As Walt Disney World continues with it's re-opening, Disney has just announced that the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort will be closing once again due to a spike in COVID-19 cases. The closure will start on July 15th, the same day that EPCOT and Hollywood Studios re-open in Orlando.
Some may consider this to be a major setback for the company as it begs asking whether they have started re-opening too early. However, the truth is that this is what will happen across their worldwide parks until the pandemic is over. The sad part is, with the number of cases rising dramatically in Florida, there is a good chance that Walt Disney World may close again in the not-so-distant future.
There are a few important things to remember as we go through this unprecedented period:
Safe-D First
Disney is not going to jeopardize the health of their Cast Member or their guests. If there is any risk to public health, they will close until it is deemed safe to do so. This is for OUR benefit.
There is no question that they are taking every possible precaution to keep everyone safe, but as the pandemic progresses and local situations evolve over time, expect changes to happen to ensure that safety remains paramount.
Vacations to Disney Resorts Are Going to be VERY Different for Now For those able to plan vacations (Canadians are presently unable to travel to the US for vacations), a hotel booking, tickets, and even park reservations, dining reservations, and your mask are not a guarantee that it will be as planned (or even happen at all). As Disney gains experience with park capacity management and understands what keeps everyone safe, things may change. As cases continue to spike, there is a very real possibility the parks and resort hotels may close.
What's Open and Available to Guests May Vary By Disney Resort
Different Disney Resorts may have different opening stages based on geographic location. For instance, if cases are low in Japan and France, visitors to Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris may have different options available to them. Although it is safe to say (at least for the foreseeable future) things such as masks will apply across all resorts, things such as character dining options and entertainment offerings may vary based on local conditions.
It's important to keep these things in mind if you're planning a trip to any Disney resort over the next year. Let's just all be patient and remember that the pandemic will eventually end and things will become much clearer and stable when it does.
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