A Blog About Disney Stuff

This week’s SATURDAY SIX takes a look at recent theme park news via MEMES! Late last year we here at the SATURDAY SIX asked an important question: Is December 2019 the craziest month in theme park history? Turns out the answer was a resounding NO, because each and every month since then has been even crazier than the one before it. In fact, the world we are currently living in now is like that scene in the movie Interstellar where the astronauts visit a planet where one second is the same length of time as one year back on planet Earth.

In the year 2020, the news is coming at us faster than ever before. The only thing that moves faster than the news? MEMES. What better way to start an article on memes than to look back at ones covering 2020…

# 6 – The 2020 Celebration

One of the more mind-boggling things Disney has ever done – and keep in mind this is a company that once sold a hot dog using a baked potato as a roll – was back in the year 2000 when it erected a giant wand outside Spaceship Earth. Widely thought of as one of the worst creative decisions that The Mouse has done with one of its park icons, Twitter user @TheDisneyDelete gave the world a present by uploading a picture of the wand and encouraging people to “desecrate” other theme park institutions, leading to fun and frivolity.

Throughout the storied history of this fine blog series, we have mentioned our friend @drunkatdisney. “Drunky” – as he was affectionately known – was the male model for our look at the Worst Places To Propose at Walt Disney World and our award-winning special investigation into Disney Pet Peeves. Unfortunately, earlier this year Twitter decided to permanently ban Drunky from the social media platform. However, DisTwitter being DisTwitter, instead of mourning our fallen comrade, many have spent the following months having fun at his expense.

# 5 – Boardwalk’s Clown Pool Gets Even Scarier

When you’re thinking of iconic Disney structures to attach the “2020 wand” to, the creepy clown pool at Disney’s Boardwalk Resort is a no-brainer.

However, the infamous clown pool made even bigger news recently when it was discovered that Disney was taking it apart and – most likely – replacing it with something totally different.

The memesmiths of DisTwitter were of course going to have fun with this, including one user replacing the clown with one of the even weirder looking “nanny chairs” from the Boardwalk’s lobby.

 

The best thing to come out of this whole situation at Boardwalk is this loving tribute to the infamous clown pool by Twitter user @SonderQuest. If that name sounds familiar it’s because we recently featured a SonderQuest drawing in our look at the Disney Sing Along Series – Disneyland Fun.

# 4 – Does It REALLY Look Like a Starship?

One of the most popular accounts on both DisTwitter and theme park YouTube is the Disney Food Blog. However, as Spider-Man famously taught us, with great power comes great responsibility. Recently the “DFB” took people by surprise when a tweet of theirs featured an aerial photo by @bioreconstruct and wrote the following:

It’s fair to say that not everyone agreed with this statement.

All the popular GIFs for people squinting or giving the side eye were used in response.

One Twitter user explained why the building does NOT look like a spaceship.

While another user chose the moment to just troll instead.

# 3 – How It Started/ How It’s Going

We’ve mentioned in several meme-related articles in the past that often times popular meme formats that have nothing to do with theme parks quickly make their way to DisTwitter. In late September, a Twitter user started a meme trend by posting a screenshot of two people having a conversation in “DM” and a second photo with them together as a couple. The “DM” photo was to show people how the relationship started, and the second with them together was to show people “how it’s going.” The format itself went viral, with thousands – if not millions – of others doing a similar format with their relationships. After doing the How It Started/How It’s Going with personal relationships, DisTwitter then went to work using stuff only us diehards would understand, including this one featuring Walt Disney himself explaining the concept of the Experimental Prototype City Of Tomorrow compared to a certain wand we discussed earlier….

Staying with EPCOT, one user showed the former and current states of Innoventions.

While another took advantage of the seemingly never ending construction of the Space 220 Restaurant in EPCOT by using a photo of Bob Chapek announcing the restaurant back at a D23 Expo event in 2017 along with a more recent photo showing the venue still under wraps. Who would have ever known that in late 2019, when the executive chef of Space 220 quit unexpectedly, that the restaurant would not even open in the following year?

One user “went for the feels” using an old timey photo of kids running happily through Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland compared to an abandoned Disneyland knock-off park in Japan.

However one of my favorite memes of this format was one which used two empty photos of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, bringing up memories of last year’s disastrous opening of the land out in California.

