A Disneyland employee died after she fell from a moving golf cart in the backstage area of the Southern California theme park, authorities said Saturday.

Disneyland performers who help bring Mickey Mouse, Cinderella and other beloved characters to life have chosen to unionize following a three-day vote.

Disney has received another key approval to expand its Southern California theme parks in its first push to make major changes to its iconic Disneyland in decades.

Disney is seeking approval from local officials to expand its California theme park offerings over the next four decades.

A group of Disneyland performers in California are considering joining a union.

Disneyland’s fire-breathing animatronic dragon burst into flames during the popular “Fantasmic” show.

Next month will mark one year since the tragedy at Robb Elementary, where 19 children and two teachers were killed.

A lawsuit claims Disneyland employees snickered at a disabled woman struggling to get off a Jungle Cruise boat before she fell and broke a leg, leading to her death months later.

The Walt Disney Co. is making several changes at its domestic theme parks in order to improve the public perception of its business.

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.

For those that are interested in ringing in the new year in a different way, moviegoers can sync their New Year’s countdown to film with the help of a particular website.

This week’s new entertainment releases include new music from producer and multiinstrumentalist Jack Antonoff and Billie Eilish, whose upcoming “Happier Than Ever” is the second studio album from the 19-year-old superstar.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has celebrated the lifting of most COVID-19 restrictions in the nation's most populated state.

Disneyland has reopened in Southern California.

Disneyland has reopened after a 13-month closure.

(AP Photo/Christophe Ena)LONDON — Ireland has given out half a million coronavirus vaccinations about two months after the first inoculation. Evidence suggests this variant can spread more easily than most currently circulating strains of the coronavirus, health officials say. State health officials urge people to maintain precautions, particularly during spring break and Easter gatherings, as the state tries to ramp up vaccinations. Sri Lanka has so far received 1 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in neighboring India, which donated half of the doses. The Missoulian reported Friday that in Missoula County, Granite Pharmacy has enough vaccine doses to vaccinate all 2,000 county teachers.

Amusement parks also will be permitted to reopen in counties that have fallen from the state's purple tier — the most restrictive — to the red tier. The move followed a week of milestones, with California ramping up vaccinations for the poorest neighborhoods, counties reopening more businesses and Gov. Outdoor sports will be limited to 100 people in the purple tier but will increase up to 67% in the yellow tier. Teams and event organizers can only sell tickets regionally in the purple tier. No concessions will be allowed in the purple tier, while in others, concession sales will only be available at seats.

(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)BEIJING — China says it is now treating more than 1,000 people for COVID-19 as numbers of cases continue to surge in the country’s north. ___AUSTIN, Texas — Texas has distributed more than 1 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. State health officials say Texas had more than 14,000 COVID-19 patients in hospitals and its death toll has passed 30,000. ___COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina will now allow medical students, retired nurses and other qualified professionals to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. ___MADRID — Spain reported 35,878 confirmed coronavirus cases and 201 new deaths from the coronavirus.

But following industry criticism of the proposed rules, state health officials said no announcement was coming Friday as negotiations continue. Amusement park leaders saw a draft of the new rules Thursday and urged state officials to change them, said Erin Guerrero, executive director of the California Attractions and Parks Association. A Disney official said there have been no major reported outbreaks in Florida associated with the company’s theme parks and declined to say whether any cases have occurred there. Ian Henderson, a spokesman for Steel’s office, said county health officials have worked closely with Disney to prepare for the reopening of its parks. ___Taxin reported from Orange County, California.

(AP Photo/Audrey McAvoy)HONOLULU -- Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell says the city plans to allow some activities that were shut down last month to control the spread of the coronavirus to resume under new guidelines. Gary Herbert will increase pandemic restrictions in two Utah cities as COVID-19 cases continue to surge in the state. The county accounted for 42% of the state’s cases despite having only 20% of state’s population. Eric Holcomb’s statewide mask mandate and other coronavirus restrictions poses a possible disruption to his reelection campaign. But the real toll is thought to be much higher, in part because many COVID-19 deaths were probably ascribed to other causes, especially early on, before widespread testing.

Texas The rumors about Disneyland leaving California for Texas are not true despite a rumor that has gained traction online. A satirical website called UncleWalts.com reported on Aug. 31 that the theme park would be relocating to Texas and noted that the new location would be revealed soon. The terms of use on the website clearly state that the website is satirical and has no basis in fact. UncleWalts.com also reported that SeaWorld San Diego would be relocating to San Antonio on Sunday - another fictitious rumor. Check out these 18 places to fish near San Antonio.

It’s transformation central at Disney Parks in the U.S., as Disney officially announced that it has big plans for Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. MORE: Petition calls for Disney Parks to change theme of Splash MountainIf you haven’t heard of the film, you’re not alone. If you’re unfamiliar with Splash Mountain, here’s a little background. Splash Mountain follows happy-go-lucky Br’er Rabbit as he looks for his “laughing place.” All the while, Br’er Bear and Br’er Fox are in hot pursuit of Br’er Rabbit. “Many adults and children ride this attraction because it brings back childhood memories,” the “Keep Splash Mountain” petition said.

If you’re like us and are no longer following your quarantine diet, Disney’s favorite frozen snack can be yours to make at home. Dole Whip has become a must-eat for families and Disney fans alike. The theme parks remain closed, however, you can bring the park magic home by creating your own Dole Whip treats. There are two ways to create a Dole Whip: Dole’s recipe and Disney’s recipe. Share your Dole Whip creations with us in the comments below!

CNN – Fans of Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California are already dreaming of the parks' eventual reopening down the distant road. After all, masks and wipes and social distancing were not part of the Disney experience before the March closures. Thomas Mazloum, senior vice president of Walt Disney World Resorts and Transportation Operations, is a member of the task force. The task force also gave suggested guidelines for Orange County hotels, including the encouragement of mobile check-ins, limited housekeeping services and self-parking by guests. Until the parks are actually up and running again, it's hard to know exactly what the experience for guests will be like.

But one man in California went a step further and was lucky enough to get a birds-eye view of Disneyland Resort without pixie dust, a magic carpet or a lucky feather. Disneyland has a temporary flight restriction that restricts pilots from flying anywhere near the park, within 3,000 feet. During his flight, Muzio visited much of Orange County, which included stops at Angel Stadium, El Dorado Park and Long Beach Airport, to name a few. However, our favorite sight was that of a closed Disneyland park without a single person to be seen. While the view from above is great, anyone who’s been there would likely agree: nothing beats the view from the ground.

Disney tunes have a way of getting us out of the rut we’re in and putting a smile on our face. Each music provider has a Disney playlist filled with hundreds of songs from every Disney film known to man. Having the right playlist is an important task -- and choosing the right playlist shouldn’t be taken lightly. Everyone should have a Disney playlist saved, ready to be played at any moment. The playlist is a melting pot of classic Disney hits, Disney covers and songs you can hear when visiting a Disney theme park.