We bring you a lot of stories every single day. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up. So in case you missed anything from our feed, we have rounded up all our stories in one place to get the news at a glance. Here is your Daily Recap for Wednesday, February 8, 2023.
Walt Disney World
Magic Kingdom
- TRON Lightcycle / Run will have its grand opening at Magic Kingdom in two months, but we’ve already been able to ride the attraction thanks to Cast Member previews. We now have our full-ride POV video available.
- After being missing for at least six months, Scuttle has returned to the queue of Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid in Magic Kingdom.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- Chip and Dale will be appearing in their Rescue Rangers outfits at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for an extended period beginning soon.
- We’re about six weeks away from the grand opening of Roundup Rodeo BBQ in Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the final touches are being added to the restaurant’s façade.
Disney Springs
- Construction continues on Summer House on the Lake, a new restaurant coming soon to the West Side of Disney Springs.
New Merchandise
- Disney and Coach have released a new Walt Disney World Lunchbox Bag that celebrates the 50th Anniversary of The Most Magical Place on Earth.
- The final collection of “scrap metal” lightsaber pieces at Savi’s Workshop in Disney’s Hollywood Studios has received all new items.
- You may not be able to fly in real life, but you can feel like a pixie with a new Tinker Bell light-up Loungefly Mini Backpack available at Walt Disney World.
- A new Dooney and Bourke Collection paying homage to “The Band Concert”, the very first Mickey Mouse film to be produced in color, will launch on shopDisney soon.
Other Walt Disney World News
- According to Disney CFO Christine McCarthy during today’s earnings call, attendance has risen over the last quarter at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort.
- The Disney CFO also announced that capacity during peak periods at the Disney Parks has been cut by 20% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
- The new bill for the state of Florida to take over Walt Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District has been passed by the State Affairs Committee.
- Proposed amendments to the Reedy Creek Improvement District Bill sought to limit Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ power, but failed.
- The new bill for the state of Florida to take over Walt Disney World’s Reedy Creek Improvement District has now been scheduled for its first official vote in the Florida Legislature.
- After unionized Walt Disney World Cast Members overwhelmingly rejected Disney’s proposed $1 raise, negotiations will resume next week on February 15-16.
Disneyland Resort
- Disney CEO Bob Iger announced during today’s earnings call that, following the success of “Avatar: The Way of Water,” an “Avatar” experience will be coming to Disneyland Resort. Iger then confirmed ‘a version’ of “Pandora – The World of Avatar” will be coming soon to Disneyland Resort.
- The Disneyland Monorail will close for refurbishment beginning March 20, 2023.
- Grizzly River Run at Disney California Adventure is currently closed for a standard winter refurbishment but will reopen on March 17.
- A new Disney100 Platinum Mickey Statue that misquoted Walt Disney has now been removed from Disneyland.
Disneyland Paris
- While Disney’s Q1 2023 growth at the parks was largely driven by Disneyland and Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris took the lead in powering international growth according to Disney CFO Christine McCarthy.
- Disneyland Paris version of ‘Pandora – The World of Avatar’ land seems likely given the announcement that a similar “Avatar” experience will be coming to Disneyland.
Entertainment and Media
- Rosario Dawson (Ahsoka Tano) and several more guests have been announced for Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023.
- Disney is working on more sequels to “Toy Story” and “Frozen,” and the first sequel to “Zootopia.”
Disney+
- Disney+ lost 2.4 million subscribers in the last three months of 2022, the streaming service’s first drop since it launched in November 2019.
The Walt Disney Company
- Iger met with Disney Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro today to flesh out a plan to expand parks worldwide with new lands based on Disney’s best franchises in order to increase capacity without overcrowding parks.
- CEO Bob Iger announced an initiative to cut 7,000 jobs as a cost reduction measure for the Walt Disney Company.
- The Walt Disney Company will be reorganized into three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products.
- Disney Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy announced that capital expenditures, which include the costs for building and maintaining physical properties, will be reduced by $700 million across Disney Parks within the United States.
- Bob Iger reaffirmed his commitment to restoring creative control over Film Distribution & Marketing.
- Today, The Walt Disney Company reported a revenue of $23.51 billion in the first fiscal quarter of 2023, which is up 8%.
- Disney Parks & Resorts has reported $8.7 billion in revenue during the first fiscal quarter of 2023, up 21% from the last quarter.
- Disney also reported an increase in capital expenditures from $1 billion to $1.2 billion, attributed to higher spending at Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution and Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products.
WDW News Today
TRON Lightcycle Run – Full Coaster POV at Magic Kingdom
That’s it for today; we hope you enjoyed this Daily Recap. Thanks for stopping by, and we’ll see you tomorrow!