Disney World News: August Hours, Hiring Blitz, Ice Cream Addition, Vaccine Campaign
It’s time for a weekend Walt Disney World news roundup. This one covers a new vaccine campaign featuring Disney’s biggest stars, the company’s ongoing hiring blitz in Florida, first set of park hours for August 2021, an Ample Hills replacement, and more!
Let’s start with an update on new park hours as Walt Disney World approaches what’s likely to be a busy summer travel season. All four theme parks, Disney Springs, and Blizzard Beach have had hours for another week added to the DisneyWorld.com park hours calendar. Added dates are the week of August 1-7, 2021. Here are that week’s hours:
- Magic Kingdom: 9 am to 9 pm
- EPCOT: 11 am to 9 pm
- Hollywood Studios: 9 am to 7 pm
- Animal Kingdom: 8 am to 6 pm
- Blizzard Beach: 11 am to 6 pm
- Disney Springs: 10 am to 10 pm (11 pm on weekends)
Keep in mind that Walt Disney World’s normal practice is to release boilerplate hours before extending those based on attendance and hotel occupancy projections. These are simply placeholder or “lorem ipsum” Walt Disney World hours–the minimum hours the parks will be open for those dates. We would expect an hour or two could be added to many of those closing times, and perhaps some of the opening hours–especially if this summer is as busy as predicted…
After inviting last year’s participants to reapply, the Disney College Program is now open to all applicants. For those unfamiliar with it, this five-to-seven month program gaining on-the-job experience working in Walt Disney World parks and resorts. Disney touts it as allowing participants to network with leaders, take part in personal and career development classes, and build transferable skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, guest service, and effective communication.
You also might end up cleaning tables at Cosmic Ray’s, which is no knock. Working in the service industry is an incredibly formative experience–we just want to take the rosy picture Disney paints of the program and ground it in reality. Neither of us participated in the College Program, but we have several friends who did. The consensus is that it was a immensely positive and life-changing experience, but usually not for the reasons marketed by Disney.
At present, Walt Disney World is recruiting for College Program arrival dates between June and July 2021. Applicants who are unable to arrive until August or September 2021 can apply, but consideration will be based on business needs of Walt Disney World. (Disney has tremendous staffing needs right now, and that’s unlikely to change in August or September–they’re just creating a sense of urgency.)
Departure dates will begin no earlier than January 2022. Individual program length vary; College Program length must be between 5 months (20 weeks) and 7 months (28 weeks).
Obviously this blog is incredibly influential among the college-aged demographic (how do you do, fellow kids?). However, we mention this not because we think our readers will be interested in applying, but because of the implications for more reopening at Walt Disney World.
As covered at length in College Program Returns to Walt Disney World, There’s a labor shortage in Central Florida, and Walt Disney World still has tons of unfilled positions even after recalling all eligible furloughed and laid-off Cast Members and going on a new hiring blitz.
Since the College Program reopened, we’ve seen multiple reports on social media of applicants almost immediately receiving “congratulations” emails inviting them to interview–sometimes within an hour of applying.
As covered in When Will the Disney Dining Plan Return?, acceptance letters state that the College Program will begin on June 14, 2021. That’s an impressive turnaround time from announcing the return of the College Program to actually restarting it.
Walt Disney World’s normal hiring blitz also continues. (Perhaps it’s just our location, but we’ve seen non-stop contextual ads all over the internet!) To that point, Disney recently held its largest Traditions training class ever, with over 200 participants in an athletic facility at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex (h/t blogmickey.com). To put that into perspective, these “normally” have around 20-30 participants and are held in a classroom.
All of this bodes well for [insert your favorite restaurant/resort/retail/etc. that’s currently closed] reopening by sometime in July. Walt Disney World is doing all of this hiring and restarting the College Program to ramp up operations and keep up with growing demand, with summer being the target for bringing back many things, and October being the deadline. In particular, I’m hopeful and optimistic that this will mean we’ll soon get reopening dates for the Port Orleans and All Star Resorts, Typhoon Lagoon, and several more restaurants.
Continuing our quest for influence among the youth, the next news is that PhotoPass Service is teaming up with Snapchat to offer augmented reality experiences to share with your friends and family, featuring some of your favorite Disney characters.
It all starts with new ways to meet up with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse at the resort, with Snapchat Lenses starring your favorite duo. Mickey and Minnie will be right beside you in Snapchat with their playful expressions and gestures. They can even give you a hug.
Several years ago, I downloaded Snapchat, got frustrated after not being able to figure out how to use it, and gave up on it forever. I later read that this is a feature, not a bug…and also a barrier to entry for old people (me, apparently). I haven’t even bothered with TikTok.
