What do you feel it will be like for us when WDW opens again using our mobility wheelchairs & scooters?

[RaySharpton]

Post #341-Disney World Boardwalk's Ample Hills Creamery May Reportedly No Longer Operate - DFB Carolyn Menyes - July 21, 2020

One of the best spots at Disney’s Boardwalk for a quick snack may no longer be in operation.

According to a new report from Attractions Magazine, the outpost of Brooklyn-based ice cream shop Ample Hills Creamery at Disney’s Boardwalk has closed its doors for good.

A few months ago, Ample Hills announced that they had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but the company was purchased by a new owner, Schmitt Industries, several weeks ago. That acquisition has left the chain’s current Walt Disney World location, and a planned future spot in Disney Springs, in jeopardy.

An Ample Hills spokesperson told Attractions Magazine that, “Prior to the acquisition, the Disney agreement with Ample Hills creamery ended (back in January). As a result, Ample Hills will close at Disney’s BoardWalk and the proposed Ample Hills location at Disney Springs will not open later this year.”

Disney’s websites have not yet been updated to reflect these changes. The Boardwalk location still is marked as “Temporarily Unavailable,” and the Disney Springs location states it is “Coming Soon.”

But, it’s possible we’ve had our last scoops of Sally Sells Seashells. Ample Hills closed its Boardwalk location in mid-March due to the global health crisis, and it has not reopened yet.

Also, from Instagram...

The Ample Hills brand, the 13 store locations, and the scoop shop’s Red Hook factory will continue to operate under new ownership, but Cuscuna and Smith said they will not be part of the brand’s future.

“But even in bankruptcy we had hoped to be a part of the story moving forward, working with the new team to help revive the brand, post COVID. Unfortunately it hasn’t turned out that way,” the statement read.

Cuscuna and Smith did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The head of Schmitt Industries said in a statement that he appreciated the brand the Brooklynites built, but did not comment as to why the founders left.

“Jackie and Brian developed a wonderful brand but decided to pursue other options,” said the company’s chief executive officer Michael Zapata. “Ample Hills will honor the brand they have built and always appreciate advice and suggestions from them and certainly wish them luck with their personal and professional future.”

Zapata added that the company plans to re-hire 200 local Ample Hills workers and expects to reopen most of the nine locations it bought “in the coming days and weeks.”

That includes the branches in Prospect Heights, Dekalb Market Hall in Downtown Brooklyn, Gowanus, Red Hook, the Fireboat at Fulton Ferry Landing in Dumbo, Astoria in Queens, Chelsea and Essex Market in Manhattan, and Jersey City.

Cuscuna’s post hinted that they intend to start a new venture, and told their fans to stay tuned via another social media account the couple runs.

“But once we get through this mourning period, Brian and I fully intend to create something special once again. Please follow our continued journey on @astheicecreamchurns,” they wrote.

The couple started selling ice cream from a pushcart in Prospect Park in 2010, before opening their first store on Vanderbilt Avenue in Prospect Heights the following year, and ultimately growing to a dozen outposts in the New York City area — with five of them in its home borough.

The chain was also slated to open a location in an empty storefront adjacent from Nitehawk Cinema on Prospect Park West in Park Slope. Hidrock Properties, which owns and operates that building, did not immediately respond to requests for comment about future plans for the space.

The scoopsters said that their financial troubles started well before the COVID-19 outbreak when they opened a 15,000 square-foot factory and museum on Van Brunt Street in 2018, according to the social media statement.

“While most of our shops were profitable, the factory was not at capacity, took a lot more money to build and more time to become operational,” the statement read.

Building the facility was delayed and beset by cost overruns that caused Ample Hills to lose money, with annual losses climbing to $6.9 million in 2019, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In March of this year, as the coronavirus pandemic started to ravage the city, the company laid off all of its employees and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, before eventually selling for $1 million to the Portland firm on June 9, according to filings first reported by the investing website Seeking Alpha.

The money from the sale went mostly to paying off bank loans, according to the Instagram post, and the couple lamented the large losses for themselves and the people they worked with over the years.

“Many people, from friends to vendors to the folks who helped build our company, lost a lot of money because of the mistakes we made. And Brian and I lost everything we’d worked for over these last 10 years,” they wrote.

