Ikspiari Reopens at Tokyo Disney Resort
Ikspiari at Tokyo Disney Resort has reopened today, June 1, 2020, after being closed since February 29. The announcement for the reopening came shortly after Japan lifted its state of emergency throughout the country.
This shopping complex is the Resorts version of Disney Springs or Downtown Disney. Ikspiari is also where you’ll find the Disney Ambassador Hotel, which still remains closed.
I headed to Ikspiari to see how the mall is handling new procedures due to COVID-19. While we don’t know when Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, or the Resort hotels will reopen, this gives an idea of how Tokyo Disney Resort is handling things. However, Tokyo Disney Resort did announce on June 1 they’re extending the closures again until further notice.
Ikspiari at Tokyo Disney Resort
At this time, Ikspiari is asking those who aren’t within Chiba prefecture to refrain from visiting the are for the time being. The Disney Store reopens on June 2, 2020. I’ll have a video showing everything you see in this article on Youtube soon, so make sure you subscribe.
You’ll also see me for a split second on a TV newscast.
【#臨時休園 を継続】#東京ディズニーリゾート 内の商業施設 #イクスピアリ は約3か月ぶりにきょうから営業を再開。
しかし、#東京ディズニーランド と #東京ディズニーシー は臨時休園を継続すると発表しました。 pic.twitter.com/ks8ILIaCZI
— 日テレNEWS (@news24ntv) June 1, 2020
Queue & Temperature Checks
To get into Ikspiari there are marked queues and a touchless temperature check. If you have a temperature over 37.5°C you won’t be allowed in. The queue markers are easy to follow and straight forward. When the mall first opened, there were much fewer people than I thought there would be. The temperature checks are done with a camera, so there’s no need for anyone to touch your forehead with a device or any sort.
Overall, the procedure was quick and easy.
Shops & Restaurants
Quite a few of the restaurants and shops were open for business. I noticed that Tully’s (a Japanese coffee chain) was closed along with a few other restaurants in the food court on the first floor. Both Starbucks locations were open on the first and second floors. I had lunch at my favourite spot, Guzman Y Gomez and grabbed a coffee from Starbucks.
Cinema Ikspiari has also reopened with limited seating (and social distancing). As for movies, there’s not much coming out so what’s playing are movies that have been around for a while.
The Crowds Were Light
Being a Monday on a weekday combined with asking people to refrain from visiting if they’re not in Chiba lead to what seemed like light crowds. A lot of school kids have gone back to class too. Time will tell how the crowds could ramp up in the coming days. We don’t know how many people Ikspiari will allow into the area they will limit the number of people if needed.
Social Distancing
Throughout the mall, there were markers on the grounds telling people where to stand and sit. I felt it was quite consistent and didn’t come off confusing. Since it wasn’t overly busy, it’s tough to tell how effective these are. Time will tell. Employees in many places had either vinyl curtains or plastic walls to keep a barrier between themselves and guests.
- A shield at the Starbucks pickup counter.
- The only strange inconsistency was in the food court on the first floor. Where guests are asked to space out themselves.
Even in the men’s washroom there were markers tell you where to stand if there was a queue. Along with every second sink and urinal being blocked off to keep that social distance. I didn’t take photos in the washrooms for obvious reasons.
Hand Sanitizers Everywhere
Each store asks you to sanitize your hands as you enter. There are hand sanitizers with foot pedals around Ikspiari as well, which I thought was a nice touch (pun intended).
Some of the hand sanitizers have foot pedals so you don’t have to touch the bottle. pic.twitter.com/WkD0OwUMNQ
— Chris Explorer (@tdrexplorer) June 1, 2020
While we don’t know how the Parks are going to handle their reopenings exactly, this gives us a glimpse into the methods and signage that could be used. Everyone was wearing masks, including myself, but that’s expected since mask-wearing is a common practice in Japan.
More Things to Do in Tokyo
My recommendations for things to do in and around Tokyo! Plan a day at the Hello Kitty theme park, Sanrio Puroland, and an afternoon at the popular TeamLab Planets TOKYO. Take a tour around Tokyo with the convenient hop-on and-off bus. Spend a rainy afternoon inside Japan’s largest indoor theme park, Tokyo Joyoplis, near Tokyo Disney!
More on Tokyo Disney Resort
Tokyo Disney Resort Guidebook
Are you planning a trip to Tokyo Disney Resort? If so, you need our digital guidebook! Our guidebook is the most comprehensive resource available, covering everything you need to know about the park, including tickets, hotels, restaurants, attractions, shows, seasonal events, and more! With our guidebook, you’ll be an expert on Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea before you even set foot in the Parks. You’ll know what to expect, where to go, and what to do. You’ll also be able to avoid the crowds and make the most of your time.
Get tickets for Tokyo Disney Resort
It’s vital to buy your tickets ahead of time for Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. Read our comprehensive guide on tickets to learn how to purchase tickets. For recommendations on SIM cards, portable Wi-Fi devices, travel insurance, cheap flights, and hotel bookings, read our travel resources page.
Learn more about Tokyo Disney Resort
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[…] In tegenstelling tot WDW blijven de parken in Tokyo voorlopig nog even gesloten. Kortgezegd wachten ze tot alle in- en externe omstandigheden dusdani zijn , dat ze een datum kunnen gaan communiceren. Ikspiari, het Downtown Disney van het resort, opende gisteren wel haar deuren. […]
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