Disney World News: More Halloween, Million Lights for Christmas & “Cover-up” Controversy
It’s time for another Walt Disney World news and rumor round-up, and this time we have a range of interesting stories. A dash of controversy thanks to a supposed exposé, more details about Halloween, fresh Park Pass availability, and the Million Lights Holiday Spectacular–which sounds a lot like an Osborne Lights spiritual successor!
Let’s start with the latest Disney Park Pass inventory dump for Annual Passholders. This is becoming less and less exciting as it’s now happening with such regularity. In any case, September has seen a near full replenishment of Disney Park Pass inventory on weekdays, including today. Most notable among these is the previously-full September 15 start date of Halloween entertainment and festivities in the parks. (See for yourself here on the Availability Calendar, but note that it does not update in real-time.)
Moving into October, there is still limited availability on weekends, with Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios both fully booked for Annual Passholders many Saturdays and Sundays. The Friday and Monday of the Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day long weekend are also starting to show limited availability. It appears that’s the next big “weekend to watch,” so if you’re thinking of visiting then, you might want to read our Labor Day “Crowdpocalypse” Report and its EPCOT follow-up, which contains specific recommendations on which parks to visit each day of the long weekend.
From September 15 through October 29, 2020, Annual Passholders will once again receive a 30% discount on merchandise purchases at most Walt Disney World stores. There are a ton of exclusions, including Memory Maker, original art, newspapers/periodicals, DVDs, CDs, sundries, prepared foods, kitchen products, consumer electronics, and more. Plus, select Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge locations, EPCOT shops, and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.
Normally, Walt Disney World Annual Passholders receive a 20% off merchandise discount as part of AP perks, so this amounts to an extra 10% off. It’s the second time Walt Disney World has offered this since reopening, and probably not the last.
We’d love to use this discount on Christmas merchandise (and probably aren’t alone in that!) and we’d also be more inclined to graze the Taste of EPCOT Food & Wine Festival booths if those offered a discount. (They don’t–we’re saying they should.) Judging by the lack of lines, that might be a smart move by Disney.
Next, we have some new details about Halloween! Walt Disney World has just shared more details about seasonal entertainment experiences coming to Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
At DHS, Minnie’s Halloween Dine will return beginning September 25, 2020 with a “monster feast” served to your table, family style. This modified character meal will feature Minnie Mouse dressed as a happy witch, Goofy as a spooky cowboy, Mickey Mouse as a funny vampire, and Pluto wearing a Halloween collar. (The only difference as compared to our Minnie’s Halloween Dine Review from last year is Pluto added, and mad scientist Donald and Daisy Duck removed.)
Throughout the day in Magic Kingdom, special Halloween cavalcades will pop up on the parade route and head down Main Street, U.S.A. You could come across Mickey Mouse and his pals, all dressed up for the occasion in Halloween costumes. On select days (probably weekends and holidays), there will also be a cavalcade of Disney Villains — from Gaston and Maleficent to Queen of Hearts and Jafar — creeping down the path, or a nightmarish procession featuring the Pumpkin King himself, Jack Skellington!
As another special treat for the Halloween season, the iconic Dapper Dans will return to Magic Kingdom. Beginning September 20, the Dapper Dans will perform a cappella as their undead alter egos the Cadaver Dans. This is one of the unheralded highlights of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party that most guests miss (having the unlimited MNSSHP Party Pass last year allowed us to enjoy them many times last year–often as the only guests watching) and we’re elated to see they’ll be appearing daily this year!
Next, some really good and exciting news for fans of the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights and good causes! Give Kids the World, a nonprofit that provides families of children with life-threatening illnesses cost-free accommodations during their visit Walt Disney World, has announced the Million Lights Holiday Spectacular.