The cult creamery was known for its fun flavors, such as “It Came From Gowanus” — a salty dark chocolate ice cream paying homage to Brooklyn’s Nautical Purgatory and its cleanup with “deep, dark mystery and endless surprises,” or their Walt Whitman-inspired “I Contain Breakfast Foods.”

The former owners concluded their statement saying that their love for the dessert remains strong.

“We still have what we started with — the love of each other, the love of storytelling, the love of community and of course the love of ice cream,” they wrote.

This story first appeared on brooklynpaper.com.

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #342-Walt Disney World Temperature Screening Procedures PHOTOS - kennythepirate Susan Phillips -July 22, 2020

In addition to wearing masks and social distancing, Disney is requiring all guests and Cast Members to have their temperature taken before entering Disney Theme Parks and Disney Springs.

Hand sanitizers are available for guests at each temperature tent also. There are also hand sanitizers and hand washing stations throughout Disney Park – including at the entrance and exit of almost every attraction.

Disney utilizes Advent Health to conduct temperature screenings, etc. They have a very organized system in place, and temperatures are taken very quickly. We never experienced a wait on our visit due to the line continually moving and having 2-3 people taking temperatures at each area.

Tents are set up before arriving at the security point at all Disney theme parks, Disney Springs, as well as the Ticket and Transportation Center. They even have them in place at the Polynesian before getting on the Monorail! Disney set up social distancing signage that says “please wait here” to separate groups. We saw these on the ground frequently throughout the park also, including ride lines.

The event began at 9:00am, and we were told the monorail to Magic Kingdom would begin running at 8:30am. We were so excited we just couldn’t wait that late and arrived about 7:45am. Turns out we were the first people there before they even opened the parking lot!

We didn’t mind being there early, especially since the line really grew after we got there. The only negative was being in the sun for so long. Check out the long line above right before opening. We began to really worry about overheating and running a fever.

Since we were in front of the line, we had ample time to ask Advent Health questions about temperature screening. They explained that they used infrared medical-grade thermometers similar to what’s pictured above.

I found it interesting one of the Advent Health representatives said temperatures were taken at the “subdermal” level. He stated they don’t take temperatures on the forehead surface, but deeper than that. These are high-tech scanners!

They also told us that the heat/sun will not affect a Guest’s internal body temperature, and these scanners are checking for that internal temperature.

The infrared thermometers are contactless and only take a second (or so) to read temperatures. They literally wave it at your forehead and cheerily tell you you’re good to go. Even though they told us not to worry about the heat, we still did until we got the all-clear to enter.

We learned from Kenny the Pirate that men must remove their hats to have their temperatures taken. He encouraged us by sharing steps Disney has in place if temperatures were above the acceptable level also.

If guests have an elevated forehead temperature, Advent Health will take guests temperature behind the ear before having them proceed to cool down area. If the behind the ear reading is acceptable, then the guest and their party are allowed entry into Disney Parks and Disney Springs.

If temperatures are still higher than the allowed threshold, guests are escorted to a cool-down area.

Even though Advent Health workers did not disclose the cutoff temperature for being allowed entry, Disney released the following statement:

BASED ON GUIDANCE FROM HEALTH AUTHORITIES, ANYONE DISPLAYING A TEMPERATURE OF 100.4 F OR ABOVE WILL BE DIRECTED TO ADDITIONAL LOCATION FOR RESCREENING AND ASSISTANCE. THOSE WITH TEMPERATURES 100.4 F OR ABOVE WILL NOT B E ALLOWED ENTRY; THOSE IN THEIR PARTY WILL NOT BE ALLOWED ENTRY EITHER.

Disney is sending a clear message to stay home if you’re running a fever. They suggest checking temperatures of everyone in your group before you leave home as “an extra layer of protection.” Hopefully having the entire party denied entry will discourage guests from coming if they’re not sure about their temperature, health, etc.

The “additional location” Disney refers to is another white tent set up for guests to sit and cool off in the shade. Tents are located on the far side of the security checkpoints. Guests are provided the cool air of a fan and ice water.

The premise behind the cool off area is to give guests that may overheat walking, in the heat, etc., to have time and space for their body to give an accurate temperature reading. After being given a reasonable amount of time, refreshing cool water, and air, temperatures are retaken.

