Disneyland officially reopening April 30th

[TP2000]

I'm surprised by two things:

1. Buzz Lightyear is closed, while Midway Mania is not. Did I miss something about this?
2. That is a serious LACK of dining. No Blue Bayou? Carnation Cafe? Rancho del Zocalo? Am I missing something here?

I think part of this may be they simply don't need that many restaurants open with the tiny capacity limits they must deal with.

It just doesn't pencil out to keep those restaurants open at an arbitrarily low percentage of capacity. So they remain closed.

 

[TP2000]

Uh oh... No Lincoln. Why do I get the feeling we will never see it again?

He's a racist and horrible human being. Or so many fashionable people on the Left think now. His name has been stripped from public schools in San Francisco, and his statue has been toppled and destroyed in Portland. He is a horrible human being now!

The fact that Walt idolized him won't be easy to work around for Burbank, but they'll need to find a way.

I think it's only a matter of time before Disney removes him entirely from the park, citing Equity or Inclusion or a word like that.

 

[TP2000]

The latest aerial pictures show construction walls around the mountain and scaffolding on the mountain. I can't remember... last year before they shut down, was the work to fix the "mountain falling off" issue completed? Maybe they are still working on that?

It's a ride that is closed every year or two for heavy maintenance. It's a beast of a ride to maintain, and it requires regular upkeep.

It's a good sign they still do this. The day they stop maintaining the Matterhorn is the day it goes to Yesterland.

 

[TP2000]

For all the love D'Amoro gets on here, he completely failed at running the parks during this shutdown, ie the Touch of Disney event which took them a year to create and was plagued with problems.

Good point. Mr. Damaro does get a lot of praise, but maybe it went overboard? Mr. Potrock is in charge of Disneyland (for now), but surely he ran the whole Touch Of Disney thing by his boss?

I mean, they had almost an entire year when they had nothing to do but lay off tens of thousands of CM's and plan a food festival experience where you got $25 of food for $75. And they failed at that experience part. Mr. Damaro deserves at least part of that blame.

Honestly shocked to see both parks closing at 7. I was thinking 8 or 9 at the latest.

It saves money on not running restaurants for dinner, and pushes business out to Downtown Disney restaurants. With how few people will be allowed inside the parks, I really don't think it's going to be a problem.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I don't remember ever complaining that CM's aren't invested in their jobs. I just need them to be well groomed, polite, and efficient. I'd love it if Disneyland's CM's were as good as In-N-Out employees (too many at Disneyland aren't, especially for the prices charged), but I don't care if they are "invested" in their jobs. That's up to them.

The crying on Social Media thing seems a bit much to me. A tad self-serving.

Especially after many thousands of CM's lost their jobs in the last six months because their department's were eliminated or the business case for their employment collapsed due to Covid.

Frozen was a theme park stage show. By design, those things are fleeting and temporary, usually lasting 3 or 4 years. Sometimes less, sometimes more. But always far shorter than the lifespan for an attraction or restaurant. Frozen opened at DCA 5 years ago now. It had a good run.

I've been online talking about Disneyland for decades. I can't think of a single time that any CM's cried online when fill-in-the-blank restaurant or ride or shop closed. From Rocket Rods to Burger Invasion to Avalon Cove to Plaza Pavilion to Luigi's Flying Tires to Heraldry Shoppe to Tower of Terror to MuppetVision, we never saw crying CM's for those closures. Those CM's may have been sad about it, they might miss working with their friends at a fun location or wearing a favorite uniform.

But public posts about "bittersweet ends" with tearful photos? That just seems overly dramatic for a temporary stage show.

CM's posting about Disneyland online is an interesting subject depending on their role.

If the guy or gal that played Mickey in Fantasmic were to hop on Twitter and say "Man, I'm sure gonna miss being Mickey 5 nights a week!" with a close up photo of him in the Mickey costume, I wouldn't like it. Since Disneyland is fantasy made real- so that Mickey in Fantasmic is supposed to be Mickey, not Mickey played by some 20 year old in Anaheim. So the actors/face characters really shouldn't be posting about how they're a certain character at Disneyland. Is it a huge deal? No... but I think the more 'backstage' stuff that stays backstage, the better. At least as far as cast social media is concerned.

But for the Frozen show- which is delivered as a stage show, and isn't intended to be 'real' to the audience- it's a bit less egregious for the cast to post about their experience working on it. Since she isn't supposed to be 'Elsa', but is instead someone portraying Elsa in a live stage show at the park.

You'd be surprised how many backstage photos end up online on cast social media- usually taking selfies backstage and posting online.

 

[SuddenStorm]

Chip and Dale's Tree House is a full set of stairs. With 90 degree turns! It's an immersive attraction!

It's attractions like these that really demonstrate why Disneyland is considered to be the best in the business. I mean, you won't be able to find a better themed staircase anywhere.

It could only happen at Disneyland!

