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Is California out of the woods? Disneyland reopens its doors.

After 13 months of closure, Disneyland has reopened to visitors today with a 25% capacity limit. The news comes as California boasts the nation鈥檚 lowest coronavirus cases rate 鈥� a sharp turnaround from just a few months ago.

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Four months ago, America鈥檚 most populous state was struggling to combat a surge in coronavirus hospitalizations.

On Friday, Disneyland, California鈥檚 world-famous theme park, was set to reopen to visitors after an unprecedented 13-month closure in what tourism officials hope is a sign of the state鈥檚 rebound from the pandemic. For now, the park is allowing only in-state visitors and operating at limited capacity.

The day began with Disney officials and park employees wearing face coverings gathered in the park鈥檚 town square for the morning flag-raising ceremony.

Disney chief executive Bob Chapek thanked the color guard for raising the flag daily throughout the 412-day closure and asked employees to 鈥渂ring the magic back鈥� for visitors about to enter the park.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not just another place. We鈥檙e not just another theme park. We鈥檙e something special and we鈥檙e something special because of all of you, because you bring magic to the world,鈥� he said.

Many visitors had gathered outside the park since the previous night.

鈥淚t has such a symbolic nature to really quantifying that we鈥檙e finally rolling out of COVID,鈥� said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of the state tourism agency Visit California.

The news comes as California boasts the country鈥檚 lowest rate of confirmed coronavirus infections and more than half of the population eligible for vaccination has received at least one dose of the shots. It鈥檚 a dramatic turnaround from December, when hospitals across the state were running out of ICU beds and treating patients at overflow locations.

Now, children are returning to school, shops and restaurants are expanding business, and Gov. Gavin Newsom set June 15 as a target date to further reopen the economy, albeit with some health-related restrictions.

Theme parks were among the last businesses allowed to reopen in California, and Universal Studios and others have already thrown open the gates. That鈥檚 a contrast to states with fewer restrictions such as Florida, where Disney World鈥檚 Magic Kingdom resort has been up and running, though at lower-than-usual capacity, since last July.

Another major U.S. amusement park, Ohio鈥檚 Cedar Point, opened last summer and will do so again for the upcoming season 鈥� only this time, it won鈥檛 require masks on rides or outdoors where crowds can be avoided.

While California continues to 鈥渟trongly discourage鈥� anyone from visiting the state as tourists, the travel industry is banking on pent-up demand from its own 40 million residents for a comeback. An advertising campaign encourages Californians to travel within the state, mirroring a pitch made after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

鈥淲e鈥檙e back to that playbook,鈥� Ms. Beteta said. 鈥淚t was very successful for us then, and we鈥檙e hoping it will be for us now.鈥�

Disneyland is a major economic engine in California, drawing nearly 19 million in attendance the year before the coronavirus struck, according to the Themed Entertainment Association. It and other such attractions were shuttered in March 2020 as Mr. Newsom imposed the nation鈥檚 first statewide shutdown order.

The park and neighboring Disney California Adventure will reopen with a capacity that is currently capped at 25% under state health rules. Reservations are required, hugs and handshakes with Mickey and other characters are off-limits, and the famous parades and fireworks shows have been shelved to limit crowding.

California currently allows state residents and fully vaccinated out-of-state visitors to attend theme parks. The state could open its economy more fully on June 15 provided vaccine supply is sufficient and hospitalizations remain stable and low.

But in a state with so many people shut in for so long, even in-state tourism could be a huge boost. Plus, Disney鈥檚 California parks have long had a loyal local fan base while its Florida locations rely more heavily on international tourists, said Carissa Baker, assistant professor of theme park and attraction management at University of Central Florida鈥檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

鈥淲hen they reopen, they鈥檙e probably going to be pretty instantly at whatever the allowable capacity is just because there鈥檚 so many locals who go to the California parks,鈥� Ms. Baker said.

Zach Bolger is among them. Before the closure, he took the half-hour drive down from Los Angeles County two or three times a week with his girlfriend, whom he met trading collectible pins at Disneyland.

鈥淛ust walking down Main Street and looking at the bricks on Main Street and looking at the stores or up at Walt鈥檚 window with the candle in it, all those things bring us a lot of happiness,鈥� said Mr. Bolger, who has opening tickets for the park. 鈥淲e鈥檙e definitely looking forward to the rides, but if Disneyland opened up and said, 鈥楢ll rides are closed, you can only walk around,鈥� we still would have bought tickets.鈥�

The reopening is also good news for theme park employees eager to get back to work and owners of hotels and shops in the surrounding city of Anaheim, which is running a $109 million deficit due to pandemic-related closures, said Mike Lyster, a city spokesman.

Visit Anaheim President Jay Burress said the city鈥檚 convention center saw more than 300 cancellations since the pandemic and so far has rebooked about a quarter. Some events might not be due to return to the West Coast for years or could get moved to states with fewer restrictions, Mr. Burress said, but added he believes the reopening of Disneyland and other attractions is promising.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not out of the woods, but at least we鈥檙e seeing some light for future,鈥� he said.

Disneyland is expected to reopen popular rides such as Space Mountain and Dumbo the Flying Elephant. But there will be changes to the park, with masks required and no live theater performances scheduled. This is how Disney started out at its Florida theme park and gradually phased back in entertainment, Ms. Baker said.

Earlier this week, Disneyland lit up its hallmark Sleeping Beauty castle and released a video tribute to employees. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a great big beautiful tomorrow ahead for all of us,鈥� said Ken Potrock, president of Disneyland Resort.

This story was reported by The Associated Press. Associated Press writers John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio and Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida, contributed.