An L.G.B.T.Q. tradition at Disney World took on new significance this year, when Disney was ensnared in a heated cultural debate.
Tag Archives: Disney, Walt, World (Lake Buena Vista, Fla)
Remember When Kevin McCarthy Had ‘Had It’ With Trump?
And does mean that Ron DeSantis won’t be taking his kids to Disney world anymore?
Punishing Disney, DeSantis Signals a Lasting G.O.P. Brawl With Business
Gov. Ron DeSantis’s move to revoke the company’s special tax status in Florida showed how combative his party has grown toward corporations that are increasingly taking a stand on political issues.
At the Magic Kingdom, a ‘Magical’ Wedding
Marissa Branch and Shelby Blackstock were married at one of their favorite vacation destinations: in front of Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World.
Florida Votes to Revoke Disney’s Special Tax Status
The vote, which appears certain to be signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, follows an acrimonious clash over what has been called the “Don’t Say Gay” law in the state.
Gov. DeSantis Clears Way to Revoke Disney’s Special District in Florida
Having criticized the company’s stand on a law restricting classroom discussion of sexual identity, he expanded a special session of the Legislature to target Disney World’s self-governing privileges.
Disney, Built on Fairy Tales and Fantasy, Confronts the Real World
The entertainment behemoth spent decades avoiding even the whiff of controversy. But it has increasingly been drawn into the partisan political fray.
Disney Takes Visitors to a Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, opening at Walt Disney World, is part luxury hotel, part theme park ride, part role-playing game. But it will cost you.
Omicron and Holiday Travel: 12 of the Most Pressing Questions
Vaccination requirements, testing rules, the new coronavirus variant and more: We answer your questions about traveling safely this holiday season.
Goldman Sachs Mandates Vaccines for Its Workers and Visitors
The bank’s announcement comes after the Food and Drug Administration gave full approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus shots.
Are You Ready for Sentient Disney Robots?
Some of the animatronics at Disney’s parks have been doing their herky-jerky thing since the Nixon administration. The company knows that nostalgia won’t cut it with today’s children.
To Skip the Line at Disney, Get Ready to Pay a Genie
For the first time, line-skipping privileges at Walt Disney World in Florida will cost $15 per person, an added cost for what is already an expensive destination.
Disneyland in California Is Reopening. Here’s What to Know.
Among the lessons from Orlando’s return: Lines are shorter, masks must be worn and there’s no hugging the characters.
Column on ‘Wokeness’ Ruining Disney World Experience Draws Backlash
In a guest column for The Orlando Sentinel, a Disney fan said he was reconsidering his commitment to the park “because Disney cares more about politics than happy guests.”
Family Travel Gets Complicated Without a Covid Vaccine for Kids
Amid the chatter of travel’s long-awaited rebound one year into the pandemic, many families with children feel largely left out of the conversation.
2020’s Memorable Moments in Sports
Sports were not a simple salve for the events of 2020, but they still provided some moments of joy, levity and shared humanity.
Travel After the Coronavirus Pandemic Might Be Different
The future of travel will involve fewer selfies from Icelandic spas.
Disneyland and Other California Theme Parks Get Rules for Reopening
Large parks must be in the state’s “yellow” tier for economic recovery, with the virus largely contained, which could be a long wait.
At Disney World, ‘Worst Fears’ About Virus Have Not Come True
Attendance has been low since the July reopening, but health officials and worker unions also say safety protocols have kept the coronavirus at bay.
Timeline: A Year That Changed the N.B.A.
From the virus to protests to an outpouring of grief.
What I Learned Inside the N.B.A. Bubble
Against all odds, it really was a refuge of competence, normalcy and transcendent play. But the outside world has a way of sneaking in.
Disney Lays Off 28,000, Mostly at Its 2 U.S. Theme Parks
The company said it would eliminate thousands of jobs at its resorts in Florida and California, which have been hit hard by the pandemic.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks Lose to Heat, Facing Elimination from Playoffs
For the second consecutive year, the Bucks entered the playoffs with the league’s best regular-season record. Down 3-0 against the Miami Heat, questions are swirling around the future of the team and its superstar.
The True Cost of Life in the N.B.A. Bubble
In this week’s newsletter, Marc Stein reflects on what he will miss as he leaves the bubble after more than 50 days. Plus: How long will Mike D’Antoni stay with the Rockets?
A Pandemic-Proof Bubble?
The N.B.A. has sealed off its players and staff in a secure campus in Florida — a medical and social experiment unlike anything in the history of sports.
The N.B.A.’s ‘Yacht Club Six’ Seek Respect and a Lifeline
With the regular season winding down, more than hotel envy now afflicts the six lower-rung teams that are living in a lower-rung Disney World resort and trying to crash the N.B.A. playoffs.
What It’s Like to Be a Virtual N.B.A. Fan
No standing up, and definitely no cursing: The basketball superfan known as Bongo Lady takes us behind the screen as she is beamed into an N.B.A. game from her couch in Mississippi.
