Category: InsideTheMagic

Walt Disney World Resort is known as the Most Magical Place on Earth, and for good reason. Between the four incredible theme parks, two water parks, the huge shopping and dining area of Disney Springs, the unique hotels, and more, there is so much to love about it. Many people can’t imagine taking their vacation anywhere else. People who love Disney parks often love learning different bits of Disney history, and sharing that knowledge with other Disney fans. But sometimes, there are things that you wish you didn’t know, because you don’t want them to potentially affect a future Disney trip. Credit: Disney Related: Beloved Reality Star Detained at Disney for Reportedly Bringing in Daughter’s Ashes It’s a well-known fact that some guests love Disney World so much that they want their ashes spread there when they die, with the Haunted Mansion being a popular spot for such wishes. No matter how many times Disney cast members make it clear that spreading ashes is not allowed — and will only result in the loved one getting sucked up into a vacuum cleaner — guests continue to bring ashes to the theme parks in hope of giving their loved ones a magical final resting place. One guest recently took to the popular Subreddit, Today I Learned, and said that they learned that when cast members say that there is a “white powder alert,” that means someone has spread ashes in whatever area they are in. It can definitely

The internet likes to joke that “Disney Adults” are part of one big cult, but at least one cult is pretty active within Disney theme parks. Any diehard Disney parkgoer can attest to the fact that fans can get passionate about what they love (and what they don’t love) at Disney. If you need proof, just see the reactions to the closure of Splash Mountain and the opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which generated such a frenzy that some people tried, unsuccessfully, to picket The Walt Disney Company offices. Credit: Disney More recently (and more validly), there was an outcry over the closure of Muppet*Vision 3D at Walt Disney World Resort to make way for the Monsters, Inc. (2001) land and attraction announced for Disney’s Hollywood Studios at D23. Credit: Disney The point here being: when Disney fans care, they care. A lot. A video recently emerged from Tokyo Disney Resort proving just how much some fans care about their favorite attraction. TikToker @itsakidearest shared a video on the platform, shocking some users by revealing a popular cult at Tokyo Disneyland. The cult in question centers around The Happy Ride with Baymax, a relatively recent addition to the park’s Tomorrowland area. This is a whip ride (similar to Alien Swirling Saucers at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree at Disney California Adventure) themed to Baymax, the “personal healthcare companion” popularized in Big Hero 6 (2014), that opened in 2020. Credit: Tokyo Disney Resort

Disney influencer Kayla Little, known for her engaging online content about the parks, announced today that she was let go from Walt Disney World after just one day in her new role. In a video shared with her followers, Little said she was terminated for “poor performance,” a reason she described as unusual given that she had not received any critical feedback during her training. Credit: Disney Disney Influencer Makes Statement The situation has sparked a discussion among Little’s fans and the Disney community, particularly surrounding one of her recent videos filmed in a cast member parking lot. Some speculate that the video may have contributed to Disney’s decision, although no official connection has been confirmed. Little, known for her candid and unfiltered content, has built a large following on social media, where she shares behind-the-scenes moments and her experiences as a Disney fan. Little is now exploring her legal options with the help of a union representative, reportedly seeking to build a case for wrongful termination. The influencer has said she feels the termination was unjust and that her online presence should not have impacted her professional role. “I’ve always loved Disney,” she shared in her post, adding that the sudden termination has left her feeling blindsided and confused. @kaylalittle56 FIRED from Disney after 1 day #disneycastmember #disneyworld #magickingdom #disneyparks #disney ♬ original sound – Kayla The Start of a Trend? The incident has sparked a broader conversation

