Fan reviews play an important part in the success of a film. Even the most critically acclaimed movies won’t please every viewer. For studios like Disney and Pixar one bad film can negatively impact all aspects from less toy sales to even less streaming subscriptions.
The entertainment industry was impacted by the coronavirus pandemic from Netflix cutting streaming quality in Europe to studios releasing movies straight to on demand. With so many people stuck at home for months with only their televisions as their main source of entertainment, the result of all the binge-watching had on ratings and reviews can be assessed.
Whether your go-to site is IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes, people know where to find out if a film or show is worth watching, but does the review site affect the rating? Budget Direct focused on the two streaming platforms that became most popular during lockdown – Netflix and Disney+.
The team set out to find out the most divisive titles in each of these categories:
Say it isn’t so. Ascena Retail Group Inc., the owner of beloved brands such as Ann Taylor, Lane Bryant, and Justice has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. They join a growing list of retailers having to do so as a result of the pandemic.
Ascena owns nearly 3,00 stores found in malls across the country. As part of its bankruptcy plan, the company said it would close at least 1,200 locations including all of its Catherines stores, a significant number of Justice stores and a select number of Ann Taylor, Loft, Lane Bryant and Lou & Grey stores.
Gary Muto, Chief Executive Officer of ascena commented, “Ann Taylor, LOFT, Lane Bryant, Justice and Lou & Grey have incredibly loyal customers who are at the center of everything we do. These iconic brands have significant long-term potential and we continue to deliver on their mission to provide all women and girls with fashion and inspiration to live confidently every day. This comprehensive restructuring, as well as the actions we are taking to optimize our brand portfolio and store fleet, mark a new start for our company and will allow us to expand our customer-focused strategies across her mobile, online, and store experiences.”
Ascena temporarily closed their locations in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. They began reopening locations in early may as state authorities began lifting restrictions. The company noted lower than normal traffic at their reopened stores.
Muto continued, “I am incredibly proud of the entire team for their commitment to serving our customers during what continues to be a challenging period for retail, our communities and our friends and families. We have a clear vision for our future and we will continue delivering meaningful experiences for our customers each and every day. We look forward to our continued partnerships with our valued vendors, landlords and other stakeholders as we emerge from Chapter 11, and this pandemic, as a stronger company.”
The coronavirus pandemic is still continuing to spread globally causing many businesses to pivot for the safety of staff members and guests. runDisney has made the decision to transition the 2020 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort to a virtual race. All registered guests for the onsite event have the option of receiving a full refund for the race, and registered guests with a U.S. mailing address may convert their existing registration to the new virtual event that can be completed from home, a local running track or favorite running trail.
Eligible runners who select to participate in the virtual race will receive a race shirt and medal for each distance they complete. Registered participants will receive an email beginning Jul. 23 with instructions on how to make their registration selection before Aug. 5. If a selection is not made, registered guests automatically will be refunded.
Runners registered for the 2020 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort who select the refund option will receive a refund back to their original form of payment for the following. If they no longer have their original form of payment used when registering, they may contact runDisney by Aug. 5 to receive a refund via check or a Digital Disney Gift Card for the following:
Race registrations (Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, Two Course Challenge and Kids Races)
Commemorative merchandise (automatic refund – no virtual option)
ChEAR Squad (automatic refund – no virtual option)
Processing fee
Additionally, any registered participant with a shipping address outside of the U.S. will automatically receive a refund back to their original form of payment. At this time, participants without a valid U.S. shipping address are not eligible for the virtual option.
Those who select to participate in the virtual race will receive
Race distance medal(s)
Runner long sleeve shirt(s) and kids short sleeve shirt(s)
Digital Bib and finisher certificate
Digital Toolkit including start/finish line and mile markers
Digital Goody Bag
Virtual playlist
A Digital Disney Gift Card for select races
Additionally, guests with a U.S. mailing address who already have received a refund for their registration may still register to participate in the virtual race option by contacting runDisney by Aug. 5.
Eligible athletes registered for the Half Marathon, 10K, 5K or Two Course Challenge during the 2020 Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort will receive a Disney Gift Card.
Runners who’ve booked through a charity or tour operator should reach out directly to that organization. Runners who’ve booked through the Walt Disney Travel Company may call them at 407-939-4786 (407-939-IRUN) for available options.
Donations made to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida will not be refunded and will be delivered to that organization as originally planned.
runDisney still plans to move forward to host the 2021 Walt Disney World Marathon weekend as scheduled and will share more details at a later date.
Refunds and Digital Disney Gift Cards from runDisney can be expected to be processed in six to eight weeks. If you haven’t received your refund or Digital Disney Gift Card after eight weeks, please visit the “contact us” section on runDisney.com.
