Cast members and operating participants have begun welcoming guests back to the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort to experience a variety of specialty shopping and dining locations. This marks the first part of the resort reopening after closing in mid-March in response to COVID-19.

“It was very emotional for me to see guests walking onto property,” shared Patrick Finnegan, vice president of Disney California Adventure park and Downtown Disney District. “They were thanking us as they came in. They were all wearing face coverings. They were doing a great job of physically distancing, and they were smiling with their eyes.” 

Jim Doyle, general manager of Disney California Adventure park and custodial, attested to the months-long preparation period for the reopening. “There was so much anticipation and so much hard work by so many cast members to make sure that we’re ready. When our cast and guests arrived, they felt comfortable, they felt like they were in a safe place that prepared for them to have a true Disney experience.”  New health and safety measures have been implemented, including significantly limiting capacity, contactless temperature checks administered by Hoag, mandatory face coverings, automatic hand sanitizing dispensers and handwashing stations, an emphasis on contactless payment options and signage to promote physical distancing, all of which have been warmly received by both guests and cast members. Excited to be welcoming guests back to Disney property, cast members underwent training on the new procedures prior to reopening and continue to undergo temperature checks as they start their shifts. Learn more about the new health and safety measures in a message from Disney Parks Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Pamela Hymel.

“Disney is a company known for its focus on safety,” said Todd Ament, president and CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce. “We know Disneyland has put even more robust safety protocols in place to safely reopen with the utmost care for their cast members and guests in mind.” 

To help guide guests through these new measures, Guest Experience cast members are present throughout the Downtown Disney District to help explain the new safety protocols and answer questions. They, along with other Downtown Disney District cast members, are on hand to enforce these measures in order to keep everyone safe.

“We may all be wearing face coverings, but you can see our eyes smile,” said Guest Experience team member Mark Evans. “You really can’t fake that.”

Among the many locations that have reopened, guests have enjoyed returning to family-friendly restaurants with outdoor dining space, favorite snacking stops and shopping boutiques, in addition to the flagship World of Disney store.

At the LEGO store, Manager Zack Berman, standing outside and excited to once again be greeting guests, said, “We’re all a big family here at Disney. It’s great seeing everyone back and we’re ready to bring that magic back to our store.” Visit Disneyland.com/DTD for everything you need to know about visiting the Downtown Disney District. 

• «Previous Post
• Next Post »

---