Ready for a feel good moment?! Thanks to Disney Cast Member, Billy Flanigan, we are rolling into the middle of our week with a smile! This Disney entertainer went above and beyond when COVID-19 hit, bicycling 3,000 miles to bring a little cheer to 265 friends and colleagues.
According to OrlandoSentinel.com, Flanigan, an entertainer at Walt Disney World for nearly 40 years, has ridden his bicycle thousands of miles the past few months, undertaking a lot of physical work for a simple mission: Deliver a little cheer. “This is my way to be social and be safe at the same time,” Flanigan said. “I ding-dong the doorbell, back up and do my song and dance.”
His simple tune, personalized for the recipient, comes with choreography and the trademark Flanigan smile that has entertained Disney visitors in such shows as “Finding Nemo — The Musical,” “Tarzan Rocks!” and the “Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue.” The surprise visits even have been named by a friend: A “Flanigram,” and social media accounts are full of photo-filled posts exclaiming “I’ve been Flanigram-ed!”
Shortly after Walt Disney World shut down because of the coronavirus pandemic, Flanigan was riding his bicycle when he realized he was near the home of friend Hannah Laird. “I think I’m going to say hello,” he remembered thinking. Later, on social media, she described the experience: “He stood on the sidewalk and I sat on my stoop and we chatted for a while,” she wrote. “When he left, I burst into tears. I hadn’t seen my friends or cast mates in weeks, and it was amazing to have a face-to-face interaction with someone (safely distanced, lol!).”
Walt Disney World Cast and Community took to Facebook to say: “We love hearing stories of our Cast Members making magic in the community – and this one definitely brought a smile to our faces…and a song to our heart. #Sharing Orlando Sentinel’s coverage of one Entertainment performer and his unique way of staying connected to friends and fellow Cast Members…thanks to a bike, boundless energy and a friendly spirit that inspires us all!”
Disneyland Resort’s had planned to reopen on July 17, 2020. Now, the State of California has indicated that it will NOT issue theme park reopening guidelines until sometime after July 4, meaning Disneyland must cancel their initial July 17 reopening date.
Sleeping Beauty Castle – Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland is the centerpiece of Fantasyland, and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. Surrounded by beautiful flowers and whimsical topiary, the Disneyland landmark beckons park visitors to explore the different realms of the place “Where Dreams Come True.” Walt Disney wanted this castle to be a friendly and welcoming presence in his park so it was built on a smaller scale than its European counterparts. (Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)
We previously announced a proposed phased reopening of our theme parks for July 17, pending government approvals. We developed enhanced health and safety protocols for both cast and guests at Shanghai Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort that have been approved, allowing us to reopen in a responsible manner and bring our cast members back to work.
The State of California has now indicated that it will NOT issue theme park reopening guidelines until sometime after July 4. Given the time required for us to bring thousands of cast members back to work and restart our business, we have no choice but to delay the reopening of our theme parks and resort hotels until we receive approval from government officials. Once we have a clearer understanding of when guidelines will be released, we expect to be able to communicate a reopening date.
Our Downtown Disney District will reopen on July 9 as previously announced with health and safety protocols in place for our cast members and guests. The opening of our Downtown Disney District has been previously approved in line with restaurant and retail openings throughout California. The Master Services Union, which represents our retail cast at this location, previously signed an agreement for members to return to work.
In order to reopen our theme parks we need to negotiate agreements with our unions to return employees to work. We have had positive discussions and are very pleased to have signed agreements from 20 union affiliates, including the Master Services Council, which represents more than 11,000 of our cast members. The signed agreement details plans that include enhanced safely protocols that will allow us to responsibly reopen, and get thousands of our cast members back to work.
We thank our cast and guests for their patience during this unprecedented time while we await approval from government officials.
Disney is on the move! After yesterday’s news of Disneyland Paris reopening July 15, Disney Parks News Twitter has announced Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea will reopen on July 1!
“With the reopening of both parks, we are implementing measures in accordance with the Amusement Park and Theme Park New Coronavirus Infection Containment Guidelines that were developed based on the government’s Basic Policies for Novel Coronavirus Disease Control, and additionally are following government agency guidance to give top priority to the health and safety of our guests and cast members in our operations.”
