INSIDER
Disneyland character and parade performers in California vote to join labor union
Read full article: Disneyland character and parade performers in California vote to join labor unionDisneyland performers who help bring Mickey Mouse, Cinderella and other beloved characters to life have chosen to unionize following a three-day vote.
Disney receives another key approval to expand Southern California theme parks
Read full article: Disney receives another key approval to expand Southern California theme parksDisney has received another key approval to expand its Southern California theme parks in its first push to make major changes to its iconic Disneyland in decades.
Disney seeks major expansion of California theme park to add more immersive attractions
Read full article: Disney seeks major expansion of California theme park to add more immersive attractionsDisney is seeking approval from local officials to expand its California theme park offerings over the next four decades.
Lawsuit claims woman's death stemmed from Disneyland fall
Read full article: Lawsuit claims woman's death stemmed from Disneyland fallA lawsuit claims Disneyland employees snickered at a disabled woman struggling to get off a Jungle Cruise boat before she fell and broke a leg, leading to her death months later.
Nice to meet you, again: Disney brings back non-distanced character meet-and-greets
Read full article: Nice to meet you, again: Disney brings back non-distanced character meet-and-greetsItโs perhaps one of the last things that guests at Walt Disney World have been waiting to see return: an up-close moment, picture or autograph with Mickey Mouse and other popular characters.
Disney is pulling out all the stops to celebrate two years of Disney+
Read full article: Disney is pulling out all the stops to celebrate two years of Disney+Get ready Disney lovers, The Walt Disney Company announced promotions and additional content premiers to celebrate Disney+ and thank fans for their support.
New this week: 'Jungle Cruise' and music from Prince, Eilish
Read full article: New this week: 'Jungle Cruise' and music from Prince, EilishThis weekโs new entertainment releases include new music from producer and multiinstrumentalist Jack Antonoff and Billie Eilish, whose upcoming โHappier Than Everโ is the second studio album from the 19-year-old superstar.
Crocs donating shoes to nurses for National Nurses Week
Read full article: Crocs donating shoes to nurses for National Nurses WeekJoin Lindsey and Rachel as they chat about a new ride at Disneyland, how Crocs is donating shoes to nurses for National Nurses Week and how you can buy a bottle of wine from space.
The Latest: Ireland reaches half million vaccinations
Read full article: The Latest: Ireland reaches half million vaccinations(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)LONDON โ Ireland has given out half a million coronavirus vaccinations about two months after the first inoculation. Evidence suggests this variant can spread more easily than most currently circulating strains of the coronavirus, health officials say. State health officials urge people to maintain precautions, particularly during spring break and Easter gatherings, as the state tries to ramp up vaccinations. Sri Lanka has so far received 1 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in neighboring India, which donated half of the doses. The Missoulian reported Friday that in Missoula County, Granite Pharmacy has enough vaccine doses to vaccinate all 2,000 county teachers.
California OKs reopening of ball parks, Disneyland
Read full article: California OKs reopening of ball parks, DisneylandAmusement parks also will be permitted to reopen in counties that have fallen from the state's purple tier โ the most restrictive โ to the red tier. The move followed a week of milestones, with California ramping up vaccinations for the poorest neighborhoods, counties reopening more businesses and Gov. Outdoor sports will be limited to 100 people in the purple tier but will increase up to 67% in the yellow tier. Teams and event organizers can only sell tickets regionally in the purple tier. No concessions will be allowed in the purple tier, while in others, concession sales will only be available at seats.
The Latest: China says COVID-19 hospitalizations above 1,000
Read full article: The Latest: China says COVID-19 hospitalizations above 1,000(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)BEIJING โ China says it is now treating more than 1,000 people for COVID-19 as numbers of cases continue to surge in the countryโs north. ___AUSTIN, Texas โ Texas has distributed more than 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. State health officials say Texas had more than 14,000 COVID-19 patients in hospitals and its death toll has passed 30,000. ___COLUMBIA, S.C. โ South Carolina will now allow medical students, retired nurses and other qualified professionals to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. ___MADRID โ Spain reported 35,878 confirmed coronavirus cases and 201 new deaths from the coronavirus.
