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Disney News Disney Parks

Exciting News! Homecomin’ In Disney Springs Is Getting a NEW Patio Shine Bar!

After parking and passing through the new health screening process, we’ve made it inside Disney Springs for the first time since mid-March!

Orange Garage

And although Disney Springs doesn’t officially open until 10AM, we’re currently walking around to see what’s new or different before the some of the shops and restaurants start to open up. You can follow along with our live, all-day coverage here!

On our meanderings this morning, we walked by Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ and noticed something VERY unusual — construction WALLS?!

Construction Walls at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ in Disney Springs

That’s right, friends! This LOOOOONG row of construction walls that were running alongside Homecomin’s building this morning was pretty hard to miss! AND we definitely would have remembered seeing them the last time we stopped by! That means this project is completely NEW and totally out of the blue!

Construction Walls at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ in Disney Springs

Back in December, Homecomin’ introduced a new enclosed patio. Now, a new sign has posted on one of the walls to show us another new addition! It looks like Homecomin’ is gettin’ a fancy new outdoor patio bar called Homecomin’ Shine Bar & Social!

Construction Walls at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ in Disney Springs

Even though Homecomin’ isn’t reopening today, we saw a few construction workers at the restaurant today! This confirmed for us some smaller construction projects have resumed at Disney World despite all construction being halted when the parks initially closed.

Construction Workers at Homecomin’

We’re eager to see more about the new Homecomin’ Shine Bar & Social that’s currently underway! So far, there haven’t been any details about this new project yet, but we’ll let you know more about it as soon as Homecomin’ releases some details!

Are you excited about Homecomin’ Shine Bar & Social? Let us know in the comments below!

Related posts:

  1. News! Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Adds EXTENDED Brunch Hours!
  2. Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Debuts New Enclosed Patio in Disney Springs!
  3. Review! We’re Loving This NEW Menu Addition to Homecomin’ in Disney Springs!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, Disney Springs, Featured, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’, construction resumes, construction walls, disney springs, Disney World, Homecomin, homecomin’ shine bar & social, may 20th, new construction, Outdoor Patio, reopening, Shine Bar

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Disney Business Disney Financials Disney Parks Disney+

7 Super Weird Ways the NBA and Disney Are (Strangely) Linked Right Now

When you think of Disney, the first thing that pops into your head probably isn’t “basketball.”

NBA Experience

Still, Disney actually has a pretty close relationship with the NBA in more ways than one. You might have heard about the NBA Experience in Disney Springs or maybe you’ve watched basketball on Disney-owned ESPN, but those aren’t the ONLY ways these two companies are linked.

Come with us down the strange, winding rabbit hole of seven weird ways that Disney and the NBA are connected right NOW!

1. The NBA might use Disney World as a potential playing site if the 2019-2020 season resumes.

The big NBA/Disney news right now is that IF the NBA 2019-2020 season is able to resume, they’re considering using Disney World as a potential venue for (fan-less) games. They’ve even already gotten the “OK” from Disney!

Jostens Center at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

The NBA has been looking at the logistics of sequestering the entire league. If play could resume at one centralized location, the league could create a “bubble” to keep the players safe.

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

If such a situation came to pass, it would be pretty unique to see Disney help get the NBA back up and running.

2. An NBA Player ended up in possession of some stolen vintage Disney World items.

There was a theft case over some missing vintage Disney items a few months ago. Interestingly enough, the stolen items ended up in the possession of mega-Disney fan and Milwaukee Bucks center Robin Lopez.

©ESPN

According to the Orlando Sentinel, authorities found some vintage Disney clothing that used to belong to the Buzzy animatronic from the old Cranium Command attraction in Epcot in Lopez’s possession. The player claimed he did not know that the items were stolen, but he had purchased them from a former Disney employee who had stolen them from Disney property.

©D23

The case has since been settled with the perpetrators taking a plea deal. The situation was pretty high profile, partially because of Lopez’s involvement and because the entire Buzzy animatronic that was stolen still remains missing! The perpetrators claim to have no knowledge of the missing animatronic.

3. Disney is taking a major financial loss due to the suspension of the NBA season.

Remember how we said that Disney owns ESPN? Well, they are taking a significant loss due to the fact that the NBA season has been suspended. According to The Motley Fool, the NBA’s media rights deal with ESPN is worth $2.6 billion per year. Right now, that worth is taking a hit with downgrades to stock and losses in ad revenue.

NBA Experience Store

Some analysts are suggesting that the loss could culminate in a multi-million dollar drop in income due to the NBA alone. It’s interesting to think about how the two businesses have such a dramatic effect on one another!

