Whether your kids are learning at home or are back in the classroom, this year looks different than years past. KIDZ BOP has introduced great resources for parents and teachers to help kids stay active as well as entertained during the school day. KIDZ BOP launched a brand new YouTube channel, KIDZ BOP Classroom, hosted a back to school livestream with the KIDZ BOP kids, has daily dance break videos, a back to school Pinterest board and more!
Check out the newest YouTube channel, KIDZ BOP Classroom. The perfect hub for movement breaks for parents, kids and teachers. Use KIDZ BOP music and movement videos to stay active both during the day and after school. The channel will host playlists with themes such as: warm up, brain break, cool down, study time and gym jams!
Get moving with the new KIDZ BOP and DrumFIT video on the KIDZ BOP YouTube channel. Set to KIDZ BOP’s “Castle on the Hill,” and features the KIDZ BOP Kids using DrumFIT’s equipment in a step by step interactive experience for fans. Subsequent videos in the KIDZ BOP x DrumFIT series will be available on DrumFIT’s platform.
Join KIDZ BOP on YouTube for a daily #KIDZBOPDanceBreak live stream at 3 PM ET every Monday-Thursday for thirty minutes and Friday for an one hour dance party.
Check out the KIDZ BOP Pinterest board, filled with ideas for the whole family to stay active and entertained indoors together using KIDZ BOP music and videos! You can find ideas on how to stay active at home, back to school tips, coloring sheets, playlists and more!
Through GoNoodle, Adventure 2 learning, DrumFit, and Code.org, KIDZ BOP is able to reach millions of students everyday to enhance their learning experience.
Travel in 2020 looks different than in years past. There is a greater need for disinfection and cleanliness. Airbnb just announced that 1.2 million listings globally have been granted the Enhanced Cleaning Protocol (ECP) highlight since it launched in June.
Hosts on Airbnb continue to prioritize health and safety as guests look for healthy and responsible getaways. Listings receive The Enhanced Clean highlight after hosts attest to following sanitization guidelines to support safer travel. The program, which is available to hosts in 220+ countries and regions, is informed by guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States and Europe and advice from former Surgeon General of the United States, Vivek Murthy.
Airbnb offers unique homes with more space for their money and more control over their environment, such as entire-home listings with private amenities like kitchens and swimming pools. Bookings for listings opted into the Enhanced Cleaning Protocol are more likely to be for family stays.
Airbnb’s Enhanced Cleaning Initiative continues to evolve and expand as our community adapts to a new world of travel and health precautions. As of this month, hosts in more than 220 countries and regions have access to Airbnb’s expert-backed Enhanced Cleaning Protocol in 61 languages, including a detailed handbook and other resources. Additionally, Airbnb has issued Health and Safety Guidelines for its entire community.
The top ten countries with the highest number of Enhanced Clean listings on Airbnb are:
United States
France
United Kingdom
Spain
Italy
Mexico
Brazil
Australia
Canada
Greece
Airbnb hosts in other places have also started following the new cleaning standards. Barbados, Korea, Japan and Portugal are also top ranking locations for Enhanced Clean listings, compared to total listings available.
“Cleanliness and safety are top of mind for our hosts and guests. In the last weeks, hosts have embraced and adopted our new rigorous guidelines, with thousands more attesting to the Enhanced Cleaning protocol everyday. This effort shows how our hosts are dedicated to the highest standards and committed to keeping their guests and communities safe,” said Catherine Powell, Head of Hosting at Airbnb.
According to internal Airbnb guest review data, 95 percent of all Airbnb reviews show that guests are satisfied with cleaning, scoring it at 4 or 5 stars (out of five stars) after their stays. Since the program launched, Enhanced Clean listings have had an average cleanliness rating of 4.8 stars, according to guest reviews.
In addition, as more guests opt to travel by car instead of plane, the percentage of bookings made on Airbnb within 200 miles has grown in the last months. Below are the top ten destinations with the highest concentration of Airbnb Enhanced Clean listings:
Telluride, Colorado, US
Destin, Florida, US
Walla Walla, Washington, US
Panama City Beach, Florida, US
Oregon Coast, US
Peak District, Hope Valley, UK
Grant County, Washington, US
Big Sky, Montana, US
Mammoth Lakes, California, US
Winter Park, Colorado, US
Airbnb hosts need to comply with guidance from governments or health authorities in their local jurisdictions. They remain committed to working with local governments, medical experts and other authorities to help ensure appropriate precautions are taken and inform the reopening of communities and their tourism economies.
Your kids may not know about the laminated blue and yellow Blockbuster card, but you sure do. In fact, if you’re like us, some of your greatest memories are perusing the Blockbuster aisles looking at all the VCR boxes before settling on the one flick you’d get to bring home that weekend (oops, I think we just dated ourselves with VCR?). Fast-forward to 2020 and you can now rent the last Blockbuster store for an epic movie night sleepover. Read on for the scoop on this Airbnb Blockbuster rental.