California wavers on theme park opening rules amid pressure
Read full article: California wavers on theme park opening rules amid pressureBut following industry criticism of the proposed rules, state health officials said no announcement was coming Friday as negotiations continue. Amusement park leaders saw a draft of the new rules Thursday and urged state officials to change them, said Erin Guerrero, executive director of the California Attractions and Parks Association. A Disney official said there have been no major reported outbreaks in Florida associated with the companyโs theme parks and declined to say whether any cases have occurred there. Ian Henderson, a spokesman for Steelโs office, said county health officials have worked closely with Disney to prepare for the reopening of its parks. ___Taxin reported from Orange County, California.
The Latest: Honolulu to allow some activities to resume
Read full article: The Latest: Honolulu to allow some activities to resume(AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy)HONOLULU -- Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell says the city plans to allow some activities that were shut down last month to control the spread of the coronavirus to resume under new guidelines. Gary Herbert will increase pandemic restrictions in two Utah cities as COVID-19 cases continue to surge in the state. The county accounted for 42% of the stateโs cases despite having only 20% of stateโs population. Eric Holcombโs statewide mask mandate and other coronavirus restrictions poses a possible disruption to his reelection campaign. But the real toll is thought to be much higher, in part because many COVID-19 deaths were probably ascribed to other causes, especially early on, before widespread testing.
In case you missed it: Disneyโs Splash Mountain to be re-themed to โPrincess and the Frogโ
Read full article: In case you missed it: Disneyโs Splash Mountain to be re-themed to โPrincess and the FrogโItโs transformation central at Disney Parks in the U.S., as Disney officially announced that it has big plans for Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. MORE: Petition calls for Disney Parks to change theme of Splash MountainIf you havenโt heard of the film, youโre not alone. If youโre unfamiliar with Splash Mountain, hereโs a little background. Splash Mountain follows happy-go-lucky Brโer Rabbit as he looks for his โlaughing place.โ All the while, Brโer Bear and Brโer Fox are in hot pursuit of Brโer Rabbit. โMany adults and children ride this attraction because it brings back childhood memories,โ the โKeep Splash Mountainโ petition said.
Disney reworking Splash Mountain, leaving โSong of the Southโ inspiration
Read full article: Disney reworking Splash Mountain, leaving โSong of the Southโ inspirationORLANDO, Fla. โ In the future, โZip-a-Dee-Doo-Dahโ wonโt be greeting those who survive the 50-foot plunge at Splash Mountain. Disney announced Thursday that itโs reworking the ride at both Disney World and Disneyland to take inspiration from the 2009 film, โThe Princess and the Frog.โThe rideโs current inspiration, โSong of the Southโ has called been called โnot appropriate in todayโs world,โ by former Disney CEO Bob Iger and now, it appears Disney is taking more action to remove the 1946 movieโs footprint from its parks. The newly imagined ride will pick up this story of โThe Princess and the Frogโ after the final kiss, and join Princess Tiana and Louis on a musical adventure โ featuring some of the powerful music from the film โ as they prepare for their first-ever Mardi Gras performance, according to Disney. The image in this article is an artist concept of what the reworked ride could look like, not what its guaranteed to look like. Disney said itโs been working on this project since last year and that it will soon develop a timeline for when the transformation can start to take shape.
Create Disneyโs famous Dole Whip at home in less than 10 minutes
Read full article: Create Disneyโs famous Dole Whip at home in less than 10 minutesIf youโre like us and are no longer following your quarantine diet, Disneyโs favorite frozen snack can be yours to make at home. Dole Whip has become a must-eat for families and Disney fans alike. The theme parks remain closed, however, you can bring the park magic home by creating your own Dole Whip treats. There are two ways to create a Dole Whip: Doleโs recipe and Disneyโs recipe. Share your Dole Whip creations with us in the comments below!
Helicopter pilot shares breathtaking view of Disneyland Resort during coronavirus closure
Read full article: Helicopter pilot shares breathtaking view of Disneyland Resort during coronavirus closureBut one man in California went a step further and was lucky enough to get a birds-eye view of Disneyland Resort without pixie dust, a magic carpet or a lucky feather. Disneyland has a temporary flight restriction that restricts pilots from flying anywhere near the park, within 3,000 feet. During his flight, Muzio visited much of Orange County, which included stops at Angel Stadium, El Dorado Park and Long Beach Airport, to name a few. However, our favorite sight was that of a closed Disneyland park without a single person to be seen. While the view from above is great, anyone whoโs been there would likely agree: nothing beats the view from the ground.
