2 Years Worth of Disney News Happened Yesterday
New Disney Dining Plan. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance recovery. Jungle Cruise boat sinks. Magic Happens at Disneyland. Food & Wine starts early. Baby Yoda merch cart. Disney Co. stock slides. SWAT Team at Yacht & Beach. Tokyo Disneyland closes. FastPass+ down for maintenance. Bob Gurr is a Pawn Star. We didn’t start the fire. It was always burning…
Unfortunately, Billy Joel was sick, so the union sent me. My name is Tom, and I’ll be your skipper today on this world tour of Disney news…and if you don’t laugh at my jokes, your swim instructor. (Too soon?)
But seriously, we have a lot to cover in this Disney news round-up, so let’s start with the big story yesterday before the parks even opened–Walt Disney World released the new Disney Dining Plan Plus while also increasing prices on other tiers of the DDP. We already covered that story, so let’s move along…
The next story, or perhaps non-news, is that Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance boarding groups were distributed smoothly, with no redux of the glitch that allowed people outside of Walt Disney World to join the virtual queue. (“Smoothly” should probably be in air quotes–it was still a very busy day with boarding passes going in around one minute.)
To go out of order a bit and bring this story full circle, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance had its worst day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios yet yesterday. Only the first 46 boarding groups were guaranteed (a new low) and the attraction only got through 68 boarding groups (also a new low). That follows another weak performance the previous day, during which it only got through boarding group 76.
RIP Jungle Cruise 🙁 pic.twitter.com/K1p8GQXR89
– Y Have Feet Fetish When U Could Have Yeet Fetish? (@nahtanoJcimsoC) February 27, 2020
However, it wasn’t until lunchtime when things really went downhill…err, underwater.
That’s when one of the boats at Magic Kingdom’s Jungle Cruise attraction began sinking while guests were onboard.
– Matthew Vince (@synewaves) February 27, 2020
Reedy Creek Fire Department responded to the scene, and the attraction was temporarily closed while riders were unloaded from the “Bomokandi Bertha” boat.
Just pause for a second and imagine riding Jungle Cruise for the first time. Water starts appearing at your feet…coolest attraction effect ever or cause for concern?
Photo of The Jungle Cruise sinking #JungleCruise pic.twitter.com/12ZRLCfYQB
– ThemePark Clickbait (@TPClickBait) February 27, 2020
Everyone was able to get off quickly, no one was injured, and the world famous Jungle Cruise resumed departures only a couple of hours later.
With everyone safe and things in the clear, that meant one thing: open season on memes.
There are many other jokes that could be made here in the spirit of Jungle Cruise, but literally every snarky remark I can think of has already been said (probably better) on social media at this point. The internet is a treasure trove of Titanic overlay, the Rock movie synergy, and the underside of water jokes right now.
For its part, Disney calmed the waters by releasing an official statement about the incident to the Laughing Place: “A boat took on some water. Reedy Creek Fire Department responded immediately to this event. Everyone got out of the boat safely. We worked with guests individually so that they could enjoy the rest of their day in the park. The attraction has reopened.”
LUCASFILM: “You can’t sell Baby Yoda merch in Galaxy’s Edge.”
DISNEYLAND MERCHANDISING: “Not in Galaxy’s Edge. Got it. We read you loud and clear.” pic.twitter.com/FVWcFBYX7L
– David Daut (@DavidMDaut) February 27, 2020
Things settling down after that, with some good news out in California as Disneyland’s new Magic Happens parade and Disney California Adventure’s Food & Wine Festival both had soft openings/preview days. (Out of spoiler courtesy, I’m going to avoid sharing photos of the new parade, but there are already tons of photos and video out there if you so desire.)
However, it was a relatively trivial thing that got the internet all riled up: the Baby Yoda merchandise cart stationed right outside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, “carefully” skirting any thematic integrity and timeline issues on Batuu itself.
UPDATE: @OrangeCoSheriff at Walt Disney World’s Beach Club after false alarm about someone who thought they saw a man with a gun under a jacket. @MyNews13 @bn9
Photo: Sue Wilson / @chipandcompany https://t.co/LTysayvPTM pic.twitter.com/PXJcEpkl9V
– Greg Angel (@NewsGuyGreg) February 28, 2020
Just as everything was starting to settle down and the internet was readying for bed, reports emerged of a huge police vehicle and helicopter presence in the Crescent Lake area. Orlando Police Department and the SWAT Team closed off Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, putting the area on lockdown following reports of a suspicious individual who was reported to have been carrying a gun.
About an hour after these reports began to circulate, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department issued a statement calming things down: “Deputies were at the Disney Beach Club Resort in reference to a suspicious person. Someone thought a man had a gun under a jacket. Deputies determined there was no threat. Guests at the resort are safe. We take all threats seriously and will always respond and investigate.”
The momentum continued as users began reporting having issues with My Disney Experience or DisneyWorld.com (the same was true with the latter in the early morning hours).
A “Pardon the Inconvenience” notification message then appeared on DisneyWorld.com and began popping up in the My Disney Experience app notifying users of unplanned maintenance that might result in plans being unavailable and FastPass+ booking not working. Fortunately, this seems to have been resolved overnight.
Next, Tokyo Disney Resort Closed Due to Coronavirus.
This includes Tokyo Disneyland, DisneySea, and Ikspiari, and comes as a result of Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe request that large public gatherings scheduled for the next two weeks be avoided during a critical time for stemming the spread of COVID-19 infections.
During a day that felt like it lasted about a year, a bunch of other stuff undoubtedly happened that we’re glossing over. However, let’s end this wild ride of a day on a positive note: Imagineer and Disney Legend Bob Gurr announced that he’ll be appearing in an episode of Pawn Stars because of course he will.
If you’re unfamiliar with Bob Gurr, you should be. He’s an absolute hoot, one of the most colorful characters who makes the rounds at D23 and other Disney history-focused events. Gurr developed more than 100 designs for attractions including Autopia, Matterhorn Bobsleds, the Disneyland and Walt Disney World Monorails, and much more. As he often says, “if it moves on wheels at Disneyland, I probably designed it.” Now he’s adding reality TV star to his resume. I’m not surprised by that move–I always just figured he’d do Survivor or The Masked Singer first. Perhaps those are next on the agenda.
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Your Thoughts
What do you think of this slew of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and beyond news stories? Thoughts (or jokes) about a Jungle Cruise boat sinking? What about the Baby Yoda merchandise “store,” the police being called to Crescent Lake, a return to “normal” for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, or anything else covered here? Any questions? We love hearing from readers, so please share any other thoughts or questions you have in the comments below!
Re: Mr. Nico’s reply to Laura:
Mr. Nico, read your sentence again and consider that the person whose vacation is possibly ruined and needlessly hassled is the family who has to keep an eye on you all of the time because they know you have a gun on you. Why do you have a gun on you? Is it perhaps because of YOUR paranoia and irrational fear?
Disney is private property and they have their own policy. Even people with Concealed Weapons Permits are prohibited from carrying guns or any other weapon in the parks and resorts. If you’re carrying a gun in the parks or resorts, you are violating their policy. It is a third-degree felony.
Laura, that’s very easy to say, until you’re the person whose vacation is possibly ruined by being needlessly hassled because of someone’s paranoia and irrational fear.
Here is what WDW Online Communications states is their policy:
Re: Disney World’s Concealed Carry Policy
Thank you for contacting the Walt Disney World Resort. It may interest you to know we have a strict policy regarding firearms.
Our policy is that no guns are permitted in our theme Parks or Resorts. If a resort guest brings one on property, it must be locked up in the safe-deposit boxes at the front desk, not in a room safe. If guests visiting our theme parks bring in firearms, it must either be left in their vehicle, or checked in with security when entering the park. Only on-duty law enforcement officers whose agency has jurisdiction at the Walt Disney World Resort may carry any weapon.
If you have questions or need further assistance, feel free to contact us.
