DVDizzy.com

When Forever premiered, all the cast members I spoke with said Harmonious would premiere around May.

https://wdwnt.com/2020/01/photos-video- ... -in-epcot/

Video of the new BATB singalong. It ends abruptly, so I assume someone spotted them and asked them to stop filming as the show isn’t officially open yet.

It’s cute, I’m glad BATB has an even more cemented presence in the France Pavilion now. It seems an uneasy choice to have two focal point characters for the show, both Mrs Potts and LeFou. I’d always assumed that Mrs Potts would start telling the story and then LeFou would butt in to tell the story his way. But I’ll reserve full judgment until I see the entire show!

Also the live-action movie does have a presence at the attraction now— costumes and props are on display in the waiting area.

Thank you for posting that!!! It's different from what I expected, too. I'm impressed (though not surprised) that the new animation seamlessly fits in. At first I didn't think it was too funny, but it gradually got funnier!

_________________

Disney has released concept art for a refreshed Cinderella Castle coming this year! https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/ci ... ncept-art/

It looks like they’re adding a ton of gold accents for the 50th and I am a huge fan (it reminds me of one of my favorite Cinderella Castle looks circa 2005, https://images.app.goo.gl/HcK6RseKmrtVcBx27). It looks like they’re adding a pinkish hue to some of the white/gray parts of the castle which I don’t know how I feel about. I think it’s pretty, but I also like that Orlando’s castle looks more like a real European castle than does the Anaheim one, which is very pink! Eh, I shouldn’t complain— it isn’t a real castle, it’s a fantasy castle and the proposed pink is prettier than the color it is now... It also looks like the turrets are getting a fresh paint job and maybe the castle’s “brick work” is getting a slightly darker coating, as well?

All in all, it looks very much inspired by Sleeping Beauty Castle and it’s 2019 Project Stardust facelift. The report says the castle show and fireworks show will continue as work is done on Cinderella’s abode so that leads me to believe the work won’t be too invasive— Happily Ever After would be impossible with scaffolds and scrims obscuring the castle.

Disney has previously said the color and theme for the 50th will be iridescence and there will be some lighting scheme to make the castle literally iridescent. I wonder if that played into any particular updates they made or didn’t make for this 50th anniversary facelift? There’s also supposed to be a whole new fireworks show to mark the park’s half century turn. I wonder if Disney will take this time to install new equipment on or around the castle for the upcoming nighttime spectacular?

EDIT: And Disney just posted this video of the Runaway Railway opening team doing a test run: https://wdwnt.com/2020/02/video-opening ... d-studios/. I’m only sharing cuz I know one of the CM’s in the video haha

Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway- https://youtu.be/UOEdsupEr5Q

I think it’s so cute! I’ll always be sad that I never got to ride The Great Movie Ride, but this seems like such a great addition to the parks and I love that it’s all about Mickey.

^ I watched a really brief clip the other day, but I think I might hold off on watching a full video...unless we get to the park and it's a 4-hour wait...

_________________

I hope you won’t have to face such a long wait! But you’re probably right to not spoil yourself, I think it comes off pretty well in the videos but I bet it’s incredibly immersive in person.

Welp. WDW is closing due to Coronavirus. The article doesn't say how long...
BREAKING: Walt Disney World Resort Closing Temporarily Over Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic
https://wdwnt.com/?p=273598

*edit* through the end of the month with Disneyland Resort + DL Paris. But Disney is paying the cast members so that's amazing.
https://deadline.com/2020/03/coronaviru ... 202881415/

_________________

Yes, I’m grateful they are still paying their CMs. Still a little concerned for the CPs since they aren’t covered by the union so I’m worried they may not get the same protection/coverage. I’ll find out soon enough from my friends who are down there....

Still I feel shell shocked. I never expected I’d live through a global pandemic— I always thought modern medicine and government precautions would protect us, at least in first world countries. I know I probably wouldn’t die or even suffer a severe case if I contracted the virus, but it is still hugely worrisome. I work at a children’s museum and I expect we will close when the local schools do (and I expect they will close by the end of next week if not sooner). I live with my parents and technically my share of the rent is paid up to and including next month, and I have enough money in the bank to cover my other few bills in the short term. But I’d need to get back to work certainly by the beginning of April.

