We were at Disneyland i for Spring Break in March 2020 when it closed for Covid. Covid had become an issue that we started taking seriously a few weeks prior to our trip. My mom asked us not to go to Disneyland. It was my family, my sister, Ashley, her boyfriend (at the time, Daniel, who would propose to her on this trip) and Daniel’s daughter and niece. We debated whether or not to go, but decided to risk it. It was very strange. Disneyland usually has smells when you walk down Main Street, like cookies baking. But it smelled like hand sanitizer! It was so weird. Very un-Disney-like.
Many people canceled their trips because of Covid, so the park was empty. We went on the train that goes around Disneyland and we were practically the only ones.
There were no lines for anything. It should have been great, but in reality it was unsettling because you knew it was because a deadly virus and fear were keeping people away. It made me wonder if I should be scared. I recall that I was concerned, but I didn’t feel scared. . . Yet.
All the Disney cast members were wearing gloves. Even though they were white and looked innocent, it was unnerving.
They were installing signs in the bathrooms while we were there: “Wash hands for twenty seconds.”
We tried to have fun, but it was all so un-Disney-like. The water in the water rides like Pirates and Splash Mountain smelled like chlorine. We still had a good time, but I think inside we were all becoming very worried.
Only Miriam’s hands. Haha. She’s a thrill seeker!
It rained on our second day. We bought four day tickets, but if I recall correctly we only planned to go for three. I got some kind of deal and getting the four day ended up being cheaper than three day.
Joshua finally rode Space Mountain! He doesn’t like these types of rides.
We got to experience Star Wars Land for the first time. It was very well done! Oddly enough we ran into Joshua’s friend from school (Kayden). So Josh and I went with Kayden and his grandmother on the “rogue” ride (I forget what it’s called). I think they was nice for him to get to experience that with a friend who shared a similar “like” of such things. Then we went on the other new Star Wars ride together as a family. They were both incredible! Well done!
Josh doesn’t like Splash Mountain. So I went with Miriam, then Garren went with Miriam, then Ashley went with Miriam. Haha!
I got Cinnamon this cute Minnie Mouse collar. She wore it until she died.
I can only ride one fast ride a day because it make my joints hurt. So I rode Space Mountain. Miriam really wanted to do the one that goes upside down in DCA. So Garren, Ashley, and Daniel went with her.
Josh loves the Autopia. I think he and I did that one about 6 times! When The others went to DCA to do the rollercoaster, Josh and I went on Autopia. Those were the last rides we did at Disneyland. They had announced earlier in the day that they would be closing Disneyland due to Covid concerns. So we knew it was our last day. We only used 2 of our 4 days.
These pictures were from earlier in the day, but we rode it for the last time at night. The others were on that ride in DCA and it shut down while they were on it!!! Like, way up high!! So they all had to exit the ride by going down those sketchy looking stairs! In the dark! And it had been raining all day!! I was glad I wasn’t there. I probably would have peed my pants.
This was Disneyland as it was closing. They had to cancel the fireworks show because of wind. But they still did the show they do where they put up video projections on the buildings on Main Street. It was very sad and emotional. All the characters, and I mean ALL the characters came out and lines Main Street and were blowing kisses to everyone as they left the park. I’m even crying right now writing this. It was so sad! And scary!
The next morning, Disneyland was a ghost town. So strange to see it “sleeping.” We walked around for a bit, I think because we just didn’t know what to think, how to feel, or what was to come.
We drove home that day. Since I booked through Disneyland we got a refund for the hotel. I opened to keep the tickets though because we thought we’d use them later. They anticipated being closed for two weeks. They ended up closing for a year. We didn’t know that at the time. We thought Covid would die out over the summer and we’d go back over fall break and use our remaining two days on our tickets. Little did we know. . . .
I think for our family this is where our Covid experience began: The Day Disneyland Closed.
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