Will Disneyland USA suffer? ALL Of Disney's Theme Parks Now Closed - Reopening Dates Unknown

[TP2000]

I just changed the title of this thread to reflect this evening's news of the complete shutdown of all of Disney's theme park/hotel operations in China, due to the Coronavirus and mandates from the Communist government in Beijing.

Shanghai Disneyland and its hotels/mall/public amenities all closed end of business Friday, January 24th, and Hong Kong Disneyland and it's hotels have closed effective Sunday, January 26th. The closures are indefinite.

 

[Lilofan]

There is a report that a person traveled from Wuhan to Orange County, CA and is confined and isolated in a local Orange County hospital due to symptoms of the Coronavirus.

 

[HKDLer]

I just changed the title of this thread to reflect this evening's news of the complete shutdown of all of Disney's theme park/hotel operations in China, due to the Coronavirus and mandates from the Communist government in Beijing.

Shanghai Disneyland and its hotels/mall/public amenities all closed end of business Friday, January 24th, and Hong Kong Disneyland and it's hotels have closed effective Sunday, January 26th. The closures are indefinite.

The Hong Kong hotels remain open, only the park is closed.

 

[TP2000]

The Hong Kong hotels remain open, only the park is closed.

Good to know! Is there a reason why someone would want to stay out on a corner of Lantau Island at the Disneyland Hotel if the actual theme park was closed? I can't think of one, but maybe you have some insight?

My hunch is that it's going to be easier for them to cycle through the refunds and cancellations, plus keep some CM's lightly employed, if the hotels are officially still in business even though the theme park they were built for is closed indefinitely. But I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on that as I'm not an expert on Hong Kong Disneyland!

 

[TP2000]

There is a report that a person traveled from Wuhan to Orange County, CA and is confined and isolated in a local Orange County hospital due to symptoms of the Coronavirus.

What a mess.

And yet I'm fascinated that in this modern age we have people right here in Orange County that would willingly want to travel to/from obscure provinces in Communist China. What the heck was that person doing in Wuhan, and why would they then come to Orange County, California??? Did they eat the fried bat soup while they were there?

 

[The Mom]

What a mess.

And yet I'm fascinated that in this modern age we have people right here in Orange County that would willingly want to travel to/from obscure provinces in Communist China. What the heck was that person doing in Wuhan, and why would they then come to Orange County, California??? Did they eat the fried bat soup while they were there?

I edited your post because the photo was disgusting, and I was drinking my AM coffee.

As to the rest of your post. My son spent a summer in China studying at a university in Tiajin. Many, many US students spend a semester abroad, and many go to China. As many Chinese students study here.

Wuhan is also one of the stops on Chinese river cruises (Yangtze runs through it) which are popular with Western tourists.

Then again, the OC person might have been returning home from visiting family, or might have been from China and visiting family in the US.

All of this is why WHO, CDC, etc are taking this very seriously. The pandemic of 1917/18/19 spread and killed millions without rapid travel. And yes, there were no antibiotics and respirators to lessen the death toll back then, but we in the US have become antibiotic resistant, and may not have the facilities to treat all of the severe cases.

The chance of another pandemic is why a large, sudden, localized flu outbreak that then spreads to multiple areas and countries is taken very seriously.

 

[The Mom]

Why, you may ask, did my son go to China? He was majoring in supply chain, where reading and speaking Chinese is helpful. Along with having experience with Chinese culture. He was also a member of CABO - Chinese American Business Organization - an on campus group.

 

[brb1006]

Hong Kong Disneyland just posted this.

 

[HKDLer]

Good to know! Is there a reason why someone would want to stay out on a corner of Lantau Island at the Disneyland Hotel if the actual theme park was closed? I can't think of one, but maybe you have some insight?

What's special about the Chinese coronavirus is that it spreads before symptoms show. In Shanghai, the situation is probably already out of control, forcing the resort to close; but information is stifled online since press coverage about the virus is tightly controlled in China.

From what I've heard, the current HKDL hotel occupancy rate is about 50% so I guess it's manageable to keep them open right now. On a side note, a lot of locals love to eat at the hotels and just skip the park. In crowded places like theme parks, high volume and concentration of people provide an optimal environment for diseases to spread. (lap/grab bars are some of the dirtiest objects in theme parks) For the Hongkongese park, they do cycle out the rides and disinfect ride vehicles during influenza seasons. However with the influx of Chinese visitors, who generally have really bad hygiene, it's possible to see an outbreak in Hong Kong during this Lunar New Year season. Therefore it's deemed necessary to close the park.

