Every week is a busy week when it comes to Disney news. To help you keep up with all the updates coming out of Walt Disney World and other Disney resorts, here’s WDWNT’s weekly recap of the Disney news from July 13-19, 2020.
Walt Disney World
Magic Kingdom
- Dine with us as we explore the new health and safety measures within Magic Kingdom restaurants: Aloha Isle, and Sleepy Hollow
- It was announced that Stitch’s Great Escape has officially closed for good
- Take a tour around the reopened stores Main Street Confectionery, Uptown Jewelers, Memento Mori, and Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe in the Magic Kingdom
- The Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover still remains temporarily closed, while the construction walls are finally down around the queue area for “it’s a small world”
- Following sell-outs ever since the Magic Kingdom reopened, the Splash Mountain merchandise offerings have been restocked at Splashdown Photos, while the Splash Mountain-themed pressed pennies are still available
- The Fantasyland castle turrets have been repainted to match the new Cinderella Castle color scheme
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Check out this week’s photo report for Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as it reopened to guests last Saturday
- It was announced that Rivers of Light and Primeval Whirl have officially closed for good
- The Rainforest Café has reopened outside Disney’s Animal Kingdom
EPCOT
- EPCOT also finally reopened its gates to guests on July 15! We were thrilled to be back in the park, and were busy riding all the attractions. Read up on all the new health and safety updates taking place at each attraction below…
Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along / Impressions de France
Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360
Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros
Journey into Imagination with Figment
The Seas with Nemo and Friends
- Also, join us as we begin to explore each pavilion around the World Showcase, listed below…
France – with new tree landscaping and the removal of the Parisian Caricature kiosk
- In with all the excitement of the reopening, Disney officially announced changes to their plans for World Celebration in the park, including that their multi-level Festival Pavilion could be canceled. Not only this, but the reimagining of Spaceship Earth and the Mary Poppins attraction have both been officially postponed
- In place of traditional meet and greets, guests are now able to spot their favorite characters across EPCOT in all-new places and wave to them as they travel through the park in socially-distanced cavalcades. We spotted Joy in the butterfly garden, Mary Poppins and Alice in the UK pavilion, and watched the Disney Princesses in the Princess Promenade Character Cavalcade through the World Showcase
- We can’t forget about the shopping! Tour the newly-reopened Mitsukoshi, Karamell-Kuche, Pin Trading Headquarters, and the temporary Mouse Gear location
- If the park reopening wasn’t enough excitement this week, The Taste of EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival also kicked off on Wednesday! As always, we toured every single booth to try all the offerings, and below are our full reviews of each marketplace booth menu and item available…
Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company
Mac & Cheese Hosted by Boursin
Wine & Dine Featuring Festival Favorites
- We also explored many of the permanent bars and restaurants throughout EPCOT, too, to see what social distancing measures were in place. Read up on Katsura Grill, Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts and Barbecue, Sunshine Seasons, La Cava del Tequila, Biergarten Restaurant, and Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Harvest Feast at Garden Grill
- It was great to see that the Friendship Boats are once again sailing across World Showcase Lagoon
- The Disney Vacation Club lounge inside the Imagination Pavilion has reopened, with amenity and social distancing modifications
- In construction across EPCOT, we noticed the roof work has been continuing on the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster showroom, new planters have appeared in the West Entrance garden, the entrance ticket booths got a pop of color and things are progressing quickly on the France pavilion expansion and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- For comfort, new face mask-free “Relaxation Stations” have debuted at Future World East, inside Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, and at the United Kingdom pavilion
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios reopened to guests on July 15, and we were very excited to be back exploring the park and all of its attractions. All of the attractions throughout the park have been modified with new health and safety updates due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so check out what’s new in each of our photo reports below…
Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (with a modified virtual queue system)
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Walt Disney Presents: One Man’s Dream
- Many dining locations around Hollywood Studios have also undertaken many new health and safety updates since reopening. Dine with us in Backlot Express Restaurant, Docking Bay 7 Food & Cargo, Oga’s Cantina, Milk Stand, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, and PizzeRizzo
- Not to forget about shopping, we also explored the stores Savi’s Workshop, Legends of Hollywood, Mickey’s of Hollywood, Black Spire Outpost Market, Droid Depot, Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities, and Celebrity Five & Dime
- New mask-free “Relaxation Stations” have opened inside Star Wars Launch Bay and in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
- Character experiences have also changed around the park, with characters now greeting guests from socially-distanced locations. In lieu of parades, new cavalcades now take place throughout the streets of the park, including the “Disney Junior Stars Motorcade”, the “Pixar Motorcade”, and the “Mickey & Friends Motorcade”
- A new permit was filed for the installation of the themed show set elements at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and another for the support structure installation at Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ Restaurant
Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
- Walt Disney World Resort hotels are now providing security warnings after hotel guests were scammed over resort room phones earlier this week
