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Roughly half a mile behind the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Ariels Grotto in Walt Disney World sits a nondescript cement warehouse with the words the can-do people written on the outside. Should tourists somehow get lost in that corner, located just outside the Magic Kingdom, its a place they would never pay attention to. What they might never imagine, however, is that generic building is the lynchpin of the Disney experience. Welcome to Central Shops, a rarely spoken part of Disney thats off-limits to visitors and most of the companys cast members (Disneys term for its employees). Its ground zero for Disney Worlds ride safety and an essential part of park operations around the world. With 417 employees spanning 15 trades, from electricians to carpenters to painters, Central Shops is where every ride in the four Orlando theme parks is regularly inspected to ensure theyre safe to ride. At the same time, its also the corner of Disney where character heads for in-park meet-and-greets and parades in all global parks are manufactured. (Put another way, every Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, and Donald you see at the parks had their noggins made here.) [Photo: Disney] Ripping apart Disney World rides Ride inspection is, arguably, the most important job of Central Shops. Every ride vehicle in the four Orlando theme parks ends up here on a recurring basis for inspectionand its far from a quick one. Ride vehicles are torn apart, down to their components. Every panel, bolt, etc. is inspected individually, a process that generally takes between 12 and 18 weeks from start to finish, says Fred Cox, director of manufacturing. For dark rides, like a Haunted Mansion Doom Buggy, a log flume from Tianas Bayou Adventure, or a horse on Prince Charmings Carousel, thats done on a calendar basis, scheduled breaks when select cars are taken out of commission and inspected. For thrill rides, like Space Mountain, its meter-based, meaning vehicles are taken off the line after theyve been ridden a predetermined number of times. On a recent press trip through Central Shops, we saw a number of rides in various states of inspection. A collection of parts on one side was barely identifiable as a ride car from Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. A few steps away, a honey pot from The Many Adventure of Winnie the Pooh gleamed, following a touch-up to its fiberglass. Sitting off to the side was a disassembled teacup from the Mad Tea Party. And scattered throughout the shop were parts of Astro Orbiter, a ride that has been completely (and temporarily) removed from the Magic Kingdom. Every 10 years, explained Rich Votava, manager of manufacturing, the bearing at the bottom of the ride (which sits atop the People Mover in Tomorrowland) needs to be replaced. Imagineers remove it completely, giving Central Shops a chance to inspect all the ride elements, from the boom arms on the decorative planets on the ride to the ride cars. (The Disney World ride is expected to be back in the park this summer, likely in May or June.) After ride cars are dismantled, each part is carefully inspected, some under X-ray to look for microscopic cracks in the metal. Once each part has been examined and refurbished (if needed), the components of vehicles are put back together, while the shells are repainted or refreshed. Once they are reassembled, cars are then returned to the park, where they run without riders for another two weeks to ensure everything is working properly. After that, visitors begin to pile in once again. (The maintenance schedule of most ride vehicles is staggered so that rides arent forced to close completely, like Astro Orbiter has.) We break it down to the blueprints, says Votava. Safety inspections go beyond ride vehicles, of course. Workers from Central Shops are in the parks nightly once visitors leave to make any necessary repairs and safety inspections for rides. Sometimes, thats done with drones, which inspect areas humans cant easily reachsuch as atop Spaceship Earth in Epcot or under the water at one of the resorts boat piers. And a tool called the Resistograph is used to check the density of wood throughout the park to alert Imagineers if theres rot inside and a piece needs to be replaced. [Photo: Disney] More than machines While theres a lot of engineering work that goes on at Central Shops, theres also a surprising amount of detail touch-up. In addition to creating character heads (in a top-secret room that Disney did not allow members of our press tour to view), the facility also handles repairs to character costumes at the Florida parks. Shoes get scuffed and details torn as Mickey and Buzz Lightyear interact with visitors. The stormtroopers are also getting a glow-up as Star Wars Day (May 4) approaches. Costumes are bought here, where theyre refurbished (a process that can take a week or two). Meanwhile, horses on the Magic Kingdoms carousel are getting a touch-up. They have a lot of sentimental value, as they were purchased by Walt Disney himself, so the hand-carved maple stallions are treated with an especially delicate touch, with touch-ups done by artists and old layers of paint carefully sanded off so as to not hurt the detail of the carving. Some small elements that guests might not even notice are handled in Central Shops as well, such as adding details like the small trunk hairs on a baby elephant from The Jungle Cruise, which have to be inserted one at a time by hand. Its detail-oriented work thats done well out of view, so guests can stay in the Disney bubble. But with more than 115 attractions at the parks (along with more than 50 character experiences), Central Shops is essential to keeping the rides running smoothly and maintaining the parks reputatin as the so-called happiest place on earth.
