Tag: face masks

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Disney Parks

3 Things We Hope We DON’T See At The Disney Springs Reopening This Week

CityWalk at Universal Orlando began a phased reopening on May 14th, and we were there to report back.

There were a number of new health and safety measures implemented including temperature checks, limited hours, and social distancing protocols. Overall, we thought the reopening of CityWalk went pretty smoothly, but there were a few things that we hope NOT to see when Disney Springs begins its own phased reopening on May 20th.

Let’s check ’em out.

Use of Paper Menus Instead Of Digital Menus

When dining at Margaritaville, we were given disposable paper menus which our server informed us are thrown away after each use. This adheres to sanitary standards, but if this practice is maintained for long, it’s costing a TON of money and creating significant waste.

If we’re gonna go to the effort of implementing a new system, let’s do it in a sustainable, inexpensive, and even more sanitary way by using digital menus that can be scanned with your smartphone.

Margaritaville Menu

I imagine we’re going to be in this “new normal” for a while, so if restaurant guests get used to digital menus, it can be the wave of the future.

PLUS it will be WAY easier for restaurants to change their menus if they run out of a dish, highlighting a new special menu item, or offering a short-term discount (you know, to get rid of the stuff that’s NOT selling). Just changing the code on a website vs. re-printing hundreds of menus week after week? That could save SO MUCH MONEY, which is something restaurants definitely need to be thinking about right now.

Wine Bar George at Disney Springs has announced that they will be using digital menus upon reopening. And we recently visited Plancha Restaurant at Four Seasons Orlando, where guests could scan a QR code in order to view the menu.

Plancha Digital Menu

We’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll see more digital menus at Disney Springs restaurants — and everywhere else — instead of disposable ones!

Limited To-Go Food Options

We also noticed there were few to-go food options at CityWalk. We were able to mobile order at Voodoo Doughnut and Red Oven Pizza Bakery, plus Auntie Ann’s Pretzels offered their standard grab-and-go service. But the carry out service at Margaritaville was unavailable — to order any food or drinks, we had to put in our name and wait for a table.

Red Oven Pizza Bakery

We would have liked to have had more to-go options so we could get a substantial meal to carry out with us instead of having to wait the 2.5 hours to dine-in!

Limited Access to Masks Outside of the Entrance

All guests are required to wear masks at CityWalk as part of the additional health and safety measures. And this same requirement will be implemented at Disney Springs. But we did find some confusion about the availability of masks outside of the CityWalk entrance in case a guest forgets theirs.

According to the Universal website, masks are available for sale outside of the entrance to CityWalk, but we weren’t able to find any there on our visit. There were plenty stocked at the Universal Studios Store, but since guests wouldn’t be able to get that far without a mask, that wouldn’t help in an emergency.

Face coverings

We hope that Disney Springs either offers masks for sale outside of the entrance or has a large stock of disposable masks for guests who may have forgotten theirs!

Overall, we were impressed with Universal’s handling of the CityWalk reopening. But, we did notice a few not-so-great processes that we hope Disney doesn’t replicate at Disney Springs!

What protocol do you want to see when Disney Springs reopens? Let us know in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com

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Disney Parks Other

We Asked Our Readers: “Should Disney World Give out Free Masks for Guests?” Here’s What They Said.

Disney World is taking its first step towards resuming operations, with the phased reopening of Disney Springs starting on May 20th. The Disney Springs reopening plan includes several health and safety measures, one of which is required face coverings for both guests and Cast Members.

Cinderella Castle

And since masks are mandatory, we wanted to know if our readers think Disney should provide them for guests.

Based on statements from Disney executive chairman (and former CEO) Bob Iger, it’s been evident for some time that when Disney World reopened, there would be multiple additional health and safety measures implemented.

And now that Disney Springs is planning a phased reopening beginning on May 20th, we have a first glimpse into the protocols the shopping and dining area will follow.