What nightmare times we live in!

It's super scary. So many people will struggle financially, companies will be closed and not making $. And of course the people getting sick and dying. I agree- it is like a nightmare.

_________________

Annual Passes are being extended by the # of days the parks are closed:
https://wdwnt.com/?p=273965

This is a relief. Obviously it's less of a big issue than cast member pay, but we got APs for Christmas and had plans to go again soon...selfishly, my birthday (and probably anniversary plans, if the closure is extended into April) plans are thrown out the window, but I'm happy that Disney is taking these precautions.

_________________

Good! That’s fair. This year I bought an annual pass for Dollywood for the first time in years and I don’t know what they’ll do if they have to shutdown.

^ I'd hope that no theme park will screw over their customers, so hopefully they'll also extend the passes. It doesn't cost extra, really, like refunds would, and APs so often spend $ in the parks anyway.

_________________

The College Program is shutting down for the time being.

BREAKING: College Programs Being Terminated and Cast Members Sent Home as Walt Disney World Parks Close Due to Coronavirus https://wdwnt.com/?p=274431

Um, aren't there travel restrictions? How will some of the international cast members get home?!? And is it safe to send, let's say, the cast members from Italy & China, home?! At least Disney is paying them, but whoa.

_________________

I’m horrified. I have at least one friend down there right now on the CP, thankfully she has family in South Florida so she will have an easy transition but wow. Nobody expected the parks would close a week ago, nobody expected a few days ago... if this were me, I’d be up shit’s creek. I am absolutely horrified. They lose their Disney-owned housing on March 18th. And yes, it’s Disney-owned so they could absolutely provide it to them rent-free for several weeks in the face of this crisis.

Disney better provide them ample resources to get back home.

EDIT: I wonder what will happen to students with future start dates. I have two friends who were set to start a CP and an International program with Disney in the summer. Will they honor their contracts? Eventually they will have to restart the program because they’ve built that huge new housing complex just for CP’s but will they restart it this year?

^Super good point about how it's Disney housing. I wonder, though, if Disney is worried about having to pay for electricity and whatever else when they're not making $. But at the same time, they are paying the CMs so they still could pay that rent. So my point is moot!

They'll have to restart the CP when the virus dies down. That's such a huge part of their workforce, and it's probably the cheapest labor they get, due to housing and food and stuff $ going back to Disney's wallet. It's to be seen when it dies down, if it's this year or not (please be this year!).

_________________

Of course, you’re right about keeping the CP’s part of their workforce— I guess I’m just worried that my friends will miss their opportunity. Absolutely heartbroken for the CP’s who lost their job and their housing today. I hope Disney rises to the occasion and helps these kids get back home... whether that’s Jersey or Germany.

More information on the CP & Cultural Representatives programs (I didn't know the latter was a thing):

https://insidethemagic.net/2020/03/disn ... shift-ba1/

_________________

Yes! The College Program really only exists for domestic, US college students— the International programs are vast with many different kinds of programs that vary (different kinds of jobs, different lengths of stay), country by country. We all get lumped together because we’re typically all college students of a similar age (although many of the International programs are not dependent on college or university enrollment) and we all share the same housing, facilities, transportation, etc. Some of my best friends on the CP were International students who were technically not College Program participants.

I’m not surprised by the reports— I’m sure there was a lot of confusion yesterday and some management/coordinators either thought the CP’s were terminated effective immediately or decided to be nice and let them go early so they could make preparations/enjoy the parks one last time. Reading posts from my friends who are still there, it is heartbreaking— people are sad and many people just do not know what to do or how to help. I’m seeing friends from my time as a CP who stayed on to become full time cast members offering their homes and apartments as a place to stay for the CP’s who can’t make the necessary arrangements. I think Disney really let these kids down, and it’s sad because my DCP was one of the happiest times of my life...

People are saying that the firing of the CP’s indicates that Disney believes the parks will be closed much longer than the timeline they have already announced...

^ That is so nice that cast members are opening their homes to one another. <3

_________________