Disney World News: Construction Resumes, Resort Closures & Addressing Frustration
In this Walt Disney World news roundup, we’ll share the latest about the ongoing closure & upcoming reopening, plus a fun story or two. This includes details (and photos) of construction resuming around Magic Kingdom, the roller coaster ride of resort reopening plans, and Disney’s attempts at addressing Annual Passholder frustrations.
Let’s start with something fun, heartwarming, and pure: Duffy & Friends. Earlier this week, Shanghai Disney Resort welcomed Olu Mel the Turtle to the park on Instagram. This is Duffy’s newest pal, previously exclusive to Aulani Resort in Hawaii, who will now have merchandise available at Shanghai Disneyland. We’d expect Olu Mel to head to Hong Kong and Tokyo next.
As we discuss at length in our Duffy Phenomenon article (a long read you might actually find fascinating), we have really come around on some of the Duffy & Friends characters, and have even “adopted” Duffy and Gelatoni in recent years. This was after being vehemently opposed to them about a decade ago when Duffy was everywhere at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, as the US parks tried to manufacture a merchandise trend.
In a new video released by Walt Disney Imagineering, Duffy’s whole crew (ShellieMay, Gelatoni, StellaLou, CookieAnn, and Olu Mel) plant morning glory seeds in their garden given to them by Mickey Mouse. They work together and eagerly watch as the plants grow — until a small, unexpected hiccup happens. Find out what happens next and how the friends come together to overcome all with a message of love, teamwork and friendship.
Before reading the rest of this, check out the adorable new stop-motion “Morning Glory” video:
If that doesn’t put a smile on your face (and make you more of a fan of these characters), I don’t know what will.
We’ve previously viewed both CookieAnn and Olu Mel with some skepticism and cynicism, but this warms us to them a bit. To be sure, the Duffy & Friends Power Rankings are still go Duffy, Gelatoni, ShellieMay, Tippy Blue…StellaLou…..CookieAnn…………….Olu Mel, but there was a time when we didn’t even consider the newest two to be true members of the crew.
None of this matters in any way whatsoever, but ‘debating’ the merits of plush critters feels like a nice change of reprieve and change of pace.
Let’s continue some of that optimism with a Walt Disney World construction update. The first two photos (above and below) are from exactly three months ago, a few days before the parks closed. At this point, Magic Kingdom construction crews were about two weeks into the Royal Makeover of Cinderella Castle.
If you look at the lower left turrets, you can see the before/after contrast. Crazy how faded those were! The the right of the castle’s clock, you can see a bit of the new pink or salmon color. Also quite the contrast to the more neutral colors.
Yesterday, we took a slight detour through property on our way home from getting groceries to see how things were looking. This actually is far from our first time driving through Walt Disney World during the closure, as virtually anywhere we go requires driving through property unless we take a toll road (that’s not a humblebrag–it’s normally an inconvenience, but not so much with zero traffic).
You might recall that All Construction Stopped at Walt Disney World shortly after the closure. Well, work has clearly resumed since the reopening announcement… (Apologies in advance for the photo quality.)
Here’s a look at the progress on Cinderella Castle as of yesterday. The rear turret looks like it’s the only one left to go, which should be fairly easy to finish over the course of the next month. On the plus side, the first guests back should be greeted by the completed Royal Makeover of Cinderella Castle, with construction equipment presumably gone and the moat refilled.
The above photo doesn’t tell the whole story, but it is looks very vibrant–and very pink–in the midday Florida sun. We’ll withhold final judgment until seeing it from within Magic Kingdom, but our preliminary impression is that this paint job is an overcorrection. Cinderella Castle was definitely looking washed out and faded, but this looks a tad too far in the cartoonish direction.
Then again, maybe we’ll get used to it and this new-look Cinderella Castle will grow on us! The whimsical pink style absolutely works for Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris, so perhaps it’s just the initial shock of Cinderella Castle looking so different as compared to before. We shall see!
Continuing down World Drive, here’s a look at the Cove Hotel expansion to the Swan & Dolphin. It’s located across the street from those properties on Epcot Resorts Boulevard, near the Fantasia Garden miniature golf course. When finished, the Cove Hotel will be 14 stories tall, have 349 guest rooms, a rooftop terrace, restaurant & lounge, and 21,000 square feet of meeting space. It was originally supposed to open this year, which now seems unlikely.
