Taking a look at all the top stories from the last seven days, The Week will be available right here on planetattractions.com every Sunday and soon to be available right into your email inbox a day earlier on Saturdays.
In the latest publication, we have a new exhibit for the Museum of London, Baby Yoda at the National Portrait Gallery, Joe Exotic’s limo on hold and Tom Holland setting up camp at Disneyland.
Welcome to Planet Attractions. Welcome to The Week.
For the United States, it’s a new era. Four years of Donald Trump at the helm has been a wild ride to say the least, but now the person who becomes one of the most influential and powerful politicians in the world is America’s new President - Joe Biden.
There is a new sense of hope in the air for the US in general, which is incredible considering that earlier this month, Pro-Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol Building in what amounted to a failed uprising.
There is fresh hope and that hope extends to a struggling visitor attractions sector, badly affected by the global pandemic.
Course correction
A combination of misinformation and lack of action has led to the US being one of the worst-hit countries when it comes to COVID-19.
Since the start of the pandemic, more than 24.5 million cases have been recorded in America, with 406,000 deaths.
To combat this, the Biden administration has laid out a US$415bn (€340bn, £303.6bn) plan to bolster the country’s response to the virus, including free vaccines, increased pharmaceutical production capacity, wider distribution, expanded testing and new awareness campaigns.
What that means, not just for the attractions sector, but also for the US economy, is that when the US eventually manages to get the Coronavirus outbreak under control, then places such as Disneyland - closed since March last year - will be able to start operations once again.
In addition to tackling COVID-19, President Biden has laid out a US$1.9tn (€1.56tn, £1.39tn) stimulus plan, designed to kickstart the US economy. The stimulus will better support people out of work or on reduced hours as a result of the virus, which has created a lack of demand in areas such as retail, hospitality, travel, and of course the visitor attractions sector.
The mouse in the White House?
The newly-formed Biden administration potentially offers a huge ally for visitor attractions in the shape of a man who knows and has led the market for more than 25 years.
The former chief at Disney, Bob Iger briefly served in the Trump administration when he was named a member of the former President’s policy forum, which he described as a “non-partisan approach to key economic policy issues”.
Things became heated, however, with Iger warning Trump over his handling of relations with China, which potentially could have pitted Disney against the Oval Office.
But now, with Joe Biden in power, Iger, who also admitted that he did consider running as a candidate for the US Presidency in 2020, could find a position in the White House, working as an ambassador to China for the US.
Some critics have said that Iger taking such a role would further blend the political and business realms, but with China a major market for Disney - both in and out of its parks - there’s no-one the visitor attractions industry could better choose to represent them at the highest levels of government.
If Iger doesn’t get a Chinese posting, the UK has been touted as another possibility for the former Disney CEO. Either option certainly presents an interesting opportunity to the visitor attractions market, which given Iger’s previous experience, would almost certainly benefit from him holding such a position.
Returning the favour
While Mickey Mouse in the White House is only a possibility at this stage, Joe Biden will definitely be making his way to Disney’s Magic Kingdom, where he will find his place in the Hall of Presidents.
While an animatronic Biden is obviously not the reason the sector should have hope, the man it represents certainly is. Good luck Mr President. Here’s to a much brighter 2021, not just for the US but for the entire planet.
In the news this week, Spider-Man himself - Tom Holland - revealed all about his new dark ride attraction coming to Disneyland later this year.
Actor Tom Holland has offered new details on Disney’s upcoming Spider-Man dark ride, coming to Disneyland later this year as part of the brand-new Avengers...keep reading
It wasn’t a good week for Joe Exotic or his former business partners, with his zoo - made famous in Tiger King - being forced to give up its cubs. Meanwhile, Exotic had anticipated a Presidential pardon for his 22-year prison sentence - the pardon never came.
The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park - infamous for its role in Netflix’s hit show - has been ordered to surrender all of its tiger and lion cubs, along with their mothers, to the federal government...keep reading
Finally, Imagineering veteran and founder of the Designer's Creative Studio, Theron Skees, revealed how to take a brand concept and transform it into a physical environment.
‘Story’ is our communication method and ‘experience’ is the product we create. Our demographic is, well, everyone, as our design criterion includes the creation of experiences that appeal to...keep reading
Our Quote of The Week comes from the soon-to-retire Disney Imagineer Kevin Rafferty, who reveals all about the making of Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
In 2020, Disney+ debuted its brand new series Disney Insider - a show which peels back the curtain, revealing the secrets of Disney’s movies, theme parks, destinations, music, toys and...keep reading
Combine music remixes and theme parks, and you’ve got Arch Nemesis.
