Every week is a busy week when it comes to Disney news. To help you keep up with all the updates coming out of Walt Disney World and other Disney resorts, here’s WDWNT’s weekly recap of the Disney news from April 13-19!

If you have been following our news coverage over the past few weeks, you will be aware that currently all six Disney resorts across the world are closed due to concerns over the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Here’s our WDWNT Weekly Recap of all the news we’ve brought you this week, along with some extra fun things to keep Disney spirits high through these difficult times. Stay safe, readers!

Walt Disney World

• This week, President Trump unveiled new guidelines to help states reopen their businesses in phases through the easing of social media restrictions. This has paved the way for the eventual return of Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort, read more here.

Parks

• Park hours for Walt Disney World have now been removed online through May 9th
• It was revealed that the topiary installations for the EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival are still being maintained throughout the park closures
• This new aerial footage has given us glimpses of the empty Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios during the closures

Hotels & Resorts

• Due to the ongoing closures, guests are finding that reservations through mid-May are now being cancelled
• Construction has been continuing on The Cove hotel and Reflections – A Disney Lakeside Lodge at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin resort this week

Around Walt Disney World

• Cirque du Soleil has cleared their performance calendar for “Drawn to Life” through June 2nd at Disney Springs
• The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex has been pinned by a sports commentator as the ideal location to salvage the 2019-2020 NBA season
• Construction has been continuing on the Disney College Program housing and Flamingo Crossings hotels this week
• The remodeled McDonald’s location near to Disney’s All-Star Resorts is nearing completion
• A permit has been filed to open a Lovepop Greeting Card retail store at Disney Springs’ Town Center

Other Walt Disney World News

• The Mayor of Orange County has stated that Walt Disney World will play a key role in the post-pandemic reopening process for the nation, whilst Orlando Sentinel predicted a “devastating” economic future for Central Florida
• Official details have been released on how Annual Passholders can receive partial refunds during the extended park closures
• Now that the furloughs at Walt Disney World are in effect, thousands of cast members are being auto-enrolled in the Florida state unemployment system, and the president of Walt Disney World Josh D’Amaro has sent cast members a heartfelt letter in light of the changes. This happened after cast members staged a stay-at-home protest earlier in the week, due to the unreliable Florida unemployment website information
• A sixteen year-old guest who visited the resort during spring break has reportedly been threatened by a local sheriff, asking her to remove social media posts claiming a COVID-19 infection after her trip
• Virgin Trains have been continuing their construction efforts on the rail system from South Florida to Orlando through the COVID-19 pandemic
• The 2020 First Quarter Injury Report has been released for Walt Disney World
• Disney Parks donated a huge supply of treats to the Orlando Police, as a way of offering support during the COVID-19 pandemic

Disneyland Resort

• This week, President Trump unveiled new guidelines to help states reopen their businesses in phases through the easing of social media restrictions. This has paved the way for the eventual return of Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort, read more here
• Official details have been released for Annual Passholders on how to receive partial refunds during the extended park closures
• All Disneyland Grad Nite 2020 parties have been cancelled at the resort through June 13th due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Disneyland Paris

• Now that France has extended restrictions on large gatherings, it is unlikely that Disneyland Paris will reopen until mid-July
• The summer festivals of Disneyland Paris Pride and Electroland have both been postponed until 2021 at the resort, due to the ongoing closures
• A new “Disneyland Paris at Home” website has been launched, featuring recipes, videos, coloring pages and more to keep guests entertained throughout the closures

Shanghai Disney Resort

• Now parts of the resort are starting to re-open, Shanghai Disney have been expanding their use of Health QR Code checks, with only guests with a green code permitted to enter the resort

Tokyo Disney Resort

• Check out this week’s photo report for Tokyo Disneyland and JR Maihama Station, including the deserted station, new signs, hotel construction, and more
• The Tokyo Disney Resort exclusive Cirque du Soleil show “Zed” was streamed this week on the company’s digital content hub
• New security structures have been installed at Tokyo Disneyland
• The first new Type C monorail has been spotted testing on the Tokyo Disney Resort Line
• The Oriental Land Company has extended their “work cancellation allowance” for Tokyo Disney Resort Cast Members through May

Disney Cruise Line

• It has been reported that the shipbuilding firm responsible for the creation of the Disney Wish and two more “Triton” class ships are anticipating massive losses from the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning that the new additions to the Disney Cruise Line could be significantly delayed
• Mediterranean voyages aboard the Disney Magic have been cancelled through June 7th
• Guests booked on cancelled or modified cruises through May 17th are being offered an additional 25% cruise credit 

New Merchandise

• shopDisney will be suspending their three subscription box offerings this month due to the global business impacts of COVID-19
• A collection of Ear Hat ornaments themed to EPCOT attractions are available on shopDisney
• Dress dreamily in this “Inside Out” Rainbow Unicorn romper by The Dress Shop
• A new, limited-release “Star Wars” droid Minnie ear headband by Her Universe is now available on shopDisney

