Welcome to DisneyBizJournal.com - News, Analysis and Reviews of the Disney Entertainment Business!

Brought to fans, investors, entrepreneurs, executives, teachers, professors, and students by columnist, economist, novelist, reviewer, podcaster, business reporter and speaker Ray Keating

Friday, April 30, 2021

Obi-Wan, Mos Eisley and ... Washington, D.C.?

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #24: Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Wisdom on Mos Eisley – Ray Keating loves Obi-Wan’s quote in Star Wars about Mos Eisley, and can’t help but think of a real-life city.


The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

For a Great Burger Head to D-Luxe Burger at Disney Springs

 by Beth Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 29, 2021

 

I am a burger hunter. Burgers are my weakness. Take me to any restaurant, and the first thing I’m going to look for on the menu are the burgers. I may end up ordering something else, but I’m still going to peruse the burger column first.  Embarrassingly, I’m also the one who goes to The BOATHOUSE in Disney Springs - perhaps one of the finest seafood restaurants in central Florida - and orders… yes, the burger. (Their signature Gibsons “Sandwich King” Award Winning Burger, with beef made just for The BOATHOUSE, is phenomenal.  But I digress.)

 

D-Luxe Burger in the Town Center section of Disney Springs is on my list of top burger stops at Disney.  Mind you, Disney has a reputation at many of its quick serve locations for serving… I’ll be generous… dehydrated meat discs on a bun (looking at you, Cosmic Ray’s!)  Sometimes they’ll emboss the image of a cute character into the top of the bun, but it is still, at best, a substandard theme park burger. Despite my love of burgers, there are certain places at the House of Mouse that you will not catch me lifting a burger to my mouth. Those standard “theme park burgers” just won’t cut it.

 


D-Luxe Burger, though, is a quick-serve restaurant that offers a really good burger that rivals the better sit-down locations.  The dining location has a small amount of indoor seating (non-COVID times), but most of its tables are located outside either under their porch overhang, or along the dock overlooking the springs. The restaurant is hooked in to Disney’s mobile order system, and using either your My Disney Experience app (MDE), or the QR code at the restaurant, you can quickly order your food online. You then pick it up at the counter when it’s ready (you’ll get a text on your MDE app or phone), and pick a seat at the umbrella tables outside on the dock or on the porch. 

 

We placed an order at D-Luxe Burger in the late afternoon, when Disney Springs crowds were low. We chose an umbrella shaded table overlooking the blue springs, and were able to enjoy the scenery while we ate.  It took only ten minutes for our order to be ready on this low-crowd day, but you can also pre-order early in the day for a certain pick-up window using your My Disney Experience app.

 

The menu is, with a few exceptions, exclusively burgers, but they are darn good ones.  Two of our diners ordered the Barbecue Burger ($12.49), D-Luxe Burger’s signature-blend beef patty topped with a fried onion ring, Muenster cheese, bacon, barbecue sauce, grilled onions, and lettuce. The burger was juicy, the beef was a high-quality blend, it was cooked to the correct “doneness” (a rarity at Disney!), and we were able to specify any changes we wanted to the burger on the MDE app.  Our other diner ordered the Classic Cheeseburger ($10.49), the signature blend beef patty topped with Cheddar, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions and pickles.  They were equally pleased with their burger. The buns were soft and fresh, and added to the overall burger quality.



The burgers at D-Luxe Burger do not come with sides, but you can order fresh cut fries as an add-on.  The portions of the fries were pretty large, and come in two sizes.  The regular is $4.99, and the large is $7.49.  The large was more than enough to split among our three diners.  The fries were good on their own, well-seasoned, but the real excitement with the fries is the option for house made dipping sauces.  You have a choice between Garlic Ranch; Buffalo Ranch; Chipotle Mayo; BBQ Stout; and Truffle Aioli.  We opted for the Buffalo Ranch and the Truffle Aioli, which were both delicious, and were definitely worth getting again. The Buffalo Ranch had a hint of heat without being overwhelming, and the Truffle Aioli was a bit more savory and a touch smoky in flavor. There was no charge for the dipping sauce. They would make a great burger sauce as well. Just sayin’.

 

For those who are dining with carnivores but don’t wish to partake themselves, D-Luxe burger offers a plant-based “Pacific Island Burger” topped with cabbage and mushroom ragout, mango salsa, lettuce, tomato, and pickles for $12.49.

 

The kids have their own selections as well. The $7.99 Grilled Chicken Sandwich kid’s meal is a grilled chicken breast topped with lettuce and tomato, served with a Danimals smoothie and carrot sticks, and a lowfat milk or water.   There’s also a kid’s cheeseburger meal option or chicken nuggets option, either of which is $7.99 and comes with the same sides.

 

For future reference, in non-COVID times, D-Luxe Burger sometimes has secret menu offerings on the app. Right now, though, most of the Disney restaurants have streamlined their menus to keep efficiency up and wait-times down so crowds don’t end up gathering. Keep an eye out though, because you never know when something special will pop up.

 

While D-Luxe Burger is known for its great burgers, it’s also a prime stop for delicious ice cream shakes.  Of course, we had to sample a few to be sure.  We selected the S'mores Gelato Shake, a really fun vanilla gelato blended with toasted marshmallow, dark chocolate sauce and graham cracker crumbles topped with whipped cream, marshmallows, dark chocolate drizzle, and an extra graham cracker. It was $7.50 worth of pure summertime, and while we wouldn’t order it all the time, it was a vacation worthy treat.  The other shake we ordered, also $7.50, was the Strawberry Gelato Shake, a vanilla gelato blend with strawberry smoothie mix, topped with mounds of whipped cream, a strawberry sauce drizzle, and a bright red cherry. It was thick and creamy, and super cold, even on a hot day.  On occasion, seasonal shakes also show up on the menu.

 

If an adult beverage is more your speed, you can plus up your shake with some alcohol. The Smoked Bourbon Gelato Shake ($16.00) combines vanilla gelato with Knob Creek Single Barrel Bourbon, hickory smoke, and dark chocolate sauce.  Oh, and there’s a strip of bacon on top!  The Bananas Foster Gelato Shake ($12.00) starts with a vanilla gelato base before adding Bols Banana, toasted marshmallow Monin, and caramel before being topped with whipped cream and an extra drizzle of  caramel.

 

There are also a few non-shake adult drinks, including Cabernet Sauvignon ($11.00); a  Chardonnay ($11.00), and a few beer offerings, including a Goose Island IPA ($10.00) and a Funky Buddha Floridian Hefeweizen ($10.00), a German style wheat beer with citrus tones.  Or there’s a Bud Light ($8.25), but you are on vacation, so broaden your horizons!

 

If you find yourself bargain hunting the shops at Disney Springs, and looking for a quick meal, you can’t go wrong with a burger and shake at D-Luxe Burger. It will give you just the boost you need to keep perusing the myriad of stores, or let you refuel while you listen to the live music offered at Disney Springs. Plus, it definitely qualifies as one of the top burgers at Disney.

 

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

 

Disney on Committees

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #23: Walt Disney on Committees – Ray Keating agrees with Walt Disney that, in the end, key decisions are not made by committees.

 


The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Disney, Synergy and Michael Eisner

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #22: Michael Eisner on Synergy – While the term “synergy” is much maligned, Ray Keating agrees with Michael Eisner that synergy matters.


The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Disney's Folly?

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #21: Disney’s Folly? Absolutely Not! – Ray Keating notes that Disney had it right on Snow White while the rest of Hollywood was dead wrong.


The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Monday, April 26, 2021

Disney’s Big Oscar Night: “Soul” and “Nomadland” Honored at 2021 Academy Awards

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 26, 2021

 

The 93rd Academy Awards have come and gone, and Disney’s Soul and Nomadland were the company’s big winners this year under its Pixar and Searchlight brands.  



Held at Union Station Los Angeles and the Dolby Theatre at the Hollywood & Highland Center, with appearances by winners videoed in from points around the globe, the Oscar ceremonies took place last night, April 25, 2021, honoring movies released in 2020. 

 

Aired on the Disney-owned ABC network, the company also snuck in a lavishly done new trailer for the upcoming Disney and Steven Spielberg film remake of West Side Story



Given the repercussions of this year’s pandemic, it is no surprise that Disney and Netflix, the two streaming powerhouses, were the big winners this year.

 

The Oscars for Disney under its Pixar partnership both belonged to SoulSoul was released on Disney+.

 

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM WINNER:

SOUL

Pete Docter and Dana Murray

 

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE) WINNER:

SOUL

Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste

 

And if you include the Searchlight film Nomadland among the Disney family of properties (Disney acquired Searchlight in 2019), you can chalk up a few more wins in the Disney column.



