What’s Getting Canceled: Disneyland, Broadway, Sports, Cruises, Courts, Schools And More

The Wall Street Journal: Supreme Court To Close To Public Indefinitely
The Supreme Court and other federal courts in the nation’s capital said they would close to the public indefinitely, allowing access only to those with official business, as authorities tried to stanch the coronavirus pandemic. “Out of concern for the health and safety of the public and Supreme Court employees, the Supreme Court Building will be closed to the public from 4:30 p.m. on March 12, 2020, until further notice,” the Supreme Court said Thursday. (Bravin, 3/12)

The Hill: Supreme Court Will Close To Public Amid Coronavirus Pandemic 
The Supreme Court will close to the public indefinitely starting on Thursday afternoon amid concerns over coronavirus, but the building remains open for "official business," a spokeswoman said. The new restriction on public access comes after the pandemic infected more than 1,300 in the U.S., including 10 cases in Washington, D.C., where local officials have declared a state of emergency and discouraged large gatherings as social and economic disruption widens across the country. “Out of concern for the health and safety of the public and Supreme Court employees, the Supreme Court building will be closed to the public … until further notice,” said court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe. (Kruzel, 3/12)

Los Angeles Times: Disneyland And Universal Studios To Close For The Rest Of The Month Because Of Coronavirus
At first, Thursday seemed like it was shaping up to be a typical — and typically busy — day at the “Happiest Place on Earth.” Just before 10 a.m., the wait times for Disneyland’s popular attractions at its Anaheim theme park were significant — 55 minutes for the Matterhorn Bobsleds and 45 minutes for Space Mountain, according to the park’s mobile app. Guests were posting happy pictures of their visits, although some acknowledged that there was more than the threat of weather that could rain on their parade. (Money, Martin and Cosgrove, 3/12)

The Wall Street Journal: Disneyland To Close Temporarily As Coronavirus Spurs Cancellations
Walt Disney Co. announced Thursday it is closing its Disneyland Resort as the coronavirus pandemic caused widespread cancellations of sporting events and other public gatherings. As of Thursday afternoon, Disney’s larger U.S. park, Walt Disney World, in Orlando, Fla., remained open with no closure plans. The company said that there have been no reported cases of the disease caused by the novel coronavirus at the Disneyland Resort but added that the closure was “in the best interest of our guests and employees.” (Watson, 3/12)

ABC News: 40 Coronavirus Deaths In US As Disney Parks To Close, March Madness Canceled 
At least 1,663 cases of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, have been confirmed in the United States Thursday as more events are canceled across the country. Forty people have died in the U.S. At least 46 states, plus Washington, D.C., have confirmed cases. (Haworth, Shapiro and Pereira, 3/12)

CNN: Disney World Closes Because Of The Coronavirus Outbreak 
Disney (DIS) is closing Walt Disney World, its flagship theme park resort in Orlando, Florida, because of the global pandemic. The company also announced the closure of Disneyland Paris and the suspension of all new departures with the Disney Cruise Line. Earlier on Thursday the company said it was closing it's iconic Disneyland resort in Anaheim, California. The virus, which has spread worldwide, has now shuttered the gates of all eleven Disney theme parks across North America, Europe and Asia. (Pallotta, 3/12)

The New York Times: Broadway, Symbol Of New York Resilience, Shuts Down Amid Virus Threat
The adage is synonymous with Broadway itself: the show must go on. And for decades, through wars and recessions and all forms of darkness, Broadway, the heart of America’s theater industry and an economic lifeblood for many artists, has kept its curtains up and its footlights on. But on Thursday, facing a widening coronavirus pandemic and new limitations on large gatherings, the industry said it was suspending all plays and musicals for 32 days, effective immediately. (Paulson, 3/12)

The Wall Street Journal: Broadway Going Dark Could Mean Losses Above $100 Million
With Broadway and New York City’s broader cultural scene coming to a coronavirus-prompted close on Thursday, industry professionals are tallying the potential financial impact. Their quick assessment is the hit—estimated at $100 million for Broadway ticket revenue alone—could be substantial when factoring in the cost to the theaters, shows and institutions involved, along with the effect on the wider New York economy. (Passy, 3/12)

The Hill: MLB Suspending Spring Training And Pushing Back The Season: Report 
MLB is expected to cease all spring training activities sometime Thursday afternoon, following the lead of other American sports leagues amid the growing coronavirus outbreak in the U.S., ESPN reported. "After a conference call among owners this afternoon, Major League Baseball is expected to suspend spring training," ESPN's Jeff Passan tweeted early Thursday afternoon. "The league likely will delay the beginning of the regular season as well. At this point, it's a formality that ownership-level sources expect to happen," he added. (Johnson, 3/12)

