Disney Parks Latest News, Photos, and Videos

Disneyland is clapping back at California’s new guidelines for theme parks to reopen!

The President of the park, Ken Potrock, shared a statement shortly after the guidelines were outlined.

“We have proven that we can responsibly reopen, with science-based health and safety protocols strictly enforced at our theme park properties around the world,” he said. “Nevertheless, the State of California continues to ignore this fact, instead mandating arbitrary guidelines that it knows are unworkable and that hold us to a standard vastly different from other reopened businesses and state-operated facilities.”

“Together with our labor unions we want to get people back to work, but these State guidelines will keep us shuttered for the foreseeable future, forcing thousands more people out of work, leading to the inevitable closure of small family-owned businesses, and irreparably devastating the Anaheim/Southern California community,” he added.

If you didn’t know, every other Disney park around the world has already reopened, and have been for months, except for Disneyland, which has been shut down since March. Disney has begged the California government to help theme parks open back up so people can get back to work.

The Disney Parks Chief Medical Officer has also slammed California Governor Gavin Newsom‘s previous statement about a health first reopening.

Fans are finally getting some answers and guidelines for the reopening of theme parks!

California’s Health & Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly revealed the news during a livestream on Tuesday (October 20).

Theme parks will have to adhere to the previously laid out tier system, like the rest of the businesses in the state.

For Disneyland, which resides in Orange County, they are currently in the red tier, which is marked as substantial, and the county would have to get to the yellow tier in order for the Disneyland parks to reopen. See more on the tiers here!

During the livestream, Dr Ghaly noted that theme parks are a higher risk setting. When the parks do reopen, they will have to operate at 25% capacity with a reservation system, and there can’t be any indoor queuing, which will serve to be a struggle for Disneyland as quite a few of their ride queues are indoors or are partially indoors.

Walt Disney World reopened earlier this year with changes at the resort including temperature checks upon arrival, physical distancing, enhanced cleaning, hand-washing and sanitizing stations and limited-contact enhancements, such as contactless payments, mobile orders at restaurants.

JJJ previously shared the tier system back in August, along with the news that Disneyland likely wouldn’t open this year.

Disney is reportedly working on a Space Mountain movie!

The film is in early development and the script will be written by Joby Harold, who is writing and producing the upcoming Disney+ Obi-Wan Kenobi series, THR reports.

Joby and his wife Tory Tunnell will also produce the film, alongside Rideback’s Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, who also produced the live action Aladdin.

Space Mountain debuted at Walt Disney World in 1975 in Orlando, Fla., then at Anaheim’s Disneyland in 1977. Versions of the ride can also be found at each Disney park across the globe, except for Shanghai Disneyland.

Here’s an overview of the ride: Navigate through a vast futuristic space station as you make your way to Mission Control. Board a sleek flight vehicle and prepare yourself for a high-flying adventure to the furthest reaches of space. Ascend slowly through a swirling solar field as your rocket powers up. Plunge through a spectacular spiral nebula and then, when the countdown ends—hang on tight!

As you hurtle forward into infinite darkness, your rocket darts and twists in the void, speeding faster and faster. Feel the g-force as you careen into the unknown! Immersive sound effects and evocative music add to the intense sensory experience. Brave the most epic journey of your Earthbound life and accept your mission—to conquer Space Mountain.

Space Mountain isn’t the first Disney attraction to be turned into a movie. The Pirates of the Caribbean films are actually based off of the ride at Disneyland, and Disney Parks’ Tomorrowland also inspired the 2015 movie starring George Clooney and Britt Robertson.

The Haunted Mansion, The Country Bears, Tower of Terror, Dinosaur and Mission to Mars are all also based on Disney park attractions.

In case you missed it, this Disneyland attraction is getting an overhaul to be about a different Disney film!

The Disney Parks Chief Medical Officer is responding to California Governor Gavin Newsom‘s recent statement about reopening theme parks.

Dr. Pamela Hymel released a statement slamming the governor’s “health first” statement in regards to opening parks again.

