Disney closed indefinitely: What to know about theme park closures around the world
Editor's Note
I never thought we'd see the day that Disney parks around the world would all be closed at the same time, but it happened. And right now, it's going to happen for an indefinite period due to continuing coronavirus concerns.
Read up-to-the-minute information about coronavirus and how it's affecting travel.
The Disney theme parks in the U.S. and Paris originally announced that they would close through March 31, but that date has since been pushed back to ... indefinitely.
Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, Shanghai Disney and Hong Kong Disneyland have already been closed for a few months and remain closed with no set reopening date.
Here's what you need to know about the closure of Disney World, Disneyland and beyond.
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Disney World closure
The Walt Disney World Resort in Florida closed on Sunday, March 15, and will remain closed until further notice.
While not initially included in the initial March closure, the Disney World resort hotels are also all now closed to guests, as is the Disney Springs shopping and dining area.
Related: Here's when the Disney Parks may reopen
Disneyland closure
In California, Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park originally closed the gates due to coronavirus concerns on March 14, and have also extended the closure until further notice.
The three Disneyland Hotels (Disneyland Hotel, Grand Californian and Pixar Pier) are also closed.
Disneyland released the following statement on March 27:
"As a result of this unprecedented pandemic and in line with direction provided by health experts and government officials, Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort will remain closed until further notice."
The statement goes on to state that hourly parks and resort cast members will be paid through April 18.
Disneyland Paris closure
Disneyland Paris closed on March 15, and on April 3 also announced an indefinite closure.
Disney Cruise Line suspension
Disney Cruise Line has suspended new sailings through April 28, with sailings to and from Vancouver (which head to Alaska) already suspended through at least the end of June.
Everything you need to know about Disney park closures
What happens to existing tickets
Multiday tickets that were already in use are automatically extended for use through Dec. 15, 2020. Entirely unused tickets can be put toward the purchase of a future ticket at a later date if you cannot use the tickets by Dec. 15. Any special event tickets (Early Morning Magic, Villains, etc.) purchased for use from March 16 until the park reopens will be automatically refunded.
At first, it was announced that Disneyland and Disney World annual pass expirations will be extended by the number of days the park is closed. However, as of April 5, annual passholders who have paid in full have the option to continue to extend their pass validity by one day for each date the parks are closed as originally announced. Alternatively, they can request a prorated refund for the duration of the park closure within their original one-year pass membership.
Those who are paying for annual passes monthly will no longer have monthly payments drafted as of April 5 (payments made between March 14–April 4 will be refunded), but they have two options. Passholders can either have payments resume when the parks reopen and not change when the passes expire. Or, they can have payments resume when the parks reopen and the months of membership that were paused during the closure can be added onto the end of the original pass expiration date (with a corresponding number of additional months of payments also due after the original expiration date).
What happens to FastPass+ and dining reservations
All FastPass+ and Disney Dining reservations that were set to occur during the announced closure will be automatically canceled and/or refunded. (And yes, I fully know how much that stings for those who worked so hard to line everything up perfectly.)
Disney World Resort hotels
Disney World Resort stays during the park's planned closure will be automatically refunded within seven days of the planned check-in date if you do nothing. However, you can manage your reservation and cancel online in most cases. There will be no cancellation penalties for Disney Resort stay changes through June 30, 2020.
Those who had a room-only or larger Disney vacation reservation for check-in from March 16–May 31, 2020, may be eligible for a new booking from June 1–Sept. 30 that includes a dining plan. Disneyland has a somewhat similar offer that stretches through the end of 2020.
When will the parks reopen?
No one knows. At this point, there's no set reopening date. The Disney parks in Asia have already been closed for several months, so it is anticipated that the U.S. parks will be closed until it's safe to reopen. Tokyo Disneyland has announced it will be closed at least through April 20. In the U.S., both Disney World and Disneyland are not currently accepting hotel reservations at Disney properties until June 1, so it's a likely assumption that a reopening before June is not planned at this time.
Universal Studios extends closure
The U.S. theme park closures are not just Disney-specific, as Universal Studios in both Florida and California closed on the same dates as the Disney theme parks and have now announced extended closures through at least May 31for both the theme parks and resort hotels.
Universal is extending season passes by one day for every day the parks are closed. Hotel reservations and packages purchased between March 4 and May 1 qualify for a "Stress-Free" booking policy, which means they may be modified or canceled with no fee at least 24 hours before arrival.
Those with unexpired, unused tickets can use them up to 365 days from when they were purchased, or the value can be applied toward a new ticket purchase.
Other U.S. theme parks that are temporarily closed
Many other theme parks around the nation have also announced similar closures. Here are a few parks that have temporarily shut down:
- Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California: Closed March 14 through mid-May.
- Dollywood: Closed and with hopes to open in mid-May.
- SeaWorld: Closed with no set reopening date.
- Legoland: Closed until further notice.
- Six Flags: Closed at least through mid-May.
TPG will continue to provide updates on major travel-related closures and cancellations.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.