Ticket sales, hotel reservations suspended indefinitely as Shanghai Disneyland remains closed
Editor's Note
Nearly two weeks after closing its gates amid a surge in COVID-19 infections in the region, Shanghai's Disney resorts remain closed this weekend, with all ticket sales suspended until a reopening date is announced for the parks.
The park first announced that Shanghai Disneyland, Disneytown and Wishing Star park would temporarily close March 21 "due to the current pandemic situation."
The move came as the New York Times reported China was dealing with its worst wave of COVID-19 infections since the early days of the pandemic. It's a surge that has again had leaders and health officials working to contain infections and slow the spread of the virus in recent weeks.
This weekend, the updated notice on Shanghai Disney Resort's website shared a few new details about the closure noting "there is currently no confirmed date for re-opening" of the park's operations, with park officials pledging to monitor the pandemic situation and update guests as soon as new information becomes available.
Friday, the resort also shared that any guests staying at the Shanghai Disneyland Hotel or Toy Story Hotel would need to present a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of arrival. The message this weekend now indicates that all ticket sales and hotel reservations have been suspended "until the resort reopening date is announced."
For Disney, the decision to temporarily close its Shanghai resorts is a step back. For months in 2020 all Disney theme parks around the world were closed. Then, in the spring of 2020, Disney parks in Shanghai, which first opened in 2016, were the first to reopen. It started with a phased reopening of resort hotels and dining areas, followed by the theme park reopening several weeks later.
This is not the first time Shanghai Disneyland has temporarily closed since its 2020 reopening though. Last fall, the Associated Press reported the park temporarily shut down and health officials tested tens of thousands of visitors already inside the gates after a case of COVID-19, as part of China's enforcement of its zero-tolerance pandemic strategy.
Disneyland Shanghai says all guests with tickets dated during the closure period can redeem them at the park within six months of reopening. Guests who cannot visit within that timeframe will be eligible for a refund.