The national mood of self-restraint in the face of the disaster in the Tohoku-Pacific region, the dropoff in visitors from abroad because of the nuclear threat, and the uncertainty of the electricity supply in the all-important summer months spell hard times for Tokyo Disneyland and other Japanese leisure facilities.
Disneyland and Disney Sea suffered relatively little damage in the quake itself, and an emergency control center was quickly set up. According to the Nikkei newspaper (April 16), the 70,000 visitors present at the time were guided outside and, when struck by sudden rains and strong winds from Tokyo Bay, provided with plastic sheets, towels, and improvised cardboard shielding.
The 20,000 still in the park after 11 p.m. were fed emergency rations and, after gas service was restored, with hot soup and hot dogs. The well-trained "cast" and staff won praise for their professionalism. The park carries out over 160 drills of employees per year before and after operating hours.
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