Shanghai Disney Resort to increase capacity, update reservation system
Next week will be especially magical at the Chinese theme park
Former Walt Disney Imagineer Eddie Sotto says Disney will get the magic back, but until hospital practices are out of the parks, people will not flood back there.
Next week will be especially magical at Shanghai Disney Resort, as the Chinese theme park increases daily guest capacity and debuts a simplified reservation system for greater flexibility.
Shanghai Disneyland announced the changes on Monday, revealing that the updates will take effect on Aug. 24.
Tourists visit Shanghai Disneyland after its reopening on May 11. (Hu Chengwei/Getty Images)
In a statement posted to the park’s website, officials cited new guidance from China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism in allowing the expanded guest capacity; the ministry recently issued a notice allowing tourist sites to bump their operational capacity from 30% to 50%.
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Staff members perform during a reopening ceremony of Shanghai Disney Resort on May 11 in Shanghai, China. (Tang Yanjun/China News Service via Getty Images)
“As a result of this policy change, and as overall market conditions continue to rebound, Shanghai Disney Resort is increasing the daily capacity of the resort’s theme park,” officials shared.
To that end, the theme park will also be rolling out a new reservation system that aims to provide increased flexibility for parkgoers.
However, the resort will continue to follow mandated directives on “reservations, staggered arrival and applicable capacity controls,” Disney stressed, as the coronavirus health crisis continues.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIS | THE WALT DISNEY CO. | 115.67 | +0.94 | +0.82% |
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Effective Aug. 24, Annual Pass holders and general admission ticket holders will be welcome to visit Shanghai Disneyland on any eligible day, as determined by pass or ticket conditions. All other visitors will also be able to buy tickets and visit the theme park on the same day, subject to availability.
As of now, however, an exception stands for “high attendance days,” per government guidance.
“In accordance with existing Shanghai Disneyland attendance management policies, if a date is forecast to be a ‘high attendance day’ based on government guidelines on maximum capacity (currently 50%) and should demand require such action, Shanghai Disneyland reserves the right to suspend the sale of all ticket products and block out all Annual Passes on that date,” Disney said. “Communications will be made accordingly in a timely manner.”
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Shanghai Disneyland reopened to the public on May 11, following a three-month closure amid the COVID-19 crisis.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong Disneyland closed its gates on July 15, as cases of the viral disease rose in the area.
Stateside, Disney World in Florida will be scaling back its operating hours this fall, after experiencing a higher number of cancellations than first anticipated.