A visit to Tokyo Disneyland took an unexpected turn on April 1 when earthquake alerts fired off across the theme park simultaneously, sending hundreds of guests straight to the ground near Cinderella Castle.
The Moment the Alerts Went Off
TikTok user @shiori_japan1 captured the scene as it unfolded. Standing near the park's iconic Cinderella Castle, she watched as every phone in the area lit up at once with an earthquake warning. What followed was an immediate, coordinated response from both Disney Park guests and cast members.
@shiori_japan1 An earthquake hit Tokyo Disney Land🇯🇵#japan #japanesefood #tokyo #onlyinjapan #japantrip
“Everyone's earthquake alerts went off at the same time,” the Disney Park guest wrote. “When they heard the alert, everyone crouched down on the spot. We crouch down on the spot and wait for the shaking. It's not shaking, so it looks like we're okay this time.”
Disney cast members could be heard in the background directing families to shelter in place as guests remained low to the ground. Even after the initial alert passed without tremors reaching the park, the crowd stayed put, waiting for the all-clear.
“Everybody's sitting down, calming down,” the guest said in the video.
It didn't take long for cast members to confirm that the threat had passed. A tremor had been felt elsewhere in Tokyo, but Tokyo Disneyland came through without incident.
“The staff said it was safe, and everyone went back to normal all at once,” she wrote. “Everyone stayed calm and handled it really well.”
What Happened on the Rides
For guests who were mid-attraction when the alert sounded, the protocol was just as measured. TikTok commenter @sharleatherwood described being on Star Tours when the warning hit.
“I was there too! On Star Tours,” she wrote. “They made us stay on the ride and kept us bucked in. We stayed on the ride for about 10 minutes then they let us off…Normal day after that.”
No damage was reported at Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea, the Ikspiari shopping complex, or any of the Japanese Disney Resort hotels as a result of the April 1 earthquake.
How would you react to an earthquake warning at a Disney park? Disney Fanatic would love to hear from you in the comments!