 

[ToTBellHop]

Until the no indoor queues drop, I wouldn't see them adjusting to the higher capacity yet.
As of right now, the attraction teams are trying to figure out how that's going to work still. Some are waiting until they do preview days leading up to the opening. So expect bumpy roads for a least a month or so.

Right, but they should be able to use indoor queues 6/15. That won’t help Mansion since they’ll still want to avoid the elevators for distancing, but this will be glorious for Indy. For decades, Fastpass has prevented us from enjoying its queue. I can’t wait to spend 30 min in a distanced queue inside the temple.

I imagine they will settle at 35-40% like WDW, which crowds enjoy (wait times are reasonable) and which is successfully spreading crowds throughout the year at WDW, so they can have a stable staffing level. The park reservations are here to stay.

 

[unmitigated disaster]

But that's just it.

Disneyland fired thousands and thousands of CM's in the last year. Many are never coming back.

But we never saw teary Social Media from ride operators or churro girls or turnstile attendants. Only the professional actors seem to have put that kind of stuff up on their Social Media. Don't forget to Like and Subscribe!

It just feels... cringey to me. But that's just me.

If I'm off base on this one, that won't have been the first time. But it just seems eye-rolling to me when many thousands of other CM's also lost their jobs in the last year.

And so have thousands not employed by Disney. Your constant banging the drum on how!unique!Disney/California!is!for being affected by Covid is distasteful as well.

 

[CaptinEO]

He's a racist and horrible human being. Or so many fashionable people on the Left think now. His name has been stripped from public schools in San Francisco, and his statue has been toppled and destroyed in Portland. He is a horrible human being now!

The fact that Walt idolized him won't be easy to work around for Burbank, but they'll need to find a way.

I think it's only a matter of time before Disney removes him entirely from the park, citing Equity or Inclusion or a word like that.

I think you are right that TDA will find a way to remove Lincoln. I don't think for a minute that the Walt Disney Company actually cares about following the ideals of its founder Walt Disney. At least in its current iteration it doesn't.

I still think it's tragic that Carousel of Progress was removed, which was one of Walt's favorite attractions.

Walt certainly wouldn't have built a themepark in communist China and bowed down to their government to sell toys there. He also was a proud American and was into all things Americana.

Good point. Mr. Damaro does get a lot of praise, but maybe it went overboard? Mr. Potrock is in charge of Disneyland (for now), but surely he ran the whole Touch Of Disney thing by his boss?

I mean, they had almost an entire year when they had nothing to do but lay off tens of thousands of CM's and plan a food festival experience where you got $25 of food for $75. And they failed at that experience part. Mr. Damaro deserves at least part of that blame.



It saves money on not running restaurants for dinner, and pushes business out to Downtown Disney restaurants. With how few people will be allowed inside the parks, I really don't think it's going to be a problem.

I absolutely agree. I don't understand how a massive company with all the resources in the world can't plan for an event where people go to eat inside a themepark.

It's typical Disney BS where fans will defend it too. "Oh wow, well I'm just glad the CMs are at work and its not the company's fault, theyre getting into the swing of things".

Expect to hear the same excuses from people come April 30. "It took us 90 minutes to park and all the security tents were understaffed, but the company is just getting it figured out".

Everyone who frequents Disneyland knows that even when the company does well they cut staff down as much as possible.

 

[CaptinEO]

David Koenig, who has written a few books about Disneyland, tweets: "When Disneyland and its eateries reopen in three weeks, expect simplified menus and an intense push for mobile ordering. The number of cash registers at restaurants has been cut in half."

They already cut the number of staff members in QS restaurants in half YEARS ago. Even on days I've been where Disneyland is at capacity I've never seen them fully staff a quick service restaurant in the last 15-20 years.

 

[Californian Elitist]

But that's just it.

Disneyland fired thousands and thousands of CM's in the last year. Many are never coming back.

But we never saw teary Social Media from ride operators or churro girls or turnstile attendants. Only the professional actors seem to have put that kind of stuff up on their Social Media. Don't forget to Like and Subscribe!

It just feels... cringey to me. But that's just me.

If I'm off base on this one, that won't have been the first time. But it just seems eye-rolling to me when many thousands of other CM's also lost their jobs in the last year.

Do you honestly believe only stage CMs posted about their departure from Disneyland on social media?

Just because you haven’t personally seen one, it doesn’t mean such a post doesn’t exist. This woman can’t even express how she’s going to miss her JOB that was supplying an INCOME without folks like you coming to troll and make fun of her.

 

[el_super]

I think you are right that TDA will find a way to remove Lincoln. I don't think for a minute that the Walt Disney Company actually cares about following the ideals of its founder Walt Disney. At least in its current iteration it doesn't.

Find a way? What on earth do you mean? They can remove it if they want to. This isn't some protected public space or historical landmark. If they do end up removing it, it will be due to popularity. I also think it funny to evoke Walt's name and connect it with a desire to keep attractions in place, because I am old enough to remember that awkward tribute to the FREE MARKET that was in the old exit hallway at the opera house. Removing an attractions due to low popularity is the free market at work! It's what Walt would have wanted.

