DLW 217: Star Tours Turns 35

This week, Star Tours turns 35, another good sign that the trams are returning soon, new Lunar New Year mural in Downtown Disney, a new treat comes to DCA, looking forward to the next 100 years of the Disney Company, we go in depth with Star Tours, and more! Please support the show if you can by going to https://www.dlweekly.net/support/. If you want some DLWeekly Swag, you can pick some up at https://www.dlweekly.net/store/. Book your travel through ConciEARS at no extra cost to you! Be sure to mention that you heard about ConciEARS from DLWeekly at booking! If you want some awesome headwear or one of a kind items, be sure to visit our friends over at All Enchanting Ears! You can use the promo code DLWEEKLY10 to get 10% off your order!

News:

A galaxy far, far away came to Disneyland 35 years ago recently. This was the first time that fans of the Star Wars universe could actually be apart of the universe, years before Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The opening of the landmark attraction was celebrated by the park staying open for 60 hours. – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2022/01/star-tours-at-disneyland-park-celebrates-35-years-of-galactic-adventures/ Another great sign of progress to get the trams back operating for guests is underway. There are construction walls up around the loading area in Downtown Disney, with paving taking place behind the walls. According to our friend David over at FreshBaked reported that 7 trams are in operation and being tested, up from just 4 recently. – https://www.micechat.com/311792-disneyland-update-lightning-lane-shenanigans-and-staffing-problems/ and https://wdwnt.com/2022/01/photos-downtown-disney-parking-tram-station-construction/ Lunar New Year is coming up quick on February 1st. To celebrate, the mural in Downtown Disney on the corner of the former ESPN building has been updated to reflect the occasion. Being the year of the tiger, the mural includes Tigger, along with Mushu, Mulan, Chip, Dale, and Goofy. The artwork was created by Disney Live Entertainment art director Elizabeth Lisa Kang. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2022/01/photos-new-lunar-new-year-mural-featuring-tigger-in-downtown-disney-district/ A slighly healthier snack has come to Disney California Adventure. Chocolate covered bananas have debuted at Carabelle’s Ice Cream Shop. Not only will they be covered in chocolate, but also with a variety of toppings. Rainbow sprinkles, Mickey confetti, crushed peanuts, and crushed waffle cone. This follows the return of the bananas to Walt Disney World a couple of months ago. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2022/01/09/weve-been-waiting-for-this-treat-to-arrive-in-disneyland/ Some popular Disney treats have seen a price increase recently at Walt Disney World. This could mean that the price changes are coming to Disneyland in the future. Some notable prices are $5 for a 20oz bottle of soda, Mickey Premium Bars up to $6.25, and the Dole Whip at $6.99. It is not certain that prices will increase, but something to keep an eye on. Some of the items at the restaurants have also increased by a couple of dollars each. – https://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/epcot/news/10jan2022-disney-hikes-the-price-of-mickey-bars-and-dole-whips-along-with-hundreds-of-other-food-and-beverage-items-at-walt-disney-world.htm The Disneyland Monorail will be going down for refurbishment, possibly in relation to the changes coming to the Downtown Disney District in February. Currently, the monorail is scheduled to close February 14th, with no exact end on the calendar yet. – https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2022/01/06/disneylands-monorail-to-close-temporarily-this-month/ There are just a few more days to visit a couple locations in Downtown Disney. Earl of Sandwich is currently scheduled to close on January 22nd, Sugarboo & Co will close on January 16th. The Starbucks located in the same building as Earl of Sandwich has already closed. This is in preperation for the makeover of this section of the shopping district, which should be starting soon. – https://www.mouseplanet.com/13096/Disneyland_Resort_Update_for_January_10___16_2022#news0 and https://www.micechat.com/311809-disneyland-news-monorail-downtown-disney-shops-prepare-to-close-in-advance-renovation/ With the recent surge in COVID cases, due to the omicron variant, staffing at the resort has been challenging. The resort has been cross training as many cast members as possible and moving cast members around as much as possible to limit the impact of the shortages. The most notable closure is Napa Rose. Reservations were cancelled for guests who had booked dining at the location, due to staffing issues. – https://www.micechat.com/311792-disneyland-update-lightning-lane-shenanigans-and-staffing-problems/ Disney Vacation Club members should be aware of some new changes to the program. Interval International exchanges are now officially available. Exchanges with this program include thousands of resorts all over the world, including “high-quality properties” such as Marriott, Sheraton, Hyatt, and Westin. Disney Stays include not only Disney Vacation Club Resorts, but also traditional Disney Resort hotel exchange options. Disney Experiences include exchange options like Disney Cruise Line voyages, Adventures by Disney guided trips, National Geographic Expeditions, and the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser. – https://wdwnt.com/2022/01/disney-vacation-club-adds-new-exchange-options-for-disney-experiences-and-non-disney-resorts-through-interval-international/ The next century of the Walt Disney Company is just around the corner, and CEO Bob Chapek has released some goals for the next century. Chapek released the “three pillars of success” in a memo to Cast Members. The three pillars are storytelling excellence, innovation, and relentless focus on the audience. On the surface, these pillars are exactly what the public expects from the company currently, and are nothing new. Time will tell what these pillars mean for the company going forward and what will change based on these. – https://dlnewstoday.com/2022/01/ceo-bob-chapek-establishes-his-three-pillars-of-success-for-the-next-century-of-the-walt-disney-company/

Discussion Topic:

Star Tours Deep Dive Disney Parks Blog – https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2022/01/star-tours-at-disneyland-park-celebrates-35-years-of-galactic-adventures/ Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Tours WDWNT – https://wdwnt.com/2022/01/looking-back-on-the-history-and-impact-of-the-original-star-tours-35-years-later/ Behind the Attraction – Episode 3

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