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In this episode we talk with former Imagineer Chris Crump. Chris is the son of Disney Legend Rolly Crump. We talk to Chris about his career with Disney, and growing up in the 60's around some of these Disney Legends we all know, and so much more. Plus for the Current events we welcome Tage and Teresa from the DL Weekly podcast as they chime in on the latest news.
The Sweep Spot is a podcast with full episodes every two weeks, focusing on the Disneyland Resort. Lynn Barron and Ken Pellman, former Disneyland Day Custodial Foremen are your hosts.
***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. Be sure to check their reservation system which requires everyone, including infants, to have a reservation. The resort capacity is 50%. You must 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.
• Park Hopping is allowed within strict rules:
1. You must make a reservation at one of the Parks.
2. You must go to that Park first.
3. Park Hopping does not start until 2PM.
4. Access to Parks is still limited to their maximum occupancy. Check the Park you want to go to before traveling to it to make sure it is accepting Hopping guests.
5. Check the Walt Disney World Park Hopper web page for updates to Park Hopping rules.
Disneyland • The Downtown Disney District including Buena Vista Street only of DCA are open. Some table service is available following state and local rules.
• The Disneyland Annual Pass (AP) system is being cancel and refunds issued. Special discounts will continue (see Disneyland web page). A new system is in the planning for after the Parks reopen, but no details available at this time.
• Disney's Grand Californian Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is scheduled to open May 2, 2021. The The Grand Californian and other Hotels of the Disneyland Resort remain closed and will reopen at a later date. (This update came out 2/23/2021)
• 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 officially reopened. Advanced reservations with names and contact numbers are required. The Park will be closed on Tuesdays and Thursdays except major holidays. Please visit their web site for current requirements.
Disneyland Paris • If conditions continue to improve, the Park will reopen April 2, 2021. Please visit their web site for up to date information on if the Park will reopened and requirements.
Disney Cruise Lines • Disney Cruise line has suspended cruises. The web page does appear to be booking future trips, the earliest being in May 2021.
Aulani Resort • Phased reopening began November 1, 2020. The state of Hawaii has strict travel requirements which include a 10 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. They continue to provide virtual content.
INFORMATION CORRECT AS OF February 23, 2021. Please check individual Resorts web pages for restrictions, requirements, and changes.
Disneyland Resort Current Event
Disney California Adventure to launch food event in March
The new ticketed event is targeted to launch in mid-March, take place multiple days per week and include some entertainment but no parades or attractions.
By BRADY MACDONALD
UPDATED: February 9, 2021
“Disney California Adventure will launch a food and beverage experience that is expected to kick off in mid-March during the spring season when the Anaheim theme park typically runs an annual food and wine festival.
“‘Currently planned to begin mid-March, we will debut an all-new, limited-time ticketed experience, focused on our world-famous food and beverage offerings from around the resort, the latest merchandise and unique, carefully crafted entertainment experiences,’ Disneyland president Ken Potrock said in a letter to cast members.
“The limited time food and beverage event will bring more than 700 Disney cast members back to work in addition to the 230 employees that have already returned to work along Buena Vista Street, according to theme park officials.”
...
“The new ticketed event is targeted to launch in mid-March, take place multiple days per week and include some entertainment but no parades or attractions.”
...
“The new limited time food and beverage event will run during what is typically the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival season that runs from late February through April. Knott’s Berry Farm has been running a series of themed food and wine events without rides or attractions during the pandemic.”
Orange County Register
Disneyland Announces Food and Beverage Event to Start in Mid-March Inside California Adventure, Bringing 1,000 Cast Members Back to Work
Feb 8, 2021
“The new experience will be held within areas of Disney California Adventure park.
“The expanded offerings in the park will not include any attractions as theme parks are not currently allowed to reopen under California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy.”
Laughing Place
How Disney Imagineering turned the Rainforest Cafe into a Star Wars rebel base in Downtown Disney
The new Star Wars Trading Post coming to Downtown Disney will tell — and sell — all the stories from a galaxy far, far away.
By BRADY MACDONALD
UPDATED: February 12, 2021
“If Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disneyland is locked into a very specific timeline in the epic space opera, then the new Star Wars Trading Post in Downtown Disney will encompass every story, character and era from a galaxy far, far away.
“‘It’s a place to celebrate all things Star Wars,’ Walt Disney Imagineering Art Director Kirstin Makela said in a video interview. ’We want this to be a space that grows with the fandom and has the ability to celebrate all the different characters and adventures that unfold.’
“The new Star Wars Trading Post will debut on Feb. 19 in the former Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney with a Legacy Passholder preview event set for Feb. 16-18.”
