It’s hard to believe, but we’re now more than halfway through 2020. With the 4th of July now in the rearview mirror, it’s a strange feeling not to be able to visit Disneyland during the normally busy summer season. The domestic Disney Parks have been closed since mid-March, and Disneyland’s reopening date is still uncertain. But two Disney things will open this week. First will be Downtown Disney on the 9th, followed by two Walt Disney World parks on the 11th. Today’s update is PACKED with Disney news, info, and aerial images. Let’s take a look at all of this and some wonderful patriotic Disneyland images from our readers to wrap things up.
Above the Magic
Even as Disneyland delayed its reopening date, workers are busy with a variety of projects. We looked at many of them last week (here), but got an opportunity to take a closer look at the heart of Disneyland again this week.
The Disneyland Hub is a circle of activity:
- Note the 3 white sandwich boards around the compass in front of the castle. We aren’t sure what’s on them.
- Spokes headed from the hub into Frontierland and onto Matterhorn Way are being reworked.
- The 4 gardens of the central hub remain dirt. Though, flowers still surround the Walt and Mickey statue “Partners.”
- A number of vehicles, workers, and materials dot the area.
On the West side of the Hub, workers are still expanding the Frontierland bridge.
More than a dozen workers huddled very closely together on the bridge project:
On the East side of the hub, the spoke repaving is a little less frantic. Gates have been placed to keep anyone from walking through the construction:
Park benches have been moved from the construction area to an alcove between Matterhorn Way and the entry to Tomorrowland. You can also see that the blue construction walls are still up in the lawn to the North of the Astro Orbitor. Some ornamental mid-century spires and raised gardens are supposed to be constructed here. They will hide some equipment that was once housed inside the rocks that were removed last year.
For context, here are a couple of photos we took before the parks closed:
Here’s the concept art for the new raised gardens which will hide the equipment and evoke the classic look of the land.
Our flyover view of the rest of Tomorrowland doesn’t show much out of the ordinary that we can spot. It’s also hard to judge if the tables at Plaza Inn have been repositioned for social distancing yet.
Moving on to Fantasyland. This is a view from the opposite direction we showed you last week.
As around the Hub, many of the gardens in Fantasyland remain clear of their flowers. Still no obvious work on the Carrousel.
The ducks have had Storybook Land to themselves for more than three months now.
And we’ll wrap up this short flyover with a view of Splash Mountain and the Rivers of America. You’ll spy scaffolds around the tip-top of the Haunted Mansion. The Mark Twain is in the dock and the Columbia is in Fowler’s Harbor across from the Mansion.
Downtown Disney Reopens This Week
The Disneyland Resort’s shopping and dining district, Downtown Disney, will be making its return this week on July 9. Although, it won’t be business as usual when guests return. With the recent orders from California’s Governor to close bars and all indoor dining for at least three weeks, that leaves shopping, carry-out food and beverage, and perhaps some outdoor table service.
Downtown Disney has been closed since mid-March, and while the plans for reopening the rest of the Disneyland Resort have been delayed, Downtown Disney will open as scheduled. But in order to comply with health and safety guidance, there are some updates to policies and additional training that needs to be done.
Cast members recalled to work at Downtown Disney have been scheduled for safety training in advance of guests arriving in the shopping district. But expect Downtown Disney to adopt procedures very similar to what was rolled out at Disney Springs in Orlando. Guests will park in the lot behind the Paradise Pier hotel. They will be temperature screened before entering the shopping district. And they will be asked to keep their masks on and a social distance of at least 6′ whenever possible.
Here are the official Downtown Disney rules as of right now:
Welcoming You Back to the Downtown Disney District
A variety of shopping and dining experiences will begin to reopen at the Downtown Disney District on July 9, 2020, including the World of Disney store.
We have implemented new health and safety measures based on guidance from health authorities, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and appropriate government agencies.
For Cast Members, Operating Participant employees and Guests, there are 6 key things to expect when visiting the Downtown Disney District:
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- Limited parking and clearly defined entrances to the Downtown Disney District
- Temperature screenings prior to entry
- Face coverings are required for Guests ages 2 and older
- Physical distancing measures, including physically-distanced queues and seating, and physical barriers at select locations
- Temporary operations modifications, including reduced hours at select locations and the suspension of entertainment offerings and high-touch interactive areas
- An increased focus on cleaning and sanitation, including the addition of hand-washing stations and hand sanitizers in key areas
In addition, Disney has further explained the facial covering mandate
The City of Anaheim has finally complied with WHO and CDC guidance, as well as a state mandate, and will enforce mask-wearing in the city. Disney’s specific face-covering guidelines for the resort read:
Guests ages 2 and older are required to bring and wear face coverings when visiting the Downtown Disney District.
