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Show Notes for Episode 299
Former Disneyland Decorator
In this episode we talk with Joe Merino about his time working at Disneyland in the Decorating department and more! Plus for current events we talk with Nick from Mousekegamer to talk about his Minecraft Disneyland
***Disney Resort Updates***
Due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 (Corona) Virus, Many Disney Parks, Cruise Lines, and Disney Vacation Club Resorts will be closed until further notice:
Disney is over whelmed with people attempting to rebook / cancel so please be patient with them. They are modifying their cancelation policy to accommodate guests. Many booking services can be handled online (links above). They are reportedly going to extend AP's by one month.
Please be sure to follow CDC and your State's guidelines during this crisis. We will get through this.
Shanghai Disneyland • Shanghai Disneyland is now open and is transitions to a New Reservation Phase Starting August 24, 2020. The resort is increasing it's capacity from 30% to 50%. Go to Shanghai's web page for advance reservations. Please visit their site for details.
Walt Disney World • All 4 Walt Disney World theme parks are open.
• Additionally, Disney Vacation Club properties at Walt Disney World and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground have begun to reopen to Members and Guests. Disney Springs has already begun to reopen. Upon reopening, theme parks, Disney Resort Hotels, restaurants and other offerings may be modified, limited in capacity and subject to availability or closure. You must have an advance reservation and valid ticket.
Disneyland • The Downtown Disney District and Buena Vista Street will be closed for Christmas.
• The Downtown Disney District including Buena Vista Street only of DCA are open. Only restaurants that have take out are open.
• The Hotels of the Disneyland Resort remain closed and will reopen at a later date. Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa DVC is working towards opening December 6th, 2020. The general public side will remain closed for now.
• Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park remain closed and will reopen at a later date, pending state and local government approvals.
• The State of California has announced guidelines for the opening of amusement parks. The biggest part of the announcement is that a county must be in tier 4 before a park can open. Orange county currently estimates it will not be in that tier until at least June 2020.
Hong Kong Disneyland • The Park is closed.
Disneyland Paris • November 25th, 2020, Disneyland Paris made the following announcement: "While we were hoping to be able to reopen during the Christmas holiday season, the latest government measures announced for France do not allow us to deliver the Disneyland Paris experience and therefore the destination will remain closed until 12 February 2021."
Disney Cruise Lines • Disney Cruise line suspends cruises through January 31, 2021.
Aulani Resort • Phased reopening began November 1, 2020. The state of Hawaii has strict travel requirements which include a 14 quarantine or negative test within 72 hours of your arrival. Please visit HERE for the latest details.
Walt Disney Family Museum • The Walt Disney Family Museum closed.
INFORMATION CORRECT AS OF December 7, 2020. Please check individual Resorts eb pages for restrictions, requirements, and changes.
Disneyland Resort Current Event
More Disney California Adventure shops and food carts open as Buena Vista Street expands
Additional locations along Buena Vista Street and in Hollywood Land and Grizzly Peak Airfield may open once the park’s operations team gauges traffic flow and visitor demand.
By BRADY MACDONALD
PUBLISHED: December 3, 2020
“The Off the Page art gallery in Hollywood Land and a Grizzly Peak Airfield popcorn cart opened on Thursday, Dec. 3 at DCA.”
...
“Portions of DCA’s Buena Vista Street, Hollywood Land and Grizzly Peak Airfield reopened in mid-November as an extension of the Downtown Disney outdoor shopping mall.
“Buena Vista Street shoppers can browse Elias & Co., Julius Katz & Sons and Kingswell Camera Shop. Diners can grab a bite at Carthay Circle Lounge, Smokejumpers Grill, Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe, Award Wieners and Trolley Treats. Vending carts along Buena Vista Street offer popcorn, churros, ice cream and other treats.
“Additional locations along Buena Vista Street and in Hollywood Land and Grizzly Peak Airfield may open once the park’s operations team gauges traffic flow and visitor demand.
