Oct. 31 (UPI) — Shanghai Disney Resort announced Monday that it was closing its doors indefinitely amid an escalating COVID-19 outbreak in China that has forced the shutdown of two major theme parks within a week.
The closure was effective immediately at Shanghai Disney Resort, Shanghai Disneyland, Disneytown, and Wishing Star Park, according to a statement from the resort, which added “we will notify guests as soon as we have a confirmed date to resume operations.”
The resort made the move in order to comply with “the latest government regulations and guidance” and “the requirement of pandemic prevention and control.”
Universal Beijing resort also shut its doors last Wednesday due to increasing cases.
The company said it would give full refunds or exchanges to guests who already paid, and that it would continue to honor tickets for up to six months after the park opens again.
Shanghai Disney’s website also provides advice to annual pass holders, gives information to customers about additional park services that may be affected, and listed some of the strict health measures that will be put in place at the attractions upon reopening.
Universal Beijing’s website said that Universal Studios Beijing, Universal CityWalk Beijing, The Universal Studios Grand Hotel, and NUO Resort Hotel would close “to comply with pandemic prevention and control.”
It was the second time this year that COVID-19 has closed the resort, which opened in Sept. 2021. Universal Beijing shut down in May for six weeks due to anti-COVID-19 policies under China’s zero-COVID policy.
Shanghai Disneyland, which opened in 2016, was the Walt Disney Company’s largest foreign investment at the time, marketing itself to China’s rapidly growing middle class, which was seen as key to the company’s future.
China has been struggling with COVID-19 and the impact of virus containment policies as the country’s economy showed signs of weakening in the third quarter.
