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The Downtown Disney reopening at the Disneyland Resort had some extra magical touches and also some extra-long wait times.
We visited Downtown Disney on its reopening date on Thursday, July 9. The Disneyland shopping district closed in mid-March along with the theme parks. However, it reopened this week with select shops and dining spots to experience.
Overall, Disney did an excellent job with safety procedures and ensuring guest comfort. Our day started with parking in the Simba lot next to Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. We are happy to report that park is free (for now)! From there, it was just a short walk to the health check tents, followed by the security check.
Disneyland’s grounds are still impeccably clean. The hedges had crips edges, and the lawns were greener than ever. It was a bit strange to see so few people, just a hundred or so walking in a socially distanced line toward the tents.
We didn’t wait long before having a cheery cast member take our temperatures with a contactless thermometer measuring from the forehead. After that, it was just a few steps the rest of security which involved a canine unit sniffing around our legs, a baggage check row, and a metal detector. Compared to Disneyland’s typical security process, this was much faster and smoother.
If you need a bag checked, security wears gloves and inspects behind a plexiglass divider. The glass ensured that no one worried about coming into contact with another person’s breath. Of course, masks are required for all guests ages two years and older, so we expect that the screen is just an added precaution.
Furthermore, many of the Cast Members also wore face shields as well as masks. We love that Disney provided those for them (keep in mind that guests need to bring their own masks that fit well and cover the mouth and nose).
All around the district were hand sanitizers, some wash stations, and ground marking tape for social distancing. Special queues placed outside of popular dining spots like Earl of Sandwich and Black Tap Burgers helped manage lines.
Overall, we felt safe, satisfied, and happy! While trips to the grocery store are typically stressful, this was a totally different sphere. The casual atmosphere was enhanced by music from the parks like the themes from Indiana Jones Adventure and Radiator Springs Racers. Disney clearly worked hard to make this a memorable and lighthearted day for everyone.
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In the few hours we spent at Downtown Disney, there were only a few irksome moments. Guests sometimes moved uncomfortably close to us, and one small family allowed their child to wear a mask beneath his nose. Maybe we expected more of these instances, but overall everyone followed the rules.
With all of that said, social distancing also means long lines. Many of the shops used either virtual lines or queues with markers to keep six feet apart. The World of Disney was another story. This megastore had lines wrapped through Downtown Disney and into the esplanade between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. While it was awesome to walk back there and see the parks again (behind a gate, of course), the line was overbearing.
Some waited just to get their hands on new merchandise, while others (including us), entered a virtual queue. These queues use your phone number and text you back when called. We were told an hour, so we headed over to grab some bites.
At the moment, just a few dining spots are open. We craved a churro, so we grabbed one at California Churros. It tasted just like the one at Disneyland and had several flavors to choose from. For lunch, we ate at Earl of Sandwich and used their mobile order to skip the line (it’s on their website, not the Disneyland mobile app—for now).
After visiting some stores and avoiding long lines when possible, we realized that the majority of Downtown Disney looked fairly empty. After the first hour or so, guests just trickled into the shopping district. It felt great to be back in the Disney magic, experiencing the fun, friendly atmosphere, and far fewer crowds than usual. While we’ve seen some videos on Instagram of guest piling into the World of Disney, didn’t see too much crowding. In fact, there was plenty of seating to dine and shady spots to hang. Though a taste of Downtown Disney made us miss Disneyland and Disney California Adventure even more, we’re incredibly happy that we went!
To conclude, we realize that we’re in the middle of a pandemic. We don’t know if there’s an end to all of this, or if we’re truly just beginning a “new normal.” Either way, we’re just providing our experience, as we always do, based on how we feel Disney is handling their guest experience.
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