Disney at War With CA Governor Over Stringent Theme Park Reopening Guidelines

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued guidelines for when amusement parks like Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood can reopen. However, Disney has pushed back calling the guidelines “unworkable.” Gov. Newsome has kept parks like Disneyland closed in California, even after states like Florida opened up their Disney resorts. Disney continued to demand Gov. Newsome to make a call on reopening theme parks in California, and the governor sent a research team to both Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood, as well as each park’s counterparts in Florida to find a viable strategy to reopening.

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Following their findings, Gov. Newsome has issued guidelines saying that the two parks can operate when their county's COVID-19 conditions are under Tier 4 “Yellow” and even then the parks can only operate at 25 percent limited capacity. A reservation system will also need to be in place, and masks will be required in the parks. California operates on a four-tier COVID-19 system that ranges from Tier 1 Purple (widespread), Tier 2 Red (Substantial), Tier 3 Orange (Moderate), and Tier 1 Yellow (Minimal). For Disneyland to open at below Tier 1, Orange County will need to report a positivity rate of less than 2% or Less than 1 daily new case per 100k. Currently, Orange County is in Tier 2 Red, while Los Angeles Country is in Tier 1 Purple. Hence why it will likely be some time before either Disneyland or Universal Studios can re-open under the current guidelines. Disney, already unhappy with the restrictions placed on theme parks, appears less-than-thrilled about the new guidelines. In a statement from Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock, they said:

“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. 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.”

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/15/the-mandalorian-season-2-trailer"] Potrock added, “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.” Since the pandemic, Disney has laid off about 67% of its workforce, or “approximately 28,000 domestic employees.” Meanwhile, California has battled multiple waves of COVID-19, including a summertime resurgence after an early flattening of the curve. The ongoing battle over reopening Disneyland will likely keep the company at odds with the California government. Small groups of disgruntled park-goers have started protesting outside Disney demanding the park to reopen, and former Disney CEO Bob Iger recently resigned from Gov. Newsom’s coronavirus economic taskforce. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN. Header Photo by MN Chan/Getty Images

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