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412.

That is the number of days that have passed since Walt Disney's first park closed.  Earth has traveled around the Sun (and then some) since guests last visited the Happiest Place on Earth.  Every Disney owned theme park around the world has reopened (in some capacity) since the Covid_19 pandemic took control over 14 months ago - except for Disneyland.  It has been 412 days....

 

Until today.

It was once unfathomable to think that Disneyland would ever be closed for over a year.  After all, unspeakable terrorist attacks and the assassination of a president have been the only other occasions when Disneyland shut its gates, and in those instances, it was only for a single day.  Now, over a year later, Disneyland Park and Disney’s California Adventure are ready to welcome guests back.  Yes, the capacity will be limited.  Yes, many of the classic rides will not be running when the park reopens.  There will not be parades down Main Street USA or fireworks over Sleeping Beauty Castle, but after a year of remaining shut down, the magic is finally back.    

 

While Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida has been open since the middle of July, Disney’s original theme park has waited until state officials deemed the pandemic under control.  After 14 months and a positivity rate under 2%, California theme parks are ready to reopen, and no park draws a brighter spotlight than Disneyland.  The reopening of the Anaheim resort gives a feeling that we are another step closer to returning to “normal.”  The silence from Cars Land to Batuu has been deafening.  Whether you visited the park once in your life or 3,000 times, the closure of Disneyland has had an impact on Disney fans around the world.  It has also had an impact on the local community of restaurants, hotels, and shops that rely upon the steady flow of parkgoers to survive.  Disneyland is the heart of the surrounding area providing life to large and small business alike, and for the last year, there been no pulse.  As an out-of-towner, I think of the dozens of Uber drivers who have shuttled my family and me to the parks and how devastating this past year has been for them.  This reopening is the first sign that better days are ahead. 

I have also thought about the thousands of cast members who have been furloughed and left in limbo for the last year.  The real magic of Disney Parks is powered by the warm smiles and large hearts of cast members who work tirelessly to ensure that every visitor has the best possible experience.  While guests are eager to see grim grinning ghosts at the Haunted Mansion or visit me hearties at the Pirates of the Caribbean, it will be a teary delight to see our favorite cast members back at work and creating magical memories once again. 

 

But perhaps the biggest takeaway is that we strive not to take things for granted ever again.  Nobody could have foreseen a day where something as timeless and constant as Disneyland was taken away for over a year.  The memories that we make moving forward will have a new and special meaning as we walk right down the middle of Main Street USA once again.