Closure of Tokyo Disney parks has far reaching economic impact

With all due respect to our hobby, the closure of the Parks seems to be the least of Japan's problems just this second.

Agreed, Brian. That was my first thought.

I fully agree. Getting that country back to life is #1. I am sure many could care less about visiting. Not to mention what it would take to get there and such. It is sad for all those businesses to suffer but the country has suffered more and is still in turmoil. Wonder how much business those parks do with out of country traffic? Sure it is not as much as the U.S. based ones.

On the other hand, getting the people employed at the hotels and taxi drivers back to work is important also.

Yeah, even in the face of disaster, people still have to make a living, and the country surely needs all the business they could get. I hope they get it back open soon. Not because of the hobby, but because it's many people's livelihoods.

I don't think it's about the hobby at all. The Disney parks not being open is yet another thing that isn't "business as usual," and anything in that category slows the recovery. That's really what the article is getting at, that people are not working and businesses are at risk. That makes a bad situation worse.

And the Japan disaster is now affecting more in the U.S. Toyota plants are closing due to lack of parts and such. The issues are world wide and hopefully all will help out and get things going back on track.

There's footage from inside the parks during the quake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ7Eyzc8mv4&feature=related

I particularly like the recorded announcement at 1:40. "We have just experienced an earthquake." (oh really?)