DISNEYLAND AND DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE PAUSE CONSTRUCTION DURING COVID-19 CLOSURE

 BY GABRIELLE

Disneyland and Disney California Adventure have temporarily stopped construction during the closure of the sites amid the coronavirus outbreak, in-line with government legislation.

At Disney California Adventure, building on the Avenger Campus has been paused. The Avengers Campus, which boasts a Marvel theme, was due to open on July 18, 2020.

At Disneyland, construction of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway dark ride has also been halted. The Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway attraction was due to debut in 2022.

When the park was closed on March 14 because of the coronavirus pandemic, Disneyland commenced a number of refurbishment projects, including the renovation of King Arthur Carrousel, Snow White’s Scary Adventures and the Haunted Mansion. Renovations were also set to be carried out on the theme park’s Indiana Jones Adventure attraction.

The news of the halting of construction at the site quells plans that one comforting prospect of the temporary closure of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure is that crew would have unrestricted access to concentrate on construction and maintenance projects.

HONG KONG DISNEYLAND’S VACANT SITES TO BE USED AS CORONAVIRUS QUARANTINE FACILITIES

BY GABRIELLE

Hong Kong Disneyland is lending its vacant sites to the Chinese government so they can used as quarantine facilities to help eliminate the spread of coronavirus.

As officials consider how to bring people from Hong Kong that are stranded in Wuhan back “in batches”, it has been announced that the government will use a 60-hectare site reserved for the expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland.

Referring to the 60-hectare site reserved for the theme park’s expansion on Lantau Island, Commerce and Economic Development Bureau chief Edward Yau Tang-wah said: “We have secured the company’s consent to use part of the site if it is needed.

“We need all quarantine facilities for surveillance, basically we will leave no stone unturned [when identifying sites for building quarantine facilities],” Yau Tang-wah added.

There are also 2,200 Hong Kong residents stranded in the Hubei province, ten of which are confirmed to have been infected with the virus. The government has announced it needs to have sufficient quarantine facilities in place in order to bring the residents back to Hong Kong.

China’s mainland affairs minister Patrick Nip Tak-kuen, commented: “We have already started planning for their return.

“We first need to have these facilities as well as the understanding of residents [near the quarantine sites] before we implement the plan,” he added.

The four-hectare vacant land located near the carpark at Disneyland would be able to facilitate around 600 units to accommodate the Hong Kong residents.

Hong Kong Disneyland is currently closed as a precaution against the coronavirus outbreak.

DISNEYLAND CALIFORNIA GETS GO AHEAD FOR MARVEL-THEMED EXPANSION

BY GABRIELLE

Disneyland Resort has been given permission to build a Marvel-themed land expansion at California Adventure Park.

The approved expansion projects include the building of a 2,071 square-foot retail outlet with three attached canopies, a bathroom overhaul, a character meet-and-greet area, a microbrewery and improvements to behind-the-scenes buildings.

The building of the Marvel-themed extension is believed to be valued at over $14 million.

The new themed area is replacing Bug’s Land, which was closed a Disney California in September 2018.

The Marvel section of the adventure park will be based on Spiderman and other characters from the Avengers franchise.

Details about the attractions in the themed area have yet to be announced but it is expected that the first attraction will open in 2020.

Disneyland parks in France and Hong Kong are also developing Marvel attractions, with Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! recently opening in the Hong Kong resort.