4. The NBA is looking to Bob Iger for guidance on reopening.

Even though the NBA is completely separate from Disney, the league is reportedly looking to Disney’s executive chairman Bob Iger for some business guidance.

Bob Iger ©Disney

Iger was invited to advise the Board of Governors of the NBA and he addressed how the Disney parks have been making decisions saying, “It’s about the data, and not the date.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver appears to agree with this sentiment noting, “We’re just not ready to set a date yet in terms of how long we could wait before we no longer would be able to continue this season.”

Basketball Minnie Ears ©Disney

The two companies are both MASSIVE entertainment-based organizations that notably require people to come together for their business models to work.

5. The NBA Experience opened in Disney Springs in 2019.

Though temporarily closed right now, the NBA Experience opened up in Disney Springs last year. For several years, Disney Springs had a major indoor interactive attraction in the same space called DisneyQuest, but as technology advanced, the experience grew stagnant. So, ultimately, the plug was pulled on DisneyQuest and replaced by a new immersive experience — one that’s b-ball-centric.

NBA Experience

NBA Experience has been open for almost a year now and offers a unique sports experience. The two-story attraction features a bunch of immersive activities designed to make the guest (that’s you) feel like an NBA star. This attraction is a cool option for sports fans!

6. The NBA and Disney theme parks announced closures within one day of each other.

Like we mentioned, the Disney parks and the NBA are both in a state of temporary closure right now. What’s interesting is that they actually started their closures within one day of each other! The NBA suspended their season on March 11th and Disney announced the closure of many of their theme parks on March 12th.

Disneyland Main Entrance

Both companies noted a growing concern in the global health crisis and were some of the first large organizations to close or suspend operations to protect their employees and patrons.

7. The new Michael Jordan documentary is the most-watched ESPN documentary EVER.

And our last interesting link to note is related to the Michael Jordan documentary The Last Dance. This ESPN docuseries has been on the channel for a few weeks and, according to the Disney earnings call the other day, it’s the most-watched ESPN documentary EVER. Woah.

©ESPN

What’s crazy is that this is making ESPN (and therefore Disney) some serious money despite the fact that there aren’t a lot of sports going on. In fact, April brought a rise in primetime viewership per CEO Christine McCarthy.

So there you have it! It certainly shocked us how intertwined Disney and the NBA are with each other! We love finding interesting things like this to share with you guys and we’re interested to see what ends up happening with a few of these situations.

Were you surprised about the different ways that Disney and the NBA are linked? Tell us in the comments!

Related posts:

  1. “It’s About The Data, And Not The Date” Says Disney Chairman Bob Iger to NBA Owners
  2. Get Ready for the NBA Experience Coming to Disney Springs in Summer 2019!
  3. Disney Springs Construction Update: NBA Experience and City Works Eatery and Pour House

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Featured, News, bob iger, disney springs, Disney World, espn, Michael Jordan, Michael Jordan Documentary, NBA, NBA Experience, NBA Season, NBA season Suspension, The Last Dance

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Disney News Disney Parks Other

Disney Springs Reopens today at 10am

Disney Springs Reopening

Disney Springs has begun a phased reopening today! The hours of operation are 10 am to 10 pm.

Matt Simon Vice President of Disney Springs talks about the new safety measures at Disney Springs.

To get an idea of what they will look like check out this video.

Here is more information on what to expect at Disney Springs.

For Cast Members, Operating Participant employees and Guests, there are 6 key things to know before arriving at Disney Springs, and they include:

  • Limited parking and reduced entrances
  • Temperature screenings prior to entry
  • Face coverings required for Guests ages 3 and up
  • Physical distancing practices including physically-distanced queues and physical barriers
  • Temporary operation modifications, including reduced hours at select locations and no scheduled entertainment offerings or high-touch interactive areas
  • An increased focus on disinfecting and sanitation, including the addition of hand-washing stations and hand sanitizers in key areas

Since many of these measures will be new, and may evolve, we want to be sure Guests, Cast Members and Operating Participant employees are aware of all these changes.

  COVID-19 Warning

We have taken enhanced health and safety measures—for you, our other Guests, and Cast Members. You must follow all posted instructions while visiting Disney Springs.

An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, senior citizens and Guests with underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable.

By visiting Disney Springs you voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19.

Help keep each other healthy.

Guest Parking and Entrances

During this initial phase, Guests will be directed to self-park in the Orange and Lime garages; all surface parking lots will be closed. At opening, we have also reduced Guest entryways to 4 locations: Orange and Lime garages, along with the Hotel Plaza Boulevard Pedestrian Bridge and the rideshare location. Guest access to Disney Springs from the Grapefruit garage will be restricted.

