Disney Dish: Reopening News, Survey Insights, and Splash Mountain Retheming

Disneyland and Walt Disney World Reopening Updates

• 🗓️ Disneyland Resort is set to reopen its Downtown Disney District on July 9th, followed by the parks on July 17th and hotels on July 23rd, with the Disneyland Hotel's status pending.
• 🏨 In Walt Disney World, Chef Art Smith's Homecoming reopens June 17th, with other hotels and resorts opening throughout July.
• ⚽ The Swan and Dolphin resorts are opening later on July 29th due to their use as a base for the Major League Soccer season restart.

COVID-19 Impact and Guest Surveys

• 📊 A Walt Disney World annual passholder survey aims to gauge awareness of new safety protocols and assess guest commitment to existing bookings.
• 📉 The survey also inquires about financial impacts from the pandemic, with a backdrop of the US entering a recession.
• 🚗 Concerns are raised about transportation changes, including reduced capacity on buses and a potential increase in personal vehicle use, leading to traffic and parking challenges.

Disney Revenue Streams and Operational Changes

• 💸 Several revenue streams at Disney parks have been temporarily suspended, including Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutiques, arcades, and special event cruises.
• 🛍️ Retail operations are also affected, with suspended package delivery to parks and hotels, and changes to pin trading protocols.
• 🎭 Entertainment offerings like parades, fireworks, and character meet-and-greets are paused, impacting the perceived value of a park visit.

Splash Mountain Retheming Discussion

• 🏞️ A petition calls for Splash Mountain to be rethemed to "The Princess and the Frog" due to the problematic racial tropes in its original film source, "Song of the South."
• 🐸 While acknowledging the problematic nature of the original film, the discussion highlights the challenges of retheming Splash Mountain, particularly the concrete structure and the underperformance of "The Princess and the Frog" movie.
• 📍 A key point is that "The Princess and the Frog" is set in New Orleans, which aligns with New Orleans Square in Disneyland but not with Frontier Land in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
• 🌟 It's suggested that "The Princess and the Frog" might deserve its own dedicated attraction rather than being a retheme of an existing ride.

Annual Passholder and Guest Relations Issues

• ⏳ Annual passholders are seeking clarity on pass validity and refunds due to park closures and reduced offerings, with suggestions for extending pass expiration dates.
• 📞 Disney is facing a significant volume of guest inquiries, leading to long wait times for customer service, and is working on guest recovery efforts.
• 🎬 Discussions also touch upon the financial health of Cirque du Soleil and the potential impact on the "Drawn to Life" show, as well as the upcoming documentary on Howard Ashman.