The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via MEMES (Vol. 6) – Size of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Disney Enforcing Rules, and more

This week’s SATURDAY SIX takes a look at theme park news via MEMES! It’s not just you, the news cycles are going faster and faster. It’s just about impossible to keep up with everything, especially when it comes to theme park memes. Don’t worry though, we here at the SATURDAY SIX have your back. We have spent countless hours scouring the Internet looking for the fun commentary you deserve. Yes, those hours could have – and probably should have – been spent doing something much more productive, but what can we say? Mistakes were made.

For a refresher on previous meme articles check out Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and now that you’re caught up let’s kick off the countdown with…

# 6 – Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is how big?

With the shocking announcement that Galaxy’s Edge would be opening earlier than anyone thought, pretty much everyone in the theme park community has Star Wars fever (especially after Disney announced some details about what exactly would be in the new massive land). Now, we’ve been told for a while that Galaxy’s Edge would be the “biggest expansion in Disney history,” but Attractions Magazine showed us exactly how big that really was, with a graphic showing that Walt Disney World’s version of the land could hold Pandora: The World of Avatar, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade Village, AND Diagon Alley!

 

 

I came up with my own graphic using relatable examples that a “regular guest” would understand.

 

Here’s Disneyland’s version of Galaxy’s Edge using popular* retail stores to help better understand the full size.

For us in Florida, work has also started to move a little bit faster on the area near Galaxy’s Edge that will be used for the upcoming Star Wars Hotel. While mostly still a lot of dirt, I made a graphic explaining where some of the resort’s amenities are going to be.

 

# 5 – Star Wars vs. Muppets

Job 1:21 contains “The Lord Gave, and the Lord Hath Taken Away.” The same sorta holds true for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. As we just went over, we guests are getting the biggest expansion in Disney history, but it comes with a price. As fans of Disney Hollywood Studios are still reeling over the loss of The Great Movie Ride, the Studio Backlot Tour, and the Streets of America (home of the Osborne Lights), many are getting a queasy feeling that the Eye of Sauron Bob Chapek may be gazing a little too much over into the nearby Muppets Courtyard.

Because of sightline issues related to Galaxy’s Edge, the Muppets area already lost its iconic Kermit-themed balloon. Recently, the large outdoor mural featuring Kermit and Miss Piggy was removed. Now we need to look at some other pieces of information. It doesn’t appear that Disney is going to be getting rid of the Star Tours attraction anytime soon. It would make more sense if Star Tours was somehow connected to Galaxy’s Edge. What stands in between Star Tours and Galaxy’s Edge? Muppets Courtyard. Star Wars fans are going to want that space for an expansion. Muppet fans are not going to want to give it up. The battle lines have been drawn.

 

# 4 – Disney to Start Enforcing Rules

Unless you were living under a rock, the online theme park universe was rocked to its very core when the Disney Parks Blog let guests know that Big Changes Were Coming. Len Testa pointed out that the rules concerning strollers (and the banning of “stroller wagons”) seemed to be targeting the growing amount of Keenz 7s in the parks. Smoking will be completely banned from inside the parks and relegated to the front of each park. Loose ice now joins firearms and knives on the prohibited items list. Good news though, guests can continue to “reserve” as many lounge chairs at the pool as they want.

As the majority of the DisTwitter Universe exploded upon hearing the news, several others brought the snark. This includes Ham Jenkins and his patented use of the of Walt Disney opening Disneyland photo.

 

Others came up with their own rules…

 

# 3 – My Dad

In late March, a Twitter user posted some pictures of their 45 year old dad saying that he was “pursuing a modeling career, and I’ve never seen him happier. He told me he’s just waiting for a chance to blow up. So, Twitter, meet my dad.” This meme went viral real fast, with other users substituting various celebrities as their “dad.” DisTwitter got in the action as well.

 

# 2 – Epcot

What can we say? We love memes that involve Epcot.

A meme featuring an “apathetic” Winnie the Pooh has been going around for several years, with one of the most popular takes on it being a user who photoshopped a tuxedo onto Pooh. In late March, the meme began to pick up steam again. One of our favorite takes on the subject used the “classy” Pooh to explain how those of us who grew up with Horizons, Kitchen Kabaret and the hydrolaters speak of the fabled park of our youth.

This about sums up our feelings.

DisTwitter has been making fun of the gigantic show buildings going into Epcot for a while now, particularly the new Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster. Whereas it seemed to be a point of pride for theme parks to hide massive show buildings (such as Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and DINOSAUR), the current line of thinking inside theme park management seems to revolve around “well, that’s good enough.” Back in 2010, with Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Universal created an incredible facade with Hogwarts Castle. However, at certain angles you can see part of the show building it is effectively hiding. At the time, that was one example that a particular type of Disney fan would use to explain why “Universal will never be as good as Disney.” Fast forward less than a decade later and now Disney is the one building gigantic un-themed show buildings in full view of guests.

When it comes to hiding show buildings, can we all agree that the new King of the Hill is the Tokyo Disney Parks? Take a look at what they’ve done in hiding their Soarin’ show building. WOW!! Simply amazing.

 

We’ll close out our Epcot section with this meme that, well, speaks to us.

 

# 1 – Avenge the Fallen

On March 26, Marvel Entertainment released a series of promotional posters for the upcoming film Avengers: Endgame. Each poster contained a character and the phrase “Avenge the Fallen.” There were two sets of photos. Ones in color featured characters who were still alive at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, while those in black & white had characters who disappeared after Thanos snapped his fingers. DisTwitter came through in a major way with this meme, bringing back some characters we have lost over the years, including…

The dinosaurs from Ellen’s Energy Adventure/Universe of Energy.

The Timekeeper.

Expedition Everest’s moving Yeti.

The Dreamfinder from the Imagination Pavilion.

Duffy the Disney Bear meet and greet character at Walt Disney World.

Bing Bong from Inside Out.

The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.

And even one for the Disney Cruise Liners out there.

 

So there you have it: A Look at Theme Park News via the use of 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, or, for your listening pleasure, check out the E-Ticket Report podcast. 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)

Special Thanks to The Elite Brandon Glover, Captain Cruiseline Scott Sanders of the world famous Disney Cruise Line Blog, my personal protege Hunter “Elvey” Underwood, the bio-est of all reconstructs @bioreconstruct, Mr. ‘Ohana Tim Grassey, the SAT SIX Fun Squad of Parkscope Joe and Nick, hot shot Michael Carelli, crazy cat lady – and our Fearless Leader – Laurel Stewart, 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.

FINAL PLUG! Did you know The 2019 Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando has a special edition of the SATURDAY SIX in it?That’s right, ANOTHER NEW ONE EXCLUSIVE TO THIS EDITION!Finally, someone came up with an actual reason to read a book. ORDER this baby now!