TOKYO -- The operator of the Tokyo Disney Resort (TDR) will continue to restrict entry to its parks, even though COVID numbers have come under control in Japan, to reduce wait times and improve customer experience.

Oriental Land said it will aim to add value to its services, in hopes for an increase in average spend per visitor. The company needs to boost revenue that had plunged with the drop in visitors to its theme parks in Chiba Prefecture, east of Tokyo, over the last two years.

In its medium-term management plan announced in April, Oriental Land set a target of 26 million visitors for the year ending March 2025, a decrease of 20% from the year ended in March 2019, before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. But revenue per visitor is projected at 14,500 yen ($106.54) and operating profit at more than 100 billion yen, just short of the pre-pandemic level.

Oriental Land closed TDR for about four months in the spring and early summer of 2020 amid the deepening COVID crisis, reopening only in July with a daily visitor limit of 5,000. It has since eased restrictions in stages in line with requests from the central and prefectural governments.

The company, whose key theme parks are Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, says it is welcoming under 50% of the number of visitors pre-COVID, and it hopes to lift the limit to around 80%.

To bring in more visitors, TDR has continued to expand operations and introduce new attractions and events in its two main sites.

Enthusiasts form long lines the popular "Story of Beauty and The Beast" attraction at Tokyo Disneyland in June. (Photo by Hiromoto Deguchi)

To ease congestion, Oriental Land has refurbished facilities and increased special events within the premises of the two theme parks to draw visitors away from congregating at the most popular attractions.

The number of visitors to TDR has kept increasing despite ticket price hikes almost every year. In the year ended March 2019 when a record 32.55 million people visited the parks, popular attractions would often draw long lines, resulting in some complaints to Oriental Land.

Ryotaro Shiiba, director of operations, said, "In-house discussions on what should be done to ease congestion started before the outbreak of COVID-19."

But pandemic restrictions "gave us a big catalyst to change our management policy," Shiiba said. Although people scrambled for the limited number of tickets on sale during COVID restrictions, the parks actually received more favorable comments from visitors because of shorter waits for rides.

Now, it is up to Oriental Land to strike a delicate balance between easing numbers and controlling waiting times. As a business, however, Oriental Land cannot grow by limiting the number of admissions and it is thus offering added-value services, such as its "Disney Premier Access" which allows visitors to book slots for popular rides, including "Toy Story Mania," for a charge of 2,000 yen per person.

Oriental Land is also seeking other approaches to earnings growth including bookings for seats for shows, character greetings and other services in the main Disney park. "The designation of seats at a show is an idea," Shiiba said.