TouringPlans Travel Beat 7-20-2024

At Travel Beat we have all the “other” news from the last week or so—the stuff that wasn’t big enough to stop the presses for. What did the newsroom bring us this week? Bullets are just ahead if you’re in a hurry, and more details follow below. Don’t forget to check out the Headline News Recap, in case there was something you missed!

• Last Stateroom Installed on Disney Treasure
• $69 Disneyland Ticket Deal for Anaheim Residents
• Country Bear Jamboree Officially Reopens
• Disneyland Unions Vote to Authorize Strike
• Wailana Pool at Aulani Reverts to Adults-Only Space
• Hungry Bear Restaurant Reimagining
• Headline News Recap

Can you guess which story inspired this week’s cover image? Leave your guesses in the comments!

Last Stateroom Installed on Disney Treasure

OK, this is cool. Here at Travel Beat we often poke fun at Disney for slow-rolling reveals on upcoming attractions and products, dribbling out tiny bits of news over time. But sometimes it means you get interesting details like learning that the Treasure’s cruise ship cabins are not built directly into the ships. Instead they’re pre-fabbed offsite and delivered as completely outfitted units on semi-trucks, then installed onto the Treasure – with the last one going into place this week as she prepares for her December launch. Know what else was built with pre-fabbed units this way? The Contemporary Resort!

$69 Disneyland Ticket Deal for Anaheim Residents

There’s a brand-new ticket deal at Disneyland, if you live in Anaheim, specifically in zip codes 92801 through 92809, 92812, 92814 through 92817, 92825, 92850 and 92899. If that’s you, you’re eligible to purchase a 1-day, 1-park ticket for just $69 (all ages) and visit between August 5 and September 26, 2024. These tickets require theme park reservations and have their own reservation pool. And as you may expect, proof of eligible residency, including valid government-issued photo ID, is required for purchase and admission.

Country Bear Jamboree Officially Reopens

It’s back! The Country Bear Jamboree officially reopened this week at Disney World. The show features reinterpreted Disney tunes across country genres, with twangy covers of your favorite movie sing-along music. Our team loved it, but the Bears have always been a personal taste item, so make sure to stop in and form your own opinion next time you’re in the Magic Kingdom.

Disneyland Unions Vote to Authorize Strike

Four separate unions representing workers at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and Disney-owned hotels voted on Friday to authorize a strike. The unions are involved in contract negotiations, and the strike authorization doesn’t mean a strike date has been set or even that workers will strike. Still, if you’ve got a Disneyland vacation in the offing it might be something to keep an eye on.

Wailana Pool at Aulani Reverts to Adults-Only Space

Way back in August of 2021, the adults-only Wailana Pool at Aulani converted to an all-ages space. As of August 5, 2024, Wailana Pool will return to being an 18-and-up area of the resort, joining the ‘Alohi Point whirlpool spa which has remained adults-only throughout.. This change includes the cabanas at the Wailana Pool, but family cabanas will still be available to rent at Keiki Cove, Menehune Bridge and Ka Maka Landing.

Hungry Bear Restaurant Reimagining

Does that concept art that came with the announcement look kind of bare? So are the details that came with it, which barely covered the bare necessities. OK, enough with the bad puns. In case you haven’t been following along, the Quick Service Hungry Bear Restaurant at Disneyland has been closed since July 8 as part of work on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and the surrounding area. Disney has now announced that it will be reimagined and reopen as the Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree, featuring the famous Bears’ favorite regional barbecue. It’s just the food and decor though – Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree will not be a character dining location. More details, including a reopening date, are undoubtedly coming later.

Headline News Recap

Was it because some of your intrepid news team were on vacation this week and slacked off on writing headline articles? Or is it because there wasn’t any news noteworthy enough to make a headline of? However you view this shortage, no headline news this week! Take yourselves a breather, because Genie+ will be retired on Wednesday and replaced by the new Lightning Lane Multi Pass system. We’ve been doing finger calisthenics for the last two weeks to make sure we’re in shape to bring you everything we find out as this new system rolls out.

That’s it for this week’s Travel Beat. What news are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments!