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Episode 010 - Be in a Disney Ad! Disneyland Perks coming to an end, Kids Eat Free, Stacey from Must Do DIsney returns, and Busch Gardens Verbolten gets a refurb
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Get ready for a packed episode of The Rhubarb Travelers Podcast as we break down major Disney news, smart vacation strategies, and some genuinely surprising updates across the theme park world. From Disney Vacation Club’s 35th Anniversary casting call to Kids Eat Free on the Disney Dining Plan, plus big changes to Disneyland perks and water park access at Walt Disney World. We also dig into major ride updates, including Rise of the Resistance going down indefinitely at Disneyland and fresh details on the Big Thunder Mountain and Buzz Lightyear refurbishments.
In the Aftershow, we roll into Universal and beyond with Halloween Horror Nights anniversary details, Mardi Gras concert lineups, Harry Potter anniversary celebrations, and what’s coming next at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Add in listener trip-planning questions, new Toy Story Land snacks, high-tech LEGO Star Wars sets, and a billion-dollar Avatar box office run, and you’ve got an episode that hits theme park news from every angle. Whether you’re planning your next trip or just love staying in the loop, Episode 10 delivers the fun and the facts.
This episode sponsored by dontresistthetravel.com
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Transcript
Introduction to Episode 10
00:00:13
Speaker
Hey folks, welcome to episode number 10 of the Rhubarb Travelers podcast. We are recording this show on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. I am Blake with me as always is Damon. How are you, my friend? It's episode 10. We are double digits.
00:00:30
Speaker
I know, but it feels a little disappointing that like we couldn't like do anything. I mean, I guess it's only episode 10 now, right? Episode 100 maybe is different. 25. 25 is a good quarter number. Let's do that. Wait, 25? Are we going to Dollywood on 25? I don't know.
00:00:44
Speaker
What are we going to do? That's 30 weeks from now. I think that's too far. That's half a year. But that'll put us right in the right at the end of summer. That could possible.
00:00:55
Speaker
It could be possible. Yeah. be possible I mean, Blake's going to bag anyway. Let's be honest. It's going to be me and Chris. Whatever. Whatever.
Disney Seeks Family Memories for Anniversary Campaign
00:01:05
Speaker
all right. Getting right into it with DVC News. Just one piece of DVC News.
00:01:11
Speaker
And it's not even really about the resorts Specifically, Disney has announced it is looking for families to help it advertise for the Disney Vacation Club thirty fifth anniversary. First off, can you believe DVC has been around for 35 years? No, I feel like it's been around longer.
00:01:29
Speaker
Really? You think it's been around longer? Yeah, I don't know. 35 just is this weird number now. Like, it just, it feels like nothing, but it's a lot, all at the same time. I don't know, I can't.
00:01:40
Speaker
I mean, it's more than halfway through some of the initial contracts, well more than halfway through, so... yeah We're now writing that down. But anyway, DVC is inviting some of its owners to share their favorite memories created while participating in the timeshare program. So if you would like to submit something, you can submit a family photograph along with reasons that your family loves Disney Vacation Club, or you can also submit specific memories made while you have been owners.
00:02:11
Speaker
if you want to submit, you can submit to members at DisneyVacationClub.com with a subject line of member submission, DVC 35th anniversary.
00:02:22
Speaker
And then some members will be chosen to appear on film as part of the marketing campaign. So if you would like an opportunity to show up in a Disney ad, now is your chance. I mean, what do what do I get though? Do I get like more points or something? how you You get the glory of the glory of being in a Disney...
00:02:41
Speaker
advertisement. How about that? Okay. I guess so.
Senior Trip Ideas and DVC Options
00:02:44
Speaker
All right. Let's move on to listener questions. Dan H. from the group asks, give me some reasonably priced senior trip ideas for my daughter and her best friend. These are two girls from a small town and maybe it's a DVC stay, maybe something else.
00:03:00
Speaker
Maybe me and my wife would go also. So, David. Yeah. I... For me, this is either gonna be Hilton Head or Dollywood.
00:03:13
Speaker
And I don't think you have to go to the parks at Dollywood, but let let's start with Hilton Head. I mean, it's a self-contained resort, right? Like, I mean, that's the nice part about it. You literally can walk to, you know, get food and things and entertainment right outside of, you know, the resort.
00:03:30
Speaker
Plus the resort itself has a ton of things to do. I think that if you have DVC points, that's the easiest and cheapest. I mean, we're doing it for my daughter's 16th, you know, sweet 16 because it just, it, right I have to excuse myself up front. Like Blake was the one that was like frog in his throat, but I feel like this whole episode is going to be me. So anyway, it's getting to be that time of the year.