Disney states that after the subsequent temperature screening reads 100.4 or above, no one in the party will be allowed entry to the parks. We didn’t witness anyone entering or leaving the cool-off tents on our visit.

Coming from the Polynesian for breakfast (and other monorail resorts), temperatures are taken before loading into monorail. This is due to security screening also happening before riding monorails, and guests being allowed to go straight to turnstiles to enter Magic Kingdom.

As of now, the EPCOT monorail isn’t running.

The Evolv Scanner used at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney Springs scan for temperatures as well, but aren’t being used at this time. Check out more details on these amazing Evolv Scanners here.

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #343-The most somber way to end a visit to Walt Disney World would have to be watching this socially distanced Flag Retreat. - Gabe's Imagination - July 22, 2020.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1286054105069375499

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #344-Disney's The Rainy Day Princess Cavalcade Is Coming Our Way in Magic Kingdom! - DFB Janelle Sheetz - July 22, 2020.

Snow White, Merida, Ariel, Elena of Avalor, Belle, and Jasmine motored by us in high-style! In the past, Magic Kingdom has offered Rainy Day Cavalcades when the weather wasn’t cooperating, and we love that they’ve found a similar solution for these new character experiences!

The Disney Princesses looked like they were enjoying the ride on their modified mode of transportation!

Tiana and Rapunzel also came by in their own royal gazebo!

They were twirling and dancing while staying sheltered from the storm!

And Cinderella even had her own personal driver! She was escorted through the park while riding in the back of yet another Main Street, U.S.A. vintage automobile.

It was pretty neat seeing the Disney Princesses make an appearance at Magic Kingdom, despite the dreary weather! And we also saw the Mickey & Friends Cavalcade come out when it wasn’t so stormy! So, even if there are a few droplets of rain on your trip, keep your eyes peeled because the Rainy Day Princess Cavalcade could make its way down Main Street, U.S.A.!

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #345 & #346 & #347 & #348 & #349-Walt Disney World's Complete Guide to Character Cavalcade Experiences PHOTOS - kennythepirate Donna Farmer -July 24, 2020

We learned soon after Walt Disney World proposed their reopening plan that many Guest experiences and entertainment options would either be canceled or modified during the initial phased reopening.

This included parades, nighttime fireworks, stage shows, and character meet and greets. Read more about this HERE.

Even with the cancellation of character meet and greets, Disney Parks has a plan to share the magic while also following social distancing protocols.

Disney Parks: “OUR CHARACTERS WILL STILL BE IN THE PARKS TO ENTERTAIN AND DELIGHT OUR GUESTS. ADDITIONALLY, YOU’LL BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE MANY FAVORITE ATTRACTIONS AND DOZENS OF ENTERTAINMENT OFFERINGS.”

Magic Kingdom

It was amazing to see how well each character interacted with Guests. Characters were blowing kisses, pointing to a special pair of Mickey ears, and even drawing a heart with their hands to let you know that they loved your ears.

Mickey and Friends Cavalcade

Throughout the day Guests could enjoy special character cavalcades. My absolute favorite was the cavalcade featuring Mickey Mouse and his friends.

This cavalcade featured the same great music and character outfits as the “Get Your Ears On” dance party in honor of Mickey Mouse’s 90th birthday celebration.

This was such a great Character Cavalcade and it even included dancers and stilt walkers. It was such a fun surprise to hear the upbeat music and begin running to the parade route to see who may be coming.

Of course the highlight of my day was standing on Main Street to see Mickey and Minnie greeting all of the Guests from his float.

Joining Mickey and Minnie were Clarabelle Cow, Goofy, Max (Goofy’s son), Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and Donald’s friends (3 Caballeros).

Princess Cavalcade

The Princesses arrived in royal fanfare as Merida led the way of this royal Character Cavalcade by riding in on a beautiful Clydesdale horse.

Behind Merida was the gazebo that has been used in the Festival of Fantasy Parade. Featured in the gazebo were Rapunzel and Tiana. Each princess was careful to stay on opposite sides and gracefully crossed to the opposite side to greet Guests while also maintaining social distancing from each other.

The royal fanfare ended with the mirrored castle float that has been used in Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. This float allowed many princesses to greet Guests while maintaining social distancing. On this float, we were greeted by Jasmine, Ariel, Aurora, Snow White, Elena, Belle, Cinderella, and even the Fairy Godmother.