With a channel created only last year, Arch Nemesis, also known as Archie Stephen, surely offers among the most unique content of any creator in the theme park community.
A freelance videographer and theme park fanatic, Arch Nemesis offers a smooth product that combines his fandom with his love for music creation.
The only way to really explain it, is to see it, so have a look at this:
Follow Arch Nemesis on Twitter @IamArchieMusic and subscribe to his YouTube channel here
MuseumNext Digital Summit
The Digital Summit - taking place virtually this year - is a special event sharing insightful talks, actionable ideas and unexpected connections to help you to do your best work.
In a year when digital has played a vital role in museums, speakers will offer pragmatic, real-world insight into how they overcame the challenges of pivoting to digital.
Events & Amusement Expo Tokyo
The leading B2B events and amusement expo in Japan, this event offers a path into the Japanese event market, which despite a trying year, has shown potential for growth ahead of the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games.
More than 950 exhibitors are scheduled to attend the show, which is in its eighth edition.
IAAPA Expo Asia 2021
IAAPA Expo Asia 2021 has a new date and a new location, with the event now set to take place in Shanghai, China, on August 10-13, 2021.
Originally scheduled for Macao, China, in June, the show has now been moved to the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.
The infamous giant inflatable baby version of Donald Trump, which soared over London in protest to the President’s state visit, will soon be added to the collection of the Museum of London.
The 20ft (6m) orange effigy of Trump first took flight in Trafalgar Square, London, on July 13, 2018, and has since travelled around the globe.
Show your support
We’re in extraordinary times right now and this website is a direct result of that. Featuring a team of world-class attractions journalists and a behind-the-scenes team of equal calibre, we need your support to make Planet Attractions happen.
We believe that everyone deserves equal access to accurate and compelling content, so we won’t hide anything behind a paywall.
We’re here to support both the industry and the consumer and to achieve these goals, we would love it if you could support us right back.
So how can you do this? It’s easy. Just contact our sales team and let us know about your company. We will create a package tailored to your specific needs and deliver a product that gives you exactly what you’re looking for.
You can also support us at no cost to you. All you need to do is follow our social channels.
Most importantly, once you’ve subscribed, make sure to go on these social channels and engage! We’re building a community and we love being able to bring you all together.
Taking a look at all the top stories from the last seven days, The Week will be available right here on planetattractions.com every Sunday and soon to be available right into your email inbox a day earlier on Saturdays.
In the latest publication, we have a new exhibit for the Museum of London, Baby Yoda at the National Portrait Gallery, Joe Exotic’s limo on hold and Tom Holland setting up camp at Disneyland.
Welcome to Planet Attractions. Welcome to The Week.
For the United States, it’s a new era. Four years of Donald Trump at the helm has been a wild ride to say the least, but now the person who becomes one of the most influential and powerful politicians in the world is America’s new President - Joe Biden.
There is a new sense of hope in the air for the US in general, which is incredible considering that earlier this month, Pro-Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol Building in what amounted to a failed uprising.
There is fresh hope and that hope extends to a struggling visitor attractions sector, badly affected by the global pandemic.
Course correction
A combination of misinformation and lack of action has led to the US being one of the worst-hit countries when it comes to COVID-19.
Since the start of the pandemic, more than 24.5 million cases have been recorded in America, with 406,000 deaths.
To combat this, the Biden administration has laid out a US$415bn (€340bn, £303.6bn) plan to bolster the country’s response to the virus, including free vaccines, increased pharmaceutical production capacity, wider distribution, expanded testing and new awareness campaigns.
What that means, not just for the attractions sector, but also for the US economy, is that when the US eventually manages to get the Coronavirus outbreak under control, then places such as Disneyland - closed since March last year - will be able to start operations once again.
In addition to tackling COVID-19, President Biden has laid out a US$1.9tn (€1.56tn, £1.39tn) stimulus plan, designed to kickstart the US economy. The stimulus will better support people out of work or on reduced hours as a result of the virus, which has created a lack of demand in areas such as retail, hospitality, travel, and of course the visitor attractions sector.
The mouse in the White House?
The newly-formed Biden administration potentially offers a huge ally for visitor attractions in the shape of a man who knows and has led the market for more than 25 years.
The former chief at Disney, Bob Iger briefly served in the Trump administration when he was named a member of the former President’s policy forum, which he described as a “non-partisan approach to key economic policy issues”.
Things became heated, however, with Iger warning Trump over his handling of relations with China, which potentially could have pitted Disney against the Oval Office.