00:03:54
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like that's such a good situation. And I think about sending seniors by themselves, I'd feel super duper comfortable with that. I think that's the the first thing.
00:04:06
Speaker
You know, when I think about Dollywood, I think to myself, there's just so much to do there, so much fun, and it's inexpensive. Even taking into account you know DVC at Hilton Head, I still think that you know if you're renting out like a cabin or you're staying at one of the non-Dollywood resorts, there's a lot to do there. It's all pretty close. You know you can walk to a ton of stuff.
00:04:33
Speaker
yup That's a second thought for me. Outside of that, I mean, I guess going to the beach is always an option, you know, and you can find some pretty good deals for that. But because those are kind of my ideas.
00:04:43
Speaker
Yeah, so you would leave off actually Walt Disney World and Universal because he's put in the the reasonably priced stipulation, i'm guessing. Yeah, I think that just tickets themselves and just food and just all of that just adds up to just be so much, I feel like.
00:05:03
Speaker
I mean, I can go to Dollywood for Dollywood and stay probably for less than tickets and food are going to cost me at Disney. Now, for two people, it might be a little bit different.
00:05:14
Speaker
But I don't know. I mean, I think also when you're your DVC in general, there's something to be said about doing something just a little bit different. Right. Especially for a senior trip, like a senior trip down to Disney, if you've been going to Disney for a while. I mean, it's cool, but it's not, you know, it's just something kind of the same.
00:05:31
Speaker
Right. and And the only thing I would add on to that, Dan, is if if your daughter and her friend are agreeable to it, you should go with your wife. You and your wife should go with them and and make this last you know school trip with your daughter something memorable for the whole family.
00:05:50
Speaker
I look at it like this. If... you know that I can see both sides of it. Like we're going for my daughter Sweet 16 because he's 16, right? Like, I don't know. I think it's kind of nice to let them do a trip by themselves in terms of, you know, kind of prepping themselves for being away at college. Also, for me, it would depend on, you know, how many trips you're taking that year.
00:06:14
Speaker
If they're going to go to Hilton Head for four days and, you know, they're not doing any other trips that summer, then yeah, maybe I would consider it. But I also feel like if they're doing other trips, this may be a good introduction to kind of having to roll out on their own and kind of be responsible for themselves as well.
00:06:34
Speaker
Right. I would agree. All right. And I also would agree with Damon's points that Dollywood is a very reasonably priced alternative to Disney. Yeah. There are quite a few things not even in the Dollywood resort that you can do in Pigeon Forge and Gatlin. Oh, my goodness. There's more things to do there than there is to do in Dollywood.
00:06:54
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. So reasonably priced, consider Dollywood.
Podcast Sponsorship Details
00:06:59
Speaker
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00:07:08
Speaker
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00:07:23
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00:08:11
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00:08:27
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00:08:33
Speaker
And
Disneyland Changes and Updates
00:08:34
Speaker
we're back. All right. Let's start off with our Disney news. All right. Over on the West Coast in Disneyland Resort, there are two popular perks that are coming to an end. And that they've actually already come to an end on January 5th. The first one is early park entry. Disneyland's version of this was 30 minutes long.
00:08:55
Speaker
was thirty minutes long It is now no longer available. and do And Disney is reporting that they have ended this because of low utilization rates by the resort guests. So no more 30-minute early entry. They are replacing it with a one-time Lightning Lane Multipass. It can be used on any of the attractions that are normally included on the Lightning Lane Multipass. So instead of early injur entry, you will get one Lightning Lane.
00:09:26
Speaker
And guests can book this ah this new perk at when they check in at the resort or after 7 a.m. on the day of their arrival if they're using online check-in. So if you are headed out to Disneyland, just know that 30 minutes is no longer part of the perks of that resort. I mean, I don't love that. I mean, at least they're giving something that's probably around 30 minutes worth of your time anyway.
00:09:51
Speaker
I don't know. I don't, it just doesn't seem like what they're offering as a make good is the same. It just doesn't have the same value. Yeah, I don't know. I don't love it either. um But hey, listen, at least it's Disneyland for right now. I mean, you know, it's probably coming, but oh maybe not. I mean, because ah maybe it's utilized more in Disney World. We'll we'll see how that all pans out.
00:10:12
Speaker
Right. The other perk that is ending is that there is a private theme park entrance to Disney California Adventure that is from the Pixar Place Hotel. That is being closed as well for underutilization. Now, there is another private entrance that guests can still use. that i is That is at the Grand Californian Hotel.