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #345 & #346 & #347 & #348 & #349-Walt Disney World's Complete Guide to Character Cavalcade Experiences PHOTOS - kennythepirate Donna Farmer -July 24, 2020

This adorable duo could be seen traveling aboard the Tom Sawyer rafts in the Rivers of America. These chipmunks greeted Guests in Frontierland and they looked as though they were ready for an adventure on Tom Sawyer’s Island.

Hundred Acre Wood Friends

This cavalcade made use of the Main Street Trolly. Disney fans both young and the young at heart loved seeing some of our favorite friends from the Hundred Acre Wood including Rabbit, Eeyore, and Piglet.

Fantasyland Cavalcade

Gaston began this Character Cavalcade in true style proving “My what a guy, Gaston!” He came down the parade route on a beautiful Clydesdale horse.

We also saw our favorite “Diamond in the Rough.” Aladdin, dressed as Prince Ali. Also featured beside him was Mary Poppins who of course was “practically perfect in every way.”

Also Guests can find great pop-up characters that will appear throughout the day.

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #345 & #346 & 347 & 348-Walt Disney World's Complete Guide to Character Cavalcade Experiences PHOTOS - kennythepirate Donna Farmer -July 24, 2020

Our favorite Country Bears could be found in Frontierland above the Country Bear Theatre.

All Pirate Crew members will be happy to spy Captain Jack Sparrow located near the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. He offered great interactions with Guests passing through. As we walked towards Cinderella Castle we saw our favorite evil step-sisters, Drizella and Anastasia.

Animal Kingdom

In Disney’s Animal Kingdom we were given a small preview when the vice-president shared images on Instagram of the rafts that would be used for the characters to travel along the waterways through the Park. We were greeted by both Timon and Rafiki from The Lion King.

Discovery Island Drummers You’ll also find the talented Discovery Island Drummers floating along the Discovery River. You’ll hear their joyous drumming from a distance, but the time you actually see them is quite brief.

Hollywood Studios









.

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #345 & #346 & #347 & #348 & #349-Walt Disney World's Complete Guide to Character Cavalcade Experiences PHOTOS - kennythepirate Donna Farmer -July 24, 2020

Unfortunately the Disney Junior Dance Party is unavailable at this time, but Disney Junior fans could still see 2 of their favorite Disney pals in their own special Disney Junior Cavalcade. Guests could see one of the Disney Junior stars, Vampirina.

Epcot

The Character Cavalcades in Epcot travel throughout the World Showcase.

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #345 & #346 & #347 & #348 & #349-Walt Disney World's Complete Guide to Character Cavalcade Experiences PHOTOS - kennythepirate Donna Farmer -July 24, 2020





Pop-Up Characters

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #350-Walt Disney World Hotel's Public Showers to Be Unavailable Until Further Notice - July 24, 2020

Public Showers at Select Walt Disney World Resort Hotels to Be Unavailable Until Further Notice

A shower in Gran Destino Tower’s fitness center.

Earlier today, the Walt Disney World Resort confirmed that all public showers found in certain areas of the Disney hotels currently open to Guests will be unavailable until further notice due to guidance from the government. This includes fitness centers showers and pool restroom showers.

These showers include those housed in fitness centers and pool restrooms. This will last until further notice.

Walt Disney World Cast Members are currently working on installing signage for these specific areas.

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #351-Walt Disney World Hotel's Boat Transportation from Fort Wilderness to Magic Kingdom Resumes Operation with Social Distancing PHOTOS - July 24, 2020

Discovery River Boats was an original attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. With the attraction long closed, Disney has recycled all the boats for other transportation purposes.

Social distancing on the boat is not unlike the current social distancing measures on EPCOT’s Friendship Boats. Guests must sit in every other row, on alternating sides of the boat.

When exiting at Magic Kingdom, more social distancing markers ensure guests keep six feet apart when crowds get backed up. You can also see floor circles for parties to stand on when waiting for a boat to arrive.

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #352 & #253-Seven Reasons you SHOULD travel to Walt Disney World this summer PHOTOS - kennythepirate - July 25, 2020

I’m sure you’ve seen many reasons why people choose not to travel to Walt Disney World, given the current situation around the world, but I feel you should consider traveling to Walt Disney World this summer. Here are some reasons you should give it some thought.