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If you’re finding yourself contemplating whether you can get an extension on this year’s tax return, you’re not alone. Forty percent of Americans still haven’t filed. Theres something almost perverse about the IRS placing tax day smack-dab in the middle of the loveliest month of the year. Want to enjoy the warm weather, cherry blossoms, and the sunshine reflecting off the pasty white skin of everyone venturing outside for the first time since last fall? Too bad! You have to excavate all of your financial decisions from the previous year while simultaneously trying to remember your math skillsor risk the wrath of an IRS agent named Spike. Thats why its something of a relief that every American taxpayer can get an automatic six-month extension on filing their federal income taxes. But, since this is the IRS were dealing with, there is a catch: You still have to pay what you owe by Tax Day. If filing your 2024 taxes has crept up on you this year (when did it get to be April already?), heres what you need to know about getting an extension while staying on Spike the Auditors good side. File for an extension with Form 4868 While all taxpayers are eligible for an automatic tax return extension, you still need to request one. Thats where Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return comes in. Anyone who fills out and turns in Form 4868 (which can be filed electronically using IRS Free File) by the tax filing deadline of April 15, 2025, automatically receives a six-month extension for filing their 2024 taxes. This pushes the tax filing deadline back to October 15, 2025. Unlike your 1040 and other required tax forms, Form 4868 does not require a great deal of information from you. All you need to provide on this form is the following Your name Current address Social Security number Estimated tax liability for 2024 Amount of 2024 tax you have already paid The form also asks you to subtract your total 2024 payments from your estimated liability to calculate your balance due. Once you have completed and filed the form, you will automatically receive the filing extension. Just remember that youve only extended the deadline for filing your tax paperwork. You still have to hand over your estimated tax liability by April 15. Estimate your tax liability If you, like me, have never once figured out your tax liability (or overpayment, in the years you get a return) without actually filing your taxes, you might be wondering how youre supposed to calculate your estimated tax liability for Form 4868. It doesnt help that the IRS offers this not-at-all ominous warning on Form 4868: Make your estimate as accurate as you can with the information you have. If we later find that the estimate wasnt reasonable, the extension will be null and void. Just in case you werent already stressed about tax season. Thankfully for those seeking a tax return extension, there are some guidelines for making a reasonable estimate of your tax liability. Knowing whats reasonable Since one taxpayers reasonable is anothers gross negligence, the IRS helpfully defines a reasonable estimate as being 90% of the total tax you owe. If your estimate is at least 90% of the real number, and if you pay the remaining 10% or less balance when you file your tax return by the end of the six-month extension period, the IRS considers you all good. W-2 employees Traditionally employed taxpayers will typically have the easiest time estimating their liability. If you remained in the same job in 2023 and 2024 and your income didnt change a great deal, youll just need to look back at your total tax liability for 2023. Go back to your 2023 tax return and check line 24, labeled your total tax. When youve found your 2023 total tax number, subtract the following from it: Any taxes you have already paid in 2024, includingmoney withheld from your paychecks by your employer any estimated tax payments you made Any 2024 tax credits you qualify for, includingthe child tax creditthe child and dependent care credit the earned income tax credit Taking your 2023 total tax liability and subtracting any 2024 taxes paid and 2024 tax credits from it should give you a reasonable approximation of your current liability. Self-employed taxpayers Freelancers, gig workers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners seeking a tax return extension have a tougher task ahead of them when estimating their tax liability. Instead of a handy-dandy W-2, these taxpayers have to rely on their own records to know their income and estimate their taxes. For these taxpayers, start with your total profits and losses from 2024 to get a back-of-the-envelope estimate of your income for the year. Plug that income estimate into a marginal tax rate calculator like this one from Bankrate to calculate your tax liability. Once you have that number, you can subtract any quarterly estimated taxes you paid in 2024, as well as any tax credits you qualify for. This should give you a reasonable estimate of your liability. Job-hopping taxpayers If you had more than one job in 2024, had an extreme change in your income, or otherwise had kind of a weird year money-wise, its probably best to calculate your tax liability with the IRS 1040-ES Estimated Tax Worksheet. This is a 12-page form, which means it will take more work than filling out Form 4868. (It may even be the IRSs Machiavellian scheme to encourage procrastinating taxpayers to just file their taxes already, since this requires almost as much work). But using the 1040-ES will give you the most accurate method of calculating your tax liability if you need to file for the extension. Pay what you oweor else pay even more If you dont cough up the taxes you owe by April 15, there will be consequencesof the financial variety. The first consequence is a late payment penalty. This penalty charges you 0.5% of the unpaid taxes per month or partial month that the taxes remain unpaid. For example, lets you owe Uncle Sam $5,000 for your 2024 taxes. Instead of making the $5,000 on April 15, you wait to pay until you file your tax return on October 15. You will face a 3.0% penalty or $150 because you made your payment six months after the April 15 deadline. The second penalty youll face will be interest chared on your unpaid taxes, which can really be a pain in your bank account. The IRS sets its interest rate at the federal short-term rate, plus 3%, and it changes the rate on a quarterly basis. As of April 2025, the IRS currently charges an interest rate of 7% per year, compounded daily, for underpayment of individual taxes. That means waiting until October 15 to pay your $5,000 in taxes would mean owing $178 in interest (provided the rate does not change). And that interest will continue to accrue until you pay what you owe. Dont forget about state taxes If you live in a state with income tax, you probably need an extension for your state tax filing deadline, too. The good news is that many states automatically grant an extension for state taxes when you apply for a federal tax extension. But thats not true of all statessome require a separate form to receive a state-level extension. You can find out what your state requires here. Just remember that you also have to pay your state income tax by the spring tax deadline, even when you apply for a state-level extension. Theres no avoiding the spring tax payment. Give yourself some breathing room If tax season snuck up on you, an automatic extension can give you more time to file your taxes. Just remember that Uncle Sam still expects the money you owe him on April 15.
