Cast Members Keep Walt’s Legacy Alive With Ultimate Toy Drive

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Disney Resorts

Every year, Disney participates in a toy drive to help raise money and toys for the Toys For Tots program. Disney has been incredibly involved with Toys for Tots for nearly 80 years, and even designed the well-known red train logo that the Toys for Tots program still uses to this day. Guests can bring toys to various Disney locations in the weeks leading up to Christmas. But Disney Guests are not the only ones working to provide for those less fortunate during the holidays, Disney Cast Members also work to keep Walt’s Legacy alive and participate in their own Ultimate Toy Drive.

This year, Cast Members from the Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Tokyo Disney, Hong Kong Disney, Disney Cruise Line, and Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort all came together to donate toys and bring more awareness to an incredible cause. Disney Parks Blog shared more on the annual tradition that Cast Members look forward to:

Toys for Tots

From collecting thousands of toys at select locations across property, to assisting with the sorting and distribution of donated items at local Toys for Tots warehouses, Walt Disney World cast members and Disney VoluntEARS are bringing joy to children in need this holiday season.

“During this holiday season, giving back to me means creating happiness for others and not expecting anything in return,” said cast member Araceli Medrano. “Working at World of Disney where we have multiple Toys for Tots donation drop-boxes, and getting to do something I know is going to make someone else happy, is a gift in and of itself.”

Toys for Tots Disney Cruise Line

Overall, tens of thousands of gifts were collected, gift bags were created, and toys were donated to the Marines, who will, in turn, give those to children in need in their areas.

Disney Cast Members are not the only ones who can help those less fortunate this holiday season. Guests visiting Disney properties this holidays season are also encouraged to bring new and unwrapped toys to the Resort and put them in designated Toys for Tots boxes. It is important to check the exact dates for when Disney will stop collecting toys, as different Resorts will have different deadlines. You can also donate through Disney by donating through the shopDisney website.

Disney Toys for Tots

If you are unable to make it to Disney, you can always check the Toys For Tots website to find locations taking donations in your area. The site will also list cutoff dates for the different drop-off locations.

Bob Iger Returns to Presenting the Weather After Stepping Down As CEO

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

Via InsideTheMagic

It’s a day all Disney fans knew was coming, but now that it’s here we’re not quite ready to say goodbye.

After more than 47 years working at ABC and The Walt Disney Company, including 15 years as Disney CEO, Bob Iger is stepping down as executive chairman of the board at the end of this month.

And today, Iger returned to his weatherman roots with a fun interview on ABC!

bob iger

Bob Iger was a beloved and successful CEO at the Walt Disney Company, steering Disney through acquisitions of Lucasfilm, Pixar, Marvel Studios, and 21st Century Fox to become the giant entertainment company it is today.

Iger led Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort through the additions of Pandora – The World of Avatar, Toy Story Land, Cars Land, and of course Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. He also opened Shanghai Disneyland in 2016.

The longest-serving Disney board member, after taking over as CEO after Michael Eisner in 2005. Bob Iger’s tenure saw Disney’s annual net income increase more than 400 percent, with Disney having seven movies in 2019 selling at least $1 billion in tickets worldwide.

shanghai disneyland

Iger will be replaced as chairman of the board by longtime board member, Susan Arnold, and he recently wrote a letter to Cast Members and employees as his exit approaches.

During the interview on ABC, Bob Iger returned to his role as a weatherman, a job he first had at the age of 23 years old. Asked about his long career with ABC and Disney, Iger said:

“I’m often asked: Would I change anything? The answer’s no, it worked out just fine. I’ve had just a great experience over 47 years with ABC and Disney. I’ve loved what I’ve done, every day that I’ve come to work I’ve been happy. I’m privileged to have had the opportunity to run this great company.”

bob iger

The interview also revealed that Iger is planning to write another book, after his New York Times bestselling memoir “The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of The Walt Disney Company:

“I’m looking forward to what comes next, although I’m not 100% sure what that is. But I haven’t had a day off since 8th grade.

I am [thinking of writing another book]. I’m thinking about it. Right now, it feels like a gigantic homework assignment. But yes, I’ve been fascinated by how leaders led though the global pandemic, leading through a crisis.”

bob-iger-mickey

One of Iger’s first jobs in show business was as a weatherman before he joined ABC in 1974 – 22 years before Disney acquired the network.