This Disney playlist will take any day and make it practically perfect
Read full article: This Disney playlist will take any day and make it practically perfectDisney tunes have a way of getting us out of the rut weโre in and putting a smile on our face. Each music provider has a Disney playlist filled with hundreds of songs from every Disney film known to man. Having the right playlist is an important task -- and choosing the right playlist shouldnโt be taken lightly. Everyone should have a Disney playlist saved, ready to be played at any moment. The playlist is a melting pot of classic Disney hits, Disney covers and songs you can hear when visiting a Disney theme park.
A look at entertainers and entities on hold over coronavirus
Read full article: A look at entertainers and entities on hold over coronavirusโIโm going to socially distance myself.โBehar said she doesnโt trust the government and made the decision to self-quarantine herself. She added she is lucky that she doesnโt have child care needs and has enough money to tide her over. And the crisis is hampering production of potential new shows, with work on more than a dozen pilots halted. The decision comes a day after Disney announced the planned shutdown of its parks. ___The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Instituteโs Department of Science Education.
Disneyland guests warned of measles exposure
Read full article: Disneyland guests warned of measles exposureTuxyso via Wikimedia Commons(CNN) - A Los Angeles County resident visited Disneyland last week while infected with measles, health officials said late Tuesday, potentially exposing hundreds of other people to the highly contagious disease. The individual went to Starbucks at 3006 S. Spulveda Boulevard in West Los Angeles early on the morning on Oct. 16 before going to Disneyland from 9.15 a.m. onwards, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said in a statement. Measles can spread through coughing and sneezing and can live for up to two hours in the air where an infected person coughs or sneezes. "Measles is spread by air and by direct contact even before you know have it. There have been 19 measles cases among Los Angeles County residents in 2019.
The emptiest Disneyland on Earth
Read full article: The emptiest Disneyland on EarthIt was a sad scene, and it's been like that most of the summer as Disneyland became the latest casualty of the Hong Kong protests. The pro-democracy protests have been raging since June, and have hit Hong Kong's economy hard. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong International Airport saw 12.4% fewer passengers in August compared to the same time last year. For Afaizul Ashari, a tourist from Malaysia, this was his second visit to Hong Kong's Disneyland. Photos on social media and local media showed similar scenes of near-empty rides and streets in Ocean Park, Hong Kong's other theme park.
Disneyland honors woman's free admission ticket from 1985
Read full article: Disneyland honors woman's free admission ticket from 1985ANAHEIM, California (CNN) - A lot of things have changed at Disneyland since 1985. In August 2019, the park honored visitor Richardson's free entry pass from 1985. The mom of two first visited Disneyland in 1985 when she was 14 years old. In 1985, admission tickets cost $16.50. These days, the most basic single day admission ticket costs $90.
This Disney Halloween party sounds way too good to pass up
Read full article: This Disney Halloween party sounds way too good to pass upBut we should keep chatting about the party anyway, because this is truly next-level. So, the event is hosted by Oogie Boogie, of the 1993 Tim Burton movie, along with some other choice Disney villains. Twenty exciting nights are on the table to choose from -- and Disney warns, this is expected to sell out fast. Its a nighttime spectacular exclusive to Oogie Boogie Bash. A few days, including Oct. 31, already appeared to be sold out.
Disney: Abigail Disney's undercover investigation is stunt
Read full article: Disney: Abigail Disney's undercover investigation is stuntCNN image(CNN) - The Walt Disney Co. strongly disputed allegations from family heiress Abigail Disney, who said she found workers struggling when she recently visited Disneyland undercover. Abigail Disney, in an interview with Yahoo, said Disneyland workers told her they are forced to sift through "other people's garbage" for food, and they are struggling to stay happy. Abigail Disney said she went to Disneyland incognito to observe worker conditions and was "so livid" at what she saw. In a statement, the company told CNN Business that Abigail Disney's account is "particularly egregious" hyperbole. "We strongly disagree with this characterization of our employees and their experience at Disney."
Abigail Disney visits Disneyland undercover after worker complaints
Read full article: Abigail Disney visits Disneyland undercover after worker complaintsDisneyland calls itself "The Happiest Place on Earth," but family heiress Abigail Disney said she found workers struggling when she recently visited the park undercover. (CNN) - Disneyland calls itself "The Happiest Place on Earth," but family heiress Abigail Disney said she found workers struggling when she recently visited the park undercover. In an interview with Yahoo this week, Abigail Disney said she decided to check out Disneyland's worker conditions after a worker sent her a Facebook message. Abigail Disney has frequently spoken out about Iger's salary. In May, Abigail Disney addressed Congress on Capitol Hill.