Now that Disneyland is re-opening, when will I go?
Callooh! Callay! At long last, the Disneyland Resort will be re-opening in July. It will start with Downtown Disney on July 9, followed by the parks on July 17, and the hotels on July 23. It should not be lost on us that July 17 is the anniversary of Disneyland. Well played, Disney. Well played.
The Disneyland Resort will have been closed for roughly four months. So, now that it is re-opening, when will I go? This is a question I am commonly asked with people on both sides giving their commentary. It's enough to make my head explode. I wanted to write this possibly as a way of reasoning with myself.
My head is telling me to be careful and stay away until there is a vaccine. We are in unprecedented time. Just today, Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert described COVID-19 as his "worst nightmare" and that we are not even close to seeing the end. I am at high risk to contract the disease. And, frankly, as much as I'd like to see people behave, there are those who are so desperate for a sense of normalcy that they are willing to risk it all. There are people protesting wearing masks and social distancing. Do I want to put myself in that situation?
But, on the other hand, my soul is telling me to go. I have missed Disneyland so much. I want to see my beloved characters, even from a distance. I want to feel the thrill of getting a boarding pass for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. I want to walk down the street eating a corndog. I want to see Rocket Raccoon connect those cords. I want to take a stroll in the Ornament Valley. I have not been to Disneyland since late January making this the longest break I've taken from it in over a decade. Over a decade! And what is life without living?
So, what to do? I still don't know at the end of writing this, but will be something on my mind over the next coming weeks. What will you do?