paging Mickey Mouse

Disneyland set to reopen on April 30

It's been more than a year since the spirits in the Haunted Mansion came out to socialize and Big Thunder Mountain offered the wildest ride in the wilderness, but soon, Disneyland will reopen for a limited capacity crowd.

Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Chapek told CNBC on Wednesday that Disneyland and California Adventure in Anaheim will reopen on April 30. "We've seen the enthusiasm, the craving for people to return to our parks around the world," he said. The parks both closed last March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier this month, California, which has seen an increase in vaccinations and decrease in COVID-19 cases, announced new guidelines for reopening theme parks, saying it could be done beginning April 1 if virus transmission rates remained low. Chapek said Disney needs until the end of April to hire staffers, and will recall 10,000 workers and train them on new safety standards, including ensuring visitors stay socially distanced and wear masks when not eating and drinking.

To start, the theme parks will only be open to California residents, at 15 percent of total capacity. Tickets will have to be reserved online in advance. Read more at the Los Angeles Times.