By HANNAH PATRICK

Since the beginning of the pandemic, COVID-19 continues to cause Disney fans to go through a rollercoaster of emotions. From the closure of the parks and longtime employees being laid off, this magical theme park couldn’t make fans more upset then they do now. 

Disneyland Park in the afternoon of April 2019, as the sun hits the train station to make the theme of magic that comes with Disney much more apparent. (Hannah Patrick / Ethic News )

Due to the surge of COVID-19 cases, these parks will not be re-opened for the public in a very long time. The virus has caused Disney parks to be closed for a whole year now and fans are not pleased to be reminded of this day by day. 

Originally, the season pass was a multi-ticket system that families used to visit both parks daily, weekly or monthly, but now that access is being taken away. Disney discussed that they will be replacing the program with new membership offerings as refunds are being made for the people who paid for these passes by the end of the final process to get rid of the program. 

“Make no mistake, the AP program is in many ways still vital, especially at an urban locale that doesn’t have Walt Disney World’s hotel capacity or its four theme parks and activities to encourage week-long stays,” says the Los Angeles Times about this new program that Disney plans to create. The Walt Disney Company is currently operating the parks as a reservations-only capacity as soon as California finally opens up from its lock down. 

However, when word spread about this new plan, fans weren’t very pleased with it. It was said that the annual pass program has been believed to hover around one million dollars, and many are upset for paying a ticket only for it to be refunded.  

Disney annual pass tickets were priced into different categories, but the pass that cost the most is the Disney Platinum Pass at 1,195 dollars with “access to all four theme parks for one year,” according to WaltDisney World, the largest price tag compared to all the other regular passes which are priced in the hundreds. 

Viviana Sanches, a Citrus Valley High School senior says, “Disney was [my] way of escaping and taking a vacation when [I] could,” but her need to go to her vacation spot has been taken away from her. 

Robyn Coley, a Citrus Valley High School senior also says she “wishes for Disney to be open again to live the Disney magic once again.” 

The cancellation is yet to be finalized as of right now, but thankfully U.S citizens aren’t too shaken up about the sudden news. Once COVID-19 is through hopefully the park can open up once again and fill everyone with Disney magic as they flood into the parks to create more memories and spend time with family like they used to.