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5 years later: How COVID-19 precautions still influence theme parks, tourism

5 years later: How COVID-19 precautions still influence theme parks, tourism

Five years ago, tourism officials were wrapping their heads around a new world of theme park reservations, temperature checks at turnstiles, amped-up sanitization procedures and the very concept of social distance as the early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly transformed their business.

Some procedures faded with the virus, and others evolved into practices that continue within the travel industry.

In 2020 and 2021, the Orlando Sentinel asked five tourism experts what trends to anticipate. Now, in 2025, they talk about the pandemic’s lasting effects as well as new trends in international travel, room service and rooftop bars.

Young guests enjoy seeing Winnie The Pooh, and Tigger too, at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Monday, May 17, 2021, after Disney Co. eased face mask requirements over the weekend. Guests are allowed to go maskless in outdoor areas of the parks. Indoor attractions, shops and Disney transportation at the resort all still require masks. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP)
Magic Kingdom visitors interact with Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, too, after masking restrictions were loosened in 2021. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

Reservation station

Date-specific reservations for theme parks didn’t last in most places, but the technology used has accelerated related developments, said Curtis Parks, managing partner at Jacksonville-based Icon Experiences.

“From that, spawns all these new options that you can do with your ticketing systems, from dynamic pricing to bundling your hotel and your park tickets and food, and passholders can now add friends to their ticket purchases, and online tickets being sent to digital wallets,” he said. read more

US applications for unemployment benefits hold steady, remain in recent healthy range

US applications for unemployment benefits hold steady, remain in recent healthy range

By MATT OTT, Associated Press Business Writer

U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, a sign that the labor market remains healthy as companies continue to retain their employees.

Jobless claim filings ticked down by 1,000 to 224,000 for the week ending March 22, the Labor Department said Thursday. That’s mostly in line with the 225,000 new applications analysts forecast.

Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs, and have remained mostly in a range between 200,000 and 250,000 for the past few years.

It remains unclear when job cuts ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency, or “DOGE,” will show up in the weekly layoffs report, though the Labor Department’s February jobs report showed that the federal government shed 10,000 jobs. That’s the most since June of 2022.

Economists don’t expect the federal workforce layoffs to have much of an impact until the March jobs report, which comes out April 4.

Those layoffs are part of the Trump administration’s efforts to shrink the size of the federal workforce through DOGE, spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk. read more

4 Central Florida restaurants and 1 food truck shut down last week

4 Central Florida restaurants and 1 food truck shut down last week

Four Central Florida restaurants and a food truck shut down the week of March 16-22, according to data from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

Orange

Mr. Quick Restaurant at 5615 W. Colonial Dr. in Orlando shut down on March 18. Inspectors found 15 violations, four of which were high priorities. Those violations included employees walking through sewage water to use the wait station, French toast mix made with raw eggs over a container of pickles, and salmon patties held at the wrong temperatures. A second inspection occurred the same day. Inspectors found 10 violations, but none was a high priority. The restaurant met inspection standards.

Hot Reggae Dogs 2, a food truck, at 705 W. Colonial Dr. in Orlando shut down on March 19. Inspectors found seven violations, three of which were high priorities. Those violations included roach activity, food at the wrong temperatures and raw eggs stored over mayonnaise. As of the publication of this article, the food truck has remained closed. read more

Ask a real estate pro: Can we force developer to put in area to walk dogs?

Ask a real estate pro: Can we force developer to put in area to walk dogs?

Q: We, along with others in our new construction condo, were all told there would be a dog-walk area. There was none when we moved, and there are no plans for one. The dog-walk area was not specified in our purchase agreement, but we were all informed verbally of the same information.  Our building states it is dog-friendly in the contract.   Do we have any legal recourse?  — Catherine

A: While you do have some options, they are limited because the developer’s promise that a dog-walk area was not included in the written agreement.

The “statute of frauds” is a legal doctrine designed to protect individuals from dishonest behavior by requiring certain agreements, including those related to the purchase of real estate, to be in writing.

Worse yet, almost all real estate contracts will have an “integration clause” that explicitly states that each party’s obligations are confined to those documented in the agreement and that it supersedes all prior agreements leading up to the final, signed contract. read more

When Jellyrolls leaves Disney, it plans to keep on making memories

When Jellyrolls leaves Disney, it plans to keep on making memories

Jellyrolls may be leaving Walt Disney World, but the dueling-piano bar will continue to make “sweet memories” for Florida locals and vacationers in a new — but as yet undisclosed — location, its general manager said.

The final day to experience Jellyrolls in its current spot on Disney’s Boardwalk will be April 19. General manager Amber Antel said the business, which rents its space from Disney and is not owned by the theme-park giant, would then have time to move out of its longtime home before its lease officially ends. Once that’s complete, more information about a new location will be announced at its website, jellyrollswdw.com or through social media.

In the meantime, it’s business as usual at the musical nightspot. On a recent Tuesday, a crowd of conventioneers showed up early, while vacationers and regulars stayed late — closing time is 1:45 a.m. The pianists’ eclectic musical selections saw back-to-back performances of “The Wizard and I” from “Wicked” leading into Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” and the Steve Miller Band’s classic and chill “The Joker” giving way to Disney’s raucous “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.” read more