by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:13 AM ET, Wed May 27, 2020
Officials in California have announced Disneyland and other theme parks would be part of the third phase of the state's reopening plan, as businesses welcome guests for the first time since the coronavirus outbreak began.
According to OCRegister.com, Governor Gavin Newsom previously announced a "four-stage road map" to start reopening businesses in California, and there were concerns theme parks would fall into the fourth phase.
California Health and Human Services Agency spokesperson Kate Folmar said Disneyland, Universal Studios Hollywood and other popular attractions would be part of the third stage of reopening.
"Theme parks are slated to open in Stage 3 if the rate of spread of COVID-19 and hospitalizations remain stable," Folmar told the OC Register. "The California Department of Public Health will issue detailed guidance with suggested modifications for how to minimize the risk of COVID-19 spread when theme parks reopen."
On Tuesday, Newsom announced that Orange County, where Disneyland is located, and other areas would be approved for "accelerated reopening" and move to phase three of the governor's plan, despite theme parks being considered a high-risk business.
In addition to limiting the number of people inside the facilities, the state's health department will also work with theme park employers and employees to develop health and safety protocols.
Earlier this month, Shanghai Disneyland reopened its doors to the public with a stringent new set of rules and regulations to meet health guidelines implemented by the government, such as limiting capacity to ensure social distancing.
In Florida, Disney World officials reached an agreement last week with its employee union on a new set of health and safety guidelines to protect workers from coronavirus.
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