“We will be deliberate in our operations, thoroughly implementing health and safety measures such as controlled capacity through limits on attendance, limited visitors in attractions, shops, restaurants, and other facilities, regular cleaning and sanitization, proactively requesting guests to maintain social distancing, among other things. We will also endeavor to promote health and safety by having the information filled in for the primary contact person when guests purchase tickets.”
There are several healthy and safety measures Tokyo Disneyland will be implementing as well as guidelines for Cast Members and Guests including temperature checks, mask requirement and maintaining social distancing.
Park operations overview for Wednesday, July 1, 2020 – until further notice operations hours are 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. In both parks, attractions, entertainment, shops and restaurants will operate with reduced capacity or will be closed.
To read more about the reopening and ticket options, visit the Tokyo Disneyland website.
It’s an exciting day for Disney! They have announced that Disneyland Paris will begin their phased reopening beginning July 15! That matches the same day Disney will begin phased reopening for EPCOT and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Check out the exciting details and photos below from DisneyParksBlog as Disneyland Paris prepares for their phased reopening!
At Disneyland Paris, we have been celebrating our Disney Parks family from around the world. From our colleagues at Shanghai Disney Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland who have reopened their gates, to Walt Disney World and Disneyland who announced their plans to reopen next month – we are inspired by their resilience and proud of what they’ve accomplished to once again welcome guests back to experience the magic of our resorts.
As President of Disneyland Paris, I’ve been fortunate to work alongside our team of dedicated cast members who have demonstrated tremendous commitment to preserving the magic for our guests and fans during our unprecedented closure. The last several months have tested us and our community – both personally and professionally – but together we have persevered with optimism and determination. We are grateful for the resilience of our cast members and local community, the enthusiasm of our guests and fans, and the positive momentum of the many reopenings in the tourism industry throughout Europe. We’ve been so touched by our guests around the world who’ve found creative ways to maintain their connection to Disneyland Paris from home.
Now, as our community begins to recover, I’m thrilled to share that our iconic Sleeping Beauty Castle will once again welcome guests to its towering spires and sprawling vistas when the resort begins its phased reopening on July 15. Since its temporary closure in March of this year, guests of all ages have been eagerly awaiting the reopening of our premiere European destination. Come July 15, Disneyland Paris will begin a phased reopening with visitors able to return to Disneyland Park, Walt Disney Studios Park, Disney’s Newport Bay Club hotel, and Disney Village. We look forward to the return of our cast members and reopening our gates so that our guests may once again enjoy our resort.
As we approach this day, we continue to prioritize the health and safety of our cast members and guests. In line with French government and health authorities’ recommendations, the phased reopening of Disneyland Paris will present a deliberate approach with enhanced health and safety measures tailored to our specific environment. This will include limits on attendance and require advanced ticketing and reservations to accommodate controlled guest density that aligns with government guidance on physical distancing.
We’ve been looking forward to the day we are all able to return to Disneyland Paris, and upon reopening, guests will be able to experience the guest service we are known for, our iconic attractions and entertainment, heart-warming new character moments, and even a few surprises along the way. As we are taking a phased approach, some experiences will change and others will return at a later date, but the magic that our cast is world renowned for will remain. We know it will take all of us working together, both cast members and guests, in this shared responsibility to promote a healthy and safe environment. More information on the enhanced health and safety measures are available on www.disneylandparis.com.
Over the next few weeks, our teams will be taking steps to prepare Disneyland Paris for a successful reopening, from visible changes to accommodate physical distancing, to new training for all of our cast members. We know that reopening is just the beginning, and we will continually adjust our plans as appropriate in this evolving situation with input from safety and health authorities.
As we reflect on the last several months, the magic of being able to enjoy a Disney experience means so much more. I’m very much looking forward to the day when our guests and cast members can celebrate being together again. Until then, stay safe, keep dreaming, and see you soon at Disneyland Paris! After all, there is no magic without YOU!
As the Disney Parks gear up for reopening, the Cast Members take to a video to share just how excited they are to see Disney guests once again.
Disney Ambassadors, Justin and Rafa, kick things off with inspiring messages from Cast Members anticipating the chance to welcome guests back. And along with the good news from Disney parks, you’ll also hear about the Disney Store as it begins a phased reopening of select locations.
I think we can speak for all of us Disney fans that we are super excited to see all the Cast Members once again!
