ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – A Florida man who was upset about being told that he and his family needed to change their masks to be in line with Disney’s coronavirus rules smacked an Epcot security guard, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said Enrico Toro arrived at the park Aug. 14 with his wife and three children but when they arrived at the check-in area, security guards told them they needed to put different masks on since the ones they were wearing didn’t meet Disney’s standards.
The family left and when they returned about 10 minutes later, one of the children was still not wearing the proper type of mask so security guards stopped the family again, according to the report.
Deputies said Toro became irate, began cursing and said, “Call the police, they will have to shoot me to leave.”
Records show the victim was reaching for his phone to call his supervisor when Toro smacked him across the head with an open hand.
Toro’s wife intervened and pulled her husband away toward the parking lot as he continued cursing and making threats, telling the victim he knew where he lived and he was going to kill him, according to the report.
The victim was not injured.
Toro, of Orlando, was arrested on a battery charge.
On Wednesday, Disney released a statement about the arrest.
“We expect guests to treat our cast members with courtesy and respect, and while the vast majority of guests have adapted to our new measures, this unfortunate case required law enforcement,” a spokesperson said.
Disney+ has teamed up with Open Air Cinemas to bring back the old-fashioned drive-in.
The drive-in cinemas will pop up in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne from September, showing classic films such as Aladdin, The Lion King, Moana, Frozen and The Greatest Showman.
Disney says several Marvel and Star Wars films will also be scheduled.
Car spaces will not be allocated but the venue will try to ensure that smaller cars are parked towards the front and larger cars are ushered to the rear.
Once parked, viewers simply tune in the car radio to hear the audio.
File image of a drive-in. Credit: Matt Carr/Getty Images
Woolworths customers will soon be able to collect a new line of exclusive Disney+ Ooshies, featuring beloved characters from Marvel, Star WarsTM, Disney and Pixar.
From 26 August across most of Australia, Woolworths customers can collect a Disney+ Ooshie with every $30 they spend in-store or online, while stocks last.
Due to COVID-19, the launch in Victoria will be delayed until the current lockdown restrictions ease.
The collection features nine Ooshies from each of the four Disney+ universes, totalling 36 Disney+ Ooshies to collect. They include family favourites such as Elsa (Disney’s Frozen), Captain Marvel (Marvel), Woody (Pixar, Toy Story), and the Mandalorian (Star WarsTM).
From Wednesday, shoppers can pick up some of their favourite Marvel, Star Wars, Disney, and Pixar characters in Ooshie form as part of the new range for streaming service Disney+. Picture: SuppliedSource:Supplied
Kylie Watson Wheeler, Senior Vice President & Managing Director of The Walt Disney Company, Australia and New Zealand said: “When Disney+ launched in Australia in November last year, it quickly captured the hearts of millions of Australians by bringing together the world’s biggest entertainment brands on one streaming service.”
“We are excited that Aussies can now get their hands on a world exclusive Disney+ Ooshies collection only at Woolworths.”
The launch follows the success of last year’s Lion King partnership between Woolworths and Disney.Source:News Regional Media
Woolworths Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Hicks said: “We’re thrilled to offer a new level of excitement to Woolworths customers with some of the most iconic characters in the Disney+ universe.
“With families spending more time at home, possibly watching their favourite Disney+ movies or series, they can now enjoy Disney+ Ooshies as added value to their everyday shop at Woolworths.
“It’s been a difficult year as Australians navigate the challenges of the pandemic, so our goal by partnering with Disney once again is to bring more magic, surprise, and delight to our customers.”
Woolworths Launch for Disney Collectibles. Picture: Dallas Kilponen/WoolworthsSource:News360
Woolworths Launch for Disney Collectibles. Picture: Dallas Kilponen/WoolworthsSource:News360
“We know some customers in Victoria will be disappointed by the delayed roll out, but the safety and wellbeing of our customers, team members, and community remains our number one priority. The delay will allow our team to focus on operations and supplying customers with their everyday essentials during this challenging period. Once restrictions ease and we can safely roll out the program, we look forward to sharing the Disney magic with our Victorian customers.”
