Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Japan will remain closed for business.
The Tokyo Disney Resort shut its doors on Feb. 27 in response to the worsening worldwide coronavirus crisis. The temporary closure was scheduled to conclude after just two weeks, Disney and its local partners said at the time.
But Oriental Land Co., the local operator of Disney’s Tokyo parks, said in a statement Wednesday that the suspension would be extended until at the start of April.
On Tuesday, Japan’s cabinet approved a bill that would allow Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to declare a national emergency, if needed, as Japan continues to play catch-up in its efforts to contain the new coronavirus.
The prime minister also extended an earlier government request to event organizers nationwide to cancel events and activities that entail large public gatherings for at least another 10 days. The initial request was set to expire on March 19. The Disney closure extension appeared to be a response to the government’s new guidelines.
The Tokyo Disney Resort comprises two theme parks — Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea — as well as four Disney hotels, six non-Disney hotels and a shopping complex. Opened in 1983, Tokyo Disneyland was the first Disney theme park launched outside the United States.
Disney’s other two theme parks in Asia, the Shanghai Disney Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland, have both been shuttered since late January.
With new coronavirus infections now falling in China, Disney reopened several restaurant and shopping establishments near the entrance of its Shanghai park on Monday, a tentative step toward the eventual reopening of the full facility. Shanghai Disneyland itself remains closed, however, with Disney saying that will continue to “closely monitor health and safety conditions” and await the “direction of government regulators.”
On an earnings call in February, Disney said just a two-month closure at the Shanghai and Hong Kong parks could hit profits by as much as $280 million.
As of Wednesday, Japan had confirmed 576 coronavirus cases and 12 fatalities.
