Downtown Disney fans camp overnight, face long lines for reopening in California

Five hours ahead of Downtown Disney’s reopening, dozens of people could be found in line waiting for the clock to strike 10 a.m., KABC reported.

“I’ve personally been here since 11 p.m.,” one woman told KTLA. Some people said they showed up to get in line right after they finished work and waited all night, according to KTLA.

Downtown Disney is a business district filled with restaurants and shops, KABC said. It’s located near Disneyland and is considered part of the Disneyland resort, according to KTLA and the Orange County Register.

Crowds lined the streets and visitors in cars waited at least 45 minutes before they were able to get into the Simba parking lot, theRegister reported. By the time the park opened at 10 a.m., people were being turned away so the park could enforce social distancing, according to the Register.

Downtown Disney is the first part of the Disneyland Resort to reopen after it closed for four months due to COVID-19, KTLA reported. Disney announced they changed the date of reopening for Disneyland from July 17 to “a later date,” but the website didn’t have a specific day listed.

Once visitors made it to the Downtown Disney entrance, they had to pass a temperature checkpoint and were required to wear masks, according to the Disney Parks website. If a guest has a temperature of 100.4 degrees F or above, they will not be allowed to enter the park, the website says.

Guests can expect to see a lot more cleaning going on in “high-traffic areas such as handrails, benches, tables, handles, restrooms,” etc. to help prevent spreading the coronavirus, according to Downtown Disney’s website. Visitors will also be expected to follow signs that remind them to maintain physical distance, the website says.

Walt Disney World in Orlando will reopen for the first time since March Saturday, KABC reported.