Update on Tokyo Disney Resort, Aulani, and the Disney Wonder

[WDWKOOK]

Update on Tokyo Disney Resort, Aulani, and the Disney Wonder

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...ampaign=Feed:+DisneyParks+(Disney+Parks+Blog)

Posted: 11 Mar 2011 02:20 PM PST

As many of you know, an 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck near the coast of Japan on Friday and Tokyo Disney Resort was one of the many areas affected. Fortunately our team on the ground has reported only minor injuries and minimal property damage at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.

The safety of our guests and cast members is always our first concern so both parks will remain closed on Saturday to allow for a thorough inspection of our attractions and facilities. Cast members at the Tokyo Disney Resort are also providing humanitarian aid in the form of blankets, food and water for guests who are still at the resort due to the transportation challenges associated with the earthquake.

Because of the quake’s effect on the waters of the Pacific, the Disney Wonder’s itinerary was altered slightly due to the closure of the Port of Cabo. Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, currently under construction in Ko Olina, Hawai’i, was not impacted.

Our thoughts and sympathy go out to our guests, fellow Disney cast members and all of the people in Japan affected by this terrible disaster. We’ll share any additional information today by posting updates at the top of this page.

Update on Tokyo Disney Resort, Aulani, and the Disney Wonder by Thomas Smith: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog.


Additional news links:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-...isneyland-earthquake-03201111,0,4662289.story

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-...disneyland-earthquake20110311,0,6484690.story

 

[puntagordabob]

The zero deaths and apparently minor damage at the Tokyo Disney Resort is one small spec of "Pixie Dust" in a situation that is Horrific in every other way across the Japanese mainland...

Thoughts and Prayers to all affected.....

 

[WDWKOOK]

3/15 Update on Tokyo Disney Resort

From the MouseSavers Newsletter:

By now you're aware that a 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck about 81 miles off the coast of Japan at 2:46 pm local time on Friday, March 11. The earthquake was followed by a devastating tsunami. At the time this newsletter is going to press (Sunday) it is believed that as many as 10,000 people may have lost their lives.

While it is over 200 miles south of the major destruction, Tokyo Disney Resort was affected by the earthquake: guests and Cast Members felt strong shaking and saw tall buildings such as the Tower of Terror visibly swaying. The resort was not affected by the tsunami.

Fortunately only minor injuries were reported at Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. However, approximately 69,000 guests were in the parks at the time of the earthquake. Due to severe transportation disruptions, those guests were unable to leave the resort for some time afterward.

Due to aftershocks, people could not go into the buildings, so guests were asked to sit on the ground outside, which they did patiently and without complaint. It was rainy and cold. Cast Members gave the guests plastic garbage bags to help keep off the rain a bit. Beginning at about 8:00 pm on Friday, some guests were allowed to leave the parks, though transportation problems prevented many from departing.

Eventually some people were allowed into buildings that had been determined to be safe, and they were supplied with blankets so that they could “shelter in place.” On Saturday morning, the remaining guests were served a warm breakfast. Around that time, most people were able to depart the parks and go home or to their hotels.

Because the Tokyo resort is built on landfill, some areas experienced liquefaction, in which saturated soil essentially liquefies due to the stress of the shaking of a major earthquake. This caused buckled pavements, uneven walking surfaces, and localized flooding/silt seepage in various areas of the resort. Reportedly the Tokyo Disneyland parking lot and the areas around Maihama Station (the main train station serving the resort) were the most significantly affected.

Overall it appears the damage is relatively minor and mostly cosmetic, but shortly after the earthquake, Tokyo Disney Resort announced that it would be closed on Saturday. The closure was extended into Sunday, and now it appears the parks and hotels will not reopen until at least March 21.

 

[Donut23]

They were lucky in so many ways - thankfully!

The buildings were strong - the parking lot was damaged- but not the main parks structures - no guests were injured.


This section of Japan has been free of radiation troubles because of favorable winds blowing the ugly stuffs offshore although CNN just announced they have found trace amounts of radiation in the Toyko water system and also milk and spinach closer to the damaged reactors. SOOOO lucky so far.


Going forward - it's going to be tough times for pretty Toyko Disneyland. The Japanese culture is not at all like ours. They will be reluctant to "vacaton" while others suffer......and certainly guests from outside Japan will not be there. The crazy american tourists will seek their Disney elsewhere. After all, just mention radiation in Japan and people are running to the pharmacy in New York City so they have resperators, pills and radiation protection suits. These guys are not going to board a jet to Toyko to see Toyko Disneyland.

Other problems for Disney will be their DVC build in Hawaii. They had assumed Japan would be a very large market - even positioning a sales office in Japan for DVC. Not going to happen for a long time now so expect the opening of Stage 2 and Stage 3 to be pushed back....not good for DVC.

