Disneyland Is Reopening On April 30 With Limited Capacity And Enhanced Health & Safety Measures

It's been almost a full year since Disneyland closed last year at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. But now that the COVID-19 vaccine is being distributed far and wide, it's finally time for the happiest place on Earth to lift people's spirits by reopening for the spring.

Disneyland Resort has announced the Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park will be reopening to the public with limited capacity starting on April 30. But not everything will be up and running as usual, and enhanced health and safety measures will still be in place. Get the details on Disneyland reopening below.

The official Disney Parks Blog announced the Disneyland reopening date of April 30. However, along with the good news for Disney theme park fans, the company cautions that certain parks, hotels, restaurants, attractions, experiences and other offerings will be modified or unavailable, will have limited capacity and will be subject to limited availability or even closure. Here's the breakdown of what will be happening when Disneyland reopens next month.

When the possibility of reopening was recently being discussed, it was said that attractions that go indoors may not be open. However, the Disney Parks Blog specifically mentions Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Peter Pan's Flight as being part of the reopening line-up, so perhaps some exceptions have been made.

Other attractions mentioned for reopening include but are not limited to Disneyland's Indiana Jones Adventure, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and King Arthur Carrousel. Meanwhile, over at Disney California Adventure, guests will have access to  Incredicoaster, Toy Story Midway Mania!, The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel's Undersea Adventure, and more. Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge will be reopened as well. Plus, over in Fantasyland, fans can finally check out the reimagined Snow White's Enchanted Wish being opened for the first time.

Unfortunately for fans who have been waiting to see the new Avengers Campus expansion, the new Marvel-inspired land will not be opening at this time, and there's no indication as to when it might be available to the public.

As for staple Disneyland experiences with beloved Disney characters, those will also return, but they will "pop up in new ways and sometimes in unexpected places as they remain mindful of physical distancing." That means characters will be appearing on stages, balconies, and other areas where they can interact with families from a safe distance. Disneyland says:

"At Disneyland, guests may see Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse waving from the train station, or Disney Princesses such as Mulan appear at the Royal Theatre to wave and pose at a distance for guests taking selfies. At Disney California Adventure, Pixar pals may wave from the bandshell at Pixar Pier, and guests can share a laugh while taking photos with Mater and Lightning McQueen along Route 66 in Cars Land."

Unfortunately, since capacity will be limited and social distancing will be enforced, parades and nighttime spectaculars will not be coming back immediately. But they will return at a later date, likely after the COVID-19 vaccine has been more widely distributed into the spring and summer months.

Restaurants and other dining experiences will also be part of reopening. But several locations around the resort will have mobile ordering through the Disneyland app as the primary method of ordering food and drinks. For sit-down restaurants, reservations are recommended as well.

Guests who are ready to travel will have a place to stay nearby as well, because the hotels of Disneyland Resort will begin a phased reopening, starting with Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa on April 29. Disney Vacation Club Villas will follow on May 2, but Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel and the Disneyland Hotel will open at a yet-to-be-determined later date.

So how can you ensure your entry into Disneyland? Here's what the Disney Parks Blog says:

"Disneyland Resort will manage attendance through a new theme park reservation system that requires all guests to obtain a reservation for park entry in advance. To enter a park, both a park reservation and valid admission for the same park on the same date are required for guests ages 3 and up. Theme park reservations will be limited and subject to availability and, until further notice, only California residents may visit the parks in line with current state guidelines. More details about this new reservation system will be available soon."

Before April 30, Disneyland will also have cast members and members of the local community invited back to the park as the first guests to return since closing at the end of March last year. Perhaps our own Peter Sciretta and his Ordinary Adventures will be among them, so stay tuned to see how the reopening of Disneyland turns out.