A Blog About Disney Stuff

The reopening isn’t the only big news out of Disney World. As you may have heard, the NBA is playing the rest of their season in Disney World!

This is a pretty unique situation! 22 teams are all headed to Disney World for the playoffs and that means a LOT of NBA players, coaches, and crews will be accommodated on Disney property. If you’re headed to Disney World during this time, you might be wondering how all this will affect your trip. We’re looking at the numbers!

What dates will the NBA be in Disney?

First, let’s take a look at the dates that the NBA will be at Disney. The teams are set to travel to Orlando between July 7th and July 11th in time for three weeks of training before the teams begin to play on July 30th. As the games continue, teams that are eliminated from the playoffs will be able to leave the “bubble,” slowly reducing the number of NBA affiliated folks in Disney World.

Each team will play eight games to determine playoff seeding. Once those games are over, the playoffs will begin in their regular format. If there is an NBA Finals Game 7, it will be played on October 13th. So, the total time the NBA will be at Disney World should be right around three months.

Click here to learn more about the NBA season.

Will the NBA accommodations affect hotel availability?

One BIG way this could affect guests is through the number of hotel rooms that will be occupied by the teams and their affiliates. At the start of the arrangement, eight teams will be staying in Gran Destino Tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, eight teams at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and six teams at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort.

Each team is allowed up to a 35-person traveling party and 17 rooms for guests. That’s a lot of hotel rooms. Let’s break down what that means for each of the affected hotels.

Gran Destino Tower has 15 floors with approximately 36 rooms each. If each team gets a floor, and one floor is set aside for guests of every two teams, the eight teams will occupy twelve of the fifteen floors of the hotel. Following the same math, the NBA will occupy half of Grand Floridian’s 867 standard rooms and over half of Yacht Club’s 539 standard rooms. And, all of that is not counting press and non-team affiliated officiants.

Coronado Springs Resort will be considered one of the main hub areas for the NBA in Orlando — that’s why all of the higher-seeded teams are placed there. If a team that is staying at one of the other two hotels makes it further into the playoffs, they could be asked to move to Gran Destino so that the other resorts can open to guests on August 24th (for Yacht Club) and September 21st (for Grand Floridian).

Keep in mind that the Yacht Club does share some amenities with Disney’s Beach Club Resort. Though all of Beach Club will not reopen until August 24th with Yacht Club, the Villas at Disney’s Beach Club Resort are open now. Still, the areas that connect to Yacht Club are blocked off with signage, and some amenities — like Stormalong Bay pool — won’t be open until the resorts open to guests.

The Grand Floridian resort is currently erecting a massive fence to keep players and guests separated (parts of the Grand Floridian resort are open to guests). Players will also have private amenities including players-only lounges in their respective resorts.

All this to say, YES, the NBA will have an effect on hotel availability. Press and officials occupying other spaces will further this effect.

So currently, guests who have reservations at the affected hotels may have to call and change their reservation to a different resort hotel during their travel dates. 

Teams will leave Orlando as they are eliminated from the tournament. The finals will have only two teams occupying hotel space, so by the end of the tournament, only Gran Destino Tower will have teams occupying the space. Grand Floridian and Yacht Club will be fully open to the public by that time. 

Click here to learn more about the NBA’s accommodations!

Will players have priority access to experiences?

You might be wondering if the NBA will have priority access to experiences like dining and theme park hours. In some cases, yes, and in some, you won’t have to worry. The reason the NBA is in Disney is to create a bubble. Interactions outside of their specific areas and teams will be limited, making it less likely that NBA activities will interrupt your day.

The teams will have planned excursions, separate from any that are available to guests. According to theme park journalist Scott Gustin, these excursions may include the NBA Experience, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, or Wild Africa Trek. 

The NBA handout includes a list of possible “excursions” at Walt Disney World including The NBA Experience, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Wild Africa Trek. pic.twitter.com/dwHOZVr18p

— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) June 17, 2020

 

 

But besides those privatized restaurant experiences (FYI — those likely include the signature dining locations that aren’t opening to the public at the resorts), you don’t need to worry about players taking up dining reservations. Disney chefs will be preparing many of the teams’ daily meals and they will have a special room service dining option. So, no, Steph Curry is not going to swipe your Topolino’s Terrace reservation.

