Hong Kong Disneyland’s Christmas charity efforts undimmed by park’s Covid-19 closures
- Special holiday postcards featuring classic Disney characters will be sold for just HK$10 each to raise money for Operation Santa Claus
- Resort’s government-mandated closure saw more than 31 tonnes of food donated, resulting in 76,000 meals for hungry Hongkongers
Despite having faced two months-long closures due to the pandemic earlier this year, executives at Hong Kong Disneyland are determined to maintain the park’s Christmas magic.
This year’s design features classic Disney characters Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck and Goofy decorating a Christmas tree, with a number “15” tree topper – a nod to Hong Kong Disneyland Resort’s 15th anniversary.
The park’s recently unveiled Castle of Magical Dreams can be seen in the background. The new centrepiece, which opened on November 21, was built to replace the Sleeping Beauty Castle.
“Everyone is facing huge challenges this year,” Anita Lai Pui-shan, vice-president of communications and public affairs at Hong Kong Disneyland, said in explaining the importance of the park giving back in 2020.
“A lot of charities and NGOs were not able to go ahead with their usual fundraising activities. Corporations are also facing challenges, so we expect charities will probably have to endure less monetary contributions not just this year, but perhaps next year as well,” she said.
Staff at the park said they have also been adapting to the new normal caused by Covid-19, and making the best of an unfortunate situation.
Disney is very focused on bringing comfort and happiness to kids in hospitals and families
According to the park’s senior vice-president of operations, Tim Sypko, Hong Kong Disneyland was able to make significant contributions with food it no longer needed during its closure.
“Think of all the food we had ready for the guests coming in,” he said, revealing that the park had donated 31 tonnes of food to the community, amounting to over 76,000 meals.
Lai added that many park employees had turned into “virtual experts”, as their outreach programmes had to be moved online.
“Disney is very focused on bringing comfort and happiness to kids in hospitals and families,” she said.
Since May, more than 500 children have been reached through the staff’s virtual playrooms and storytelling sessions.
Charity fights for Hong Kong’s ethnic minority members through Operation Santa Claus funding
As borders remain closed with no end in sight, Hong Kong Disneyland is relying solely on local visitors. Sypo said he had been “very encouraged and surprised by local demand” since the park reopened on September 15.
“It shows there is an appetite for people to come together, especially in the outdoors,” he said.
The government on Monday decided to once again close numerous entertainment venues, including theme parks, for at least two weeks starting on Wednesday, in a bid to contain a fourth wave of Covid-19 infections.
Operation Santa Claus is an annual fundraising drive co-organised by the South China Morning Post and public broadcaster RTHK since 1988. Nineteen local charities have been named as beneficiaries this year.
Lai was one of the donor representatives in charge of choosing beneficiaries this time, and said she was touched by the passion she saw from organisations hoping to help the underprivileged in Hong Kong, especially those hard-hit by the pandemic.
