Disney has announced an opening timeline for World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland. The new land will open in November 2023.
The land will have its own version of Frozen Ever After, plus two new attractions: Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs and Playhouse in the Woods. The former is a roller coaster through the mountains. Arendelle: World of Frozen will also have several shops and restaurants. Concept art, Cast Member costumes, and ride vehicle maquettes for the land were displayed at D23 Expo last year.
In the DeSantis and Disney ongoing war, Disney had a big realization. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis lied about state-mandated Disney ride inspections. In his comments on April 17, he claimed Disney would have to bow to the state regarding these inspections, even though Disney has an impressive inspection rate.
As of May 13, those supposed “state-mandated” inspections are no longer valid, seeing how they never took place through the Bill DeSantis signed. Disney also ensured to mention the state-mandated assessments in their documents that they hope will be able to be presented to a court of law.
The War Between Disney and Desantis
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis just signed a new bill, SB 1604, that would kill the deal between The Walt Disney Company and its governing district, Reedy Creek, thus creating a whole new world of hurt for WDW.
DeSantis even went as far as to say Disney was “arrogant” in their pursuit of justice. But Disney fought back through a lawsuit with DeSantis on the run with their administration.
DeSantis filed a counter lawsuit a few days ago against Disney, bringing more hatred and remorse for the Florida Governor.
But now, DeSantis has been called out by news media outlets in Florida for not only allegedly lying about his proposed state-mandated ride inspections for WDW but for singling out Disney and not the other theme Parks in the state.
DeSantis and His Disney Ride Inspections – All Lies?
Tourism and theme Parks reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, Katie Rice, published a news story on the ongoing war between DeSantis and Disney, bringing attention to the alleged lies by the Florida Governor regarding his intentions to force state-mandated inspections on Walt Disney World rides.
In her article, Rice mentions how State officials “will not take over Space Mountain or other Disney World ride inspections soon,” even though DeSantis had made it clear on April 17 that he would.
Disney World already has its system regarding attraction inspections, which makes them one of the safest, if not the safest, theme parks in America.
Here’s the tweet for reference. A big shout out to industry insider and digital at Nextstar Scott Gustin on Twitter for bringing this information to the public.
During the April 17 press conference when DeSantis mentioned possibly building a prison near WDW, he also claimed an upcoming bill would remove Disney's exemption when it comes to ride inspections.
The article is also attached to the tweet, and Katie Rice is mentioned. Regarding DeSantis’s comments from April 17, here is a follow-up tweet Scott Gustin also put out for reference:
Here is what DeSantis said on April 17 about the current law that allows for theme parks with more than 1,000 full-time employees a special exemption for inspections. DeSantis claimed they would remove that exemption for theme parks in special districts. https://t.co/3k0ekGRBHb
There are no other official comments from DeSantis or his administration regarding these alleged lies about state-mandated Disney World ride inspections.
There’s no doubt that Disney characters are a big part of the magic of the Disney Parks. Guests are able to see some of their favorite characters come to life and have some amazing interactions with them.
However, every interaction is different, especially depending on the character. Some can be more graceful and refined, like meeting the princesses, some can be more magical, like Mickey and Minnie, and some can downright chaotic, like Goofy, Donald, or Wendell.
Wendell is one of the bears from the Country Bear Jamboree at Walt Disney World, best known for singing “Mama Don’t Whoop Little Buford” and playing the banjo. He’s one of the few bears that also meet and greet Guests, along with Liver Lips, Shaker, and Big Al. Guests can see the bears out and about in Frontierland near Country Bear Hall, typically on top of the building, but they also come down and can be seen dancing with Guests during the Frontierland Hoedown.
A recent Magic Kingdom Guest, @Ryan_FTLOTP, captured a hilarious video of Wendell really getting into the music from the “Festival of Fantasy” parade. In a second video, Ryan shows another clip where Wendell is jumping around and starts fist pumping, with a Guest in the background moving right along with him.