Chloé Zhao, who took home her statue for Nomadland,  became the second woman to win the category, as well as the first woman of color and the first woman of Asian descent to win for Best Director. Nomadland was released on Disney’s Hulu platform, as well as in theaters.

 

BEST PICTURE WINNER:

NOMADLAND

Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey and Chloé Zhao, Producers

 

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE WINNER:

Frances McDormand

NOMADLAND

 

DIRECTING WINNER:

NOMADLAND

Chloé Zhao

 

Best picture and best animated feature film – it can’t get much better than that for Disney and its movie studios.

 

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!


When Art is Your Business, Like at Disney

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #20: Disney Driven by Art and Business – Ray Keating considers comments about art and business from Kevin Rafferty, author of Magic Journey.


The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Relax with Casual Dining at Geyser Point at Wilderness Lodge

 by Beth Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 25, 2021

 

Geyser Point Bar & Grill at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge bills itself as a quick service location on the Disney website, but I beg to differ.  To me, quick service means you grab your meal on a tray after ordering at a walk-up window, while balancing said tray while you wait for someone else to vacate their table so you can grab a seat.  It’s usually crowded, and often chaotic.

 

Geyser Point is anything but.  This hidden gem of a dining spot is a great venue for relaxing after a hard day hitting the theme parks, or even for a laidback lunch or dinner while taking the family to the nearby Wilderness Lodge pool. While there is normally a takeout window available (it wasn’t in service while we were there due to the pandemic, but it reportedly has reopened), our family would heartily recommend pulling up a chair and staying for a while. Since it’s technically a walk-up lounge, you don’t need reservations. We’d bill this place more as a casual dining spot that also offers a to-go window, rather than a typical quick serve location. 

 

The restaurant is a rustic, open air eatery that invites you to sit back on comfy, cushioned  couches at low coffee tables while you enjoy your meal. Some of the seats are at tables along the overhang, while there are also seats at the bar, and you can look out on the Wilderness Lodge’s lush landscaping while you wait for your food to be delivered to your table.  Big-screen TVs are tuned to varying sports if you are interested, and there’s no hurry to get on with the rest of your day, as the staff keeps the pace relaxed and casual. 

 

Our wait time after putting in our names with the host was less than ten minutes, barely enough time to wander down to the dock and take a few pictures of the waterfront. We were seated at a beautiful table tucked just under the roofline, along the shrubbery looking out onto Bay Lake.  While we ate, we watched the sun set and the boats ferrying guests back and forth to the theme parks. It was a really peaceful way to gather at the end of the day.

 

QR codes provided the means to access the menu from our phone, and we had the option of a more abbreviated lounge menu, or the regular lunch and dinner menu that had a few slightly larger plates. 



There’s a lovely Handcrafted Charcuterie board ($18.00) that a nearby table was enjoying, but we opted instead to share the Cheesy Barbecue Brisket with House-made Chips ($11.00). It was so good we briefly contemplated ordering a second one to split, but fortunately our main dishes arrived and saved us from ourselves. (But there’s always next time!) The house-made chips were crunchy and still warm, and not the slightest bit greasy (as is too often the case with homemade chips elsewhere), and the brisket was tender with a slightly smoky taste and a blend of melty cheeses and a few scattered jalapenos.

 

For our main selections, we went with the Bison Cheeseburger ($19.00), served with Bacon, Sweet Crispy Onion Straws, Marionberry Sauce, Lettuce, Tomato and Garlic Aïoli.  The burger was perfectly done, and juicy as well. The marionberry sauce was a nice contrast to the crunch of the onion straws.  This burger was a definite “come back for this one again” entrée. 



We also ordered Shrimp on a Wire, a set of delicious shrimp with Soy-Lime Vinaigrette, Togarashi, Shishito Peppers, and Chili-Aïoli ($13.00). The shrimp was crisp, and the dipping sauce was a nice accompaniment. There was a bit of spiciness to the dish, and the flavors were really fresh.