…
“The reopened Off the Page sells collectible Disney artwork, animated film cells, limited-edition prints and figurines. The Hollywood Land gallery will be open daily from noon to 8 p.m.
“The returning Grizzly Peak Airfield popcorn cart will sell collectible popcorn buckets and offer mobile ordering through the Disneyland app. A Hollywood Land popcorn stand also appears ready to open, according to Inside the Magic.
...
“No rides, entertainment or character meet-and-greets are available in DCA while Buena Vista Street is open for shopping and dining. No admission fee is charged to enter DCA to shop and dine.
“Downtown Disney and Buena Vista Street are now open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the holiday shopping season. Parking at the Simba lot is $10 per car.”
Orange County Register
Off the Page Reopens December 3rd in Buena Vista Street at the Disneyland Resort
Dec 2, 2020
“Off the Page provides a unique shopping experience that isn’t replicated elsewhere in Downtown Disney.”
Laughing Place
How Disneyland’s new scan-and-go shopping works
Disneyland’s new merchandise mobile checkout is now being tested at the World of Disney store in Downtown Disney.
By BRADY MACDONALD
UPDATED: December 3, 2020
“Disneyland’s new merchandise mobile checkout system expands on the mobile ordering system that has quickly become the preferred option for making purchases at restaurants and food stands in Disney theme parks.
“The pilot program is being tested through the holidays at the World of Disney store in Downtown Disney.
...
“The new mobile checkout system lets shoppers scan an item using the Disneyland app and walk out of the store with their purchase — bypassing the line for the checkout counter completely.
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“Once the Disneyland app is open, tap the plus (+) sign in the bottom dock and then choose the “Shop in Store — Now Testing” option.
...
“Shoppers will need to grab a mobile checkout shopping bag in the store and scan the merchandise they wish to purchase as they add the items to the bag.
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“Mobile food orders at reopened Disney theme parks have skyrocketed from 9% of sales to an eye-popping 84% since the pandemic began. Cashless payments have reached nearly 90% in Disney theme parks.”
Orange County Register
Merchandise Mobile Checkout Now Testing at Downtown Disney’s World of Disney
Dec 1, 2020
“We’ve noted that the process is quite simple, but the lack of a receipt or any hard evidence we paid for our goods did make us a little uncomfortable and will take some time to get used to.”
Laughing Place
Disneyland lays off more than 11,500 employees, state records show
The 11,572 Disneyland layoffs add to a grim and growing tally that last stood at 10,000 terminations.
By BRADY MACDONALD
PUBLISHED: December 1, 2020
“Disney will lay off more than 11,500 Disneyland and Disney California Adventure employees as the company continues to struggle with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the eight-month closure of its Anaheim theme parks.
“Disney announced 8,724 layoffs of Disneyland union employees due to continuing business impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, known as the WARN Act. Disney filed the WARN Act notifications on Oct. 29 with the union layoffs set to take effect on Dec. 31.
“Disney previously announced layoffs of 2,848 Disneyland non-union employees through WARN Act notifications on Sept. 29.
...
“In a recent U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Disney disclosed that 32,000 employees primarily in the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products division would be laid off. Disney previously announced in September that 28,000 employees would be laid off at Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.
...
“Before the layoffs, Disney employed more than 100,000 at its U.S. theme parks — 32,000 at Disneyland and 77,000 at Disney World.”
Orange County Register
Disneyland cancels Grad Nite 2021 amid coronavirus concerns
The event has been a Southern California traditional rite of passage since the early 1960s for millions of graduating seniors.
By BRADY MACDONALD
PUBLISHED: November 24, 2020
“‘The recently released state guidelines related to theme parks put us in limbo regarding a reopening timeline in the foreseeable future and therefore we are unable to move forward with Grad Nite 2021,’ according to the Disney Youth Programs website.
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“Disneyland Grad Nite has been a Southern California traditional rite of passage since the early 1960s for millions of graduating seniors.”
You can listen to show 299 on iTunes or go to Libsyn service here.