Disney Springs

Safety measures will include increased cleaning procedures, reduced capacity and operating hours, limited-contact guest services, additional safety training for cast members, and required face coverings for both guests and Cast Members. You can see details on Disney Springs’ health protocol here.

Disney Springs

Since it’s confirmed that guests will be required to wear face masks during the initial stages of reopening, we wanted to get our readers’ thoughts on whether or not Disney should provide them. So, we asked our followers on Instagram, “Do you think Disney World should provide free masks, or should guests be required to bring their own?”

And people were quick to chime in! We received 423 responses in the first few minutes and of those, 210 said YES Disney should provide masks, 165 said NO it’s not Disney’s responsibility, and 48 said IN SOME CASES Disney should provide free masks. Here’s a visual breakdown of the results!

Pie Chart of Our Readers’ Responses When Asked If They Think Disney Should Provide Free Masks for Guests

Let’s take a look at some of the reasons people gave behind their responses!

“Yes, Disney World Should Provide Guests with Free Masks!”

Coming in as the most popular response, 50% said yes, they do think Disney World should provide free masks for all guests. Several people said that if Disney is making masks an ongoing requirement, they should have them available. “If masks are required then they should have them on hand to provide to guests in need.”

Others also pointed out that this would help Disney with enforcing the policy. “Yes! That way they can ensure everyone is being as safe as possible.”

©Harvey’s

Many readers also pointed out that Disney could provide plain masks for free, but allow guests the opportunity to upgrade to a design or pattern for an additional fee. “Provide basic ones, then charge more for nicer ones like they do with MagicBands.”

“No, It’s Not Disney’s Responsibility to Provide Masks”

On the other hand, 39% said no, they don’t think Disney is responsible for providing guests with free masks. They said guests should come prepared, and instead of handing out masks for free, Disney could sell them at a reasonable price for those who lost or dropped theirs. “No, but they should make them available for sale outside [the entrance] for a small fee.”

Others also pointed out that making masks available for purchase, instead of giving them out for free, would allow Disney to create more fashionable designs that make them more appealing to wear. “They could be the new Minnie Ears. Another way to add a pop of Disney.”

World of Disney in Disney Springs

Overall, this group felt that the responsibility should lie with the guests. “Nope. If you aren’t responsible enough to bring one, you aren’t taking it seriously enough.”

“Disney Should Provide Free Masks in Some Cases”

And some people saw the situation as a little less black-and-white — 11% said Disney should provide free masks in some cases. Many agreed that they do think guests should bring their own face covering, but since things can get hectic on vacation, Disney should have backups available in case a guest’s mask is lost, forgotten, or dropped. “People should be responsible for their own but Disney should have some at the ready to give if needed.”

Disney Springs

Others pointed out that since guests have been known to disregard the rules or not pay attention to the required changes, Disney should have masks on hand for any guests who missed the memo. “Guests should bring their own. But people don’t listen, so they should have backups just in case.”

So, it seems our readers are relatively evenly split on this one! Half of the respondents think that Disney should provide free masks for guests, and they pointed out that this also provides Disney with the chance to upsell for different designs. On the other hand, many readers think that guests should take responsibility and come prepared.

There were definitely some solid points all around — and keep in mind, you can always buy a Disney face mask now so you’re prepared regardless of the face-covering policy when the time comes for your next Disney World vacation!

Do you think Disney World should provide free masks, or should guests be required to bring their own? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

From our friends at www.disneyfoodblog.com

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Disney News Disney Parks Other

Walt Disney World Resort Donates Fabric to Orlando Ballet to Create Face Coverings for Central Florida Communities

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com

Wed, May 6, 2020

Walt Disney World Resort Donates Fabric to Orlando Ballet to Create Face Coverings for Central Florida Communities

by , Director of External Affairs, Walt Disney World Resort

Walt Disney World Resort Donates Fabric to Orlando Ballet to Create Face Coverings for Central Florida Communities - Photo Collage

As we continue to identify ways to support our community during this unprecedented time, Walt Disney World Resort is joining together with Orlando Ballet to make a difference for the Central Florida community.