Health and safety

You’ve likely read a great deal about the health and safety protocols that Walt Disney World has taken. Before entering the parks, everyone has a temperature scan. The scan is merely to prevent obviously ill people from entering the parks. If the forehead scan fails, they scan behind your ear. If the ear scan fails, you’re asked to rest in the air-conditioned tent for a bit, then they test you again, to make sure it is a false temperature from the heat.

As a secondary health measure, all guests are required to wear a mask, except when eating or drinking in a stationary manner. This means that fewer germs are transferred between guests. Initially, I saw wearing a mask as a burden that I would despise, but after a couple of days, I rarely had any issues with my mask.

It’s important to find a mask that fits you well. I tried the cheap, medical masks and they did not work for me. I don’t like things touching my mouth and I have a mustache, so the constant rubbing was annoying.

My wife made my Star Wars themed mask from two layers of material with some interfacing in the middle. It’s breathable and comfortable. She added one of those metal nose pinchers from an old N-95 mask to it. I also use anti-fog wipes for my glasses. I also use a Mission cooling towel and a neck fan to keep myself cool in the parks.

Every attraction has clearly defined 6 foot markers to make sure that guests are keeping that valuable physical distance. It’s a great plus to those of us who don’t like feeling crowded or touched by others we don’t know. It’s the complete opposite of the former, “Fill in all available space.” Now, it’s more like, “Let’s keep our physical distance.”

Areas in the queue, in which you might pass one another, are now divided with plexiglass shields. Many rides, like Kilimanjaro Safaris and Living with the Land have plastic dividers between the rows. Every ride is physically distanced between parties and many times you’ll have a vehicle all to your own group!

The attractions and high-touch queue areas are sanitized frequently throughout the day. The rides are paused for a short time to make sure that they are each sanitized. Things are sprayed with sanitizing spray and wiped down

Security Screening

Gone are the days of the security person poking around in your purse, backpack, or other personal items. Animal Kingdom and Disney Springs have acquired the new type of walk-through scanner that can easily find items that should not belong in the parks.

The other parks currently request that you remove items larger than a cell phone and place them in the plastic bin. Security then wipes down the bin between uses. The security screening process now is so much easier and faster!

Ordering food is simple

With almost every food location offering Mobile Ordering, you’ll find it easy to place your food order and have it ready for you upon arrival at the quick service restaurants. You can add or remove things from the order as needed.

When you are ready to get your soft drink, a Cast Member is there to provide you with a freshly prepared drink of your choice. The tables in every restaurant are physically distanced from one another, meaning that you will be at least 6 feet from other groups while dining in any location.

This prevents the guest from touching the surfaces. When you’ve completed your meal, the Cast Member will clean and sanitize your table for you.

At the Table Service locations, the guest is now asked to do their check-in on the My Disney Experience app and then it notifies you when your table is ready. A Cast Member will direct you to your table.

The Table Service menus are not handed out, instead a new paper card with a QR scanner code will link you directly to the latest menu on the Disney website. It’s a simple process and will likely save Disney a great deal of money in the future.

Really low crowds

Well, with the new Park Pass system, you’ll find that there are NO crowds. There may be brief periods around park opening when guests are somewhat gathered near the entrances, but that disperses quickly.

And even the park opening procedure removed the dreaded “Rope drop.” Everyone now lines up 6 feet apart outside the temperature screening. When the park is ready to open, you’ll waltz right in! You don’t even have to use the finger scanners, just tap and go. Here are some of the “crowds in Epcot near Soarin’ at rope drop.

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #352 & #253-Seven Reasons you SHOULD travel to Walt Disney World this summer PHOTOS - kennythepirate - July 25, 2020

At this time, only the first couple of weeks actually had “sold out” parks in the Park Pass system. Most of that was from the curiosity of wondering what the parks would look like. If you are a resort guest, you are highly likely to be able to secure a park pass to all four parks during your upcoming stay. At this time, every day beyond July 25th is open to resort guests!