During pregnancy, expectant mothers go above and beyond to ensure the health and safety of their unborn children. Everything comes under diligent scrutiny, from what they eat to what skincare products they use and everything in between. If you’re expecting, this probably sounds very familiar to you! What is unfamiliar to pregnant women everywhere, however—regardless of whether this is their first pregnancy—is the “X factor” of the coronavirus pandemic.
How can you protect yourself and your pregnancy during the COVID-19 outbreak? Here are some essential things to add to your pregnancy-care regimen and protect your pregnancy with these 5 tips.
1.Get a pulse oximeter: Hypoxemia (a below-normal level of oxygen in your blood) is one of the signs of serious illness with COVID-19. You can pick up a pulse oximeter for around $50 and take regular readings of your pulse and oxygen saturation. Get a baseline so that you know if something looks off. A baseline for healthy people is 90 or higher. When we see below 90, we start getting concerned.
2.Check for fever: Whether you have a fancy new thermometer that reads from the forehead or an old-school glass one where the mercury rises, take your temperature regularly to make sure you aren’t experiencing a fever.
3.Keep surfaces tidy for easy cleaning: Keeping tidy may not seem like a health tip for pregnancy, but in the days of COVID-19 it absolutely is. You want the surfaces in your home to be able to easily be wiped down and disinfected frequently—at least once a day.
4.If you choose to travel, choose safely: For example, you might choose to visit a loved one in a remote rural town with few to no COVID-19 cases, but don’t travel somewhere that you’ll be interacting with a lot of people.
5.Keep your distance: How close is too close? Can you smell the other person’s detergent, deodorant, or shampoo? That’s too close! And for some extra protection when you are going to be around other people, wear a mask. It’s an additional safety measure that can only help you and your baby.
Along with the healthy eating and label reading you’re already doing, adding these tips as “must-dos” to your pregnancy care will help you protect the health and safety of your unborn child. Plus, it will also help you to breathe easier and relax into your pregnancy as much as you can. Knowing you’re creating the safest, happiest, and healthiest environment for yourself and your baby will provide some comfort and peace of mind during this uncertain time in history.
An obstetrician and maternal mortality expert, “Rural Doc” Alan Lindemann, M.D. teaches women and families how to create the outcomes they want for their own health and pregnancy. In nearly 40 years of practice, he has delivered around 6,000 babies and achieved a maternal mortality rate of zero! Visit LindemannMD.com
Bed Bath & Beyond announced that it plans to close about 200 stores over the next two years. The retail chain, which also operates buybuyBABY, Christmas Tree Shops and Harmon Face Values, said it would be mainly closing Bed Bath & Beyond stores, starting later this year. Like many other retailers, Bed Bath & Beyond was forced to temporarily close their stores due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Mark Tritton, Bed Bath & Beyond’s President and CEO said, “The impact of the COVID-19 situation was felt across our business during our fiscal first quarter, including loss of sales due to temporary store closures and margin pressure from the substantial channel shift to digital. From the beginning of this crisis, we have taken measured, purposeful steps to help keep our people safe and our customers serviced, and we are proud of the way our teams have navigated this unprecedented challenge with speed and agility. At the same time, our actions to strengthen our financial position and liquidity are enhancing our flexibility and capacity to invest and rebuild our business for long-term success.
“With nearly all stores now open, we are delighted to welcome back our customers and drive an enhanced omni-always shopping experience. We are encouraged by early customer response, including continued strong demand, in excess of 80%, across our digital channels during the month of June, bolstered by the expansion of our Buy-Online-Pick-Up-In-Store (BOPIS) and Curbside Pickup services. We believe Bed Bath & Beyond will emerge from this crisis even stronger, given the strength of our brand, our people and our balance sheet,” Tritton added.
Sesame Workshop has created a few initiatives over the past few months in order to teach and support families during the coronavirus pandemic. Sesame Workshop and the LEGO Foundation are partnering to bring you a special Sesame Street episode, Elmo’s World News. Elmo is hosting a pretend news program from his bedroom and he is calling on Muppet correspondents and children from around the world to share the ways they are continuing to play and learn while staying safe.
The 25 minute special episode will air in over 13 languages across the Middle East, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia and more as part of Sesame Workshop’s Caring for Each Other initiative.
Weather Reporter Grover shows how he uses his imagination to “bring the outside inside” by adapting his favorite outdoor activities to create indoor fun. Special Correspondent Cookie Monster tells viewers about his “Things That Make Me Happy” box, a simple activity families can do together to practice mindfulness and gratitude with everyday objects. Reporter Raya shares a playful and interactive update on ways children around the world maintain daily routines, while the reporting team of Basma and Jad pop in with breaking news on how children are managing and expressing their “big feelings” through movement and dance.
