This week, Walt brings us hope in this uncertain time, Disney Parks celebrates health professionals around the world, more annual pass information, cancellations, resceduled events, what the parks will look like when they reopen, we take an audio tour of Disneyland, and more!
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News:
This week, Disneyland Resort President Rebecca Campbell posted a picture on Instagram of the Main Street Fire Station. Her caption read “Inside Walt Disney’s apartment overlooking Town Square at Disneyland, a light has shone through the window above the firehouse for decades. It glows as a source of inspiration to our cast and our guests as a remembrance of the man who once looked out that window to the sights of happy families making memories below. Today, even in a world filled with so much uncertainty, that light still shines, bright as ever. I’m looking forward to the day when families can make memories once again.” – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/04/disneymagicmoments-a-light-still-shines-at-disneyland-park/
April 7th was World Health Day, which celebrates nurses, doctors, and healthcare teams around the world. All the Disney Parks united to say thanks and show appreciation to the healthcare workers who are on the front lines of this pandemic. At Shanghai Disney Resort, the castle displayed words of thanks projected on it. In Hong Kong, the Disneyland Ambassador Melody shared a sign of appreciation, Tokyo Disney Resort shared images from inside the parks for inspiration. Disneyland Paris created a floral arrangement with the word “merci” near the castle. In Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, cast members held up a “thank you” sign with the castle lit in the background. In Disney California Adventure, custodial made signs of thanks out of flowers petals on the ground. Disney Stores displayed a heartfelt message thanking the workers, and on Disney’s Castaway Cay, thank you was displayed with flip flops. To see all of these messages, check out the link in our show notes. – https://wdwnt.com/2020/04/photos-disney-parks-around-the-globe-offer-messages-of-thanks-and-appreciation-for-medical-workers-in-frontlines-of-covid-19-pandemic-for-world-health-day/
Some more clarity on Annual Pass waivers and extensions has been posted by Disney. Some of this we already knew, but there have been some changes to things like annual payments. If you paid for your pass in full, the expiration date will be extended for the number of days that the park has been closed. For passholders not interested in the extension, Disney will be offering a partial refund based on the length of the closure. As of April 5th, monthly payments have been stopped and any payments made between March 14th and April 4th will be refunded automatically. Once the park reopens, the monthly payments will resume. Passholders with specific questions can contact Disneyland’s Annual Passholder Member Services at 714-781-7277. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2020/04/03/6-questions-and-answers-about-the-new-disneyland-annual-pass-fee-waivers-and-extensions/#more-328864 and https://wdwnt.com/2020/04/disneyland-emails-annual-passholders-regarding-pass-extensions-refunds-and-monthly-payment-holds/
Dapper Days were originally scheduled for April 18th and 19th, but have now been rescheduled for June 20th and 21st. On April 19th, you can celebrate Dapper Day at Home! Dress up in your favorite dapper outfit and post it on Instagram with the hashtag DapperDayAtHome and the Dapper Day’s Instagram for a chance to be shared on social media. Playlists from DJs and bands, along with specials from Expo exhibitors and activities will also be online. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2020/04/03/news-date-released-for-dapper-day-at-home/#more-328958
In a particularly sad bit of news for us, Villains Nite has been officially postponed. The original date of the Disneyland After Dark event was April 30th. The new date hasn’t been announced yet, but we have heard sometime in December. Guests with Villains Nite tickets will automatically have their tickets moved to the new date. Guests wishing to cancel can call 714-781-4636. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2020/04/04/news-disneyland-postpones-april-villains-nite/#more-328995
Beginning April 19th, all US based, non-essential Cast Members will be furloughed. All impacted cast members will remain Disney employees, and their healthcare benefits, including the employee and company premiums will continue to be paid by Disney. Once this goes into effect, Disney will have paid its Cast Members for five weeks with the parks closed. Union employees are not impacted by this, but negotiations continue. – https://www.micechat.com/255626-breaking-news-disney-announces-vast-furloughs-across-the-company/ and https://wdwnt.com/2020/04/breaking-disney-announces-temporary-furlough-of-executive-salaried-and-non-union-cast-members-in-the-united-states/
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 closures, all Disney Internships, including the Cultural Representative Program, is suspended starting April 18th. Participants that are already here in the US will he helped by the program to return home by April 17th. College Program participants were scheduled to start in June will have their fees refunded, as that program has also been cancelled. The Fall program that runs from August through January has not been impacted at this time. – https://wdwnt.com/2020/04/breaking-disney-internships-cultural-representative-programs-suspended-starting-april-18-due-to-covid-19/
The Disneyland All-American College band, which is made up of 21 college students from across the US, has been a staple since 1971. For 2020, the program has been suspended. – https://wdwnt.com/2020/04/disneyland-all-american-college-band-suspends-2020-program-over-coronavirus-pandemic/
What might be different at the parks when they do reopen? Former CEO Bob Iger suggested in an interview with Barron’s that the parks would be a place that people need to feel like some form of normalcy has returned. In that case, guests have to feel safe in the parks, so adding something like temperature screenings, like they do bag screenings now could be a possibility. Iger also suggested that Disney will be looking at what their company will look like and do differently in the future as this pandemic has changed so much. – https://wdwnt.com/2020/04/bob-iger-suggests-temperature-screenings-for-guests-may-be-instituted-when-disney-parks-reopen-following-covid-19-pandemic/
This week it was announced that Avenger’s Campus coming to Disney California Adventure later this year will not be “in canon.” For those not aware what “in canon” is, it means that it is not officially part of the official universe. The following is a spoiler if you have not watched Avengers Infinity War. The reason for it not being in canon is that characters that were sacrificed during Thanos’s snap in the movie will be present, even though in the cinematic universe they are wiped out of the universe. – https://wdwnt.com/2020/04/avengers-campus-to-not-be-canon-with-marvel-cinematic-universe-the-snap-never-happened-in-theme-park-land/
For guests missing the Easter egg hunts in the parks this year, shopDisney is stepping in to help! Starting April 10th at 9am, guests can try and identify hidden storytelling details woven into 3 exclusive Disney Backstage Collection t-shirts. Guests can win a 3-month subscription to the Backstage Collection for deciphering the clues. – https://wdwnt.com/2020/04/hop-into-a-virtual-egg-hunt-with-shopdisney-and-win-exclusive-disney-backstage-collection-prizes/
Disney has released the latest video in their Disney Magic Moments series this week. This time, guests can take a trip around the world on it’s a small world. And not just at Disneyland, but from versions of the attraction from all around the Disney Parks. To see the other videos, visit the Disney Magical Moments website that we have linked in the show notes. – https://wdwnt.com/2020/04/video-take-a-virtual-ride-on-its-a-small-world-from-disney-parks-around-the-world/ and https://news.disney.com/magicmoments?CMP=ILC-DPFY20Q3wo0402200408200003E
If you want to learn how the Disney Magic is made and how to add this magic to your work life, The Disney Institute is offering a discount. For Annual Passholders, the Institute is offering a 15% discount on select professional development courses and summits. These courses offer a deep dive into the business of DIsney Parks and Resorts. Each course or summit is lead by Disney leaders and executives. If you are interested, or know someone who is, check out the link in our show notes. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2020/03/31/learn-how-to-bring-the-disney-touch-to-your-business-with-this-new-disneyland-annual-passholder-discount/#more-328247 and https://www.disneyinstitute.com
Discussion Topic:
An audio tour of Disneyland. Music taken from Disney Chris, over at https://www.disneychris.com/
