Mayor, and the executive director of the California Attractions and Parks Association. Now, the director of the Orange County Health Care Agency has made comments on the guidelines.

California’s guidelines for theme parks state that parks may only reopen when the county the theme park is in reaches the “minimal tier” of new COVID-19 cases. The minimal tier means that there can only be 1 new case per 100,000 people. If the county reaches this tier, the theme parks and restaurants can only open at 25% capacity. A reservation system must also be put in place.

California’s reopening tiers (source: covid19.ca.gov)

Dr. Clayton Chau, the Orange County Health Care Agency’s director, had a few comments on these new policies.

“I think for a large county like us, especially a county with institution of higher education where folks are coming in from outside the county and outside the state, I think it’s going to be very hard to achieve the yellow tier” he says.

Disney California Adventure Park Signs

Dr. Chau also mentions that “it depends on when the vaccine will come as well as how many doses are available for our populations as well as how many of our residents will readily accept the vaccine- those are the three factors that will determine how soon we can get to the yellow tier.”

He personally believes that “we can look forward to a yellow tier by next summer, hopefully. Hopefully.”