Hong Kong Disneyland is set to reopen its doors on Friday after the announcement that COVID-19 restrictions would be eased from tomorrow (Thursday).
Health Secretary Sophia Chan said on Tuesday that the special administrative region of China would begin to reopen theme parks, cinemas and sports and entertainment facilities, with conditions in place, and will extend dining hours to 10pm.
The new measures allow the territory’s two large tourist attractions to reopen.
Hong Kong Disneyland’s third reopening was announced today (Wednesday) after the city’s health authorities found only eight new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday. In addition, Ocean Park, which recently secured a government bailout and announced plans for a business overhaul, will reopen on Thursday.
The Disney theme park was closed twice previously in 2020 due to spikes of the virus across the city.
As part of its reopening plan, Hong Kong Disneyland will run a five-day per week operation, with closures on Tuesdays and Thursdays until further notice. The attraction will also limit capacity in accordance with the government regulations, though a percentage figure has not been published.
Visitors will be required to book tickets in advance and complete a health declaration at the time of booking. Park management said in a statement: “(On arrival) park visitors are required to scan the (government developed) LeaveHomeSafe QR code or register their names, contact numbers, and date and time of visit before entering the premises.”
In addition, park staff will receive mandatory COVID-19 testing every 14 days.
The new measures are in addition to previously applied requirements on temperature screening, the wearing of face masks, social distancing, and increased cleaning and sanitisation.
Michael Moriarty, MD of Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, said: “Our park will be reopened on February 19, to welcome guests to experience the magic of our 15th anniversary and our new Castle of Magical Dreams. I want to give thanks for the support of our guests and the countless efforts from our cast members during this challenging time.”
The announcement follows the news last month that Disneyland Paris has pushed its reopening date back by another two months to April 2 as France tightened its COVID-19 restrictions further.
The resort had originally said it would open its gates again on February 13, after closing for the second time in October and delaying its initial plan of a Christmas reopening.
Image: Mk2010 / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Edited for size
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