Readers of the monthly Disney Outlet Photo Report will appreciate this meme. While the Disney Parks opened earlier this summer, it wasn’t until last month that the Disney Outlet Stores in Orlando re-opened and – of course – the first people there were eBay pirates.

This past week we celebrated “Back to the Future Day”, as October 21st was the day Marty McFly hopped into the Delorean and traveled from 1985 back to 1955.

However, some people still just like to troll.

 

# 2 – Pope Francis Holding Things

In 2013, a photo of Pope Francis holding a Eucharist wafer during communion was taken. In the years following, that photo has been redone to show the Pope holding all sorts of various items. However, like everything, October 2020 took things up a notch by presenting a tiled version of the Pope Francis photo. In this new format, the users take three photos of Pope Francis broken up and add a fourth photo in to make it appear the Pope is holding something particular as if it were “holy.”

For theme park fans, this would include a phone showing an elusive Boarding Group 1 for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance attraction.

Or a Ronto Wrap.

DisTwitter Meme Icon @SuperWeenieHtJr chose one of the beloved entrants to the Disney Signage Hall of Shame.

May be a good time to remind everyone that The Mandalorian Season Two debuts next week on Disney+.

With Disney owning Marvel, we’re going to count this meme using an unforgettable moment from Spider-Man 2.

This one featuring baby Simba is straight up E-Ticket.

Universal fans still holding out hope.

And of course we can’t forget Bacini – the official dog of Distwitter – especially right off his stay at Disney’s Fort Wilderness.

# 1 – Disneyland Reopening Guidelines

It has been quite the week for the Disney parks out in California. The state finally released the guidelines for which theme parks could re-open, and they were just about impossible. So, what can Disney do with parks they can’t open to guests? I had one thought…

Which led to a suggestion on what I could do with The Happiest Place on Earth.

SuperWeenie also brainstormed on what Disney could do with DCA to generate some money while the rides were closed. We can not confirm or deny that this is what gave Disney the idea to open DCA for shopping and dining.

Like Disneyland and DCA, Universal’s theme park in California is still closed because of the strict guidelines that California has imposed on their business. The park’s Twitter account has the following tweet which alludes to the 25% capacity the parks will be allowed to operate at once they are allowed to reopen their doors.

The President of Disneyland Resort had a more formal response.

However, this meme sums up the thoughts more succinctly and accurately.

Honorable Mention: WDW Prepares for the Park’s 50th Anniversary in 2021

So there you have it: The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via MEMES! See you next weekend for the latest installment of the SATURDAY SIX, where we’ll look at something fun from the world of Disney and Universal. If you enjoyed yourself, be sure to check out The Magic, The Memories, and Merch! articles covering the latest from the Disney Outlet Stores. You can also follow Your Humble Author on Twitter (@derekburgan).

If you enjoyed this article, you will surely like the following: 

The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 1)

The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 2)

The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 3)

The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 4)

The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 5)

The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 6)

The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 7)

The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 8)

The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 9)

The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 10)

The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 11)

Special Thanks to The Elite Brandon Glover, the bio-est of all reconstructs @bioreconstruct, Captain Cruiseline Scott Sanders of the world famous Disney Cruise Line Blog, my personal protege Hunter “Elvey” Underwood, the SAT SIX Fun Squad of Parkscope Joe and “the Dadalorian” Nick, hot shot Michael Carelli, charter member of the Universal Four @Nitro230, and Hermione Granger’s tutor Megan Stump for their invaluable assistance with this article. The SAT SIX is inspired each week by goofballs Aengus Mackenzie and LitemAndHyde and you Potterheads will  enjoy Meg’s other blog work over at the Central Florida Slug Club.

The post The SATURDAY SIX Celebrates MEMEtoberfest: Looking at Theme Park News While Asking “Does the Star Wars Hotel REALLY Look Like a Spaceship?” appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Saturday Six, Walt Disney World (FL), Epcot, meme, saturday six, Space 220

In previous posts about this week’s wait times, we’ve discussed how dramatically busier the Walt Disney World theme parks are during the weekends. With most of the visitation to the parks coming from Florida residents and other nearby regions, weekdays are the best time for lower wait times. Now that it’s Friday we’ve seen the average wait times at practically each of the four parks increase by 15 minutes compared to yesterday. Let’s take a look.

