Disney World Closing Due to Coronavirus
Walt Disney World is closing all of its Florida theme parks due to the coronavirus outbreak, the company has announced. This comes after an onslaught of cancellations and closures today.
This includes the closure of Disneyland Resort in California, which was announced earlier in the day. Previously, Tokyo Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disneyland all have closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This story is still breaking, and thus far all we have is an official statement from Disney that was released via the company’s subsidiary ABC News:
“In an abundance of caution and in the best interest of our guests and employees, we are proceeding with the closure of our theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Paris Resort, beginning at the close of business on Sunday, March 15, through the end of the month.
Disney Cruise Line will suspend all new departures beginning Saturday, March 14, through the end of the month.
The Walt Disney Company will pay its Cast Members during that closure period.
The hotels at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris will remain open until further notice. The retail and dining complexes, Disney Springs at Walt Disney World and Disney Village at Disneyland Paris, will remain open.
Domestic Walt Disney Company employees who are able to work from home are being asked to do so, including those at the Walt Disney Studios, Walt Disney Television, ESPN, Direct-to-Consumer, and Parks, Experiences and Products.
We will continue to stay in close contact with appropriate officials and health experts.”
Let’s start with the silver lining here, which is that Walt Disney World will continue to pay Cast Members while the parks are closed. As the largest single-site employer in the entire United States, it would’ve been devastating to many families in Central Florida to have to ride out the closure without income.
Between closures and cancellations, this is already going to take a heavy economic toll on Central Florida, and one that will ripple far beyond just the parks. The entire tourism industry will be impacted, including a number of smaller businesses that cannot sustain a prolonged hit the way Disney can. (On a tangential note, we’d expect all other Florida theme and amusement parks to follow Disney’s lead and announce their own closures within the next day.)
At least Cast Members are being paid during the downtime. Huge kudos to Walt Disney World for that.
You might notice that the rest of the announcement is incredibly vague, with a lot of details still to be determined. It wouldn’t surprise us if this closure mandate came from on high in Burbank, with leadership in Florida blindsided and left scrambling to figure out how to pick up the pieces.
Suffice to say, right now the phone lines are totally jammed and even if you do get through, you might speak with a Cast Member who isn’t totally sure of what’s going on. If you’re not traveling within the next 2-3 days, we’d encourage patience. Walt Disney World will release more details as they’re ironed out. Take a deep breath, be patient, and save yourself the headache of being on hold over the phone for hours.
The move to close Walt Disney World follows a press conference during which Florida Governor Ron DeSantis strongly recommended all mass gatherings be postponed, saying he did not have the authority to require them to be canceled. Health officials say they currently consider mass gatherings to be more than 250 people.
After previously declaring a state of emergency, Governor Ron DeSantis strongly advised municipalities and businesses to limit or postpone events and limit non-essential travel as concerns spiked over the new coronavirus, which stood at 27 cases statewide including a man testing positive at a Palm Beach airport.
At the news conference, Govern Ron DeSantis stated, “I am recommending to local municipalities and private entities to strongly considering limiting or postponing mass gatherings…I think taking proactive measures will help us flatten the curve of this as people get exposed.”
Once Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris close, no Disney theme parks will be operating anywhere in the world. Shanghai Disneyland is in the process of resuming operations, but the park itself has not yet reopened.
As we’ve noted with previous closures, the current end date for Walt Disney World’s closure is very much tentative. Do not expect the parks to reopen at the beginning of April 2020, in time for Easter, or whatever your Spring 2020 travel dates might be.
Walt Disney World and Disneyland are both taking an incremental approach to these closures, announcing something near-term with the intention of reevaluating the coronavirus situation in a couple of weeks and making a determination about reopening then. We’ve already seen the closure of Tokyo Disney Resort extended, and there’s absolutely no reason to believe Walt Disney World will be different.
In terms of commentary beyond that…we really don’t have much to offer. This will have a bunch of long-term ramifications, ranging from crowd calendars to construction…and much more. However, those are a range of topics for another day.
Right now, we’re honestly still sitting here in shock. (Even though the source was ABC News, I triple-checked to confirm this was legit.) Despite Disneyland closing earlier today and the belief that Walt Disney World closing was an inevitability at that point, we didn’t expect this to come so soon.
It’s a bold move, but Disney along with other businesses deserve credit for prioritizing public health above profits. Even in the last couple of days, Walt Disney World has not seen any attendance downturn. The company probably could’ve hesitated on closing Walt Disney World for another week–perhaps more–without facing public backlash or negative press if a coronavirus case emerged that was tied to the theme parks. While this will undoubtedly leave a lot of disappointed and upset guests, it’s hard to fault Walt Disney World for making this difficult decision.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you surprised that Walt Disney World is closing due to the coronavirus pandemic, or do you think it’s overdue? Will this impact your spring break or other vacation plans? Did you cancel your WDW trip prior to this announcement, or were you in ‘wait and see’ mode? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Our kids were crushed; we were set to leave tomorrow, arrive in Orlando Saturday, then spend six days in the Magic Kingdom and Universal. I hope none of you ever have to have that conversation with your 12- and 8-year old…it was brutal. We felt helpless as parents; not huge Disney aficionados, but this was going to be out big trip to the parks, and our son’s first time. Defeated Parent syndrome is not a good feeling.