00:10:32
Speaker
private entrance, and that will also get you into DCA. so So on January 5th, again, there is now only one private entrance from the resorts into Disney's California Adventure. So just make sure you know that before you head out there.
Walt Disney World Policy Adjustments
00:10:48
Speaker
all right, let's move back over to the East Coast. At Walt Disney World, complimentary water park entry on arrival days is going to scale back this year. Last year they had it.
00:10:59
Speaker
It was available every day of the year. And of course, this was available on your arrival day. So if you arrived at Orlando at, let's say, at two o'clock in the afternoon.
00:11:10
Speaker
A day at the park is kind of out of the question, so Disney offered up complimentary water park passes as a way to get you going on your first day. And that was available all year. Well, starting this year,
00:11:22
Speaker
It is now only going to be available during select times of the year. And this coincides with Typhoon Lagoon will be closing on February 15th for refurbishment. And that is also the same day that Blizzard Beach reopens back up from its refurbishment.
00:11:39
Speaker
I mean, are they just so long in the tooth that just in general that like, People don't go anymore. It's very odd. I feel like the nostalgia factor that exists for rides doesn't necessarily exist for water parks. And I wonder, you know, like, mean, they used to both be open all the time.
00:11:59
Speaker
Yeah. It's like, what happened? Well, they just don't get enough people anymore. It's odd. Well, I will tell you that I've been to Disney World 10 plus times since I've been an adult, right? With kids and families of my own. That's big of a flex. Like people do that for months. but i understand I know that, but but of of all those times, I've never been to a water park, never been to Typhoon Lagoon. You're either a water park family or you're not. I'll take it a step further.
00:12:28
Speaker
We are huge water park people. um We haven't been to either of the water parks in years as the kids have gotten older. Because we've been to them so much that it just was like, all right, I'm not going.
00:12:41
Speaker
So I wonder if that plays into it as well. It could. I would think that both of those water parks are relatively more difficult as far as maintenance just because there's so much water. Sure, but they did it before.
00:12:58
Speaker
You know what I mean? like that But it was also newer then. So as parks get mean, it's not like you're talking like two years. Like, they were still old enough. You get what I'm saying? It's like they still needed refurbishment during those times. I don't know. It's odd that they flipped between two of them. But again, like I said, I wonder if the repeatability of the water parks just isn't at the same level.
00:13:18
Speaker
And... you It's funny, like you don't really see also like a lot of um influencers or people like that like just so yeah setting up shop at the water parks. right So I don't know. it's It's interesting though. I mean, listen, they never had free days, so any free days that they have is better than no free days.
00:13:39
Speaker
There you go. There you go. So if you are headed to the water parks, just be aware that you will want to check in to make sure that your arrival day is included on the list of dates that are for that. So Moving on, at Walt Disney World, they are bringing back the Kids Eat Free on the Disney dining plan. So for this, resort guests will receive one free child meal plan for each meal plan purchased for an adult. And these dining plans must be purchased for each guest on the reservation and for the entire length of the stay. What age group is Kids Eat Free?
00:14:22
Speaker
So kids each free. Disney defines a kid as 13 and under, or it's under 13. I can't, it's 12 and under or 13. I can't remember one it is, but the break point is right around 13. Okay.
00:14:35
Speaker
okay So now here's here's my commentary. A lot of people will go back and forth saying, is the dining plan worth it? Yes or no? Here is, in my opinion, the one scenario where the dining plan is an absolute no-brainer for your family.
00:14:52
Speaker
And here it is. If you are big into character meals, where you will sit down, meet with the characters. If you do that every time for your sit-down meal, absolutely get the meal plan. It is 100% worth it.
00:15:07
Speaker
See, we we had the scenario where our friends did the meal plan, we did not, and we still had sit-downs. I think it also depends on, right, if your kids eat free, how old your kids are.
00:15:18
Speaker
When they're all really young, then this may make a lot more sense. When they get a little bit older and they get outside of that 13 range, you really have to Visit the the numbers. Right. You do.
00:15:29
Speaker
and it And honestly, once they get above that 13, they're either going to be a big eater or they're not. And that's going to factor in quite a bit. yeah Absolutely. And you can have you can definitely have it like two totally different ways, right? Where there are super big eaters and then somebody can just subside on snacks like a granola bar for the day. so Exactly. Exactly.
