Disneyland attendance nears pre-pandemic levels, report says

• Visits to Disneyland reached 85% of its 2019 levels this summer, according to firm Placer.ai.
• California's COVID-19 restrictions closed the park for over a year.
• The state recommends all guests be fully vaccinated or obtain a negative COVID test before visiting.

The Happiest Place on Earth is getting back on its feet as attendance rose this summer to nearly pre-pandemic levels.

Disneyland in Anaheim, California, saw about 85% of its 2019 attendance levels by the end of the summer, according to the Orange County Register, citing a report from Placer.ai, a data firm that tracks foot traffic at theme parks, retailers, and restaurants.

The California-based park saw a much slower recovery than its Florida counterpart primarily because of varying COVID restrictions at the state level, according to Placer.ai's report. California has stricter limitations on vaccine and mask policies, and Disneyland saw a 27.1% decrease in visits during the month of August, compared to 2019, as coronavirus cases rose in the state. Florida's Disney World only saw a 15.3% decrease that same month.

In the month of July, Disneyland visits were down about 25.3% from 2019's attendance levels, and Disney World's were only 8.2% lower.

Other factors impacted the number of visitors to the parks, the report noted, such as weather, an increase in visitors' household income, and Labor Day Weekend falling in early September this year as compared to large August in 2019.

Disneyland was closed for more than a year due to California's coronavirus restrictions. The park returned to full capacity in June after reopening in April. Currently, all guests planning on visiting Disneyland must make a reservation in advance and wear a face covering while indoors, according to the park's policy.

While it is not mandatory, the state of California strongly recommends that all guests be fully vaccinated or obtain a negative COVID-19 test prior to entering the Disneyland Resort.