MAGIC KINGDOM

Appointees of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are seeking communications between Disney and local media, as well as documents related to the company’s position on Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law.

Disney attorneys want to question a previous administrator of the Walt Disney World governing district as part of its defense against a lawsuit brought by a board made up of appointees of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

A bear in a tree at a Walt Disney World park has prompted the closure of several rides and attractions.

Employees of Walt Disney World’s governing district are criticizing new board members appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis for a decision to eliminate free passes and discounts to the theme park resort for 400 of its district workers.

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ appointees to a board that oversees Disney World’s governing district have launched a battle against the company on a new front — free passes and discounts for employees.

The new administrator of Walt Disney World’s governing district can’t continue to work in his new job and be chair of Florida’s ethics commission at the same time.

An advocacy group for journalists wants to get involved with Disney’s free speech lawsuit against Gov. Ron DeSantis.

A judge in Florida has refused to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Gov. Ron DeSantis appointees against Disney’s efforts to neutralize a takeover of Disney World’s governing district by the Florida governor.

Bob Iger will remain as CEO of The Walt Disney Co. through the end of 2026, agreeing to a two-year contract extension that will give the entertainment and theme park company some breathing room to find his successor.

Attorneys for Gov. Ron DeSantis have asked that a trial involving Disney be postponed until the middle of 2025, well after the GOP presidential nomination race wraps up and voters have picked a winner in the November 2024 general election.

Before allies of Gov. Ron DeSantis took over, Disney World’s governing district reached an agreement in February with the company to prohibit a long list of businesses from ever being operated on its property.

The separately ticketed event is scheduled to begin Aug. 12 and run through Halloween night at Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park.

At the first meeting of Disney World’s private government since Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a measure to dissolve it next year, officials were still confused about what the new legislation meant.

Here are some insider tips to help you do more during your next visit to a Disney theme park.

The resort is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary celebration, and now is the perfect time to celebrate the season and upcoming Easter holiday. If you plan on visiting, we have uncovered a number of fun activities for families to experience while out exploring the theme parks and nearby resort hotels.

It’s perhaps one of the last things that guests at Walt Disney World have been waiting to see return: an up-close moment, picture or autograph with Mickey Mouse and other popular characters.

Walt Disney World has announced its Minnie Van transportation service will be returning to the resort this summer.

Officials at Walt Disney World say a performance by a visiting Texas high school drill team that used American Indian stereotypes, including chants of “scalp them,” doesn’t reflect the resort’s values.

Officials at Walt Disney World say a performance by a visiting Texas high school drill team that used American Indian stereotypes, including chants of “scalp them,” doesn’t reflect the resort’s values.

We'll bet you never thought the words "Disney" and "cheap" could go in the same sentence. Well, guess again.

Walt Disney World resort updates masking policy beginning Feb. 17.

Reedy Creek fire officials say a small fire at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Tuesday may have sprouted from a tree.

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

Festivities continue at Walt Disney World ahead of Disney World’s 50th anniversary on Friday, and Local 10 News’ Jenise Fernandez is giving you an exclusive first-hand look at the festivities.

As Walt Disney World celebrates its 50th anniversary, the Local 10 News family shares its favorite photos from our time at the park.

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.

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

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

Firework spectaculars are returning to Walt Disney World.

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.

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)

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.

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.

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.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Even Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck will be hunkering down ahead of Hurricane Dorian. Walt Disney World announced late Monday that its theme parks will be shutting down early Tuesday afternoon in order to keep guests safe. The Magic Kingdom and Epcot will close at 3 p.m., while Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom will cease operations at 2 p.m. Both of the resort's miniature golf courses will also close at 3 p.m, along with Disney's Typhoon Lagoon water park. Copyright 2019 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.

@brett_milam / TwitterORLANDO, Fla. - A ticketing system at Walt Disney World is down, forcing hundreds of people to wait outside at least one park. Disney World said in a statement Monday there was an interruption in its ticketing system, and it was working to bring it back online. Video from a waiting visitor posted by Orlando television station WESH shows hundreds of people waiting outside the Magic Kingdom. A Disney spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to inquiries for further details. Planning documents show that on any given day the Magic Kingdom can host up to 50,000 visitors.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – If you know a Walt Disney World passholder, now's the time to get on their good side. The resort is offering its "Bring a Friend" discount this month, allowing passholders to buy 1-day Park Hopper tickets for just $79. The offer is a good one as non-discounted 1-day park hopper tickets bought at the gate will run you $174 a pop. So the "Bring a Friend" discount is over 50 percent off. Gold, Platinum, Platinum Plus and Premier passholders can purchase up to six of the "Bring a Friend" tickets at ticket windows at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom.