President of Walt Disney World Resort, Jeff Vahle, visited Disney’s Animal Kingdom and shared an inside look at what we can expect to see upon Animal Kingdom’s phased reopening beginning July 15.
Jeff Vahle shared on Instagram four photos and the following message:
Disney has shared entertainment will be modified to accommodate for social distancing. It looks like we’ll be hearing some tunes from the river!
The Wilderness Explorers program is a family favorite. It looks like with a little social distancing in mind, the self-guided activities will continue. “Caw! Caw!”
Thanks for the photos @JeffVahle! We simply can’t wait to get back to Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
If you’re staying at a Walt Disney World Resort in the coming weeks but weren’t able to snag a Park Pass Reservation previously, it’s time to head back to Disney’s website and try again. Additional Park Pass slots opened this morning for Resort Guests!
As shown on the Disney Park Pass Availability calendar here, July 15, July 17, and July 18 now have availability when previously they were full. All parks are currently available on July 17 & 18. Three parks are available for July 15, with Disney’s Hollywood Studios being full.
Sometimes you just have to take a break from a busy day and check out videos with tigers, porcupines, and butterflies! Disney shares three videos that feature these animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Check out the videos and details below as shared by DisneyParksBlog.
Disney Channel stars Ava Kolker and Christian J Simon from “Sydney to the Max” teamed up with the Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment team and National Geographic to learn about the animals that live at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.* Ava and Christian had the unique opportunity to get up close to some of the most incredible animals on the planet and learn how the animal care experts take care of them. These previously recorded pieces showcase Sumatran tigers, zebra longwing butterflies, giant swallowtail butterflies and prehensile-tailed porcupines.
Ava and Christian worked with Dawn, an animal keeper, to prepare some food-based enrichment items for the Sumatran tigers and then delivered these to the Sumatran tigers at the Maharajah Jungle Trek. Check out the video below to find out what happens:
Ava and Christian got up close to a prehensile-tailed porcupine while learning from Conservation Manager Dr. Zak and Maria, an animal keeper, about what makes these animals unique. They even met a baby porcupine, called a porcupette!
Dr. Zak shared with Ava and Christian why butterflies are so important and provided the chance for them to interact with zebra longwing butterflies and giant swallowtail butterflies in the Pollination Garden near Conservation Station at Rafiki’s Planet Watch.
Together we can make a positive impact by protecting the places these and other animals call home. To check out more of Ava and Christian’s animal adventures, click here to visit the Disney Magic Moments collection in the DisneyNOW app. DisneyNOW is a kids-safe app with the newest episodes and current seasons of your favorite Disney Channel shows, DCOMs and dozens of games.
As Walt Disney World prepares to reopen their park doors to guests on July 11th for Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom and then on July 15th for Epcot and Hollywood Studios, they are taking great steps to help ensure the safety of their guests and cast members. Here is what Disney is doing throughout the resorts, restaurants and soon parks to keep everyone as protected as possible.
Face Masks
All Disney cast members will be greeting guests while wearing face masks. This is to help protect guests as well as the cast members themselves. It is Disney’s policy that all guests 2 and older wear face masks while visiting Walt Disney World Resort. Guests will be expected to wear masks at all times except when dining, swimming or in one of the rest areas in the parks. There are specific guidelines regarding what type of masks guests are expected to use as well. The biggest requirement is that masks do have to be secured with ties or ear loops. Keep this in mind when purchasing and planning for vacation.
Temperature Checks
Guests coming to Walt Disney World can expect to have their temperatures checked prior to being allowed into the parks or Disney Springs. Disney is saying they will be using “no-touch thermometers” in order to ensure those having a temperature of 100.4 F or above will not be allowed into the parks. This will also be used for cast members each day they come to work.
Social Distancing
As we are experiencing throughout the country right now, Walt Disney World will also be implementing social distancing. Not only will signs be up and around to help remind guests to keep their distance from others, but from what we have seen from Disney Springs as well as Disney’s international parks ground markers will be used throughout queues. We believe that social distancing will also be used on rides. Social distancing will also be used in restaurants throughout property as a limited number of guests will be seated and tables will be spread apart to allow distancing.
Hand washing
Prior to the parks closing we started to see Disney implement more hand washing stations throughout the park. This will be a trend that continues once the parks open again in mid-July. Disney will have more hand washing options as well as hand sanitizer throughout the park giving guests more opportunities to wash hands and keep themselves safe.