All face coverings should:
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- Fully cover an individual’s nose and mouth and allow the Guest to remain hands-free
- Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
- Be secured with ties or ear loops
- Be made of breathable material, either disposable or reusable
Costume masks are not considered appropriate and are prohibited from being worn
Cast Member Previews of Downtown Disney
Last week, Disneyland Cast Members were given an opportunity to register for a special Cast preview of Downtown Disney before it opens. Their preview day will be July 8, one day before it opens to the public. Cast reservations are being timed to prevent overcrowding.
What’s Going to be Open?
Of the assortment of stores and restaurants at Downtown Disney, there have been very few confirmations on what will be open on the 9th. We do know that World of Disney is confirmed for opening day. And cast members have been called back to work at the Marceline candy kitchen. But not much is confirmed beyond that. 3rd party operators will be allowed to decide for themselves if they’ll be open or not.
Stores will implement safety measures such as plexiglass barriers, physically distanced queues, and contactless payments.
But one occupant that won’t be returning is . . .
Drama Alert: Disney Evicts The VOID
There was a surprise situation regarding The VOID this week. The virtual reality experience received an eviction notice and termination of all Disney (and related companies) licensing agreements. The notices were taped to the front door of the establishment. The VOID is now prohibited from using licensed Disney IP materials, including Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire and Ralph Breaks VR, and must cease the use of all Disney promotional materials and information.
We aren’t entirely sure of the circumstances involving the breakup between the VOID and Disney. The VOID was a Disney Incubator project in which Disney gave money and resources to help the VOID succeed in exchange for some ownership interest in the startup. It would be unlikely that Disney would suddenly evict a company it has an interest in, unless those terms had changed somehow without Disney’s consent.
COVIDifornia
The COVID-19 threat continues to spread in California. The state remains one of the most affected, and several counties are seeing a surge in infections. LA is warning it will likely run out of ICU beds within the next two to three weeks. Last week, California’s Governor took many by surprise when the state took a big step backward in the phased opening plan for businesses.
The order has called for certain establishments in the 20 most impacted counties (such as LA and Orange) to close or limit their operations. Orange County, where Disneyland is located, is seeing a rise in COVID cases and hospitalizations due to increased gatherings, workplace transmission and congregate living facilities. The county will be “collaborating with cities and the business community to increase public messaging on the importance of social distancing, not gathering, and mandating face covering,” as well as increased testing.
As of July 1, certain indoor operations must close for at least three weeks. Affected activities include bars, indoor dining, movie theaters, zoos, museums, and cardrooms. Although, many businesses were able to adapt like increasing outdoor seating for restaurants, or only offering outdoor portions of attractions like zoos and aquariums. At the moment, indoor retail operations CAN continue operations.
It is for these reasons that Disneyland has been silent about future plans for reopening the parks. With the most recent guidance about the closing of indoor attractions, the state will revisit the closure of attractions in three weeks. That does not mean that the state will immediately allow Disneyland to reopen in three weeks, it just means that the state will reevaluate the safety in three weeks. But considering that LA’s ICU beds are filling up fast, it shouldn’t be a surprise if the closures continue to be extended for quite some time.
A Disneyland-Style 4th of July – MiceChat Reader Photos
Disneyland was made for the 4th of July. Main Street U.S.A. is pure Americana – hotdogs, popcorn, the stars & stripes, and don’t forget about the fireworks! While we couldn’t be at Disneyland for the 4th this year, we asked our MiceChat Facebook group to share their favorite patriotic Disneyland photos. We got a lot of beautiful shots, and we’re excited to share them with you!
Everywhere you look on Main Street, you’ll see red, white and blue. Flags on the lampposts, bunting hanging along the shops, and even Mickey Mouse dressed in a special outfit.
There was really no place quite as quintessentially 4th of July as Big Thunder Ranch and the BBQ. Although that area has long since been replaced by Galaxy’s Edge, it remains near and dear to our hearts and in our memories.
