This Week in Disney Headlines for July 5th, 2021

This week, gorillas meet a snake, a door leads to mystery, and the internet picks the greatest TikTok user ever. Okay, I did that last one.

Still, you’ll want to read all the best Disney Headlines for the week of July 1^st, 2021!

Gorilla vs. Snake

I know this title sounds like a 1990s syndicated television special, the kind hosted by Geraldo Rivera.

Yes, it also sounds like a movie where Liam Neeson befriends the gorilla and somehow brings down the Mothra of snakes.

However, I’m referencing a very real, absolutely hysterical encounter that recently occurred at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Our favorite family of gorillas was hanging out in their habitat. Then, suddenly, park guests at Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail noticed something strange.

One of the gorillas had detected an intruder, a small snake that had somehow entered their lair. Here’s what the interaction looked like:

Suffice to say that gorillas don’t like surprise snakes outta nowhere any more than humans do.

The Door of Mystery and Other Theme Park Discussions

Now that the pandemic has mostly subsided, the internet has returned to one of its favorite obsessions, Disney theme parks!

Photo: Matt Stroshane

We’ve had recent viral conversations about Avengers Campus, Star Wars, Galaxy’s Edge, and even this door:

I’m not 100 percent sold on this explanation, but I do like the idea that glitter fixes everything. Magic Kingdom needs more glitter, right?

On a more debatable subject, the LA Times and other publications have spent the past month debating a simple question.

Is Avengers Campus worth the wait? I won’t do a clickbait nonsense comment like “The answer may surprise you!”

However, the question remains valid, at least in the short term. A year from now, Avengers Campus will have calmed down enough that it’s perfect.

Image Credit: Ty Popko/Disneyland Resort

I mean, guests already don’t want to leave there because it’s so phenomenal.

Unfortunately, the demand for Avengers Campus has led to a comical set of circumstances.

Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG

Even with Park Pass requirements and some capacity limits in place, Disney California Adventure has seemed overrun with Marvel fans.

You could feasibly wait all day to enter the park and experiences its one new attraction, WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure.

Is any ride worth a four- or five-hour wait? I mean, I’ve done it before, as I rode Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point during its first month.

I had a blast, but the ride took about 30 seconds, no joke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBgNx8nts70

Would I ever do that again? Probably not. I don’t regret the experience, though. Still, I get jealous when I check its average wait times these days.

The same philosophy applies at Avengers Campus. You’ll pay an opportunity cost price by visiting right now. It’ll take more time to do the same stuff.

Photo by Disney

Therein lies the debate.

Avengers and Star Wars in the News

Obviously, Avengers Campus will remain a hot topic for a while. Even some of the trade publications have gotten in on the act here.

(Christian Thompson/Disneyland Resort)

For example, Variety has detailed the ways that Avengers Campus does and does not fit into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The author does touch on an excellent point. The MCU keeps changing every day. I mean, the latest episode of Loki just proved that.

Image Credit: Marvel

However, the themed land must remain relatively static, at least in terms of physical buildings.

Avengers Campus is tethered to Spider-Man, Ant-Man, and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Yes, you can put Loki in a prison jumpsuit, but that’s about the extent of time-sensitive changes.

How will the parks navigate that hurdle in the future? It’s a good question, although I fully trust Imagineers to come up with solid solutions.

Meanwhile, the good people over at The Atlantic have fixated on a different Disney themed land. They argue what Disney got wrong with the Star Wars franchise.

Image: Star Wars

I’m never a fan of these “Blame Disney for caring about revenue” articles. Still, I know it’s a conversation point right now. So, I’m bringing it to your attention.

In more upbeat Disney entertainment news, the company has released dueling Jungle Cruise trailers as a play on the male and female leads.

Here’s the Skipper Frank trailer:

And here’s the Dr. Lily Houghton version, complete with smack talk:

So far, The Rock’s version claims nearly twice as many views as Emily Blunt’s version. Don’t let that man’s ego get any larger! Watch hers twice!

By the way, if you want to watch Jungle Cruise on Disney+ in four months, Amazon has a deal for you!

When new subscribers join Amazon Music right now, you get six months of Disney+ included for free!

Disney Fun for the Week

I have a new favorite TikTok user, and you should, too! The user’s ID is @gabby.jaye. She’s a professional chef who loves Disney movies.

Photo: DADO RUVIC/REUTERS

You’ll know this when you watch her stream, which includes marvelous recreations of Disney dishes!

In fact, I’ll start with one from a film that only recently became a Disney property! Here’s Gabby bringing a scene from The Simpsons Movie to life!

If you’d prefer something from Disney animation, here’s Aurora’s birthday cake!

She even made the broom and lit the candles!!!

Finally, because I’m constantly flirting with my wife when I write, here’s the Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream from her beloved Lilo & Stitch!

You know what, I wanna do one more! Here’s Ratatouille!

Gabby Jaye is the greatest thing to happen to TikTok since Kevin Mayer’s leaving. Err, too soon?

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