The Blockbuster in Bend, Oregon is a throwback to the ’90s, replete with a pull-out couch and bean bags and pillows. Renters will enjoy everything they need for a classic ’90s movie night. According to the Airbnb listing, “Crack open a two-liter of Pepsi before locking into a video game, charting your future in a game of MASH, or watching movie after movie. But be wary of reciting ‘Bloody Mary’ in the staff bathroom off of the break room, as you just may summon the ghost rumored to haunt the store. And help yourself to some NERDS, Raisinets and popcorn (heavy on the butter), but make sure you save room for a couple slices.”
Stay the entire night or watch movies until you can’t keep your eyes open anymore. Rest assured you’ll have the store to yourself from check-in to check-out, with the entire space sanitized in compliance with Airbnb’s Enhanced Cleaning Protocol.
And, the price is a throwback, too: each night costs only $4, a penny more than the Blockbuster rental fee.
The catch? Because of COVID-19, you must be a resident of Deschutes County. For those lucky enough to live nearby, set your clocks for Aug. 17 at 1 p.m. PST when the rental becomes available to book.
For those who can’t live out their ’90s nostalgic dreams, shop some throwback swag to help support the store’s staff and community here. And then scroll down for an inside the shop.
Do you dream about starring on Broadway? Now you can reserve vocal coaching or an acting lesson from one of your favorite actors. Broadway Plus lets you choose from their directory to schedule meet and greets, video shout outs or masterclasses with former and current Broadway stars.
The enhanced site features include dedicated artist pages and personalized concierge service, helping theater fans find and connect with the stars of shows like Hamilton, Mean Girls, Wicked, SIX, and dozens more
After launching its interactive digital experiences earlier this year, Broadway Plus, the first and only company to provide Official VIP Broadway experiences, is now releasing a new website, making it easier for fans and aspiring actors to meet their favorite Broadway star with the click of a button.
Through Broadway Plus, fans can book customized, virtual experiences with Broadway’s biggest stars from award-winning shows like Hamilton, Wicked and Mean Girls. The VIP experiences include virtual voice lessons, private concerts, group Q&As, and one-on-one video meet-and-greets. Fans may easily search for specific actors, filter by show, and book an experience with a click. In addition to show-sorting, new categories like Film & TV Stars, Fan Favorites, and Tony Award Nominees enhance the user experience. As always, fans may contact the Broadway Plus Concierge Team to design a one-of-kind custom private event or concert.
“Sharing our love for theater through personalized, bespoke experiences for fans has always been our number one goal. Our new website is the latest testament to that – it allows us to provide VIP Broadway experiences to fans faster than ever,” says Nathaniel Hill, Founder and President of Broadway Plus. “By expanding our offerings online and enhancing the digital experience, we’re able to support our Artists and continue to make Broadway accessible for people all around the world.”
Broadway Plus started out as a concierge service facilitating in-person VIP packages for Broadway shows. When theaters shut down due to the pandemic, they changed their model to offer one-on-one meet-and-greets, voice lessons, parties, concerts and more on Zoom.
The virtual offerings were an immediate success and now Broadway Plus is coordinating more than 100 virtual experiences per week. Broadway Plus is continuously adding new talent to its roster – the company is now working with more than 125 actors.
Visit broadwayplus.com for more information, instant booking, and to be connected with a Broadway expert to design your unique Broadway experience.
More and more attractions and theme parks are slowly starting to reopen. Sesame Place just announced a phased reopening,with capacity limitations, on Jul. 24. The reopening of the park will include strictly enforced and enhanced health and safety protocols for cleaning and sanitizing, physical distancing, face covering requirements, and temperature screening. A new online reservation system will also help manage capacity so that guests can enjoy a safe and fun experience while maintaining physical distancing.
The phased reopening plan was approved by the state of Pennsylvania.
“We thank Governor Wolf for his support of tourism in Pennsylvania as we prepare to reopen Sesame Place on July 24,” said Marc Swanson, interim CEO of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. “We have worked diligently with state and local health officials, outside consultants and attraction industry leaders to enhance our already strict health, safety and cleanliness standards. These protocols and guidelines will be modified based on evolving industry standards and methodologies, public health and governmental directives, and advancing scientific knowledge on the transmissibility of COVID-19.”
“We’re thrilled to reopen our park and celebrate our 40th birthday this year,” said Cathy Valeriano, president of Sesame Place. “We know our guests are eager to return and we are just as excited to continue to provide them with fun, inspiring and memorable experiences, while taking the necessary steps to make families feel safe when they visit our park during this milestone year and beyond.”