This is plainly visible from World Drive and Buena Vista Drive, but should not be visible from within Epcot or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. That’s definitely a good thing, as the design is hideous (and not in an ambitious but odd way like the Swan & Dolphin–this is going to be ugly and industrial).
Now, what you’ve all been waiting for: a look at the All Star McDonald’s. Despite the closure, construction actually never stopped on this and it appears almost ready to open now.
Notably, there was also a huge construction crew around the Transportation and Ticket Center working on the new arrival experience, which looks like it’s nearly finished. Likewise, we caught a fleeting glimpse of work on the Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom walkway, which has also resumed work (it was too brief of a view to ascertain how much progress has been made).
Hopefully this bodes well for construction projects inside the parks, too. It’d be nice to return to Epcot with Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure ready to open–and some progress in Future World, too. While work has resumed, we’re still expecting long-term ramifications to the scope and scale of future projects.
Next, the ongoing saga of Animal Kingdom Lodge – Jambo House. Two days ago, we provided an update that reservations were now available on DVCMember.com. From that, we surmised that the resort would be reopening, which seems like a logical conclusion.
Logical, but not accurate. Members are now being advised that Jambo House will not be reopening, and their reservations will be moved to other resorts. Our understanding is that reopening reservations for Jambo House was intentional (meaning it wasn’t done in error), with the intention all along of relocating guests.
Even today, there’s still a ton of availability for Jambo House (more than any other resort). We haven’t the slightest idea as to what will become of these bookings, but have decided to roll the dice and book some nights in Value Studios. At least for that room tier, there’s little downside. We’re willing to gamble that we’ll be placed in a nicer room at a different resort with our lower point rate locked in. Of course, your mileage may vary.
That provides a nice segue to our final topic, which is Walt Disney World’s email thanking Annual Passholders for their patience while they adjust during these unprecedented times. Here’s the email in full:
If comments on this blog are any indication, a lot of Walt Disney World fans are dissatisfied or downright disgruntled with how things have been handled. In our view, some of the fan reaction has been understandable. Disney’s communications have been inconsistent and scattershot–each new announcement has raised as many or more questions than it has answered.
Obviously they’re very different (and smaller), but Universal Orlando has comparatively done a superior job with its messaging during the closure and reopening. Suffice to say, lots of unforced errors by Disney throughout this.
However, Walt Disney World is incredibly complex, with a ton of moving parts–and these truly are unprecedented times. A lot of people seem to expect the normal Disney experience, oblivious to the real world reality of the global pandemic.
While we all love the WDW “bubble,” the parks and resorts exist in the actual Central Florida community. Disney must take into account the health and wellbeing of Cast Members, Orange County hospital capacity, and other variables. It cannot simply about “making guests happy and creating magic” right now. Trying to thread the needle and striking the appropriate balance in reopening is undoubtedly challenging.
Disney’s decisions reverberate throughout Florida and have ramifications far beyond the borders of its property. It’s easy for all of us to sit at home and critique what they’re doing/not doing, but I do not envy Walt Disney World’s leaders right now. It’s a tough task with absolutely no existing playbook. Literally every possible decision is going to leave some people unhappy or disenchanted.
In some ways, recent announcements by Disney have felt like not-so-subtle ways of inducing cancellations. Not necessarily because they “need” people to cancel due to capacity limitations, but because Walt Disney World wants to manage expectations and be blunt about the near-term guest experience. In the long run, it’s better to have people be upset now and make the informed decision to cancel than it is to have them take trips, be disappointed, and demand refunds…or just never return.
In our recent “Dawn of a Temporary Disney Era” we looked on the bright side and pointed out the opportunities for some guests this year. The emphasis there most definitely belongs on “for some guests.”
To reiterate, this year is not a good time for once in a lifetime trips to Walt Disney World. It’s not a good time if entertainment or the ‘full’ experience is paramount to you. It’s not a good time if you’re unwilling to wear masks or adhere to added health safety protocol. It’s not a good time if you’re an obsessive planner and aren’t willing to compromise and be flexible.
To be fair to fans, these are all problems of Walt Disney World’s own creation. Over the last decade-plus, they have actively cultivated a culture of meticulous pre-planning while also taking the misguided notion of “the customer is always right” to its extreme. The ideas of spontaneity and going with the flow are anathema to the Walt Disney World experience for many, and that’s by Disney’s own design. (Then again, it’s safe to say that Disney didn’t consider the possibility of a global pandemic while crafting the original policies.)