The desserts were tasty, but not necessarily something to drive out of your way to the Wilderness Lodge for.  We had the seasonal pie ($7.00), which on our evening turned out to be an apple-cranberry pie.  We also sampled the Campfire Brownie, which at $6.00 was cute, with its icing-created campfire flames on top, but it was pretty much your typical chocolate brownie underneath. However, in the past few weeks, depending on the day, Geyser Point has either offered a slightly different version of the campfire brownie, or removed it from the menu altogether.  Either way, you probably won’t miss it much, and Geyser Point has added a few more offerings to the dessert menu in its place. Current to the writing of this article, they were offering a delicious Apple Cider sorbet and a Campfire Mousse, each $7.00.



Other menu choices include smoked turkey sandwiches ($12.00); grilled portobello salads ($10.00-$17.00, depending on add-on toppings); crab cakes ($14.00); and Teriyaki chicken wings ($15.00).

 

While Geyser Point may look somewhat like a bar from the sidewalk, it’s still Disney, and kids are more than welcome. As an outdoor, open-air venue surrounded by National Park-style beams holding up the roof, you hardly notice the kiddos at the other tables as the wide open al fresco setting spreads out any sounds from restless offspring.  There is a small kids’ menu for them.

 
Truthfully, I would have been thrilled with one of the kids’ menu choices when our boys were small.  The kid’s Finger Food Sampler ($7.19) has Sliced Smoked Turkey, Tilamook Cheddar, Spiced Apple Jam, Grape Tomatoes and Sourdough Crisps with a choice of low-fat milk or a bottled water. Our kids would have been really excited with the options on this snacking-style plate, and I would have been ecstatic they were eating something other than chicken nuggets for the third day in a row! There’s also a burger ($7.69) or grilled chicken ($7.49) if your kids don’t like to graze their way through the meal.

 

Geyser Point is billed as a lounge, and it serves a full complement of wines and Draft beers (how fun do the Rogue Dead Guy Ale or the Elysian Dragonstooth Stout sound?), but they also have a few signature drinks as well.  Huckleberry Punch ($15.00) is a combination of 44° North Mountain Huckleberry Vodka, Bols Crème de Cassis, Lemon Juice and Cranberry Juice.  At $15.00 each, the WhipperSnapper Sour has WhipperSnapper Whiskey mixed with Sweet-and-Sour, and the Cascadia Sangria Cocktail is a Zodiac Black Cherry Vodka, Lime Juice and Orange Juice drink topped with Columbia Crest H3 Merlot.  The Northwest Iced Tea is Geyser Point’s version of the Long Island Iced Tea, with 44° North Idaho Potato Vodka, Bacardi Superior Rum, Aviation Gin, Cointreau and Sweet-and-Sour with a splash of Coca-Cola for $14.00.  If those more unique sips don’t interest you, there’s always the ubiquitous and omnipresent Disney Frozen Piña Colava, Banana Cabana, or Captain’s Mai Tai, all at $13.00.



Geyser Point is now on our list of favorite casual dining locations at Disney. Its relaxing ambiance made us sit back and unwind for a while, and the fact that the food was excellent was an added bonus. If you time it right, when the Electrical Water Pageant takes place on Bay Lake, you’ll get a great view of this original-to-the-opening of Disney World nautical display, as it floats right on by Geyser Point.

 

After the craziness of the crowds, the drive over to Wilderness Lodge was well worth the effort.

 

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

 

Walt Disney on Humanity’s Spiritual and Material Needs

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #19: Walt Disney on Humanity’s Spiritual and Material Needs – Ray Keating agrees that there is depth to business undertakings that most do not consider.


The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Saturday, April 24, 2021

Ohana Means Family

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #18: Ohana Means Family – Ray Keating turns to Lilo to provide a reminder as to what really matters in life.


The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Friday, April 23, 2021

Disney Claims 8th Best Global Corporate Reputation

 by Ray Keating

News/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 23, 2021

 

Few businesses grasp the importance of their reputation like The Walt Disney Company. While no one has to agree with every decision made by Disney, or any other enterprise, it’s hard to miss the importance placed on the Disney brand and reputation with nearly every decision the company makes.

 

So, it wasn’t exactly surprising to see that Disney ranked eighth best in terms of its corporate reputation, according to the recently released 2021 edition of The RepTrak Company’s “Global RepTrak 100” report. RepTrak publishes its top 100 ranking “based on 68,577 respondents collected globally across the 15 largest economies through online surveys.”



