Remember, all links in TPEI open up in a new browser window. So feel free to check stuff out, we’ll be here when you get back! Each photo opens up to a larger version as well, and with that out of the way let’s look back at what happened during the past month, starting with…

*The Sweet Life?

Unofficial Universal Kids Resort historian @Diservations discovered a rather interesting chart that was posted by the Official Disney Parks Jobs account which showcased the “happiness level” for various major events in the life of a Disney Cast Member. The “Becoming a Disney CM” life event scored a much higher happiness rating than things such as Being Born and Getting Married (although considering the divorce rate in America is hovering around 40%, I’m betting a lot of people agree with that one.)

So apparently becoming a Disney Cast Member can be one of the highlights of one’s life…but notice how that feeling drops off QUICK in the graph above? That’s because no matter how much money the Walt Disney Company makes, you’ll always feel like you could lose your job at any minute. In fact we got another round of layoffs posting this very week, including 159 Walt Disney Imagineers. According to this article by  Blog Mickey,”A new state filing reveals the exact number of Imagineers laid off during the most recent round of cuts within the Disney Experiences division. The layoffs are due to shifting project priorities.” This led to TPEI Digital Maestro adapting a wonderful Cyanide & Happiness comic strip to accurately portray what is happening in our theme park world…

*Single Rider Pass Overcompensating For Something

Out in California the latest in hip fashion made its debut with Disneyland’s Single Rider pass for Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye. As Buddy the Elf would say, this thing is ginormous and guests are forced to wear it around their neck (if their trapezius muscles can handle the strain.) World traveling ace photographers Attractions 360 snapped this photo of the new Single Rider pass next to a huge iPhone to help show the scale. There is apparently no truth to the rumors that some of the recent layoffs in Imagineering were to make up the cost of all the miles of laminate being used to make these passes.

*Our Little Boy Has Hit The BIG TIME

This month as I was scrolling theme park news I saw that Universal’s Earl the Squirrel was getting his own balloon in the Macy’s parade. At first, I just assumed it was for the Macy’s parade at Universal Studios Florida that takes place every Holiday season. NAY NAY. This is an Earl the Squirrel balloon that will be featured in the actual Macy’s THANKSGIVING DAY parade in New York City! This is something that has been an annual tradition in my house since I was a little kid and I still put it on every Thanksgiving morning and you better believe that channel ain’t changing until Santa makes his way onto the screen. Yes, the parade itself is mostly a whole bunch of ads along with a seemingly endless amount of Broadway plays that I’ve never heard of, but the balloons are still there and – at least for me – the “magic” is still there. Its always great when we get ANY theme park representation during the parade, and this Earl the Squirrel balloon is going to bring a smile to my face just like seeing the Baby Shamu, Kermit the Frog, Bart Simpson and Spider-Man balloons over the last 40 years.

*Update on Bob Chapek Redemption Tour

As we mentioned in last month’s TPEI, former Disney CEO Bob Chapek came out from under the rock he’s been hiding under since he was unceremoniously fired from Disney in the middle of the night back in 2022. Chapek came back to promote his new book titled Behind the Castle Walls: My 30 Years at the Happiest Place on Earth. The promotional rounds for the book have been nothing short of a disaster, with Chapek doubling down on his glee about raising prices in the theme parks while cutting costs and barely holding back his complete disdain for Disney fans. Like many in the world of  Private Equity, Chapek sees you and me as “money marks” meant to be fleeced and nothing else. The legacy and history of the Walt Disney Company means nothing when an extra nickel can be squeezed out. Yes, the creativity and innovation of films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (which was so transformative that the Academy Awards basically had to create an award just to give to Walt Disney to honor it) pale in comparison to what really matters to the Bob Chapeks of the world: easy money made from hastily churned out Air Bud sequels and animated fare such as Cinderella II: Dreams Come True.

Despite Chapek’s instance that his book “is not about Bob Iger,”  the other former Disney CEO takes a lot of live rounds from Chapek when it comes to the power struggle behind the scenes. So much that it may have inspired Iger to quickly announce his own upcoming memoir titled “One Last Time” will be released on March 2, 2027 and covers the exact same timeframe that Chapek covers in his book.

*Lakeshore Lodge

One of the construction projects we haven’t been following too closely is what is going on over at Fort Wilderness Campground. Lakeshore Lodge is now really shaping up and this aerial from @bioreconstruct below really illustrates how much this DVC monstrocity sticks out in the serene Ft. Wilderness setting.

Let’s get a more detailed look at Lakeshore Lodge. Keep in mind when looking at the photo below that the “small” buildings at the right hand center are our beloved Hoop-Dee-Doo Revue’s Pioneer Hall and Trail’s End restaurant. I can only imagine that once Lakeshore Lodge is open for business these two venues will be like trying to navigate Disney Springs on a Saturday night and just a “hard pass” from me.

Bio is always giving some great info during his flyovers, including showing concept art featuring areas that are photographed by him.

Wilderness Lodge and the Poly both have some pretty interesting villas and bungalows, but I think most of them are directly facing the water. This makes for a pretty cool view. Lakeshore Lodge seems to be going for a different tactic though, as the front view of their A-frame villas appear to have a direct view of an extremely large building while the backside has trees blocking views of the nearby Bay Lake. I imagine this will make sense once everything is finished, but as of right now I’m not really understanding this choice.