Woolworths has also renewed its partnership with TerraCycle, allowing customers to drop any preloved Ooshies in store to be turned into plastic pellets. The pellets are used to help make outdoor products such as garden beds, decks, fences and benches, and the bag the Ooshies come in can be recycled via kerbside yellow bins.
While many are overjoyed at the release of new collectibles, some took to social media to voice their concerns about the impact of the small plastic figurines on the environment.
“We know that many Aussies love Ooshies, and this unique Disney+ collection is a Disney collectors’ item which is why they’ve been built to be durable so that families and fans can treasure it for a long time,” Woolworths responded in a tweet.
“Ooshies can be used in many ways – from storytelling, taking care of them as a treasured collector’s item or popping them on the back of pencils. You can also bring them back to your local store to be recycled through Terracycle during the promotional period.”
She was born in Southern California, so some of her earliest memories were made while spending time at Disneyland.
Kelsey loves Disney movies too, and when she and her husband Eric moved to their home in Seattle, she started adding touches from the films to their home.
Kelsey built a social-media following on Instagram by sharing photos of her home, and her followers encouraged her to keep decorating her home with themed items.
Today, her entire home is inspired by Disney. Kelsey, Eric, their two kids, their dog, and their cat live in the house
Every room in the house has a specific Disney theme.
The “Lilo & Stitch” living room.
For instance, the living room is “Lilo & Stitch”-themed, though it features touches from other tropical Disney films like “Moana” and “The Little Mermaid.”
Surfboards, sea creatures, and drawings of Stitch cover the walls, while the blue couch immediately sets an ocean vibe.
Little additions, like the Ariel pillow and nautical storage bin, tie it all together.
Much of Kelsey’s furniture is thrifted, and she customizes items to make them look like something out of a Disney film.
The “Beauty and the Beast” dining room.
The “Beauty and the Beast” dining room features antique furniture that nods to the grandeur of the Beast’s castle.
The dining room also has a Mickey Mouse-shaped topiary that looks like the greenery at Disneyland. Kelsey has made them for every room of the house.
The details bring this room together, like the rose figurine and the tapestry of the dance scene from the film.
Every inch of the house is inspired by Disney.
The details make the difference in the home.
Even the entryway is themed around “Snow White,” with an ornate mirror much like the one featured in the film hanging on the wall with statues of birds next to it.
Likewise, a shelf in the dining room features characters from “Beauty and the Beast” with a stained-glass painting of Belle and the Beast behind it.
The sitting room is obviously “Tangled”-themed, thanks to the distinctive suns all over the room.
The “Tangled” room.
Kelsey hand-cut the banner with suns on it, aiming for it to look like the banners at Disney World.
Kelsey had the antique glass cabinet shipped to her Seattle home from Hawaii, and it’s filled with Disney figurines. A painting of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider is at the center of the space.
The room has a vintage bouncy horse Kelsey painted to look like the horse Maximus from “Tangled” as well.
The Rapunzel room also has a hand-painted lamp that’s reminiscent of the lanterns in “Tangled.”
Kelsey decorated the lampshades herself.
She bought the lamp at Costco, adding the sun symbols herself.
Kelsey told Insider the room was inspired by a Rapunzel bathroom at Disneyland.
Kelsey’s daughter has a “Lady and the Tramp”-themed nursery.
The nursery decor was inspired by “Lady and the Tramp.”
Kelsey’s youngest daughter was born on Christmas, just as Lady was given as a Christmas gift to her owners in the film.
The room has stuffed animals and figurines of Lady and Tramp, and pink bows like the one wrapped around Lady make up much of the decor.
Kelsey’s eldest daughter’s room is the only room in the house that isn’t Disney themed. Instead, it’s inspired by Nintendo, as she’s a big Minecraft fan.
It’s important to Kelsey that her children are allowed to follow their passions just as she did.
One of Kelsey’s favorite rooms in her home is the “Alice in Wonderland” bathroom.
The “Alice in Wonderland” bathroom.
The bathroom features a melting clock with rabbit ears, a floating Alice, and greenery surrounding the mirror.
It “literally feels like you’ve gone down the rabbit hole,” Kelsey said of the space.
Eric helps Kelsey bring a lot of her visions to life.
