Welcome to the beginning of the end of the tyranny of the pandemic. Yesterday marks another historical day in Disneyland history as the state of California has lifted the mask mandate. All fully vaccinated adults and children under the age of 2 are now free to roam about without facial coverings. Disneyland was flooded yesterday with the newly freed faces of many Disney fans.
Photo Courtesy of BlogMickey
Photo Courtesy of MiceChat
Although the word is that Disneyland is permitted to resume normal capacity limits, I would like you to remember that all of the reopening is pending the appropriate staffing to accommodate the capacity. Disneyland was operating at 35% capacity when the mask mandate was lifted and based on the Twitter posts, little to none are deterred by this.
Photo Courtesy of MiceChat
In addition, we welcome back out-of-state guests to our happiest place on Earth, as well as reopen the doors to the Paradise Pier Hotel. Needless to say, yesterday was a BIG day for Disneyland and its fans. But wait, there's more!
With the relief of many of the restrictions brought on by COVID-19, Disneyland is ramping up with terminal velocity. More and more announcements are gaining steam as the world seems to be moving back to a normalcy we have not seen in 15 months. Some of the most exciting news to hit the web has been that Disneyland will be getting their fireworks show back on July 4th, to celebrate the beauty of freedom in our country.
Photo Courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
While the general consensus is still out about whether the fireworks will be all we hope, it was reported that Mickey's Magic Mix will be performed starting on July 4th. With the fireworks comes extended park hours! I know we were jazzed when the park hours extended to 9pm, but here we go again. July 1st through the 4th is showing a operating schedule of 8am-10pm for Disneyland and 8am-9pm for DCA. They pump it up even further with the rest of July, showing 8am-11pm for Disneyland and 8am-10pm for DCA!!
It has also been announced that most of the attractions and dining that has been shuttered will be reopening... some as soon as this month! We had our first official rope drop on June 15th. We are resuming normal queuing as well as loading of attractions. Fan favorites like Indy, Rise, Roger Rabbit and Space Mountain are now able to queue inside. Attractions that were reopened as of today include: Main Street Cinema, Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough, Golden Zephyr, Animation Academy, Sorcerer's Workshop and Mickey's Philharmagic is running on Saturdays and Sundays. We can expect these attractions to follow:
Davy Crockett's Explorer Canoes - June 18th - cast members were seen rowing on the Rivers of America today!
Tom Sawyer Island - June 20th
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters - June 25th
Storybook Land Canal Boats - June 27th
Matterhorn Bobsleds - July 2nd - the bobsleds were seen running empty today!
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail - July 9th
Jungle Cruise - July 16th
As can be expected, there have been bumps in the road. Spiderman had some bugs to work out, Toy Story Mania wasn't toyin' around, Mike and Sully took a wrong turn, and Indy was off on another adventure. You couldn't even Pal-A-Round on the ferris wheel for a while. Disneyland went from 0 to 60 in only a month and a half, so please have patience when your line is a little too long or your ride happens to get disturbed.
On a more delicious note, dining is coming back in a big way!
Tiki Juice Bar, Adventureland, Disneyland - June 17th
Rancho del Zocalo, Frontierland, Disneyland - June 17th
Alien Pizza Planet, Tomorrowland, Disneyland - June 17th
Oga's Cantina and Docking Bay 7, Galaxy's Edge, Disneyland - June 17th - they opened early and guests can now feast in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
Maurice's Treats and Edelweiss Snacks, Fantasyland, Disneyland - June 24th
Wine Country Trattoria and Mendocino Terrace, Pacific Wharf, DCA - June 17th
Bayside Brews, Paradise Gardens Park, DCA - June 17th
Lamplight Lounge, Pixar Pier, DCA
Brunch - Friday, Saturday, Sunday opening July 9th
Boardwalk Dining - June 24th
Jack Jack Cookie Num Nums, Pixar Pier, DCA - June 24th
Cozy Cone Motel Popcone, Cars Land, DCA - June 24th
While we still have no indication when we will be reunited with our beloved characters, when we can expect to see parades or nighttime entertainment(namely Fantasmic! and World of Color), or when to expect an annual pass program to reemerge, we know that everything is headed in the right direction. While there isn't a tram running from the parking structure to the Esplanade, the lockers are reopened in the parks. While there isn't a Monorail, there is the sweet relief of breathing in the fresh Disney air. We will take it one step at a time, while our beloved park heals from the pandemic.
Thanks for reading and as always, see you in the parks! -C
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