“With so many children around the world navigating new routines, it’s more important than ever to give families the tools they need to cope with challenges and foster playful learning at home,” said Sherrie Westin, President of Social Impact and Philanthropy. “Play is critical to a child’s healthy development, and that’s especially true during times of uncertainty. Together with the LEGO Foundation, we can harness the power of play to meet the evolving needs of families everywhere and help them build the resilience that will carry them through these tough times and beyond.”
The Elmo’s World News special joins active Play to Learn programs in Bangladesh and the Middle East supporting children affected by the Rohingya and Syrian refugee crises as well as in South Africa. This initiative provides tools, resources and content for teachers, caregivers and parents to access play-based learning activities that build children’s physical, cognitive, social, creative and emotional skills.
“Play-based education is vital for children’s psychological, emotional, and cognitive health and development, and hones the resilience they need to overcome challenges like our current reality,” said John Goodwin, CEO of the LEGO Foundation. “With more than 1.5 billion children displaced from traditional learning environments, the LEGO Foundation is committed to finding creative solutions to accelerate learning through play amid the pandemic. We are proud to collaborate with our partner, Sesame Workshop, to ensure that children have access to education and develop the critical skills needed to thrive in today’s constantly changing world, and in the future beyond the pandemic.”
Sesame Workshop’s Caring for Each Other initiative was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. SesameStreet.org/caring is regularly updated to meet the needs of families as the situation evolves, with resources designed to help parents provide comfort and manage anxiety, as well as help with creating routines, fostering playful learning at home and staying physically and mentally healthy.
Many brick-and-mortar stores are suffering due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Children’s Place just announced that they would be closing 300 stores across the country to focus on online sales. The retailer also intends to hold a huge liquidation sale in the near future.
Last week, The Children’s Place released their first quarter financial report which showed a significant loss in earnings. The President and CEO of The Children’s Place Jane Elfers explained in a press release that the company is “now targeting to close an additional 300 stores by the end of fiscal 2021, with 200 closures planned for this year, and 100 closures planned for 2021.”
At this point there are 920 brick-and-mortar locations throughout the United States and Canada.
Experts estimated that approximately 116 million babies throughout the world would be born under the shadow of the Coronavirus pandemic. Are you getting ready to give birth, or have you recently given birth?
If you’re a soon-to-be or new mom, it’s perfectly understandable that you might be feeling anxious about caring for a newborn during these unprecedented times. This is especially true since social distancing rules or ordinances have made it difficult for many people to spend time with friends and loved ones who may be able to offer support and guidance.
Even if you’re practicing social distancing, you can still seek help from your friends and family as a pregnant or new mother. Chances are they’re looking for ways to provide the support you need while still protecting you and your family from potential infections.
If people in your life are asking what they can do, don’t just brush them off. Consider suggesting these five ways they can assist from afar:
1. Deliver Quarantine Care Packages. It’s customary for friends and family to deliver care packages to loved ones who are new or soon-to-be parents. The people in your life might not be able to come into your house to deliver these kinds of packages, but they can still drop them off and provide support from a distance.
There are lots of items that new parents need to care for their little ones, including baby wipes, diapers, and cleaning products. Especially now, it’s even harder than usual for moms and dads to get out of the house and buy these items. Having plenty of supplies on hand will help to minimize the amount of exposure you have as a new parent to the outside world. This, in turn, helps to minimize the risk of spreading infections to your baby or others in your family. A good way to organize this is through a website like Give InKind.
2. Create a Meal Delivery Train. Meal delivery trains are another customary option for friends and family members who want to support new parents. A potential problem with this practice in the time of Coronavirus, though, is the fact that meals cooked in someone else’s kitchen could potentially be a way to inadvertently spread the virus. Instead of cooking, loved ones can sign up for a specific day to deliver takeout to new parents by organizing an online calendar that makes it easy for everyone to pick a day when they will arrange to have food delivered or deliver the food themselves. They can leave it on the doorstep to minimize contact.
3. Purchase Gift Cards. Another way to provide socially distanced support is by sending the new mom gift cards. There are a lot of expenses associated with becoming a new parent, and everyone can use a little extra financial assistance during this stage of life. Whether it’s for retailers like Amazon or for local restaurants that offer food delivery or grocery stores that have delivery services, most gift cards can be emailed which again, reduced potential contact and exposure. You get to provide support without even leaving your house!
4. Help Celebrate the Siblings. Taking care of a brand new baby is difficult, for sure. It can be even more challenging, though, when you have other kids at home who need attention. This is especially true in the time of Coronavirus when kids are home from school and can’t go to friends or babysitters’ houses as easily as they once could. During normal times, it would be common for friends or family members to come over and watch other children in order to give parents some one-on-one time with their new baby. They might even take the child to their house for a while to give the new parents even more of a break. Now, though, that’s not an option for most people.