Add on the price increases for fuel which will make flying there more expensive and the uptick in Unemployment in the US because manufacturer's have to close plants because no Japanese inventory available. Not going to be a good time to try to sell something in Hawaii. GM already announced they are closing a plant in Louisiana and two more to follow. Honda....Toyota not far behind. Ipad's not available (made in China with Japanese components).....the list is going to be pretty long......japanese components. "Ontime Inventory".....is not going to be our friend for a while.

Impact on DL and WDW? You bet'cha. A few years ago Disney targeted the Japanese market in a big way and it has been very successful for them. Tack that onto the reported decline in British guests as reported in the Orlando Paper (another target market for Disney).......this will probably affect attendance at both parks plus Japanese guests spend more than US guests traditionally spend. (actually that was noted by Hawaiian Tourist Board).

finally......

The poor Disney Wonder. They finally arrange for her to live on the west coast just as the Mexican violence toward tourists is out of control. Disney has cancelled port stops in the most dangerous cities. Carnival and Royal Caribbean actually pulled their ships out of the west coast - one reason....safety for their guests.

Lets hope everyone stays safe. I know we eliminated any cruises which include ports in Mexico....just too dangerous to be a tourist in some of these ports. We are cruiseaholics but mexican riviera never held any interest for us....luckily.


I think Disney's decision makers the last few years have not been hitting home runs. They decide to build a resort which is not easy to travel to in the depths of one of our most dire recessions then wonder why sales are lagging. .....and they move a cruise ship to an area of the US where other cruiselines are leaving because of guest safety.

Though I think Royal Caribbean tops Disney in OOP's. They had their beautiful Mariner of the Seas tucked into the Southern California market and was to be there for a long time. After the dangers to guests became too much of a worry, they moved her into the Med ------ part of her sailings were to be to Egypt!!!! RCI has just announced that all stops in Alexandria will be cancelled through November 2011. As I said before.....the person with those ideas probably had his office moved to the basement!


No doubt Disney's decisions which include any element of Japan, her people or products produced is going to be on the downturn....perhaps for longer than we can imagine.

My heart goes out to all of our Japanese friends. I felt better this morning watching our Marines FINALLY allowed to land with much needed supplies. Our young men and woman in the service make me very proud.

Know what, I'm happier going with a cruiseline that has my safety as priority o n e!

 

[Donut23]

.....an update.

If Japan didn't have bad luck they would have little luck at all.


Radiation in the milk and spinach and stockpiles now being destroyed......seafood offshore of the nuclear plant registering 120%+ above safe limits and now the weather (wind direction) is changing toward the south.


Toyko Disneyland remains closed without a whiff of when it will re-open.

The following is from CBS News. Note the ships are SOUTH of Toyko.



U.S. carrier leaves Japanese port to dodge radiation
Posted by CBSNews.com

The aircraft carrier USS George Washington has left the naval facility at Yokosuka --where it was undergoing repairs -- amid concerns that a change in the wind will bring increased radiation to two U.S. military facilities south of Tokyo, CBS News correspondent David Martin reports.

The Navy distributed potassium iodide pills to sailors and families remaining at the Yokosuka naval base and the Atsugi Naval Air Facility. The pills protect the thyroid in the event of acute exposure to radiation.

Both actions are a response to weather reports predicting that radiation could be moving toward the U.S. bases.

A Navy press release said that the George Washington got underway to maintain its long term readiness -- a euphemism, Martin reports, for saying that if it remained in Yokosuka it would become contaminated and take forever to be decontaminated.



I hope this is just taking caution to the extreme!

With all the news around the World, I continue to keep Japanese in my thoughts.

 

[WDWKOOK]

3-22 UPDATE from the AllEars Newsletter:

(The DIS naughty word bot didn't like the name of the nuclear power plant)

Tokyo Disney Resort:

Disney Japan's Managing Director, Toru Ochiai, and President, Paul Candland, issued a joint statement late last week about the closure of the Tokyo Disney Resort: "Over the past several days, The Walt Disney Company Global Intelligence and Global Crisis Management team has continued to closely monitor the situation in Japan. At this time, conditions at the ***ushima Daiichi nuclear power plant have improved and several other factors, including the more consistent operation of transportation systems and supply of electricity, are positive signs of recovery. Like other businesses across Japan who are resuming operation in the coming days, the operation of our business in Japan will be an important part of rebuilding. Therefore, we have made the decision to resume normal business operations on Tuesday, March 22. We ask that all employees return to their offices or work locations at this time. Please notify your supervisor if you are unable to return to your work location on Tuesday. Tokyo Disney Resort remains closed at this time and a reopening date is yet-to-be determined. Of course the safety of cast members and guests is the top priority for both us and our partner, Oriental Land Corporation. I know that this has been a difficult time for us and I thank for your commitment to our business. There are more challenges ahead as we all work together to recover from the effects of the earthquake and tsunami and I have no doubt that you will handle them all with the same courage and professionalism you have already displayed."