— Ryan @ For the Love of Theme Parks (@Ryan_FTLOTP) May 11, 2023
The comments are full of people cracking up over the videos, “there’s a reason he’s my favorite and this is it,” says @magicallifewem. “Wendell has brought me so much joy these past couple days. He GETS me,” chimes in @JellyKa625. “Wendell bouta open up that pit,” jokes @twisted_tater.
It’s always a treat to see characters that are able to be a little more chaotic, to see them enjoying or expressing themselves in a way that characters like the princesses might not be able to. And for characters like Wendell, it’s not even technically out of character, making it all the funnier for those experiencing the moment.
Disney’s original Tinker Bell just celebrated her 94th birthday in the most enchanting way possible – surrounded by the magic of Disneyland.
Before Peter Pan & Wendy (2023), actress Margaret Kerry was the name associated with Tinker Bell. While the character was portrayed as non-verbal in the original 1953 animated film (just as in the recent live-action remake), Kerry played a pivotal role in bringing the mischievous fairy to life.
A skilled dancer, the actress was hired to spend an impressive six months at the Disney Studios, pantomiming the character’s iconic motions. The studios provided Kerry with various props – including a remarkable giant keyhole mounted on a stand and a pair of oversized scissors, which were used in the memorable scene where Tinker Bell finds herself trapped in a jewelry box – to film her movements as reference for animators.
Kerry’s contributions extended beyond Tinker Bell’s physical movements. She also lent her voice and provided additional reference for Neverland’s red-haired mermaid – specifically, the one who starts trying to pull Wendy into the water. A true Disney icon.
Tinker Bell has long served as a mascot for Disneyland, so it’s only fitting that the actress spent her birthday at the happiest place on earth. Twitter user @ObservantView shared a picture of Kerry on her big day – strolling through the Park hand in hand with none other than Peter Pan.
While fans recently witnessed a new incarnation of Tinker Bell in the new Peter Pan & Wendy film, portrayed by Yara Shahidi, Margaret Kerry’s legacy remains indelible. Her contributions paved the way for the enduring popularity of the character, who’s arguably second only to Mickey Mouse in terms of her presence in Disney branding.
At the grand age of 94, it’s heartwarming to still see Kerry playing a part in the Disney magic. While the actress has faced challenges in recent years thanks to her diagnosis with prosopagnosia, a condition that impairs her ability to recognize faces, she recently found her own fairytale ending fitting for any Disney classic: after 70 years, she reconnected with her former boyfriend, World War II veteran Robert Boeke, before marrying on Valentine’s Day, 2020. Now that’s a happily ever after.
A lightsaber from Savi’s Workshop is one of the most popular – and expensive – souvenirs from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. Guests can customize their own saber or purchase a deluxe saber inspired by their favorite Star Wars character!
Hand-built lightsabers cost $249.99 per Guest, with a slightly cheaper build-a-droid experience available at Droid Depot for around $120 per Guest. But some crystal upgrades and luxury sabers can run up to $400!
Star Wars and Disney YouTuber Finding the Force recently purchased a limited-edition Cal Kestis lightsaber staff released to celebrate May the Fourth. Unfortunately, it broke as he opened it while sitting on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Park.
He quickly approached a Disney Cast Member, who he claimed “refused” to help him out, and made him carry the heavy saber to the back of the Disney Park. Video of the interaction made its way to TikTok and other social media platforms, where Disney Parks fans criticized the YouTuber for his behavior. Some said he went “Karen mode.”
The Lightsaber
Used by everyone from Obi-Wan Kenobi to Darth Vader to Kylo Ren, the lightsaber is the weapon of choice in the Star Wars universe. Nearly every Star Wars fan dreams of channeling the Force while visiting Savi’s Workshop!
But the Cal Kestis hilt isn’t any old lightsaber part. Modeled after EA’s Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, a video game, only 7,500 of this double-bladed saber were made. It comes in a wooden box and can change the blade color with the touch of a button.
Blades for the Cal Kestis saber are available in blue, green, yellow, purple, red, or white and cost between $45 and $50, depending on the blade length purchased. It’s exclusively available at Dok Ondar’s Den of Antiquities at Disneyland Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or on shopDisney (though it’s sold out online at this time).