The Enchanted Tiki guest room.
Eric is always willing to help Kelsey with her projects, and as his taste is more minimalist, he helps her from going too over the top with her designs.
“He always tries to help me do what I need to do to express myself,” she said.
For instance, Eric helped Kelsey renovate the “Little Mermaid” bathroom, which features glitter grout.
“The Little Mermaid” bathroom.
The glitter nods to a sandy beach, and the Ariel shower curtain and Flounder bath mat make the theme more clear.
Small touches like a fork — or dinglehopper — and seashells make the space even cuter.
Kelsey has been sharing tours of her home on TikTok, with one garnering over 13 million views.
The “Aladdin” master bathroom.
“With the parks being closed and people missing that magic, I think my profile is like a waiting room,” Kelsey said of why she thinks people like her posts so much. “It allows people to feel that magic again.”
The “Aladdin” master bedroom features floating lanterns, candles, and curtains that evoke the mood of Jasmine’s room in the palace.
Matching paintings of Aladdin and Jasmine sit on the wall above the tub.
The coolest detail in the bathroom is the faucet shaped like the Genie’s lamp.
The faucet looks like the Genie’s lamp.
Kelsey also told Insider that her house changes a bit for the holiday season.
Around Halloween, she adds “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Coco” decorations, and they transform the house into an under-the-sea Christmas for the December holidays.
The most recent project Kelsey and Eric worked on was their “Cinderella” master bedroom.
The “Cinderella” master bedroom.
The Parisian bed frame that Kelsey bought at a local antique shop sets the tone for the room.
Kelsey painted the nightstands to match, and the cute “dream” pillow features birds on it like the ones that help Cinderella get dressed.
The whole room has a whimsical and otherworldly feel, with small additions like pearl detailing on the curtains adding to the space.
The bubble wall evokes the spirit of the fairy godmother.
Kelsey made the bubble wall.
Kelsey made them using Christmas ornaments and photos from an old Disney book.
“Our house is kind of a departure from the normal,” Kelsey told Insider. “It feels like you’re at a Disney park.”
You can watch Kelsey’s TikTok home tours here, and you can follow her on Instagram here.
The live-action blockbuster won’t be releasing as originally expected.
In a surprise move, Disney’s much-delayed live-action remake of Mulan is now set to be released on Disney+ before its cinema release – but you’ll have to pay an extra fee to watch it.
Disney has settled on 4 September as a streaming release date for Mulan, with the movie to be made available in Australia, the US, the UK, New Zealand and other Western European countries.
It’s the first time Disney+ has offered a premium movie with a separate price tag on top of its monthly subscription. That price was first reported to be around US$30, according to Deadline, which is roughly more than double the cost of a regular cinema ticket.
Now the exact Australian price has been announced. Mulan will be made available via Premier Access on Disney+ for a fee of $34.99. However, you’ll also be required to have a subscription to Disney+.
Disney+ no longer offers a free trial, meaning you’ll have to sign up to in order to watch. A monthly subscription costs $8.99 or there’s a discounted annual package for $89.99, meaning the minimum cost for streaming Mulan will be $43.98.
So while the cost is high and a big increase on Australia’s current Disney+ monthly fee, if you’re a household of two or more you’ll only be forking out the standard cost for a trip to the cinema. Plus watching from home means you don’t need to hide food up your jumper on the way in and can dodge costly concession stand prices in favour of your own snacks.
Why did Disney go this way?
Disney revealed the plans during the company’s most recent earnings call: “We thought it was important to find alternative ways to bring [Mulan] in a timely manner,” Disney CEO Bob Chapek said during the call. He stressed that this was a “one-off” move and doesn’t mean Disney will release cinema-centred titles in the future.
After its original release date was pushed back on three separate occasions, Disney delayed Mulan indefinitely. It still hopes to release the title to cinemas in some markets, but that depends on when they reopen.
Many studios have looked to digital releases to get titles into the market during the coronavirus pandemic. Disney did that with theatrical release Artemis Fowl. The film was set for cinema release before the pandemic caused cinema shutdowns, which led to Disney instead releasing the film straight onto Disney+.
In the wise words of Peter Pan, all you need is faith, trust and pixie dust face masks.