Sincerely,
– Betsy Mayer, WDW Online Communications
Oh Diana, where should we begin… Your giving in to irrational fear is letting the terrorists and slime win. Instead of teaching your children to be scared of things, you should educate them. Bringing up an isolated, terrible event isn’t relevant, no matter how sad it was. Hassling normal people who have done nothing wrong is not the answer. That little psycho’s mom had her tools locked up. He killed her and took them anyway. Primal fear is not the answer!
I really don’t care about a feel good policy a company makes for CYA reasons. Signs and policies don’t stop deranged people or hungry reptiles. As a former MK CM, I’m a little more familiar with park operations than most. They sre doing a pretty good job there, but xray of all bags and 100% metal detector screenings would be a lot better. Last week they were doing 100% detector at DHS and Intntl Gway at Epcot, but not at AK. And I’m disappointed they foolishly didn’t implement security at the Skyliner stations like they have with the monorail. And yes, I am a professional, having designed and built anti-terrorism/ force protection measures at numerous military bases, test facilities and nuclear weapons facilities.
For most of the parents on this board, it was probably when twenty 1st-Graders and their teachers were murdered in their classrooms.
We get that you have your 2nd Amendment rights. We get that you feel good carrying around your weapon whenever you feel like it. Instead of being militant and insulting about our reaction, do try to consider that in a location with thousands of people and their small children, your need to be packing isn’t welcome. We have little kids who have to be taught to barricade themselves in a dark, locked closet for hours because someone is spotted with a gun in their vicinity. Think of how it feels to them. Your right causes many of the rest of us a great deal of concern.
The ones who end up waving around their guns and killing people initially walked in with their gun concealed. How do we know you’re not the next nut-job, if we catch a glimpse of your weapon under your jacket? You’re darned right it’s our business.
On top of all this, there’s a report of a minor accident on Tom’s favorite ride, the TTA People Mover, today where guests had to be evacuated! But it also sounds like it’s now back up and running. When it rains, it pours, I guess….
Or is it a case of money that should be used for upkeep going to all the new projects? One “mishap” is an accident. Two a trend. I think it’s great they’re adding on the the World. But are they doing it all on the “cheap”. With all the money grubbing they’ve been doing lately: price increases on top of increases, resort parking fees, etc etc. then beds falling off walls, skylines that go bump in the night, submarine jungle cruises (I do miss 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea), TTA doing there best Skyliner impersonation. You start to wonder. And if the Do’s EquisVirus keeps impacting travel there could be trouble ahead for the mouse. And we just bought DVC!
From looking at the pictures inside the boat, I think that’s the wheelchair accessible one! I wonder how quickly I could have been evacuated in my wheelchair?! I think I’d still be laughing 🙂
Yes, I read that was a wheelchair accessible boat, and there’s one other, but now wait times for wheelchair-bound passengers will be increased.
We are planning a trip to WDW in a few weeks. Any ideas what precautions are being taken given the coronovirus situation.
I was just there for Princess weekend (Friday thru Wednesday AM), and there were no precautions being taken re the coronavirus.
Be more worried about the flu than this…. wash your hands, cover your cough.
if you have a cough, stay home to protect others.
Really Laura!! I have suffered from acute bronchitis for the last 24 years brought on by the colder climate conditions, where I reside. I get this condition every January/February which brings on coughing attacks due to the constriction in the lining of my bronchial tubes. Usually it last 2 weeks, but this year I have already gone 4 weeks without it slowing down. I will be at WDW May 8-17, so you might want to stay away. Wouldn’t want you to catch my stage 2 of COPD.
Hi! Love all the information â£
Any educated guess on if/when additional Free Dining Plans will drop?! Booking a vacation at Caribbean Beach Resort for the end of september and hope to take advantage of it!
My daughter first visited Disneyland at 8 years old, and she wanted to go on every attraction she had just become tall enough to ride. We weren’t surprised that she closed her eyes through most of The Haunted Mansion (I did too, at her age). We also weren’t surprised that she fully freaked out on Tower of Terror (we immediately bought her a plush Stitch to hug and cry into).