Question for the group: have you ever bought tickets through a discounter? Do we need to go though them for refund or for a change of dates? I would appreciate any / all help with this. We bought passes via Get Away Today, which I believe is pretty reputable, but this is uncharted territory for all of us. If this group of experts has any thoughts, I’m open to anything. Thanks in advance!
If you didn’t buy directly through disney they won’t be able to help you – I would contact getaway today as soon as you can!
I am from Canada and was booked for our first WDW vacation for April 12th for a week to be followed by a Disney cruise….after Canada released the travel advisory for all cruise ship travel I got serious about cancelling the whole trip. Not because I was worried about getting sick but because insurance becomes void.
We pulled the plug yesterday before any announcements because it seemed clear that things with the virus was only winding up. I didn’t want to be stuck in another country with no insurance during a heath crisis. Even though I am crushed and shed a few tears, I realize there are far worse things in life than rescheduling a vacation. Kudos to Disney for making this move and especially for paying employees during the downtime.
Keep calm and carry on 🙂
And thanks Tom and Sarah-I am a huge Disney planner and often consult Disneytouristblog.com. You are my go-to Disney expert!
Yes Disney is paying cast members. But my daughter works in a restaurant there, only the tips make the wage liveable. They will pay her the minimal amount they are required to but she will lose most of her income. Yes it’s better than getting sick or getting others sick but some will definitely suffer while the higher paid employees will just get paid time off.
This thing is gonna be widespread no matter what closures are made… we’re at Disney Florida right now, not many too worried about the virus. animal kingdom buisier than I’ve ever seen today Disney staff seemingly working without concern. Not happy haven’t a clue what happens npw
Well, something positive can come from this for the long run. During this down time, Disney can perform maintenance and possibly get the bugs out of RotR. And they can take the time to sort out all the issues with boarding passes and the such that have caused a lot of heartaches in the past. Not to mention the freedom to move construction along unimpeded by the many guests whose safety they normally have to take into consideration.That said, I certainly sympathize with all those families that are not going to be able to take their trips. I truly feel for the kids that were looking forward to this being their first trip ever…, so sad. But in this world that our society has created where corporations are frequently held responsible for their actions or lack of taking action, I guess they didn’t have much choice. Hopefully, there will be adequate compensation to balance the the loss of the magic.
I know so many people must be incredibly upset by the closings, I’m sure I would be stressed and upset too. I’m really glad they are taking care of their employees though. I hope they can refresh some of the rides that need it so that when they do open they don’t have to have rides down for maintenance.
We are at Disney right now. Since we arrived both of my daughters Universities extended March break until March 23rd. We said okay we can stay here longer. We were in MK when they announced Disneyland closing. We were at Disney Springs when we overheard two cast members talking that Disney was closing Sunday. We were shocked. Now we are going to spend tomorrow figuring out how to get back to Canada before the thousands of people here begin the mass exodus.
Well, we are heading to Florida to an off-WDW resort tomorrow. We have 2 dining reservations coming up at Dis Springs, which sounds like the only thing open in the WDW complex…for now. Since hotels resorts are still open, what is the likelihood that Disney Springs will become ‘THE’ place to go?
I’d give it a few days (at most) before the third parties at Disney Springs announce their own closures.
The hotels are going to gradually lose occupancy numbers–don’t expect Disney Springs to actually be business as usual.
Thanks for the info. I really like your and Sarah’s informative and detailed reviews. They have been great for trip planning. With 6 kiddos, it is a blessing to have a go-to for expectations and planning.
You are probably right about Disney Springs, but we will make the most of it. Being from the Midwest, the beautiful gulf and ocean beaches are not too far away.
Florida has 27 cases and it’s a state of emergency. We haven’t even come close by a long shot to flu numbers. When we hit that or go beyond I think it can labeled a state of emergency. Personally, I think people are blowing things out of proportion. I think it’s a panic snowball effect. At this point with other corporations closing they can’t be the only ones left holding the bag so they have too even if they don’t really want to due to CYA and public appearances.
Wolverine, the point of all these closings is to avoid hitting any more numbers, not to match or exceed flu numbers. This isn’t a simple cold or flu. If you contract the virus and survive, your lungs may be permanently damaged. After recovery you will most likely have to undergo physical therapy. Also, what you will be able to do in life with limited lung capacity will take some adjusting to.
I had pneumonia twice and each time was put off my feet for four months, and I was young then. Only reason I survived. This illness is similar to pneumonia in some ways, but much worse in others. Let’s just hope we (and our loved ones) get through this worldwide pandemic unscathed, be happy with that and not complain.