For 53 nights from November 13, 2020 through January 3, 2021, the Give Kids the World Village will come alive with a walk-through holiday light spectacular at their complex in Kissimmee, Florida near Walt Disney World. More than one million lights will adorn the 84-acre whimsical Village, including a 150-foot lighted tunnel leading to 33 decorated villas; more than 50 larger-than-life holiday-themed wireframes, some spanning more than 40 feet; an enormous incandescent gingerbread arch; and out-of-this-world space-themed decorations showcasing the Village’s newest centerpiece, Henri’s Starlite Scoops.
Adding to the fully immersive lights and sounds experience, Santa Claus will greet guests from the balcony of Towne Hall, with Give Kids The World’s beloved ambassadors, Mayor Clayton and Ms. Merry, on hand to lend some holiday cheer. Proceeds from the event will support Give Kids The World’s mission to provide wish vacations for critically ill children and their families.
We are huge fans of the work done by Give Kids the World, and have been truly moved by past visits to the Village. The organization works closely with Walt Disney World, and Imagineering has assisted in designing some of the Give Kids the World Village. We are really excited for the Million Lights Holiday Spectacular. It should be something truly special, in more ways than one. If you’re visiting Walt Disney World in November or December, this is absolutely going to be worth your time.
Finally, this Daily Beast article, which purports to reveal a “cover-up” by Disney of cases among Cast Members, has been making the rounds in Disney circles on social media. While it discusses Walt Disney World at the start and arbitrarily features photos from the Florida parks, the story is exclusively about Downtown Disney at Disneyland Resort.
You can read it and draw your own conclusions; I view the piece with a good deal of skepticism. It relies exclusively on agenda-driven sources (the text message exchange among Cast Members explicitly states that their goal is to force Disney to close) and has a clear bias against Disney. Look no further than the Daily Beast’s other recent pieces of exemplary, even-handed journalism: “Disney World Reopens with Short Lines and Scared Staff” or “The Disney Fantasy is Dead. Enter At Your Own Risk.”
There are a number of reasons an employer would not share confidential medical information with union reps or other employees. Most of them are laws. Health privacy concerns are also why it may not be the best idea for employers to directly handle testing. (I can’t speak to California, but in Florida’s Orange County, the Maingate testing complex near Animal Kingdom is convenient for Cast Members, never has a line, and delivers prompt results.)
Anecdotally, we have heard nothing but positive things from Cast Members who have returned to work at Walt Disney World. Of course, that’s a relatively small sample and with tens of thousands of employees, there are undoubtedly many who feel unsafe or that their managers are not handling things well. Given the sheer numbers and range of opinions on the topic, that’s all but a statistical certainty.
There’s also likely at least some validity to the Daily Beast’s reporting, as this kind of story has emerged countless numerous times from credible, mainstream sources. While it does not address Disney, this recent Bloomberg Businessweek article about gag rules at U.S. companies is a good read with a more nuanced take.
Turning again to statistics, there unquestionably have been cases among Cast Members at Walt Disney World. That’s an undeniable reality given the number of people Disney employs, Florida’s numbers at the time the parks reopened, and the fact that they all lead private lives outside of work.
The operative question is not whether these cases exist, but whether there have been outbreaks among Cast Members or guests at Walt Disney World. Dr. Raul Pino from the Florida Department of Health in Orange County has been asked about this every week in press briefings, and has repeatedly stated that there have not. The Florida Department of Health has looked for outbreaks and haven’t found any associated with any theme parks–only individual cases here and there.
It wouldn’t be unreasonable to be skeptical of this; Florida has a vested interest in not finding outbreaks. However, the easiest solution would be to look at the bigger picture–Orange County’s data as a whole. Florida has an A+ rating in data quality reporting, so there’s no reason to question those numbers.
Given Disney’s outsized presence in Central Florida–not just as far and away the largest employer, but also as a destination for residents in the area–it stands to reason that there would be a spike in numbers post-reopening if the environment is unsafe. To the contrary, every meaningful metric has plummeted since Walt Disney World reopened–new cases, positivity rates, and hospitalizations.
