Disneyland re-opens but you can’t hug Mickey Mouse

Masks, temperature checks, and no hugs with Mickey Mouse greeted visitors to Disneyland in California on Friday as Walt Disney’s original theme park reopened for the first time in over a year.

Under coronavirus pandemic guidelines, “The Happiest Place on Earth” was opened only to California residents, and capacity was limited to 25% to allow for social distancing.

“It was just really nice to be back around all the energy, and the cast members were so welcoming,” said Lauren England, one of the first-day visitors.

The #MagicIsHere! After a long absence, #Disneyland Resort once again has opened its gates and the first guests were thrilled to start making new memories: https://t.co/7pLMmEanDV pic.twitter.com/71RieLNX6q

— Disneyland Resort (@Disneyland) April 30, 2021

Guests, age 2 and older, were required to wear face masks and there were none of the usual hugs with costumed characters like Mickey Mouse and Snow White.

There will be no parades, and the nightly fireworks displays have been put on hold to prevent crowds from gathering closely together.

Jocelyn Bonilla, who was among more than 28,000 US Disney theme park workers to be furloughed during the long closure, was delighted to be back.

“I am one of the ones that got let go, so it feels good to be back,” she said. “Seeing everyone back, seeing everything back to normal, it’s amazing.”

According to the park’s online reservation system tickets to Disneyland are sold out through mid-June, but there is more availability in the adjacent California Adventure.

Disneyland, located 35 miles south of Los Angeles in Anaheim, opened in 1955.

Walt Disney Co closed its theme parks around the world in March 2020 to help curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company’s most-visited resort, Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, reopened in July 2020.