Lung damage and physical therapy? You seriously need to do some research. And my point wasn’t that it should exceed flu numbers. My point is there seems to be panic when this isn’t even as bad as the flu pandemic we had a few years back. It’s fear and panic over nothing at this point.
Wolverine, look up (National Geographic) to see what happens to the body after having contracted and recovered from coronavirus. And you can’t possibly expect corona numbers to match flu numbers so early. Perhaps shutting everything down is a good way to stop corona in its tracks and if we’re lucky, it may not ever match flu statistics. I’d rather you be correct about this than me.
We are scheduled to go during Easter break. My children are heartbroken. I’m hoping it reopens in time so we will not have to change our plans. I understand everyone trying to take precautions but I feel a large amount of this is too the extreme. We still have 28 days till our arrival date. I’ll wait and see what happens. I’m using wisdom but not fear to make decisions.
Our trip was scheduled for 3/27 to 4/4. We’ve had our rental house booked for a year now in anticipation. This was going to be our kids’ first trip to Disney (ages 7, 4, and 2). We’ve had a homemade countdown chain hanging up in our kitchen for a few weeks now, and the kids were so excited watching the chain get shorter and shorter as the trip got closer. I know the trip can be rescheduled, but I have put so much work into planning this thing. All the mornings waking up early to get the best possible FastPasses…and it was all a complete waste of time. I understand the rationale of closing the parks, but I’m just bummed that I put so much time and effort into this trip only for this to be the end result.
It’s very frustrating at the least. My 12 & 7 year old girls are so disappointed. Lord knows how many diy Minnie ears we’ve made just for this trip. I hope and pray that you all still get to go on your trip. I’m praying ours is still ok. We are scheduled April 10-17th.
My kids are 12 and 7 as well (boy and girl). Our trip is Apr. 13-20th and a surprise for them. This is sad all-around.
Omg I completely understand…. same thing also I personally did NOT put any insurance on anything and I am unable to get thru to see if I will be reimbursed? Did you? Do you have any info on that kind of money reimbursement? I’m so upset!
We rented our house through VRBO, and the owner has been fantastic to work with. She is offering all of her guests through the end of the month a full refund or a credit for a future week at her house. She told me that it’s the way she would want to be treated. We really lucked out and are extremely thankful to not be throwing almost $2000 down the drain because we didn’t buy trip insurance either. My husband works on a military base, and we bought our park tickets there. They are good until 2030, so we are also thankful for flexibility in determining when to try another trip. Trying to find the silver lining in all of this!
I was supposed to arrive at WDW Saturday morning. Now I’m just getting a series of “all circuits are busy now. Please try again later.” messages when I try to call. All I want now is an official word on what rescheduling or refunding will look like.
Omg SAMEI am beyond upset!
I’m sure they’ll refund. We had to leave during a hurricane in 2018 and they reimbursed all of our funds automatically. I called once and it was all taken care of. Went right back to my checking acct.
Most hotel / ticket package reservation made directly through disney can get refund with a click of a button under your My disney experience page, just click “cancel” besides your hotel reservation confirmation number.
I think it’s a smart move for so many large events and crowd drawing places to close at this point. I really think it will help tamp down this pandemic earlier…before we hit a huge crisis as they are dealing with in Italy. It’s sad to think of long anticipated Disney vacations being cancelled but at this point, we as a country can’t afford not to take precautions now after witnessing how Covid 19 could play out as we’ve seen in other countries! In my case, we have a Disney World vacation planned for April 30 through May 7. It’s 7 weeks away. We are not canceling and will wait and see if the parks reopen by then – fingers crossed that they do!! But I’ve also had the conversation with my son about the real possibility of us not being able to go. But, we are trying to think positively.
Tom, Thanks for providing a rational voice at a time like this. I know it is very upsetting for people with immediate plans but since we have dropped the ball on virus testing it is up to the private sector and individuals to do what is right. People who believe it is a false pandemic should change their vacation to Italy. Thanks for all the information and the great job you guys do!
Kudos to Disney! They are doing the right thing!
We just got home from a Disney World trip today! I personally feel like all the closures of everything are a little crazy. Like every year during cold and flu season, sick people should stay home. However, Disney does attract visitors from all over the world, increasing exposure. I feel bad for people who have trips that are now in limbo!
This a worldwide pandemic not just a local one!
My trip starts April 19th. Do you think they will reopen by then?
Are you actually listening to/reading what the medical professionals and epidemiologists are saying or are you just watching FOX news?
Our trip is scheduled 4/4-4/13. Non refundable park tickets for 5 plus villains tickets. Non refundable halfway point hotels booked for travel to and from FL. So many ADR’s. I am praying for a miracle. We love Disney! I will likely look at travel insurance differently for future bookings.
We are scheduled for 4/2-4/7 with the same: non-refundable park tix and Villains After Hours. We are still keeping our plans for as long as we can and praying for a miracle, too!
They are offering refunds on tickets (according to our local ABC affiliate in Tampa)…. You will need to call customer service (May the force be with you).
Most hotels are refunding even non-refundable bookings. Look into it. Hilton sent me an email earlier.