One thing to note is that players may receive access to the parks, but it would be after guests leave for the day. We’re not sure yet if this will have any effect on park hours, but we’ll be sure to keep an eye on it.

Click here to learn more about the amenities NBA players will get.

Will I see any NBA players out and about?

For basketball fans, being in Disney at the same time can be exciting! Will you be seeing NBA players out and about? Well, most likely no. Again “out and about” isn’t really the point of all this. It’s called a bubble for a reason. Will you maybe see a fancy car or bus drive by with NBA players inside? Possibly, but don’t count on it.  

You might get a glimpse of players flying into the Orlando International Airport (MCO) if you’re there between July 7th and 11th, but it would be from a distance. According to Sportscasting, NBA teams typically use private jets, even in normal times. To preserve the bubble, these guys likely won’t enter public areas either. 

You probably won’t see them in restaurants, in the parks, or in the lobby of open hotels, as they’ll be encouraged to stay away from others. For those staying at the Beach Club Villas, you might see them getting in the car at Yacht Club — but don’t expect to be strolling into EPCOT next to Lebron. If you want to see the players in Disney World, you’ll have to tune in to the games on your TV.

So, yes, the NBA might have an effect on your Disney vacation — but maybe not a huge one. Keeping these teams away from the public is important to keep them healthy so that they CAN play, which will help to lessen any meddling in your trip plans. Follow along with DFB for all the latest NBA updates!

Click here to learn more about the NBA staying in Disney World!

Will you be traveling at the same time as the NBA? Tell us in the comments! 

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Beach Club Resort, Coronado Springs Resort, disney parks, disney resorts, Featured, Grand Floridian Resort, Walt Disney World, Yacht Club Resort, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, NBA, NBA in Disney, NBA Play-offs

Disney World’s phased reopening of its theme parks is just under two weeks away and continues to move forward, but Disneyland has postponed its July 17th grand reopening while it awaits guidelines from state officials.

And while Disney hasn’t and won’t be generating anywhere close to the pre-closure levels of revenue in the Parks, Experience, and Products sector for a while, CEO Bob Chapek noted that the company would not reopen any park unless it would ultimately generate profit.

We’ve already shared with you how many guests Disney will need to stay in the black once the theme parks reopen, otherwise, the company could actually lose even more money by reopening. We also know Disney will capping its attendance for the foreseeable future, requiring guests to obtain both a park ticket and reservation using the new Disney Park Pass system before visiting the parks.

But due to the upward trend in cases, there is growing concern that the theme parks might be reopening too soon. In fact, the Wall Street Journal has just reported the findings of a survey that was conducted earlier this month in which  2,000 U.S. consumers were asked if they would visit a Disney park this year. Almost two-thirds said they would only think about going to Disney if a vaccine existed.

There will be a number of new health and safety procedures implemented at the theme parks upon their reopening, including limited capacity, modified attractions and entertainment offerings, required face coverings for guests and Cast Members, mandatory temperature screenings to enter, increased sanitation, social distancing markers, and more. But despite Disney’s best efforts to keep its guests and Cast Members safe, it seems the majority agree that until there’s a vaccine, the parks will not be able to reach a normal pre-closures attendance level making Disney’s road to financial recovery even longer.

Would you visit the Disney parks before a vaccine? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Animal Kingdom, disney california adventure, Disney News, disney’s hollywood studios, Disneyland, Epcot, Featured, magic kingdom, News, cure, disney parks, Disney World, health and safety measures, in-person entertainment, limited capacity, reduced capacity, reopening, rise in cases, vaccine, wall street journal

Arendelle World of Frozen Construction Update from Hong Kong Disneyland

Construction is underway at Hong Kong Disneyland for the Arendelle World of Frozen.

Guests will be able to experience the world of “Frozen” like never before – enjoying its sights, sounds, cuisines and traditions. The new “Frozen” area will feature a one-of-a-kind coaster called Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs that will take guests on a winding journey through Arendelle. Each experience on Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs begins when you visit Oaken’s infamous store. Then, Olaf and Sven help pull your sled to the top of the lift before sending you on your way.