“We absolutely reject the suggestion that reopening the Disneyland Resort is incompatible with a ‘health-first’ approach. The fact is, that since March we have taken a robust science-based approach to responsibly reopening our parks and resorts across the globe,” she said.

“Our health and safety protocols were developed in consultation with epidemiologists and data scientists, and after considering guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and experts in local government and health agencies,” the doctor continued.

“All of our other theme parks both in the United States and around the world have been allowed to open on the strength of our proven ability to operate with responsible health and safety protocols.”

Every other Disney park across the world has reopened with heightened health and safety measures, and many fans have even praised Disney on their measures.

Governor Newsom‘s latest statement, which said that all theme parks in California won’t be given the go ahead to reopen, comes just a week after The Walt Disney Company announced they were laying off 28,000 employees from the Parks, Experiences and Products segment “at all levels.” Disney cited California’s “unwillingness to lift restrictions” as a reason for having to lay off their cast members.

Sad news for fans waiting to go back to Disneyland…

California’s Governor Gavin Newsom just said on Wednesday (October 7) that theme parks will not be opening back up in the immediate future.

“There’s disagreements in terms of opening a major theme park. We’re going to let science and data make that determination,” he said in a press conference. “I understand the dialectic and the friction, and the frustration many business leaders have that they want to move forward sectorally, to reopen, but we’re going to be led by a health first framework and we’re going to be stubborn about it.”

“That’s our commitment, that’s our resolve, and while we feel there’s no hurry putting out guidelines, we’re continuing to work with the industry of amusement parks,” Newsom added. “By the way, amusement parks aren’t just Disney, you’ve got all kinds of amusement parks, including smaller parks that are out there on the piers, like down in Santa Cruz, and others that may be impacted.”

“We’re trying to work through all of those things, it’s very complex. These are like small cities, small communities, small towns, but we don’t anticipate in the immediate term any of these larger them parks opening until we see more stability in terms of the data,” he said.

Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro recently urged California government officials to help theme parks reopen like the rest of the businesses.

Back in August, it was also presumed that Disneyland and other parks were likely not to reopen until 2020 under new reopening guidelines set forth by Governor Newsom.

Disney execs really want their theme parks to open back up in Anaheim, Calif.

Josh D’Amaro, chairman of Disney parks, experiences and products, recently opened up in a stakeholder meeting that they really want Disneyland to reopen.

“To our California government officials, particularly at the state level: I encourage you to treat theme parks like you would other sectors and help us reopen,” he said, via Variety. “We need guidelines that are fair and equitable so we can better understand our future and chart a path toward reopening.”

“The longer we wait, the more devastating the impact will be to the Orange County and Anaheim communities and to the tens of thousands of people who rely on us for employment,” Josh continued. “With the right guidelines and our years of operations experience, I am confident that we can restart and get people back to work.”

Earlier this month, California Governor Gavin Newsom hinted that theme parks could open soon, but didn’t specify which parks or when.

“We will be making announcements soon as it relates to theme parks and amusement parks. Very, very shortly,” he said.

If you missed it, you can find out about the new California state reopening guidelines here!

Other Disney parks across the world have opened back up with a lot of safety precautions, limited park hours and a temporary hold on shows. Restaurants and shops in the Downtown Disney District outside of the Anaheim parks have already reopened with set safety measures, and often see lines of people waiting to enter.

You can find out all of the precautions being taken and everything you need to know about the Downtown Disney District reopening on Disneyland.com!

You can go along for one of Walt Disney World‘s newest attractions!

“Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway” opened at the Hollywood Studios park earlier this year in Orlando, Fla.

The ride is the first ride-through attraction in Disney history featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

During the ride, fans will “burst into the cartoon world and venture to the Wild West, a wacky carnival and a bustling city.”

In the ride-along video, Disney fans will also learn some fun facts and special details about the ride.

“Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway” will also open in Mickey’s Toontown at Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., in 2023.

“We’re thrilled to share a peek behind the curtain of the construction work for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, coming to Disneyland park in 2023! Check out this video from Disneyland Resort President @KenPotrock as he shares one of his ‘Happiest View on Earth.’ #RunawayRailway” the Disneyland Instagram account shared just recently.