Disney Parks has debuted matching face masks for domestic theme park employees as the coronavirus pandemic continues.
Over 100,000 cast members at Disney World and Disneyland will receive the reusable, washable PPE in upcoming weeks, the Orange County Register reports.
Disney Parks has debuted matching face masks for domestic theme park employees as the coronavirus pandemic continues. (Disney Parks Blog)
According to the Disney Parks Blog, the uniform face mask project was inspired by “a need for a more unified and breathable face covering” for staffers. Amid the COVID-19 health crisis, all cast members and guests over age 2 are required to wear face masks within the parks.
Made of a lightweight material with a blue design with Mickey Mouse-shaped constellations, cast members can choose between pleated and contoured styles in a variety of sizes. Both the pleated and contoured versions of the mask have adjustable spandex for the ears, an extended nose pinch for the face and a contoured design to fit snugly beneath the eyes, the parks blog said.
Made of a lightweight material with a blue design with Mickey Mouse-shaped constellations, cast members can choose between pleated and contoured styles in a variety of sizes. (Disney Parks Blog)
“Over the past several months, we’ve spent significant time and brainpower to provide our cast members with face coverings that are both functional and comfortable, and I’m proud of the incredible results,” Dr. Pamela Hymel, Disney Parks Chief Medical Officer, said in a statement. “They fit well, feel great and can last for more than 50 washes.”
Over 100,000 cast members at Disney World and Disneyland will reportedly receive the reusable, washable PPE in upcoming weeks. (Disney Parks Blog)
“The unified design speaks to the fact that we are still one unified Cast, one Disney ‘world,’” Yonit Olshan, Disneyland costume designer, echoed in agreement.
Disney World and the Actors’ Equity Association, the union for its actors and singers, came to an agreement on Wednesday that will allow members to return to work.
Officials for the Orlando, Fla. theme park agreed to open a state-run drive-thru COVID-19 testing site, accessible to both employees and the public.
On the West Coast, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure remain closed until further notice.
Ooshies took Australia by storm when Woolworths released their line of hugely popular miniature Lion King figurines.
More than a year later, Ooshies are back.
From August 26, Woolies shoppers will be able to collect some of their favourite Marvel, Star Wars, Disney and Pixar characters in Ooshie form as part of the new range for steaming service Disney+.
They’ll be available for every $30 shoppers spend in store or online, while stocks last.
Star Wars’ Stormtrooper Ooshie. Credit: Supplied
Among the 36 Ooshies will be famous Disney characters Elsa (Frozen) and Woody (Toy Story), Marvel superhero Captain Marvel and the Mandalorian from Star Wars.
The full list of characters will be released closer to the date.
Elsa from Frozen will be one of the Ooshies characters available from Woolworths from August 26. Credit: Supplied
However, Victorian shoppers will have to wait.
The supermarket giant has delayed the availability of Ooshies in the state due to the COVID-19 crisis, until restrictions ease.
“We know some customers in Victoria will be disappointed by the delayed roll out,” Woolworths spokesman Andrew Hicks said.
Woody from Toy Story – in Ooshie form. Credit: Supplied
‘But the safety and wellbeing of our customers, team members, and community remains our number one priority.
“The delay will allow our team to focus on operations and supplying customers with their everyday essentials during this challenging period.
The Captain Marvel Ooshie. Credit: Supplied
“Once restrictions ease and we can safely roll out the program, we look forward to sharing the Disney magic with our Victorian customers.”
Woolworths also said pre-loved Ooshies have been recycled in products such as outdoor furniture.
According to Disney, the testing site will be run by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, and will be located on Disney property, though not in the park. Testing will be available to Disney employees and visitors, as well as Florida residents.
Disney officials said in a notice to its workers that there would be a dedicated testing lane for its workers and their families, and that reservations could be made for testing starting Thursday.
“As a reminder, testing is voluntary and cast members will not be paid for testing time,” the notice said.
According to Kate Shindle, president of the Actors’ Equity Association, the union has signed a memorandum of understanding with Disney for hundreds of actors to return to work.
“We have been consistent that testing is an important part of ensuring a safe workplace for Equity performers, and today, I’m pleased to see that Disney World has agreed,” Shindle said in a statement Wednesday.
