On June 17, see Disney and Pixar’s #Lightyear, only in theaters.
Until then, enjoy this new trailer of the upcoming movie;
Gov. DeSantis Asks State Legislature To Repeal Reedy Creek Act
The battle between Disney and the state of Florida has just gone up another notch. On Tuesday, April 19, the Florida state legislature held a special legislative session to focus on redistricting. Before the session began, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made a public statement asking the legislature to consider terminating all special districts that were created in the state prior to 1968. This would include the Reedy Creek Improvement District — which is run by Disney.
The Walt Disney Company and Florida have been at odds for weeks over the passing of Florida’s controversial Parental Rights in Education bill. The bill is also called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, and its critics believe that it will target the LGBTQ community. Disney CEO Bob Chapek has spoken out against the bill and has promised to work with local advocates to see that the bill is repealed. Disney has also paused all political donations in the state, but that did not happen until the company had donated more than $100,000 to state republicans.
For his part, Governor DeSantis has made it clear that Disney does not run the state, and he will enact whatever legislation he deems necessary, regardless of Disney’s stance on the issue. DeSantis also said that he would consider supporting legislation that would repeal the Reedy Creek Improvement Act. The act was passed in 1967 and basically allowed Walt Disney World Resort to function as its own government.
Before the April 19 legislative session began, Governor DeSantis made the following statement:
“I am announcing today that we are expanding the call of what they are going to be considering this week. And so, yes they will be considering the congressional map, but they also will be considering termination of all special districts that were enacted in Florida prior to 1968, and that includes the Reedy Creek Improvement District.”
While some see the move as taking the power back from Disney — which has wielded a ton of power in the state since the theme parks opened — others see the move as incredibly shortsighted. Right now, when Disney wants to make improve things like roads and street signs, it pays for it. Disney is also responsible for any issues with its electricity and Wi-Fi. It also pays for its own police and medical staff. Should the state decide to repeal the Reedy Creek Improvement Act, Florida taxpayers would then be responsible for those costs.
Disney has not commented on Governor DeSantis’ comments or the potential repeal of the Reedy Creek Improvement Act.
Disney’s new headquarters building in New York hits a major milestone
Construction is progressing nicely on the New York building that will soon house production studios, offices, retail space, and a public food court owned by The Walt Disney Company. so much so, that a “topping out” ceremony was held last week.
Located at 137 Varick Street in New York City, Disney’s new structure is referred to as Four Hudson Square. It takes up an entire city block bound by Varick Street to the east, Spring Street to the south, Hudson Street to the west, and Vandam Street to the north.
In January of this year, construction had only reached ten floors, and as of last week, crews placed the building’s highest steel member.
Earlier this month, a topping-out ceremony was held in celebration of a significant milestone in the construction of The Walt Disney Company‘s newest building: the placement of the topmost beam in the new structure’s framework. A topping-out is a sure sign of progress and one that is celebrated by those who have a part in the new building’s development.
“A lot of times, those on location at the time the topmost beam is to be placed are invited to sign their names on the beam,” said Dwight Tyndall, Senior Engineering consultant at Click Engineering in Dallas, Texas. “Their names are then forever a part of the structure.”
This type of celebratory practice isn’t reserved just for The Walt Disney Company, and it isn’t uncommon. It’s often carried out at buildings of notable size and significance, but a topping-out celebration can happen for any construction project. And though there are some things about construction that are the same across the board, Tyndall says that each topping-out ceremony is different.
“It depends on the the project,” he said. “Some have a ceremony with dinner and a big celebration. It just depends on the project and the companies behind it.”
The Walt Disney Company‘s ABC former building in New York was located on the Upper West Side, but Disney sold the building after announcing plans to move those operations to a new location in the Big Apple.
Disney sold the building it owned since 1949 on Columbus Avenue and a nearby parcel on West End Avenue for $1.2 billion to Silverstein Properties. Silverstein developed three of the completed World Trade Center towers and other New York projects. It was then that Disney signed a lease on the Hudson Square space. The lease is up in 99 years and cost the House of Mouse $650 million.
“We’re excited to invest in the growth and development of Hudson Square,” it said in a statement, “and commit to Disney’s long-term future in New York.”
Structures on the Hudson Square space were demolished by 2020 to make room for the new build, a steel-framed superstructure, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and developed by Silverstein Properties. The building encompasses 1.2 million square feet spread out over 22 stories. The entire structure stands 338 feet tall. The building will house film and production studios, including the studio where ABC’s The View will be filmed, as well as office space, and a large ground floor retail space.
“This move represents an historic step forward toward our long-term vision for our New York operations,” said Robert Iger, CEO of Disney in 2018 when the move from the Upper West Side was first announced. “The Hudson Square district is rapidly becoming a dynamic, innovative hub for media, technology and other creative businesses.”
The new building at Four Hudson Square will feature a pair of 320-feet towers made of glass and green terra cotta, as well as a public food court on the ground floor, and several landscaped terraces. In all, the new build will boast 30,000 square feet of outdoor space.
Disney and ABC understood the need for security features in and around the new build as well. Four Hudson Square will feature sidewalk bollards all around the property. There will be minimal Disney and ABC signage, and Disney is forgoing any street-level, glass-walled TV studios.
The new structure will be completed sometime in 2024.
Disney Announces Major Change to Face Covering Policy
Disney has recently updated its face-covering policy for guests visiting Walt Disney World.
Here is the full statement updated on Walt Disney World’s website:
Face coverings are optional for Guests in both outdoor and indoor locations, as well as Disney transportation. It is recommended Guests who are not fully vaccinated continue wearing face coverings in all indoor locations, including indoor attractions and theaters and on enclosed transportation.
Please note, face coverings are not permitted while experiencing water slides or in the water.
Character Hugs Are Officially Back at Disney!
It seems as though we have been waiting for ages, but the time has officially come! Pre-pandemic character meet and greets are finally back at Disney! You can now run up to some of your favorite Disney characters — like Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, and more — and give them a great big hug. And don’t forget to bring your autograph book, because they will also once again be signing for any Guest who asks.
Walt Disney World Resort has been open since the summer of 2020 but, until now, all character interactions have been socially distanced. Any character meals have also been altered, with characters simply walking through the restaurant and waving to Guests as they go by. Disneyland has been open since April 2021, and its character meet and greets and character meals have been much the same.
Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort are not the first Parks to see the return of traditional character meet and greets. Disneyland Paris began allowing pre-pandemic interactions all the way back in early March. That was mainly due to the fact that Guests visiting Disneyland Paris were required to provide either proof of a negative COVID test or proof that they were fully vaccinated. Such a rule was never in place at Walt Disney World or Disneyland.
Character hugs at Disneyland Paris made US Guests jealous, and anxious for Disney to make an announcement that the same thing would happen in its stateside Parks. Not long after Paris started allowing hugs, Disney CFO Christine McCarthy informed fans that hugs would be returning to the US Parks “soon.”
While some characters meet and greets at Walt Disney World will use a traditional standby queue, there will be some that Guests will be allowed to book Lightning Lane access to. Guests can book the Lightning Lane to meet Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall, to meet Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater, and to meet Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess also at Princess Fairytale Hall. Standby queues will also be used for those Guests who do not wish to book or do not have Disney Genie+.
Disneyland Resort will not be following in the footsteps of Walt Disney World when it comes to character meet and greets. Disneyland Resort will use regular standby queues for all of its character interactions. Disney Genie+ will only be used for rides and attractions.