Author: disneyparks.disney.go.com

Stride into something comfy and cool! Your feet are going to love the distinctive styles from California Sole, the new footwear store coming later this summer to the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort! Formerly known as Sanuk, this one-of-a-kind store is fresh, modern and features some of California’s most iconic shoe and sandal brands.

We had a chance to chat with the owner, Wayne Heck, who walked us through the concept behind California Sole:

What is California Sole and what will guests enjoy?

California Sole is a California-inspired, full-service footwear store. Most of the brands we carry were born here in beautiful, sunny California and each one has an amazing story to tell. Our staff is very knowledgeable and can share with guests the stories, passion and heart—or “sole”—behind each line of footwear while providing personalized service.

What lines will California Sole carry?

At California Sole, we look for iconic craftsmanship and timeless style that inspires wearers to get out and get active. All the brands we carry are easy on the eyes and easy on the feet! We will be featuring Vans, Sanuk, OluKai, Reef and Havaianas, along with Stance socks, Pura Vida bracelets and other accessories.

We look forward to providing our guests with plenty of options in comfort, style and price points!

Tell us about the store’s new look!

The minute guests step through our doors, we want them to feel the carefree, California lifestyle. Much like our logo is as bright as a California sunset, our new store will be light, bright and modern with iconic California artwork. In addition, our doors will stay open to appreciate the perfect weather.

As we’ve previously announced, Downtown Disney District will begin reopening on July 9 in line with the state’s reopening guidelines, with its unique variety of shopping and dining experiences (California Sole will not be open on July 9, but will open soon after that date). With the health of guests and Disney cast members at the forefront of planning, several operational changes will be implemented based on guidance from health authorities to promote physical distancing and cleanliness throughout the Downtown Disney District. Please check Disneyland.com/DTD for more information.

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Disneyland Resort, Downtown Disney District, DLR, Downtown Disney

It’s National Pollinator Week! Did you know that pollinators, including bees and butterflies, make one in every three bites of food possible? Or that pollinators add $15 billion of value to US crops every year? Pollinators provide a perfect example of how a little hard work and cooperation can make a big difference in the world, which is why we want to take the time to thank our hard working pollinators this National Pollinator Week. 

What is a Pollinator?

So what exactly is a pollinator? A pollinator is an animal that helps flowering plants reproduce by moving pollen from one flower to another. We can’t have fruit and veggies without pollen! Some of the best pollinators in the world are bees, and there are more than 20,000 kinds of bees in the world! You can probably recognize a honey bee or a bumble bee, but bees range from as small as a fruit fly to as big as a ping-pong ball, and can be yellow and fuzzy, metallic green, iridescent purple, and everything in between. 

Other common pollinators include butterflies, flies, hummingbirds, and bats. About 90 percent of flowering plants need pollinating insects to help them reproduce, including about 75 percent of the plants that we eat. That means without pollinators our diet would be very different! Our natural areas would be radically different as well, with no wildflower meadows or trees full of blooms each spring.     

Making a Difference

Unfortunately, pollinators are declining around the world, mostly due to habitat loss. That’s why we work hard to make Walt Disney World Resort as pollinator friendly as possible, and our team has observed more than 70 pollinator species around the resort to date! To provide even more habitat for pollinators, we even created pollinator-friendly gardens near the new 270-acre, 50-megawatt solar facility, which provides renewable clean energy to Walt Disney World Resort.

(University of Florida is raising federally endangered Miami blue butterflies and releasing them in the Florida Keys in an effort to restore wild populations. Credit: Credit: Geena Hill)

The Disney Conservation Fund has also supported nonprofit organizations that protect more than 70 species of pollinators around the world from bay checkerspot butterflies in California and Hawaiian yellow-faced bees in Hawaii, to golden-capped fruit bats in the Philippines. Among these organizations is the University of Florida, whose team has been leading important efforts to protect more than 42 species of at-risk butterflies in Florida and California through species research and reintroductions, habitat restoration, and outreach. Together, Disney Conservation and University of Florida have raised and released into the wild more than 3,400 Atala butterflies, 10,500 endangered Miami blue butterflies and nearly 1,000 endangered Schaus’ swallowtails!