Disney’s reputation was classified as “strong.” RepTrak explained: “Over the past decade, The Walt Disney Company has consistently ranked in the Top 10 most reputable companies - one of only two companies to do so. In 2021, The Walt Disney Company is the only Media & Entertainment company within the Top 10. Disney is also one out of only two companies among the Top 10 to receive an ‘Excellent’ Reputation Score when it comes to its Financial Performance.”

 

The top 10 companies were: 1) LEGO Group, 2) Rolex, 3) Ferrari, 4) The Bosch Group, 5) Harley-Davidson, 6) Canon, 7) Adidas, 8) The Walt Disney Company, 9) Microsoft, and 10) Sony.

 

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the  Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating has two new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13ththriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.comPast Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. And pre-order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story.

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of DisneyFree Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

Tomorrowland for Disney and the Rest of Us

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #17: Tomorrowland Tough to Envision at Disney and in Business – Ray Keating sees differences and parallels with Walt Disney’s frustrations about Tomorrowland and businesses preparing for tomorrow.


The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Tokyo Disneyland to Lower Attendance Cap

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 22, 2021

 

The roller coaster ride continues for Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, as COVID-19 numbers in Japan evolve once more.

  
After only raising the attendance cap on April 1, Oriental Land Co., the operator of the Tokyo Disney parks, said Monday that it will “lower the cap of the daily number of visitors to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea each from 20,000 to 5,000.” 


Courtesy of the Disney Parks Blog


The decreased capacities will remain in effect through May 11. Tokyo DisneySea will also close one hour earlier at 8 p.m. through May 11.

 

According to The Japan Times, the government of Japan is considering “quasi-emergency measures” due to COVID-19 in Urayasu, where Disneyland is located, as well as in four other cities in Chiba Prefecture, and Kyodo News reports that “the Japanese government plans to impose a fresh coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo as well as Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures on Friday.”

 

It has not been smooth sailing for the Japanese parks since their COVID-19 re-openings. Tokyo Disneyland was one of the earlier Disney parks to reopen on July 1 after their February 28, 2020 COVID closures. In September 2020, Tokyo Disneyland unveiled the largest expansion in the park’s history, a three-year-long undertaking that had already been delayed earlier in the year by COVID shutdowns. Then came January, and Tokyo Disneyland had to temporarily suspend ticket sales until February, permitting only previously ticketed guests to visit the parks in the face of fluctuating COVID numbers.  Now they are once more adjusting their guest attendance levels. 

 

Tokyo is also the location of this year’s Olympics, set to begin July 23, but postponed from last summer because of coronavirus. Foreign spectators are not permitted in the stadiums for this year’s games.  

 

In fact, there have also been calls for the Olympic games to be postponed yet again because of Japan’s changing COVID-19 numbers. CBS Sports reports that a recent Kyodo News poll found that the majority of Japanese residents, 72%, are in favor of postponing or cancelling the games in the face of a fourth wave of coronavirus.

 

According to the Kyodo News poll report, “Amid lingering concern over a fourth coronavirus wave and the slow progress of vaccination, the poll found 39.2 percent believe the postponed Olympics and Paralympics should be canceled, while 32.8 percent think they should be rescheduled. Only 24.5 percent responded that the games should be held as scheduled.”

 

As the availability of ticket sales and attendance numbers continues to change at Tokyo Disneyland, and the Japanese government initiates additional restrictions, Disneyland’s plans may need to adjust yet again. Head to the Tokyo Disneyland website for current information.

 

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

The Mandalorian, "The Way" and Business Culture?

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #16: Mandalorians and “The Way” in Star Wars and in Business – Ray Keating links “The Way” and Mandalorians can help us think about business culture.


The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Get a Sneak Peek at the Soon-To-Launch Disney Wish

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 21, 2021

 

Disney Cruise Line has been busy preparing for the launch of its newest ship, the Disney Wish, and they are ready to share many of the never-before-released details of the brand new vessel in their fleet.  On Thursday, April 29, at 11 am ET, Disney will bring some of those details to fans in a special 30-minute virtual presentation. The Disney Wish is due to set sail on its maiden voyage in the summer of 2022.



According to Ashley Long, a cruise director with Disney Cruise Line, the presentation, “will give you a sneak peek at all of the magic that awaits, including a look behind-the-scenes with Walt Disney Imagineers and the creative team bringing the Disney Wish to life. Plus, this enchanting reveal will include special character appearances and surprise performances you won’t want to miss!” 

