Hong Kong Disneyland Slated To Begin Reopening On June 18

Even though nearly two dozen states have recently seen a rise in coronavirus cases in the United States as the country attempts to reopen, countries overseas are having more luck containing the spread of the pandemic. Over the past week, Hong Kong has seen either one or zero cases daily, which is why Hong Kong Disneyland is preparing to reopen later this month on June 18.

The Disney Parks Blog announced the date for Hong Kong Disneyland reopening in an official statement:

"At Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, it is my privilege to work with an incredible team of cast members to help share the magic with our guests. Over the past few months, we've been moved by your understanding and patience as we navigated an unprecedented closure. During this time, we took measured steps to maintain guest offerings at our hotels, with adjusted levels of service, and in May we reopened additional dining experiences. Today, as our surrounding community takes steps towards recovery, I'm thrilled to announce that Hong Kong Disneyland will also reopen to the public on June 18."

This announcement comes after Hong Kong reopened Ocean Park on June 13. Both of the parks had been closed for 130 days following the breakout of the coronavirus pandemic. Ocean Park was on the verge of bankruptcy and has been desperate to reopen for some time now. Meanwhile, Hong Kong Disneyland has lost around $145 million in operating costs after being closed for so long, but the park is still standing strong.

Specific guidelines for how Hong Kong Disneyland will operate haven't been revealed yet, but the Disney Parks Blog said:

"During this initial reopening phase, the park will open with limited attendance. The park will implement social distancing requirements in queues, restaurants, attraction vehicles and at other facilities throughout the park, and will increase the frequency of sanitization and disinfection in high-guest contact areas."

There's no mention of temperature checkpoints to enter the parks, which is something that we saw at Shanghai Disneyland. Walt Disney World is also slated to have temperature checks, so perhaps this is something that merely isn't mentioned. Meanwhile, Disneyland is a little further behind with plans to open in mid-July. There will probably be more detailed procedures and policies as we get closer to the opening date.

The question many have is whether or not theme parks can sustain themselves even after reopening, especially operating at limited capacity. These parks have already lost so much money from being closed for months that they're going to need a big boost to become profitable again. Thankfully, there haven't been any talks about any of Disney's locations actually shutting down due to the extended closures yet, but we will certainly see them cutting costs in other ways as time goes on.