Walt Disney World has announced a phased re-open plan and date for its Florida theme parks.
Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Park are targeting July 11, 2020 as an opening date. Epcot and Hollywood Studios are targeting July 15, 2020.
The Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force met May 27 to hear the plans put forth by Walt Disney World and SeaWorld.
The plans were approved by the task force. Now they need approval from Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Jim MacPhee, Senior Vice President of Operations at Walt Disney World Resort made the virtual presentation on behalf of Disney. The proposed opening will take place in phases and will require a reservation for park entry to limit park capacity. There will be physical distancing; guests and cast members will be required to wear face masks; and plexiglass at registers and other places where distancing is difficult will be installed.
Parades and fireworks will temporarily suspended to enable distancing. Character meet and greets as well as playgrounds are also temporarily suspended. Temperature checks will be conducted for both staff and guests.
There will be more options for mobile food ordering and cashless payment will be encouraged.
Disney Springs began it’s phased reopening last week, but when Disney World’s theme parks will reopen is still a mystery. Once they do reopen, you can expect substantially lower crowds than you are accustomed to seeing, according to recent reports.
Disney World could reopen with crowd sizes somewhere between 20 to 30-percent of regular capacity, according to a recent report from WESH.
Following the coronavirus crisis, Florida has become one of the first states in the nation to reopen its economy. Resorts like Disney World can reopen to the public if they submit a plan to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force and it is approved.
Disney World has yet to submit a reopening plan to the Task Force. News has since surfaced suggesting Disney will submit the report this week, according to Flordia Governor Ron DeSantis.
“Disney has given an indication that next week, they will submit their plans, and once they do, then we will schedule that for a full briefing before our Economic Recovery Task Force as well,” he explained. “So at this point, it’s an undefined time or date, but we do look forward to seeing that sometime next week.”
Disney World – and Disneyland, for that matter – have been closed since March 15th when the company issued the following statement.
The Kitchen Sink sundae from Beaches & Cream Soda Shop at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts is a Disney classic and now they have released the original recipe for it and how to make it at home!
If you’ve never tackled it before, be warned, this over-the-top indulgence includes everything and the kitchen sink – enough for your entire family to share!
Take a look at the ingredients and instructions below:
Kitchen Sink from Beaches & Cream Soda Shop at Disney’s Beach Club Resort Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm fudge topping
1/2 cup warm butterscotch topping
1/2 cup warm peanut butter topping
1 medium banana, sliced in 1/2-inch slices
1 cinnamon spice cupcake (2 ½ x 1 1/4-inch), quartered
1 angel food cupcake (3 x 1 1/2-inch), quartered
2 generous scoops vanilla ice cream
2 generous scoops chocolate ice cream
2 generous scoops strawberry ice cream
1 generous scoop mint chocolate chip ice cream
1 generous scoop coffee ice cream
3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1/4 cup marshmallow cream
1/4 cup strawberry topping
1/4 cup pineapple topping
14-ounce can dairy whipped topping
1 large brownie (6-inch x 6-inch), quartered
1 regular-sized candy bar, quartered
4 chocolate cookies with cream filling
1 tablespoon sliced toasted almonds
1 tablespoon dark and white chocolate shavings
1 tablespoon crushed chocolate cookies with cream filling
1 tablespoon chopped jellied orange slices, about 2 large slices
1 tablespoon milk chocolate chip morsels
1 tablespoon peanut butter chip morsels
1 tablespoon chocolate sprinkles
1 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles
1/2 cup drained maraschino cherries
To Serve:
Pour hot fudge, butterscotch, and peanut butter toppings into bottom of large bowl.
Layer banana slices and cupcake pieces over toppings. Top with all ice creams.
As quickly as possible, spoon chocolate syrup, marshmallow cream, strawberry, and pineapple toppings over ice cream.
Cover completely with dairy whipped topping. Tuck brownie pieces, candy bar pieces, and cookies in whipped topping.
Sprinkle with toasted almonds, dark and white chocolate shavings, crushed cookies, jellied orange slices, milk chocolate chip morsels, peanut butter morsels, chocolate sprinkles, and rainbow sprinkles. Top with cherries.
The updated atomic ranch marketed as “Walt Disney’s Technicolor Dream House” has sold for the asking price of $1.095 million.
