We chat with David Bossert and Alan Coats about the soon-to-be released book Claude Coats: Walt Disney’s Imagineer - The Making of Disneyland. Like Claude, David worked in Animation and has authored outstanding books related to Disneyland. Like his father before him, Alan became a Disney Imagineer.Plus, we catch up on current events at the Disneyland Resort, as always.
***Disney Resort Updates***
Check back daily as information is changing rapidly.
Please be sure to follow CDC and your State's guidelines during this crisis. We will get through this.
Shanghai Disneyland • OPEN. Be sure to check their reservation system which requires everyone, including infants, to have a reservation. 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.
• 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.
• "Face coverings are required for all Guests (ages 2 and up) while indoors and in Disney buses, monorail and Disney Skyliner, regardless of vaccination status. This includes upon entering and throughout all attractions. Face coverings remain optional for all Guests in outdoor common areas.". You may temporarily remove your face covering while actively eating, drinking or taking an outdoor photo, but you must be stationary and maintain appropriate physical distancing during this time. Masks must be worn at all other times.
• Park Hopping is allowed within strict rules:
1. You must make a reservation at one of the Parks. They do still require this as a private company.
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 • Disneyland is OPEN!!!!!!! Face coverings are required for ALL guests while indoors except while eating (see Disneyland's web page for complete details).
• Like Walt Disney World, you must have a valid ticket AND make a Park reservation for the day you are interested in attending. Park reservations can only be made 60 days out at the present time. Be sure to check availability of the dates you are interested in before purchasing tickets.
• Disneyland announced its new yearly pass system called Magic Key Pass.
• All Hotels are open.
• The Downtown Disney District is open. Some table service is available following state and local rules.
Hong Kong Disneyland • OPEN. 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 • OPEN. Please visit their web site for up to date information on COVID restrictions and Parkavailability.
Disney Cruise Lines • Disney announces the US ships will be sailing again starting August 2021.
• Disney Cruise line has suspended European cruises through October 9, 2021.
Aulani Resort • OPEN. 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 is open but you must have reservation to enter the building. They will not admit you after 4p, even if you have a reservation. Please see their Welcome back page for details. They continue to provide virtual content. San Francisco County was recently moved into the Orange Tier, so please check their web page for current status. The World War II Special Exhibit opened March 19th in the Diane Disney Miller Exhibition Hall. See web page for availability and restrictions.
INFORMATION CORRECT AS OF August 7, 2021. Please check individual Resorts web pages for restrictions, requirements, and changes.
Disneyland Resort Current Event
Disneyland Magic Key replaces annual passholder program
Magic Key annual passes go on sale Aug. 25 when new keyholders can visit Disneyland and Disney California Adventure.
By BRADY MACDONALD
UPDATED: August 4, 2021
“Disneyland has unveiled a replacement for the popular annual passholder program used by a million fans that will require advance reservations as part of a new system designed to reduce crowding and smooth demand throughout the year.
“Disneyland announced on Tuesday, Aug. 3 that the new Magic Key program will replace the Annual Passport that has been in use at the Anaheim theme park for nearly four decades.
“Magic Key annual passes go on sale Aug. 25 no earlier than 10 a.m. Keyholders — the new name for passholders — can visit Disneyland and Disney California Adventure starting on Aug. 25 provided reservations are available for their pass type.
“The new annual pass will be available at four price points: $1,399 Dream Key, $949 Believe Key, $649 Enchant Key and $399 Imagine Key. Monthly payments will be available to California residents only for each pass level. Daily visitors can turn their ticket into a Magic Key pass.
“The $399 to $1,399 Magic Key price range is in line with 2019 prices for Disneyland annual passes. In 2020, the Southern California Select pass rose to $419 while the Signature Plus pass climbed to $1,449.”
Orange County Register
Tue, August 3, 2021
Disneyland Resort Introduces Magic Key Program, a New Guest-Centric Offering with Choice, Flexibility and Value
by Michael Ramirez, Public Relations Director, Disneyland Resort
“We are pleased to introduce the Magic Key program, a new, guest-centric offering that will deliver choice, flexibility and value for park admission, special access to unique experiences, valuable saving opportunities and so much more. There will be four options of Magic Key passes, to provide our guests and their families with choices that fit various needs and lifestyle preferences for how they wish to visit the Disneyland Resort.”
Disney Parks Blog
Disneyland Magic Key Details Released, Coming August 25
Aug 3, 2021
The Disneyland Resort has finally revealed details on Magic Key and all the options Guests will have when it goes on sale on August 25.
Laughing Place
Disneyland requires non-union employees to get vaccinated, starts discussions with unions
Disney will require all salaried and non-union employees in the U.S. be fully vaccinated, according to a statement from the company.
