The Walt Disney Company announced this week that it will put off plans to reopen its Southern California theme parks until further notice. This comes after unions representing Disneyland staff announced they were going to protest the original July 17 reopening. Union members said the company’s “rapid timetable” put employees and guests at risk.
In a statement, Disney announced they will not reopen Disneyland and the Disney California Adventure Park without state approval. The company’s parks and resorts have been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic began in mid-March. The Downtown Disney area, which features retail and entertainment, is still slated to reopen on July 9.
Elsewhere, Disney is still planning to reopen its parks and resorts. Florida’s Disney World will reopen starting July 11. Disneyland parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong have already reopened with new social distancing guidelines.
Meanwhile, the summer movie release schedule remains uncertain as theaters are still closed. Potential blockbusters like Disney’s “Mulan” and Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Tenet” may be further delayed, as states like New York and Texas have both announced restrictions on reopening.