After a long day of sketching in Epcot on the weekend, I settled down to sketch a crowd as they gathered to watch Illuminations. Illuminations was a light display that happened in the Epcot World Lagoon. A series of floating barges and mist were the backdrop for a flickering display set to patriotic music.
I had more fun sketching the crowd than watching the display. I found my way out out early through a cast exit to avoid the crush of the crowds when Illuminations ended.
The interns were invited over Frank Gladstone‘s house. Frank was our training manager. We had pizza and watched the worst movie ever made called Plan 9 from Outer Space by Ed Wood. The film is so bad that it has a major following. Disney has not yet made an animated film so terrifying and incomprehensible.
Back at the studio we had an improve session. The interns were coached by an improve comedy coach to act out scenes on the fly. I found this terrifying since I like to be behind the scenes rather than making a fool of myself for the sake of a laugh. Once we got onto the process however I relaxed a bit and had a great time. I knew a comedy improve actress in NYC and wished I could fly her in to pinch hit for me.
Disney Internship: Going to Epcot
I went with a group of the Disney Feature Animation Interns to Epcot. I explored a bit with the group but eventually branched off to sketch.This is a sketch of the Sensory Fun House with its audio and interactive screens. I sketched this since I knew people would sit still for a moment while they watched the screen or listened.
In the evening, all the Feature Animation Interns got together in my apartment for dinner. I put the pen down for once and relaxed. When we are in the studio all our heads are down focuses on the animation disk. This was a rare moment to get to know everyone. Everyone seemed younger than me and for many this was their first job after college. I thought the Disney animation gig would be short lived, but these people became my family and I ended up staying at Feature Animation for 10 years until the bottom fell out because computer animation had swept its way onto the stage.
Looking back, these were some of the best of times, even if they are only preserved with a few pen scratches on a page.
Disney to Re-Open as COVID-19 Cases Spike
Disney is known for it’s magical thinking. The company plans to re-open Walt Disney World and Animal Kingdom on Saturday July 11, 2020 as new cases of COVID-19 surge in Florida. Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are set to reopen July 15. As the theme parks prepare to open their gates, Florida has recorded the largest weekly increase in COVID-19 cases in the country. Orlando, on the doorstep of Disney, has the fifth-highest number of COVID-19 cases in Florida. Florida has over 10,000 new cases of the virus every day. 266 hospitals in Florida are reporting less than 10 hospital beds available. As of Wednesday July 8, 2020, the Florida Department of Health reported a total of 223,783 cases. It reported 10,140 new cases in the last 24-hours.
More than 10,000 Disney Cast members signed a petition urging Disney and government officials, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, to reconsider opening Disney World. “This virus is not gone, unfortunately it’s only become worse in this state,” the petition posted on MoveOn.org reads. “While theme parks are a great way to relax and enjoy free time, it is a non-essential business; it is not fair to the people who work there to risk their lives, especially if they are at risk or have family members who are at risk. People are more important than making a profit. As individuals who work in the bustling tourism industry in central Florida, we are responsible for ensuring the safety of our guests and our fellow magic makers. Keeping ourselves and our visitors safe is our No. 1 priority, in every theme park. This includes our health and well being. We are encouraged to say something when we see something that we deem is unsafe so we’re speaking up.”
When Disney CEO Bob Capek was asked about how many guests would be allowed into the park each day and he did not respond with a number of guests or a percentage of maximum park capacity. Instead he said they will try and maintain 6 feet of distance between guests. As he said, “Unlike Shanghai, where there were strict government mandates in terms of what capacity could be when we reopened, we don’t have that here at Walt Disney World.” As he explained, “Well, we won’t open up a park unless we can cover our variable costs — essentially our cost to operate the park. So then beyond that it becomes a question of trying to cover your overhead and your capital expenses that you have.” Expecting a business to self regulate for public safety doesn’t work if profits are at stake. Disney will not loose money. What are you prepared to loose?
While some safety concerns have been addressed around areas like temperature checking for employees, the park was slower to offer responses on whether they will offer the COVID-19 testing that the labor union requested. Actors Equity said that Walt Disney World is retaliating over their demand for COVID-19 testing for actors, who have been “locked out” because of their desire for safe working conditions. The union represents about 750 park employees. Employees dressed as characters are represented by the teamsters. Equity actors appear in staged productions such as Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage and Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular.