But now, with Joe Biden in power, Iger, who also admitted that he did consider running as a candidate for the US Presidency in 2020, could find a position in the White House, working as an ambassador to China for the US.
Some critics have said that Iger taking such a role would further blend the political and business realms, but with China a major market for Disney - both in and out of its parks - there’s no-one the visitor attractions industry could better choose to represent them at the highest levels of government.
If Iger doesn’t get a Chinese posting, the UK has been touted as another possibility for the former Disney CEO. Either option certainly presents an interesting opportunity to the visitor attractions market, which given Iger’s previous experience, would almost certainly benefit from him holding such a position.
Returning the favour
While Mickey Mouse in the White House is only a possibility at this stage, Joe Biden will definitely be making his way to Disney’s Magic Kingdom, where he will find his place in the Hall of Presidents.
While an animatronic Biden is obviously not the reason the sector should have hope, the man it represents certainly is. Good luck Mr President. Here’s to a much brighter 2021, not just for the US but for the entire planet.
In the news this week, Spider-Man himself - Tom Holland - revealed all about his new dark ride attraction coming to Disneyland later this year.
Actor Tom Holland has offered new details on Disney’s upcoming Spider-Man dark ride, coming to Disneyland later this year as part of the brand-new Avengers...keep reading
It wasn’t a good week for Joe Exotic or his former business partners, with his zoo - made famous in Tiger King - being forced to give up its cubs. Meanwhile, Exotic had anticipated a Presidential pardon for his 22-year prison sentence - the pardon never came.
The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park - infamous for its role in Netflix’s hit show - has been ordered to surrender all of its tiger and lion cubs, along with their mothers, to the federal government...keep reading
Finally, Imagineering veteran and founder of the Designer's Creative Studio, Theron Skees, revealed how to take a brand concept and transform it into a physical environment.
‘Story’ is our communication method and ‘experience’ is the product we create. Our demographic is, well, everyone, as our design criterion includes the creation of experiences that appeal to...keep reading
Our Quote of The Week comes from the soon-to-retire Disney Imagineer Kevin Rafferty, who reveals all about the making of Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
In 2020, Disney+ debuted its brand new series Disney Insider - a show which peels back the curtain, revealing the secrets of Disney’s movies, theme parks, destinations, music, toys and...keep reading
Combine music remixes and theme parks, and you’ve got Arch Nemesis.
With a channel created only last year, Arch Nemesis, also known as Archie Stephen, surely offers among the most unique content of any creator in the theme park community.
A freelance videographer and theme park fanatic, Arch Nemesis offers a smooth product that combines his fandom with his love for music creation.
The only way to really explain it, is to see it, so have a look at this:
Follow Arch Nemesis on Twitter @IamArchieMusic and subscribe to his YouTube channel here
MuseumNext Digital Summit
The Digital Summit - taking place virtually this year - is a special event sharing insightful talks, actionable ideas and unexpected connections to help you to do your best work.
In a year when digital has played a vital role in museums, speakers will offer pragmatic, real-world insight into how they overcame the challenges of pivoting to digital.
Events & Amusement Expo Tokyo
The leading B2B events and amusement expo in Japan, this event offers a path into the Japanese event market, which despite a trying year, has shown potential for growth ahead of the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games.
More than 950 exhibitors are scheduled to attend the show, which is in its eighth edition.
IAAPA Expo Asia 2021
IAAPA Expo Asia 2021 has a new date and a new location, with the event now set to take place in Shanghai, China, on August 10-13, 2021.
Originally scheduled for Macao, China, in June, the show has now been moved to the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.
The infamous giant inflatable baby version of Donald Trump, which soared over London in protest to the President’s state visit, will soon be added to the collection of the Museum of London.
The 20ft (6m) orange effigy of Trump first took flight in Trafalgar Square, London, on July 13, 2018, and has since travelled around the globe.
Show your support
We’re in extraordinary times right now and this website is a direct result of that. Featuring a team of world-class attractions journalists and a behind-the-scenes team of equal calibre, we need your support to make Planet Attractions happen.
We believe that everyone deserves equal access to accurate and compelling content, so we won’t hide anything behind a paywall.
We’re here to support both the industry and the consumer and to achieve these goals, we would love it if you could support us right back.
So how can you do this? It’s easy. Just contact our sales team and let us know about your company. We will create a package tailored to your specific needs and deliver a product that gives you exactly what you’re looking for.
You can also support us at no cost to you. All you need to do is follow our social channels.
Most importantly, once you’ve subscribed, make sure to go on these social channels and engage! We’re building a community and we love being able to bring you all together.