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom residence on a quarter-acre lot in Indian Canyons was built for Walt and Lillian Disney in 1962, and it remained in the family until 2015.
Features of the 2,443-square-foot house include an open floor plan with living and dining areas that flow into the kitchen, mirror surfaces and some “hidden Mickeys.” Take a look at the interior below:
Sliding glass doors open to a covered patio, swimming pool, spa and lawn area at the rear of the property, which overlooks the second fairway at Indian Canyons Golf Resort North Course.
Michael Erives and Darcey Deetz of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate shared the listing, and Erives represented the buyer.
Tokyo Disney Resort has been closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic since late February, but for those looking to get their park merch fix, the Resort has announced they’ll be selling merchandise through the official Tokyo Disney Resort app starting May 26.
“During the temporary holiday period, we will sell goods online at the Tokyo Disney Resort app so that you can purchase goods sold at the park at home,” Tokyo Disneyland said on it’s website.
Tokyo Disney Resort has really had an full online shopping option before. In recent years the resort has started offering online purchases through their official app, but you had to have visited the park on that day and your items must have been bought before 11:00pm that same day.
To purchase goods you must download the Tokyo Disney Resort app on your smartphone and be logged in with a Disney account. Only up to 3 items can be purchased per person per day and unfortunately shipping is only available within Japan.
Goods that were sold at the park before the temporary closure will be eligible. However, “Berry Berry Minnie!”, “Pixar Playtime” and Duffy & Friends related goods are not eligible.
The end date for online shopping will be announced as soon as the park restart date is decided However, they advise that it may be suspended or terminated without notice depending on the situation.
Disney’s Live-Action Remake Machine is in high gear! The studios has already turned out several successful remakes of their animated films, including Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Maleficent, Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book and The Lion King and it doesn’t look like they are stopping anytime soon.
Disney’s proved winning model of remaking its animated hits already has several films in the can and is reportedly working on many more. We’ve put together a list of every Live-Action Remake Disney is currently working on or rumored to be in production.
Keep scrolling to see if your favorite Disney classic is getting the live-action treatment.
THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME
Tony-winning playwright David Henry Hwang is reportedly writing the movie, and Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz are said to be doing the music. Josh Gad is also reportedly producing the film.
The remake of the 1942 film won’t be live-action with a real deer, rabbit, and skunk. Disney will utilize the technology that helped bring “The Lion King” remake to life to look photorealistic. Geneva Robertson-Dworet (“Captain Marvel”) and Lindsey Beer (“Sierra Burgess Is a Loser”) will write the screenplay for the film.
ROBIN HOOD
A live-action version of the 1973 film will be heading to Disney Plus. The film follows the outlaw Robin Hood, a fox, and his friend Little John who steal from Prince John to give to the poor woodland creatures of the forest.
HERCULES
The 1997 animated film about the son of Zeus will get a live-action remake. “Avengers: Endgame” directors Anthony and Joe Russo will produce, but not direct, the film.
The live-action remake reportedly has a star-studded cast—and that’s no lie. In November, reports that TomHanks is set to play the famous puppet’s father, Geppetto surfaced.
PETER PAN
You won’t need faith, trust or pixie dust to see this remake. In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter claimed David Lowery is working on a new version of the 1953 classic. While a live-action film has yet to fly into theaters, fans can always watch other versions, like Hook, in the meantime.
SNOW WHITE
In 2016, The Hollywood Reporter claimed The Girl on the Train’sErin Cressida was in negotiations to make a live-action remake of Snow White. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul—from La La Land—were also allegedly set to work on the music. However, a film has yet to be released. So, we’ll just have to see if it will be the fairest of them all.
THE SWORD IN THE STONE
Last year, news broke that Juan Carlos Fresnadillo would direct the remake about a young King Arthur and his magical mentor Merlin. Game of Thrones‘ Bryan Cogman was also reported to be working on the script.
One of Disney’s famous villains is back. While Glenn Close played Cruella de Vil in the 1996 live-action remake of 101 Dalmatians, Emma Stone is reportedly set to take on the role in Cruella.
