What the new California COVID-19 guidelines mean for Disneyland

The state of California has released updated guidelines for amusement and theme parks to use when reopening. While Disney has implemented various guidelines at each of the parks it has reopened around the world, California’s rules include safety concerns for employees, who can enter the parks, where lines are allowed to be located and the length of indoor rides.

Businesses must also develop a worker COVID-19 testing program for weekly optional testing of all workers who may encounter other workers, support staff, or performers. PCR or antigen are permissible diagnosis tests for workers/performers where the interval of between tests is no greater than seven days.

So, let’s take a closer look at these guidelines:

Use of face coverings is mandatory throughout the park in all settings indoor and outdoor, unless actively eating and/or drinking. Guests who do not comply should be removed from the facility immediately. Allow for exemptions identified in the CDPH Face Covering Guidance.

Performers and workers in the performance sector who cannot feasibly perform or work with a face covering are not required to wear a face covering during the time period in which such tasks are actually being performed on the condition that (1) the unmasked performer or worker is at least six feet away from all other persons, or (2) all unmasked performers or workers and any workers who come into contact with those people are routinely tested at least twice weekly for COVID-19 (PCR or antigen are permissible diagnosis tests for routine testing of performers or workers).

In-state visitors only. At the time a guest makes a park reservation and purchases park tickets, the park operators must obtain an attestation that when visiting the park, the guest’s party size will not contain more than 3 households and the guest, and all members of the guest’s party will be California state visitors.

Indoor rides must be limited to no more than 15 minutes. This could be problematic for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance which is 18 minutes long.

All queuing must be performed in outdoor settings only and guests from different households or other parties must be at least six feet apart during queuing.

Board household members in the same vehicle when possible. Passengers from different households must be at least six feet apart.

Adjust seat-loading patterns, as needed, to comply with physical distancing requirements. Examples would include seating every other ride vehicle or vehicle row, further limiting capacity on a ride to allow for space between household groups, etc.

Discontinue use of a ride or attraction where use of face coverings presents a safety issue or high incidence of loss of face covering during operation.

Face coverings must be made available to visitors who lose their face coverings during a ride or attraction.

Occupancy limits are based on the fire department occupant limit. If no fire department occupant limit is available for the total facility, the operating design capacity will be used as the basis for determining the reduced capacity.

Park visitors are permitted to eat and drink only in designated dining areas. Concession stands must be accompanied by additional designated and shaded eating areas. Food and/or drink consumption is NOT permitted while queuing or using rides and attractions, including cinematic attractions.

The park limits are determined by the various “tiers in California. Every county in California is assigned to a tier based on its positivity rate, adjusted case rate, and health equity metric. Counties must remain in a tier for at least 3 weeks before moving to a less restrictive tier.

Here are the park guidelines for each tier. Disneyland is located in Orange County, which is now the Red – Substantial tier

Red – Substantial – Tier 2

• Parks must limit visitors to a maximum of 15% capacity.
• Small Groups only – Limited to a maximum of 10 people or 3 household groups with no intergroup mixing
• Indoor capacity limited to a maximum of 15%
• No indoor dining
• Walk up ticket sales allowed. Park operators must collect the complete name and contact information (including a phone number) of the ticket purchaser for necessary contact tracing.

Orange – Moderate – Tier 3

• Parks must limit visitors to a maximum of 25% capacity.
• Indoor capacity limited to a maximum of 25%
• Indoor dining limited to a maximum of 25% capacity
• Walk up ticket sales allowed. Park operators must collect complete name andcontact information (including a phone number) of the ticket purchaser for necessary contact tracing.

Yellow – Minimal – Tier 4

• Parks must limit visitors to a maximum of 35% capacity.
• Indoor capacity limited to a maximum of 25%
• Indoor dining limited to a maximum of 50% capacity
• Walk-up ticket sales allowed. Park operators must collect complete name and contact information (including phone number) of the ticket purchaser for necessary contact tracing.