Disney announced Thursday that
Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure are closing as of March 14 through the end of the month due to concerns over the coronavirus (COVID-19).
As of time of publish, it was uncertain whether Disney World in Orlando, Florida, would also be closing in response to the outbreak.
Disney’s announcement comes on the heels of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s press conference Thursday during which time he said gatherings of more than 250 people should be postponed. However, Newsom later said that both Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood won’t need to comply with this policy, “because of the complexity of their unique circumstances,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The exemption for theme parks was met with widespread criticism on social media.
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Chief medical officer for Disney Parks, Dr. Pamela Hymel, said in a previous statement that they’re committed to keeping Disney staff and guests healthy:
“As part of our commitment to the health and well-being of our cast, guests and the larger community, we are carefully monitoring the evolving coronavirus situation and are in regular contact with health agencies for information and guidance. Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, are welcoming guests as usual and we continue to implement preventive measures in line with the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health agencies.”
The Verge had reported about Disney cast members discussing how easily the COVID-19 disease can spread: “If one gets it, we all get it.”
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Disney had previously taken measures in response to COVID-19 for their other parks. USA Today reported that Hong Kong Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland have since closed. There are currently no plans for when Hong Kong Disneyland may reopen. However, Tokyo Disneyland is closed until at least early April with expansion plans being “postponed to mid-may 2020 or beyond”.
The Shanghai Disney Resort park closed over a month ago and partially reopened this Monday with a new policy in place. According to the park website, guests are required to wear a mask and show their health via a QR code system when entering dining areas.
“Every guest entering Shanghai Disney Resort will be required to undergo temperature screening procedures upon their arrival,” the park’s official site explains. “Guests will also be reminded to maintain respectful social distances at all times while in stores, queues and restaurants.”
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Disney originally required cast members at their Tokyo park to wear masks in February, before deciding to close. Disneyland Paris also issued a statement on their website that they’re adjusting queue line capacities in response.
IGN spoke with a number of medical experts to learn how movie delays may help stop the spread of COVID-19. Events like E3 2020 and SXSW that bring large amounts of people together have closed as well.
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Jeffrey Lerman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @Snakester95.