Twitter user HKDL of Fantasy shared some recent photos of the construction going on at Hong Kong Disneyland.

Let’s take a look:

HKDL Updates | Construction photos of “Arendelle: World of Frozen”, opening in 2021.#hongkongdisneyland #hkdisneyland #hkdl #disneyparks #香港ディズニーランド #ディズニーランド #hk #hongkong #ArendelleWorldOfFrozen #frozen pic.twitter.com/XVrAOdOZxd

— HKDL of Fantasy (@hkdl_of_fantasy) June 26, 2020

HKDL Updates | Construction photos of “Arendelle: World of Frozen”, opening in 2021.#hongkongdisneyland #hkdisneyland #hkdl #disneyparks #香港ディズニーランド #ディズニーランド #hk #hongkong #ArendelleWorldOfFrozen #frozen pic.twitter.com/u9csmovEE3

— HKDL of Fantasy (@hkdl_of_fantasy) June 28, 2020

As you can see the buildings are starting to go up in this Frozen-themed expansion.

Arendelle World of Frozen is expected to open with 2 new attractions in 2021, but with the long closure due to COVID-19, there is a chance that it might be delayed.

Stay tuned to Chip and Company for more details.

From our friends at chipandco.com
Filed Under: Parks & Resorts, Expansion, Hong Kong, Refurbishments, Arendelle World of Frozen, Frozen, hong kong disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland expansion, Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs

When the Minnie Main Attraction collection moved online, we didn’t get the MagicBands that were originally a Parks only option. As a surprise some Minnie The Main Attraction MagicBands from past collections have shown up on shopDisney! The March, and April MagicBands are now available!

Minnie The Main Attraction MagicBands

Mad Tea Party Minnie The Main Attraction Band

In March we had the Mad Tea Party collection! This collection was inspired by everyone’s favorite spinning ride! The band comes in a collector’s box that matches the fun swirly print of the ears and backpack pins, plush, and the mug of the collection, it also retails for $34.99.

One side features the Tea Party Minnie plush, while the other side features the whimsical tea cups! This color scheme is gorgeous with the pinks, and purples, and subtle pops of mint.

It’s a small world Minnie the Main Attraction Band

For April we had the ”it’s a small world” collection! Just like the Mad Tea Party band, this one comes in a collector’s box that matches the ears, fanny pack, pins, plush, and the mug of the April collection. It also retails for $34.99.

April actually had a similar color scheme to the Mad Tea Party, but with a lot more purple, and pops of aqua. This band also features the Minnie Plush on one side, with details from the Clock and decorations of the ride on the other.

The May band featuring the Enchanted Tiki Room hasn’t popped up yet, but we hope to see what it looks like soon!

Are you excited that the Minnie The Main Attraction MagicBands are now online?

From our friends at chipandco.com
Filed Under: Shop, MagicBands, It’s a small world, Mad Tea Party, Magicbands, Minnie Main Attraction, Minnie The Main Attraction, Minnie The Main Attraction MagicBands

Keep your little Mouseketeer clean, and keep your stroller organized, with these new items found at World of Disney at Disney Springs. The Disney Parks stroller organizer is available in four designs: Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Mickey and Pals, and Park Life. They feature an adjustable strap to fit your stroller handles, and convertible storage sections, exterior zip pouch, and a slip pocket. Each one is $24.99 and also available at shopDisney online.

Also on display with these stroller organizers are some baby bibs for when your little one is super messy. These bibs are silicone and have a large pocket tray at the bottom to collect all the messes that come with feeding a baby or young toddler. The design features Minnie Mouse or Mickey Mouse, with their body on the bib, resulting in the bib wearer’s head appearing on Mickey or Minnie’s body. Each one is $14.99 and does not seem to be on shopDisney online.

Do you know any parents who would benefit from either of these items?

The post New Disney Themed Stroller Organizers and Bibs Available at Disney Springs appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disney Springs, Merchandise, disney baby, disney stroller