The Milwaukee Bucks Are Ready for a Long Stay in the Bubble
In this week’s newsletter, Marc Stein discusses the unusual way the Bucks have prepared for a run to the finals — and why the Los Angeles Clippers may meet them there.
8 Factors in the N.B.A.’s Return That May Upend Expectations
In this week’s newsletter, Marc Stein discusses a threat to the Lakers’ championship hopes, Lou Williams and the latest in his quest for the perfect cup of coffee.
For the N.B.A., a Long, Strange Road Trip to the Finals
The league has transported 22 of its 30 teams to a complex in Disney World in Florida to play out the season in a worsening pandemic. Can it succeed without the virus piercing the bubble?
No Bleach and Dirty Rags: How Some Janitors Are Asked to Keep You Virus-Free
Planes are wiped in under 10 minutes. Many custodians have to bring their own supplies. Yet as the U.S. reopens, companies are boasting of high safety standards to lure customers.
Matisse Thybulle Is the Breakout (Mini-Movie) Star of the N.B.A. Bubble
The rookie guard for the Philadelphia 76ers is using his camera skills to give basketball fans a glimpse of the jokes, games and snacks at Walt Disney World in Florida.
Hong Kong Disneyland to Close Again, Days After Disney World Reopens
The park is the smallest in Disney’s portfolio and is shutting down again to comply with a government-mandated rollback of public activities because of the coronavirus.
Florida Records Nation’s One-Day Peak for New Virus Cases
The state recorded 15,300 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, easily passing the previous one-day high of 12,274 set at the height of the outbreak in New York in April.
Disney World Opens Its Gates, With Virus Numbers Rising
Thousands of giddy visitors streamed into the Florida resort on Saturday, as Disney tried to prove it can safely operate at a highly dangerous time.
A Lot of Athletes Seem to Have the Coronavirus. Here Are Some Reasons.
The rate of positive test results released by a few leagues seems higher than that of the general population. But there are explanations for that.
Disney World Draws Excitement and Incredulity as Reopening Nears
The mega-resort will welcome back visitors on Saturday even as coronavirus cases in Florida remain high. In doing so, Disney steps into a politicized debate.
As N.B.A. Teams Arrive at Disney, Focus Turns to Keeping the Virus Out
The league has spent months formulating a plan to keep its campus in Florida virus-free. Only now will it find out how effective that plan is.
Coronavirus in Florida: What Pandemic Is Like for Theme Park Workers
The pandemic decimated central Florida’s once-booming leisure and hospitality industry. Disney World and other destinations have started to reopen, but infections in the state are surging.
Despite Virus Spike, N.B.A. Is ‘Very Comfortable’ With Florida Plan
“We can’t sit on the sidelines indefinitely,” Commissioner Adam Silver said on Friday, as the number of coronavirus cases in Florida continued to quickly rise.
Disney’s Splash Mountain to Drop ‘Song of the South’ Depictions
The popular log flume ride will be remade around “The Princess and the Frog,” the 2009 musical that introduced Disney’s first black princess.
N.B.A. Ironmen Cling to Routine During the Load Management Era
A small faction of players — less than 4 percent in the 2018-19 season — play in all 82 games in a season. They have had to adjust to some rare downtime with the N.B.A. shut down by the pandemic.
Florida Is a Popular Site for Pro Leagues. It’s Also a Virus Hot Spot.
When the N.B.A., M.L.S. and the W.N.B.A. resume their seasons in Florida, where virus cases are rising, all will trust in new health protocols and hope players abide by them.
As N.B.A. Mulled Return, Financial Needs Emerged as Central
“Lots” of key variables remain uncontrollable during the coronavirus pandemic. But the league will also lose roughly $1 billion in revenue if it doesn’t stage playoff games for TV.
N.B.A. Sets July 31 Return to Play Entirely in Florida
The proposal approved by owners will next go to the players’ union. The 22 teams would play eight games each to help determine the playoff field of 16.
Why the N.B.A. Is Planning on Going to Disney World
ESPN Wide World of Sports, a sprawling 220-acre complex at the mega-resort in Florida, is poised to become the center of the basketball universe.
Disney World Set to Reopen in July
The Florida resort attracts 93 million visitors annually but capacity will be limited, face masks will be mandatory and you won’t be able to hug Mickey Mouse.
N.B.A. in Talks to Resume Season at Walt Disney World Resort
The league is in discussions with its players’ union and the Walt Disney Company about restarting its season — suspended since March 11 — at the Orlando-based resort in late July.
Disney Takes a Pandemic Hit, and There’s Worse to Come
“Our businesses have been hugely impacted,” the company’s C.E.O. said after quarterly profit dropped more than 90 percent. And that was for a period only partly upended by the coronavirus.
Camper on Closed Disney World Island Is Charged With Trespassing
Richard J. McGuire told the police that Discovery Island, an 11-acre zoological park with aromatic trees and walk-through aviaries that closed in 1999, looked like a “tropical paradise.”