Ultimately, there’s a lot to be upset about how this public health crisis has been handled in the United States, both on systemic and individual levels. And despite leadership and approaches that have essentially been diametrically opposed, both Florida and California have seen some of the worst numbers in a nation of bad results.
However, some of these mainstream articles that have emerged about Disney feel very much like a headline in search of a story. It’s as if the angle and tone was established first because Disney is an easy target, and then “evidence” was found to support the preconceived conclusion. We hardly have rose-colored glasses on when it comes to Disney. We recognize the company’s many faults (here’s a far more valid and enraging recent headline), and do not hesitate to offer critique where we see fit. In this situation, after spending countless days in the parks & resorts since reopening, experiencing safety measures firsthand, and talking to numerous Cast Members, our view is that Disney’s approach puts safety first and is largely laudable.
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? Excited for the added Halloween entertainment at Walt Disney World? What about Give Kids the World’s Million Lights Christmas display? Thoughts on the Daily Beast article or health safety, coverage of Disney’s reopening, or safety in the parks & resorts? 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!
This may or may not get posted but I will say my peace! It seems certain things are opening to fill agendas. That is not right. Sadly Disney is really making it hard for its loyal passholders who support them all year long by holding them hostage from making reservatons. That is not right. If you can have areas decorated and control the crowds you can do the same in other areas. It can be done. Offering half a experience at full price is not an incentive for a lot of folks. We are suppose to be there now. Sadly we are at home. It is really hard to find magic with so many missing experiences. Hopefully things will go back to the way they were. Sadly we are not being told everything and that leads to speculation and folks posting concerns.
We are currently at WDW and just took a break from the Studios . We are amazed at the care Disney is taking and have not seen anyone but babies without a mask. We are from Ohio and think everyone here is better behaved- and certainly in a better mood than at home! Lines have been great. Our only whine is about having to walk to bus stops when the skyline is not running because Of rain. Only a few resorts are open but if your loading spot is normally #38, you still walk all that way!
We got park passes for Magic Kingdom on September 15th, before that day was announced as the start of Halloween. Do you anticipate ride lines being long this day? Would we have better luck switching that park pass to a different day and going to a different park that day? I am excited to see the decor too, but we also are looking forward to riding rides. Our trip is the 13th -18th.
Thanks as always for such a great report.
Will definitely support the Give the Kids the World event if visitors are allowed. Such a phenomenal charity
I think annual passes should be offered to Florida residents FIRST when they resume. And whatever happened to the seasonal passes?
As for cast member complaints and Disney being open, this is still America. We do and should have choices. If you aren’t comfortable with Disney being open, don’t go. If you are concerned about your health and risk of getting sick, don’t work there! Look, we are all at risk if we leave the house and work anywhere. I am a teacher, and we are very vigilant, but I have already gotten sick. That is just life. Disney also employees tons of young people; no one can convince me that young people are all abiding by social distancing guidelines when they are off the clock. So even if they do test positive for Covid, it’s not necessarily that they got it working.
Disney has been around for years. They aren’t perfect, but they do seem to care about guest experiences, good training, and operating in a reasonably responsible manner. If they didn’t, they would not have had the successes they have had. There are plenty of people waiting to take cast members’ places for those who want to try to bring Disney down or complain about their jobs.
I couldn’t agree more!
Many CM’s don’t have the luxury of quitting their jobs given how devastating COVID has been to the service industry and no one should be forced to make the choice between a paycheck and their personal safety. It’s Disney’s obligation as an employer to ensure the safety of it’s employees, and their apparent ability to do so at WDW is one of the reasons many have felt safe going back there after reopening. No CM should feel pressure to go to work after a positive COVID test and employees should be provided with regular free testing, especially if Disney learns that they might have been exposed.
