A Blog About Disney Stuff

According to a recent post on Unite Here Local 737’s Facebook page, we now know Disney has started calling even more Cast Members to return to work at Disney World’s theme parks and resorts.

These Cast Members will join the union members Disney called back earlier this month in preparation for the select Disney World Resort hotels that are reopening June 22nd. 

Unite Here Local 737 is one of the biggest unions at Disney World, and we took a particular interest in one of the groups. On the Union’s long list for Cast Members that are being asked to return, festival Cast Members are noted.

So far, Disney hasn’t said anything about Epcot’s festivals. We don’t know if they’ll be resuming their normal festival schedule, modifying it, or postponing festivals for a while. At this time, information regarding festivals is still very up in the air. It is important to note that the 2020 Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic was recently canceled.

Epcot’s 2020 Flower and Garden Festival had just started right before the temporary closures happened. The fest was only slated to run through June 1st. Disney hasn’t shared information on if this festival will resume when Epcot reopens.

And while Epcot’s 2020 Food and Wine Festival normally kicks off in August, Disney has yet to release the official dates for the festival! Under normal circumstances, we would typically know exactly when Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival would be taking place by now (the 2019 festival ran from August 29th through November 23rd). So as you can see, we’re still at a bit of a loss for words when folks ask what’s going on with Epcot’s festivals!

And for now, we can’t assume Epcot festival Cast Members being called back means festivals are coming back — it’s way too early to make that claim, especially when Disney will need Cast Members to fill in for its College Interns and Cultural Ambassadors whose programs were canceled.

So, keep in mind that while it looks like festival Cast Members are being called back to work, that does not guarantee that festivals are returning or operating as normal this year. But, it is pretty exciting to see it listed. Hopefully, we will have updates regarding festivals soon. Stay tuned!

Click here to find out were the NBA teams will most likely be staying at Disney World!

Do you think Epcot’s festivals will resume or be canceled this year? Leave your answer in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Counter-Service, Disney News, Epcot, Featured, Snacks, Walt Disney World, 2020 food and wine festival, called back, cancelled, cast members, epcot 2020 festival, Epcot Festivals, festival food handlers called back, festival schedule, Flower and Garden Festival, food and beverage, Food and Wine Festival, food handlers, modified, postponed, union, unite here local 737, will epcot festivals be returning

Disney World is working through a phased reopening. Some Disney Vacation Club resorts are set to open on June 22nd and the parks will follow next month. Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom will reopen on July 11th, and Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will reopen on July 15th. 

With the return of guests, Disney will need to bring back many of their Cast Members. Some workers have already been called back to staff the now-open locations in Disney Springs and in preparation for the reopening of some of the resort hotels. Now, according to the Orlando Hotel and Restaurant Workers Movement, even MORE Disney World workers are being called to return to work soon.

The Orlando Hotel and Restaurant Workers Movement is a group that is directly affiliated with UNITE HERE Local 737, the union for hotel and restaurant workers at Disney World. This workers’ union is in direct talks with Disney to negotiate workers’ return to work. You might remember UNITE HERE was also a player in negotiating employee furloughs a few months ago.

Today, the Orlando Hotel and Restaurant Workers Movement made a post on their Facebook page to inform Disney workers that a major round of recalls is set to begin. According to the post, some workers will be called to return on June 28th and others will be recalled for July 5th. All workers will not be called back immediately; Disney is expected to follow seniority for each job and location.

We will list all of the locations that workers being called to returning to below. Keep in mind, this list may not be accurate and is subject to change. There are a few potentially inaccurate locations listed — Liberty Inn in Epcot, for instance, has been closed for months prior to the closures. We will denote any potentially inaccurate listings with an asterisk (*) and note more information in red.

Magic Kingdom

• Adventureland Stewarding
• Be Our Guest (Table Service only, no Quick Service)
• Central Bakery
• Cone Shop (possibly Main Street Plaza Ice Cream Parlor)
• Cosmic Ray’s
• Food Handlers
• Jungle Skipper (Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen)
• Liberty Square (possibly Liberty Square Market, Columbia Harbor House, and/or Sleepy Hollow)
• Liberty Tree Tavern
• Main Street Bakery
• Outdoor Foods
• Pecos Bill’s
• Pinocchio Village Haus
• Plaza Restaurant
• Tony’s Town Square