…
“The new Downtown Disney Trading Post solves a problem created by Imagineering’s commitment to telling a thin slice of the Star Wars story in Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. From a storytelling standpoint, the Galaxy’s Edge lands exist in a time period between the events of “The Last Jedi” and “The Rise of Skywalker” — the last two films in the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
“From a merchandising standpoint, the strict storytelling rules in Galaxy’s Edge mean that the residents of Black Spire Outpost on the planet of Batuu are unaware of the sweeping Star Wars movie saga — because they’re living it. That also means a vast swath of Star Wars merchandise can’t be sold in the Star Wars lands.
“The new Downtown Disney shop won’t have any such restrictions. The Star Wars Trading Post will serve as a one-stop shop inside a secret rebel base where all of the stories in the galaxy can be told — and sold.”
...
“Satellite antennas have been placed on top of lighting sconces at the entrance. Electrical panels have been added near the front door while exhaust vents have appeared atop a temple tower. Cable wires and camouflage netting have been tossed haphazardly over an outdoor balcony. Rey’s iconic speeder sits in front of the former rain forest-themed restaurant.”
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“Star Wars props will also fill the interior of the new Downtown Disney Trading Post. Fans will find Resistance tactical displays inside the shop along with Grogu’s hover pram from ‘The Mandalorian’ based on a Lucasfilm mold for the futuristic baby stroller.”
Orange County Register
Photos – New Star Wars Trading Post Opens at Downtown Disney for Legacy Passholder Preview
Feb 16, 2021
“The new Star Wars Trading Post opened today as a preview for Legacy Passholders at Disneyland Resort. The new store took over the former Rainforest Cafe location in Downtown Disney and welcomes guest to their very own Star Wars adventure.”
Laughing Place
Star Wars Trading Post Opens To All at Downtown Disney District
Feb 19, 2021
“The Star Wars Trading Post is now officially open to all guests at the Downtown Disney District in the Disneyland Resort. The store, located in the site of the former Rainforest Cafe, is home to Star Wars merchandise that can (usually) only be found in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge inside Disneyland Park.”
Laughing Place
Wonderground Gallery Reopens in Downtown Disney District
Feb 19, 2021
“While many eyes were on the opening of the Star Wars Trading Post at Disneyland Resort’s Downtown Disney District, taking over the former Rainforest Cafe location, many eyes were also on the reopening of the Wonderground Gallery.
“The Wonderground Gallery, is a place where independent, innovative artists and illustrators put their personal spin on Disney’s rich storytelling legacy, creating limited-edition artwork and merchandise as powerful as the stories that inspired them. Works are based on anything from films to park attractions and locations, and the store has a large fan following who love the works that aren’t the run of the mill park souvenirs.”
Laughing Place
Walt Disney Imagineers Worked From Home While Reimagining a Scary Adventure into “Snow White’s Enchanted Wish”
Feb 18, 2021
“It was recently announced that the opening day Disneyland attraction, Snow White’s Scary Adventures has been reimagined into Snow White's Enchanted Wish while the park has been closed due to the global pandemic.
“Much like the animators who worked on Pixar’s Soul, and Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon, as well as countless others, working from home had to be adapted as a way of life. Imagineers from Walt Disney Imagineering are no exception. Some Imagineers were able to continue creating many of the attraction’s elements from home, including special effects, lighting, paint work and more. It was certainly a unique approach, but the team adapted and moved this labor of love forward in their new at-home settings.”
Laughing Place
Disneyland will stay closed for at least another 1 or 2 months, says Disney CFO
In total, Disneyland is expected to be closed for more than a year, Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy says.
By BRADY MACDONALD
UPDATED: February 12, 2021
“Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are expected to remain closed for more than a year and not reopen before late March or early April while California theme parks remain shuttered under state guidelines, according to Disney officials.
“‘Our current expectation is that Disneyland and Disneyland Paris will be closed for the entirety of the second quarter,’ Disney Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy said.
“McCarthy commented on the continued closure of Disney’s Anaheim theme parks during a conference call with analysts on Thursday, Feb. 11. Disney’s second quarter typically ends between March 28 and April 2.”\
Orange County Register
Disney theme parks rebounding ‘faster than expected,’ analysts say
Disney’s theme park division did better than expected in the company’s first quarter of 2021 despite a $2.6 billion hit to operating income.
By BRADY MACDONALD
PUBLISHED: February 17, 2021
“Pent-up demand to visit Disney theme parks has led to a strong rebound from pandemic lows and the vaccine rollout offers hope that the entertainment giant will soon return to record profits and increased spending on new rides and attractions, according to analysts.
“Disney’s Parks, Experiences and Products division did better than expected in the company’s first quarter of 2021 because of increased theme park attendance, higher visitor spending and cost-cutting initiatives despite a $2.6 billion hit to operating income.”
…
“Disney parks could return to pre-pandemic levels of profitability in 2022 — a year sooner than forecast — if the coronavirus vaccine rollout is largely complete in 2021, according to the Rosenblatt analyst report.
