Disney is closing several theme parks through the end of the month as fears mount that large gatherings will help spread the novel coronavirus.
Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Disneyland Paris Resort and two iconic Anaheim, Calif. attractions — Disneyland Park and Disneyland California Adventure — are all shutting down this weekend out of an “abundance of caution,” the Walt Disney Company announced today.
The properties had continued to draw enthusiastic crowds even as the coronavirus’s rising global toll stoked concern.
Disney Cruise Line will also suspend departures starting Saturday through the end of March, the company said.
Cast members will be paid during the closures, it added, and hotels at Disney World and Disneyland Paris will stay “open until further notice.”
The company has asked domestic employees who are able to work from home to do so, it said.
California has barred mass gatherings to combat the coronavirus.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said today that the new statewide measure concerning large events would not yet apply to casinos, theaters and large theme parks, explaining that those industries had raised enough “legitimate concerns” that officials would allow more time to discuss repercussions.
But Disney announced later in the day that it would close its two California parks despite having “no reported cases” of covid-19 there.
The closures in Anaheim will start Saturday, Disney says, but Disneyland Resort hotels will stay open until Monday so that guests can make travel arrangements.
The company said in a statement that it will “work with guests who wish to change or cancel their visits” and refund people who booked during the shutdown period.
Disneyland, about 30 miles from Los Angeles, has been tied to various outbreaks of measles in recent years, and one outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease, but those issues have appeared to not affect visitation.
The current closure is only the fourth unscheduled shutdown in the park’s history.
In Florida, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the city-state that acts as Walt Disney World’s governmental agency, announced today that seven firefighters and emergency medical technicians have been put under quarantine due to Coronavirus concerns.
The Reedy Creek Firefighters Union tells me they have 7 firefighter/EMTs who work in #Disney parks in quarantine right now. 6 just returned from a conference in Tampa where someone tested positive and 1 just returned from Vietnam/South Korea. @WFTV. pic.twitter.com/7VrlgF3aaA
— Lauren Seabrook (@LSeabrookWFTV) March 12, 2020
The spread of COVID-19 has prompted the cancellation of numerous events, including games in the NBA, NHL, and the NCAA’s March Madness.
Disney announced today that its theme park in Tokyo will stay closed until April.
Parts of Disney’s resort in Shanghai, China, have started to reopen, however.
The temporary closure of the parks will cost Disney an estimated $175 million to $300 million.
Disney World has only closed during hurricanes and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.