MAGIC KINGDOM

Officials say a small fire at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom started in a tree and may have been caused by fireworks debris.

As the tourism industry bounces back from COVID-19, Miami is one of the top search destinations on several travel websites.

From the tallest castle to the tunnels under Magic Kingdom and Epcot, here are some fun tidbits about the popular theme parks around the world.

From limited-edition merchandise and treats to homages to the past, Walt Disney World is going all out for its big 50th celebration at the parks.

There were 6,000 employees who opened the Magic Kingdom at Disney World to the public for the first time on Oct. 1, 1971. Three who still work there share their experiences.

The park, which celebrates its anniversary on Friday, says it has a couple of dozen employees who were on the job when the gates opened on the first day in 1971.

The mother said Disney cast members instructed her to use two parking spots after all the disabled spots were full. The space let's her wheel her son out the vehicle, she said.

Whether it’s your first time visiting or the 50th, here is our list of hidden gems to take in at the Magic Kingdom.

Walt Disney World shared more details Friday about the all-new nighttime show coming to Magic Kingdom for the 50th anniversary celebration.

Disney won this earnings season by adding 12 million Disney+ subscribers while Netflix's growth stalled. Here's where the major streaming players stand.

By the look of the photos, the water was about ankle deep.

Walt Disney World has announced a number of new entertainment experiences returning to the resort next month.

Is that President Joe Biden at Walt Disney World?

Is that President Joe Biden at Walt Disney World?

Forget an inauguration ceremony. The true indicator of having made it as president is being added to the Hall of Presidents at Walt Disney World in Florida, an honor President Joe Biden will soon receive. Disney World officials said Monday that they were putting the finishing touches on the animatronic Biden replica ahead of its debut next month at the Magic Kingdom attraction that features a tableau of the nation's presidents.

Walt Disney World gave new details Monday about its upcoming holiday celebrations.

As part of a new inclusivity initiative announced in April, Disney modified the introduction of the "Happily Ever After" show by removing the phrase "ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls."

Disney plans to restart fireworks shows at its parks in Florida and California in the latest move by the company to ease up on pandemic restrictions implemented last year.

Firework spectaculars are returning to Walt Disney World.

Though Disney vacations become increasingly expensive each year, diehard fans are still eager to visit the company's theme parks.

Many participants of a recent Insider survey said they want to visit a Disney theme park but can't afford a trip.

Walt Disney World could approach full capacity by the end of the year, Walt Disney Company CEO Robert Chapek said during the JPMorgan 49th Annual Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference on Monday.

President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet Friday with six immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children who benefited from an Obama-era policy that protected them from deportation. The Oval Office meeting comes as Biden looks to press Congress to pass legislation codifying the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that then-President Barack Obama instituted by executive action in 2012, providing limited protections for immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. As a candidate, Biden promised to protect those often described as “dreamers” and their families by reinstating DACA.

It comes after an inquiry found evidence of criminal activity and money laundering at Australian casinos.

The $2.2 million advertising campaign launched this month is targeted for spring and summer travel to potential visitors living in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The campaign, called “The Wonder Remains," includes TV ads, YouTube videos, digital ads, social media ads, e-newsletters and website content. Along with highlighting Orlando's theme parks and restaurants, the campaign emphasizes the safety measures that have been taken at its tourist attractions to protect tourists from the new coronavirus. “I believe this campaign will reach individuals who are prepared to travel to a well-prepared destination for much needed recreation." Before the start of the pandemic almost a year ago, Orlando was the most visited tourist destination in the U.S., attracting 75 million visitors in 2018.

FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2019, file photo, guests watch a show near a statue of Walt Disney and Micky Mouse in front of the Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. But the results Thursday surpassed Wall Street's expectations thanks to subscribers flocking to Disney+ and other of the entertainment giant's streaming services. Disney+ subscribers totaled 94.9 million at the end of the quarter, more than double the subscriber base a year ago, when the service had been operating for only about two months. For Disney's fiscal first quarter, net income totaled $17 million, or 1 cent per share, compared with $2.1 billion or $1.16 cents per share a year earlier. Excluding one-time items, net income totaled 32 cents per share, compared with $1.53 per share in the prior-year quarter.

Guests wear masks as required to attend the official reopening day of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on July 11, 2020. ORLANDO, Fla. – More and more people are getting vaccinated in the fight against the coronavirus but that doesn’t mean Disney World is rolling back any of its COVID-19 safety requirements, WKMG-TV in Orlando reported. “Face coverings are required for all Guests (ages 2 and up) and Cast Members, including those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine. Please bring your own face coverings and wear them at all times, except when dining or swimming. However, face coverings will not be permitted while experiencing water slides or in the water.

