This week’s SATURDAY SIX takes a look at the news via MEMES! While Spaceship Earth has always explained the history of human communication, there’s always been one area that’s been noticeably missing. Oh sure, EPCOT’s park icon features minor achievements in communication within civilizations, such as the creation of an alphabet, newspapers, and the personal computer, but it has a glaring omission…memes. The SATURDAY SIX is here to right that wrong, and unlike those credit hungry Phoenicians, we’re doing it not for a “thank you,” but because it’s our civic duty. So what has happened over the last two weeks? Funny you should ask…
# 6 – Pre-Election: Does the White House Remind You of a Certain Theme Park…
Shortly before our country’s Presidential election on November 3rd, a new structure was installed in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. What was billed as an “unscalable fence” was installed, and unfortunately it wasn’t because Hollywood was trying to film a scene for a movie set during a dystopian future. Those of us in the theme park world know there is no such thing as an non-scalable fence, and were fully prepared to send That Guy Who Climbed the Mexico Pavilion in World Showcase to prove it.
Seeing these walls did remind theme park fans of another place near and dear to their hearts…
# 5 – The Election – Biden Celebrates “270” By Looking Up…
In the days after November 3rd election, the counting began to show that Joe Biden was going to have electoral collage votes to surpass 270 and thus become the President-Elect of the United States. (He ended up with 306.) On the night Biden was officially projected to win 270, he celebrated with a speech and a pretty spectacular drone show. The drone show started an instant meme trend, with people using the photo of President-Elect Biden looking up at the sky.
Theme park social media used this meme format to have Biden looking up at things we all love, such as the recent shocking return of The Muppets to Liberty Square.
The iconic photo of Mickey Mouse high atop Spaceship Earth.
Tinker Bell “flying” at the Magic Kingdom.
Biden’s face is exactly the one TouringPlans’ own Guy Selga has seeing Teddi Barra in Country Bears Jamboree.
The “new and improved” Soarin’ Around the World…
I think we all had this look when seeing the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at DHS.
Fans of Universal also joined in on this viral meme trend, including using Biden looking up at the upcoming VelociCoaster at Islands of Adventure.
The surprise Beetlejuice experience that Universal opened for two days during their Untitled Daytime Halloween Event (AKA HHN 29.5)…
Speaking of cool drone shows, the Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle…
Universal and stilt-walker characters are like “peas and carrots,” and two of my favorite of these characters are Bride of Frankenstein and her significant other…
My personal favorite of this entire meme format may have been the inclusion of the still unbuilt Polercoaster.
# 4 – Post-Election: Meet Ya at The Four Seasons (Total Landscaping)
If the annual Theme Park Turkey of the Year awards could include things outside of Disney and Universal, the following story would have been an easy winner. The saga started this time last week, when on Saturday President Trump tweeted about a “Lawyers Press Conference” at the “Four Seasons.” Every person on Earth assumed this meant the Four Season Hotel in Philadelphia, which is a natural setting for a legitimate press conference by people of stature.
Nay Nay.
Moments later, the Four Seasons hotel tweeted that there was no press conference being held at the hotel and instead it would be at the Four Seasons Total Landscaping company, also in Philadelphia.
That’s right, the Four Seasons Total Landscaping company. The story is even crazier than you could possibly think, and is so ridiculous on every level that you wouldn’t even be able to use this scenario in a comedy movie because no audience would find it believable. However, it DID happen, and users on social media began wondering what are the most insane places they could hold a press conference…
TouringPlans’ own Guy Selga chose an appropriate place, in front of overfilled garbage cans outside the TTC.
The backside of Expedition Everest was picked by @ClaytonicShift.
Hard to think of anything more appropriate than one of the worst dumpster fires in theme park history, as chosen by @spadearts.
@MissussMellnee went with an “iconic” gift shop.
Your Humble Author went with a beloved quick service in Toon Lagoon at Islands of Adventure.
Others had some great suggestions as well…
While the Trump administration has yet to admit it, most believe that this all started because someone was tasked with booking “the Four Seasons” and got the wrong place. Instead of just admitting the mistake, they doubled down on it and had the embarrassing press conference. In their defense, we can imagine something like this happening in the theme park world as well…
# 3 – When You Fix Something That Ain’t Broke…
In news that seems impossible to believe, another botched art restoration took place in Spain recently. This is the same country which had the disastrous restoration of a 120-year old painting of Jesus from a few years back. Theme park fans weren’t going to let this opportunity go to waste….
Universal went above and beyond the call of duty for this one.
# 2 – Is It Live Or Is It Memorex
You never know what will catch on in the viral world of memes. When Kim Kardashian West posted a video which featured her father as a hologram, the theme park social media community took it’s cue…
We got to see the Musion technology “hologram” of Frank Kincaid from Universal’s now extinct DISASTER attraction.
