ABC/Eric McCandless(LOS ANGELES) — After a year of being either partially or entirely closed, Disneyland will reopen on April 30, Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced Wednesday.

Chapek said the park will reopen with a limited capacity and observing guidance from California officials. The state previously advised the park to operate at 15% capacity of its fire code occupancy.

“We’ve been able to prove that we can do this and welcome our guests back in a responsible way,” Chapek said.

Chapek added that guests have been “very cooperative overall” when it comes to wearing masks, which they will be asked to continue doing until further notice.

“The day all of us have long been waiting for is almost here,” Ken Potrock, president of Disneyland Resort, said in a press release. “We’re excited to have more than 10,000 cast members returning to work as we get ready to welcome our guests back to this happy place.”

To help promote social distancing, attendance will be managed through a new reservation system and, until further notice, only California residents will be able to visit.

All of Disneyland — including the main park, Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney District — closed its gates indefinitely on March 14 of last year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last July, Downtown Disney District has been opened in a limited capacity, and Disney California Adventure is beginning a limited-capacity ticketed experience beginning March 18.

It was announced on March 5 that Disneyland could open as early as April 1 since Orange County, where the park is located in Anaheim, dropped to the red tier of pandemic precautions.

Disneyland also has been operating as a mass vaccination site since January.  Disney World — located in Orlando, Florida — has been open since last July.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

By Carson Blackwelder
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