Nevertheless, present circumstances are what they are. All of this is a long-winded way of once again stressing patience and flexibility. It’s going to take some time before we have a complete picture of what Walt Disney World’s operations entail for the remainder of the year. Disney must enact policies that prioritize the health and welfare of Cast Members and guests, in line with recommendations of experts. The experience will undoubtedly suffer in some ways (as we’ve noted before, it might benefit in others!) but that comes with the territory. It’s one thing to be frustrated and vent a bit online (and totally okay with us–we don’t mind anyone voicing their thoughts!), but some of the ‘demands’ and outrage are patently unreasonable. No number of complaints or threats will change the reality that we’re in the midst of a pandemic. This year is not going to be the time/circumstances for many people to visit. The good news is that Walt Disney World will still be there in 2021!
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
Any opinion on Duffy & Friends? What do you think of the colors for Cinderella Castle’s Royal Makeover? Think Jambo House will actually will remain closed, or will end up reopening? Thoughts on Walt Disney World addressing AP frustrations? Do you agree or disagree with our commentary here? Other thoughts or concerns? 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!
I received that AP email yesterday and was all excited that they were going to tell me all about the new park reservation system. Oh well!
Ugh, why do they have to make The Cove ugly?!?
Will have to see the castle in person. It does look mighty pink in your photos!
Thanks for all these updates!!
Thanks for the castle shot – I know you at least took the time to color balance your photo to give it the most accurate representation vs. others that might be on the internet. I’m definitely in the “it’s too pink” crowd and hope that a top coat (or just time ) washes it out.
Side note – that video did not win me over to team Duffy. 🙂
Thanks for the info! What’s the scuttlebutt on when the reservation system will be up and running? I have off-property lodging reservations and, quite fortunately, tickets (!) for the end of the year. I feel like it’ll be a mad rush once the system opens.
I almost never see Tippy Blue in Duff stuff anymore. This is TIPPY BLUE ERASURE, I tell you! 😉
We rented points to stay at Jambo house the first week of September. Will Disney contact me or the DVC member to move us?
Thanks for all the updates!
Hi Tom,
Thanks for the great update.
While I agree that these are unprecedented times, I still feel that Disney could clarify what the refund policy will be for annual pass holders. In my opinion, I should be getting a refund or extension for the entire time that a reservation is needed to get into the park and up until park hopping resumes. Annual passes are exorbitantly expensive, and if I’m not getting some of the basic benefits of my pass, I don’t think I should be paying for it. I just wish Disney would clarify this as it would make me feel better about the enormous amount I spent on four out of state platinum passes. Thanks.
I agree with your perception that Disney is choosing to encourage cancellations rather than manage widespread on-site complaints. We arrive in 2 weeks, and they had us sign an acknowledgement that there will be greatly reduced entertainment and services – followed by an agreement that we understand that and want to come anyway. We can’t wait!!
Wow, usually I agree with you on matters of architecture/aesthetics, but I couldn’t disagree more in regards to the Cove Hotel. To me, it looks slick, stylish and fun (not unlike some Universal hotels). That McDonalds however, looks like a cross between a gas station & a tool shed.
Agree to disagree regarding Cove Hotel. Although I guess you could say it looks a bit like Aventura (minus the sleekness), I guess?
Agree on the McDonald’s, which looked so promising when only the original framework was up. I thought it was going to harken back to their mid-century designs (or something like Norms in LA), but then we ended up with this.
Thanks for keeping us updated! The AP email has yet to make it to us- and we’re Florida AP holders. So I appreciate the details that you provide. We’re ready for some magic but in the meantime, we’ll just keep swimming!!!
I can’t decide how I feel about the castle. It looks too much like sleeping beauty castle to me truthfully with that color scheme but I also know this Florida sun will have it to a paper pink soon enough. I guess like you, I’ll save my judgement until I see it in person.
I have rented points at AKL – Jambo house for the first week in September. Any thoughts on whether they will be open at that time?
My guess at this point is that AKL – Jambo House will open when they *need* to open. Basically, when Jambo House bookings exceed the excess capacity at the other resorts that are open. That could be as early as September, or it could be December.
I really don’t have any particular insight–the Jambo House saga has repeatedly caught me by surprise.
I will focus on two area’s Disney could and should be doing a better job at managing the reopening.
1. Resorts many people like my family and I had reservations at non DVC properties. Why they didn’t choose to open a couple of hotels at each level makes NO sense to me.
