Disneyland Emails to Health Officials Attempt Damage Control
Disneyland Emails to Health Officials Attempt Damage Control – As the measles outbreak spread last month, documents obtained by The Associated Press show Disneyland executives sent a series of emails to California health officials asking them to emphasize that the theme park was not responsible for the illnesses and was safe to visit.
There is no evidence Disneyland — or health officials, who incorporated at least some of Disneyland’s suggestions — tried to downplay the seriousness of the outbreak or mislead the public. Nor is it unusual for companies to try to get public officials’ ear during a crisis. But the email exchange pulls back the curtain on what can be a delicate process and shows the extent to which Disneyland was worried about the outbreak’s effect on “The Happiest Place on Earth.”
On Thursday, Disneyland spokeswoman Lisa Haines said the resort was in constant contact with health authorities during the outbreak “in order to ensure that factual and accurate information flowed both ways to avoid confusion and properly inform the public.” Disneyland’s reputation as a family destination makes a disease outbreak potentially very harmful to the park’s marketing.
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