With the temporary suspension of the performance season at Orlando Ballet, staff from their wardrobe department have been hard at work using their talents to sew face coverings for the members of our community who need them most. To support this inspiring effort, Walt Disney World Resort donated more than 400 yards of fabric and 2,400 yards of elastic to the organization, which will be converted into an estimated 3,000 of these much-needed non-medical, non-industrial-grade face coverings for local healthcare workers. Check out this video to see how the teams are making a difference together!

“It’s an honor to collaborate with one of Orlando Ballet’s longtime supporters and neighbors — Walt Disney World Resort — on this project,” said Cheryl Collins, interim executive director, Orlando Ballet. “Disney does such inspiring work in our community and we can’t thank them enough for their generosity. Orlando Ballet is extremely proud of our team and volunteers who have come together to create so many face coverings that are vital to people in Central Florida during this time.”

For Costuming Strategy and Initiatives Manager Fredd Gunzel, who has worked at Walt Disney World Resort for more than 20 years and has a background in the arts, this story was particularly meaningful. It was only fitting that he would be the one to make this impactful delivery.

“In costuming, we’re all about taking care of each other,” said Fredd. “So being able to donate this fabric and elastic to Orlando Ballet to create these face coverings for our local community is something we are grateful to be a part of.”

In addition to this contribution, Walt Disney World Resort actively supports Orlando Ballet through dance programming sponsorship, financial and in-kind support.

Categories
Disney News Other

Disney Introduces Cloth Face Masks and Donations for Families and Communities in Need

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com

Thu, April 30, 2020

Disney Introduces Cloth Face Masks and Donations for Families and Communities in Need

by , Director, Communications & Public Affairs, Disney Parks, Experiences & Products

Disney is committed to serving the communities where we live and
work. During these challenging times, we’re using the power of our timeless stories and beloved characters to address our guests’ needs.

Mickey Cloth Face Masks

Following the CDC’s recent recommendation to wear cloth face coverings in public settings, Disney is introducing non-medical, reusable cloth face masks featuring favorite Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars characters in the U.S., available for pre-order now on shopDisney.com.

To further help those in need, Disney is donating one million cloth face masks for children and families in underserved and vulnerable communities across the U.S., including California and Florida, that will be distributed by MedShare. Disney will also donate all profits from the sales in the U.S. of Disney’s cloth face masks to Medshare, up to $1 million, now through September 30, 2020.

“Disney’s donations will make a tremendous impact in the
communities we serve,” says Charles Redding, CEO and president of MedShare. “Their contribution of one million Disney cloth face masks will be provided to families in underserved communities and organizations working to limit the spread of COVID-19, while their monetary donation will be used to support the medical community’s ongoing efforts to provide lifesaving care to those who need it most.”

The cloth face masks are available for $19.99 for a four-pack, and feature a wide range of fan favorite characters, including: Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, Anna and Elsa, Woody and Buzz Lightyear, The Avengers, the Child – affectionately known as Baby Yoda – and more!

“We realize this is a challenging time for families and wearing any type of mask can be daunting,” says Edward Park, senior vice president, Disney store and shopDisney. “Our hope is that Disney’s cloth face masks featuring some of our most beloved characters will provide comfort to the families, fans and communities that are so important to us.”

The cloth face masks align with the FDA’s latest recommendations on non-surgical, non-industrial grade face masks.

You can pre-order the cloth face masks – available in small, medium, and large sizes – now on shopDisney.com in the U.S., for estimated shipping in June. Care instructions, including washing and fitting guidelines, can be found on shopDisney.com. Disney’s cloth face masks are just one example of the company’s commitment to helping communities in need during the current healthcare crisis. As part of its nearly $5 million in-kind donations benefiting communities around the globe, The Walt Disney Company has already donated more than 100,000 N95 masks to the states of New York, California, Florida and Washington, D.C., and 175,000 rain ponchos to hospitals in need of additional protective garments.