In the wise words of Grandpa Simpson, “I used to be with ‘it’, but then they changed what ‘it’ was. Now what I’m with isn’t ‘it’ anymore and what’s ‘it’ seems weird and scary. It’ll happen to you!” I’ve come to terms with not being hip or cool; chasing trends frankly feels exhausting.
Next, a trio fan-favorite Audio Animatronics have returned to EPCOT! In what is hopefully the conclusion to the bizarre saga of the Three Caballeros, the three feathered friends have once again made their way back to the finale of Gran Fiesta Tour in the Mexico pavilion.
Walt Disney Imagineering announced that the historic Audio-Animatronic figures had been restored from the ground up using the latest technology, sharing photos of the process.
These Donald, Panchito, and Jose Audio Animatronics have a long legacy. They started their performing “careers” serenading guests at Mickey Mouse Revue, an opening day attraction in Magic Kingdom.
After that, their world tour kicked off, with a residency at Tokyo Disneyland in the same show there. They performed abroad for 26 years until Mickey’s PhilharMagic replaced Mickey Mouse Revue. A decade later, they came out of retirement, migrating back to Florida to star in Gran Fiesta Tour.
In other good news, a new ice cream shop has opened on Disney’s BoardWalk. Located in the former home of Ample Hills Creamery (RIP) is the creatively named “BoardWalk Ice Cream.”
Here’s the description from Walt Disney World’s official website for BoardWalk Ice Cream: “Bring your sweet tooth to this ‘cool’ ice cream parlor located at Disney’s BoardWalk, featuring ice cream and sundaes to go. Enjoy menu items such as the Shore-Side Sundae with SNICKERS, Bay-Side Brownie a la Mode and the Strawberry Splash Shortcake–all inspired by Beaches & Cream Soda Shop.”
Our expectation is that this is a temporary venue to satisfy the intense summer-time demand for ice cream among Crescent Lake Resort guests (a group known to be ice cream fiends). On the plus side, it’s cheaper than Ample Hills and there are some fun-looking sundaes.
Like Beaches & Cream, this is presumably off-the-shelf Edy’s. While I’m a firm believer that there’s no such thing as bad ice cream, I’d rather walk a little farther and pay a little more for high-quality and unique ice cream at L’Artisan des Glaces in EPCOT’s France pavilion.
I’m not going to knock this addition. I’m actually surprised Walt Disney World managed to get something in here so quickly given current circumstances, but I hope this is temporary. In the long-run, a specialty scoop shop–even one that’s a bit more expensive–would be far preferable. Salt & Straw is doing pretty well at Downtown Disney and would be a great addition to Walt Disney World!
Finally, Disney has unveiled a vaccine advocacy campaign featuring the Muppets. The above message was shared across all of the Walt Disney Company’s social media accounts and announced on the Disney Parks Blog by Dr. Pamela Hymel, Disney Parks Chief Medical Officer. The ad will also be airing on ABC to encourage others to, as Pepe says, “give it a shot.” It’s part of Disney’s broader effort to spread the word to guests, Cast Members, and the public about getting vaccinated.
“I’m a big advocate for vaccines,” wrote Dr. Hymel in the post. “The consensus in the medical community is that vaccines can help protect you against COVID-19. And when you get vaccinated, you are part of a growing group immunity that helps to keep both you and others safe, especially those who are immunocompromised and can’t be vaccinated…I hope that you’ll consider getting your shot and encouraging your friends and family to join you.”
Disney Parks has stepped up to help with local health initiatives, and in organizing onsite clinics offering vaccines to Cast Members in California, Florida, and France.
Additionally, Disneyland Resort served as one of Southern California’s major vaccine distribution sites, where more 200,000 doses were administered at this location alone. Disney is currently providing space at the convention center of Disney’s Newport Bay Club Hotel at Disneyland Paris where more than 32,000 doses have been administrated.
I’ve seen some cynical responses suggesting that a blue puppet isn’t going to convince anyone to get vaccinated. I disagree. People must not remember that Gonzo is incredibly worldly and well-read, able to recite classic literature from memory. Beyond that, random and unverifiable posts from uncredentialed strangers on Facebook are sufficient to give rise to vaccine hesitancy; Muppets should be credible voices in helping to undo that.
I’m also an optimist who doesn’t think hesitancy exists only in extreme forms. It has been a difficult year with constantly-evolving public health guidance. It’s not unreasonable to have concerns, especially about vaccines that might sound too good to be true. Hearing from family, friends, and other trusted voices all helps to cumulatively and incrementally make people more comfortable with the idea of getting vaccinated. As does more information about how getting vaccinated reduces the likelihood of infection and transmission.