 

[el_super]

They already cut the number of staff members in QS restaurants in half YEARS ago. Even on days I've been where Disneyland is at capacity I've never seen them fully staff a quick service restaurant in the last 15-20 years.

And they will keep cutting staff as long as safety requirements demand it. What's wrong with being safe?

 

[CaptinEO]

Find a way? What on earth do you mean? They can remove it if they want to. This isn't some protected public space or historical landmark. If they do end up removing it, it will be due to popularity. I also think it funny to evoke Walt's name and connect it with a desire to keep attractions in place, because I am old enough to remember that awkward tribute to the FREE MARKET that was in the old exit hallway at the opera house. Removing an attractions due to low popularity is the free market at work! It's what Walt would have wanted.

So Walt would have wanted them to remove his well crafted tribute to a man he idolized? Good grief. Not a chance.

 

[CaptinEO]

And they will keep cutting staff as long as safety requirements demand it. What's wrong with being safe?

You clearly didnt even read my post about them cutting staff for the past two decades and it having nothing to do with the pandemic, which didnt even exist at that point.

Go ahead and defend the company for making more cuts.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I find it humorous that they suggest waiting until you have park reservations (60 days out) before booking a hotel stay. What do they suggest DVC members do? 60 days out is laughable. The next time a studio is widely available is January 2022. Other room types have a night or two here and there and wide availability starting in November.

 

[waltography]

But that's just it.

Disneyland fired thousands and thousands of CM's in the last year. Many are never coming back.

But we never saw teary Social Media from ride operators or churro girls or turnstile attendants. Only the professional actors seem to have put that kind of stuff up on their Social Media. Don't forget to Like and Subscribe!

It just feels... cringey to me. But that's just me.

If I'm off base on this one, that won't have been the first time. But it just seems eye-rolling to me when many thousands of other CM's also lost their jobs in the last year.

You might not have seen social media from ride operators and the like, but they definitely exist; I couldn't scroll through certain parts of TikTok or Instagram for weeks after the shutdown first started without encountering parade performers saying goodbye (followed afterwards by attractions/meet and greet/photopass/dining CMs when layoffs started happening).

People are handling the pandemic and change best as they can; some are handling it better than others. It's better to just give them some space and empathy.

 

[el_super]

So Walt would have wanted them to remove his well crafted tribute to a man he idolized? Good grief. Not a chance.

You think Walt would have wanted, or paid for, a fully staffed theater to sit empty most of the day? Not a chance.

You clearly didnt even read my post about them cutting staff for the past two decades and it having nothing to do with the pandemic, which didnt even exist at that point.

Go ahead and defend the company for making more cuts.

You don't know why the cuts are made and clearly didn't read my post when I indicated it was for SAFETY and not necessarily the pandemic. In some cases cuts were made to reduce the number of bodies flying around in the kitchens in order to promote safety and reduce injuries. You are assuming that all cuts are made in order to save money, which isn't the case. Sometimes those changes ended up costing the company revenue. This isn't so much about trying to defend the company as it is trying to stop the manufactured drama.

 

[ToTBellHop]

You think Walt would have wanted, or paid for, a fully staffed theater to sit empty most of the day? Not a chance.



You don't know why the cuts are made and clearly didn't read my post when I indicated it was for SAFETY and not necessarily the pandemic. In some cases cuts were made to reduce the number of bodies flying around in the kitchens in order to promote safety and reduce injuries. You are assuming that all cuts are made in order to save money, which isn't the case. Sometimes those changes ended up costing the company revenue. This isn't so much about trying to defend the company as it is trying to stop the manufactured drama.

I, for one, am impressed at how much they are planning to reopen at the start to give guests a worthwhile experience. This will cost a fortune to get back up and they certainly could have gone much cheaper thinking people would pay, regardless. Opening somewhere around 45 rides all at once after 14 months of not running them is ambitious. Let alone the shops and restaurants.

 

[CaptinEO]

You think Walt would have wanted, or paid for, a fully staffed theater to sit empty most of the day? Not a chance.



You don't know why the cuts are made and clearly didn't read my post when I indicated it was for SAFETY and not necessarily the pandemic. In some cases cuts were made to reduce the number of bodies flying around in the kitchens in order to promote safety and reduce injuries. You are assuming that all cuts are made in order to save money, which isn't the case. Sometimes those changes ended up costing the company revenue. This isn't so much about trying to defend the company as it is trying to stop the manufactured drama.

So they are removing CASH REGISTERS for safety? Is that a new CDC rule?

I'm not manufacturing drama, you are. I'm talking about the cuts that have existed for decades and you act like its such a great thing.

You want to talk safety? The people who have to wait an hour outside in a large crowd to get through security, or an hour to order quick service food on peak days (this was going on before any pandemic) are all at a high safety risk the longer they are grouped together and waiting.

I'm sure youre glad they cut the parking attendants in the toll booths in half in summer 2019, now they can retroactively say it was for safety.

I love when people defend Disney making their guests suffer.