Sony and Toyota are struggling. But one brand name is booming   in Japan during the economic slowdown--Mickey Mouse. According to the company that runs Tokyo Disneyland, Japan's busiest theme park will be more packed than ever over Christmas and New Year's Day. Despite the bad economy, it's already been a record year for an escape which is cheaper than the average night out in pricey Tokyo. "Here, economic depression   seems a world away," visitor Namie Katsunuma said. "This is the only place where I can totally forget the economic worries and hardships of my life." The single mother's salary at an auto factory was cut in November but, with her $500 yearly pass in hand, she makes the 95-km journey from her home to Tokyo Disneyland every couple of months. The park's operator, Oriental Land Co, estimates   a record 26.5 million people will visit Tokyo Disneyland and its nearby sister park, Disneysea, during the financial year ending in March. The company is forecasting sales of a record $4.2 billion, up almost 10 percent. "In a way, the economy works well for Tokyo Disneyland," said Hiroshi Watanabe, an economist at the Tokyo-based Daiwa Research Institute. "Because of the economic depression, people have stopped buying cars and houses or going to Hawaii, and Tokyo Disneyland offers an affordable and pleasant _ ." Around the world, Disney's theme parks have been a bright spot for the brand this year as people seem to look for an escape from bad times. What can be the possible reason for Tokyo Disneyland's boom?
It costs less money to play here than in any other theme park. People have a new understanding of amusement. The economic depression has changed people's plans to spend money. Visitors seek an escape from economic depression.