Absolutely on “no employee should be forced to go to work after a positive Covid test.” In fact, they shouldn’t be going to work; they are putting others at risk. I’d f that what they are complaining about? Do unto others. If you are saying they aren’t being paid, I would expect Disney to pay them for a quarantine period. But no business can do this multiple times, so they better be vigilant both at work AND in their personal lives. I still say minimum wage are not hard to find, and there are certainly places to work that do not expose you to people from all over the the world.
Disney World is not grocery stores or pharmacies. No reason for Disney to be open. From photos, it appears not everyone is abiding by masking at all times, etc. We see people walking (not eating or drinking) and holding mask in hand. So I understand the concerns of workers–whether they have an underlying issue or not. The ONLY way we are going to combat this is to take it seriously. Do you really NEED to go to WDW now? You can’t wait? Florida and California are hotbeds for this pandemic.
For starters, the numbers in Florida have dropped off considerably to the point we are NOT a hotbed. I say this with authority as I am a healthcare professional in a major teaching hospital. If you want to remain isolated, that is your choice. It is not right to demand that other people do so. People need to work so they can do things like eat, or live in a building & not a box. I have actually been to the parks (so my information doesn’t come from pictures) & WDW is doing a superlative job with infection control. No one is walking around with masks in hand.
I personally don’t trust anything coming from TDB…but that’s just me.
Well most people know how “reliable” TDB’s reporting is. It rates right up there with the National Inquirer and The Star.
Any idea if the discount will be available online again? Or what the code is if it is?
Tom,
I just made a reservation at Pop Century for Nov 29 – Dec 3. What is the cancellation policy for then? I know for awhile guests could cancel with no penalty up to the day before their reservation was to begin. Is that no longer the case?
This is on Disney’s web site –
“Book with Confidence
For extra peace of mind, know that if your plans change, any Disney-imposed change and cancellation fees will be waived up to the date of check-in for reservations with arrivals through December 31, 2020.”
i was told 30 days before. i just booked too
Thanks for the information. The reservation confirmation states that reservations have to be canceled 30 days before the reservation begins. My trip is Nov 29-Dec 3. The confirmation says that the final payment is due Oct 30.
I see that Daily Beast article as the equivalent of a Disney bus driver announcing that “a fifth park will be opening next summer!”
Can anyone go to the Village to see the lights? Sounds amazing!
Give Kids the World Village is located more in Kissimmee, Fl. My son had a Make-A-Wish trip there about 10 years ago when he had leukemia. The village is wonderful and so are the volunteers. Most Make- A-Wish families stay at Give Kids the World while having a Disney World wish granted. The families are housed and fed meals there. They have so many special events for the wish kids, even Disney character visits. I can’t put into words how much the entire trip and GKTW meant to my family, especially my son that went through 3 years of hospital stays and chemotherapy treatments. Please support this organization any way possible. P.S. My son is now 19 years old and cancer free!!! We have been to Disney twice since his Make-A-Wish trip!!! Special Memories!!!!
Thank you for the information, and congratulations and best wishes to your son. What a positive ending!
I have to commend you for giving Kids the World a shout out. When my son had cancer, his Make A Wish trip was to Disney World. We got to stay at Give Kids the World & it was the most magical place we’ve ever been (even more so than Disney).
There isn’t anything they overlook, including the trash receptacles which are elephant heads. The kids put the trash into the trunk, which sucks it right in. My kids ran around the grounds looking for trash to stick in the elephants lol. While you’re at a park for the day, they leave a little surprise for all the children in your party, not just the sick one. My kids got so excited to come back to the room to see what had been left for them. There’s a video arcade room where all the games are free to play. The dining area is beautiful with breakfast & dinner supplied (free) courtesy of Perkins’ Family Restaurant. Disney characters would visit during breakfast.
And they truly understand the stress of having a terminally ill child. One night of your stay, if you desire, they will send a person to watch your kids so you can have a night out on your own (something unheard of with a sick child!). They know the child’s medical conditions & will alert you if there’s a problem.