Sesame Place has detailed safety information about the measures that guests can expect when the park reopens, including key operational changes. Specific information can be found by visiting sesameplace.com/philadelphia/park-info/park-safety/.
Specific enhancements to key operational areas include:
Guest Arrivals & Ticketing – Enhanced cleaning protocols will be implemented at arrival areas and for high-contact surfaces. Spacing will be increased for our touchless turnstiles enabling appropriate physical distancing.
Restaurants – Restaurants at the park will include arranged seating layouts to accommodate physical distancing. Tables and chairs will be sanitized with increased frequency, condiment and topping stations will be closed, utensils will be pre-packaged, and guests with refillable products will be provided single-use alternatives. Buffet-style service areas will be adjusted or closed until further notice.
Retail Shops – In our retail shops, we will have markings for physical distancing and signage directing guests to defined entrances and exits. To minimize contact of items at checkout, bagging and wrapping materials will be given to customers.
Public Spaces – Across the park and especially in high-contact areas, enhanced cleaning protocols will be implemented. This includes an increased number of hand sanitizer stations, areas with single-direction guest flow, modified seating in venues to maintain physical distancing and cleaning according to enhanced protocols. Lounge chair seating will also be modified to maintain physical distancing.
Rides & Attractions – Queue lines for all rides will have markings for physical distancing and modified seating will be implemented to maintain physical distancing. We will have hand sanitizer available at the entrance and exit of all rides and will increase the frequency of cleaning and sanitizing. Specific protocols will be implemented for water rides for employees and guests and unless play areas meet distancing protocols, they will be temporarily closed. For a list of temporary changes and attraction closures, please visit the attractions page on the website.
Parade, Shows and Meet-and-Greets – Depending on the ability to ensure physical distancing for guests and team members, certain components of shows and meet-and-greets, such as those involving guest interactions, character interactions and photo opportunities will be modified or removed. Parades will be temporarily unavailable. For more information on the parade, shows and character meet-and-greets, please visit the shows & parade page on the website.
To help manage capacity to maintain physical distancing within the park, advance online reservations will be required. 2020 Season Pass Holders will enjoy an exclusive reservation time that opens at 9 a.m. on Jul. 20. Reservations for single day ticket holders will be available starting at 10 a.m. on the same day. Starting TODAY through Jul. 26, guests can take advantage of the ‘Sunny Days on the Way!’ sale with admission starting as low as $39.99. Please visit sesameplace.com/Philadelphia/reservation for more details.
Guests can receive the latest information on hours of operation for each Sesame Place by visiting Sesameplace.com/Philadelphia.
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.
LEGOLAND Hotel is now taking reservations from Jul. 17 on. LEGOLAND Castle Hotel and the rest of LEGOLAND California Resort is getting ready to reopen at a date which will be announced in the near future. Once reopened the resort will operate under adjusted hours. In order to ensure the health and safety of guests and employees the Resort has an extensive plan of enhanced health and safety measures including reduced capacity, cashless payments, social distancing practices and enhanced cleaning regimes set in place.
For more information on how these are being implemented, please visit the LEGOLAND website.
If you need to pick up groceries, but don’t have time to go shopping, Target has the answer. Now Target has expanded their Order Pickup and Drive Up services to include fresh and frozen grocery items. The expanded services will roll out to stores in the Midwest, following successful pilots in the Twin Cities and Kansas City markets, making the enhanced services available in over 400 stores by the end of the month and more than 1,500 in time for the holiday season.
“The speed and convenience of our fulfillment options are unmatched across the country, and they’ve become even more critical for our guests searching for easy and safe ways to shop during the pandemic. By adding fresh grocery to the pickup services our guests already love, we’re giving them even more reasons to shop at Target,” says John Mulligan, Target’s chief operating officer. “During a time when even more people are looking for different ways to get the items they need, we’ll continue to invest in making Target the easiest and safest place to shop.”
The new availability includes 750 items across produce, dairy, bakery, meat and frozen products. Guests can now purchase the grocery items they need along with the staples they have already been ordering through Drive Up and Order Pickup. As always, these orders will be ready within a few hours.
Target’s Drive Up service is completely contactless, and the order is brought directly to your car in less than two minutes. Order Pickup and Drive Up are completely free and do not require a membership or a minimum order. RedCard holders and Target Circle member discounts and benefits apply to Drive Up and Order Pickup as well.
It’s time to push the refresh button! As summer arrives Dunkin’ is looking to give guests a boost of brightness, energy and excitement with their new Dunkin’ Refreshers iced beverages. Refreshers iced beverages will be available at participating Dunkin’ restaurants nationwide beginning Jun. 17.
Made with iced green tea, flavored fruit concentrate, and B vitamins, Dunkin’ Refreshers are beautifully bold beverages that will keep guests feeling renewed and refreshed. Dunkin’ Refreshers are available in two vibrant varieties, Strawberry Dragonfruit flavored and Peach Passion Fruit flavored. Both beverages are under 200 calories and are made without artificial dyes and flavors.