How You Can Help

You can make a difference for pollinators at your home, too, by creating a pollinator garden. Reach out to a local nursery and ask what types of native pollinator plants might be a good fit for your home garden – many are open and offer delivery or curbside pick-up. At Walt Disney World Resort, we design pollinator habitats using the mantra “diversity begets diversity.” The more different types of flowers we have – short, tall, big, small, from ground cover to towering trees – the more different types of pollinators we can attract and support. It is also helpful to have at least three of any type of plant to make sure you are providing enough flowers for any pollinator that might visit. 

Don’t have a lot of garden space? Don’t fret! You can make a meaningful difference by planting even a few flowering plants on a windowsill or in a patio container garden. See our tips on making a successful patio pollinator garden here!  

Once you have the flowering plants, watch closely to see which pollinators use the garden. Before long, you will likely see butterflies, bees, and more foraging on the nectar and pollen you provided. You can find out more about these amazing pollinators at DisneyAnimals.com and learn more about honeybees from our friends at NatGeo here. 

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Uncategorized, Conservation, WDW

Following last week’s special edition of #DisneyCastLife to celebrate the reopening of Hong Kong Disneyland, we now turn to Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts where excited cast members are busy working together and preparing to create Disney magic for returning guests at parks and resorts.  

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, we also talk with cast members at the Disney Store as it begins a phased reopening of select locations.   

For more #DisneyCastLife stories, follow the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort Ambassador team on Instagram at @WDW.Ambassador and @Disneylandambassador.  And be sure to keep checking the Disney Parks Blog for more #DisneyMagicMoments.    

• SPECIAL EDITION: New #DisneyCastLife Features Cast Member Magic at Hong Kong Disneyland
• New #DisneyCastLife: Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Josh D’Amaro Shares Special Message, Cast Members Create Magic at Disney Springs and More
• SPECIAL EDITION: #DisneyCastLife Features Cast Members Making Magic at Shanghai Disney Resort
• #DisneyCastLife: New Episode Highlights Cast Member Magic Around the World
• #DisneyCastLife: Disney Ambassadors Highlight Cast Member Magic Around the World
• Disney Ambassadors Highlight Cast Member Magic in New Episode of #DisneyCastLife 
• #DisneyCastLife: Disney Ambassadors Share Cast Member Magic in New Video Series

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Disneyland Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland, Walt Disney World Resort, Cast Members, DLR, WDW

As we previously shared, Downtown Disney District will begin reopening on July 9 in line with the state’s reopening guidelines. We are pleased to welcome back a variety of our shopping and dining experiences during this initial phase, including the flagship World of Disney store.

We are following guidelines from health authorities and government agencies, as well as applying learnings from the phased reopening at Disney Springs in Florida to guide our reopening plans. With the health of guests and Disney cast members at the forefront of planning, several operational changes will be implemented based on guidance from health authorities to promote physical distancing and cleanliness throughout the Downtown Disney District.

During the initial reopening phase, Downtown Disney District will have capacity measures in place, as well as limitations on parking and operating hours. Guests will be directed to self-park at Simba lot (at Disneyland Drive and Katella Ave). Please follow signs for clearly defined entrances and exits. In addition, Downtown Disney District hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., daily. Individual location hours may vary.

Additional measures and information will be shared closer to the reopening date. Please check Disneyland.com/DTD for the most current information.

Pending state and local government approvals, Disneyland park and Disney California Adventure park plan to reopen on July 17. In addition, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel will begin to reopen on July 23.

We look forward to welcoming you back next month to the Downtown Disney District!

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Disneyland Resort, Downtown Disney District