Shanghai Disney Resort, which suddenly closed its gates to any new Guests on Sunday evening, October 31, will reopen Wednesday, November 3, according to the Shanghai Disney Resort website.
The announcement reads as follows:
“Shanghai Disneyland and Disney Town will resume operations on November 3, 2021 (Wednesday). On November 3, the operating hours of Shanghai Disneyland will be 10:00-19:00, and the operating hours of Disney Town will be 10:00-21:00.
All cast and third-party staff returning to work in Shanghai Disneyland and Disney Town have completed two nucleic acid tests within 48 hours in accordance with the requirements of epidemic prevention and control, and the results are all negative, and will strictly follow the city’s epidemic prevention and control Requirements for autonomous health monitoring. All environmental samples collected were negative.”
The Resort, located in Chuansha New Town, Pudong, Shanghai, China, made the announcement after remaining closed for two days following the news that one singular visitor over the weekend had indeed tested positive for the novel coronavirus. In an effort to stop any potential spread, the Resort closed its gates and began administering COVID tests to Guests who were already on property enjoying the parks.
The move on the part of the Resort, which is a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and the Shanghai Shendi Group, highlights the efforts China has been taking to keep the COVID-19 virus at bay in its country. The reaction on the part of the Disney Resort seems extreme by many accounts, but Shanghai Disney must adhere to restrictions and guidelines set forth by the Chinese government, whether Disney’s guidelines in this scenario would have called for such a closure or not.
The Shanghai Disney Resort closed at the very beginning of the pandemic after the never-before-seen COVID-19 virus was first detected in the city of Wuhan, China. It remained closed until mid-May of 2020, and even when it did reopen, the Resort welcomed Guests back in a very different environment under very different restrictions.
Though it had seen over 12 million Guests in 2019, the Chinese government only permitted the Disney Park to open its gates to 24,000 Guests per day. Disney CEO Bob Chapek had said he would lower that number further so that Cast Members could implement all the procedures and protocols that had been set in place to ward off any massive new outbreaks of the virus.
Guests returned to their beloved Chinese Disney Park devoid of parades, bare faces, and bare hands–gloves were required on many rides, and temperature checks at the gates were mandatory before entry to the parks. The park was able to increase its capacity by 50% on August 24, 2020.