Animal Kingdom

• Africa Bars
• Africa Stands
• Asia Bars
• Asia Stands
• Central Bakery
• Creature Comforts
• Discovery Island Bars
• Flame Tree BBQ
• Food Handlers
• Harambe Market
• Nomads (Nomad Lounge)
• Outdoor Foods
• Restaurantosaurus & Bar
• Satu’li (Satu’li Canteen)
• Tiffins

Epcot

• Coral Reef
• *Electric Umbrella (Electric Umbrella has closed.)
• Festivals
• Food Handlers
• *Fountain View (Fountain View has closed. Possibly Traveler’s Cafe)
• Garden Grill
• *Liberty Inn (Liberty Inn has closed.)
• Production Bakery
• Regal Eagle
• Sunshine Seasons
• Le Cellier (No International Workers)
• Biergarten (Family Style, No International Workers)
• Norway (Non-Tipped only, No International Workers) (possibly Kringla Bakeri og Kafe)
• Rose & Crown

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Backlot Express
• Brown Derby (Hollywood Brown Derby)
• Culinary Support
• Docking Bay
• Food Handlers
• Galaxy Edge Culinary & Stewarding
• Mama Melrose
• Ogas Cantina & Carts (possibly including Milk Stand and Ronto Roasters)
• Outdoor Foods
• PizzeRizzo
• Prime Time (50s Prime Time Cafe)
• Production Bakery
• Quick Service Stewarding
• Sci Fi & Tap House (Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater)
• Sunset Blvd. (possibly Fairfax Fare, Catalina Eddie’s, KRNR The Rock Station, and/or Rosie’s All American Cafe)
• Tap House (possibly BaseLine Tap House)
• Trolley Car Café
• Tune In Lounge

Disney Springs

• Deluxe Burger (D-Luxe Burger)
• Food Trucks Culinary
• Hangar Bar (Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar)
• Outdoor Vending
• Patisserie (Amorette’s Patisserie)

Walt Disney World Resorts

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

• Food Handlers
• Housekeeping
• *Mara (Disney has stated that Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House locations will not be reopening immediately.)
• Sanaa

Disney’s BoardWalk Inn

• Food Handlers
• Quick Service (possibly BoardWalk Pizza Window, etc.)
• Trattoria Al Forno

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

• Bakery Culinary
• Bay Lake Tower Bartenders
• California Grill
• Chef Mickey’s (Family Style)
• Contempo Café
• Food Handlers
• Housekeeping
• Sand Bar
• The Wave

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

• Barcelona Lounge
• Catering Culinary & Stewarding
• Food Handlers
• Housekeeping
• Stewarding

Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

• Food Handlers
• Meadow Snack Bar
• Pioneer Hall Culinary (venue for Hoop Dee Doo Revue)
• Stewarding

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

• Bakery Culinary
• Catering Culinary & Stewarding
• Food Handlers
• Gasparilla Grill
• Grand Café (Grand Floridian Café)
• Housekeeping
• Narcoossee’s
• Pool Bars
• Room Service
• Service Bar

Disney’s Old Key West Resort

• Food Handlers
• Goods to Go
• Olivia’s

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

• Bakery Culinary
• Captain Cook’s
• Food Handlers
• Housekeeping Phones
• Kona Café

Disney’s Pop Century Resort

• Culinary & Stewarding
• Everything Pop
• Food Handlers
• Petals Pool Bar

Disney’s Riviera Resort

• Food Handlers
• Le Petit Café
• Pastry Culinary
• Primo Piatto
• Topolino’s (Topolino’s Terrace)

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa

• Artist’s Palette
• Culinary
• Culinary & Stewarding
• Food Handlers
• Housekeeping Runners

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

• Food Handlers
• Whispering Canyon

Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts

• Ale & Compass
• Beaches & Cream
• Culinary & Stewarding
• Catering Culinary & Stewarding
• Food Handlers
• Housekeeping
• Market Quick Service (possibly The Market at Ale & Compass)
• Martha’s Vineyard Lounge
• Private Dining

This is NOT a guarantee that any of the listed locations will be opening as soon as the resorts and parks open. Cast Members may be working in alternate roles or locations than they typically do. The only CONFIRMED reopening locations are the ones that Disney has officially announced. You can see the official list of reopening dining here.

Keep an eye on DFB for all of the latest Disney World dining updates as we move closer to a reopening!

Click here for the full list of CONFIRMED restaurants!