Even the concept model shows that their are no trees in the direct view of each A-frame. Its just common sense.

Let’s check out some more photos from Bio this month, including a small history lesson inside Universal Studios Florida…

Bio has a sly sense of humor that will sometimes appear during his posts…

This month we also got a behind-the-scenes look at how Bio posts his aerial photos. In the example below, keep in mind that not only does he go through all 608 photos to choose what to post, he is often cross posting and going back weeks/months/years to show changes along with stuff like the Lakeshore Lodge model to help give his followers more context. When I was growing up there was a song I really enjoyed called “More Human Than Human” and little did I know it was just describing Bioreconstruct. I don’t understand how he does it, and I’ll never understand why he does it, because we don’t deserve it.

In fact, this month had some great examples of what I like to call The Bioreconstruct Effect. Our first example starts with Bio posting a construction photo inside Disney Hollywood Studis.

This allows internet sleuthes like Aahs n Ooohs to do some deep dives on what we are looking at.

Bio’s photo of what looks to be a rather generic area of the upcoming Fast & Furious coaster at USF…

…allows people like the Digital Maestro Scott Walker the opportunity to show what we’re really looking at.

The Permit Princess Alicia Stella found herself in IOA one day taking a picture of a bird sitting on rockwork outside Mythos Restaurant.

As luck would have it, Bioreconstruct was in the air that day taking a picture of the very same area!

In a moment that was straight up E-Ticket, Bio even posted a photo of him looking down at a pair of theme park reporters inside Universal Studios Florida.

Then we got to see Bio from their perspective!

…if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” – Frederick Nietzsche

*Merchandise

A little while ago in this fine blog series we did an article on The Little Things at Disney and Universal that elevate our theme park going experience. This includes stuff like custom branding on t-shirts. Normally everything in the parks is either a generic “Disney” or “Universal” but more prestige brands like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter or Volcano Bay get something a bit extra.

However, this month TouringPlans’ own Guy Selga noticed something unusual on a shirt sold in Disneyland. It had both the generic Disney tag AND the more exclusive Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge tag.

This would lead one to think that ANY item that has Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge featured on it – in ANY capacity – has to have its own distinct label. Even if that means adding a ridicuous second label to a t-shirt.

Need a hat to go with that shirt? Well, Guy also found the perfect one for  you.

My official review?

Merchandise fans may also want to watch this great video by Guy investigating whether Disneyland’s new Mystery Pin Machine is worth it.

Over at Universal’s Islands of Advnture, Bioreconstruct got us a photo of this skill game prize featuring a Hello Kitty-like cat holding a pretzel. Normally I’m against prizes that are not themed to the skill game they are for, but I make exceptions for animals eating theme park snacks. That’s my policy.

SeaWorld is out there being SeaWorld.

Friend of the Blog Ryan Barr went to the Disney Outlet Store while on a trip to Florida this month and showed us a couple of the items he picked up including this Haunted Mansion Gargoyle Shoulder Buddy. Orig. $34.99 Down To $4.99.

Black Spire Outpost Hat. Orig. $32.99 Down To $4.99. Items like this are often still found inside the parks at full retail price even though the extras have all gone to the outlets.

Occassionally you can pick up food items at the outlets, such as these “Galactic Grains” Chandrillian Spicy Cheddar Popcorn. $6.49 Marked Down To $0.99 These were purchased 10/23/26, and expire 11/3/26. Ryan says that these were the most stale popcorn he’d ever eaten.

Just an FYI: Chandrila was the home planet of Mon Mothma and the Galactic Starcruiser was the luxury crown jewel starliner for Chandrila Star Line.

Speaking of popcorn, we stopped by Disney Springs this month and checked out their offerings at Goofy’s Candy Co.

Sugar overload (and that’s being said in the best way possible.)

Meanwhile the Wizarding World is growing really fast outside the parks, probably as we get closer to the December debut of the Harry Potter series on HBO Max. I was at Target this week and noticed these Golden Snitch sugar cookies.

Meanwile Five Below had this Butterbeer “chewy candy.” I’m not sure why these are called chewy candies instead of gummies like that are available in the Universal theme parks. Maybe they are different, but they look very similar.

Here’s a pic of the serve yourself Butterbeer Gummies inside Epic Universe.

The world needs more Muppets!!!!

Last month’s Theme Park Enjoyment Index:
This month’s net change:
Current enjoyment level:

Writer Derek Burgan, when not cleaning Len Testa’s pool, can be found reading comic books, watching professional wrestling, organizing his various Tsum Tsums in alphabetical order, and taking his dog Bacini to Universal and Disney.. He will not, we repeat not, be found at a Disney Outlet Store. An official DisTwitter Influencer, you can interact with him @derekburgan

Digital Artist Scott Walker hails from Scotland and is the fifth most famous person from this country following Alexander Graham Bell, Ewan McGregor, Gerard Butler, and Groundskeeper Willie.

NEXT MONTH…THE TURKEYS!!