It takes a lot for Disney parks to close. Earthquakes, Hurricanes, and more have shut down Disney parks in the past, and now it looks like a new threat is causing closures and operations changes at several Disney parks: a virus. As you may have heard, a particularly potent strain of Coronavirus has hit China, and in an effort to avoid large-scale contagion, Disney has taken the following steps at its Asian parks and resorts:
Shanghai Disney Resort shuts down until further notice
The first major closure due to the Coronavirus was Shanghai Disney Resort (which includes Shanghai Disneyland as well as all connected hotels) which is now shut down until further notice late last week due to the outbreak of Coronavirus in China. The company said in a statement posted on the Chinese resort’s website that the decision is in line with prevention measures taking place across China. The resort said it will refund guests for tickets, hotel bookings and other pre-purchased experiences, and has not been able to offer a timeline for reopening.
The timing is especially bad for Shanghai Disneyland, as the Lunar New Year holidays are a big travel season in the region, and typically help keep revenue afloat at this park, which has struggled in recent quarters. However, it looks like this resort will remain closed for some time as Disney is waiting for the go-ahead from government officials before starting to reopen the park, which could take quite awhile.
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort closes park, but not hotels
Just a few days after the Shanghai Disneyland closure, it was announced that Hong Kong Disneyland Resort would also be closing until further notice after Sunday, January 26 due to the Coronavirus outbreak. However, even though all of Shanghai Disney Resort is closed, it looks like the hotels at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, which include Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, Disney Explorers Lodge and Disney’s Hollywood Hotel, will all remain open for the time being. This might not stay the case for long (its unlikely a lot of people will want to keep their reservations at a hotel connected to a closed theme park), but for now this park is at least continuing some operations during this outbreak.
Tokyo Disney Resort takes precautions
Though there’s nearly 2,000 miles and an ocean separating China from Japan, Tokyo Disney Resort has begun to take special precautions due to the spread of the Coronavirus. Guests both in the parks and at connected hotels have been advised to wash their hands frequently and use hand sanitizers to avoid infection. In addition, signs have been posted advising guests to contact Cast Members if they develop a cough or a fever, which are both symptoms of the Coronavirus.
In addition, reports indicate that Cast Members at the Tokyo Disney Resort will be allowed to wear sick masks on stage beginning this week to help keep them safe from infection.
Though this type of mass closure and policy change is unprecedented, the situation is a very serious one, and as the safety and wellbeing of guests is Disney’s top priority, these measures make sense. And while there’s no way to know how long Asian theme park fans will be dealing with the fallout from this powerful virus, we’re sure Disney will have a plan in place for reopening once they are given the go-ahead from health and government officials.