And it seems the former Disney CEO has retained his weatherman skills, with KABC meteorologist Leslie Lopez asking if he would co-anchor a weather report during the interview. Iger replied: “I have not done the weather in 48 years.”

He stepped up though, and presented an informative and well-presented weather report to the Southern California area! He even quipped about this morning routine:

“Very nippy on Saturday morning by the way, 62 degrees in the Los Angeles area. 46 degrees on Saturday morning, that’s when I bike ride, I think I may have to look out for some early morning frost.”

bob iger weather abc

Bob Iger was replaced by Bob Chapek in February 2020. Since becoming the 7th CEO of the Walt Disney Company, Bob Chapek has definitely divided Disney fans over his direction and approach to the job.

Iger is currently acting as chairman to help guide Chapek through the transitional period. Iger will be ending his Disney employment at the end of the year, and Chapek will be on his own.

During a recent annual retreat for the company’s upper management at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii, Iger seemed to hint at the data-driven nature of Chapek. Iger spoke about his advice on successfully being the CEO of The Walt Disney Company and not to let data control their decision, but rather, creativity. 

disney ceo bob chapek (left) and executive chairman bob iger (right)

Chapek did not have it easy to begin with as CEO, starting just before the COVID-19 pandemic and making difficult decisions throughout this last year and a half, including budget cuts and layoffs.

A petition went viral recently trying to persuade the Walt Disney Company to fire Chapek, with the petition gaining over 80,000 signatures as of the time of writing.

The petition discusses Chapek’s focus on budget cuts and laying off over 28,000 employees through the company, as well as moving attention to Disney+, Disney’s streaming service, and away from the quality of the Disney Parks.

Bob Chapek and Bob Iger

Disney is paying insane hiring bonuses, just to fill vital roles in the parks

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

Via DisDining.com

While we’re all excited that the Walt Disney World Resort is getting back to “normal,” following its unprecedented closure in March 2020 for nearly four months in response to the growing coronavirus pandemic, we know that Disney, like other employers, is facing challenges with finding enough people to fill the open Cast Member roles they have available at the Central Florida parks.

Disney World recently announced that it will be hosting a job fair on December 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort Convention Center.

Five Hidden Gems Attendees Can Discover at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort | Disney Meetings Blog

Cast Members are desperately needed in culinary roles, housekeeping roles, custodial roles, and bus transportation roles, as each of these types of roles remains difficult for Disney to fill lately. Mickey really needs help filling positions to offer the most magic and the best in customer service to Guests, so he’s paying as much as $1,500 in sign-on bonuses for chef assistant positions.

Chef of Be Our Guest Restaurant in New Fantasyland Shares His Favorites from the Menu | Disney Parks Blog

Several other challenging-to-fill positions come with hiring bonuses of up to $1,000.

Cast Members currently onboard with The Walt Disney Company can earn some extra cash as well. Disney is currently offering referral bonuses to Cast Members who send in friends, family members, or strangers they meet at Starbucks (or anywhere else) who apply for positions at Disney and get hired and use the Cast Member’s name as the person who referred them. Those referral bonuses start at $500 and go as high as $1,000 after the person is hired and employed for a designated amount of time.

If you’re not able to visit Coronado Springs on December 13 for the job fair, you can still apply online for positions at Disney World (or at any Disney-owned park or subsidiary) via the Disney Careers website by clicking here. Currently, the website lists Park Operations jobs such as Chef Assistant, Program Experience Associate, Monorail Host/Hostess, and more.

many Christmas classics facing backlash this year

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney+

It seems odd to read the words, “Christmas classics” and “backlash.” Isn’t that what makes them Christmas classics–their staying power, their ability to withstand the test of time, and their knack for bringing us back year after year after year?

