Muppet Performer Dave Goelz (Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew) To Appear In 2 Virtual Talks

Posted on by Mathew Corn Hollywood Studios, Uncategorized

Have you ever wanted to know what the people who perform the Muppets are like? This weekend, you can hear from the man who has brought the likes of Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Zoot, Beauregard and more to life for decades.

Muppet performer Dave Goelz will appear in two free virtual talks this weekend to discuss his work with Jim Henson and share stories from over five decades with the iconic puppet troupe.

The first is with The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco as part of their Happily Ever After Hours series, taking place on Friday, April 17th at 8:30 PM Eastern/5:30 PM Pacific. The talk will take place over Zoom, which guests must use in order to participate in the event. The event is currently full, but be sure to check back in case spots open up.

The second event, run through the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, New York, will also feature Goelz’s work, with an emphasis on the 1984 film The Muppets Take Manhattan. Goelz is expected to share stories about what it was like filming a Muppet movie on location in New York City. The event will take place on Saturday, April 18th, at 7 PM Eastern/4 PM Pacific, and will also be run through Zoom, with a limited capacity. Interested fans can sign up at this link.

Goelz began working with Jim Henson as a puppet builder and part-time performer in 1973, before transitioning to a full-time performer during the run of “The Muppet Show,” and has been with the troupe ever since. In addition to his works with the “Muppet Show” ensemble, Goelz worked on “Fraggle Rock,” performing such characters as Boober Fraggle, Uncle Traveling Matt, Philo, and Large Marvin, along with Fizzgig in The Dark Crystal and Sir Didymus in Labyrinth. Beginning with The Muppet Christmas Carol in 1992, he also took over the character of Waldorf, replacing the late Henson following his passing in 1990.

While these events will be free, donations to both museums are highly encouraged, as their doors are closed to guests during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. You can donate to The Walt Disney Family Museum here, and to the Museum of the Moving Image here.

Cast Members Staging Stay-at-Home Protests Due to Unreliable Florida Unemployment Website

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

With all non-essential Cast Members (non-union and most union members at this point) to be temporarily furloughed starting April 19, things are starting to get very real for the roughly 77,000 magic makers of Walt Disney World Resort, and frustrations are ramping up regarding the faulty unemployment filing process across the state. While Cast Members are expected to keep any health benefits they’re currently enrolled for, they’ll no longer receive wages after April 19. Many will now have to file for state unemployment, which will only garner them a maximum total of $275 a week, among the lowest in the nation. (On the Federal level, the CARES Act will be providing a $600-a-week bonus through July 31 for those who have successfully registered as unemployed.)

Between the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis and the unreliable unemployment system, Cast are staging stay-at-home protests––except they aren’t aimed at Disney. They’re aimed at the State of Florida. As Click Orlando reports, they’re taking to the streets in the form of sidewalk chalk art, window signs, and messages on mailboxes with the hashtags #WorkersCantWait to voice their concerns about the unreliable system.

As April 19 approaches, tens of thousands of furloughed employees will be flooding the unemployment websites and phone lines. So far, reports on the application process have been grim, with entire applications disappearing, long waits to get through the online queues, and applicants getting bumped out of the system halfway through completing the form. At first, the government recommended that applicants use Internet Explorer, an outdated web browser that is known for being glitchy and unresponsive. The Department of Economic Opportunity states the site has been seeing approximately 120,000 simultaneous users lately, or double the peak usage since the first furloughs started. The call-in department received roughly 3.8 million calls just last week.

For Cast Members in need of income, the only thing they can do is hope that the broken unemployment website gets fixed (or otherwise send in a paper application), and continue application attempts until they’re successful. Jeremy Haicken, president of the Unite Here Local 737 union, part of the Service Trades Council stated, “We’re not going to stop until Gov. DeSantis fixes this unemployment system.”