Although Disneyland looks great at any time of day, there’s something special about seeing Main Street at night on the 4th of July.
Thank you to everyone who shared a photo with us this week! To see the rest of the patriotic photos, be sure to join our MiceChat Facebook group and like our Facebook page! Keep an eye out for next week’s theme for our reader photo section in the next few days. And if you’re missing out on Disney’s fireworks spectacular this year, there’s a special video of Walt Disney World’s presentation in the article below.
Tokyo Disney Resort Says “Okaerinasai” (Welcome Home) to Guests
On July 1, the Tokyo Disney Resort once again opened its gates to guests. Of course, new safety, health, and ticketing procedures were implemented upon reopening. However, many of attractions, shops, dining locations, and shows are currently unavailable. You can read more about the safety and operational changes at the Tokyo Disney Resort here:
Additionally, the Tokyo Disney Resort App, previously only available from the Japanese App Store and Google Play, has finally made its way to their US counterparts (App Store/Google Play).
The app has many of the same features as the Disneyland App or My Disney Experience. Guests can do things like view park maps, check wait times, and reserve FastPasses. They also can use the app to participate in a “Show Viewing Lottery,” which, if successful, will score the guest the ability to view the selected show. That last feature can only be accessed while inside the Parks.
It is interesting that the app would release in the US at this time given that Japan is currently not accepting non-Japanese citizens from over 100 different countries, including the US. So for many of us, this video of the sunrise before the Tokyo Disney Resort’s reopening will have to tide us over:
Cancellation Season
Generally, summer is the season for exciting announcements about “what’s next” for fall and winter. But this year, we’re seeing something quite the opposite: cancelations left and right. The latest to fall victim to COVID-canceling is the popular Queen Mary Dark Harbor. This year, there were supposed to be events in California, and a new event in Florida. But due to the concerns with the COVID-19 outbreak, the events have been canceled. But they’re looking forward to scaring the “ship” out of you next year!
We’re suspecting that this may be a grim reality for many haunts this year. The environments are high-traffic and primarily indoors. Translating a traditional haunt experience into something more appropriate for a pandemic just may not be feasible at the moment. We’ll be keeping an eye out for any announcements about Knott’s Scary Farm and from Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights.
Speaking of cancellations, there’s been an extension to the suspension of the Disney College Program. The DCP ended abruptly as soon as the Disney Parks shut back in March, and there’s been little information if the program will be resuming once the domestic Disney Parks reopen. It was announced last week that the DCP will remain suspended for an indefinite amount of time for both Disneyland and Disney World. We believe this is mostly due to the parks planning to operate at significantly reduced capacity and an equivalent need for less staff, which can be filled with full-time and part-time staff with seniority. Here are the statements from both resorts regarding the Disney College Program.
Disneyland Internships and Programs Letter:
For more about the Disney College Program suspension, check out the article below.
Make Future Magic
Whether you are ready to travel again or not, your favorite theme park hotels are offering big discounts right now. It’s time to lock in low rates for future travel!
Our travel partners at Get Away Today are here to help you with your theme park shutdown concerns and rescheduling plans. We know you’re as uncertain about the future as we are. That’s why Get Away Today is offering the most flexible Disney travel options available:
Price Protection – If a better special comes out after you have booked, you’ll get the better deal.
Peace of Mind – Make hotel changes, reschedule dates, drop nights, change ticket vouchers and more, as many times as you’d like for a small, one-time fee.
Layaway Plan – Lock in your 2020 or 2021 Disneyland Resort vacation for just $175 down. By booking early, you secure your availability and have the flexibility to pay as you go. Make as many interest-free payments as you’d like, whenever you’d like, with final payment due just seven days prior to travel.
Give your family something to look forward to:
Visit Get Away Today HERE Or fill out a request form and they’ll call you back: Vacation Information Request Form HERE
Let’s Hear From You
Well, that certainly was a lot of ground to cover this week. As we head towards the reopening of Downtown Disney this week, and Walt Disney World just a few days later, we still have some questions and trepidation. Will you be one of the first to visit Downtown Disney when it reopens? With so many projects happening at Disneyland right now, what are you most excited to see completed? How did you spend the 4th of July? Let us know in the comments below.
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