Originally Posted By Resort Cruiser My wife and several of our friends are cast at Tokyo Disneyland. Yesterday they received the bad news from their supervisors that they should not expect to be scheduled work hours any time soon and it could be as late as May before the parks reopen. The ongoing threat of rolling blackouts due to Japan's reduced power generation capability was cited as the reason.
Originally Posted By Resort Cruiser My wife and several of our friends are cast at Tokyo Disneyland. Yesterday they received the bad news from their supervisors that they should not expect to be scheduled work hours any time soon and it could be as late as May before the parks reopen. The ongoing threat of rolling blackouts due to Japan's reduced power generation capability was cited as the reason.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I knew that it would likely be a while, but that does seem like a long time to go without work. I hope that you guys, and all Cast Members, are able to make it through until then; I know I would have a hard time going 2.5 months without pay at a moment's notice. I also wonder if it really does take that long, how many people will simply try to get jobs elsewhere. It seems like the logical thing to do, but I also don't know if there are any other jobs available in the region right now. If that is a common occurrence, TDR might have an even harder time trying to reopen, since they may have to completely restaff and train a signficicant portion of the resort. It would be hard enough going that long without some sort of quick refresher to catch back up on everything! It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.
Originally Posted By SuperDry Would unemployment insurance cover such a situation in Japan? That is, a situation where you really haven't lost your job and know it will come back, but simply are scheduled for zero hours for an extended period of time.
Originally Posted By SuperDry Monday's scheduled OLC announcement that will update the resort's reopening schedule will definitely be interesting.
Originally Posted By Resort Cruiser Thanks, FerretAfros. We just received the good news that OLC is going to pay all cast 60% of their normal wages for the hours they've already missed AND 60% pay for the normal hours they would have received up until the time they go back to work. While OLC certainly has its own reasons for doing this (the point you mentioned about losing cast to other employment) I must still give them credit for their decision. I often have my problems with how they treat cast, but this is an honorable move. It's taken a lot of financial pressure off of a lot of good people. *************** SuperDry, As far as we're aware, unemployment insurance isn't an option. Also, OLC would very likely point the option out to cast in their phone calls to them. In a side note, these are *calls* to cast from relatively high level managers, not the usual sort of situation in which information would be conveyed through email from lower level supervisors. ************** A bit more information that's come my way is that OLC is taking very seriously what the public perception, in the wake of the tragedy and power rationing, will be regarding their decision as to when the resort should be reopened.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< SuperDry, As far as we're aware, unemployment insurance isn't an option >>> Given the situation you mentioned, certainly not. It would appear that they're in fact still employed and getting paid, albeit at 60% of the normal rate - just not working for the time being.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 "A bit more information that's come my way is that OLC is taking very seriously what the public perception, in the wake of the tragedy and power rationing, will be regarding their decision as to when the resort should be reopened." As is expected. Thank you for this information which should cool some of the uninformed hysterical hyperbole on here recently regarding "sensitivity versus financial need" to re-open.
Originally Posted By Malin *** My wife and several of our friends are cast at Tokyo Disneyland. Yesterday they received the bad news from their supervisors that they should not expect to be scheduled work hours any time soon and it could be as late as May before the parks reopen. *** Really sorry to read your wife and her friends may have to wait so long to return to work. The offer of 60% of wages is a kind offer but will not cover the rent, bills, and food that we all need to pay in order to survive in life. I hope the end of May is a worst case scenario. Its a harsh blow for all the Cast Members anyway who did such a fantastic job during the earthquake in calming and looking after everyone. *** Monday's scheduled OLC announcement that will update the resort's reopening schedule will definitely be interesting. *** Oh cool is that announcement still going ahead. I wasn't sure since OLC posted a update only on Friday.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< uninformed hysterical hyperbole >>> Yea, there's quite a bit of that going around, isn't there?
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Oh cool is that announcement still going ahead. I wasn't sure since OLC posted a update only on Friday. >>> I was just assuming that it would, since it was previously announced, even if it's only something like "Here's an update: we still don't know but..." then they talk about the CM pay initiative and what else they do know. But who knows. I see that Mar 21 is a national holiday in Japan (Spring Equinox Day). Here are some other data points: on the English official website, the park operation calendar has returned to normal: previously, they had blocked off the hours for Mar 12 - 21, with normal hours starting Mar 22. They never said that they'd re-open on Mar 22, but previously said they'd be closed for sure through Mar 21 and would make an announcement Mar 21. Perhaps they felt that with the calendar showing only Mar 12-21 blocked out, too many people inferred that re-opening was definitely on Mar 22. Also, the TDR Sheraton has on its website the following: "Due to the Disney Park closure until March 31, 2011, the hotel will not be accepting any individual transient reservations until March 31, 2011." I don't take this to mean that the parks will actually re-open Mar 31, but that the Sheraton has received official but non-published word that they will be closed *for sure* at least through Mar 31. At least that's my assumption.
Originally Posted By Malin Someone on the Trip Advisor website wrote that many entertainment facilities in Tokyo are hoping to get things back to normal for Golden Week. While Fukai over on the MiceChat Boards has heard from a friend in Japan of a possible opening at that time too!
Originally Posted By SuperDry That's right. That's actually in line with what TEPCO has said previously: that rolling blackouts might continue through the end of April. Mr X posted a thread talking about chatter among the locals that it might be more toward the end of summer before the power situation is resolved, but I'm willing to go with what TEPCO has been saying for now. For example, they canceled the blackouts for Monday because there was no need. There's still 6 weeks until Golden Week, and that's enough time to carry out substantial repairs to at least some facilities. That, combined with the OLC announcement that there is no damage in the parks and that they're ready to open once the power and other greater Tokyo issues are resolved, makes me think that Golden Week is a much more realistic estimate than September for a TDR re-opening.
Originally Posted By Resort Cruiser Today my wife received a call from one of her supervisors. No word on a reopening date for the resort, of course, but she was asked if she would be willing to shift her hours and come in earlier than her contract states when operation resume. This is because of the unsurprising possibility that when the parks reopen they'll be closing earlier than normal. About the overall power situation here, while there have been some rolling blackouts, there have been fewer than anticipated. For example, we live in Matsudo in Chiba (relatively near Maihama)and we haven't experienced a single one. I find the possibility of power disruptions significant enough to disrupt operations at the resort continuing into the summer to be highly unlikely. It's important to know that half of the reduced electricity production that Japan is dealing with right now is unrelated to the loss of nuclear, but it's the result of damage to thermal plants. Not only will much of that production resume relatively soon, Japan's other power generation plants are in the process of ramping up their output. I believe we're reaching a point in which this is becoming primarily an image issue. It seems it may be a situation in which the parks will limit their hours upon reopening not due to energy limitations, but avoid being seen as uncaring.
Originally Posted By MagicalNezumi Thanks for the update Resort_Cruiser. If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you a few things offline. Would you send me a message to jp91744 (at) gmail. Thanks. -- MagicalNezumi
Originally Posted By DlandDug Thanks for the current information. Glad to hear you and your family are doing well.
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 Thank you very much for the "on the scene" reporting. Between you and Mr. X, it's nice to get perspective from those living in the area.
Originally Posted By dl1956 Given the impact of all the events on the whole nation, both physically and psychologically, I would imagine OLC will be doing a slew of giveaways when opening finally comes, such as free entry for kids from the affected areas, etc.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 "Thank you very much for the "on the scene" reporting. Between you and Mr. X, it's nice to get perspective from those living in the area." Indeed! This contrasts to armchair "experts" watching CNN and thinking they know everything.