Extremely low wait times

Are you a person who enjoyed riding rides during a special event like a Halloween Party or Disney After Hours? Well, now every day is just like one of those events. The wait times in the Magic Kingdom in the first two weeks after opening are very similar to what you’d experience for rides at a Halloween party.

There are only a few rides in each park that attract much of a wait right now. Jungle Cruise has been consistently around 20-30 minutes actual wait. Splash Mountain usually requires a wait of around 20-25 minutes and Big Thunder Mountain may be in the 15-20 minute range. Do those at park opening or near closing to avoid a wait.

In Hollywood Studios, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway usually requires 20-25 minutes, except near park opening when the wait is high. I’ve ridden it mid-day many times and only waited 20 minutes. That’s terrific for a brand new ride that had barely been opened before the parks closed for several months.

In Epcot, you may see a wait at Test Track, if there has been poor weather or near park opening. You may also see a wait at Frozen Ever After. I would ride that early or late. Otherwise, you might see some oddly high posted wait times, then walk in to find that no one is even in the given ride.

I’ve walked onto Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Peter Pan’s Flight, Space Mountain, Flight of Passage, Millenium Falcon and many more. You can avoid any wait at all by arriving 45 minutes before park opening or going near closing time.

A photographer’s dream

Do you enjoy shooting photos of Walt Disney World with NO guests in your photos? This is the best time to travel for that! I’ve been able to take many photos that I enjoy with no guests in view, including some afternoon Castle photos with few or no guests around.

I’m not a professional photographer, but I do enjoy shooting photos in my own style and for my own enjoyment and perhaps you’ll like some of them too?

I walked through the Seas with Nemo and Friends queue with no one around and was able to take these photos.

I walked through Flight of Passage with no wait and got some of these photos.

No need to arrive early

Do you enjoy actually taking a vacation? The kind of vacation where you can sleep in a few days a week to catch up on some much-needed rest? This is the best time to visit Walt Disney World for that experience. Hollywood Studios doesn’t open until 10am and Epcot opens at 11am!

You can also “tour backwards” and arrive later and then do the bigger attractions near the end of the day. I arrived at 1pm at Animal Kingdom, turned right, and did everything in a big circle. The only attractions I skipped were the walking trails and I casually walked the park. It took me 5 hours to do EVERY attraction, including It’s Tough to Be a Bug and the bird show. Every ride was a walk-on, including Flight of Passage. I even enjoyed dinner at Flame Tree BBQ during that time.

You’ll find that if you choose to arrive early, you can easily ride things two or three times each in the 10 hours that each park is open.

If you enjoy the parks, enjoy the music and enjoy the rides, this may be the BEST time you ever visit Walt Disney World. They even added in some fun character experiences that are like mini-parades that run multiple times per day to keep the life in the park.

 

[Starwind]

I will note that it has been reported elsewhere that for those with special dietary needs like food allergies* who cannot safely order via mobile ordering and need to speak with a human, that is still accommodated [to the extent they can]. The QS locations apparently still have at least one cashier location open and you notify the CM that you have food allergies and need to speak with a food allergy-trained CM or chef and they will have them come speak with you. Note however that the menu/options may be more limited than pre-covid for a number of reasons including that they have limited the menus as well as supply issues, including that some of the brands/ingredients they may have had pre-covid may be different than the brands they have now: always verify!!

(*To forestall comments: yes some people with a single food allergy will order from the allergy-friendly mobile ordering menus where they are available, and that is fine when it is in their comfort zone to do so. Others do not feel safe doing so, and others have multiple food allergies that render than not possible/not safe to do so, so need to speak with an allergy-trained human; this post is for them).

 

[RaySharpton]

Hi, SW.

Thank you for sharing your info. I didn't know that.

My December trip will be my first time using mobile ordering.

I will note that it has been reported elsewhere that for those with special dietary needs like food allergies* who cannot safely order via mobile ordering and need to speak with a human, that is still accommodated [to the extent they can]. The QS locations apparently still have at least one cashier location open and you notify the CM that you have food allergies and need to speak with a food allergy-trained CM or chef and they will have them come speak with you. Note however that the menu/options may be more limited than pre-covid for a number of reasons including that they have limited the menus as well as supply issues, including that some of the brands/ingredients they may have had pre-covid may be different than the brands they have now: always verify!!

