Anaheim: Four months ago, America’s most populous state struggled to combat an increase in coronavirus hospitalizations that packed patients in outdoor tents and killed hundreds of people every day.
On Friday, Disneyland, California’s world-famous theme park, will reopen to visitors after an unprecedented 13-month shutdown in what tourism officials hope is a sign of the state’s rebound from the pandemic. The park currently only allows visitors to the state and operates on limited capacity.
‘It has such a symbolic nature to really quantify that we finally start from it COVID”Said Caroline Beteta, President and CEO of the state tourism agency Visit California.
The news comes as California boasts the lowest percentage of confirmed land coronavirus infections and more than half of the eligible population received at least one dose of the shots. It’s a dramatic turnaround since December, when hospitals across the state’s ICU beds ran out and treated patients in overflowing places.
Children are now returning to school, shops and restaurants are expanding the business, and government Gavin Newsom is setting June 15 as a target date to further reopen the economy, albeit with some health-related restrictions.
Theme parks were one of the last businesses allowed in California again, and Universal Studios and others have already opened their gates. This is in contrast to states with fewer restrictions such as Florida, where Disney World’s Magic Kingdom resort has been in use since last year, although it is lower than usual.
Another major American amusement park, Ohio’s Cedar Point, opened last summer and will do so again for the coming season – only this time it is not necessary to take masks on rides or outside where crowds can be avoided.
While California continues to “strongly discourage” anyone from visiting the state as a tourist, the travel industry is busy raising demand from its own 40 million residents for a return. An advertising campaign encourages Californians to travel within the state, reflecting a pitch made after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
“We’re back to the playbook,” Beteta said. “It was very successful for us then, and we hope it will be for us now.” Disneyland is a major economic engine in California, raising nearly $ 19 million year-over-year. coronavirus according to the Themed Entertainment Association. These and other similar attractions were closed in March 2020 when Newsom imposed the country’s first state-wide termination order.
The park and the adjacent Disney California Adventure will reopen with a capacity currently limited by the 25% health rules. Bookings are required, hugs and handshakes with Mickey and other characters are off limits, and the famous parades and fireworks displays have been set up to entertain the crowd.
California currently allows state residents and visitors vaccinated outside the state to attend theme parks. The state can open its economy more fully on June 15, provided the admission of vaccine is adequate and hospitalizations remain stable and low.
But in a state with so many people locking in for so long, even tourism in the country can be a big boost. In addition, Disney’s California parks have long had a loyal local fan base, while Florida locations are heavily dependent on international tourists, said Carissa Baker, assistant professor of theme park and tourism management at Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida, said.
“When they reopen, they’ll probably be pretty immediate, regardless of the allowable capacity, just because there are so many residents going to the California parks,” Baker said.
Zach Bolger (35) is among them. Before closing, he took a half-hour drive from Los Angeles County two or three times a week with his girlfriend, whom he met at Disneyland with collectibles.
“Just walking down Main Street and looking at the bricks in Main Street and looking at the stores or at Walt’s window with the candle in, all of these things bring us a lot of happiness,” Bolger said. park. “We’re definitely looking forward to the rides, but if Disneyland were to open up and say, ‘All rides are closed, you can just walk around,’ we would have bought more tickets. ‘ The reopening is also good news for theme park employees eager to get back to work and owners of hotels and shops in the surrounding city of Anaheim, which has a $ 109 million deficit due to the closure of pandemic, Mike Lyster, a city spokesman, said.
Visit Anaheim President Jay Burress said the city’s conference center has had more than 300 cancellations since the pandemic, and has booked about a quarter so far. Some events may not be years back to the West Coast, or may be relocated to states with fewer restrictions, Burress said.
“We are not out of the woods, but we see at least some light for the future,” he said.
Disneyland is expected to reopen popular rides such as Space Mountain and Dumbo the Flying Elephant. But there will be changes to the park, with masks needed and no live theater performances planned. This is how Disney started at the Florida theme park and gradually entertained again, Baker said.
Source: Telangana Today