• Get ready to build this LEGO Ultimate Collector Series Star Wars A-Wing Starfighter, which will be released on May 1st
• In pin news, these limited-edition Dapper Day, “Robin Hood”, “Coco” an more pins are now available on shopDisney
• Disney Store Japan are due to release a fun new “Be Our Guest” Beauty and the Beast merchandise collection later this month
• A new Baby Yoda “The Child” plush is now available on the Build-a-Bear Workshop website, and it comes with built-in sounds and the cool theme song from “The Mandalorian”
• A sneak peek has been revealed for the tropical Enchanted Tiki Room collection, the May release for the “Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction” series
• Five new Disney Parks Collection Alex & Ani bracelets have been released, including Space Mountain, Summer Mickey, Mother’s Day and more

Entertainment and Media

• The release of “Raya and the Last Dragon” has been moved to March 12, 2021, and “Soul” has been moved to November 20th
• This week saw the debut of “The Disney Family Singalong” on ABC, and you can still catch the performances by Ariana Grande, Alan Menken and more
• Sam Raimi has been confirmed as the new director of Marvel’s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”
• Ridley Pearson will be rewriting the entire “Kingdom Keepers” book series, to reflect the current Disney Parks attractions and offerings
• A May release date has been announced for the “Star Wars Episode I: Racer” game re-release on Nintendo Switch and Playstation 4
• Disney-up your day-to-day technology with select new Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel stickers for iMessage, plus Disney Stories for Amazon Alexa, which will be available free for a limited time
• A new “Shorts by Disney Parks” video series has debuted on the My Disney Experience and Disneyland apps, featuring adorable animated ducks

Disney+

• Check out a roundup of every new release coming to Disney+ in May, including “Prop Culture”, “Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian”, and more
• A poster and plot details have been released for a new Disney+ Original Film “Secret Society of Second-Born Royals”, which will debut this summer
• Watch the official trailer for Disney’s “Artemis Fowl”, which will debut June 12th
• It has been reported that Stellan Skarsgard and Kyle Soller have joined the cast of the “Cassian Andor” series

The Walt Disney Company News

• In Business and Leadership news, The Walt Disney Company elected the new CEO Bob Chapek to the Board of Directors. Meanwhile, Disney Executive Chairman Bob Iger has been appointed to California’s COVID-19 Business Recovery Task Force (which he discussed in an interview this week), and Senior Vice President of Walt Disney World Thomas Mazloum has been appointed to the Orange County COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force
• The extent to which The Walt Disney Company’s revenue has been compromised during the COVID-19 pandemic was highlighted this week. For a brief period on Wednesday, Netflix was worth more than The Walt Disney Company, however in light of the new phased reopening guidelines later in the week, the stock did rebound right back
• The Walt Disney Company has entered a $5 billion credit agreement with Citibank as the costs and damage from COVID-19 mount

Other Disney News

• Disney fans were invited to “stay in, in style”, for the first ever Dapper Day At Home event this weekend
• The Disney Bedtime Hotline has returned for a limited time through April, where you can get a free special message from Mickey
• We were saddened to hear of the passing of actor Brian Dennehy, who appeared in “Ratatouille” and “Tommy Boy”
• Registration is now open for the runDisney Virtual Series 2020, and the medals have been revealed to feature Mad Tea Party, Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion and a Vintage Disney Ticket Book
• ESPN has asked top commentators and hosts to take voluntary pay cuts in order to mitigate the financial burdens from COVID-19

Fun Stuff from WDWNT

• Make your own Batuuan Blue Milk with our copycat recipe from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
• DIY: 50 Fun Uses for Disney Parks Guide Maps
• Start your day off in paradise with our Tonga Toast copycat recipe from Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• See a park in the making with the first issue of the EPCOT Center Construction News paper from 1982
• DIY: Make your own Disney scrapbook page: a step-by-step guide
• Take a look at the beginning of the Disneyland Resort )and a bit of the WESTCOT Centre with this early ’90s draft environmental impact report
• Make Walt’s favorite chili with this 1958 recipe from The Walt Disney Archives
• Get a glimpse of Walt Disney Productions in the mid-1960s with the 1965 annual report

Editorials

• Top Three Locations to Dine with Food Allergies in Walt Disney World Part 1: Magic Kingdom – Table Service
• Celerbrate the Park’s 27th Anniversary with 37 Unique Things About Tokyo Disneyland

WDW News Today

Make sure you catch up on the News Today episodes from this week!

Phased Reopening Guidance/Economic Committees Give Hope for US Disney Parks Opening – NewsToday 4/17

Shanghai Disneyland Require Health QR Codes, WDW Cast Members Protest Unemployment – NewsToday 4/15

Bob Iger Resumes CEO Responsibilities While Chapek Remains CEO – NewsToday 4/13

That’s all the Disney news for this past week! Make sure you check back at the end of each week for our weekly recaps!