Resorts
Walt Disney World DVC resorts were able to open earlier this month allowing guests to come back and enjoy the magic. With this opening, we were able to see and learn more about what steps Disney is taking to protect guests at the resorts.
Guests are highly encouraged to use online check-in limiting face-to-face interactions and allowing guests to head right to their rooms. Disney is also going to a cashless system right now asking that guests have a form of payment such as credit card, gift cards or MagicBands set up to reduce contact.
Disney has also announced enhanced cleaning methods will be used during this time at their resorts. Not only will high-touch areas such as railings, elevators, benches and tables be cleaned often, but new measures will be taken in guests’ rooms.
Attention to high-touch items in guests’ rooms will be a focus of cleaning. Items such as remotes and door handles will be cleaned with great care. We have also seen items such as remotes wrapped in individual bags following cleaning to help ensure safety. Floors will be cleaned in between each guest and housekeeping will only come every other day to limit access to the room.
Finally, if guests need something while staying at a Walt Disney World resort, guests can utilize the new chat feature on the My Disney Experience app. This allows guests to communicate with cast members regarding needs, questions or concerns without having to have face to face contact.
Restaurants
Along with Disney resorts, a few Disney restaurants were opened throughout the property as well as at Disney Springs. Disney has set up measures at these restaurants to help keep everyone safe.
Mobile ordering was a secret that many didn’t use in their My Disney Experience; however, now Disney is highly encouraging guests to use this service during vacation. This again reduces the interaction needed between guests and cast members to keep everyone safe.
At table service dining, guests now can check in through the My Disney Experience app eliminating the need to check-in at the host stand. Guests can now notify the restaurant through the app that they have arrived and will receive a push notification when their table is ready.
Also, at table service restaurants, beside limiting capacity and social distancing tables, guests will use QR codes to access a digital menu. If this isn’t an option, then paper menus are given. Both methods can help keep guests and cast members safe with less communal touching of materials.
Another step being taken at Disney food areas is regarding refills. Guests will no longer be allowed to refill their own cups; however, cast members will be there to assist.
Parks
Once the parks open in July, Disney has gone through great lengths to ensure protecting guests heading back to the magic. Not only will Disney parks be taking the steps discussed above such as face masks, social distancing and temperature checks, Disney will be limiting park crowds. To help keep guests and cast members safe and to help them following the above guidelines, Disney has put in place a new park pass reservations system. This system has guests with tickets book a specific park for each day of their ticket. By doing this, Disney is able to help manage crowd levels at their parks and keep guests and cast members safe.
Along with the park pass reservation, Disney has stated that they will be diligently cleaning those high-touch areas throughout the parks just like in the resorts. Railings, tables, benches and even park ride systems will be cleaned to help keep guests safe.
As guests start to head back to the magic, Walt Disney World is working hard to help ensure guests are protected and safe during their stay. From new exciting systems to help manage crowds, to face masks and social distancing, Disney is ready to welcome guests back and help them have a magical and safe time in their favorite place.
It’s been a repeated request from Disney Parks fans for years: “Fix the Yeti.” But fixing Expedition Everest’s star Audio-Animatronic resident isn’t easy, as legendary Imagineer Joe Rohde recently discussed on Twitter.
Spinning off from a discussion about the Disney’s Animal Kingdom attraction’s circular layout resulting from the need to economize space, a fan asked if this space-saving need is the reason the Yeti was placed in the middle of the mountain, making it extremely difficult to repair.
Rohde responded, mentioning that maintenance was involved in the design of the attraction and that their work was considered to be a “model collaborative process.” He then explained that the Yeti has created an “unexpected and unforeseen set of issues…with no easy or timely solutions as of yet.”
When the attraction opened in 2006, the Yeti was the most advanced Audio-Animatronic ever created. And with new technology, new issues are bound to follow, as Rohde discussed: “Innovation is like physical exploration of unknown spaces. There is stuff out there you didn’t know, and you only encounter it by exploration. But then… there it is.”
The Yeti broke just months after the attraction opened, and has operated in “B-mode” ever since. But Rohde’s words suggest that no matter how long it takes, Disney continues to work on a solution as complex as the problem itself.
