While Tokyo Disney Resort still largely remains closed due to the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus, it seems we’ve got the first real good news in a long, long time. Ikspiari, the shopping center at Tokyo Disney Resort similar to Disney Springs or Downtown Disney, is reopening on June 1st!
Closed since February 29th, Ikspiari will reopen to visitors beginning June 1st. This seems to follow similar models seen in Shanghai and Orlando, with shopping centers opening ahead of parks to test social distancing protocols.
The Oriental Land Company stated that the following procedures will be in place:
Not all businesses will be open. Businesses that are open will be restricted to 11AM-7PM.
Temperatures will be checked upon entry. Anyone with a temperature above 37.5 degrees Celsius will not be admitted.
Entry may be restricted during high-traffic hours.
Only the following entrances will be open: First Floor – Clock Tower Plaza, The Courtyard Second Floor – Maihama Station
Cinema Ikspiari’s ticket booth will operate from 11AM-6:30PM. No late-night shows will be offered.
The Tokyo Disney Resort Ticket Center will remain closed for the time being.
It’s exciting to see operations slowly resume here at Tokyo Disney Resort. The state of emergency was lifted yesterday for the whole metro area, including Chiba Prefecture. Now it’s just a matter of time until Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea themselves reopen!
The Voices of Liberty from EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort are bringing us their incredible voices from home to lend a warm dose of patriotism wherever we are.
Normally on Memorial Day, the Voices of Liberty would be performing patriotic songs for guests at The American Adventure in EPCOT. Today, the Voices of Liberty are bringing their American spirit and Disney magic from home, to share wherever you may be celebrating this Memorial Day.
You can enjoy a beautiful performance of “America The Beautiful” by the Voices of Liberty in the video below:
It has been announced that development for latest installment in the “Kingdom Hearts” game series has had to be delayed.
@kh_dr_na
Due to current conditions, development for KINGDOM HEARTS DARK ROAD has been delayed. We apologize for the late update, as we were trying to find some means of making a Spring release. Another announcement will be coming in early June, so please stay tuned.
“Kingdom Hearts Dark Road”, which is being developed for iOS and Android devices, was originally set to be released this Spring. Now, the producers have announced an indefinite delay on the release, put down to ‘current conditions’. “Dark Road” joins a long list of Disney entertainment releases which have been delayed this summer due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which is continuously causing great losses to The Walt Disney Company.
Alongside the apology issued on Twitter, the “Kingdom Hearts” team issued a promise that more details will be released in early June, so hopefully fans will have more of an indication of the game’s release in the upcoming weeks.
Tomorrow, May 27, begins Phase Two of the Disney Springs reopening! It’s going to be an exciting day as this is the first day we get to experience Walt Disney World owned restaurants and shopping since the closure of the parks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before you grab your Mickey ears and head out to do some shopping and dining, you’ll want to know a few things before you go:
Disney Springs hours for Wednesday, May 27, is 10:00am to 10:00pm. So, what’s open? As of May 20, the following list of 40+ venues has been open:
4 Rivers Cantina Barbacoa Food Truck
Anthropologie
The Art Corner by Artistic Talent Group
Basin
Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza
The BOATHOUSE®
Chapel Hats
Chicken Guy!
Columbia Sportswear
Crystal Arts by Arribas Brothers
Earl of Sandwich®
Edward Beiner Purveyor of Fine Eyewear
Erin McKenna’s Bakery NYC
Free People
Frontera Cocina
Happy Hound
Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company®
Lucky Brand
Luxury of Time by Diamonds International
Pandora® Jewelry
Paradiso 37 Entertainment
Pelé Soccer
Planet Hollywood
The Polite Pig
Pop Gallery
Ron Jon Surf Shop®
Royally Yours by Arribas Brothers
Sanuk
Savannah Bee Company
Sosa Family Cigars
STK Orlando
Sugarboo & Co.
Sunshine Churros at Disney Springs Marketplace
Sunshine Churros at Disney Springs West Side
T-REX™
UGG®
UNIQLO
UNOde50
Volcom
Vera Bradley
Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill
Wine Bar George – A Restaurant & Bar
YeSake Kiosk
ZARA
Beginning May 27, the following have announced their reopening including:
D-Luxe Burger
The LEGO Store
Marketplace Co-Op
World of Disney
Terralina Crafted Italian (reopening May 29)
Paddlefish (reopening May 29)
Before you go, you’ll want to read up on the following guidelines from Disney Springs. The guidelines apply to 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
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.
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 100.4 F or above 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 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. 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 payment options whenever possible during their visit to Disney Springs, including debit cards, credit cards, Disney gift cards, etc. Guests can also opt for contactless payment options, such as mobile wallets, or use cash to purchase a Disney Gift Card at the Welcome Center (Guest Relations) and select merchandise locations.
Mobile Order Service We’re also recommending all Guests use the mobile order service in the My Disney Experience app at participating locations. With the reopening of D-Luxe Burger on May 27, in addition to the current payment options, Guests will now be able to pay for their mobile order using a Disney Gift Card, Disney Rewards Redemption Card and Apple Pay. *Apple Pay is a trademark of Apple, Inc.
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 Sanitization: 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.
“How Far I’ll Go” was performed for the film by Auli’i Cravalho, and it received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song in 2017.
Click below to hear what Miranda calls a ‘ROUGH EARLY’ draft of the song, performed by Soo ‘in the basement of The Public Theater’, back in 2015. Although the demo sounds similar to the finished product, there are some key differences. For instance, the first verse’s “I’ve been walking along the edge of the shoreline, I’ve been wanting something more / something that is only mine” is just as beautiful but still strikingly different from the chorus of the completed song. Also, as Lin Manuel Miranda points out himself, this demo is “so dingdang high” in pitch, but it’s still a stunning rendition.
It’s interesting to note that Soo actually also recorded a deleted song from the movie, too, as reported by Teen Vogue. “Warrior Face” appears on the Moana soundtrack, but never made the cut of the film. Soo is also credited with supplying ‘additional voices’ for the film, but we can’t be sure which character(s) she portrayed.
