Japan Earthquake: Nearly 70,000 stranded overnight at Tokyo Disneyland [Updated]

[OmahaBlueDog]

Source: LA Times

..While initial reports indicated that nobody was hurt during the quake, Disney has since announced there were some minor injuries at the two theme parks.

Officials said the parks will remain closed through Saturday and possibly longer as crews assess damage to the infrastructure and attractions.

Television news reports showed large pools of standing water in the Tokyo Disneyland parking lot, possibly caused by liquefaction. The flooding runs along a stretch of monorail beams that rim the parking lot. Photos posted on social media websites showed buckled pavement, pooling water and hundreds of seated visitors inside the parks.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-trb-tokyo-disneyland-earthquake-03201111,0,4981954.story?track=rss

[Cassandra]

1. Did they make them stand in a long line?

[slackmaster]

2. I hope they shut down the music at It's A Small World

That's been known to drive even the most civilized people to violent rages.

[DURHAM D]

4. Totally laughed out loud...

:applause:

[Pacifist Patriot]

19. My husband was stuck on that ride for an hour and a half when he was ten years old.

It's still a dark place in his psyche.

[ClarkUSA]

3. They've "been treated to tea, cookies, chocolates and pork buns, he said."

New York Post travel editor David Landsel (@davidlandsel), who has been tweeting from inside Tokyo DisneySea, said about half the visitors have been allowed to return to their hotels or leave the park. The 30,000 visitors who remain in the parks have been treated to tea, cookies, chocolates and pork buns, he said.

"What a bizarre (and wonderful) place to be trapped!" he wrote to his followers.

I agree. Those parks are loaded with amenities. Even during a disaster, Disneyland manages to provide comfort.

[Demeter]

6. I would rather die

than be trapped in PlasticLand.

[OmahaBlueDog]

8. I remember when friends were "trapped" in Disney's Wilderness Lodge during a hurricane in FL

They said the cast members showed Disney animated movies on a big screen in the atrium for the kids and basically made a giant slumber party out of it while the storm raged outside.

[ClarkUSA]

10. How wonderful and how kind of them. That is what I mean.

[MikeW]

21. small world

I was trapped at the wilderness lodge during a hurricane too. Wonder if it was the same one LOL.

[Celebration]

5. Pretty sure that is built

On filled land. Not a bit surprised.

[OmahaBlueDog]

7. Yes

It's a fill in Tokyo Bay.

Curiously, Tokyo DIsneyland is a franchise (i.e. not directly owned by Disney). It's one of the most popular attractions in the world. DisneySea, next door, is, IIRC, partly owned by Disney.

[Avant Guardian]

9. Awesome!

I had a roomie that lived in Disneyland for two weeks when he was 12. He told me that he would steal food at night time and he slept in the Tom Sawyer treehouse after the park closed. Took them two weeks to catch him.

[OmahaBlueDog]

11. I think Walt Disney would have loved that story

A modern-day Tom Sawyer in his own park.

[Avant Guardian]

14. He said one morning he slept in a little too long and a maintainance guy found him

They told him that they knew he was there because they would see him occasionally on security cameras late at night, but could never actually catch him. This was in the mid 60s.

He said he loved every second of it.

[grasswire]

12. why hasn't there been a movie about this?

what a hoot!

[aquart]

13. Because they don't want to encourage other runaways?

Not on their turf.

[pitchforksandtorches]

15. Is Godzilla OK?

We haven’t heard much about Godzilla since his retirement.
I hope he and his son Minilla are OK.

[AnneD]

17. The hell with Godzilla...

What about Mothra?

[LibertyLover]

20. Don't forget Rodan -

his flying capabilities could be useful.

[idrahaje]

16. Guess if I had to be stranded by an earthquake

there's only one place I'd rather be. Disneyland (not not Disney world. too dangerous) Disney World is built up.. but then again don't know much about disneyland tokyo.

[buddysmellgood]

18. The horror, the horror