Florida sets yet another record for COVID-19 cases on Christmas Day

Posted on by Mathew Corn Animal Kingdom, Disney Parks, Disney Resorts, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom

For the second day in a row, Florida has set a record for daily number of new COVID cases.

Yesterday the Sunshine State reported 31,758 new COVID-19 cases, a number that surpassed Florida’s previous all-time high number of cases in one day that was set in August during the height of the wave of infections from the Delta variant of the coronavirus. That record was 27,802 new coronavirus cases in one day.

Today, however, Florida has reported 32,850 new cases, making today its worst day for numbers of new COVID cases since the beginning of the global pandemic that has cost nearly 800,000 American lives so far.

The positive news is that not a single death from coronavirus was reported for today.

In addition to having a new one-day record for new coronavirus cases, a majority of counties within the Sunshine State are now considered “high” risk counties for community spread as positivity rates in COVID testing have skyrocketed over the last week. As of today, 41 of the 67 counties in Florida have this recognition from the United States Centers for Disease Control.

ron desantis

Private businesses are not completely exempt either, as the new law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis requires even those employers to include exemption status for employees who refuse the vaccine because of religious or medical reasons. Also, under the new law, employees in Florida who have already had COVID-19 are exempt from vaccine mandates, as are those employees who agree to, and comply with, routine testing for the virus and commit to wearing personal protective equipment like masks, etc.

The signing of the new law prompted Disney to halt its vaccine mandate at the time for Cast Members at the Walt Disney World Resort.

cinderella castle partners statue

The Sunshine State’s new record means that since the beginning of the pandemic, 3,897,138 Florida residents have been infected by COVID-19, and 62,264 Florida residents have lost their lives to coronavirus infections and complications.

Autistic Teen Leads Main Street Philharmonic in Christmas Day Parade

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom

Seventeen-year-old Luke Barry of Mansfield, Massachusetts, was diagnosed with autism when he was just a toddler, and right around that time he also started to develop a passion for music. That passion has never abated, and the teenager is now the proud owner of more than 30 instruments — so many that his parents had to build a shed in their yard to house them all. It is this passion and Luke’s magnetic spirit that drew the attention of the higher-ups at Disney.

This year, during Luke’s Annual Christmas parade that he leads down a street in his town, members of the Walt Disney World Main Street Philharmonic sent Luke a message and asked him to join them as they played down Main Street, U.S.A. But this would be no ordinary performance that Luke would be leading — this would be the special Christmas Parade that was being filmed to premiere on Christmas Day.

You can watch the moment when Luke learned that he would be heading to the Most Magical Earth, along with his snare drum, via a video segment from WCVB5, a Boston-based news network.

Per WCVB:

“My favorite instrument over there is the trombone, I mean the snare drum,” Luke Barry said during the parade.

This year’s neighborhood parade was extra special for Luke, as he received a surprise invitation from the Main Street Philharmonic, Disney’s marching band at Magic Kingdom. Jilly Barry said it has been her son’s dream to march with the Main Street Philharmonic.

“Since you love music as much as we do, we’d be honored if you would join us and march with us through the Magic Kingdom. See you real soon!” the band said in a video message for Luke.

Luke’s family, friends and neighbors couldn’t help but shout for joy when seeing the big smile on his face after learning the news.

“Luke just brings that out in everybody. Like, he is a parade. He, himself, is a parade,” Jill Barry said.

“I’m going to Disney World!” Luke shouted.

The Magical Christmas Day Parade will be available to stream on Hulu beginning December 26, so you can watch Luke lead the Main Street Philharmonic down Main Street, U.S.A. over and over again!

Construction at EPCOT’s ‘Moana’-Inspired Attraction

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

Via InsidetheMagic

Fans of Disney’s animated film of Moana (2016) cannot wait until the day Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana opens at EPCOT. If you are not familiar with the upcoming Moana-inspired attraction coming to EPCOT, it will be nothing like Disney has done before.

In 2019, Disney announced that the all-new attraction themed after the story of Moana would be arriving at EPCOT. The new attraction will be called Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana and, according to Disney officials, will be the “first-ever experience inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ hit film [and] will let Guests interact with magical, living water in a beautiful and inspiring setting.”

And ever since, Inside the Magic has been updating you on the construction progress of the soon-to-be attraction.

moana attraction

Earlier this year, we reported that the construction site for the upcoming attraction is visible, and ever since, Disney Imagineers have been working hard to complete this project. Now, we can see more construction happening around the site for Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana thanks to Bioreconstruct on Twitter.

