More bad news for theme park fans today as Orlando's Disney World, Disneyland Paris, and Disney Cruise lines have all shut down temporarily as the concern over the coronavirus pandemic continues to grow. It has also been confirmed that the Universal Orlando Resort will be closing its doors.
"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," Disney said in a statement, confirming that the closures begin on March 15th and will remain in place until the end of March. Things will likely be reassessed then.
Cast members from each of these locations will be paid for the duration of the closure, and hotel and retail complexes at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Paris will remain open for now.
Universal Orlando Resort issued this statement on their website about why they have now made the decision to stop guests from visiting. "Out of an abundance of caution and to assist with our nation’s preventive efforts, Universal Orlando Resort will temporarily close its theme parks. We anticipate remaining closed through the end of March, but will continue to evaluate the situation."
This is horrible news for anyone who had holidays booked at these theme parks, but Disney and Universal are putting the health of their guests first. This is something that's become more common across the entire United States as large gatherings and sporting events are canceled in a bid to quell this pandemic.
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