Masks, temperature controls and a Mickey Mouse without being able to cuddle were what awaited visitors to Disneyland in California, United States, this Friday (30), when the theme park reopened for the first time in over a year. .
In accordance with coronavirus safety guidelines, “The Happiest Place on Earth” has reopened only to residents of California and has a capacity limited to 25%, to allow social detachment.
By the rules, visitors aged two and over must wear masks and cannot give traditional hugs to characters like Mickey Mouse and Snow White. In addition, there will be no parades and the fireworks display which takes place at the end of the day has been suspended to avoid the crowds.
Jocelyn Bonilla, one of more than 28,000 theme park workers who were closed during the shutdown period, said she was happy to be back.
“I’m one of the people who have been made redundant, so I feel good to come back,” he says. “Seeing people, seeing things back to normal is great.”
Disneyland tickets sell out by mid-June, according to the park’s online reservation system. Disneyland, located 35 miles south of Los Angeles, in Anaheim, opened in 1955.
Walt Disney closed its theme parks around the world in March 2020 to help contain the Covid-19 pandemic. The company’s most visited resort, Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, reopened in July 2020.