Theme Park Rangers

Universal's CityWalk partially reopened today with some noticeable changes. Orlando Sentinel theme park reporter Dewayne Bevil stepped onto theme park property for the first time in nine weeks and shares what he saw as Universal Orlando emerges from its coronavirus-pandemic shutdown.

• Stilt walkers (1:30)
• A hundred cars in line to park before gates opened (2:48)
• Temperature check (4:25)
• Social distancing: Six feet or three Minions (6:27)
• Masks mandatory for staff/guests (6:55)
• Some restaurants open (7:42)
• Mobile order your Voodoo Doughnuts (8:20)
• Who is there? (10:27)

Thanks to pilot Jonathan Michael Salazar, Disney fans got a birds-eye view of an empty Walt Disney World, shut down during the coronavirus pandemic. Jonathan talks about working around the FAA-enacted temporary flight restrictions above Disney World, what his aerial photography revealed and the reaction his photos have received.

• Photographing an empty Disney World (1:11)
• Mickey’s surface-to-air missile defense system (3:06)
• Is there a no-fly zone over Disney? (4:26)
• Exceptions to the flights restrictions (6:03)
• ‘Crater’ in middle of Epcot, construction at standstill (8:23)
• No loitering over Disney World (13:24)
• Are there any shots you didn’t get?(16:56)
• Capturing a moment in time (17:45)

Shanghai Disneyland will be the first of Disney’s empty theme parks to reopen May 11. But when will Orlando’s Disney World turnstiles spin again and what protocols will be in place to make guests feel safe?

• Disneyland Shanghai (1:23)
• Safety measures for Disney's U.S. parks (4:54)
• Will visitors follow guidelines? (7:41)
• Disney's moral and economic responsibility (10:07)
• Wearing a mask in the Florida heat (11:58)
• Vacationers = Rule-breakers (13:45)
• So much speculation on what parks will open first (15:01)
• What do you miss most about parks? (16:45)

Mark Penning, Disney Parks’ vice president for animals, science and environment, talks with Orlando Sentinel theme park reporter Dewane Bevil about the animals’ air-conditioned bedrooms, which animals might be missing park guests, and what precautions are being taken to protect Animal Kingdom's big cats after tigers at the Bronx Zoo tested positive for the coronavirus.

• Lush landscape is beautiful (1:08)
• Do the animals miss the crowds? (2:53)
• Keeping animals on schedule (5:09)
• Air-conditioned bedrooms (6:03)
• Baby boom at Animal Kingdom (10:06)
• Protecting tigers from coronavirus (12:50)
• Social media star: #AskDrMark (14:10)
• An unusual Earth Day (18:29)

What was the last thing you had to eat at Disney World? What is the first thing you will try once the resort reopens? AJ Wolfe, owner of The Disney Food Blog, shares tips on snacks you must try at Magic Kingdom, food bargains, and the best bars and hotel restaurants on Disney property.

• How did Disney Food Blog come to be? (1:16)
• What was the last thing you ate at Disney World? (4:11)
• Best Disney World cupcake ever? (4:35)
• Best bang for your buck? (8:26)
• Park restaurants: Best food? (11:37)
• Park restaurants: Best theme? (12:37)
• Best hotel restaurants (13:46)
• Favorite bar? (16:43)
• Forget Mickey Bars, you must try these at Magic Kingdom (20:03)

Ferry boat or monorail? Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley? Dole Whip or Citrus Swirl? Play along as Orlando Sentinel theme park reporter Dewayne Bevil and BigFatPanda.com's John Saccheri pick their Disney World and Universal Orlando favorites.

• Ferry or Monorail? (2:24)
• Casey’s Corner or Plaza Ice Cream Parlor? (3:22)
• Dole Whip or Citrus Swirl? (4:16)
• Mickey Bar or Mickey Pretzel? (4:50)
• Contemporary or Grand Floridian? (5:29)
• World Showcase: Clockwise or counterclockwise? (7:26)
• Flower & Garden or Food & Wine (9:25)
• Rapid fire: Characters (10:20)
• Parades:  Boo To You or Very Merry? (12:13)
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run or Star Tours? (13:17)
• Disney Springs: Orange or lime garage? (13:49)
• Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley? (15:03)
• Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios? (15:32)
• Splash Mountain or Thunder Mountain? (17:10)

Dennis Speigel, CEO of International Theme Park Services, talks about the possibility of attractions screening visitors for illnesses, reopening with limited capacity, and how the coronavirus pandemic will impact the design of future parks such as Universal’s Epic Universe.

• The post-coronavirus theme park (2:54)
• Learning from Asian theme parks (5:53)
• 2020 will be a write-off for industry (7:55)
• Will parks reopen with limited capacity? (9:20)
• Pandemic will change way new theme parks are designed (10:42)
• What’s in store for 2021? (12:29)
• Will staycations replace vacations? (15:16)
• Smaller attractions vs. larger attractions (16:45)
• Disney’s 50th anniversary (17:42)
• Universal’s Epic Universe (19:18)
• Impact of coronavirus will linger for 3 years (21:00)

Area attraction are getting crafty to make sure fans don’t forget about them during the coronavirus closures. Disney, SeaWorld and some smaller attractions have taken to the Internet to provide entertainment and education.

• Theme parks still closed (:50)
• Attractions aim to keep in contact with fans during closures   (3:13)
• Gatorland for kids: School of Croc (5:36)
• Gatorland for adults: Later Gator (8:00)
• Orlando Science Center: DIY unbreakable bubbles, slime (10:59)
• KSC exhibit videos, read-alouds (12:34)
• Ripleys: A reading of ‘Moby Dick‘ printed on toilet paper (14:23)
• SeaWorld: Behind the scenes with animals (15:44)
• Disney: Imagineering in a box, how to draw characters (16:14)
• Unofficial nods to Disney (20:10)

 

 

Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando are closing Sunday evening for the rest of March because of the coronavirus pandemic — an unprecedented move.  This episode  covers reaction to the closures, what this means to passholders and those with vacation plans, and what it means to live in a theme park town with no theme parks.  

• What is closed; What is open (:31)
• Has this happened before? (1:28)
• A lot of fear, a lot of uncertainty (2:01)
• Visiting parks day after closure announcement (3:39)
• Comparing coronavirus to hurricanes (5:52)
• Bob Iger on Disney’s resiliency (7:52)
• What about annual passholders? (8:46)
• Will cast members be paid during closures? (9:08)
• Hotel reservation refunds (10:17)
• What events are we missing because of park closures? (11:53)

Mickey Mouse finally has his own ride. Theme park reporters Dewayne Bevil and Gabrielle Russon hop aboard Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

• Sensory overload (1:26)
• Trackless experience (2:30)
• Easter eggs (3:09)
• Similarities to Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (5:19)
• First ride featuring Mickey Mouse (7:15)
• Mickey’s new look (9:39)
• Mickey Shorts Theater (10:21)
• Importance of music in rides (11:07)
• Hollywood Studios transformation (15:32)