The Disney YouTuber’s Behavior
After Finding the Force realized his lightsaber hilt was broken, he shared his journey to exchange it with his 100,000 YouTube subscribers. Though it’s nowhere near someone like former Disney Channel star Jake Paul or Mr. Beast, the YouTube channel has a large platform to influence Disney Park Guest behavior.
As he walked through Walt Disney’s original Magic Kingdom at Disneyland Resort, the YouTuber became more frustrated that Disney Cast Members wouldn’t carry the lightsaber to Galaxy’s Edge for him.
“The purpose of this video is not to just smear Disney as a company because I vacation at Disney Parks, I’m enjoying it with my kids, I have a lot of fun there,” he said. “…I just think that there’s a major issue with the customer service.”
The YouTuber admitted that he was frustrated after missing rope drop on May the Fourth due to a transportation issue. He waited an hour to get into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, then headed to Dok Ondar’s Den of Antiquities to buy the limited-edition hilt and other souvenirs.
After carrying the 10-20 pound saber and 10-pound crate to the front of the Theme Park, he decided to film a review. Unfortunately, half of the saber wasn’t making any noise. He headed to Guest Services at Town Hall on Main Street, U.S.A, hoping for a quick fix.
The Guest Relations Cast Member informed him that merchandise from Batuu could only be exchanged there, and he would have to carry it back. They also could not help him do so, likely because of liability issues. “Are you joking?” the YouTuber asked.
“This is time I’m wasting returning their merchandise,” he said.
Another Disney influencer filmed the YouTuber as he carried the lightsaber down Main Street, U.S.A., through Adventureland, and to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. He feigned doing a workout and asked Disney Cast Members, including a Stormtrooper, for help along the way. Of course, he was denied.
When the YouTuber finally reached Dok Ondar’s, he kneeled in front of a Disney Cast Member and begged for help. They quickly found a manager who gave him a new lightsaber. He then asked for it to be shipped to his house for the trouble.
“Because the Plaid at the very front of the Park said there was nothing that could be done, that I had to physically walk this box back without handles,” he argued.
They agreed and gave him two Lightning Lane passes for his trouble, but the YouTuber was unhappy with his experience.
“I just can’t believe that there’s nothing Disney could do,” he concluded. “They couldn’t just make a phone call to have someone bring up a box for me? That just sounds like the easiest solution they could have done for a lifelong Disney Parks customer.”
Social Media Reactions
As soon as Finding the Force’s video popped up on TikToker Ryan’s (@r10883) news feed, he felt something was wrong with the YouTuber’s behavior toward Disney Cast Members. He called the reaction “going Karen” and shared footage from the original video:
#greenscreenvideo @Finding The Force treats workers at disneyland poorly bc his lightsaber doesnt work and he has to WALK to take it back. everything is explained in pt. 2 ❤️
Particularly, Ryan was frustrated with a moment in the video when Finding the Force filmed a Disney Cast Member walking away and writing, “Thanks for nothing!”
Commenters overwhelmingly agreed that the YouTuber behaved poorly.
“Ain’t no way he acted like that was such a heavy thing to carry across the Park like people walk around holding their 30lb child across the Park…” said @gotserotonin.
“I was there on the 4th. people were walking around with [lightsabers] and going on rides,” @titi_aon recalled. “They had no issues with carrying them.”
Others pointed out that the YouTuber could’ve hopped on the Disneyland Railroad to save himself some walking or removed his black hoodie in the heat. Some said that his behavior made them stop watching his channel.
“He comes across as really entitled in some of his videos which is why I stopped watching,” @master_cinema wrote. “I understand it’s frustrating to have a broken saber, but to complain about sometimes so trivial as a 7 minute walk with a box and to be so disrespectful to people doing their job is crazy to me.”
Finding the Force responded to the backlash by commenting on his original YouTube video. He claimed people misunderstood his sense of humor and that he was never rude to Disney Cast Members:
It is worth noting that 1) I was not disrespectful to any cast member in person 2) yes my dramatic storytelling is my way of making light of a really crappy situation 3) I was only joking about the manager, I would never film anyone who did not want to be in my videos and he did send the Saber to my house because I repeatedly asked him nicely.