Disney officials said in a statement that extra hand sanitizers were being placed throughout its four parks and more than two dozen hotels. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)ORLANDO, Fla. – Looking to buy an annual pass at Disneyland Resort? The California theme park resort said last week that it's ending its passholder program. Disney officials would not say how many people hold these passes or how much the move will cost the company, adding it would begin issuing pro-rated refunds to eligible passholders. The Florida resort implemented a moratorium on new annual passes last summer, though it will honor those from existing passholders.

FILE - In this March 16, 2020, file photo, the entrance to the parking lot at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World is closed in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Squeezed by limits on attendance at its theme parks and other restrictions due to the pandemic, The Walt Disney Co. said Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, it planned to lay off 28,000 workers in its parks division in California and Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

All rights reserved)JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The most magical place on Earth will scale back hours starting Sept. 8. Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios are closing an hour earlier. Epcot is closing two hours earlier. Animal Kingdom will open an hour later and close an hour earlier. The Walt Disney Co. has lost nearly $9 billion since April.

Attendance at the parks could be anywhere from a third to half of normal business volume, according to the report. Attendance at Disney theme parks around the world fell less than 1% in 2019 from the previous year. It was followed by Disneyland in California with 18.6 million visits, Tokyo Disneyland with 17.9 million visits and Tokyo DisneySea. Competing in many of the same markets as Disney, Universal Parks and Resorts had an attendance jump of 2.3%, with 51.2 million visits. Rides based on Harry Potter intellectual property continued to drive growth at the Universal parks, the report said.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Walt Disney World is set to once again open its gates to the Magic Kingdom following a lengthy closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. But with most families staying inside and not traveling, how crowded will the theme parks really be when they reopen? Park Capacity Capacity at 25% Magic Kingdom 57,000 people 14,250 people Epcot 34,093 people 8,523 people Hollywood Studios 30,843 people 7,710 people Animal Kingdom 37,671 people 9,417 peopleA park at 25% capacity would mean very minimal wait times. As we can all imagine, visiting a Disney theme park when it reopens will be a new experience for all -- no matter how many times you’ve visited. The Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom parks will open first July 11, with Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios reopening July 15.

Walt Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are reopening Saturday, while Epcot and Disneys Hollywood Studios will follow four days later. (Gabrielle Russon/Orlando Sentinel via AP)The 22 teams participating in the NBA restart were all at the Disney campus together for the first time Friday. Some teams left player development coaches behind, some even left assistant coaches, and all teams traveled with only one media relations staffer and one equipment manager. In normal circumstances, some teams travel with as many as three people to handle media requirements and two for equipment. That left 20 spots for coaches, assistant coaches, player development, video, security, strength and conditioning, athletic training, media relations and content creators.

ORLANDO, Fla. Walt Disney World has suspended the Disney College Program indefinitely amid the continuing coronavirus pandemic. Disney said in a blog post on Thursday that the internship's participants won't be among those returning to work when it reopens its Florida theme parks later this month. The company also said it doesn't know when the Disney-owned apartments where the students lived will be reopened. The company said it would refund students their fees and allow participants, including recent college graduates, to re-apply. The program was initially suspended in mid-March when the theme parks and hotels closed down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Disney said Wednesday it has proposed a phased reopening of its Florida-based theme parks in July. Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are expected to be the first to reopen on July 11. He did say the company would adhere to the CDC's 6 foot social distancing guidelines when limiting attendance. Disney's Florida parks will have additional hand washing stations, temperature checks and social distancing measures throughout, including at restaurants and lines for rides. Contactless payments via Apple Pay, Google Pay and Disney Magic Bands will be encouraged.

(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)ORLANDO, Fla. Disney World is reopening its gates, ending a multi-month closure of the park which left the Walt Disney Company reeling. The Disney theme park, which employs some 70,000 people, plans to begin a phased reopening on July 11 for its Magic Kingdom parks and July 15 for EPCOT and Hollywood Studios, the company said on Wednesday. Walt Disney World as well as Disneys Disneyland resort in Anaheim, California, closed in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. SeaWorld and Walt Disney World will reopen in Orlando, Florida, in June and July after months of inactivity because of the coronavirus pandemic, according to plans a city task force approved Wednesday. Disney plans a tiered reopening, with Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom opening on July 11, followed by Epcot and Hollywood Studios on July 15. Disney World also plans smaller, soft openings prior to July 11, but no specifics were provided. When Disney Springs, a complex of restaurants and shops near Disney World, reopened, the company formed social distancing squads," which McPhee said have been popular with guests. Disney employees will be required to do temperature checks before heading to work, McPhee said.

