In news that is oddly reflective of this time two years ago, Shanghai Disney Resort is temporarily closing today due to a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in China. China is currently facing its biggest number of cases since the initial outbreak in Wuhan in back in 2020. The announcement follows on the heels of the city’s implementation of mass mandated testing and a shift back to lockdowns and remote-based schooling–a shift in scope not seen since early pandemic days. As you may recall, Shanghai Disneyland initially closed between January and May of 2020, before shutting down again in November of 2021–in the latter case, trapping around 30,000 park guests inside until they could show proof of a negative COVID-19 test.
According to the Shanghai Disney Resort announcement:
“Due to the current pandemic situation, Shanghai Disney Resort, including Shanghai Disneyland, Disneytown and Wishing Star Park will be temporarily closed from Monday, March 21, 2022. We will continue to monitor the pandemic situation and consult local authorities, and will notify guests as soon as we have a confirmed date to resume operations. We apologize for the inconvenience and will provide refund or exchange for all guests impacted during this period. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation! We look forward to seeing you soon!”
Important takeaways from Shanghai Disney’s announcement:
Park guests with tickets to visit today or onward are allowed to visit any other day within the next six months from the validity date of the ticket after the park reopens. (Note that park guests are still required register their visit before entering the park).
Parks guests with tickets that are unable to visit within the allotted time frame are eligible for a refund.
Good news for Annual Passholders: the validity period for APs (and associated benefits) are extended for 10 days. Shanghai Disney noted that it may further adjust the validated dates of APs t depending on the circumstances.
Interestingly, two resort hotels at Shanghai Disney Resort–Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and Toy Story Hotel–are still operating as usual.
My Thoughts. In a world where Disney park closures are a reality, this is not as shocking as it was once upon a time. But, considering the ostensible progress made worldwide–or perhaps more fittingly, stateside–this is troubling. Not just for Disney, and the parks, but for the people of the affected areas. Stay tuned.
