The upcoming Walt Disney World and Disneyland reopenings are exciting and enigmatic. Here is everything you need to know about the reopening of both of these parks in July of 2020 – including when we would recommend booking your trip.
The closures of Walt Disney World and Disneyland were pretty shocking.
Did you know that in the 65 year operation of Disneyland, it has only closed down THREE times (due to non-weather related conditions).
I think all of us have experienced disappointments over the past few months, and I’m sure anyone who had their Disney trip cancelled were surely sad.
Although there is still a lot up in the air in regards to the current state of the world, both Disneyland and Disney World have announced that they will be reopening in July of 2020.
I have been closely following Get Away Today for the most up-to-date information. If you are planning to book your vacation, I strongly recommend booking through them. They have the best refund policies and have been very concerned about their customers during this time. You can book Disneyland and Disney World trips through them!
When Does Disneyland Reopen in 2020?
Literally announced just a few hours ago, Disneyland and California Adventure are now slated to reopen on July 17th.
This is pending the approval from local and state government departments, but it’s safe to say – you can start looking forward to and planning your Disneyland adventures.
Downtown Disney will open July 9th, and Disneyalnd’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Paradise Pier will open on July 23rd, with limited capacity.
They have announced that they are temporarily closing ticket sales, but for a limited time, you can buy tickets still through Get Away Today.
When Does Walt Disney World Reopen?
Walt Disney World has announced a phased reopening starting on July 11th.
Disney Worlds 2 Phase Reopening
The Disney World reopening process in July falls in line with Disney’s phased approach to just about everything in the last decade.
Technically, there are three phases. The first phase was opening Disney Springs.
With that, we got a trial run of what the new safety procedures in the parks might look like.
The next phase is actually opening two Disney theme parks. On July 11, the Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will open to the public for the first time since March.
Four days later on July 15, Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will also reopen. There is no word yet on the water parks.
The Walt Disney World reopening introduced a new reservation system. The reservation is required alongside valid park admission.
Disney paused all-new ticket sales and is working to secure reservations for already booked guests, annual pass holders, and Disney Vacation Club members under the new occupancy limits.
Disneyland Reopening Guidelines
Right now, Disneyland has not provided many details on their reopening. I would imagine it will be very similar to Disney World, but we will update this post as details become available.
As of right now, they are going to be limiting ticket sales (and shutting them down completely for a while). They will also be limiting park capacity quite a bit. They will have a reservation system in place, though details on that aren’t available yet.
Parades and fireworks will not be happening, as well as traditional meet and greets for characters. They do plan to have some fun, new ways to interact with characters.
Is it Safe to Return to Disney World and Disneyland?
This is a complicated question. There’s a reason why I lovingly call Disneyland the germiest place on earth – and with the current risks in the world, I would say the short answer is no, you can’t really expect to go to Disney right now and think everything is safe.
Yes, they are taking more precautions, but the biggest move by Disney is to warn guests that there is still a risk and that it’s safer to stay home.
The policies set by Disney and other Orlando parks are measures that reduce risk but do not eliminate it. The effort may be more of a facade than anything and only time will tell how effective the new policies actually are.
On paper, they are flimsy at best.
Think about all the people in enclosed spaces attempting to keep their social distance while waiting to get on a ride vehicle several others have been in.
There’s no requirement for the type of face-covering you wear and no real way to enforce it. It’s going to be a monster of a problem to tackle in the middle of July.
There will be temperature checks for guests and employees, but that has limited effectiveness, too. So
that’s the longer answer. If you are concerned about the risk, you should not go. However, it is open, so if you feel the pros outweigh the cons, now is your time to booko!
What’s Changed at Disney Since the Closures
Disney has removed a lot of the constants that Disney vacation planners have long held dear.
Fastpass Plus is gone. So are dining reservations.
Both are staples in the Disney vacation planning timeline that the pros have gotten used to. When reservations return, they will be 60 days from arrival, rather than 180 days.
The parks are going to operate at half capacity. There is no telling which attractions will make the cut, but not all will be open.
Fireworks and parades are gone because they attract crowds, which is a big no-no.
Disney is retraining cast members, increasing sanitation efforts, marking the floors for social distance, using signage and verbal announcements to educate and communicate.
In large part, the responsibility to keep the parks safe falls squarely on the guests to comply.
However, cast members have higher safety standards to follow. Transactions will be as cashless and hands-free as possible. points of contact will be protected as well.
Where Should I stay at Disneyland?
Many hotels are starting to open, which is great news. I would suggest looking into the cleaning protocol and recommendations that the hotels are putting out to make sure you pick the one that will be the safest for your family.
I would personally recommend staying as close to the park as possible and avoiding buses, as they can get cramped and crowded – perfect for transmitting illness.
Here are a few hotel resources to look into:
- The Five Best Hotels Near Disneyland with Free Breakfast
- The Best Hotels Near Disneyland with Family Suites
When Should I Book my Disneyland Vacation in 2020?
Usually this question could be answered by checking our this post – The Best Time to Visit Disneyland , but obviously, this really isn’t relevant right now.
Although the parks open in July, I honestly wouldn’t rush right in. While Disney does a great job of trying to run their parks efficiently, I can imagine it might be a bit chaotic!
Our friends at Get Away Today are recommending people booking during Halloween or Christmas-time. I actually just booked my own vacation for November 2020.
However, they are taking reservations for 2021, which might be a safer bet for many people.
Don’t forget, when you book through Get Away Today, all of their Southern California vacation packages can be booked for just $175 down with final payment due just seven days prior to travel. You can also cancel and get a full refund if you get their Peace of Mind Plan.
Be sure to mention Clarks Condensed or use the code ClarksCondensed to get an additional $10 off your vacation package.
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