We can see some foundation work at the Moana attraction in EPCOT, to which bioreconstruct shared:

Foundation work at North end of Moana Journey of Water site.

Additionally, construction workers have brought in some large piping which will soon be installed at the site. Bioreconstruct shared:

Large diameter pipes being placed underground in Moana Journey of Water site.

More photos show the site beginning to take shape. Bioreconstruct shared:

Bottom arrow at rebar for a concrete wall in Moana Journey of Water site. Same rebar seen in first Tweet of this Thread.

Other arrows at large diameter pipe. Left is placed in a trench. Right is about to be placed.

And lastly, the view from the Monorail shows additional construction vehicles and pieces around the site of Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana:

Looking across both sides of the monorail loop at a collection of concrete forms in the Moana Journey of Water site. Arrows at same section of rebar for a short concrete wall.

Unfortunately, at this time we do not have an opening date for the attraction. Inside the Magic will continue to update you as we get information regarding Journey of Water.

Please keep in mind that the upcoming Moana-inspired attraction is just that — An attraction, not a ride. Think of it more as an experience. Disney describes the attraction as it “will let Guests interact with magical, living water in a beautiful and inspiring setting.”

Disney officially describes the Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana as:

In World Nature, The reinvention of Epcot will include Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana.” This first-ever experience inspired by the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ hit film will let guests interact with magical, living water in a beautiful and inspiring setting.

moana with ocean

Virtual Viewing of ‘Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks’ at Disney World

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Magic Kingdom

Merry Christmas! Disney has released a virtual viewing of “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks,” recorded from the 2019 party.

From a Disney Cast Member;

We’re bringing more #DisneyMagicMoments to everyone at home with a special virtual viewing of the dazzling holiday spectacle – “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks.”

For this pre-recorded viewing, you’ll virtually join host Minnie Mouse as the sky above Cinderella Castle sparkles with breathtaking fireworks to favorite holiday tunes like “Deck the Halls” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”  This yuletide celebration, presented by Disney’s “Godmothered,” a magical holiday comedy starring Isla Fisher and Jillian Bell, streaming on Disney+, will get you in the spirit for the season!

Upon Iger’s Departure, Disney Suffering From “Crisis of Confidence”

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Disney+

Via DisDining.com

When Bob Iger announced that he would be stepping down as CEO of The Walt Disney Company, he promised that there would be a smooth transition as Bob Chapek took over the role. Well, one pandemic, thousands of layoffs, multiple theme park shutdowns, Cast Member strikes, and multiple lawsuits, the past nearly two years have been anything but smooth.

The Walt Disney Company CEO, Robert Iger arrives for the World premiere of Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame” at the Los Angeles Convention Center on April 22, 2019 in Los Angeles. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) (Photo credit should read VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

Unfortunately, company executives and shareholders are seeing that things are quite rocky and are leaving and selling their shares to get out. According to a new report from Bloomberg, company stocks have tumbled 16% this year, and the investment company Morgan Stanley says that Disney is suffering from a “crisis of confidence.”

Per Bloomberg:

Wall Street, meanwhile, is growing skeptical that the company’s flagship streaming service, Disney+, will hit Chapek’s target of as many as 260 million subscribers in 2024. Disney shares are down about 16% this year, heading toward their worst annual performance since 2008. Morgan Stanley said the stock is suffering from a “crisis of confidence.”

“The biggest problem that Disney is facing is Disney+ right now,” said Porter Bibb, a veteran media investor. “It’s not a profit segment. It’s kind of stalling in terms of subscribers. And it’s a question mark whether you can put a supremely popular and winning streamer together with comic book characters that keep getting recycled over and over again…

Bill Smead, a Phoenix-based money manager who has owned Disney stock for 20 years, recently sold all of his 191,747 shares. He thinks Chapek will have a tough time delivering the kind of returns Iger did. 

“You never want to be the coach who follows John Wooden,” Smead said, referring to the UCLA basketball legend.

Bob Iger Bob Chapek galaxy's edge

While Disney+ subscription numbers have not climbed as high as the company would have liked, they are still banking on drawing more people in as they add more original programming on the Disney, Marvel, and Lucasfilm ends. Disney recently announced at a shareholder meeting that between Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu, the company has approximately 180 million subscribers.

Bob Iger’s last day at The Walt Disney Company is December 31, 2o21, and 2022 will mark the first time that Chapek will take the reins on his own, so it remains to be seen whether he can bring back the confidence that the Disney name once instilled in the stock market and shareholders.