This year is a bit different, however, according to Outsider.com, which claims that some “film critics are wanting to cancel several Christmas classics over toxic masculinity, one of them being (the 1946 film) It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Clockwise from top: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Carol Coombs, Jimmy Hawkins, Larry Simms and Karolyn Grimes. (Photo by Herbert Dorfman/Corbis via Getty Images)

You don’t get much more classic than an iconic film written by Frank Capra, starring Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, and Lionel Barrymore. The film follows (through the eyes of a trio of angels in Heaven) the life and times of George Bailey of Bedford Falls. George has his whole life planned out until he realizes that he doesn’t. He tends to put the desires, goals, and wishes of others ahead of his own, but that’s because he has the guarantee that there’ll be time to realize his goals soon enough. But “soon enough” never comes, and George winds up living in the same old Bedford Falls, among the same old Bedford Falls folks, even though he had always planned to shake to dust of that “crummy little town” off and “see the world.”

It's a Wonderful Life movie review (1946) | Roger Ebert

George ends up contemplating his life as he stands at the edge of a bridge staring down the turbulent waters below. He considers ending it all before an angel named Clarence who’s yet to earn his wings jumps in the water to “save” George. George finally sees what life on earth would have looked like, had he never been born.

But critics say It’s a Wonderful Life is full of toxic masculinity and should be canceled, much like anything else people find a reason to dislike. Their reason? The horrible George Bailey kisses his wife without getting her permission first. Really?

The most politically incorrect Christmas films revealed | Express Digest

The critics are also up in arms over another Christmas movie that debuted in 1996, called Jingle All the Way (which, by the way, you can catch on the Disney+ streaming app if you’re like me–a terrible person who watches these kinds of things). The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad, who portray rival characters, each one trying to purchase the coveted hot-ticket toy of the season: a Turbo-Man action figure. Each one has a son at home who’s just got to have a Turbo-Man, and they’ll stop at nothing to get one.

Jingle All The Way Review | Movie - Empire

But the critics and Scrooges who have a problem with this film don’t actually have a problem with the main characters or with their respective plights to be named “Dad of the Year” solely based on their abilities to produce the aforementioned Turbo-Man. Isn’t that “toxic masculinity?” No, they take issue with another character in the film–a minor character, mind you.

“Some people claim that Phil Hartman’s character, Ted, is creepy,” the post from Outsider.com reads. “His unintentional advances on Liz spoil the seasonal film.”

Tim Allen stars as Santa Claus in ‘The Santa Clause.’

And believe it or not, a harmless, happy little Disney Christmas staple, featuring the incomparable voice of Toy Story‘s Buzz Lightyear, is also under siege. Disney’s The Santa Clause, starring Tim Allen, found its way into our festive merriment in 1994, some 27 years ago. But apparently, it took the up-and-coming critics of today to show us the error of our ways.

Critics say the film fosters fat jokes and fat-phobia. So, of course, instead of knowing right from wrong ourselves and learning to be kind to others, we should scrap the film altogether (presumably because we get our morality from a Disney film about a Dad who becomes Santa and gains weight). This is “cancel culture,” people.

Disney classic The Santa Clause is a must-see (again) | Movies | San Luis Obispo | New Times San Luis Obispo

“Tim Allen plays a toy salesman, Scott Calvin, who assumes the duties of Santa Claus and begins to gain weight to resemble his appearance,” reads the post from Outsider.com. “The sudden weight gain causes many fat jokes, and critics believe this references fatphobia.”

Fan Creates Hilarious ‘Soarin’ Over Home Depot’ Video

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

For over two decades at Disney California Adventure Park and over 15 years at EPCOT, Guests have been able to fly in a hang glide over beautiful sites like the Redwood forest and the Pacific Ocean. In 2001, Soarin’ Over California opened at Disney California Adventure Park and four years later, the same attraction opened in the Land Pavilion at EPCOT. Both rides became Soarin’ Around the World in 2016 and went from showing California landmarks to familiar locations from countries like France and Australia.

Soarin

One fan loves Soarin’ so much that he could not help but be inspired when he saw a video shared by Home Depot on its official Twitter account. The home improvement store shared a promotional Christmas video of Santa’s view as he flies through the parking lot and through the store, finding exactly what he needs.

Twitter user @Belaskifilms took that footage and gave it a Soarin’ Over Home Depot makeover, complete with the ride music and dangling feet that are seen by those Guests who are not sitting in the front row.

Social media users loved the cross-over, and some even took the opportunity to poke fun at Disney, claiming the footage Home Depot used was much better (and straighter) than the footage used in Soarin’ Around the World.