Temperature Screening

All Guests are required to undergo temperature screenings upon arrival at Disney Springs.

  • Guest Screening: During this initial period, Guests will undergo temperature screening in these locations: the second-floor exits of Orange and Lime parking garages and the Marketplace Entrance (to serve Guests from the Hotel Plaza Boulevard Pedestrian Bridge and the rideshare drop-off lot). Based on guidance from health authorities, anyone displaying a temperature of 100.4 F or above will be directed to an additional location for rescreening and assistance. Those with temperatures above 100.4 will not be allowed entry; those in their party will not be allowed entry either.
  • Employee Screening: Cast Members and Operating Participant employees will be required to complete a health screening and temperature check at home, prior to coming to work.

Limited Contact

Following guidance from the government and the medical community regarding enhanced screening procedures and prevention measures, we have made some temporary adjustments that include limited-contact Guest Services to ensure a responsible and enjoyable environment for everyone.

  • Face Coverings: All Guests ages 3 and older are required to wear face coverings when visiting Walt Disney World Resort.All face coverings should:
    • Fully cover an individual’s nose and mouth and allow the Guest to remain hands-free
    • Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
    • Be secured with ties or ear loops
    • Be made of breathable cloth material, either disposable or reusable

    Costume masks are not considered appropriate and are prohibited from being worn, in alignment with our existing rules.

    Guests are required to wear face coverings at all times, except while dining or swimming. The use of face coverings should not be seen as a substitute for physical distancing. Guests must provide their own disposable or reusable face covering.

  • Physical Barriers: Physical barriers have been added in select places where it is difficult to maintain strict physical distancing guidelines. These may be visible in areas around cash registers or at Guest Relations, for example, to help ensure proper distances between people.
  • Cashless Transactions: At this time, it is recommended all Guests use cashless or contactless payment options, such as credit cards, debit cards, Disney Gift Cards, Disney Rewards Redemption Cards and mobile wallets—including Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. Guests may purchase a Disney Gift Card at select Merchandise locations and Welcome Center (Guest Relations) to pay without cash.

Physical Distancing and Capacity Measures

Managing the number of Guests visiting Disney Springs has been a major consideration as we implement physical distancing guidelines based on recommendations from health authorities and government officials. One of the ways to do that is to limit the number of Guests and Cast Members at any given time for each location. Additional measures include:

  • Signage: Directional signage has been installed to assist Guests to responsibly move throughout the property. Additionally, ground markings will help promote proper physical distancing when queuing is needed at a location.
  • Training: We are also training Cast Members to engage with Guests and promote physical distancing guidelines in common areas and queues.

Cleanliness and Sanitation

We’ve increased cleaning and disinfection in high-traffic areas such as public elevators and escalators, handrails, benches, tables, handles, restrooms and more. Additionally, Disney Springs will open with hand sanitizer and hand-washing locations, and Guests are highly encouraged to use these while visiting.

Cast Training

We’re further emphasizing our strong culture of health and safety among Cast Members and Operating Participant employees, and will continue to provide new training and reinforcement as we navigate through the reopening phases.

About These Measures

As part of these efforts, Guests may see other changes to our retail and dining offerings, as well as other experiences. Though it may be different from the last time you visited, these new measures are designed to offer a magical Disney experience in a responsible way.

We understand that these times are challenging, and we appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we navigate as responsibly as we can. Together, we can find new ways to have fun while being diligent to maintain proper physical distancing.

Frequently Asked Questions

View frequently asked questions about the phased reopening of Disney Springs—as well as related updates.

What’s Open?

The following locations will open on May 20. Hours of operation vary. Please contact the store or restaurant directly for hours of operation.

More Information

In addition to the information shared here, please see the Walt Disney World Resort Property Rules for more details.

Upon reopening, theme parks, Disney Resort hotels, restaurants, attractions, experiences and other offerings may be modified and will be limited in capacity and subject to limited availability or closure, based on direction from health experts and government officials to promote physical distancing.

Additionally, attractions, experiences, services and amenities may have limited availability or may remain closed. We will provide more information as it becomes available. We reserve the right to cancel any reservations, admission media or purchases and provide applicable refunds. Please also see our policies regarding cancellations by Guests.

From our friends at chipandco.com

Filed Under: Disney Springs, Parks & Resorts, Walt Disney World, COVID-19, Disney Springs Reopening, Disney World, Disney World Reopening

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Disney Business Disney Financials Disney News Disney Parks

News! Analyst Downgrades Disney’s Stock Rating Due To Leadership Changes

We reported yesterday that The Walt Disney Company shifted around their executives to form a new leadership team.