One way to celebrate siblings and support parents in lieu of offering babysitting duties is to provide activity options that help to keep children occupied. Sending play and maker kits, movies and crafts via mail can keep young kids busy and give them something to do while their parents tend to their new sibling.
5. Offer Mental Health Support. Parents often require mental health support after bringing a newborn into the world. Now, more than ever, though, they need to make this a priority. For new moms, especially, it’s important for them to be able to talk to other moms and seek help and guidance. Make plans to schedule regular virtual catch-ups with other new moms and trusted friends. Having weekly Zoom or Skype dates is a great way to stay in touch, seek advice, and get reassurance that despite this uncertain time, you are doing a great job.
Keep the tips listed above in mind and don’t be afraid to ask for assistance when you need it. Remember, your loved ones want to be there for you. If they ask how they can help, suggest one of these options. You don’t have to go through life as a new mom alone.
Give InKind is an intelligent social support platform that helps friends and family coordinate tangible, financial, and emotional support for those who need it. Our custom Care Calendar + Wishlist + Fundraising in one free tool is making support simple. From new babies to cancer support, Give InKind.
Over the past few months, Sesame Workshop has been helping parents and kids navigate the coronavirus pandemic. CNN and Sesame Street will join once again this weekend for a new Town Hall to help kids and families discuss racism and the protests taking place nationwide, build empathy and embrace diversity. The hour-long special, Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism, will be hosted by CNN commentator Van Jones and CNN anchor Erica Hill, along with Sesame Street’s Big Bird, on Sat., Jun. 6 at 10 a.m. ET on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español.
Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism will also include Sesame Street Muppets Abby Cadabby, Elmo and his dad Louie, Gabrielle and Rosita, alongside cast members Roscoe Orman and Sonia Manzano, and Sesame Workshop Senior Vice President of U.S. Social Impact Dr. Jeanette Betancourt.
The special will stream live without requiring a log-in on CNN.com’s homepage and across mobile devices via CNN’s apps for iOS and Android. It can also be viewed on CNNgo (at CNN.com/go on your desktop, smartphone and iPad, and via CNNgo apps for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast and Android TV), and will be available on demand to subscribers via cable/satellite systems, CNNgo platforms and CNN mobile apps.
Amusement parks and resorts have been closed since mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic. LEGOLAND Florida Resort has announced that they will officially reopen on Jun. 1. In order to keep guests and employees safe the plan includes reduced capacity, cashless payments, social distancing practices and enhanced cleaning regimes.
The plan has been developed with measures based on government advice and the requirements of health authorities, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“As part of Merlin Entertainments, our leaders across the globe have been sharing best practices daily, and we’ve been able to apply what we’ve learned from other successful Merlin attraction reopenings to be confident with our Resort’s reopening plan. In addition, we have also sought guidance from our partners at AdventHealth,” said General Manager of LEGOLAND Florida Resort Rex Jackson. “We’re ready to play, and we look forward to reopening LEGOLAND Florida Resort as a safe and memorable place for families to play again.”
Guests are encouraged to download the LEGOLAND mobile app, and review the website in advance of their arrival, for a full outline of the parks’ new arrival and attractions procedures, as well as details on the enhanced cleaning measures. Tickets and vacations should be booked in advance online, when possible.
Guests should be prepared to make on-site payments using a credit or debit card as cash will no longer be accepted on property. Guests experiencing any symptoms related to COVID-19 should refrain from visiting the Resort.
At the time of reopening, the park will operate at 50 percent of its capacity. If guests are arriving by car, they should expect to leave spaces in between vehicles and follow additional spacing instructions. All park employees and guests will be required to undergo non-invasive temperature checks. Those with a temperature of 100.4 F will not be allowed entry, nor will those in their party.
Every employee at LEGOLAND will wear a facial covering, and we will provide complimentary masks to encourage all our guests, ages three and above, to do the same. Brick-themed spatial markers and kid-friendly, parkwide signage will help remind guests of social distancing recommendations and hygiene practices. More than 200 hand sanitizing stations have been added throughout the park. Guests can view these locations on the LEGOLAND mobile app.
Character meet and greets and other select attractions will be suspended at the time of reopening. Enhanced cleaning measures throughout the day will disinfect high frequency touch points, including ride restraints, tables and chairs, service counters, handles and door handles. In the coming weeks, guests will also be able to allow them to reserve their spot in queue lines for major attractions directly from their own devices.
Along with the park and waterpark’s reopening, the all-new LEGOLAND Pirate Island Hotel will debut on Jun. 1. Reservations are available for travel dates Jun. 1 or later for both LEGOLAND Pirate Island Hotel and LEGOLAND Hotel.
The Resort will initially open with adjusted operating hours. LEGOLAND Theme Park will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and LEGOLAND Waterpark will be open daily from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Guests can stay up-to-date, with operational changes, as well as health and safety enhancements online on the LEGOLAND website.