What DID surprise us was that she could NOT relax and enjoy Jungle Cruise, of all things. Her father and I were laughing at the corny jokes, pointing out the interesting animals and funny men up a tree, assuring her that the ride is on a track and can’t possibly sink, but no amount of the happy banter could ease her anxiety. And that’s even though she’s been on real boats plenty of times without issues.
She is now 13 years old, and we’re going to WDW this year. I’m NOT going to tell her that the Jungle Cruise is actually NOT on a track . . . and I’m NOT going to show her this article! 😀
It IS on a track. Just like the ones I drove at 20K. The boats float but are stuck in a guide track. Our water was the cleanest and you could clearly see the track. JC boats could theoretically jump the track if water got high enough but I don’t think that’s ever happened. Jungle Cruise and Rivers of America have the dirtiest water but they still told us we’d have to get a tetanus shot if we fell in the crystal clear lagoon at 20K!
The only watercraft at WDW that are not on a guide rail or track are the three large ferry boats between TTC and MK, the smaller motor launches between resorts or DS and Friendship boats at Epcot, And of course the small rental boats. But there are no free range attraction boats.
I was under the impression that the rafts to Tom Sawyer Island aren’t on a track.
JB, you’re right! I completely forgot about those, and I suppose they could be considered an attraction versus just a ferry. While the sternwheeler (and the Columbia at DL) are on a guide rail, the rafts are not. Nor are the canoes, if they even have those any more.
Why did the boat sink? Too much weight?
Bad luck and old age most likely. One ‘sank’ at Disneyland Storybook Canal Boats a year or so ago. Same thing, flooded until it came to rest on top of the concrete track.
Just found this on a forum, from a Jungle Cruise cast member:
– – – – – –
“Jungle Cruise skipper to the rescue! Here since I actually drive and work at the Jungle Cruise I’ll answer all your questions. The boats aren’t on a track they actually have two guide wheels, one in the front and one in the back, that go into the water and into a 6-foot deep trough. So the boats could actually come out of the trough if the water level gets too high. The river is colored so it looks deeper and you can’t see the trough, though on sunny days at load you can see a faint black 1 foot wide trough in the water. We control the boat’s forward and backwards momentum. Umm, le’ts see, what else. Sometimes things will fall in the trough and we will shut the ride down because things get stuck like tree trunks etc.. and the boats can’t get through because the trough is blocked under the water, so either the river has to be drained or scuba people come in and take care of it. I guess I’ve never actually seen how they do it without draining it. The river has things living in it like tadpoles and small fish we still don’t know how that is possible. If you fall in you have to get a tetanus shot or you will start growing limbs in weird places, LOL. I think that’s about it, but if you ever have a question about the JC, HM, or Riverboat I’m the one to ask since I work at those.”
This is so cool! I didn’t know almost any of that. Also, how in the world are fish living in there?! Like, I’m really asking: how did they get there? Did somebody sneak baby fish into the park and secretly slide them into the river? Is there a sewage pipe connected to a body of water somewhere? This is super fascinating to me…
Fish eggs can be carried around by birds on their legs and by other means. The water is fine for supporting life and is made to look a lot dirtier than it actually is to enhance the experience and discourage people from jumping in, etc. The worst contaminant is probably a little diesel.
As always, I enjoy your articles! I agree with the reader who suggested that ROTR should get a fastpass instead of having to get a spot in line through the app. We went to Disneyland recently and were fortunate enough to get a boarding group and experience ROTR. It was fantastic! I personally thought they did a great job with all of Galaxy’s Edge. That day they got to a large number boarding group – over 150. But It seems like the more advanced and complicated rides have more down time.
Orange County Sheriff should have been more discrete. Why they have uniformed OCSD deputies at Disney World is beyond me – at most, they should be plainclothes. It seems the ones at the entrances are a waste of scarce law enforcement resources – how many crimes are committed per 1000 people on property? Did Disney request them at the gates?