@joshdamaro on Instagram

This change-up moved Josh D’Amaro to the Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products, and named new presidents for both Disney World and Disneyland. Former Disneyland President, Rebecca Campbell, is stepping into the role of Chairman for the Direct-To Consumer sector and analysts shared their concerns with this recent change.

Campbell is taking over the chairman role previously held by Kevin Mayer. However, Mayer recently stepped down to become the CEO of TikTok and COO of its parent company.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Loop Capital analyst, Alan Gould, downgraded his rating of Disney from “buy” to “hold.” He explained by stating, “we believe the bounce-back from the pandemic will take longer than the Street is currently estimating, the stock is approaching our price target, and the uncertainty is exacerbated by the loss of Kevin Mayer.”

Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney

He referred to Mayer as “”the architect of the Disney+ launch” and Bernstein analyst, Todd Juenger, referred to Mayer’s successor, Campbell, by stating, “She joins the business at a moment where the already thin original content pipeline has dwindled to essentially ‘nothing.’”

He continued, “There are also vitally important strategic decisions to be made on the future of Hulu…She will not have the luxury of time to contemplate most of these tough decisions.”

@rebeccacampbelldisneyland on Instagram

Jeunger also posed questions about the changes including “Why put somebody from parks in charge of the future of streaming? Given the crucial and transformative role of streaming to Disney’s future, many investors were surprised that Disney didn’t name someone from the streaming side as CEO. Now, Disney hasn’t even named someone from the streaming side to be in charge of streaming.”

©Disney

Juenger continues to explain that if Disney had looked for someone with a deeper streaming background, the “very short list” would have been expensive individuals who are not looking to change jobs right now. He stated this was a “cold comfort for nervous investors who now have a surprise departure and unfamiliar replacement in charge of the division most associated with Disney’s future.”

©ESPN

Juenger explained that investors are already concerned about a new risk that they are unfamiliar with. He expressed concern with Disney’s limited “visibility” for roles apart from CEO and CFO, so he is hoping Disney will work to connect Campbell with investors to help ease their uncertainty during this transition.

What do you think of the new Disney Company transitions? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Disney News, disney parks, Disneyland, Featured, News, Disney, Disney Company, disney plus, disney streaming, Disney World, disney world president, disneyland president, Disneyland Resort, espn, Hulu, josh d’amaro, kevin mayer, Rebecca Campbell, streaming, the walt disney company, walt disney company, Walt Disney World

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Disney Business Disney News Disney Parks

News! Earl of Sandwich, Chicken Guy!, and Planet Hollywood in Disney Springs Share New Safety Protocols

Disney Springs is planning to start Disney World’s phased re-opening tomorrow, May 20th.

Chicken Guy!

We’ve been keeping you updated with all of the restaurants that plan to re-open tomorrow, but Earl of Sandwich, Chicken Guy!, and Planet Hollywood just released more information on how they plan to protect guests at the re-opening.

Earlier today, we got a sneak peek of what Disney Springs’ new health and safety protocols look like in practice, but now we know more about how Earl of Sandwich, Chicken Guy!, and Planet Hollywood will adapt their restaurants with extra safety procedures.

Planet Hollywood

These restaurants will first protect guests by enforcing extra safety measures with their employees.

All employees will be required to undergo health checks each day, wash their hands every 20 minutes for 20 seconds, wear personal protective equipment (where appropriate), undergo enhanced training on sanitation and social distancing.

Chicken Guy!

The restaurants will also work with their vendors to ensure they are following similar precautions and will remind employees of these standards at the beginning of each shift.

The restaurants have modified the guest experience by transitioning to single-use menus, installing sanitizer dispensers, and updating the dining room floor plans to promote social distancing. They will sanitize and disinfect tables after each party and will sanitize throughout the restaurant frequently.

Guy’s Favorite Sauces

You can read more about Earl of Sandwich’s opening here, Chicken Guy’s here, and Planet Hollywood’s here. We will continue to keep you updated with the latest and be sure to tune in tomorrow for our live coverage from Disney Springs!

Which of these three restaurants is your favorite and why? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com
Filed Under: Counter-Service, Disney Springs, Featured, Table-Service, Walt Disney World, advance dining reservation, Chicken Guy!, dining, Disney, disney dining, disney reservations, disney restaurant, disney springs, disney springs dining, disney springs reopening, disney springs restaurant, Disney World, Disney World reopening, disney world resort, Earl of Sandwich, Planet Hollywood, reopening, table service dining, walt disney world resort