- The Walt Disney World Resort hotel take-along guide has been updated to show guests wearing face masks
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Take a luxury room tour of the Presidential Suite inside Disney’s Contemporary Resort
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
- Work has been progressing on the walkway bridge connecting the Grand Floridian to the Magic Kingdom
Guest Services & Resort Reopening Information
- Walt Disney World has updated their official face mask policy to reflect that guests must remain stationary while eating or drinking with masks off, to avoid crowds walking around with beverages and no facial coverings
- Details on Annual Pass extensions, cancellations, and refunds for 2020 have finally been released
- The Disney Cultural Representative Program has been suspended until further notice, with many employment offers withdrawn
Other Walt Disney World News
- The Disney Skyliner has once again taken to the skies, with modified procedures and health and safety updates
- Following nine positive COVID-19 tests within the team, Nashville SC have withdrawn from the MLS is Back Tournament at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
- The availability of park reservations for Annual Passholders has been expanded through September
- The newly-refurbished Monorail Peach has debuted a new look as it rolls back in service
Disneyland Resort
- Check out this week’s photo report for the Disneyland Resort, including virtual queues at Downtown Disney, a peek into Disney California Adventure, and more
- Disneyland has now sent cancellation emails to guests with reservations through August 8
- Sadly, no celebratory plans were made to commemorate Disneyland’s 65th anniversary in the Downtown Disney District this week
- It has been announced that backstage areas at the Disneyland Resort will be fully smoke-free upon reopening
- New artwork and blueprints have been released for the upcoming 12-story Disney Vacation Club Tower at the Disneyland Hotel, giving us a first look at the Mickey “Ink & Paint” interactive water feature
Disneyland Paris
- Disneyland Paris finally reopened its gates this week, with a grand ceremony given by resort President Natacha Rafalski, and Cast Members lining Main Street, U.S.A to welcome guests back home
- For their reopening, Disneyland Paris released a “The Incredibles”-themed mini-movie, detailing their updated health and safety protocols across the resort
- In place of traditional character meet and greets, Disneyland Paris has debuted new “Selfie Spot” locations, where guests can wave to and take socially-distanced photos with characters
- Disneyland Paris Cast Members each received a shiny, newly-designed name badge for the reopening of the park
- Two exciting promo videos were released for the resort, showing Cast Members excitedly preparing to go back to work
Hong Kong Disneyland
- Due to a spike in local cases of COVID-19, it was announced that Hong Kong Disneyland would close its doors once more
Tokyo Disney Resort
- Tokyo Disney Resort has confirmed that some seasonal attraction overlays have been canceled for 2020, including “The Haunted Mansion: Holiday Nightmare”
Adventures By Disney & Disney Cruise Line
- The CDC has extended its no-sail order, meaning that Disney Cruise Line sailings through September 30 have potentially been affected
- Adventures by Disney have canceled most of their trips through September 30, due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns
New Merchandise
- Go retro with these new Walt Disney World T-shirts, be classic with this new Mickey Mouse embroidered jean jacket, or say what you’re feeling with this new “This.” Castle crop top tee
- Celebrate the 40th anniversary of “The Empire Strikes Back” with this new apparel line
- Fall for this hilarious Forky backpack by Loungefly
- Over in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, we found a new line of “Beauty and the Beast”-themed merchandise
- Dress for a stylish vacation in these new Figment, Orange Bird, Trash Can, and more Disney button-down shirts
- Try your luck with these new Toy Story Mania mystery Wishables collection packs
- Party in these new Rainbow Confetti Sequin Minnie Ears
- Fly the flag for the USA with these new red, sequinned Americana Minnie Ears
- There is a collection of new merchandise over in the Canada pavilion in EPCOT, including these Canada-themed hockey puck Minnie Ears
- Over in Tokyo Disney Resort, a cool new line of Disney Pirates summer 2020 merchandise will be sailing into DisneySea very soon
- Be a skipper with these adventurous new “Jungle Cruise” t-shirts, skipper boat cookie jar, and this “The Backside of Water” bottle
- Bring chills to your toes with these new Haunted Mansion Stretching Room portrait socks
- Celebrate the 65th anniversary of Disneyland with this new merchandise collection on shopDisney
- Bring style to the sky with this new Disney Skyliner crossbody bag by Dooney & Bourke
- The D23 Gold and Gold Family member-exclusive pins from canceled and postponed events are now available to purchase on shopDisney
- Check out this new Splash Mountain tumbler
Entertainment and Media
Disney+
- Read up on every new release coming to Disney+ this August here
- The release of Marvel Studios’ “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” has been delayed
- It was announced that “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” will be coming to the streaming service in 2021
- A trailer and poster have been revealed for “Howard, an Original Documentary” about Howard Ashman
Other Disney News
- The newly-released 2019 Themed Entertainment Association Report showed that the attendance at the Disney Parks last year was “flat”
- Jill Estorino has been named the new President and Managing Director of Disney Parks International after predecessor Michael Colglazier left the role to become the CEO of Virgin Galactic
- We were saddened to hear of the passing of roboticist and electrical engineer Grant Imahara of Lucasfilm
Editorials & Other Fun Stuff from WDWNT
- Celebrate Disneyland’s 65th anniversary with these vintage park documents, from the “Adventure in Disneyland” comic book to Tom Sawyer Island maps, and more
- EDITORIAL: The Park that Started it All – Celebrating the 65th Anniversary of Disneyland
WDW News Today
Make sure you catch up on the News Today episodes from this week!
Stitch’s Great Escape, Primeval Whirl, and Rivers of Light Closed Forever – NewsToday 7/17
Hong Kong Disneyland Closing, NBA Players at Walt Disney World Test Positive – NewsToday 7/14
That’s all the Disney news for this past week folks! Make sure you check back at the end of each week for our weekly recaps!