SARS FEAR HITS DISNEY.Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer BURBANK - As if the U.S. war in Iraq and terrorism weren't trouble enough, The Walt Disney Noun 1. Walt Disney - United States film maker who pioneered animated cartoons and created such characters as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck; founded Disneyland (1901-1966) Disney, Walter Elias Disney Co. has told security regulators that fear of SARS could deliver yet another blow to already struggling attendance at its Walt Disney World Noun 1. Walt Disney World - a large amusement park established in 1971 to the southwest of Orlando Orlando - a city in central Florida; site of Walt Disney World theme-park resort in Florida. Disney had recently cut its profit target for 2003, citing international unrest and the continued slow economy. The company, in a filing late Thursday, said there could be an increased ``reluctance to travel'' because of SARS and the uncertainty surrounding the transmission of the pneumonia-like illness sweeping Asia. ``This tends to adversely affect our resort locations, and in particular our largest resort location, Walt Disney World, where our guests tend to travel from farther away and stay longer,'' the company stated in outlining terms and risk factors to a debt offering. SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Definition Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is the first emergent and highly transmissible viral disease to appear during the twenty-first century. , is the latest in a series of developments beginning with the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to have plagued attendance at theme parks, particularly the Disney World resort. ``It does really seem that Disney is experiencing the perfect storm, doesn't it?'' said analyst David Guzman David Guzman is a Canadian professional soccer player currently playing for Toronto FC of Major League Soccer as a developmental player. Guzman attended Archbishop Romero Catholic Secondary School (Toronto Ontario) , and went to the University of Louisville on a soccer of Guzman and Co. Guzman said the world problems have not had as much of an impact on Disney's theme parks in Anaheim - Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure Disney's California Adventure is a theme park in Anaheim, California, adjacent to Disneyland Park and part of the larger Disneyland Resort. It opened on February 8, 2001. The park is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company. - which are able to depend much more on drive business not only from Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, but also from Arizona and Nevada. Asian travel has declined sharply as SARS, which has no cure so far, has infected more than 3,000 worldwide, primarily in China and Hong Kong, and killed more than 100 victims. In addition to its domestic theme parks, Disney has interests in parks in Paris, Tokyo and a Hong Kong park
Disney also said in the filing that its ABC television network is impacted by the war on Iraq as well and could experience higher costs and lower advertising. |
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