Disneyland in California delays reopening as virus cases rise

LOS ANGELES — Disneyland in California on Wednesday delayed its planned reopening as coronavirus cases climb in the US state.

In this file photo an employee cleans the grounds behind the closed gates of Disneyland Park on the first day of the closure of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure theme parks as fear of the spread of coronavirus continue, in Anaheim, California, on March 14, 2020. Photo by DAVID MCNEW / AFP

The resort near Los Angeles, including Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, had planned to welcome visitors back July 17, pending government approval.

Disney said in a statement that Californian officials would not issue reopening guidelines before July 4, leaving the theme parks insufficient time to restart as proposed.

“Given the time required for us to bring thousands of cast members back to work and restart our business, we have no choice but to delay the reopening of our theme parks and resort hotels until we receive approval from government officials,” a statement said.

No new reopening date was announced.

Disneyland is the world’s second-most visited theme park, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each day, but it closed in mid-March due to coronavirus concerns.

The postponement leaves the California resort trailing other Disney theme parks.

Shanghai Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland have already resumed activities.

Tokyo Disney is set to reopen July 1, with the Paris and Orlando, Florida parks planning to start up again in mid-July.

California, the nation’s most populous state, saw a daily record of 7,149 new coronavirus cases Tuesday, to pass 190,000 total.