Shanghai Disneyland reopened on Monday, becoming the first Walt Disney theme park worldwide to welcome guests again following novel coronavirus-related closures.

Tickets for the inaugural day, with limited capacity under government regulations, sold out minutes after bookings started on Friday morning.

Bob Chapek, CEO of the Walt Disney Co, said last week that the park has a capacity of 80,000 visitors per day and the government has mandated it operate at 30 percent capacity, or around 24,000 visitors.

The brisk pace of sales was considered a sign that Chinese customers are willing to pull out their wallets as the nation has had encouraging outcomes in controlling the epidemic and economic activities are steadily bouncing back.