As we move closer to the theme parks of the Disneyland Resort reopening on April 30 and Disney’s Grand California Hotel & Spa reopening on April 29, the resort is taking health and safety measures to all-new levels.
Similar to the measures in place at Walt Disney World, the California resort is implementing new protocol to ensure the health and safety of Guests and Cast Members. And now with new touchless safety measures on the rise at Walt Disney World, Guests can only hope for the safest return to the Disneyland Resort this spring.
“Many of the lessons learned in Florida are already being adopted as we prepare for our reopening,” said Patrick Finnegan, Vice President, Disney California Adventure Park & Downtown Disney District, last year.
Measures Being Taken Before the Reopening
Before Disneyland reopens, the Downtown Disney District and the recent A Touch of Disney event at Disney California adventure have given Guests a glimpse of what the future holds when it comes to health and safety at the theme parks. Even during the reopening of Buena Vista Street at the Disney California Adventure park, we got to see a whole new way to experience the park.
Related: Disneyland Places NEW Health and Safety Signs at Entrance!
One major way we have seen these newly implemented measures has been in the form of mobile ordering. The resort is urging the use of the official Disneyland mobile app as it moves steadily towards more reopenings. Although the option of mobile ordering was rolled out on the Disneyland app long before the theme parks began their temporary closure in March 2020, Disneyland Resort is continuing to emphasize mobile ordering, cashless transactions, and the use of the Disneyland Resort now more than ever.
Guests will have to rely more on the app as they move about the resort for reservations (dining or attractions), transactions, and mobile ordering. Disneyland previously confirmed that mobile ordering would be expanded when the theme parks reopen, and we have gotten a taste of what’s to come at the A Touch of Disney event.
Legacy Passholders – For the best experience during your next visit to the Disneyland Resort, be sure you download the latest version of the Disneyland app and log into your Disney account. Can’t wait to see you soon!
Legacy Passholders – For the best experience during your next visit to the Disneyland Resort, be sure you download the latest version of the Disneyland app and log into your Disney account. Can’t wait to see you soon! pic.twitter.com/WOveWIkxTq
— Disneyland Legacy Passholders (@DisneylandAP) March 24, 2021
Related: Disneyland Emphasizes New Park Reservations, Limited Capacity
We have reported before that Disney plans to put forth at least 23,000 health and safety protocols to prepare for the current and future openings. And they are sure delivering! From everything such as more handwashing and sanitizing stations to more plexiglass barriers, the Disneyland Resort has wasted no time in making sure these important measures are in place. Currently, Cast Members are also monitoring Guest behavior and will remind all visitors at the Downtown Disney District and A Touch of Disney what the rules are.
Related: Disneyland Enforces Updated Health and Safety Measures
How Disney World protocol can influence Disneyland
It’s also important to keep in mind that more health and safety protocols may be on the way at the Disneyland Resort. As different methods are being tested at Walt Disney World, we could see such methods on the west coast as well.
Just this month at Walt Disney World Resort, specifically at Magic Kingdom, Disney has begun utilizing new facial recognition technology for Guest entrance into the theme park. It’s possible that this method could take the place of using your fingerprint at park gates at Walt Disney World to provide park Guests with a more touchless experience, especially considering that Disney World suspended the use of fingerprint scanners to enter the theme parks when the parks first reopened in summer 2020.
Although this method is completely optional for Guests and will only be tested for a short amount of time (as of right now), it will be interesting to see if or how the company plans to use this technology in the future — and whether Disney decides to roll out a similar park entry measure in California.
Related: How Disney Fans Really Feel About New Facial Recognition
Based on what we have seen at Disney World, we suspect that Disneyland Resort Guests can also expect to see more signage throughout the park. Guests have already seen signs reminding them to keep safe and social distance, wash their hands, cover their mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing, and always wear their face masks properly. At the Walt Disney World Resort, other important signs have been added.
Disney World has taken it one step further by installing signs that tell Guests they need to keep their face masks on while taking photos. These reminders have been displayed in common photo spots at the Disney World parks.
Additionally, signs to remind Guests to wear their masks properly and exactly which masks are appropriate to wear have been put in place as well. One of these signs displayed in the Disney World theme parks even states, “Guests not properly wearing an approved mask will be asked to leave.”
We already see signs like the one pictured below on display at Disney California Adventure, but we expect to see more signage similar to what is in place at Walt Disney World once the Southern California theme parks are operating and open to Guests later on next month. It’s clear that the Disney Parks in both Florida and California want to ensure that all Guests are fully aware of (and abide by) the pandemic-era rules as the parks navigate operating safely during this time.
These are just some of the things we will be on the lookout for when the Disneyland Resort fully reopens. It is also important to note that we will soon gain the full spectrum of all the official protocol when the theme parks reopen on April 30 and when one of the three hotels on property reopens on April 29. Find the latest information on the Disneyland Resort website.
Ready to head back to the Disneyland Resort? Start your planning now!