 

Imagineers and ship builders are busy pulling together all the final details of the ship’s construction. Captain Minnie will be helming this newest ship, and in a magical milestone in the construction process last week, Disney celebrated the traditional keel laying ceremony of the Disney Wish by placing a newly minted coin featuring the smiling face of Captain Minnie under the keel as it was lowered in place.  Captain Minnie’s portrait will also be displayed in the beautiful gold filigree art on the bow of the ship. 

 

When families arrive on board the Disney Wish, they’ll enter a soaring, three-deck-tall “Grand Hall,” with a golden statue of a dancing Cinderella as the centerpiece of this majestic reception area. If you want a foretaste of the royal welcoming foyer that is at the heart of the ship, check out this 30-second-long Disney Cruise Line preview of the Grand Hall. 

 

Cruise fans who want to make sure they don’t miss all of the newest details being shared in the official Once Upon a Disney Wish reveal can sign up in advance with Disney to reserve a spot to view the presentation. 

 

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

 

Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!

 

Walt Disney: Classic Entrepreneur

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #15: Walt Disney on Seizing Opportunities to Improve – Ray Keating sees Walt Disney as a classic entrepreneur, trying to figure out better ways to get things done.


The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Walt, Roy, Strengths and Weaknesses

Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating – Episode #14: A Lesson from Walt and Roy Disney – Ray Keating sees that Walt and Roy worked as partners, each bringing different strengths to the House of Mouse.


The “Daily Dose of Disney with Ray Keating” podcast serves up a Disney or Disney-related quote each day, with DisneyBizJournal’s Ray Keating offering brief, additional thoughts on how each dose ties in to life, career, business, entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, work, or just plain fun.

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Turns 30!

 by Ray Keating

News/Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

April 20, 2021

 

One of my favorite restaurants and experiences in Walt Disney World turns 30 years old today. The Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant opened on April 20, 1991.



In September 2019, I penned a DisneyBizJournal piece titled “7 Reasons Hollywood Studios Ranks Best Among Walt Disney World Parks.” One of those reasons was the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant. And what I wrote then definitely still holds: “It’s hard to think of many better ways to celebrate Hollywood than coming in from the Florida heat and humidity, sitting down in a replica convertible at a car hop, watching old sci-fi movies on a huge screen under an evening sky, and enjoying some solid food, including excellent burgers and shakes. I always love going to the Sci-Fi Dine-In, but for some reason I failed to stop in on my latest visit. What the heck was I thinking?”

 

Indeed, what was I thinking? Not only is the experience – in terms of theming, atmosphere, cast members, and entertainment – what I would expect from visiting a Disney park, but the food also fits and is quite tasty … usually. Over the years, the menu has varied, as I vaguely recall a time when it seemed to veer off course a bit. But it was right back on track during recent visits. (See the menu here.)

 

And for me, it’s always about a burger at Sci-Fi, namely, the Drive-in BBQ Burger featuring house-made BBQ sauce, bacon, and cheddar cheese, along with an onion ring and fried banana pepper, on a brioche bun. And I’ll take a vanilla or chocolate shake.

 

And all the time, you get to watch clips and trailers from 1950s sci-fi B-movies on a massive drive-in screen. And yes, I try to spot clips from some movies that I admit to having actually watched in my home.

 

Happy birthday, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, an experience that I enjoy each time I park in one of those convertibles.

 

__________

 

Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the  Pastor Stephen Grant novels and assorted nonfiction books. Have Ray Keating speak your group, business, school, church, or organization. Email him at raykeating@keatingreports.com.

 

The views expressed here are his own – after all, no one else should be held responsible for this stuff, right?

 

Keating has two new books out. Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is the 13th thriller/mystery in the Pastor Stephen Grant series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed books at www.raykeatingonline.comPast Lives: A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story is the 14th book in the series. Get the paperback or Kindle edition at Amazon, or signed book at www.raykeatingonline.com. And pre-order the 15th book in the series What’s Lost? A Pastor Stephen Grant Short Story.

 

Also, check out Ray’s podcasts – the Daily Dose of DisneyFree Enterprise in Three Minutes, and the PRESS CLUB C Podcast.

 

You also can order his book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York  from Amazon or signed books  at RayKeatingOnline.com. His other recent nonfiction book is Free Trade Rocks! 10 Points on International Trade Everyone Should Know

 

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