Entertainment

Tokyo Disneyland to close through mid-March on coronavirus concerns

Key Points
  • Tokyo Disneyland will be closed from Saturday to March 15 due to concerns about coronavirus infections spreading in Japan, its operator said.
  • The closure left all of Walt Disney's theme parks in Asia temporarily shut.
  • Osaka-based theme park Universal Studios Japan also said it was closing down during the same period.
A visitor wearing protective face mask, following an outbreak of the coronavirus, is seen outside Tokyo Disneyland in Urayasu, east of Tokyo, Japan February 28, 2020.
Issei Kato | Reuters

Tokyo Disneyland will be closed from Saturday to March 15 due to concerns about coronavirus infections spreading in Japan, its operator said on Friday, leaving all of Walt Disney's theme parks in Asia temporarily shut.

Both Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea will be closed after a government recommendation that big gatherings and events be curtailed for two weeks, park operator Oriental Land Co. said.

"We plan to reopen on March 16, but we will make an announcement after keeping close contact with relevant institutions," Oriental Land said on its website, adding that it would inform ticket holders of refund policies.

Osaka-based theme park Universal Studios Japan also said it was closing down during the same period.

The announcements also come a day after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for all schools to be closed down until the new academic year starts in early April.

Oriental Land shares closed up 0.66% on Friday, with investors having priced in the closures already after a slide of over 17 percent since the start of the year.

Disney's Shanghai and Hong Kong theme parks remain closed for more than a month, and the company earlier this month warned of a negative impact on its second-quarter results.

It said on an earnings call on Feb. 5 that closure of the Shanghai park could impact operating profit by about $135 million if closed for 2 months.

Discosure: Comcast's NBCUniversal is parent of Universal Studios Japan and CNBC.