The Actors’ Equity Association represents 51,000 stage performers nationwide, including about 750 at Disney World.
Disney released a statement to the Associated Press later Wednesday saying that allowing the testing location was not in response to union demands.
“Our actions support all cast and our community at large,” the statement said.
The testing center will be located outside the Disney Maingate Complex in Kissimmee, Florida, and will be open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The tests will be self-administered by people in their vehicles, and results will take three to five days.
Shindle cited the death of Broadway actor Nick Cordero last month as an example of the devastating impact of the virus. Cordero, 41, had been hospitalized since March, had one leg amputated because of blood clots and battled infection in both lungs before his death.
“This is not a disease to be taken lightly,” Shindle told USA TODAY. “It can have a long-term effect on making your living as a performer, even if you are lucky enough to survive.”
Walt Disney has brought to an end one of the best-known names in the entertainment industry, 20th Century Fox.
It comes as the legendary House of Mouse has rebranded one of its TV studios as 20th Television.
It follows January’s rebranding of the 85-year-old film company 20th Century Fox as 20th Century Studios.
Last year Disney completed a $71.3bn (£54.7bn) deal to buy the bulk of Rupert Murdoch’s Fox media assets.
Disney has also renamed its other television studios, including changing ABC Studios and ABC Signature Studios to ABC Signature while Fox 21 Television Studios will become Touchstone Television.
“Our new studio names and logos mark a new day for ABC Signature, 20th Television and Touchstone Television while honouring their rich histories and the creative power of The Walt Disney Company,” Craig Hunegs, president of Disney television studios, said in a statement.
Both the 20th Century TV and film rebrands retained the famous fanfare theme tune and searchlight logo.
Hit TV shows
20th Century Fox Television, which can trace its roots back to 1949, has been home to some of TV’s most famous shows including the original Batman series, M*A*S*H and The Simpsons.
Earlier this year, when the film studio 20th Century Fox was rebranded, there were suggestions that Disney wanted to distance itself from Mr Murdoch’s highly partisan, right-wing Fox News network.
Disney is already a dominant force in US news, as the owner of the ABC network. It is also taking on Netflix with its own streaming service Disney+.
The 20th Century Fox film studio is known for producing some of the biggest movies of all-time, including Avatar and Titanic.
20th Century Fox was created in 1935 when Twentieth Century Pictures and Fox Films merged.
Disney’s movie-making history dates back to 1937, with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and now includes Lucasfilm – which makes the Star Wars franchise – and Marvel Studios among its stable of film companies.
Guests at Walt Disney World in Florida on July 11. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/AP)By Shannon McMahonAugust 10
One month after reopening amid the mounting coronavirus pandemic, which surpassed 5 million U.S. cases over the weekend, Walt Disney World is modifying its hours of operation in a new schedule taking effect on Sept. 8, the day after Labor Day.
Disney’s already limited hours will reduce by one to two hours per day, depending on the park. The change comes days after Disney reported unexpectedly low park attendance and “adversely impacted” earnings due to restrictions aimed at preventing the virus’s spread.
An updated schedule posted to the Disney World website over the weekend shows delayed opening times and that some parks will close earlier, with Epcot and the Animal Kingdom cutting back by two hours and the Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios both losing one hour per day.
Walt Disney World reopened in July with staggered opening times and required reservations to manage crowds and required temperature screenings. Other health measures include required masks for all cast members and guests (ages 2 and up), enhanced cleaning, hand-sanitizing stations and physical distancing requirements throughout the parks, including no-contact apps and no-hugging policies for cast members and characters.
“Upon reopening, theme parks, Disney Resort Hotels, restaurants and other offerings may be modified, limited in capacity and subject to availability or closure,” Disney World’s website notes.
The Walt Disney Co. reported a loss of nearly $5 billion in April, May and June, including an almost $2 billion loss in its parks and experiences business segment. According to USA Today, the decline marks an 85 percent drop compared with the same period in 2019.
Disney World theme parks were closed for four months because of the coronavirus outbreak before reopening on July 9. Unlike the Florida properties, Disneyland in California remains closed.
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