2. Also related to resorts, like it or not people are traveling in and need time to change their other travel arrangements. The lack of information related to the reservation system and how it will work is leaving people in limbo. That in its self is creating frustration. They don’t have to share every single detail but I find it hard to believe they do not know how they plan to handle park admission and the reservation system yet.
Anyway just my opinion (APH)
1. I still think some other WDW resorts will open on July 5, 2020.
2. Part of it could be that Walt Disney World and Florida tourists don’t want a ton of tourists right off the bat. The original plan (announced at the OC Task Force meeting about a month or so ago) was to reopen to Floridians first. If hotels are tough to book and not much is known about the reservation system, the first couple of months will end up being a de facto local (and DVC) audience.
With all of that said, I agree that the communications and messaging have definitely left a ton to be desired. There’s no good reason to string people along as they’ve been doing.
The Animal Kingdom Lodge Christmas shot is bringing some heavy, heavy nostalgia for last December’s trip. Seems like ages ago, and I can’t freakin wait to start planning for 2021.
Our November trip is still booked but I’m pretty sure we will be pushing it till November 2021.
This would likely be our “once in our kids lifetime” trips and kinda want the whole shebang.
I’d be fine with wearing masks but really don’t want to miss out of many of the things that have been cancelled.
I’d be much more flexible with passholder communication if I knew that there would be future flexibility for it. I am truly hoping that my expiration clock won’t resume until the parks are open with me able to fully access them. I would feel much more comfortable with the whole situation if I had some assurance of that!
What is the current situation with restrictions for travel from the tri-state (NY, NJ, CT) area? It seems that the governor may have extended it, but I can’t get a clear answer as to when the expiration date is. It was my understanding that it was July 7th. We have a trip scheduled to start Labor Day and it would be a shame to have to cancel due to this restriction since the area is on a big downturn of cases.
@Glorianne someone in a thread on another post said they had actually called and asked Florida –I think the department of health and another office– but not sure on that–and the current extension is indefinite. Fingers crossed they decide to end it soon! We are from NYC and hope to travel in November.
Thanks for the update! That is really disappointing. I’m hoping as the summer goes, they either take it away or at least change it to proof of a negative COVID test within 72-96 hours of coming to Florida. I’d be OK with proving that. If anything, having the test would make me feel better that I’m not spreading the virus by accident by traveling.
“Walt Disney World is incredibly complex, with a ton of moving parts—and these truly are unprecedented times.”
You are spot on that we need to go with the flow and relax. It’s easy as a fan to do “arm chair” operations planning for Disney and not have to deal with real world minutia that make it complicated. It’s also easy to forget that the employees working on these plans have had their lives upended as well.
I know how hard it has been for me personally working with a spouse in healthcare (i.e. gone during day) and two little ones at home. Just because people work for Disney doesn’t mean they don’t have real world “stuff” holding them down as well.
That McDonalds looks legit. And Cove Hotel looks like it is definitely not going to blend in, in any way. Hopefully its nice on the inside.
Will things be back to “normal” in 2021 if Pandemic is over, or are we looking at a “new normal” that includes masks as a precautionary measure? How adamant is the Union on the mask requirement continuing indefinitely? (Just asking for best guess)
Personally I truly think the masks will go away once the pandemic is over. Healthy people are not typically supposed to be walking around in masks. It’s counterproductive and can actually make people sick instead of keeping them healthy. The only reason they are recommending masks right now is to just help with the reduction of spread from people that may have it but are not showing symptoms yet. Some counties and states have already changed their policies on masks from mandatory to recommended and the pandemic isn’t even over yet. Once Disney gets the all clear and is ready to get back to operating at Regular capacity and not worrying about any sort of restrictions from the CDC then I truly think will see all the entertainment come back and the masks go away. They want their money and they know that the majority of guests are not going to return until things are back to normal in terms of entertainment and how the experience is.
masks do not make people sick.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/jun/12/facebook-posts/masks-covid-19-are-effective-six-part-facebook-tak/
Then we found out all construction was halted and the MC opening delayed. I am hoping we could attend the re-opening (while I share the date, I was not around in 1955) as a once-in-a-lifetime event. However, I too have high anxiety that I will be unable to get a reservation thanks to what I experienced with D23 Expo.
A great post with great perspective. We are going this July, and are willing to trade missed experiences (fireworks, parades, etc, which we have seen on prior trips) for un-crowded parks (which we have never experienced!). Thank you for keeping us up-to-date on all things Disney World.