Tokyo Disney theme parks ride out a typhoon
Have you even been to a theme park during a hurricane? Most readers probably think of the Florida theme parks as being the most likely targets, but tropical storms hit theme parks along the Pacific, too.
The Southern California theme parks have never suffered a hurricane, thanks to the California Current pulling cold ocean water from the north down the coast. (Think of it as the opposite of Florida's Gulf Stream, which draws warm water up the U.S. east coast, helping to make it a prime hurricane target.) But the Kuroshio Current brings warm water up to Japan, providing a road map for tropical storms such as Typhoon Man-yi, which hit Japan over the past couple days. The storm caused considerable damage in the southern part of the country, but by the time it reached the Tokyo Disney Resort, its rain and winds were mostly a nuisance rather than the source of major harm. Several visitors documented the storm on Twitter:
So you're in Tokyo during a typhoon. What do I do? You go to Disney Sea and survive Storm Rider, the ride and real life.
— tapeworthy (@tapeworthy) September 16, 2013
#Tomorrowland #Tokyo #Disneyland #typhoon weather pic.twitter.com/0rkWDJ3M0m
— DreamSweetsLove (@DreamSweetsLove) September 16, 2013
It's strange to see the wide walkways so empty. Most people are indoors or in line for attractions. pic.twitter.com/EuM2qvw0t7
— DreamSweetsLove (@DreamSweetsLove) September 16, 2013
Pan Galactic Pizza Ports tables tied down due to high wind pic.twitter.com/9njQDjHIpY
— DreamSweetsLove (@DreamSweetsLove) September 16, 2013
After the worst of the storm blew through, maintenance crews moved swiftly to repair storm damage.
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— DeepDisney (@deepdisney) September 16, 2013
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— Yw-ki (@ywki_woo) September 16, 2013
#Tokyo #Disneyland after the storm passed pic.twitter.com/7oMC8WvBSq
— DreamSweetsLove (@DreamSweetsLove) September 16, 2013
I've not yet found any reports from Universal Studios Japan, which is in Osaka, where the storm caused more damage than in Tokyo. If you've found some reports, or were there, please comment.
Replies (3)
In 2008, I went to WDW, Sea World, and Busch in the middle of the almost week long Tropical Storm Faye. Let me tell you, it was something. I will advise quite heavily against riding Big Thunder Mountain in the rain with no one sitting next to you, I went from one side of the bench to the other, so much pain. But, when you ride Splash Mountain in the middle of a downpour and are asked, on getting back to the station, if you wanted another ride, then you know things are just odd.
Honestly, that was the absolute worst weather I ever had down there, nothing could compare. It rained, and I mean hardcore rained, for an entire week. We still did pretty much everything aside from attractions that were never open, but by the time we got on the plane to go home we were all so ready to dry out.
Almost every time I went to TDS there was a typhoon. The last time I went, it rained so hard and it was so cold, that I only rode one ride. I thought the park were going to be empty, but many people buy day tickets, so there was a line to get in. I think I spent most of my time in restaurants drinking soup and buying coffee.
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I was at busch gardens williamsburg the day before a hurricane fizzled and didn't go through the area as expected.
It was wonderful. The park was mostly empty and you could ride anything that you wanted with a less than 10 minute wait. On top of that, the temperature was perfect.