Disneyland Update – Tomorrow is Another Day

It may seem like it’s been forever since we’ve been to Disneyland, but it’s only been three weeks (since Friday the 13th of March). Although, between the news about the parks, and all the photos, questions, polls and memories posted on social media, it feels very much to us like we are still there. Today we’ll update you on the latest news since our last Monday Update, and we’ll add a bunch of video and activities for you as well to help keep you occupied. Today’s reader section is devoted to Tomorrowland past and present. There are some real gems in this update for Disney fans to enjoy!

Disney Company Furloughs!

Beginning April 19th, Disney will begin furloughs of its non-essential workers (think anyone who’s been sent home without work to do). Disney isn’t sharing a headcount on the furloughs yet, but we should know soon. As the company tries to stem the massive losses from the closures of its theme parks, hotels, stores, and the devastating impact on the movie industry, they really had little choice but to take drastic measures to assure the survival of the company until things start to return to normal.

However, Disney really seems to be taking the high road as much as possible. Senior executives were the first to take their medicine, with large pay cuts. Rather than terminations and layoffs, the company is doing furloughs so employees can keep their medical and Aspire benefits.

We have full details for you on how a furlough differs from a layoff and what cast members can do to make up for the loss of a paycheck in our article below:  

UPDATED: Disney Reaches Furlough Agreement with Unions

 

Passholder Payment Suspension – A Tale of Two Theme Parks

Disney made a sensitive gesture for passholders last week. Due to the declining economy and extended length of park closures, Disney will suspend monthly payment plan charges until the parks reopen. Passholders who have paid in advance for their passes will continue to have their pass expiration dates extended.  

There are additional options that placeholders may elect as well. We’ve outlined them all for you here: 

Disneyland and Walt Disney World Halt Annual Passport Monthly Payments

Disney wasn’t the only one to suspend passholder payments. Knott’s Berry Farm did the same and also extended pass expiration dates through 2021!!! We have all the details for you here: 

Knott’s Makes a Berry Good Update for Season Passholders

 

Disneyland Hotel Booking Clarification 

Disney is now booking hotel rooms for Disneyland, Disney World, and Aulani beginning June 1st. However, they haven’t yet canceled all reservations before that date. Los Angeles is expected to be under stay-at-home orders until “well into May” (according to Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore). Because of the continued need to maintain social distancing, we do expect that Disneyland April hotel bookings, which haven’t already been canceled, likely will be soon. We can’t estimate when the parks will actually reopen, but we do think it’s wise to listen to local and state officials, as they will ultimately be the ones who help Disney make the decision on when it’s safe for guests to return. 

Refurbishment Calendar

Now, let’s take a quick look at something that probably doesn’t matter much at this point. With the long shutdown, everything on the refurbishment list is going to have to either be extended or rescheduled. But it’s still a pretty good look at what’s going to be a priority for the parks when they reopen. 

Obviously, all those spring refurbishments, which were already started, are going to have a delayed reopening. The Red Car Trolley was holding for Avengers Campus construction to wrap up. We are very curious about how the shutdown of the parks has impacted the Marvel project. It’s possible they might try to rush the opening of the Spiderman ride and then open the rest of the land later since the back portion of the land, by Guardians of the Galaxy, is furthest behind. But it’s still too soon to know for certain. 

Not on this list, but also expected to receive a major refurbishment, is Indiana Jones.  

Churros at Home

Missing Disneyland’s Churros? Make some at home! Here’s Disney’s own how-to video. If you make some, please share a photo with us. We’d love to see how they turn out. 

https://youtu.be/NI1FhdWtQuw

 

Dapper Dans – Sheltering at Home

We missed sharing this special video with you last week. But we absolutely LOVED seeing the Dapper Dans in this super-cut of “When You Wish Upon A Star.” AMAZING! We’d like to see them do more of these videos? Do you have a favorite Dapper Dans song you’d like to hear? Personally, I want to hear “Eye Cup.” It’s a rare one.  

Fans Get Creative Too! 

We love all the fan videos we’ve seen lately of folks recreating their favorite Disney rides at home. Last night I was sent this clever video of the Chicas Family recreating FANTASMIC in front of their house. They’ve edited it down to just 4 minutes. We love their passion. Be sure to share your own videos with us folks, it really helps pass the time! 