My hunch is that it's going to be easier for them to cycle through the refunds and cancellations, plus keep some CM's lightly employed, if the hotels are officially still in business even though the theme park they were built for is closed indefinitely. But I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on that as I'm not an expert on Hong Kong Disneyland!

That would not be a reason.

 

[HKDLer]

I just want to stress the importance of washing your hands here. The surfaces of ride vehicles are some of the filthiest things inside a theme park. Make it a habit to clean your hands after finishing a ride.

IMHO every resort should install these cute hand washing areas throughout their parks.
Cute commercial from TDR's sponsor

 

[The Mom]

I just want to stress the importance of washing your hands here. The surfaces of ride vehicles are some of the filthiest things inside a theme park. Make it a habit to clean your hands after finishing a ride.

IMHO every resort should install these cute hand washing areas throughout their parks.
Cute commercial from TDR's sponsor

Just an additional note to your common sense post - hand sanitizers should be used in conjunction with warm soapy water - not as a replacement. There are times that the convenience of hand sanitizers is easier, and may be slightly better at killing viruses - if 70% alcohol; the ones with less are not very effective.

So using both is the best way to protect yourselves.

 

[No Name]

HKDL‘s closure could save the company money. That will not impact the American parks.

The last time something like this happened in China was the SARS virus in 2003.

But Disney had no theme parks in China back then. Now they seem dependent on them to pad the bottom line.

Hong Kong and Shanghai combined either lose money or barely turn a profit each year.

 

[Lilofan]

HKDL‘s closure could save the company money. That will not impact the American parks.



Hong Kong and Shanghai combined either lose money or barely turn a profit each year.

It would mean many hourly cast members would be out of work however salaried cast may still get paid.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Case of coronavirus confirmed in Orange County; officials call risk of transmission ‘low’

The patient was hospitalized in isolation and was in good condition.

www.ocregister.com

 

[TsWade2]

I don't think so.

 

[wowsmom]

What a mess.

And yet I'm fascinated that in this modern age we have people right here in Orange County that would willingly want to travel to/from obscure provinces in Communist China. What the heck was that person doing in Wuhan, and why would they then come to Orange County, California??? Did they eat the fried bat soup while they were there?

I read elsewhere that it was a Chinese citizen who flew in to see his son in Irvine. Not sure if that's actually true though. No idea about the bat soup.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

They should play this on Chinese State TV in case anyone thinks about going to an "exotic food market"

 

[Darkbeer1]

OK, we have one case each in Los Angeles and Orange County.

Coronavirus patients confirmed in Los Angeles and Orange counties

Both Southern California patients were identified as travelers from Wuhan, China.

www.ocregister.com

Good news is that these cases are being handled correctly, from the patient and their family reporting it early, and being placed in isolation.

Hopefully, any similar cases will be handled similarly.

But all is takes is one person who refuses to go see a doctor, and instead ends up in a public place, either as a guest, or as a service industry employee, and watch the cases skyrocket.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Bat soup?

 

[TP2000]

Why, you may ask, did my son go to China? He was majoring in supply chain, where reading and speaking Chinese is helpful. Along with having experience with Chinese culture. He was also a member of CABO - Chinese American Business Organization - an on campus group.

Fascinating! I had no idea that so many college kids would willingly be sent over there to study. I'm sure you as a mom must have been a tad nervous about that, but it's all very insightful into how these things spread from countries like that.

However with the influx of Chinese visitors, who generally have really bad hygiene, it's possible to see an outbreak in Hong Kong during this Lunar New Year season. Therefore it's deemed necessary to close the park.

I've read on Disney fan sites for years how the Hong Kongese have struggled with the growing influx of visitors from mainland Communist China who have a different way of behaving in public and different standards for hygiene. I just wonder what type of government instruction was given to Disney on whether or not they should keep the Hong Kong park open, especially once Shanghai Disneyland was closed indefinitely on Friday.

I bet there's an interesting behind-the-scenes story there!

Bat soup?

It's a real thing, and apparently a common food item in Wuhan and a key link in how this Coronavirus got started there by jumping from wild animals to humans. On Friday the local news was making a thing about it, and the John & Ken show on KFI went on about it forever and it was quite funny.

Google up an image of it, if you dare.