To keep cool this summer, Busch Gardens Tampa’s water park, Adventure Island, offered guests a new kind of adventure: an after-hours ticketed event that would give guests access to the water park and other special areas after the park closed. Credit: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay This after-hours event ran through most of the summer, but as the warm weather started to wind down, the party became an absolute disaster for Busch Gardens. In a new video posted on social media, on one of the final nights of the party, thunderstorms rolled in, shutting the party down; however, while guests were waiting for a refund, a brawl broke out in the customer service line, and dozens of patrons, most of whom had nothing to do with the fight, were pepper-sprayed. The nearly three-minute video shows hundreds of teenagers walking around the after-hours event, despite Busch Gardens’ website stating that there was a chaperone policy in place for anyone under 17. That policy stated that all guests under 17 must be accompanied by an adult over 21. There should have been one adult for every five teenagers. Credit: Inside The Magic Halfway through the event, which was scheduled to run from 8 to 11 p.m., Adventure Island started shutting down many of the park’s waterslides due to inclement weather. Guests were told that if inclement weather “canceled the event,” they were covered by Busch Gardens’ “weather-or-not assurance policy,” which “guarantees the value” of the guest’s ticket. As the

Guests have criticized what they claim is a growing trend at one Disney theme park resort. Plenty of rules underpin the Disney park experience. For example, at Disney World, guests can’t bring certain items into the parks to ensure the safety and comfort of others, ranging from obvious picks (like firearms, knives, or any kind of weapon) to more niche items (including whistles, remote-control toys, glass containers, and flags). Credit: Disney Disney also enforces strict policies about guest behavior. Guests are expected to show respect towards both cast members and their fellow parkgoers. While that’s not always the case – just see the number of fights that have broken out at Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, and beyond for proof – the company has previously proven that it’s willing to trespass those who harass Disney employees or fellow guests from its property. Guests have also pushed the limits of other Disney rules over the years. Drunken behavior at EPCOT is a particular problem in the eyes of many guests, with some of the most outrageous actions in recent memory, including the guests who attempted to scale the Mexico Pavilion and the guest who decided to take a plunge in World Showcase Lagoon on a bet. Credit: Disney Another commonly contradicted rule is Disney’s dress code. In some cases, guests don’t realize that they’re violating the set of guidelines enforced by The Walt Disney Company to maintain a family-friendly environment. The exact restrictions can differ at Disney’s

There is a serious debate among Disney fans about which Disney World Resort Hotel has the best pool, but for most guests, the answer is obvious. It’s Stormalong Bay at Disney World’s Beach and Yacht Clubs. Credit: How to Disney The massive, three-acre pool area spans the two resorts and offers guests just about everything they could want in a pool. There is a lazy river, whirlpools, an open swimming area with games, and a sand-bottom kiddy area. As if those weren’t enough, Stormalong Bay has one of the largest waterslides at any Disney Hotel, with its 230-foot slide starting at a replica of a shipwreck. Disney fans can debate, but Stormalong Bay has everything anyone could want in a pool. Credit: Disney Despite all that it offers, there is a slight oddity in Stormalong Bay that creates a bit of a mystery. Why is the lazy river at Stormalong Bay so short and deep, and why does it have a sandy bottom? To find an answer to this oddity, we have to go all the way back to when the Beach and Yacht Clubs first opened. When the two luxury hotels opened in November 1990, they were meant to replicate the glory and grandeur of New England seaside towns of the 1920s and 30s. Have you ever wondered why the “Lazy River” at Disney’s Yacht / Beach Club is insanely deep, oddly short, and just plain weird? When the resorts originally opened, the

For the past few years, Pixar has been struggling to connect with audiences and create films that drive audiences to see them in the theater. 2024’s Inside Out 2 was Pixar’s most successful film to date, but before that, the last time the animation studio had a box office blockbuster was with Toy Story 4 back in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic really hurt every film studio, but Pixar has gone from seeing frequent success to mostly criticism. In fact, Elio, which was released on June 20, holds the top spot for Pixar’s worst box office numbers yet. In 2022, Pixar released another film that was also a huge flop — Lightyear, which served as the origin story for Pixar’s most famous toy, Buzz Lightyear: Space Ranger.  Credit: Disney/Pixar Related: Pixar’s ‘Elio’ Breaks a 30-Year Box Office Record For Worst Opening Weekend in Studio History Disney reportedly lost just over $100 million on Lightyear, and would have been happy to leave the movie and its controversies in the rearview mirror. However, Lightyear unexpectedly found itself back in the headlines recently when rapper Snoop Dogg spoke about taking his grandchildren to see it in theaters. He criticized the film for its LGBTQIA representation and said that he was “scared” to take his grandkids back to the movies. “What you see is what you see, and they’re putting it everywhere.” “They’re like, ‘She had a baby — with another woman.’ Well, my grandson, in the middle of the movie is like, ‘Papa Snoop?