It truly is a wonderful place for such a trying time. We were there in 1997 & it’s a trip we still remember like it was yesterday
OMG!!! I 10000% agree!! My niece had Huntington’s Disease and went on her make a wish trip in 2008 and it was the most amazing vacation i EVER had! I cannot praise them enough and you are correct.. they don’t overlook anything there!! I know there is a star on the ceiling with my Livie’s name on it and its time I go back to see it!
Truly fantastic place! We were there with our then 5yr. old granddaughter. She had leukemia. She’s now 16 and thriving. Everything is taken care of for the families and the time spent there is such a blessing.
In regards to the recent headlines about Disney… I think people will find fault in anything. If WDW stayed closed there would be papers, headlines, and petitions for them to reopen. It seems to me like nobody is happy these days. I can understand how it could be a problem for some who have circumstances where they are high risk. If they can provide a sufficient reason like an autoimmune disease with a note from a doctor. Then I believe WDW should allow these people to stay home. People need to realize that just like the McDonalds, 7-11’s, Chick Fil-A, Publix, and other places they are frequenting- WDW is also a business trying to get by as well. It looks like they’re doing their best to keep people safe and happy, and even to help bring a little of the Magic back into people’s lives.
I’m still confused why Disney would stop selling out of state Annual Passes. Out of state almost guarantees a resort reservation. I usually make 4 trips a year. But without an AP tickets for 2 are $1000 per trip. Without an AP my 4 trips are now only one per year.
I’m annoyed too.
We are planning on going in December and we were going to buy Annual Passes, but now we are going to have to pay $600 a piece for Annual Passes and then another $600 a piece in the springs, summer.
Give Kids the World is one of the most amazing places!! They work with Make a wish and treat each child and their family members like royalty. I only have the most amazing words to describe this place since I was honored to bring my niece there for her make a wish trip. I donated to them for the longest time after she passed and will have to get back to donating again!! I will be sure to visit there if I am able to go in November-December!!
Yeah, I’m confused on where this “village” is too? Somewhere in Orlando, I assume? Close to WDW?
Ok where is this “village”??
Go to http://www.gktw.org to get location/directions and read about this amazing place. My daughter volunteered there with her school several years ago and it definitely made a lasting impression.
Thanks Tom for the info about the Christmas lights! I’m looking forward to going!
DCFL – Kudos to your daughter. We were recipients of the magic of GKTW when my son had cancer. That was years ago, but I still marvel how so many people volunteered there on a daily basis. It’s people like your daughter that make GKTW possible for those of struggling through a child’s illness.
Thanks, Tom! Do you believe the inventory dump to be a shift from resort guests and ticket holders to APs or an overall increase in capacity? It does seem wait times have ticked up in the last few days. So, a second question, what is your view on reported wait times? I’ve heard they are overstated. Thanks!
We were there in Aug & over LD weekend. There has definitely been an increase in wait times – the parks are no longer the ghost town that was seen when they first reopened in July. While they are still less crowded overall, because of the lack of FPs currently combined with ride cleanings and increased attendance, the wait times have definitely gone up. We found over both trips, that posted wait times are accurate again – can’t remember a line queue that was off by more than +/- 5 min. from their posted wait times. LD weekend was worse in terms of wait times than most, understandably, with wait times such as 65 min for older rides such as Big Thunder being consistent throughout the day. Newer, more popular rides such as Runaway Railroad, we saw wait times as high as 90 min. even on non-holiday weekends. These are still doable times, but if they increase capacity even further without bringing back FP to shorten at least some wait times, we will seriously consider not renewing our APs until after this pandemic ends. Though no fault of Disney’s for the current environment (they are handling this better than most), as an out-of-state passholder, our time spent in line queues is a major factor that we need to weigh against the ever-increasing and repeated costs of APs, airfare, resort and food costs.
where is the “Village” that the Million Lights Holiday Spectacular will take place?
It’s the Give Kids the World Village located in Kissimmee.