What restaurants are you excited to eat in? Tell us in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Animal Kingdom, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Bay Lake Tower, Beach Club Resort, Boardwalk Inn and Villas, Contemporary Resort, Coronado Springs Resort, Disney News, disney parks, disney resorts, Disney Springs, disney’s hollywood studios, Epcot, Featured, Fort Wilderness Resort, Grand Floridian Resort, magic kingdom, Old Key West Resort, Polynesian Resort, Pop Century Resort, Riviera Resort, Saratoga Springs, Walt Disney World, Wilderness Lodge, Yacht Club Resort, Cast Member Recalls, cast members, Disney World, Disney World cast member recall, disney world dining, Disney World reopening, unite here local 737

We noticed something rather unusual in Disney Springs today!

We spotted a sign for Complimentary Photos from Disney PhotoPass! BUT, there’s a small catch…

The sign said the opportunity is for “today only.”

But, hey… signs can come and go (and then come back again!), can’t they? So we thought we’d give you a heads up to keep your eyes peeled if you find yourself in Disney Springs soon!

We were informed that photographers could scan Annual Pass cards (or MagicBands, if you happen to have yours handy) to receive the digital download when it comes through on your My Disney Experience app. But, if you don’t happen to have those, the cast members have disposable cards to provide with the necessary info to download your pic!

Originally, the photo op was located on an outlook with a water view across from Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’. But just a little later it was moved to the Orange Bird Mural (which you’ll find in The Landing near Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC for a fun photo op with our favorite little orange pal!

So keep an eye out for more potential fun — and free! — PhotoPass photo ops in Disney Springs!

Will you be visiting Disney Springs soon? Please let us know with a comment!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney Springs, Featured, Walt Disney World, Complimenary PhotoPass, Disney PhotoPass, Disney PhotoPass Service, disney springs, disney springs reopening, Free PhotoPass

The Walt Disney World Resort will start welcoming guests again — starting with select Disney World Resort hotels — on June 22nd. (The theme parks will follow starting with Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11th followed by EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15th.)

As Walt Disney World reopens (joining Universal Orlando Resort which opened earlier this month), Orlando will naturally welcome more visitors. And many of them will, of course, arrive by way of Orlando International Airport.

Orlando International Airport (MCO) has shared on Facebook that “Effective immediately, all badged employees are required to wear a mask/face covering at the airport” as they also continue to practice social distancing. It is stated that this is “in compliance to our Mayor’s Executive Proclamation directing protective measures at MCO.” 

While the requirement applies to badged workers at Orlando International Airport, travelers are encouraged to wear a face covering when in the airport, according to the same Facebook post. The post also links to an official press release by GOAA (the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority).

Again, while Disney Springs is currently open, Walt Disney World Resort is preparing to reopen to guests starting at select Resort hotels on June 22nd, followed by the theme parks in July. You can find all the latest information on the reopening of Walt Disney World Resort by visiting any of the links below.

Source: Orlando International Airport (MCO) on Facebook

Do you travel through MCO when visiting Orlando? Please let us know with a comment. 

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Featured, Walt Disney World, face coverings, face masks, mco, mco airport, orlando international aiport, Orlando International Airport face masks, Traveling to Orlando

Sparks were really flying between us and this new Wall-E and Eve Wallet we recently spotted on Loungefly’s website!

And now our favorite robot couple has just collaborated on another Loungefly accessory that you’ve gotta see!

Check out this new out-of-this-world Wall-E and Eve Loungefly Backpack! Talk about some star-crossed lovers! These two are cuties are so adorable, we can’t stand it!

The new Wall-E and Eve Loungefly Backpack is a BoxLunch exclusive, so don’t expect to find it anywhere else in the ENTIRE galaxy!

We love how the little outer space designs really pop against the bold black faux leather background of the bag! Plus, the blue piping and straps really add some major style points!

Look for the new Wall-E and Eve Loungefly Backpack for $69.90 on BoxLunch’s site today, and to see a sneak peek of yet another Wall-E Loungefly Backpack that’s coming soon, click HERE!

Get your own Wall-E and Eve Loungefly here! 

Have you seen the cuteness that is the new Heimlich Loungefly Backpack? Make sure you brace yourself before clicking here!

What do you think of this new Wall-E and Eve Loungefly? Let us know if you’ll be getting one in the comments below!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: disney merchandise, Featured, News, boxlunch, boxlunch exclusive, Disney, Loungefly, loungefly backpack, new loungefly, Wall-E, wall-e and eve, wall-e and eve loungefly, wall-e and eve loungefly backpack