The National Basketball Players Association is also part of the talks with Disney. Games would be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, a massive campus on the Disney property near Orlando. Space wont be an issue, even if Major League Soccer which is also in talks to resume its season at Disney is there at the same time as the NBA. The entire Disney complex is roughly 40 square miles, with nearly 24,000 hotel rooms owned or operated by Disney within the campus. The list of NBA players who were known to test positive eventually grew to 10 not all were identified and Commissioner Adam Silver said last month that the actual total was even higher.

Thousands of visitors streamed into Shanghai Disneyland on Monday for the first time in three months as the Chinese park became the first reopened by Walt Disney after the coronavirus pandemic brought the Magic Kingdom to a standstill. Among the crowd on Monday was Shanghai Disneyland passholder Kay Yu. The reopening may provide a glimpse of how Disney can begin to recover from closures set to strip $1.4 billion from the company's profit. Visitors wearing face masks take selfies at Shanghai Disney Resort after the coronavirus pandemic on May 11, 2020 in Shanghai, China. Riders wearing face masks are seen on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Shanghai Disney Resort after the coronavirus pandemic on May 11, 2020 in Shanghai, China.

The entrance to the Magic Kingdom at Disney World is seen on the first day of closure as theme parks in the Orlando area suspend operations for two weeks in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)New guidelines provided by a local government task force in Florida offer theme park fans a glimpse of what to expect when Disney and Universal are finally able to open to the public once the coronavirus pandemic eases. The Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force suggested a two-phase plan for allowing visitors back into theme parks that includes recommendations and mandates. Theme park staff will be required to wear face masks and regularly wipe down surfaces and railings throughout the park. The Florida task force that devised this plan is made up of 44 people, including Disney, Universal and SeaWorld executives and members of the local business community.

REUTERS/Gregg NewtonLOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) might require theme park visitors to have their temperatures checked when they reopen after coronavirus restrictions on public gatherings are lifted, Executive Chairman Bob Iger said in an interview published on Tuesday. The company is considering the idea as one way to make the public feel safe about returning to Disneys parks once they are allowed to open again for business, Iger told Barrons. Disney operates Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California as well as theme parks in China, Hong Kong, Japan and France. Walt Disney World, the most-visited theme park in the world, attracted 58.4 million visitors in 2018, according to the Themed Entertainment Association. Iger said Disney is studying Chinas efforts to let people return to everyday activities.

ORLANDO, Fla. – Magic Kingdom is said to be the “The Most Magical Place On Earth,” but right now, that’s not how it appears. WKMG, a New4Jax sister station, flew SKY 6 over the parks in Orlando on Monday. It looked like a ghost town. Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando and Legoland announced last week that all of its respective parks will be closed, starting Monday, through the end of the month. The decision marks the longest closures ever for the theme parks, which have previously shut down for hurricanes and the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Eat Christmas cookies until you feel like you’re going to burst, see a special Christmas parade roll down Main Street U.S.A. -- and did we mention there will be tons of cookies? Visit Disney’s website for more info. Insider tip: Want to catch the Christmas parade but avoid paying for a special ticket? Some resorts also will have special holiday presentations, such as a walk-through gingerbread house at Disney’s Grand Floridian. Other festivities include the Sea of Trees, which is a show filled with synchronized Christmas trees shimmering and twinkling set to holiday music.

Well show you how to have fun on Disney property without ever scanning a MagicBand or swiping your credit card. Rooftop fireworks Walt Disney World ResortIf the "Happily Ever After" fireworks are on your bucket list, consider watching them from high above Cinderella Castle. Nothing can top a view of the Magic Kingdom at night. We recommend having breakfast at Trails End then climbing aboard one of its boats for a ride to the Magic Kingdom. Head to the docks and beaches of the Magic Kingdom resort hotels to watch.

Weight Watchers International Shares of Weight Watchers soared 42.7% after the company raised its full-year outlook. The company estimates full-year earnings per share between $1.55 and $1.70, above the estimated $1.52 The company also beat on second-quarter earnings per share. It earned 78 cents per share, higher than the 64 cents per share expected on the Street. However, revenue fell short of estimates at $190.8 million, compared to a Refinitiv estimate of $193 million. Analysts had expected earnings per share of 17 cents on revenue of $439.9 million, according to Refinitiv.