“Disney World theme parks in Florida have been operating under a self-imposed 35% capacity limit after reopening during the pandemic at lower attendance levels.”
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“The Rosenblatt report forecasts that Disney theme park project spending will rise to nearly $6 billion in 2024 after hovering around $4 billion in 2019.”
Orange County Register
Reverent Disneyland flag ceremony endures thanks to Gunny — and some day the kids will return
The crowd these days is only a skeleton Disneyland crew still working at the park as Ernie “Gunny” Napper lowers the flag at sunset
By DENNIS MCCARTHY
UPDATED: February 13, 2021
“At sunset on Dec. 5 last year — Walt Disney’s 119th birthday — security officer Ernie “Gunny” Napper lowered the flag in Disneyland’s Town Square, and walked it over to a private apartment above the firehouse where Disney spent many of his days and nights staring out the window at the excited crowds rushing into his newly opened fantasy kingdom.
“The retired Marine Corp. gunnery sergeant and a few other security officers, custodial and maintenance staff still working at the empty park began singing “Happy Birthday” to the man who gave children from all over the world the best day of their lives.
“And, as he has five nights a week for the last 29 years, Gunny lingered a bit under Disney’s window with a lamp in it that never gets turned off, to tell his boss how the day went, and how sad it is in the happiest place on earth without those children.”
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“But how do you get paying customers off the rides to spend 20 minutes watching a flag come down a pole? That’s when Gunny came up with a brilliant idea. He went to see Mickey and Minnie, Cinderella and Snow White, Alice in Wonderland and Donald Duck. Could they please come to the flagpole at sunset, he asked?
“He knew what would happen next. Like the Pied Piper, the children would follow, taking their parents and grandparents with them in tow. Gunny put the boom box in storage and got the Main Street Band and the Dapper Dans to play patriotic songs as families lined up three deep to see the nightly flag retreat ceremony that had become like a free E ticket.”
Orange County Register
Disneyland’s annual passholders accounted for half of attendance, analysts say
With an estimated 1 million passholders, there would have been an impossibly long virtual queue of die-hard fans waiting anxiously to snag an online advance reservation for Disneyland’s reopening day.
By BRADY MACDONALD
PUBLISHED: February 12, 2021
“Annual passholders comprise an estimated 50% of Disneyland resort attendance, according to UBS financial analysts.”
...
“A million passholders have never turned out en masse at Disneyland. But the problems would be immense if even a fraction of those fans wanted to be on hand when the park reopens following the COVID-19 closure.
“Disneyland attendance reached 18.7 million visitors in 2019, according to the Themed Entertainment Association/AECOM. Disney California Adventure attracted 9.9 million visitors the same year, according to TEA/AECOM.
“Combined, Disneyland and DCA draw an estimated 28.6 million visitors annually, according to TEA/AECOM. Passholders make up 14.3 million of those visits each year, based on the UBS estimates.
“Disneyland attracts an estimated 51,000 visitors per day while Disney California Adventure draws another 27,000 daily, according to TEA/AECOM. Disney’s two Anaheim parks draw approximately 78,000 visitors per day, according to TEA/AECOM.”
Orange County Register
Mon, February 8, 2021
Commemorating 20 Years at Disney California Adventure Park at Disneyland Resort
by Michael Ramirez, Public Relations Director, Disneyland Resort
Disney Parks Blog
20 Years of Disney California Adventure: An Odyssey
by Cole Geryak | Feb 8, 2021
“We have a lot of exciting articles coming out today to commemorate the park and get a chance to relive its transition from one of the most maligned parks in the Disney pantheon to one where many Disney aficionados love to simply hang out.
“Our articles today cover a variety of topics from opening day to our favorite attractions to what to expect from the park in the future.”
Disneyland Illustrator and Disney Legend Charles Boyer Passed Away February 8th
Feb 13, 2021
“Disney has announced that Disney Legend Charles Boyer, Disneyland’s first full-time artist, passed away on February 8th of this year.”
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“Originally hired as a temporary portrait artist in 1960, remaining there for 39 years, Boyer became Disneyland’s first full time artist, and eventually becoming Disneyland’s master illustrator.
“Boyer got his art education and training with classes in high school, later enrolling in classes at the Chouinard Art Institute. The classes he took that focused on design and cartooning helped convince him to take a commercial art career path.”
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“Disney fans will surely recognize his work, with one of his most popular pieces being the “Triple Self Portrait” that features Mickey Mouse looking at himself in a mirror while painting an image of Walt Disney, a kind of parody to a similar work done by Norman Rockwell.”
You can listen to show 303 on iTunes or go to Libsyn service here.
Show Notes for Episode 303
Former Imagineer Chris Crump