Magic Kingdom Wait Times

Today was full of numbers ones at Magic Kingdom, as in the average wait times at all, but four attractions were the highest they’ve been in the past 7 days. The lowest average wait time was still 15 minutes, whereas during the week it’s been less than 10 minutes.

The big winner today was Big Thunder Mountain Railroad which had an average wait time today of 70 minutes. Its 7-day average is 43 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 44 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #56 for the past year. We received 6 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 75% of the posted wait time.

Normally, Splash Mountain has the longest average wait time of the day, but today’s rainy weather probably impacted its popularity. Another popular thrill ride, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train had an average wait time today of 69 minutes. Its 7-day average is 62 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 365-day average is 84 minutes, so today ranks #139 for the past year.

Even “it’s a small world” did not have a small wait, with an average wait time today of 46 minutes. Its 7-day average is 37 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 36 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 32 minutes, so today ranks #30 for the past year.

A different kind of cruise, Jungle Cruise had an average wait time today of 46 minutes. Its 7-day average is 43 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 42 minutes, so today ranks #4 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 55 minutes, so today ranks #134 for the past year.

And another famous boat ride, Pirates of the Caribbean had an average wait time today of 55 minutes. Its 7-day average is 48 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 50 minutes, so today ranks #8 for the past month. We received 8 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 73% of the posted wait time.

Although not a boat ride, a nautical adventure can be found at Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid, which had an average wait time today of 33 minutes. Its 7-day average is 26 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 27 minutes, so today ranks #6 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 24 minutes, so today ranks #67 for the past year. We received 5 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 48% of the posted wait time.

One of the few attractions with an average wait time under 30 minutes, the Mad Tea Party had an average wait time today of 15 minutes. Its 7-day average is 13 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 13 minutes, so today ranks #9 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 15 minutes, so today ranks #106 for the past year.

And with another relatively low wait time, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin had an average wait time today of 18 minutes. Its 7-day average is 13 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 14 minutes, so today ranks #4 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 23 minutes, so today ranks #135 for the past year.

Suffice to say, visiting Magic Kingdom Friday – Sunday is not the way to have a magical day.

EPCOT Wait Times

Wait times increased today compared to midweek, but things will increase even more tomorrow and Sunday at EPCOT. The rainy weather today may have kept some would-be attendees at bay.

Today was a great day to head down Mexico way aboard the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, which had an average wait time today of 10 minutes. Its 7-day average is 11 minutes, so today ranks #4 for this week. Its 30-day average is 11 minutes, so today ranks #18 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 10 minutes, so today ranks #106 for the past year.

It was also a decent day to visit Figment at Journey Into Imagination With Figment, which had an average wait time today of 14 minutes. Its 7-day average is 18 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 15 minutes, so today ranks #10 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 15 minutes, so today ranks #101 for the past year.

Today was a popular day to travel through time aboard Spaceship Earth, which had an average wait time today of 22 minutes. Its 7-day average is 19 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 18 minutes, so today ranks #8 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 22 minutes, so today ranks #116 for the past year. We received 7 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 86% of the posted wait time.

Traffic aboard Test Track today was about as heavy as Interstate 4, with an average wait time today of 66 minutes. Its 7-day average is 69 minutes, so today ranks #3 for this week. Its 30-day average is 62 minutes, so today ranks #11 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 58 minutes, so today ranks #65 for the past year.

If you’ve got to visit during a busy weekend, have a special tool at your side. Subscribe today and get our Lines app too.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Wait Times

Today’s wait times at many attractions were not as long as other days in this 7-day period. Let’s look at some of the attractions that had lower wait times compared to other recent days.

Overall today was a good day to travel to a galaxy far, far away. Star Tours: The Adventures Continue had an average wait time today of 29 minutes. Its 7-day average is 33 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 29 minutes, so today ranks #16 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 27 minutes, so today ranks #89 for the past year.

And, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run had an average wait time today of 60 minutes. Its 7-day average is 65 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 30-day average is 61 minutes, so today ranks #15 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 64 minutes, so today ranks #132 for the past year.

Today’s wait time at The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror was 10 minutes lower than recent average, with an average wait time today of 46 minutes. Its 7-day average is 57 minutes, so today ranks #5 for this week. Its 30-day average is 51 minutes, so today ranks #21 for the past month.

