Shanghai Disneyland Reopens As China Eases COVID restrictions
Some good news is out for Disney fans in China as Shanghai Disneyland plans to reopen after a three-month hiatus. The news comes as China eases back on more of its COVID-19-related restrictions. Read on to find out more about the park’s reopening and any restrictions that might still be in place in Shanghai.
Shanghai Disneyland reopens
Shanghai Disneyland won’t yet return to pre-pandemic operations. However, in line with current Chinese government regulations, Shanghai Disney Resort will be reopening. The park made a statement on Tuesday that it will resume operations “with limited daily capacity and enhanced health and safety protocols.” The statement continued:
During the initial reopening phase, the majority of Shanghai Disneyland’s exciting attractions, rides, shows and shopping and dining locations will resume operations with controlled capacity.
Shanghai Disneyland is Disney’s largest international park and was closed on March 21, after the city was hit with a steep rise in COVID-19 cases. A strict lockdown was imposed by the city, confining millions of residents to their homes. In the meanwhile, shops and restaurants were forced to close.
However, on June 1, Shanghai lifted the strict lockdown, easing many of its restrictions and allowing most of the residents to leave home.
Shanghai Disney Resort
Meanwhile, starting on Wednesday, Shanghai gradually resumed dine-in services at restaurants. However, to enter, patrons must present a negative PCR test, taken within 72 hours. On top of this, according to Shanghai Commerce Commission Inspector Lai Xiaoyi, patrons’ dine-in time is capped at 90 minutes.
Quarantine period reduced
The park’s reopening comes at a time when China has halved quarantine times in a major policy shift relating to COVID-19. The National Health Commission said on Tuesday that China will cut the mandatory quarantine period for international travelers by more than half. This means that visitors will be required to spend seven days in a centralized government quarantine facility, as well as an additional three days at home. Meanwhile, the previous quarantine requirements were at least 14 days in a government facility plus seven days of in-home quarantine.
This change marks the first time China has cut mandatory quarantine on a national level since the start of the pandemic. Morgan Stanley analysts said in a report on Tuesday:
The first easing in international travel restrictions in more than two years marks a big shift in China’s Covid doctrine, increasing our conviction of an exit from COVID zero by the turn of the year.
“While it’s one small step for COVID relaxation, it’s one big leap for confidence in the direction of the COVID pathway,” they added.
China’s economy since the lockdowns
However, Morgan Stanley analysts expect China’s GPD growth to rebound to 2.7 percent year-on-year in the third quarter, and 4.7 percent in the fourth quarter.
Ken Cheung, the chief Asian foreign exchange strategist for Mizuho Bank, spoke about the hit to China’s economy. He said that overall, the Chinese government is starting to make a balance between supporting growth and suppressing the virus spread after the strict lockdown.
However, Cheung did also note that it remains “highly uncertain” when China will reopen its borders to non-residents under the existing zero-COVID policy. In March 2020, China closed its borders to almost all travelers. This formed part of China’s strict approach to removing any trace of the virus.
Moreover, he added that “residents still risk being put under the lockdown suddenly and mass testing repeatedly.”
While Shanghai Disneyland is reopening, it sounds like international travelers will have to wait a while to visit the park.