MickeyBlog News for May 3, 2021
After 412 excruciating days and financial losses estimated at $4.3 billion, the Happiest Place on Earth has finally reopened.
Yes, we can all officially be happy again after the Worst. Year. Ever.
We’ll talk about all the joy in this week’s MickeyBlog News.
Disneyland Is Back!
In March of 2020, Disneyland closed down for what officials expected to be a few weeks.
More than 13 months later, the theme park finally reopened on April 30th, thereby bringing joy to the hearts of Californians.
For now, they’re the only ones who can visit, although the government has informed Disney that out-of-state guests are welcome now.
Presumably, Disney will modify the rule soon. Until then, only residents of the Golden State may enjoy Snow White’s Enchanted Wish:
Disney officials and cast members alike savored the reopening. The parks announced several pleasing details, including the summer return of Jungle Cruise.
Later in 2021, Disneyland will sell annual passes again, answering a question that has lingered for many months.
Everyone wanted the focus on the parks. So, Disney revealed these details to settle the matters. Then, everyone started celebrating. Watch this!
WE’RE BACK, BABY!!!
MickeyBlog will keep you updated on all the Disneyland happenings, but just knowing that the place has reopened is enough for now, isn’t it?
Orange County Changes
Florida health officials have taken several recent steps to roll back pandemic policies.
Some of them don’t apply to Walt Disney World yet, but they may soon.
Most notably, Orange County’s Department of Health has decided that businesses no longer need temperature checks.
COVID-19 cases have dropped 21 percent over the past week. With more Americans vaccinated, Floridians feel comfortable reducing restrictions.
Disney hasn’t announced any changes to its temperature check procedures yet.
However, if Orange County doesn’t require them, the tests could go away soon. The situation is similar to face coverings.
Orange County’s Mayor has established parameters for eliminating face masks.
When 50 percent of residents have received the vaccine, the county will no longer require facemasks outdoors. At 70 percent, all face mask rules will vanish.
At the current pace, the county could eliminate outdoor face-covering requirements by June and all restrictions by July.
The Mayor also announced that he has reduced social distancing requirements from six feet to three feet.
Similarly, The Florida Department of Health has stated that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks.
If you’re doing a doubletake at that, I’ll link you to the official site and quote the relevant text:
“Due to COVID-19 wide-spread vaccine availability, fully vaccinated individuals should no longer be advised to wear face coverings… except in limited circumstances.”
If you want face masks gone from Disney, get vaccinated, my friends!
All Aboard the Disney Wish!
While Disneyland’s reopening stole all the headlines, something essential happened with Disney Cruise Line.
In 2022, Disney will add a new vessel to its cruise fleet. It’ll be the first new cruise ship since 2012, and the company has pulled out all the stops.
The Disney Wish will set sail on June 9th, 2022! This ship will instantly become the pride of Disney Cruise Line when it debuts.
MickeyBlog has posted several articles about the new vessel, including this list of ten reasons why you’ll want to ride on it.
Hitting the highlights, the Disney Wish will feature the first-ever cruise ride, the AquaMouse.
Of course, you probably go on a cruise to eat and drink more than hop on a thrill ride.
Well, you’ll have your pick of a Star Wars lounge themed with outer space backgrounds, a Frozen entertainment-based dining experience, and a Marvel meal adventure.
Disney is banking on its most beloved intellectual properties to add extra oomph to the currently stagnant cruise industry.
By next summer, the pandemic should be a distant memory. Meanwhile, the maiden voyage of the Disney Wish presents an unprecedented opportunity.
Cruise fans won’t want to miss it, and I’ve got terrific news for you. Bookings will begin next month!
Speak to a MickeyTravels agent to learn when your booking window will open for the first sailing of the Disney Wish.
Remember that MickeyTravels agents never charge a dime for their expert services!
Significant Park Changes
Okay, we’ve tracked three impactful stories this week. Some other changes have occurred at Walt Disney World that you should know, though.
For starters, you should verify that you own valid admission tickets for your next park visit.
Disney’s Park Pass system has struggled recently due to the sheer volume of people desperate to get back to the parks.
Management cannot increase capacity yet, while a higher number of guests want to book Park Passes.
For this reason, several dates have sold out recently, and some future dates as far away as October currently display as booked, too.
Disney wants to alleviate this problem a bit. So, it’s taken the unusual step of canceling Park Passes for guests without valid park admission.
Anyone impacted by this change will receive an email notification about the matter. Disney gives people 48 hours to add valid park admission.
After that, the Park Pass automatically cancels. So, it’s essential that you verify you have linked your admission ticket to your My Disney Experience (MDE) account!
In other MDE news, Disney’s MagicMobile service has updated to include Android devices.
The only difference now is that your entrance pass saves to Google Pay. Otherwise, the process works the same.
So, between the two devices, MagicMobile now covers more than 99 percent of smart devices. In other words, everyone can use it now!
Other Park News
Disney also just clarified a question about Jungle Cruise. While Trader Sam has left the attraction, the company indicated that he wasn’t gone for good.
The new set will include Trader Sam’s Gift Shop, a hilarious lost and found scene.
The premise is that Alberta Falls has asked Sam to monitor the lost and found booth.
Ever the businessperson, Trader Sam has started selling these lost items instead. He won’t work at the shop, as he’s out collecting new collectibles.
So, Disney has found a solution that maintains the spirit of the ride without including any outdated, inappropriate elements!
In less happy news, the Mickey and Friends World Tour will perform for the last time this week.
On May 4th, the World Showcase will retire this Cavalcade, leaving the Princess Promenade as the last one.
You’ll find more characters at the front of EPCOT now, as Disney believes such interactions are safe again.
Several members of the Sensational Six, including Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, will appear at random intervals to entertain guests.
I looooove the Cavalcades and had hoped they might stay, but this decision makes sense.
Even More Park and Resort News
Elsewhere at the World Showcase, the former Relaxation Station at Yorkshire County Fish Shop is no more.
Disney has moved it to the less-trafficked Morocco pavilion, close to the beloved camel in the fez hat.
Parents should know that Magic Kingdom Baby Center will close in late May…but for a good reason.
Park officials want to expand the size of the baby-changing stations and nursing areas here to accommodate more traffic.
Finally, we can tell that Disney resorts are returning to normal.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa have brought back valet parking for the first time since the pandemic began.
Six more resorts will follow suit by the end of May, a sure sign that Disney believes the worst is over.