The reopening plan was approved unanimously last month by the county’s economic recovery task force, prior to the huge surge in COVID-19 cases in Central Florida. Disney World is reopening with only limited park reservations available for people with annual passes or tickets that were purchased before the pandemic. No new tickets are being sold for 2020. Other theme parks have already reopened their gates to the public in Central Florida, including Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando and Gatorland, that reopened back in May.
Mayor Jerry Demings said, “At this point, I’m fairly comfortable with the decision that Disney has made to reopen because of the extent that they have gone through to ensure it’s a safe environment. Again, we saw something positive today in terms of the lowering of the positivity rate within the last week and some of the other things. So we have to take the good news where there’s bad news, as well, and we have to try to get our economy stimulated. But we don’t want to do that at the expense of risking people’s safety.”
Florida State Governor Ron DeSantis remains solidly behind the re-opening. He believes attending a Florida theme park would be safer than going to a large private gathering. It is also safer than jumping off a ledge at the Grand Canyon.
An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. According to the CDC, senior citizens and Guests with underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable. By visiting Walt Disney World Resort guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19.
Stay Home. Stop the spread. Save lives.
Taste of the Nation has helped fight hunger for 25 years.
On August 9, 2014 I went to the Orlando World Center Marriott (8701 World Center Drive Orlando FL) to sketch Taste of the Nation which is the nation’s premiere culinary benefit dedicated to making sure no kid grows up hungry. Each spring and summer, the nation’s top chefs and mixologists donate their time, talent and passion at nearly 40 Taste of the Nation events across the United States and Canada with the goal to raise critical funds needed to end childhood hunger. No Kid Hungry, Share our Strength, organizes the events. The beneficiary’s in Orlando are, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida.
Second Harvest Food Bank secures and distributes food and grocery products to approximately 550 local nonprofit feeding programs throughout Central Florida. Last year with the help of donors, volunteers, and a caring community, the food bank distributed nearly 64 million pounds of grocery products- the equivalent of more than 53 million meals. On average more than 55,000 people receive assistance provided by Second harvest every week. Second Harvest recently moved into a new 100,000 square foot hunger relief center. This puts the bank in a position to fill the gap of what our community really needs.
Coalition for the Homeless was founded in 1987 by concerned citizens who noticed the growing problem of homelessness in our community. It has grown into the largest provider of homeless services in Central Florida and the largest residential facility for children. Their mission is to transform lives of homeless men, women and children by providing critical services to end their crisis of homelessness. The Coalition has three residential facilities and an off site community housing program. Case managers develop individualized self sufficiency plans which include educational opportunities, job skill training, budget management, counseling and more. Services are provided to over 600 people each night including 150 children. They served over 300,000 meals and provided over 245,000 nights of shelter last year.
I decided to sketch the Captains Grille (Epcot, 1700 Epcot Resort Blvd., Orlando, FL) as they set up and served patrons. They served a plate that had cauliflower puree topped with pan seared scallops. Mixed greens were mixed with spiced rum raisins with hazelnut vinaigrette and placed on top. To say it was delicious is an understatement. The chef shared the recipe but I can not share it for legal reasons. I plan to try and make it myself someday since this culinary army made it look so easy. The scallop dish was ironically the only plate I got to taste. By the time my sketch was done all the food vendors were packing up. $301,317 was raised at the Orlando Taste of the Nation to fight hunger.
We Love You Brooke
Merritt Andrews a friend from my Disney Feature Animation days has started a campaign to help lift the spirit of a beautiful 4 year old girl named Brooke. She is the daughter of Merritt’s friends Amy and Rob from her hometown of Salisbury, MD. On January 4th Brooke was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that occurs in infants and young children. The town has rallied around this young girl and raised thousands of dollars with fundraisers and events to help with the medical bills that keep rising as Brooke goes through countless treatments in Philadelphia. There has been much media coverage of her in Salisbury, she was even given a key to the city. From video I have seen she is a spunky little girl who is bravely facing the future. Her mother in an act of solidarity shaved her own head to match her daughters. Today Brooke is going into surgery to have an adrenal gland and tumor removed.
Merritt is getting photos of all the characters holding a sign that says “We Love You Brooke“. I went with Merritt on a scorching hot Sunday and sketched her as she waited in endless lines to get the photos for Brooke. Merritt is wearing the blue hat in the sketch. One photographer, named Ed, recognized Merritt and asked her how Brooke was doing. This photographer had taken the photo of Mickey Mouse holding the sign and said he is praying for Brooke every day. Should you want to learn more about Brooke, or if you want to help in some way, visit her Caring Bridge home page. In an e-mail Amy wrote “The pictures always make Brooke so happy!”