Japan: Tokyo Disneyland to host Halloween event for the first time in two years

After the park's operator postponed special events as part of measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, Tokyo Disneyland had its first Halloween programme in two years on Monday. Limited-edition tickets allow visitors to dress up in Halloween costumes and enter the park two hours earlier than usual, beginning at 8 am. For the first time in two years, guests dressed as Disney characters from head to toe are permitted to roam through the theme park, but only if they have special access tickets, following the cancellation of last year's Halloween celebrations due to the spread of the coronavirus, as per the reports of Jiji Press.

Except for elementary school or younger children, visitors to Tokyo Disneyland are normally not permitted to wear in full costume in order to avoid being confused with the official characters who greet visitors. Special ticket holders who attend the theme park between the hours of 8 am and 10 am are permitted to dress up completely. Before entering, they must change into their costumes.

Guests dressed up can participate in parades

Guests dressed up can participate in parades and some of the park's attractions. The midday Halloween parade at Tokyo Disneyland, in Urayasu, Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, has already begun, according to Jiji Press. Regular-priced tickets are not permitted to be completely dressed in costumes because of concerns that restrooms would get crowded with people getting dressed or undressed.

According to Jiji Press, a woman dressed as Belle from the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast on Monday morning stated that they weren't able to do this last year, so she has been looking forward to this event since it was first announced. She also said that she would want to see the show. According to the woman, it was her third visit to Tokyo Disneyland in costume.

Parks' working hours will be extended

Oriental Land Co., the operator of Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, said on October 21 that the theme parks' operation hours will be extended and the nighttime parade, which had been suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, will be resumed. According to Mainichi Shimbun, the Chiba Prefectural Government's coronavirus response centre informed the parks that their working hours will be extended. From November 1, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea will be open from 9 am to 8 pm and 9 am to 9 pm, respectively.

Image: AP