ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – As the measles outbreak spread last month, 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, documents obtained by The Associated Press show.
There is no evidence Disneyland – or health officials, who incorporated at least some of the theme park’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 it shows Disneyland’s concern about the disease’s potential harm to “The Happiest Place on Earth” even as the theme park worked with health authorities to alert the public to the danger.
As the infections multiplied, Disneyland forwarded suggestions to the California Department of Public Health and tried to insert language into an update from the Orange County Health Care Agency, according to correspondence spanning the first two weeks of the outbreak. The emails were obtained through a public records request.
In one exchange, a Disneyland official wanted the state to make it clear the park was not responsible for the outbreak. In another, Disneyland wanted the state to clarify that it was safe for vaccinated people to visit the theme park. In that instance, the state updated its website to address Disneyland’s concern.