To help everyone celebrate summer with a refreshing taste at a special price, the brand is offering medium Dunkin’ Refreshers for $2 all day at participating Dunkin’ restaurants nationwide through Jul. 28.
According to Jill Nelson, Vice President, Marketing Strategy at Dunkin’, “Dunkin’ has been there to keep our guests running during these difficult months. Now, with the start of summer, it’s the perfect time for something fresh and exciting to energize and enliven people again. With a combination of iced green tea, B vitamins, and bright bursts of flavor, Dunkin’ Refreshers stand apart as the perfect, new choice to help anyone get their glow back.”
Currently, the vast majority of Dunkin’ restaurants across the country remain open and have put enhanced preventative health and safety measures in place. In an ongoing effort to help keep its guests and restaurant employees safe, Dunkin’ is currently limiting service to drive-thru, carry-out, delivery, and curbside pick-up at select locations. Guests can order and pay contactless on the Dunkin’ App for a quick, grab-and-go experience.
Take your love for Super Mario beyond the screen. The LEGO group just revealed the full product portfolio for its LEGO Super Mario experience. Fans can expand on the LEGO Super Mario range announced in April with a whole new range of Expansion Sets, collectible Character Packs and Power-Up Packs.
This unique partnership between LEGO and Nintendo will reinvent the way people interact with Super Mario in the physical world. The products announced today give fans the chance to build Mario’s house, search for treasure hidden by Toad and defeat a Koopa Troopa in the Guarded Fortress.
The partnership was announced earlier this year, and in April the fun-packed Adventures with Mario Starter Course was revealed alongside two Expansion Sets. The Starter Course is key to unlocking the entire play, being the only set to feature the interactive LEGO Mario figure that collects coins in game levels created with LEGO bricks. LEGO Super Mario brings new interactivity and gameplay to the traditional LEGO brick experience.
All sets come with their own series of unique challenges and characters for fans to play with, or to play against friends. In addition to the Piranha Plant Power Slide Expansion Set and Bowser’s Castle Boss Battle Expansion Set announced in April, the Expansion Set line-up includes: the Guarded Fortress Expansion Set, the Mario’s House & Yoshi Expansion Set, the Toad’s Treasure Hunt Expansion Set, the Desert Pokey Expansion Set, the Whomp’s Lava Trouble Expansion Set and the Boomer Bill Barrage Expansion Set.
Also announced today are ten collectible enemy characters that are available in blind bag Character Packs, adding that extra level of excitement. Each pack will contain a buildable character and action tag to play with – it could be a Paragoomba, Fuzzy, Spiny, Buzzy Beetle, Bullet Bill, Bob-omb, Eep Cheep, Blooper, Urchin or Peepa.
Every Expansion Set and collectible Character is made to be used with the Adventures with Mario Starter Course, for an enhanced play experience. The entry point set features seven action bricks for different interactions with the LEGO Mario figure, which has LCD screens in its eyes, mouth and belly to display instant reactions to movement, color and action bricks. In May, the LEGO Group and Nintendo also announced a series of Power-Up Packs – including Cat Mario and Builder Mario – to help boost gameplay with a variety of suits for LEGO Mario that each reveal new features and powers.
“With today’s announcement, 16 LEGO Super Mario sets have been introduced and I am really looking forward to seeing how people’s play expands with these and the unique Power-Up Packs,” said Takashi Tezuka, Executive Officer and Game Producer of Nintendo Co., Ltd. “Each player’s preferences and imagination are different. By adding already owned LEGO bricks onto the Starter Course, and different LEGO Super Mario expansion sets, we hope that people can create various different Mario worlds and continue enjoying them indefinitely.”
“The reaction to LEGO Super Mario has been incredible,” said Jonathan Bennink, Digital Design Lead on LEGO Super Mario, the LEGO Group. “Super Mario is such an icon – and fans have been highly anticipating the release of the full details of the product line. Our entire range – from the Starter Course to the Power Up Packs, through to the Expansion Sets and Character Packs – have been built to bring Super Mario, his friends – and his enemies – to life. We love how creative Nintendo and LEGO fans are, and can’t wait for them to unleash their imaginations in how they interact with Super Mario in the real world.”
Fans will also love the free LEGO Super Mario app created by the LEGO Group, a supporting feature to further enhance the physical play experience. It keeps track of scores to encourage continuous rebuilding, as well as providing digital building instructions with zoom and rotate viewing tools to make building easier, suggestions of other creative ways to build and play, and a safe forum to share ideas with friends.
The full LEGO Super Mario assortment will launch Aug. 1, but fans can preorder the LEGO Super Mario Starter Course on www.LEGO.com and from select leading retailers around the world now (subject to availability).