These films are all either in production or rumored to be in early stages of development. If your favorite classic animated Disney movie isn’t on the list then just wait, because it seems that they are on a mission to remake them all! Which one are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments!
With Independence Day right around the corner Loungefly has released a Minnie Mouse Sequined Stars and Stripes Mini Backpack that’s a perfect way to show your patriotic spirit!
As you salute the stars and stripes you’ll be celebrating with your essentials tucked safely in this sparkling mini backpack.
It’s decked out with blue sequins and is outfitted with adjustable straps and a patriotic lining pattern. The new Backpack is currently available online from shopDisney and can be ordered now through the link below:
The NBA is in talks with The Walt Disney Company to use the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex to resume the season in late July.
The National Basketball Players Association is also part of the talks with Disney to use the massive campus on the Disney property near Orlando.
NBA spokesman Mike Bass said the conversations were still “exploratory,” and that the site would be used not only for games but for practices and housing as well. Take a look at the post below:
The following is a statement from NBA Chief Communications Officer Mike Bass: pic.twitter.com/8gfK5iVXs8
“Our priority continues to be the health and safety of all involved, and we are working with public health experts and government officials on a comprehensive set of guidelines to ensure that appropriate medical protocols and protections are in place,” Bass said.
The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is a 255-acre campus with multiple arenas that could host games simultaneously and has been home to, among other things, the Jr. NBA World Championship in recent years. ESPN is primarily owned by Disney, one of the NBA’s broadcast partners.
Space won’t be an issue, even if Major League Soccer — which is also in talks to resume its season at Disney — is there at the same time as the NBA. The entire Disney complex is roughly 40 square miles, with nearly 24,000 hotel rooms owned or operated by Disney within the campus.
The NBA suspended its season March 11, becoming the first of the U.S. major pro leagues to do so after it became known that All-Star center Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz tested positive for COVID-19. The list of NBA players who were known to test positive eventually grew to 10 — not all were identified — and Commissioner Adam Silver said last month that the actual total was even higher.
But the league has been working on countless return-to-play scenarios for several weeks, all with the caveat that testing would be an integral part of any resumption of the season. Teams have been allowed to welcome players back to their training facilities for voluntary sessions since May 8, and more than half of the league’s franchises have taken advantage of that opportunity.
The next steps would likely include a loosening of the restrictions for those voluntary workouts — no more than four players are currently allowed inside any facility at a time — and then a plan for when training camps could open. If the league plans to resume play in late July, then camps conceivably could open around the start of that month.
“Out,” a short film that features Pixar’s first gay main character, was released Friday on Disney+.
The computer animation studio, owned by Disney, premiered the film on the Disney+ streaming service through its SparkShorts series. It follows the story of a man named Greg who struggles with coming out to his parents before moving in with his boyfriend, Manuel.
Disney+ announced the “heartwarming” tale on its Twitter account along with the short’s trailer. Take a look at it below:
“Out” was directed by Steven Clay Hunter, known for animating “Finding Nemo” and “WALL-E,” among other Pixar films. Max Sachar, known for his work on “Coco” and “Toy Story 3” produced the short.
In March, Bob Chapek, CEO of the Walt Disney Company, shut down a critic who claimed that the company is losing money because its products “promote LGBT ideology.” Chapek stated that the company wants “to tell stories that our audience wants to hear that reflects their lives.”
Walt Disney Studios has been stepping up its LGBTQ representation recently by including LGBTQ storylines in films including “Avengers: Endgame” and “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” It also recently made history with “Onward,” an animated film that features a lesbian character voiced by Lena Waithe.
A number of upcoming Disney projects are also slated to include LGBTQ characters, including “The Eternals” and “Thor: Love and Thunder.”
Now you can outdress Cruella De Vil with a stylish accessory as a new Loungefly 101 Dalmatian mini backpack is available for pre-order and it’s as cute as a pup.
The BoxLunch exclusive Loungefly features an allover Disney 101 Dalmatians print, silver tone hardware, a brand plaque, and a darling Dalmatian charm.
The straps are adjustable and you won’t run out of space with a front zipper pocket, two side pockets, and main compartment with a polka dot interior lining and zip pocket!
Your dotted style statement will be easy to spot when you stash your essentials in this 101 Dalmatians Mini Backpack.