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is known for responding to extreme weather like hurricanes and wildfiresthe kinds of disasters that are becoming more intense and more common as climate change gets worse. The agency also has a program that sends billions of dollars proactively to communities, municipalities, and states so that they can prepare for these events before they hit. In an internal FEMA memorandum obtained and first reported by Grist, the Trump administration announced its plans to dismantle that programthe biggest climate adaptation initiative the federal government has ever fundedeven as disasters incur hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of damages across the United States. The decision comes as at least seven people were killed this week as tornadoes and catastrophic flooding descended on the Central United States in what meteorologists called a once-in-a-generation event. The Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, or BRIC, was established in 2018 during President Donald Trumps first term, replacing a similar FEMA initiative. BRICs first round of funding was launched in 2020, when Trump was still in office, and in 2023, the program awarded close to a billion dollars to scores of communities, states, and tribal nations across the country. In January, before Trump began his second term, the agency opened its fiscal year 2024 notice of funding, with $750 million in matching grants made available to applicants from areas that received a major disaster declaration within the past seven years. But FEMA now aims to cancel those grants and any other BRIC grants that have not been paid out yet by the federal government, according to the pre-decisional memo dated April 2 from Cameron Hamilton, a Trump administration official who is serving as FEMA administrator until the president appoints a permanent head of the agency. BRIC was yet another example of a wasteful and ineffective FEMA program, a FEMA spokesperson told Grist. It was more concerned with climate change than helping Americans affected by natural disasters. BRIC generally shoulders 75% of the cost of a given resilience project, and up to 90% of the cost of projects in disadvantaged communities. The programs emphasis on equity is what may have marked it for demolitionthe Trump administration has been systematically dismantling Biden-era efforts to infuse equity into governmental programs and direct more climate spending toward underrepresented groups. FEMA employees disputed Hamiltons argument in the memo that BRIC grants have not enhanced the level of hazard mitigation as much as desired. I dont know where that came from, said one agency employee who preferred to stay anonymous. According to a source within the agency, the Trump administration asked BRIC staffers to offer justification for the program and its Direct Technical Assistance sister initiative, which offers nonfinancial support to help communities navigate the BRIC funding process and identify the hazards they face. The request was made on Tuesday this week with a Wednesday deadline. With a tight turnaround, staffers offered success stories from across the country. BRIC awards have helped communities bury power lines, build culverts, protect wastewater facilities from being inundated by flooding, and upgrade power stations. If BRIC is frozen, communities will no longer be able to apply for the grants for fiscal year 2024 made available in January. Projects that have been selected in past years but not yet disbursed funds will no longer receive payment. Partially completed projects will be scrutinized and reviewed, the memo said. The administration now has one of FEMAs most effective grant programs on the chopping block, said Shana Udvardy, a senior climate resilience policy analyst with the Climate and Energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Its oversubscribed almost every single year. In fiscal year 2023, FEMA received more than 1,200 subapplications across all 50 states, 35 tribes, five territories, and Washington, D.C., totaling more than $5.6 billion in requests. It was able to provide less than a fifth of the money requested. A looming question is whether FEMA can yank grants that are being funded with money appropriated by Congress. The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the bipartisan infrastructure law, allocated approximately $6.8 billion to FEMA for community-wide mitigation efforts, with a portion of this funding directed to the BRIC program. If this administration does away with the program, it goes against a law that Congress passed, Udvardy said, so theres a concern there to be raised. This article originally appeared in Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Sign up for its newsletter here.
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