As the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic continues, companies are being forced to revise the dates they intended to reopen. For Disney, that means its United States theme parks–Disneyland and Disney World–will not be welcoming visitors by the end of the month, as originally planned.
In a new statement, the company said, “While there is still much uncertainty with respect to the impacts of COVID-19, the safety and well-being of our guests and employees remain The Walt Disney Company’s top priority. As a result of this unprecedented pandemic and in line with direction provided by health experts and government officials, Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort will remain closed until further notice.”
Furthermore, Disney addressed the status of its employees as the parks and resorts remain closed. “The Walt Disney Company has been paying its cast members since the closure of the parks, and in light of this ongoing and increasingly complex crisis, we have made the decision to extend paying hourly parks and resorts cast members through April 18,” the statement read.
Disney’s theme parks around the world remain closed as the coronavirus situation continues to evolve. However, Shanghai Disney Resort has announced it plans to open a limited number of stores, restaurants, and “recreational experiences” available at the resort areas outside of Shanghai Disneyland. Meanwhile, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea have seen their potential date for reopening pushed back to “April 20 or beyond.”
The news of Disney’s extended closures comes on the heels of Universal Studios announcing that its parks in California and Florida would remain closed until at least April 19.
