Photos: Disneyland reopens after a year - Los Angeles Times
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Photos: Disneyland visitors get out their mouse ears and flock back to the park

A masked employee greets a Disneyland visitor wearing Minnie Mouse-themed gear
Mathew Jimenez, 2, of Santa Fe Springs, blows bubbles with Mickey and Pluto on Main Street as a limited number of people came to Disneyland the first day after being closed for more than a year ago. Characters remained distanced from guests, not getting close enough for hugs and handshakes.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Break out those mouse ears — the House that Mickey Built is open.

Eager parkgoers began lining up hours before Disneyland’s official 9 a.m. opening time Friday, and a cheer greeted the announcement that the temperature-check station would start processing visitors for admission about an hour early. To prevent crowding in Disneyland’s Main Street area, park employees waved in the admitted guests and invited them to freely roam the grounds.

In the 66-year history of Disneyland, the theme park has been shut for extreme circumstances only a few times — after the assassination of President Kennedy and following the 1994 Northridge earthquake, for example — but before the pandemic struck in March 2020, none of those closures lasted longer than a day.

Instagrammable

Minerva Mendez and Ahmed El take photos in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle inside Disneyland.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

A meeting of princesses

Annable Zavala and her mother Yani visit princesses from a distance inside Disneyland
Annable Zavala and her mother Yani visit princesses from a distance inside Disneyland as the park reopened for the first time in more than a year.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Masked greeting

The first park visitors are greeted inside Disneyland as the theme park reopened for the first time in more than a year.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Walt and Mickey

Visitors take a selfie with the Walt Disney statue in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Chewie mode

Chewbacca greets a park guest in the Star Wars Galaxy's Edge area at Disneyland.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Socially distanced

A boat on the Small World ride carries only one couple in the front row and one couple in the fifth row.
A socially distanced Small World boat begins its journey at Disneyland.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
A guest uses a hand sanitizer dispenser mounted on a pole
Hand sanitation stations are set up inside Disneyland as part of health and safety measures.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

Snow White’s Enchanted Wish

A peek inside Snow White's Enchanted Wish attraction=
Prince Charming finds Snow White in the Snow White’s Enchanted Wish attraction at Disneyland, which opened for the first time in more than a year on Friday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
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Scenes of the Seven Dwarfs, left, and of the Evil Queen in her witch's nest
More scenes from the Snow White’s Enchanted Wish attraction at Disneyland.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

First in

Two girls break into a run
The first park visitors are on the run inside Disneyland as the theme park reopens for the first time in more than a year.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Emotions run high

A parkgoer breaks down in tears
Park visitors get emotional inside Disneyland.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Two parkgoers kiss.
A couple recreates the famous Alfred Eisenstaedt V-J Day photo as they arrive at the park.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Getting cast members fired up

Two men bump elbows
Walt Disney Co. Executive Chairman Bob Iger elbow-bumps a park employee before the reopening.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Camera ready

Workers take pictures before visitors arrive
Employees record the moment as the park prepares to reopen.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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