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Post by Admin on Jul 9, 2020 21:24:06 GMT
 Walt Disney World cast members were treated to a first glance of the royal centerpiece's magical makeover on Wednesday, when Magic Kingdom opened for previews ahead of the Orlando theme park's official reopening date after a months-long closure due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In photos circulating on social media, the iconic landmark appears to have gotten a fresh coat of blush pink paint to its exterior walls. The royal blue rooftops and turrets also look much bolder now courtesy of more gold ornamentation decorating the spires, ramparts and entrance archway of the castle's facade. The update was first announced earlier this year as a way to honor the 70th anniversary of Cinderella's release. “Cinderella first transformed into a princess 70 years ago this week when the animated classic was released,” Jason Kirk, vice president of Magic Kingdom Park, wrote in a blog post in February, “and ever since, her courage and kindness have been inspiring guests and cast members alike.” “We are excited to share that her story has inspired a bold, shimmering and royal makeover of her namesake castle at the heart of Walt Disney World Resort," he added. “When you visit, be sure to share your excitement with our cast members — they can’t wait to see the shimmering towers shining down on the kingdom each and every morning." The Cinderella Castle stands at 189 feet tall, according to Walt Disney World’s official website, and is surrounded by a moat and gardens that offer plenty of picturesque photo opportunities. At night, the castle is illuminated by more than 16 million lights, and special effects are projected onto its exterior during fireworks displays. |
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Post by Admin on Jul 11, 2020 22:29:09 GMT
The day has arrived, Disney World is officially reopened to guests! Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom opened to the public today and we’ve got all the details about what’s new, what’s different, what’s the same and what totally shocked us! Disney World parks in Orlando, Florida are open again nearly four months after shutting down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom reopened Saturday, while Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will reopen on July 15. “The Most Magical Place on Earth” is open for business again even as Florida continues to rack up near-record numbers of new coronavirus cases.  The state reported 11,433 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, its biggest daily increase since July 3, when 11,458 cases were recorded. Florida's health department reported 435 more hospitalizations — the state's largest single-day increase. On Saturday, Florida reported an additional 421 new hospitalizations as well as 10,360 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the state to 254,511. The statewide COVID-19 death toll has surpassed 4,200. The United States recorded over 70,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day for the first time Friday. States such as California, Texas and Georgia contributed to the record-breaking nationwide tally, as well as Florida. On Saturday, Louisiana governor John Edwards issued a statewide mandate that anyone over the age of 8 years old has to wear a face mask unless they have a health condition that prevents them from doing so.  All bars in the state were also closed but can continue curbside pickup. The changes go into effect on Monday and will remain in place until the 24th. A total of more than 3.2 million coronavirus cases have been reported so far across the nation. The virus has killed nearly 135,000 people, according to NBC News' tally. Among those killed by the virus is a child in South Carolina, who is the first to die of COVID-19 in the state. The grim news comes on the same day the state reported its highest number of positive coronavirus cases yet, officials said. The spike in cases has prompted many cities and counties around Florida to reinstate restrictions and safety protocols that had been lifted in May, when cases seemed to drop. |
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Post by Admin on Jul 13, 2020 6:02:23 GMT
In celebration of Disney World’s reopening after shutting down earlier this year in response to the still ongoing coronavirus pandemic that’s killed over 130,000 people in the US alone, the Disney Parks and Jobs dropped a video over the weekend enthusiastically welcoming park guests “home.” Here, “home” refers to a theme park owned by a megacorporation.  The sentiment behind Disney’s video was simple and straightforward enough: “come back, please. It’s safe now.” Beyond simply opening Disney World back up to the general public, the company’s taken certain measures to ensure the safety of its employees and guests such as requiring everyone within the park to wear masks and creating new, free hand sanitizing stations. Fewer guests overall are being let into Disney World in order to make it easier for people to socially distance within the park, and various rides and attractions have been altered in order to encourage people not to cluster.  Were we at a point in our response to the coronavirus pandemic where the spread of the virus was under control and the country as a whole was more or less on the same page about what sort of measures we need to take in order to keep new outbreaks and spikes from occurring, video’s like Disney’s might be reassuring. But that’s not at all the case here in the US where Florida just broke the national record for a single-day jump of newly-reported positive coronavirus cases. |
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Post by Admin on Jul 16, 2020 20:19:28 GMT
Disney World guests will not get their on-ride photos if they are caught on camera without a mask. Disney does not share photos with guests who are acting in an unsafe manner, Disney said. The recent mandate requiring all guests, barring some exceptions, to cover up while inside their park falls under this policy. Prior to reopening its Florida parks this week amid a spike in cases throughout the state, the company cautioned that anyone two years and older would be required to wear a mask or face covering once inside in order to stem the spread of the virus. The only exception to the policy would be when guests are eating or swimming, according to Walt Disney World's latest coronavirus update.  Disney welcomed back guests to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11 followed by Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15 after nearly four months of going dark. Although Disney has set protocols in place to protect the health and wellness of staff and guests, the phased reopenings come during a surge of Floridians testing positive for the new coronavirus in recent weeks. To be sure, there were about 10,000 new cases reported on July 11, according to state statistics. One day later, the state shattered the national record for the largest single-day increase in positive coronavirus cases in any state since the beginning of the pandemic, adding more than 15,000 cases as its daily average death toll also continued to rise. However, Disney is working to stay open while keeping its guests safe. The park has implemented enhanced cleaning protocols, requires masks and is enforcing social distancing. Furthermore, visitors will need reservations to enter a park, and they won’t be allowed to hop between parks. Both visitors and employees will receive temperature checks when they enter. And fireworks shows and parades have been suspended to prevent drawing too many people together. |
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Post by Admin on Jul 18, 2020 4:43:17 GMT
A Disney World cast member portraying Brave’s Princess Merida recently showed just how brave her character can be after the horse she was riding got spooked by a balloon.
In a video taken by a guest visiting Orlando's Magic Kingdom park on its reopening day July 11, the fiery-haired princess from the 2012 animated film is seen trotting down Main Street on the back of a brown-and-white horse, waving to visitors.
Seconds into the clip, a child on the side of the street appears to lose his Mickey balloon, which drifts towards the horse — the string wrapping around the animal’s back left leg. The horse quickly became spooked by the balloon, kicking up his legs and bucking in an attempt to get free.
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