Politico: ‘This Town’ Faces A Lockdown
Book parties and air kisses, furrowed brows and panel discussions: Many of the rhythms of daily life in the nation’s capital are about creating, if not the reality, then at least the illusion of social intimacy. How is Washington dealing with a moment—perhaps a very long time—when the new catchphrase is social distancing? So far, the city’s biggest patterns haven’t been disrupted: Congress is still in session. The federal government has not, as of yet, told most of its employees to stop coming to the office. The White House is still conducting business as usual, despite Trump’s dramatic decision Wednesday night to block travelers from Europe. (Lippman, 3/13)

The Associated Press: Some US Colleges Cancel, Postpone Graduation Over Virus
Colleges across the U.S. have begun canceling and curtailing graduation amid fears that the coronavirus pandemic will stretch into spring. Some are exploring “virtual"alternatives, while others are considering inviting seniors back for commencement at a later date or just mailing out diplomas. Schools including Brigham Young University, the Savannah College of Art and Design and Berea College are among those telling students that current commencement ceremonies have been canceled. (3/13)

The Washington Post: Cancellations Hit Trump’s Hotels And Clubs Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
President Trump’s family business, which owns and operates hotels and golf courses, faced a rapidly deteriorating commercial outlook Thursday as it became caught up in the wave of cancellations across the tourism industry as a result of the coronavirus. The company also learned it had hosted its first confirmed coronavirus case: a Brazilian official who spent time with President Trump at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida last week. (Partlow, Fahrenthold and O'Connell, 3/12)

The Wall Street Journal: Princess Cruises Cancels All Voyages For Two Months
Princess Cruises canceled all its voyages for the next two months and will cut short some current trips, after two of its ships suffered coronavirus outbreaks. It is the first ocean carrier to suspend sailings as a result of coronavirus. The suspension applies to voyages departing March 12 to May 10, Princess said Thursday. The cruise line is owned by Carnival Corp. Current trips with less than five days remaining will continue, but those extending beyond March 17 will be cut short. (Paris, Sebastian and Ailworth, 3/12)

Los Angeles Times: Coronavirus Pandemic: California Calls For Ban On Large Events
Coronavirus cases continue to mount across California as counties big and small reported new tallies on Thursday and Disneyland took unprecedented action to close the theme park for the rest of the month. Los Angeles County health officials confirmed three new cases, two of which had an unidentified source of exposure, suggesting that the virus is actively spreading in the community. (Wigglesworth, Winton, Smith, Branson-Potts and Mozingo, 3/12)

The Wall Street Journal: College Students’ Dispersal Over Virus Concern Is Expected To Snarl Census
The sudden dispersal of college students across the U.S. as schools seek to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus could complicate the Census Bureau’s plan to count students at their school addresses. The 2020 census got under way Thursday. Millions of Americans have received invitations encouraging them to fill out the decennial questionnaire online, by phone or on paper. The Census Bureau was assessing how the coronavirus epidemic could interfere with its plans to count more than 3 million college students who live on or near campuses. (Overberg, 3/12)

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Movie Theaters See Temporary Closures As Strong Possibility
U.S. movie theaters are increasingly likely to shut down temporarily, according to a person familiar with the matter, amid growing concerns related to the novel coronavirus pandemic. “The chances are high” that theaters will shut, the person said, with the caveat that the situation is “really fluid and depending on local health officials and conditions.” AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. and Cineworld Group PLC’s Regal Entertainment Group didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. Cinemark Holdings Inc. declined to comment. (Watson, 3/12)

The Washington Post: Religious Leaders Debate Whether To Close Churches, Mosques Amid Coronavirus
Religious leaders across the nation took dramatic measures this week to cancel weekend gatherings while others told their members they will still hold services. Ahead of Friday prayers where Muslims usually prostrate shoulder-to-shoulder on carpets, disagreements emerged among Muslim leaders over whether to hold religious services and how to handle mass gatherings. Outside Washington, leaders of two major Virginia-based mosques took the opposite approach from each other for Friday prayers, which are mandatory for Muslim men. (Bailey, 3/13)

The Wall Street Journal: Starbucks Baristas Confront Coronavirus Pandemic
The 200,000 workers at Starbucks Corp.’s U.S. cafes are on the rapidly shifting front lines of the service industry’s confrontation with the coronavirus pandemic. Workers who pour coffee for millions of Americans risk exposure to the virus if infected customers visit their stores. They are also under pressure to keep cafes cleaner than ever to reassure customers as confirmed cases multiply across the country. (Haddon, 3/12)