Today you could play with Andy’s toys at Toy Story Mania! with an average wait time today of 28 minutes. Its 7-day average is 31 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 31 minutes, so today ranks #21 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 47 minutes, so today ranks #170 for the past year. We received 6 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 46% of the posted wait time.

Boarding groups at Rise of the Resistance were strong in the Force today, which ran well most of the day. That’s two relatively smooth days in a row.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Wait Times

Animal Kingdom is the easiest park to visit, but even today showed some long wait times. Several attractions had their highest average wait times for the past 7 day period. Let’s look at the highs and the lows.

Today was a peak day at Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain, which had an average wait time today of 47 minutes. Its 7-day average is 31 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 30 minutes, so today ranks #2 for the past month. We received 5 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 67% of the posted wait time.

It was a good day to visit Kilimanjaro Safaris, which had an average wait time today of 20 minutes. Today’s rain may have impacted the wait time at Safaris, though for me personally a rainy day is a unique experience for seeing animals here. Its 7-day average is 25 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 21 minutes, so today ranks #17 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 52 minutes, so today ranks #168 for the past year.

A surprise result today is TriceraTop Spin, which had an average wait time today of 10 minutes. Its 7-day average is 6 minutes, so today ranks #1 for this week. Its 30-day average is 6 minutes, so today ranks #1 for the past month. Its 365-day average is 8 minutes, so today ranks #52 for the past year.

It was an interesting day on Pandora as Na’vi River Journey had an average wait time today of 48 minutes. Its 7-day average is 49 minutes, so today ranks #2 for this week. Its 30-day average is 44 minutes, so today ranks #8 for the past month. We received 4 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 93% of the posted wait time.

Meanwhile, Avatar Flight of Passage had an average wait time today of 52 minutes. Its 7-day average is 82 minutes, so today ranks #6 for this week. Its 30-day average is 61 minutes, so today ranks #18 for the past month. We received 5 actual wait times today, and the actual wait averaged 65% of the posted wait time.

The post The Weekend Rush is Here – Walt Disney World Wait Times Friday, October 23, 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Attractions, Trip Planning, Walt Disney World (FL), walt disney world crowds, walt disney world wait times

EPCOT has a good balance of attractions, from thrills to relaxed chills. But there may be folks in your group that prefer to just chill and avoid the thrills. In that case it’s good to know where the exits to the rides they are not interested in are at so they can plan to meet up with you when you’re done.

If you want to meet up with your party at the exit area there are some nice options in EPCOT. You can also go through the queue with your party so you can stick together, and then let the Cast Member know you do not wish to ride, and they’ll direct you to where you can wait to meet your party. While in line, browse our Lines app to check out ratings for all the restaurants in the park. Place your lunch, snack, or dinner order through mobile ordering in the MyDisneyExperience app so your food will be ready when you’re done.

Here’s where to locate the exit for some of EPCOT’s most popular attractions, and yes, many of them do exit into a gift shop.

• Soarin’ – As fun as Soarin’ can be, for some folks the idea of feeling like you’re flying is not appealing. There is a nice waiting area with seats to the right of the ride’s entrance. Guests exiting the ride will walk right past this area.
• Mission: Space – This attraction uses a centrifuge to give the intense feelings of space travel, which for many does not sound like a blast. There are two waiting areas for this attraction. One is outside, in the courtyard of the ride’s entrance. The other is inside, which can be accessed by entering the gift shop located to the left of the ride’s entrance.
• Test Track – Although you tend to go fast of most major highways, Test Track’s high speed and banked track is not a thrill everyone is after. There are two waiting areas for this ride too. Both areas are located to the right of the ride’s entrance, around the side of the building. The interior area has lots of seating and exhibits to view.
• Frozen Ever After – If the cold does bother you anyway, there’s not any place to sit and wait for your party at Frozen Ever After, but the interior queue has lots of fun details so it may be worth going in line with your party. Otherwise, this ride exits into a gift shop. There’s also some benches and shade near Anna and Elsa’s meet and greet which is temporarily closed.

I, personally, like to enjoy some quiet time while my party goes on thrill rides. I usually go grab a drink as soon as they get in line, and then grab a seat near the exit while I sip, sit, and people watch.

Do you prefer to stick together with your party, or enjoy some quiet from time to time?

 

 

 

The post Where to Find the Exits for EPCOT’s Most Popular Rides appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Attractions, Epcot, Trip Planning, epcot attractions, epcot rides, epcot tips