(*To forestall comments: yes some people with a single food allergy will order from the allergy-friendly mobile ordering menus where they are available, and that is fine when it is in their comfort zone to do so. Others do not feel safe doing so, and others have multiple food allergies that render than not possible/not safe to do so, so need to speak with an allergy-trained human; this post is for them).

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #356-Disney's Actors’ Equity Union Targets Disney With Social Media Video: “There’s Nothing Magical About COVID-19” VIDEO - blogmickey Mike - July 25, 2020

While many things have returned to normal in Walt Disney World, there is a piece of the magic that is undeniably missing. Stage shows such as Finding Nemo – The Musical, Beauty and the Beast-Live on Stage, and Festival of the Lion King have not returned due to a dispute between the Actors’ Equity Association and Walt Disney World.

Back in June, the Actors’ Equity Union, Disney’s largest stage show performer union, called on Disney to delay the reopening of their Florida theme parks like Disneyland was forced to do.

“If Disneyland has postponed, it is unclear how Walt Disney World can responsibly move toward reopening when coronavirus cases are much worse in Florida,” said Mary McColl, executive director of Actors’ Equity Association. The union is calling for regular testing and face masks for their members, a request Disney has reportedly denied. Disney has stated that they want to bring back live stage shows to the theme parks, but an agreement hasn’t been made yet and the Actors’ Equity Association is taking to social media with a new video highlighting the dangers of reopening a theme park during a global pandemic.

In the view posted to Facebook, the Actors’ Equity Union edited the “Welcome Home” video that Disney World put out to welcome guests back to the theme parks. In the original video, Cast Members can be seen waving and smiling as they stare into the camera and say “welcome home”. In the video posted by the Actors’ Equity Association, they have superimposed the rising COVID-19 case count as the same video plays in the background before the audio becomes distorted and a graph shows the spikes in cases that Florida has registered since March 18th.

The video ends by saying that Disney has “locked performers out”, and that the company refuses to allow equity performers to wear face masks while on stage and will not test performers. Here is the video:

Responses to the video from people representing themselves as Cast Members are split, with some saying that the actions of the union are putting their livelihoods in danger.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1016149245502536

 

[Starwind]

Hi, SW.

Thank you for sharing your info. I didn't know that.

My December trip will be my first time using mobile ordering.

Ray:

I hope it goes well for you -- the trip and the mobile ordering ! Enjoy your trip

We've never been able to use mobile ordering as I have multiple food allergies. Even if we had just one, I have discovered the importance of speaking with an allergy trained CM or chef as the allergy menus don't always tell the whole story [for example, they do not take into account "may contain" labels and possible cross contact/contamination].

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #358-Disney's Grand Floridian Walkway to Magic Kingdom Nearly Completed, Connected to Monorail Station PHOTOS - blogmickey Mike - July 25, 2020

While visiting Magic Kingdom today, we noticed that work on the Grand Floridian walkway has progressed nicely since the theme parks reopened. As you can see in the photos below, a walkway connects the path to the Magic Kingdom monorail station and a temperature check tent has been installed.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the work is this temporary walkway and tent. It would suggest that the use of the pathway is potentially imminent, but the pathway connects to the Grand Floridian within the NBA “bubble”. Will the pathway be used by NBA players or staff to attend some of the upcharge events at Magic Kingdom? Cast Members that we spoke with weren’t sure yet, and with more work left to get the pathway open, a timeline for opening is unknown.

Further down the walkway, both bridges are now installed and lighting installation appears to be the next step.

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #359-What Could Make Disney World Close Down Again This Year? - DFB Quincy Stanford - July 26, 2020

It certainly can be easy to want to settle back into “the parks are open” mode, but just because the parks are open doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily stay that way. Hong Kong Disneyland recently became the first park to RE-close due to the global health crisis…is it possible that Disney World could do the same?

Florida’s case numbers are rising.
If we’re looking at the case numbers, it’s really only gotten worse in recent days — especially in Florida.

Florida has made a habit of breaking daily records for positive tests. And it’s not uncommon to see headlines like one from Tampa’s News Channel 8 touting a new record number of hospitalizations.

At the beginning of July, the state saw 10,000 new cases reported five days in a row, prompting some Florida representatives to call for a shutdown and further health and safety measures, per CNBC.