Fans of Back to the Future 2 will remember this Jaws 19 hologram.
You can’t go wrong using references from Horizons…
# 1 – True Disney Legends
An extremely popular meme format over the past few days were individuals starting a conversation by asking something along the lines of “Who (or what) ISN’T ____ but FEELS like ____?”
For example, “What isn’t a theme park ride but FEELS like a theme park ride?” had some fun responses such as the monorail at the MCO airport, the Tangled restrooms at the Magic Kingdom, and the gigantic escalators out at Universal Studios Hollywood.
One of the themes I thought was most interesting was a thread that asked people to suggest who they thought felt like an honored Disney Legend, but actually wasn’t.
For those who don’t know, @staceyjaswad is the famous Stacey from the Must Do Disney series. Believe it or not, Stacey has been featured twice before in the SATURDAY SIX. Once in our look at Disney references in James Cameron’s Avatar film, and also in the special David and Derek look at Disney’s dog-friendly hotels.
Solid choice of Robin Lopez, especially after we showcased his Twitter feed during the NBA Bubble.
If you’ve ever been to Disney Springs, you’ve probably seen Eddy Maserati dancing away…
Although Eddy isn’t the only iconic dancer in the theme park world…
Props to this Twitter user who went with the Creepy Belle Doll, who is of course inducted into the Disney Outlet Report Hall of Fame.
But ultimately it comes down to the one person who definitely should be a Disney Legend. Heck, he even played Walt Disney in Saving Mr. Banks.
Honorable Mention – What to do with the Trump A.A. in Hall of Presidents
It’s always good when those in the theme park community try to help the thousands of Cast Members and Team Members (along with other hospitality workers) who have been drastically affected by the furloughs in Florida and California. Theme park photography icon Tom Bricker and his wife Sarah helped raise over $30,000 for an Orlando food bank. While Florida gets the lion’s share of theme park coverage due to the sheer amount of bloggers in the state, it’s important to realize that their counterparts in California also need help.
When I saw the above tweet, I posted a promise (or maybe it’s more of a threat) of drawing some art if donations hit a certain threshold.
TouringPlans’ own Len Testa said NAY NAY and just donated the entire amount needed for the goal immediately.
So I put “pen to paper” and created a series of drawings based on the theme of what Disney could do with the President Trump audio-animatronic now that the elections are over. First up, Pirates of the Caribbean…
Maybe replacing Big Al in Country Bear Jamboree…
Could always give Madame Leota a break in the Haunted Mansion…
…or even in Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress.
Others had a different suggestion for what Disney could do with the Trump A.A. in Hall of Presidents. The most creative used something that is still hard to believe happened last year. Remember the amazing audio-animatronic of Hondo Ohnaka in Millenium Falcon: Smugglers Run? When the highly complicated A.A. didn’t work correctly, Disney just threw a tarp over it and ran the pre-show anyway.
So maybe we can repurpose that tarp…
BEFORE WE GO: While we use memes and jokes to cope and deal with some pretty serious things going on with our country, one thing I want people to know that we are absolutely serious about is our support of Trans Awareness Week. Our nation is at its best when we understand that it’s the differences between us which makes us stronger. For too long, too many people have had to deal with hate and bigotry when ultimately they are just like everyone else. They are sons and daughters. They are friends and coworkers and people on the street. They are us, and when one of us struggles, we all struggle. When one of us is attacked, we’re all attacked. Here’s looking forward to the day when we won’t need a Trans Awareness Week because we understand a Trans individual is a person with all the hopes, dreams and – most importantly – basic human rights that we all have.
For more information on being an ally to transgender and nonbinary youth, please check out TheTrevorProject.org
So there you have it: The SATURDAY SIX Looks Back at a WILD WEEK of News! 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 covering the latest from the Disney Outlet Stores. 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)
The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 6)
The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 7)
The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 8)
The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 9)
The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 10)
The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 11)
The SATURDAY SIX Looks at Theme Park News via Memes (vol 12)
Special Thanks to The Elite Brandon Glover, the bio-est of all reconstructs @bioreconstruct, Captain Cruiseline Scott Sanders of the world famous Disney Cruise Line Blog, my personal protege Hunter “Elvey” Underwood, the SAT SIX Fun Squad of Parkscope Joe and “the Dadalorian” Nick, hot shot Michael Carelli, charter member of the Universal Four @Nitro230, 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.
Wait, what?!!!!
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Filed Under: Saturday Six, Universal Orlando Resort, Walt Disney World (FL), Epcot, Hall of Presidents, memes, saturday six