While there have been breakthrough infections among vaccinated people, this is incredibly rare among the fully vaccinated. Moreover, if it happens, the resulting infection has a lower viral load, is shorter in duration, and has a far lower likelihood of transmission to others. In other words, getting vaccinated helps protect others in addition to yourself.
Ultimately, health is an individual decision and your choice is your prerogative. I don’t think it’s right to shame anyone who has reached a differing conclusion than us. I would simply encourage you to make an informed decision based on credible studies, data, and expert guidance–not what random strangers post on social media or blogs (hence the links above!). If you still have questions about getting vaccinated, that’s okay! To learn more, check out GetVaccineAnswers.org.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of this Walt Disney World news? Optimistic about the current hiring blitz resulting in more reopening at Walt Disney World later this summer? Looking forward to trying BoardWalk Ice Cream, or will you stick to Beaches & Cream or the in-park options? Hoping for more dining options returning in the next couple months? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Tom. They have a special addition Country Bear Magic Band at the Disney store at the Dolphin. 6 left. Let me know if you want me to get it for you.
@Joyce Like the rest of our economy, Disney’s success is dependent upon people getting vaccinated. In California, they can only have out-of-state guests if they are fully vaccinated (so, so far, they are only allowing California residents into the park). For cruises, they either need to require everyone to be vaccinated, OR they need to only run test cruises. In Florida, one super-spreader event will likely impact the park and brand for a long time.
Think about what all Disney CAN’T do right now do the pandemic. Even if they wanted to, they can’t open up cruising or most of their theme parks. At the theme parks they can open, all of their international workers are gone because international travel is severely limited. They can’t offer their parades or fireworks show due to thousands of people gathering. They haven’t been able to fully open or fully staff restaurants. They can’t run big events like marathon events. So, although they are lifting some safety protocols due to vaccinations, there is still a lot they can’t do until vaccination rates increase.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: A lot of people claim to be patriots and love their country. If people REALLY love their country, they will make the small sacrifice of getting vaccinated. It protects the health and lives of Americans, and it gets our economy back on track. I get that some people are afraid of needles and shots, but this is one time in your life where you need to set aside your fears for a few minutes.
Truly, vaccination is the most patriotic thing a person can do right now. People who want things to go back to normal and people who want the economy to recover should do their part and make the small sacrifice of getting their shot. Don’t forget: A lot of people have sacrificed a lot more for our country than a simple shot. Get over your fears for 10 minutes today, go to a pharmacy that offers walk-up vaccinations, and ask for yours.
And also because Gonzo says so.
My friend,
Do you know when CATERING FOR GIANTS in Animal Kingdom will be available again?
Tom and team-
Are you hearing anything about the return of runDisney? Nothing has been announced and major marathons are happening in 2021. Do you think there is a shot from what you are hearing for in person races for 2021 or Marathon weekend (the largest event weekend) for January 2022?
As a frequent Crescent Lake resort guest, I can confirm the ice cream fiend label!
Staying at Boardwalk this summer so I’m sure we will partake in a sundae. Also have hoppers for the sole reason of being able to wander into Epcot most evenings for something delicious (hoping for fireworks too!)
@MaxBuffMelvin if you love the Three Cab., you might enjoy the newer cartoon series (2018) on Disney+ The Legend of the Three Caballeros. It’s pretty cool.
In response to BigPoke:
I myself just got back & felt like I’d visited our local Carowinds theme park. This was the only trip out of many visits since 2017 (including DLand)… the CM’s my kiddos & myself interacted with weren’t the usual CM’s. Very grumpy, lethargic/dazed responses, angry outburst from one when I asked where a Joffrey’s was (she was so upset & said D had shut everything down & let everyone go & so many places aren’t open yet & she wouldn’t know any bc she said her & all other CM’s are blocked out. She was very pissed off & mind you this was bf 9am at MK), so many places are closed- it was tough to find a snack drink when we got off of JC in AL. All the way around- I wish we’d waited on visiting…. until the CP was reinstated those kids bring -SO MUCH- to our experience… who knew it was carried so heavily by the CM’s?! They bring the heavy dose of joy & magic. I tried so hard & dropped $5k for a trip I wish I could take back. My kids don’t want to go back again now- this was our favorite place!!
I am relieved the Three Cabs are back. They are an integral part of the Gran Fiesta Tour. I may be in the minority but I love this attraction and it’s a must-do anytime I visit Epcot. I am also a fan of Saludos Amigos and Three Cab movies.
