Disney Bedtime Hotline Returns for Limited Time

The Disney Bedtime Hotline, a defunct, toll-free phone number that Disney fans could call to get a good-night message from some of their favorite characters owned by the company, is returning for a limited time, as parents struggle to find some semblance of routine for kids whose lives have been upended by school closures during the novel coronavirus pandemic. The number last worked in September 2019, and was tied to the launch of a Disney "sleep shop" that marketed products like storybooks and pyjamas at kids and their parents. The Sleep Shop link is still up and running, and already has an image at top announcing the return of the Bedtime Hotline.

While last time around, there were Star Wars, Marvel, and Pixar characters involved, this time it's all classic Disney Animation original characters. Kids can get messages from Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, or Goofy.

It seems possible that the extra red tape involved with getting actor clearances and such for the other characters might be why this time around is a little more streamlined. It could also just be that, technologically, it was a lot simpler to keep the the hotline simpler.

The Hotline restarts today, April 17, and will run for two weeks, ending on April 30. During that time, young Disney fans can listen to messages from some of their favorite Disney characters before falling asleep. If you are interested in this free service, parents can simply call 1-877-7-MICKEY for one of the messages. Disney has also launched a portal at ShopDisney.com/BedtimeHotline for parents to download activity cards and rewards charts.

The greetings aren't entirely unlike the ones that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse star Jake Johnson has been recording for kids and sending to parents since social distancing began in the U.S. In those, you can submit a kid's name via a specially-set-up email account and Johnson will record a short, personalized message in character as Peter B. Parker, his character from the Academy Award-winning animated film.