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Ready to return to the Happiest Place on Earth? Don’t go unprepared.
If you were lucky enough to score a ticket on what was a 28-hour odyssey for some, here’s everything you’ll need to know.
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When does it reopen?
A father and son visit Pixar Pier during the debut of Disney California Adventure’s A Touch of Disney food event in March.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
More than a year after closing due to the pandemic, the theme parks at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim opened April 30 with limited capacity and restrictions on some attractions.
Here’s what opening day was like, in addition to more photos.
The resort also plans to reopen its hotels in phases.
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What attractions are open and closed?
Pirates of the Caribbean? Open.
The Monorail? Closed.
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What’s new?
Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion has been a source of fan mystique for even longer than its nearly 52 years at the park. Look for new illusions and features, including some that will be particularly familiar to superfans.
Patient Marvel fans will soon experience the superhero-themed Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure, which includes a family-focused interactive Spider-Man ride, when it launches June 4.
But don’t expect it to be like ‘Harry Potter’ World or ‘Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.’
Speaking of Star Wars, the Rise of the Resistance ride changed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
More on that galaxy far, far away >>
There’s also a long-term plan, dubbed Disneyland Forward, for new attractions, shops and restaurants within the Anaheim resort’s existing 490-acre footprint.
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What’s the status of controversial rides?
Jungle Cruise is closed for renovation. The former set sail since Disneyland’s opening day in 1955, and it stands as one of the remaining attractions overseen by Walt Disney himself. But the Jungle Cruise is now embarking on what many view as a long-overdue course correction. The ride is being updated to be more inclusive and less racially insensitive.
Splash Mountain and its imagery rooted in the dated and racist 1946 film “Song of the South” is still operating as usual, but it’s on track to become a thing of the past. In June, Walt Disney Imagineering announced plans to re-theme the ride to its 2009 animated work “The Princess and the Frog,” a fairy tale that stars the company’s first Black princess.
An overhaul of Disneyland’s Snow White ride is finished and open to fans. The Fantasyland attraction has changed both in style and name: from Snow White’s Scary Adventures to Snow White’s Enchanted Wish.
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What’s up with tickets and annual passes?
Fans lined up to attend the debut of Disney California Adventure’s A Touch of Disney event in March.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are selling tickets on their website and app. The annual pass program was discontinued in January, and the parks continue to offer refunds to former pass holders.
Meanwhile, FastPass and MaxPass will not be available. But one ride — Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance — will require a virtual queuing system that uses the Disneyland app.
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Disneyland workers say they’re eager to return
Surviving the past year without a steady paycheck was difficult for many Disneyland workers. “I felt really sad, thinking about my bills and my rent,” said Mercedes Rojas, who was furloughed from her job at the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa in March 2020. “Everything was really bad.”
Many workers are missing their co-workers and park guests, as well as their place on Disneyland’s payroll. “I see the excitement in their faces,” said Glynndana Shevlin, who is still hoping to be called back to her Disneyland Hotel job. “It brings me back to a happy time in my life.”
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What’s the status of other SoCal parks?
Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park announced plans to reopen to the general public on May 21. Season-ticket holders can visit the park starting May 6.
The reopening of the Western-themed park follows the April 1 reopening of Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, the relaunch of Universal Studios Hollywood on April 16 for passholders and April 15 for the general public.
