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Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday an announcement will be coming “very, very shortly” on issuing COVID-19 guidelines that would allow California theme parks to safely reopen after more than six months of coronavirus closures.
“We will be making announcements soon as it relates to theme parks and amusement parks,” Newsom said during a news conference Wednesday. “Making announcements soon as it relates to some areas, industries as well as sectors and putting out additional guidelines in those spaces very very shortly.”
California theme parks closed in mid-March amid the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. and remain shuttered while they await guidelines for safely reopening from the state.
Newsom’s announcement comes in response to Disneyland, Legoland California, the California Attractions and Parks Association and the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park and Garden Grove urging the state to issue COVID-19 guidelines that will let California theme parks reopen.
Newsom did not announce a time frame for making the announcement that would allow Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood, SeaWorld San Diego, Knott’s Berry Farm, Six Flags Magic Mountain, Legoland California and other California theme parks to fully reopen.
“I’m not here today to make that presentation, but want folks to know we are actively working in a number of sectors and we’ll be making public the fruits of those negotiations and those efforts very very shortly,” Newsom said during the press conference.
California theme parks looked like they were going to emerge from the coronavirus closures in July as they set proposed reopening dates. But those hopes were soon dashed when a spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in California put those plans on hold indefinitely.
Some California parks — such as Knott’s Berry Farm, SeaWorld San Diego and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom — have partially reopened for limited capacity events without rides. Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood have reopened their adjacent outdoor shopping malls while keeping their theme parks closed. Six Flags Magic Mountain remains closed indefinitely while California’s Great America has canceled plans to reopen for the rest of 2020.
California theme parks have issued proposed guidelines that are now familiar as part of the “new normal” in the COVID-19 era: Mandatory masks, social distancing, increased sanitization, contactless payments, reduced attraction capacity and employee training.
No COVID-19 outbreaks have been reported at Disney, Universal, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Six Flags, Legoland and Cedar Fair parks in Florida, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey, Virginia and Michigan, according to state health agencies and theme park officials.
“We maintain a willingness to engage,” Newsom said during the press conference. “When new information, new data presents itself, when new facts present themselves, that by definition, we maintain an openness and a willingness to engage and to dialogue.”
