NEW Japan Theme Park Guidelines: Screaming on Rides & High-Fiving Characters No longer Allowed

Many of us had plans to head to Japan this year and some of you probably allocated a day in your itineraries specifically for Tokyo Disneyland or Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. Sadly, both theme parks have been closed since February due to the pandemic.

With Japan lifting its state of emergency, amusement parks in Japan are looking ahead to prepare for reopening with increased precaution and safety measures. Though Philippine nationals are still banned from entering Japan, best educate yourself on these safety regulations once the travel ban is lifted!

The East Japan and West Japan Theme Park Associations has released a set of guidelines which Oriental Land Japan and USJ, the companies that manage Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Sea and Universal Studios Japan, have agreed to comply with.

Some of the measures are nothing that we’re not already familiar with, capping admission to parks and individual attractions, or checking guests’ temperatures at park entrances and denying admission to those with fevers, and also asking all guests to wear masks while inside the park.

Firstly, visitors are highly encouraged to purchase admission tickets in advance. This is advised so waiting times in lines will be a lot shorter and handling of cash, and contact with staff will be minimized.

P.S. Klook has mobile e-tickets that allow you to scan your phone barcodes and head right in! 

Guests are encouraged to refrain from screaming on roller coasters and other conveyance-style attractions. The novel coronavirus is airborne, so screaming on roller coasters would mean riders’ breath, salvia and other mouth particles are likely to fly around.

Apart from thrill rides, even indoor attractions and costume character shows - haunted houses included - are included in the list of attractions where you should refrain from screaming. 

'Ghosts' lurking in haunted houses should maintain a healthy distance from their 'victims', but you definitely should not let your guard down, they can and will scare you. 

Characters in costume will also be asked to refrain from hugging or any other sort of physical contact with guests, which means no more hugs and high-fives from your favourite life-sized plushies.

Get your temporary Disney fix with these virtual Disney theme park experiences!