What are the odds of more park availability opening up soon? We are taking an unexpected/last minute trip to Orlando June 3-8 and are praying for a miracle lol.
Thanks always for your insights. Always helpful. And I appreciate everyones comments and perspectives posted. Free speech! As a Boomer and staying young with Disney, being on any of their properties takes us into that “fantasy world” away from everyday worries of life. Though some issues (like covid/health) affect the world, I still would hope for Disney Corp to stay in their lane of entertainment. Trust and belief in looking out for each other normally has pitted people against each other promoting fear and distrust. Disney has always been in the lane of bringing people together. Messing in the whole health thing. Muppets bring joy.! But being used to hop into the health arena seems to divide.
Whats the next platform?? There’s enough conflicting messages. I just wanna walk through those Mickey gates and leave the world behind!
Any idea when the AP summer discount will launch? We already booked for July 13-27 but hope to have an AP discount by then
With the lack of training and WDW taking all applicants, at what point do the cast members not really care about the Disney guest experience? The cast members really help with the experience, hope it doesn’t turn into a very expensive six flags or Busch gardens. In a setting of 300 vs 20 I would think most of the training would be lost on the new additions, just curious as you visit all the time.
Beaches and Cream uses EDYS!!! Say it isn’t so.
No way no how would I participate in an experimental vaccine trial without serious testing and reviews. This whole thing reeks of gov control and sadly everyone jumps without first looking at facts. Such as fertility among women, altering DNA profiles and trying to figure out when Fauci will change his mind next, are all reasons people should not just go with the program. Do your own research and as Tom said, that doesn’t include social media and “my friend said” junk. Read real reviews and research both for and against. Do not just take doctors word for it. I am by no means an antivaxer, however so much has come to light in the last year, not only will I caution those considering this vaccine but also flu vaccines as well. Just don’t jump on the bandwagon. This is life altering decision so educating yourself is critical
We are planning a trip for December. Hotel (OKW) and airfare booked, but waiting to buy tickets and especially waiting on park reservations. We’d like to see Pandora after dark (will Animal Kingdom add evening hours?) and especially want to see Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Again, Disney has not committed to the Party, much less advertised dates. Don’t want to commit to a Magic Kingdom Day till we know if we can add the Party to it.
Any hints?
Just in case you missed it or hasn’t been reported yet, I think the linked article is not the one you meant to link in the following sentence: “As covered in When Will the Disney Dining Plan Return?, acceptance letters state that the College Program will begin on June 14, 2021.”
I don’t say much in comments but I love your content. Thank you both for your blog. 🙂
Thank you both for the amazing content that you all put together it also for your even-handed and fair-minded approach in your blogs! It’s incredibly rare to find that on the Internet, especially now, so I just wanted to share how refreshing and appreciated that is!
College students come from all generations- My husband was a second career Cinary Cast Member- from Texas- he loved the experience and learned tons! Career change from traditional animation- so many folks positions have been offshored- it was a great opportunity
Thanks for the update Tom. Curious as to what your thoughts are for Disney removing the 2pm park hoping restriction or what it would take for them to lift that? Capacity at normal with no restrictions? Thanks!
Some level of higher capacity.
At this point, the biggest function of that 2 pm rule is making Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance a bit more “fair” for guests who are able to book DHS. It’s not a perfect solution to that problem…but nothing is.
as what is apparently now considered a “geriatric millennial” (a term i completely reject), i was early to facebook before it was available to all, on time to twitter as it was coming up, and late to instagram, which i created only to enter a contest but now use regularly. i did not and still don’t understand snapchat, and i enjoy viewing tiktok but have no interest in being part of it.
do people take time off school for the college program? obviously 5 months is longer than most summer breaks. just curious.
brilliant move with the muppets in the vaccine campaign. the muppets have been teaching all of us since we were little for anyone who has ever watched sesame street. this is just the grown-up version of that. they are far more informed than dr. youtube.
I have fully embraced the geriatric millennial term. For one, it’s the perfect response to all these incessant articles written to rile up boomers that actually describe Gen Z: “Don’t blame me for what these darned kids are up to, I’m a geriatric millennial!” I feel like that instantly makes me more relatable to the older crowd.
For another, it pretty succinctly describes me. Yes, I like a lot of the stereotypical millennial nonsense, but I’m also in bed by 10 pm and am just generally curmudgeonly. I’m more likely to be out there with the other old fogies shaking my fist, shouting at clouds than doing whatever is trendy and popular. Being perceived as an old young person is fine by me! 😉