Disney Links for June 2020
The Walt Disney Company has recently restarted its engine after having a dead battery for several months.
While the Coronavirus pandemic continues to cause problems, Disney’s finally ready to stage a comeback.
Parks
The hottest theme park topic this month is somehow both long-percolating and suddenly intensive.
For years now, some of us have questioned why Disney continues to employ a Song of the South theme on Splash Mountain.
The movie is the shame of the Disney Vault, which is also why the company will never allow it to see the light of day again.
When Disney+ debuted, company executives emphatically stated that Song of the South would never air. Yet, Splash Mountain’s theme involves the film.
The message here is decidedly mixed, which is why many fans are petitioning Disney to spin off Splash Mountain into its own unique theme.
I’m on Team Of Course Disney Should Do That.
However, another topic is nearly as contentiously debated right now. Plenty of people, many of them in California, have petitioned Disney to keep Disneyland closed for now.
The fear is that California has already reported 70,000 new cases in June after having 84,576 from the start of the pandemic until May 31st. I’ll come back to this discussion in the business section.
In happier news, Insider has compiled a list of Disney castle facts. You’ve probably picked up most if not all of them from reading MickeyBlog, though.
Insider did something else that I find even more interesting. Here’s how Disney parks looked since 1955. You can see how Disney looked the year you were born!
Sports
I’ve never done a sports section for Disney Links before. Then again, Disney has never hosted any major sports events that count toward regular season/playoff results before.
No, I’m not counting the Pro Bowl because…come on!
Anyway, the NBA is coming to the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World.
The players must accept several rules about remaining inside the bubble during the trip.
I think it’s a weird form of punishment to make someone stay at Walt Disney World for six weeks or longer without a single park visit. Don’t you?
Of course, there’s a secondary problem with the Disney bubble concept. Coronavirus cases in the area are on the rise again.
On the plus side, Dr. Anthony Fauci fully supports and endorses the NBA’s plan for the continuation of the 2019-2020 season. He describes it as “quite creative.”
Meanwhile, some enterprising person has created a bunch of NBA logos that marry the team’s signature with Disney characters and themes. This is terrific.
The Orlando Magic one is the simplest, but it’s still my favorite. The Lakers logo is sublime, too.
Finally, while the NBA has received most of the media attention, Major League Soccer will also hold a tournament at Walt Disney World.
The Orlando Sentinel details the process that Orlando City underwent to keep the season alive.
When you read these stories about the NBA and MLS, you have to wonder what in the world is wrong with Major League Baseball.
Owners and players can work together for the betterment of society. MLB just doesn’t get that.
Business
So, some California residents understandably stress over Disney’s reopening.
However, a writer at The Motley Fool lists several reasons why Disney’s plan is brilliant.
The most persuasive argument is that Disney waited a month longer than the competition.
You may have heard that some guests angrily stormed out of SeaWorld Orlando on its opening day.
The park simply wasn’t prepared to protect the safety of guests.
By opening in mid-July, Disney can study the mistakes of its peers and improve on them.
Also, the curve on the pandemic should grow flatter over the next few weeks. If not, a Disney theme park is the least of people’s problems.
By all accounts, Disney’s doing fine for money, too. Of course, that doesn’t mean that they’ll pay anything that the government asks.
Disney has once again disputed the property taxes it has incurred.
This issue is ongoing, as Property Appraiser Rick Singh maintains that the company has underpaid on property taxes for years.
To be clear, Singh isn’t saying that Disney shortchanged anyone. His position is that the land is more valuable than government appraisals have indicated.
Interestingly, Disney has won previous challenges, which indicates that the law is on Mickey Mouse’s side.
Another weird bit of business involves Snapchat. Disney has signed a contract to provide more content for Snap.
The service has experienced a surge in demand and usage during the pandemic. And Disney content remains the best possible entertainment.
Over at Forbes, a writer describes why the time is right for Magic Bands to flex their technological muscle.
Disney was far ahead of the curve on the Internet of Things, and it’s about to reap some rewards.
Then again, the news isn’t entirely rosy. One of Walt Disney’s grandsons – yes, grandsons, not Abigail Disney this time – has complained about Disney’s executive bonuses after cast members got laid off.
Finally, since I love these articles, here’s some analysis about how much money you’ve had made if you bought Disney at IPO. Friends, it’s a BIG number.
Entertainment
As we enter the second half of June, we come closer to Hamilton’s release on Disney+. If you’re not quite sure what the big deal is, please read this.
Of course, Hamilton isn’t technically a Disney movie until the company releases it. This site has compiled an interesting list along those lines, though.
Take a look at the most popular Disney movie in all the major countries on the planet!
While we’re at it, ScreenRant has compiled a list of five Disney movies that didn’t deserve a PG rating…plus a few more that absolutely did.
None of them says Atlantis: The Lost Empire (believe me, I checked), but did you know there was almost a sequel?
Speaking of projects that could have been oh so much more, the old Dinosaurs TV show will make a potentially triumphant return on Disney+.
This series was supposed to compete with The Simpsons, which aptly demonstrates what a remarkable achievement the latter show is.
Of course, Dinosaurs did produce an unforgettable bit of dialogue that has stood the test of time: “NOT THE MOMMA!”
Oh, I’ve also got a great idea for pet lovers. This artist will turn a photo of you and your furry friend into a Disney-fied portrait! Dear secret stalker: this holiday season, I know what I want…
Also, not to get too political here, but a celebrity I’ve never cared for just did something that made me think much more highly of her as a person.
Finally, while you’re still looking for kitchen projects, Insider posted 14 different theme park dessert recipes that you can make at home.
Or, if you’re feeling less motivated, this person can show you how to make Dole Whip in under 10 minutes! What are you waiting for? Go! Go! Go!