MiceTube Live Video Embed

I am so pleased to be able to offer some new MiceTube Live videos for you as well. I’m joined by Chloé Ferreira and Logan Collins in all of these videos filled with Disney news and info. We’ll have special guests on some of these as well. It’s hard work getting a new video series up and running. So, if you can help us find our audience by subscribing and sharing, we’d really appreciate it: 

Elaine Wu’s Top 5 Things She Misses About Disneyland

We have a new author at MiceChat. Elaine Wu is a former Emmy Award-nominated television producer, writer, and correspondent. She’s also a fan of all things Disney. We loved the idea of her list of the 5 things she misses most about Disneyland article so much that we thought you might want to add your own thoughts: 

Five Things I Miss Most About Disneyland While Trapped at Home

Tomorrowland is Another Day

Thanks for your help pitching in with your favorite ride photos last week (see them HERE). We followed up by asking for your best Tomorrowland photos(past and present) for this week. You didn’t disappoint!  The following are MiceChat reader-submitted photos of the land of Tomorrow. There have been many changes to this land since Disneyland’s opening, and our readers have done an excellent job documenting them.

The planets of the Astro Orbitor set the tone of the land of today. 

A sign announcing the coming Tomorrowland 1998 redo of the land is featured below. The mid-century look of Tomorrowland would soon give way to a mishmash of Jules Vern, SciFi, and leftover areas that there was no budget left to redo. 

But there was a time when the land had a more cohesive vision . . . 

 

Modern-day Space Mountain has a dramatic lighting package. 

Which version of Space Mountain is your favorite? 

The old Carousel building at the back of Tomorrowland has had many lives. It was famously one of Walt Disney’s favorite attractions when it was Carousel of Progress. But, after that attraction closed, it became America Sings. 

When America Sings was closed, many of the animatronics were repurposed for Splash Mountain and the building sat empty until it became Innoventions in 1998.  Innoventions was mostly a rotating advertisement for Disneyland sponsors. There were some entertaining details though, including Tom Morrow. . .

And after Innoventions, the building became Star Wars Launch Bay on the bottom and Marvel HQ (for a very short period of time) on the upstairs. 

Before Nemo and Friends tooned the place up, the Submarines took you to see mermaids and a sea dragon. . . 

The lagoon became a bit smaller when Nemo came to town to accommodate new “dry for wet” show scenes in the caves which made projectors possible under the water. 

Tomorrowland has always been a land on the move. At one point, 6 attractions were layered one on top of the other in the far east section of the land: Subs on the bottom, Autopia on top of that, the Disneyland Railroad zipping alongside, PeopleMover gliding above that, Monorail elegantly connecting Tomorrowland to the outside world, and high above it all . . . the Skyway. 

Most don’t consider Tomorrowland to be a great spot to watch fireworks . . . but they can be very interesting from certain vantages. 

On opening day of Tomorrowland ’98, there was a fountain called “Cosmic Waves” in the plaza in front of PizzaPort and Space Mountain.  

Many folks, including myself, have fond memories of Adventure Thru Inner Space.

“For centuries, man had but his own two eyes to explore the wonders of his world, then he invented the microscope, a mighty eye, and discovered the fantastic universe beyond the limits of his own meager sight. Now your adventure thru inner space has begun. Thru Monsanto’s Mighty Microscope, you will travel into the incredible universe found within a tiny fragment of a snowflake. I am the first person to make this fabulous journey, suspended in the timelessness of inner space are the thought waves of my first impressions. They will be our only source of contact once you have passed beyond the limits of normal MAGNIFICATION… MAGNIFICATION.. MAGNIFICATION. MAGNIFICATION”

Before there was a Galaxy’s Edge, Disney had a promotional “Season of the Force” that never completely went away. 

And, just to put you into the mood . . . here’s 10 minutes of fixed video from Disneyland’s central hub, facing the entry to Tomorrowland before the french fry rocks were removed. You can clearly hear the Main Street music loop in this video. We hope you enjoy . . . 

A light shines in the upstairs window of the Firehouse on Main Street USA. In the park’s infancy, it was a sign that Walt Disney himself was in residence. After his death, the light became a symbol of his spirit, that his vision would always shine at Disneyland. As we close out another Disneyland Update in a time of hardship and sorrow, we would simply like to direct your attention to that light in the window. It still shines, as do you.  

“All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me.” – Walt Disney

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