All the Latest Disney Information You’ll Want to Know
Banshees, cast member raises, a leaky golf ball, and self-designed t-shirts anchor an eclectic week of MickeyBlog News. Catch all the latest Disney information and news now!
Commerce Always Wins
Do you remember the chaotic first few days of Pandora – The World of Avatar? The lines were insane, Sa’tuli Canteen was packed, and one toy was nowhere to be found. The toy in question was the banshee. You couldn’t find it because Disney had no way to anticipate the shocking demand for this new item.
While the entirety of Pandora proved instantly popular, the banshees in particular were the hit of the new themed land. They were exclusive to the Avatar area, meaning that guests could only buy them when they were in Pandora. Since no other stores stocked them, Disney figured that they’d sell well but not, you know, every last one in a matter of days.
Over the past 15 months, demand for banshees has remained strong. The passion for the merchandise has forced Disney to ditch their original plan. They’d wanted banshees to remain exclusive to Pandora since that’s the only place where they should be, right?
Since the banshees have created a sort of bottleneck at the stores, Disney’s had to choose between art and commerce and, well, you know who wins that battle. Yes, Island Mercantile at Discovery Island is now selling banshees, too. It’s actually really good news for park guests, as you’ll have an easier time finding a banshee. It just won’t feel as immersive when you buy one outside of Pandora.
(Labor) Peace in Our Time
MickeyBlog loves to talk about the happy parts of Disney trips. And we particularly love cast members, the secret ingredient in a joyous theme park experience. Alas, we’ve had to talk about contract negotiations more than we’d like this year as The Walt Disney Company engaged in strained labor talks at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Today, I have wonderful Disney information to share with you. After Disneyland unions ratified an agreement a couple of weeks ago, Walt Disney World workers have followed suit. The union that represents 38,000 employees at the Most Magical Place on Earth settled a contract dispute with Disney.
Starting in December, the starting wage at Walt Disney World increases to $11. It has additional triggers at $13 in September of 2019, $14 in October of 2020, and then $15 in October of 2021. So, many cast members are three years and a month away from a 50 percent increase from their current salaries.
Photo Credit: www.orlandotouristinformationbureau.com
Disney cast members are among the finest employees on the planet. They deserve every penny that they get, and it’s wonderful that the company has negotiated pay increases for everyone both now and for the next several years. Everyone wins in this deal, especially people who visit the parks frequently and understand how much magic cast members create every day.
Spaceship Earth Sprung a Leak
I once wrote a few thousand words about the architectural genius of Walt Disney World’s primary landmarks. One of them, Spaceship Earth, is a marvel of engineering, I noted, pointing out that it’s fully rainproof.
Photo Credit: BuffaloSmash.net
How is this possible? Back in the early 1980s, Imagineers interacted with other architects who were working on another, similar project, the Sunsphere in Knoxville, Tennessee. The latter project was a part of the 1982 World’s Fair and had the same basic premise, a giant golf ball in the sky.
The Sunsphere became a sort of boondoggle since its designers failed to allow the fact that gold absorbs heat, making the structure naturally uncomfortable.
Spaceship Earth, on the other hand, is a marvel of modern science. Its unique panels employ an Alucobond to prevent water from forming at the top of the structure. The rain must flow down because it has no place to stay. It’s brilliant.
The fault-free design of Spaceship Earth is what makes this news item so surprising. Last week, Spaceship Earth sprung a leak. No, the roof wasn’t leaking. Given the nature of the attraction, that would have been a nightmare that would have required months to fix. Instead, the giant golf ball in the sky was leaking from the bottom. Nobody’s quite sure why. Personally, I blame the Phoenicians.
What we do know is that Disney rumors have surrounded Spaceship Earth in recent months. Now that the Siemens sponsorship has ended, park planners have already remodeled parts of the exit area. Some insiders suggest that major changes are coming to the actual attraction in a couple of years.
Since Spaceship Earth my favorite attraction, the idea scares me to death. I’m now wondering whether there are issues on the floor, though. Disney officials may be aware of a couple of renovations that the building needs. And the whole conversation is a bit confusing anyway.
Can a giant circle even have a floor? Anyway, Disney got the leak fixed in a shockingly quick timeframe, re-opening the ride later that day. Personally, I thank the Phoenicians.
Sadness in T-Shirt Form
Do you hang out much at Disney Springs? If so, have you ever wandered over to the far side of Marketplace? One of the hidden gems of the entertainment district is there. Since 2009, Hanes and Disney have operated Disney Design-A-Tee, which is exactly what it sounds like.
At this store, you can select your favorite Disney characters and places and then create t-shirts using the design. You can add text and even pick your favorite font to give the shirt the unique look that you covet. Well, you could.
As of this past weekend, Disney Design-A-Tee is no more. I’m pretty bummed about this as there are at least eight shirts in our home that we had made there. Alas, Disney Springs is one of the hottest spaces in Orlando.
Any store with weaker sales is in danger of getting ditched for something better. While Disney hasn’t announced what will replace the t-shirt shop, they clearly felt like their Hanes sponsorship had reached its logical conclusion. Sniffle.
Minnie Vans by the Mile
Minnie Vans have taken Walt Disney World by storm over the last calendar year. When I wrote that article a little more than a year ago, these stylish ride-sharing vehicles were exclusive and rare. Only a couple of resorts had them at the time, but Disney fans clamored for more.
Fast forward to today. Minnie Vans are available at all Disney resorts, and you can even ride them to and from the airport. Prices have also changed a couple of times already, increasing from $20 to $22 and ultimately $25 for a one-way trip anywhere on the Disney campus. Well, I should say that those had been the prices.
Disney executives have once again tweaked the pricing structure for Minnie Vans. Starting this week, you’ll pay $15 for the ride plus a set amount per mile. Disney’s yet to reveal the per-mile cost, though.
Since most places at Walt Disney World are within a few miles of each other, there’s a chance that a per-mile works to the customer’s benefit. We’ll know for sure in a couple of days.
Great News for Passholders!
The final news item this week involves annual pass owners at Walt Disney World. If you’re like me and are a proud passholder, you’re in luck! Disney’s added a special phone line just for annual passholders. You’ll have online chat email support options if you’re not someone who likes to talk on the phone, which describes most people in the texting era.
The program is called V.I.PASSHOLDER, and it’s a service to help annual pass owners get the most out of their purchases. When you call 407-WDW-PASS or load chat from this page, you can ask any applicable questions about your passholder privileges or Disney theme parks and restaurants.
The cast members on call will do everything possible to help you. I mean, they’d do that anyway since cast members are awesome, but they especially want to take care of their best customers.
Disney’s done a great job of rewarding annual passholders the last few years. If you’re on the fence about buying an annual pass, speak to an expert at MickeyTravels to learn whether it’s the right choice for you. I can say that my family is very happy with our purchase.
Disney Information
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