Best Disney Links for July 2020
Over the past month, much of the media’s attention has focused on the reopening of Walt Disney World’s theme parks.
However, plenty is going on across the Disney empire. Let’s look at some of the most interesting Disney links over the past month.
Disney Entertainment
The entire entertainment industry feels like it’s on pause due to the pandemic, and nobody knows when that will change.
Even Survivor, a reality program filmed on an abandoned island, just had to delay its expected Fall television season.
Disney had planned to start shooting some Marvel Cinematic Universe programs next month, but the most recent outbreak has jeopardized those plans.
Where is everyone looking for entertainment? Well, you’re under 70, you’re probably watching TikTok videos.
Since Bob Iger is 69, he (barely) qualifies. A TikTok clip by a man named Julian Bass went viral, and Iger noticed.
You can watch what happened in this video:
Until the pandemic lets up, TikTok’s as good a place as any to find the next great Disney celebrity and/or Imagineer.
At the Parks
Everyone has an opinion about Disney’s reopening. As a fan and a theme park journalist, I’m a bit frustrated by the online abuse that Disney has received.
After all, Universal opened six weeks ago, and SeaWorld followed a few days after that. They’ve run for more than a month.
However, since people care about Disney, the reopening of Magic Kingdom received exponentially more media attention.
And that’s why you’re seeing viral videos like this one:
I fixed that "Welcome Home" Disney World commercial pic.twitter.com/IC922aBeCB
— Click here to watch Sean Hannity blow an elephant (@tonygoldmark) July 12, 2020
or this one:
I recut the #DisneyWorld ad to focus the message a bit. Can't wait to go! pic.twitter.com/9QjpcokNo6
— Matt Scott (@mattscotttweets) July 12, 2020
Everyone’s dunking on Disney for something that they did more thoughtfully than anyone else in the industry. It’s annoying.
Also, on the Coronavirus front, Disney’s caught another bad break. On June 18th, Hong Kong Disneyland reopened. Less than a month later, it’s closed again.
This change appears temporary, as it was the government’s decision to prevent another widespread outbreak.
Disney officials must feel like Charlie Brown, though. They finally get Magic Kingdom back and then promptly lose Hong Kong Disneyland.
Beyond that, the reception to Disney’s park reopening has been quite positive. A CNN writer says:
“That’s Disney’s magic — making it feel like whatever you’re doing at that moment is the most magical thing on Earth.”
So, we’ve got more confirmation that the magic is back!
Disney Entertainment News
Let’s start with a question. Which Disney song is the most played one ever? If you’ve ready MickeyBlog over the years, you should know!
While I’m quizzing you, have you watched the making of Frozen 2 on Disney+ yet? Apparently, there’s a lot of drama, at least by Disney standards.
And before I get to the Hamilton stuff, I’ve got one more question for you. Are you a villain or a Disney Princess? Take the quiz to find out.
By now, you’ve heard that Hamilton led to tons of new Disney+ downloads. Nobody who follows the theatre industry is surprised.
Still, the success of Hamilton has led to some speculation. Are there any other Broadway shows that Disney+ should license?
Speaking of Hamilton, Bob Iger believes it’s super-important. Meanwhile, a reporter traces the timeline from the start of the show through its Disney+ debut.
Also, Hamilton’s airing is historic if you didn’t know.
On an entirely different note, did you hear about the $35,000 in stolen merchandise?
A Disney collector realized that she’d been robbed of many of her prized possessions.
The police received a tip that the items appeared on an online auction site. When they investigated, they found many of the goods in a storage locker.
Criminals are rarely the geniuses that Disney Villains would have you believe.
I’m avoiding most business links this month as that’s all anybody wants to discuss with Disney.
However, you should read this article, which explains why Bob Iger had the foresight to start Disney+.
And here’s how Facebook boycotts could help Disney earn more advertising revenue.
The NBA and MLS Curiosity
Walt Disney World currently hosts two different sports leagues, both of which are holing up in Orlando to complete their seasons.
Players and reporters have both convened at Disney, and I’m fascinated by the stories coming out already.
We’ve got young guys who aren’t Disney fans suddenly living out our dream. They stay at Disney hotels every day for the next two months!
So far, the most interesting thing I’ve watched isn’t a link per se. It’s a YouTube channel:
Matisse Thybulle of the Philadelphia 76ers takes the viewer behind the scenes of the NBA bubble. It’s…surreal.
You can also follow this Twitter feed for updates from all the teams:
For example, did you know that bored NBA players love bass fishing?
timmy jr, luka and boban spending some time on the water today ❤️🎣 pic.twitter.com/KDkMMJjnuw
— NBA Bubble Life (@NBABubbleLife) July 13, 2020
The food looks pretty good, too.
i would love to see @EnesKanter play @tackofall99 in ping pong. 🏓 pic.twitter.com/d3l339WmYu
— NBA Bubble Life (@NBABubbleLife) July 15, 2020
And here’s where the jealousy sets in. MLS players are staying at the Swan & Dolphin instead, and the hotel wasn’t open to guests yet.
So, the food looks like this:
I mean let's be honest: Your mistake was not going with bourbon-glazed smoked Virginia ham. Out of curiosity, did you pick sparkling or still bottled water?
— Jonah Freedman (@jonahfreedman) June 30, 2020
and this:
Yummm… #MLSisBack pic.twitter.com/nelyLH9YsW
— Omar Gonzalez (@Omar4Gonzalez) June 30, 2020
Compare that to the NBA spread, and you’ll understand why the soccer players are somewhat salty.
Officials at the Swan & Dolphin promised to do better…right after #FyreFestival started trending on soccer twitter.
By the way, the Disney Bubble has also led to something people are calling the Snitch Hotline, and I’m here for it.
Chris Paul is probably not the snitch, but he’s taken a social media drubbing over this story.
Finally, the most bemused residents of the bubble are the Lopez twins. After all, one of them lives at Golden Oak. So, they’re already home.
Robin’s somehow homesick while at home. Here are a couple of tweets that Disney lovers will appreciate:
If I don't end up at Castaway Cay why am I even on this bus guys pic.twitter.com/R5DRhWeE88
— Robin Lopez (@rolopez42) July 12, 2020
Hoping if I sit here long enough pretending this is the Mexico pavilion, somebody will hand me a jarritos and Illuminations will start playing out of nowhere thru sheer force of will pic.twitter.com/S7vntHartU
— Robin Lopez (@rolopez42) July 14, 2020
Robin Lopez is my people.