First and foremost, our hearts go out to all of the people in Japan who have been impacted by last week's devastating earthquake in Japan. In response to this disaster, The Walt Disney Company is making a $2.5 million contribution to the Red Cross to help aid in the disaster relief. The company has also coordinated a charitable giving program for all Disney employees and will match donations, dollar for dollar, up to an additional $1 million.
In regards to our theme park operations, Tokyo Disney Resort will remain closed this week so that a comprehensive safety investigation can be performed. While there was only minimal damage to the resort, the safety of our guests and cast members is always our top priority so we want to be as thorough as possible in our inspections. The quake caused considerable damage to the local infrastructure and transportation systems in the area so we need to take that into account as well. Fortunately, all of the guests who were at the resort when the quake hit have been able to leave despite these transportation challenges.
A decision regarding operations at the Tokyo Disney Resort will be made on March 21 and we will continue to post updates on the Disney Parks Blog as the situation progresses. The thoughts and good wishes of the entire Disney company go to our colleagues in Japan, their friends and families and all of the Japanese people as they begin their recovery efforts in this difficult time.