On top of that, Orlando Weekly recently reported that a White House task force deemed the state (and Orange County) a “red zone” for the crisis and recommended rolling back reopening measures across the state.

Orange County (where Disney World is predominantly situated) is deemed a problem area. According to ClickOrlando, the county recently saw a jump in case-related deaths.

With severe cases on the rise, some ICUs in Florida have even begun to run out of beds, per CBS News. The main reason everything shut down in the first place was to prevent this.

Disney has based most of its reopening plan on the expertise and recommendations of health professionals, so experts would play a major role in the call for a re-closure if it happened.

Though the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not have specific recommendations for large scale, stationary theme parks like those at Disney World, they do have recommendations for recreational spaces and traveling amusement parks that may be considered.

White House task force did put out a report that suggests Florida, and other states in the “red zone,” rollback on reopening. According to CNN, suggested measures include closing bars (Florida has already done this to a degree), limiting gatherings to 10 people, avoiding indoor gatherings, and closing indoor dining.

If these measures were to become concrete, that would seriously limit the attractions and dining options in Disney World.

A lot of our concern about the potential reclosure of Disney World was sparked by the reclosure in Hong Kong. It is important to note that the reason Hong Kong Disneyland closed again was due to government mandates.

Disneyland in California also had to delay its reopening due to government requirements. So, the precedent so far has been that government intervention is one of the biggest factors in closing and reopening the Disney parks.

According to CNN, the most recent stance from the White House is that the country will not be shutting down again.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has noted that Florida is following in this vein and will not be significantly rolling back the reopening.

On a more local level, Mayor Jerry Demings in Orange County has been following the lead of the governor but has ALSO noted that if Disney is found at the root of an outbreak or if ICU beds become scarce in the county, the local government will not hesitate to ask Disney to reevaluate their opening.

Right now, the intention seems to be to stand behind the reopening measures, but we can’t rule out that a government entity will change mandates in a way that ultimately affects Disney World’s ability to stay open.

The Disney executives have been pretty mum about the reopening outside of official marketing materials, but CNN Business recently spoke with Disney Parks chairman Josh D’Amaro about the reopening.

D’Amaro lauded the company’s measures and expressed confidence in reopening. He explained that despite rising cases, the parks can be open responsibly. He did note when asked if the parks could reclose, however, that the reopening plan has been built with some wiggle room if it needs to flex.

So right now, it does seem like Disney World will stay open, but we’re not necessarily calling that the final word on the matter.

Disney has been throwing us curveballs for all of 2020. Even though the official line shows optimism, we have no exposure to what kind of conversations are happening behind the scenes.

 

[RaySharpton]

Post #360-Disney's Full-Time Union Workers Offered Temporary Position Changes. - kennythepirate Rebecca Davis - July 26, 2020

Local 737, the union representing Cast Members in Hotel and Restaurant positions announced that full-time Cast Members are being offered a one time opportunity to change positions in order to come back to work.

Starting on July 26, some Cast Members are being offered a very limited time opportunity to change roles to meet Disney’s needs.

The Orlando Hotel and Restaurant Union announced that Disney was offering a chance to change roles for full-time workers.

Commenters on the Facebook post above indicated that some previously recalled Cast Members are working excessive hours, hence the need for more workers to come back to the parks.

Cast Members are eager to return to work! One even stated she’s in for pooper scooper duty if that’s what it takes!

Disney will begin calling furloughed, full-time employees to offer temporary transitions based on park needs.

The calls will go first to union members in the same union classification and will go by seniority.

Then, union members in alternate classifications will be offered the opportunity to move into a new role, again in order of seniority.

The catch is that the union member only has 30 minutes to return the call and accept the position before the company will move on to the next Cast Member in line.

If an employee declines the transfer, they will not be offered another voluntary, temporary transfer in the same classification (i.e. restaurant).

The employee will need to pass the training for the new position and must be available to work on the recall date.

The employee’s wage will be determined by their new, temporary classification. This means some Cast Members would have to temporarily take lower paying jobs.

Any Cast Member who takes a temporary position would have the opportunity to change back to their old classification within 30 days of the classification becoming available again, in order of seniority.

Although it seems like Disney is trying to bring back as many Cast Members as possible, many part-time Cast Members expressed concern that they will not be able to resume work any time soon.