Mom Charged with Having 2 Guns & Marijuana in Diaper Bag at EPCOT

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

We are learning today of news that a Disney guest has been charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession at her recent visit to Walt Disney World’s EPCOT.

As shared by the Orlando Sentinel: Three days after Epcot reopened from the pandemic shutdown, a Georgia tourist was arrested after Disney security found two guns and some marijuana in her infant’s diaper bag, court documents show.

Yunique Smith, 27, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was arrested on charges of carrying a concealed weapon and possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis, according to her arrest report.

Smith was going through the park security line with an adult man, their 7-month-old daughter and her 7-year-old son when Disney found the semi-automatic 9mm handgun “in plain view” and a plastic bag containing marijuana, the July 18 report said. Orange County deputy sheriffs were called to the scene.

Smith’s companion wanted to change their daughter, “but since the firearm and the cannabis was still inside of the bag, I searched the diaper bag for additional illegal items,” the deputy wrote in the arrest report. That’s when the deputy found the second weapon, a .45 caliber handgun on the bottom of the bag.

Disney did not respond to a request for comment Friday, but the park rules state no weapons are allowed on Disney property. Smith was not immediately available for comment.

Florida Man Formally Charged with Trespassing Following Discovery Island Camping Incident at Walt Disney World

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

After being arrested for camping on the former site of Walt Disney World’s Discovery Island back in April, a Florida man has been formally charged by Florida State Attorney Aramis Ayala.

According to ClickOrlando.com, Richard J. McGuire was formally charged with trespass on property other than structure or conveyance. In April, McGuire was found by Walt Disney World security on the site of the former nature-themed attraction, which was open from 1974 to 1999. Orange County deputies were dispatched to the site.

Investigators claimed deputies searched for McGuire on the ground, and by helicopter and boat before finding him. Court records reveal that McGuire told investigators he was sleeping in one of the abandoned buildings on the island which he called a “tropical paradise,” claiming to be unaware that the property was closed.

McGuire was ordered to not return to any Walt Disney World property.

Virtual Queue Booking Windows Reduced for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Starting July 24

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Hollywood Studios

Walt Disney World recently debuted a modified virtual queue system for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with three opportunities to book at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. or 4 p.m. Starting Friday, July 24, opportunities to join the queue will be reduced, and will only be available at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m, due to issues with capacity. You can read the full update below.

Since Disney’s Hollywood Studios reopened, we’ve received questions about why the virtual queue fills so quickly each day. 

As you’ve also heard here on the Disney Parks Blog, new health-and-safety measures include limiting theme park attendance and implementing new measures to promote physical distancing. This includes requiring extra space between groups in queues and on attraction vehicles. With all of this in mind, we are not able to accommodate as many people on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance as we could before we implemented physical distancing.

For guests with a Disney Park Pass reservation to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the attraction will continue to have limited availability accessible through the My Disney Experience app virtual queue. Starting Friday, July 24, guests will have an opportunity at either 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. to join the virtual queue. These two opportunities are intended to give guests more flexibility in their planning, and are also a way to further support physical distancing. 

RISE OF THE RESISTANCE — Disney guests will traverse the corridors of a Star Destroyer and join an epic battle between the First Order and the Resistance – including a face-off with Kylo Ren – when Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance opens Dec. 5, 2019 at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Jan. 17, 2020 at Disneyland Resort in California. At 14 acres each, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios is Disney’s largest single-themed land expansion ever. (Joshua Sudock/Disney Parks)

Here are more details to be aware of before you arrive:

  • First, make sure you have the My Disney Experience app. Once you enter the park, log in to your account at one of the distribution times (10 a.m. or 2 p.m.).
  • Once you have logged in, select “Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Virtual Queue” on the home screen. You will be able to view the current status and next steps for joining the virtual queue. 
  • The app will indicate when there is no availability for a specific distribution time. Some guests may join backup groups. 
  • As long as your My Disney Experience account is linked to park tickets for you and the others in your group, you can enroll everyone in the virtual queue at the same time. In order to give as many guests as possible the opportunity to join the Resistance, each guest can enter the virtual queue no more than once per day.
  • Make sure push notifications are turned on for My Disney Experience so you will be alerted if your group is called to return. You’ll have up to an hour from the time of the alert to go to the entrance of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. 
  • Guests who are enrolled in the virtual queue will be able to see an estimated return time indicating when they may be called back to experience the attraction. This time may change throughout the day, so continue to check the app for updates. Also, the tip boards around the park will display the boarding groups that have been called back.
  • Please note that joining the virtual queue does not guarantee the ability to experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. 

Walt Disney World Resort Announces NEW Florida Resident Disney Magic Flex Ticket for 2020

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

In order to entice even more Florida Residents to make the trip to Walt Disney World Resort, Disney has announced a new Florida Resident Disney Magic Flex Ticket, available now and starting at just $130 for a two-day ticket valid for dates through September, and just $174 for a three-day ticket valid through December 18. You can check out the full details below:

Get a 2-day Florida Resident Disney Magic Flex Ticket for just $130 plus tax (that’s just $65 per day plus tax). Or, enjoy more magic with a 3-day or 4-day specially priced ticket.With the Florida Resident Disney Magic Flex Ticket, you can enjoy 2, 3 or 4 days—depending on the ticket purchased—at one Walt Disney World theme park per day. These flexible tickets can be used at any one of our 4 theme parks on non-consecutive days throughout the offer period (subject to availability).

Both a theme park reservation via the Disney Park Pass system and valid theme park ticket for the same park on the same date are required for each person in your party ages 3 and up (limit one park per day). Reservations are limited and subject to availability. View the park reservation availability calendar.

Explore pricing for 2-day, 3-day and 4-day Florida Resident Disney Magic Flex Tickets:

Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here. To purchase by phone, call (407) 939-4282 and speak with a vacation planning expert or call your travel agent.

Ample Hills Creamery Will No Longer Be Operating Any Walt Disney World Locations

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Disney Parks

If you were eagerly awaiting the return of Ample Hills Creamery at Disney’s BoardWalk Resort, plus the debut of the upcoming new Disney Springs location, I’m afraid we have some sad news for you. An Ample Hills spokesperson has stated that the ice cream shop will not be operating any Walt Disney World locations in the near future.

The Boardwalk location has been fairly popular since it opened in 2016, and with the announcement of a second location on the West Side of Disney Springs, with construction already underway, this news is definitely disheartening for fans.

Although the landing page for the Disney Springs location still says “Coming Soon” and the Boardwalk location landing page says, “Temporarily Unavailable”, there was still hope that these locations would eventually reopen at a later date. Sadly, there is no later date, as the Boardwalk location is set to close permanently, with plans on the Disney Springs location now reportedly cancelled.

Ample Hills Creamery filed for bankruptcy on March 16, right before the Boardwalk location closed on March 20 due to the COVID-19 shutdown. Disney’s agreement with Ample Hills ended back in January, according to a company spokesperson.