Friday, August 29, will be a historic day at Magic Kingdom; a day that Walt Disney could not and did not dream would happen at his beloved parks. Credit: Disney Friday marks the opening of the Beak and Barrel, the first-ever bar at the Magic Kingdom. While Disney World’s website doesn’t specifically refer to the Pirates of the Caribbean-themed “tavern” as a bar, the Beak and Barrel is a 21-and-over establishment that serves alcohol, which sounds pretty much like a bar. With the popularity of alcohol and Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney fans can expect Magic Kingdom to be packed with Disney adults on Friday, clamoring to get into the new dive. There is a slight problem with that plan: most of them will be on the outside looking in. Credit: Disney When the reservation system opened for the Beak and Barrel earlier this month, it crashed, delaying reservations by a few days. When the system returned, the Beak and Barrel reservations were gobbled up by fans within an hour. Unfortunately, this leaves most guests out in the cold, but that won’t stop Disney adults from trying to get a seat at the bar. Credit: Disney Disney World’s website specifically states that “reservations are required” for entry to the Beak and Barrel; however, some Disney fans took to social media looking for answers as to whether Disney will offer any standby times during its opening. Disney has not specifically said whether or not it

Disney World has been under scrutiny recently after a cast member from the Disney College Program posted to social media showing an email where Disney is forcing them to relocate. Credit: Lee (myfrozenlife), Flickr It begins with exhaustion. After working long shifts in the Florida heat, a young cast member comes “home” only to discover that the very place they call home is suddenly being taken away. No negotiation, no option—just an email with a date circled in red. For many, this isn’t just a move. It feels like a gut punch. At first glance, this might sound like a minor inconvenience. After all, housing changes happen everywhere. But for participants in the Disney College Program (DCP), the sudden announcement of mandatory relocations has shaken the community and reignited long-standing frustrations about housing policies that leave cast members with little to no control over their own living arrangements. So, what exactly happened, and why has this story spread like wildfire across Disney fan forums and social media platforms? More importantly—what can current and future cast members expect as housing demands continue to grow? Credit: Paul Beattie, Flickr What Happened: Disney’s Forced Housing Relocation A Disney College Program member recently shared their story on the r/Disneycollegeprogram subreddit, describing how they were being forcefully relocated from their current apartment with no choice in the matter. The email from Disney stated:

Artificial intelligence isn’t just creeping into Disney’s corporate offices—it’s starting to feel like the magic of the parks themselves could be transformed by it. Disney has recently posted a position for a Vice President of Collaboration Technology & AI, a role that will oversee and shape the company’s entire AI strategy. While on the surface that might sound like another executive title buried inside the corporate world, fans can’t help but wonder: could this be the start of AI-driven characters roaming Disney World? Credit: Disney A Role With Big Implications The new position is designed to guide Disney’s use of AI across multiple divisions, from internal tools to guest-facing experiences. This person will lead efforts with DisneyGPT—Disney’s in-house AI platform—as well as manage initiatives involving Microsoft Copilot and other advanced technologies. The posting even calls out responsibilities like building roadmaps for employees to use AI effectively, training Disney’s workforce in AI skills, and partnering with innovation teams across the company. That all sounds very business-focused, but Disney doesn’t expand AI research for no reason. If you look past the job description, it’s clear this is about more than streamlining operations. Disney is building an AI backbone that could eventually stretch into its theme parks. What This Could Mean for the Disney Parks Imagine walking through Magic Kingdom and encountering a Mickey Mouse that not only waves and poses for pictures but also carries