WDW has a lot of behind the scenes security you never see as a park guest. But that’s in the parks and the resorts have a fair bit less. Yes, calling SWAT in for a completely unverified thought was dumb. But people are paranoid and scared and that includes some Cast Members.
They definitely have some overzealous cast members at Beach Club. They thought my boyfriends iPhone 11 in a belt clip was a gun and we had hotel security to our room at midnight.
The fast passes they gave us wouldn’t have cut it if they’d actually called SWAT though.
What a bizarre day! Thanks for the recap.
you did a wonderful job as always covering everything I seen.
I so love reading your blog everyday. I just love them today im-particular Talk about Bob Gurr being a hoot most days you are too
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It’s unfortunate that Disney continues to raise prices, but the experience is dwindling. There are constant issues with rides being closed, people being stuck on rides etc. and the whole Star Wars thing is just unacceptable.
Funny or sad don’t know but California used to have California resident prices. Now, you can only enjoy them if you buy 3-day park hoppers. No longer a single day discount. I grew up on Disney and they have a lot of nostalgia for me, but between the horrible design of Galaxies edge, poor ride design/poor execution of ROTR and their handling of the Star Wars franchise along with questionable moral choices with their children’s projects I’m slowly losing the love and might end up staying away from anything Disney.
What so-called horrible design are you talking about? Galaxy’s Edge is awesome, highly detailed and a great experience. ROTR is amazing. It would be nice if it had higher hourly capacity, but we’re talking about huge expense. Look at Soarin’ and TSMM before they were expanded. With ROTR, I don’t think the demand is a surprise to Disney at all. The virtual queue system in place is more fair than adding it to the Fastpass-minus system would be.
I second the questionable moral choices with their children’s projects
Questionable moral choices??? Please elaborate. If you are talking about more diversity, then shame on you.
Great article… factor in the Iger and Spaceship Earth announcements and this has to be one of their most chock full week of news!
Question: how did the Jungle Cruise boat sink? Isn’t the boat on a track? You can feel it moving back and forth in what seems like a controlled way (that is, not free-floating).
This is what I was wondering. I was almost positive it wasn’t free floating. So hearing that the boat sank has me really confused.
I thought the same thing. At one point you can see the tracks in the water.
I could be wrong, but I imagine that while the boats are on a track system of sorts, they’re more like bumpers to keep them from going too far into the actual attraction. That means they could be wide enough that the boat could still sink between the two bumpers.
I think the track keeps the boat on course, like guide rails, but the boat’s weight is still held by the water.
The tracks are more like on the Speedway than a roller coaster. It’s a loose guide trough meant to allow some random motion and mask that it’s there.
I’m a former Disneyland skipper. The boats are on a guide rail of sorts, but the boats float on top of the water. The river varies in depth from 2 feet or so in the nile river to 11 feet in the hippo pool. The guides they use to say on track telescope as the depth varies, which is also why it’s more likely to derail when the water level is high.
My thoughts: 1st sadly we live in a world of guns with angry or mentally disturbed people. We must always be on alert and aware of exits or safe places to duck into. 2nd: The app being down is exactly the reason Disney needs to change how the Star Wars ride is handled. The app can go down at anytime. They need to change this to a Fast Pass or some other way of getting a boarding pass.
Still no reason to overreact to nothing. That’s in many ways worse than doing nothing. Even if the guy had a pistol, apparently he wasn’t doing anything wrong.
The issue with RotR is that it has such a limited capacity (sadly) that they likely don’t want to go to the fastpass minus system because many won’t show up, etc and it would be equally frustrating. That said, it is pretty awesome!
there is every reason in the world to react to something if you feel it is suspicious. not saying something when it is in fact nefarious is the worst reaction. you cannot be too cautious in this day and age. the person did the right thing and i am grateful for that.
Yes Laura you should report anything suspicious. But calling out a SWAT van and helicopter, evacuating a building without any credible threat is absurd and caused a huge unnecessary scene. You should call Disney Security, not 911. Being cautious is smart, but you have to consider the whole situation and try not to cause a problem.