Disneyland and the California Adventure theme parks will end the popular Annual Passport program due to the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
What happened?
Per KABC, Disneyland Resort President Ken Potrock said in a letter released to passholders that the current program will end “due to the continued uncertainty of the pandemic and limitations and expected restrictions around the reopening of our theme parks.”
- People who qualify for refunds will receive them.
- Those who held passports as of March 14, 2020, will still receive discounts on merchandise, food and beverages.
- The company will look into future membership ideas, though.
- “We plan to use this time while we remain closed to develop new membership offerings that will utilize consumer insights to deliver choice, flexibility and value for our biggest fans,” Potrock said, according to KABC. “Once we have more information to share about future membership offerings, our passholders will be the first to hear from us as we embark on this next chapter.”
Context
The Annual Passport program allows people to visit Disneyland and California Adventure on certain days throughout the year. The program also offered discounts and special offers.
Disneyland has been closed since March because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It remains unclear when the park will reopen. Park officials considered opening the park over the summer but California did not issue state guidelines for its reopening. Eventually, California outlined the plan for reopening theme parks. Experts suggested Disneyland will have a difficult time meeting the requirements.