By BRADY MACDONALD
PUBLISHED: July 30, 2021
“Disney will join Google, Facebook, Netflix, Lyft and Wal-Mart in requiring certain cast members at Disneyland and Walt Disney World to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 if they want to keep working at the Disney theme parks and other U.S. locations.
...
“Disney will require all salaried and non-union employees in the U.S. be fully vaccinated, according to a statement from the company.”
...
“‘Employees who aren’t already vaccinated and are working on-site will have 60 days from today to complete their protocols and any employees still working from home will need to provide verification of vaccination prior to their return, with certain limited exceptions,’ according to the Disney statement.”
Orange County Register
Disney Announces That U.S. Salaried and Non-Union Employees and Cast Members Are Required To Be Fully Vaccinated
Jul 30, 2021
“The Walt Disney Company has just announced that all salaried and non-union hourly employees and Cast Members in the U.S. are required to be fully vaccinated. They have also delayed the return to office timeframe.”
Laughing Place
Disneyland workforce reaches 19,000, unions want thousands more rehired
The Disneyland resort has 19,000 cast members currently working and continues to rehire furloughed and laid off cast members.
By BRADY MACDONALD
PUBLISHED: August 6, 2021
“Disneyland has brought back three-fifths of its workforce since the coronavirus closure while cast member unions continue to push the Anaheim theme park to rehire thousands more that were furloughed or laid off during the pandemic.
“The Disneyland resort has 19,000 cast members currently working and continues to rehire furloughed and laid off cast members, according to the latest MouseMail newsletter.”
...
“‘We are prioritizing laid off cast members with direct access to our recruiters for other employment opportunities,’ according to Disneyland officials. ‘Furloughed cast members are continuing to receive company health care benefits.’”
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“Disneyland union members held a rally on Thursday, Aug. 5 to call on Disney to restore more jobs and raise pay.”
Orange County Register
Disneyland plans to require advance reservations for foreseeable future
Advance reservation requirements for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure daily tickets are expected to continue for the foreseeable future, according to Disney officials.
By BRADY MACDONALD
PUBLISHED: August 4, 2021
“Advance reservation requirements for Disneyland and Disney California Adventure daily tickets are expected to continue for the foreseeable future, according to Disney officials.
“Disneyland recently announced advance reservations would be a central component of the new Magic Key annual passholder program.”
...
“Most major California theme parks have ended reservation requirements instituted upon reopening following yearlong coronavirus closures. Knott’s Berry Farm, Universal Studios Hollywood, Six Flags Magic Mountain, SeaWorld San Diego and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom no longer require reservations. Legoland California and California’s Great America still require advance reservations.
“Advance reservations allow Disneyland bean counters to more accurately plan everything from budgets and staffing to entertainment offerings and merchandise demand.”
Orange County Register
Disneyland Update – It’s a Jungle Out There!
By Dusty Sage -July 26, 2021
“Say goodbye to those nice people on the dock… because there are soooooo many other people in the park that you’ll never see them again! This was an interesting week, folks. Disneyland held the World Premiere for the new Jungle Cruise movie in the park on Saturday and it made quite the splash. We hear there are fewer monkeys in the movie than on the new version of the ride. And although most days still show availability on the park reservation calendar, it’s been quite busy lately. In fact, it’s just as busy, if not more so than the summer of 2019.”
MiceChat
Disneyland Update – Uncertainty Returns to Packed Parks
By Lilliana Parker -August 2, 2021
“There’s never a dull day at the Happiest Place on Earth. While the Disneyland Resort has been slowly reopening things this week, mask mandates have returned and crowds continue to grow even as the clouds of concern begin to swirl again.
“I’m filling in for Dusty this week while he’s braving the crowds at Walt Disney World. This was my first visit back to Disneyland since the shutdown last year (I’ve been reading Dusty’s updates and watching his videos to stay up to date), so I’ve got a bit of a fresh take on how the parks felt to me since they were still operating normally the last time I was in attendance. I’ve also got lots of news and some pretty photos for you. I hope you enjoy this update as much as I did shooting it for you…”
MiceChat
Disneyland Update – Magic Keys and Cast Member Needs
By MiceChat Staff -August 4, 2021
“What a complex week of news this has been. There was so much, in fact, that we decided to cover some of it as a separate article today in addition to Monday’s Disneyland update. If you missed that, definitely go check it out. We even pushed this update back a day due to the announcement of the new Magic Key Pass announcement yesterday. Today we’ll be looking at the status of reservations, tickets, what’s still closed, some cast member updates, and of course, the new Magic Key program that’s replacing the legacy Annual Passes.”
You can listen to show 315 on iTunes or go to Libsyn service here.
Listen to our Show
Show Notes for Episode 315
Disneyland Imagineering Talk With Brian Collins