The main entrance to the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. (Photo courtesy, Walt Disney World)

Walt Disney World closed in mid-March and remains closed “until further notice.” To access the printable unemployment application PDF, click here. To access the new mobile-friendly online unemployment application site that was recently launched, click here.

Benefit Concert For COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund To Celebrate 25 Years of Disney On Broadway

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

Earlier this week, we told you about the “Celebrating 25 Magical Years of Disney on Broadway” concert that was going to air on April 13th. The foundation was originally going to be presenting a free broadcast of this production today (April 13) in order to raise money for the COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund, and after some back-and-forth with unions (and a brief cancellation), the show is back on!

The concert will feature performances by our favorite Disney on Broadway veterans, to be hosted by Ryan McCartan. Broadway’s Prince Hans of the Southern Isles himself, McCartan will be hosting live from his family home. As a famous Newsie once said, wrongs will be righted if we’re united, which was fitting for the reunion of 18 Newsies set to appear from the original Broadway and touring productions.

The concert, which was originally filmed in November, is all about celebrating the 25th anniversary of Disney on Broadway. The concert has been backed by 15 musicians and has already brought in around $570,000 for Broadway Cares.

The Disney on Broadway benefit concert will stream today, Friday, April 17, at 7:00 PM (ET). You can tune in via the YouTube Live link below:

Disney’s Animal Care Earns AZA Accreditation

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks

Way to go Disney’s Animal Care Team! This group of dedicated Cast Members once again recently earned their Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Accreditation for Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Check out the details below as shared by Dr. Penning on DisneyParksBlog:

As I shared recently, even though Walt Disney World Resort is temporarily closed, Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment Cast Members are continuing to provide the best care for our animals. Our team includes experts in animal care, nutrition, veterinary care, conservation, science, and education programs – and all have a special bond to the work they do.

The team develops new forms of enrichment for our lions based on food textures and scents, trains animals to participate in their own medical care, feeds fresh lettuce to hippos and places browse (leafy branches) up high for giraffes. Those are just some of the ways the animal care team goes above and beyond to establish strong relationships with the animals and help maintain their health and well-being. 

These efforts have not gone unnoticed. Because of this team’s dedication and hard work, Disney is a recognized leader in animal care and conservation. Most recently, that recognition included Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge once again earning accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  

AZA accreditation is the gold standard in animal care, and I’m incredibly proud of the entire Animals, Science and Environment Team for earning this stellar accomplishment. 

Our team is also passionate about conservation. In partnership with the Disney Conservation Fund, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this month, we’re working to help save wildlife, inspire action and protect the planet. Those efforts support nonprofit organizations and the health of hundreds of species, like the Grauer’s gorilla.

I’m so grateful for our ASE team, and I look forward to sharing more stories about the #DisneyMagicofNature.

Take A Virtual Ride On Big Thunder Mountain

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom

Who’s ready for “the wildest ride in the wilderness”?! We may not be able to physically be inside the parks to ride along, but we are excited for a virtual ride on this wild mine train coaster at Magic Kingdom. Check out the details and video below from DisneyParksBlog:

Howdy partners! Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is an iconic Disney attraction that has brought thrills to adventurers of all ages for decades. I was 7 years old the first time I sat down in that clickety-clackety mine train, and I’ve loved it ever since. With versions of the attraction in Disney parks around the world, I’m sure many of you feel the same way.

In the latest installment of our #DisneyMagicMoments series, check out the video below for a virtual ride on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort. Descend into an abandoned mine shaft and board your train for an adventure evading boulders, dodging explosions and swooping through canyons in the mysterious town of Tumbleweed. 

So are you ready? For your safety, remain seated on your couch, lounge chair, bed, kitchen stool … or wherever you may be viewing this special video. And be sure to watch your kids. If any of you folks are wearin’ hats or glasses, best remove ’em. ’Cause … say it with me now … THIS HERE’S THE WILDEST RIDE IN THE WILDERNESS!