Must Do Disney's Stacy Returns
00:15:49
Speaker
All right. In huge news. This is huge. This is the biggest news. try yeah Everything else that exists on this. if you If you are of a certain age and remember watching your resort TV while you were at Disney World, you will remember Stacy from Must Do Disney. She showed up on our TV screens telling us exactly what to do and the things to catch. Well, she has returned. Now,
00:16:17
Speaker
It's not necessarily must do Disney. She has shown up in an online ad for Walt Disney World. It's very short. She doesn't even like her name's not even mentioned. But as soon as you see her, you know, it's her.
00:16:30
Speaker
And I think it's more as soon as you hear, you know, it's her. Yes. You hear her voice and remember it. So there's speculation that she is coming back to do something for Disney World. And we all hope she shows back up on our resort TVs.
00:16:44
Speaker
I mean, resort TV would be great. I mean, I'd even take her as like a narrator of a ride. Like, what if she like narrated a ride? Like, I'd be cool with that too.
00:16:55
Speaker
Right. she I wonder if they might ah somehow, as part of the My Disney Experience app, like if you wanted to go read up on some more information, you see that, you click the link and then here comes Stacy. She pops up and she tells you all about it. So...
Lego's New Star Wars Smart Blocks
00:17:10
Speaker
yeah Be on the lookout. so so So the next one is there's going to be Lego smart blocks. I don't know if anyone's seen the announcements at CES, right? It's a big deal.
00:17:21
Speaker
you know, kind of leading the way into these smart blocks that have sounds and interactions and the ability to kind of understand what color they're on top of, as well as the networking feature that allows you to kind of network bricks together. like So I guess a good example of that would be is, like let's say you have a brick that knows what color is underneath it. A brick outside of that scenario that's close enough can also mimic that color that exists for the first brick. So there's there's a lot at play here.
00:17:52
Speaker
And they are going to be launching some Lego sets that are Star Wars inspired on March 1st. I plan on getting one just to kind of see. It's very interesting because it's almost like these are the anti-collectible Legos because you really do kind of have to play with them. um Right. You know, the interaction will be, you know, what they say, you know, what they sit on, you know, in the environment and things like that.
00:18:19
Speaker
This is going to be pretty cool. And they sound pretty cool too for, the size that they are. but and I think Star Wars is a great way to introduce them.
00:18:30
Speaker
Right. So these are launching on March the 1st. They are available for pre-order now from the Disney Store. And the first new sets that are being released, just like Damon said, they are Star Wars related. You will have a choice of Luke's Red 5 X-Wing, Darth Vader's TIE Fighter. There's going to be a Rebel A-Wing. And then the Throne Room Duel between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker with the Emperor looking on. Those will be available to you to to purchase. so Yeah, I didn't realize that they were already up for pre-order.
00:19:03
Speaker
Yes, they are up for pre-order now. I gotta get on with that. And now Damon's not gonna pay attention to any more of the show and he's going on DisneyStore.com. No, but the problem is, like, I don't see them up there. Like, are you lying to me? like I am reporting what I read about them. So... Maybe you're not looking in the right spot. That's what it is. That that is very possible that that's the case. um But yeah, like now I'm going to be looking all over the place. Yeah, I don't i don't see them yet on the way and the and the Disney store. Is that where you said they were supposed to be?
00:19:36
Speaker
I did say that, yes. I don't so. Maybe it's on the Lego store. Maybe I read that wrong when was doing my research. hes says Folks, Blake is just lying to you or I'm really bad at searching. you know what that's You know what? Don't believe a word I say, folks, unless you go verify it on your own. There you go. Is that why you have that ah right that's why you have that ah disclaimer at the end? just There you go.
00:20:04
Speaker
There you go. All right.
New Snack Stand at Disney Hollywood Studios
00:20:07
Speaker
Moving on. There is a new Toy Story Land snack stand that has opened up at Disney Hollywood Studios. Okay. So hold on. I have to have to interrupt. Okay. Go ahead. The pre-orders are on the Lego store, not on the Disney store. There we go.
00:20:22
Speaker
and See, we're just feeding you false information. There we go. I'm going to have pre-order one right right. There you go. What did pre-order though? i think you should get I think you should get the X-Wing and the TIE Fighter just to see how they interact with each other. oh Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
00:20:39
Speaker
That's a lot of money. I was going to get one set. Let's slow it down. How much are they? but It didn't even say in my research. The X-Wing's 90 bucks. Oh, wow. Yeah, they're they're not they're not cheap, so I don't know if I'm going to knock out two sets at once, but um i I just don't know what set I want. So that the TIE Fighter is 69, the X-Wing's 89, Throne Room's 159? Wow. movie me sure Okay, Throne Room is definitely not going to be it.
00:21:11
Speaker
And you said there's a Rebel A-Wing. Who would ever buy an A-Wing, though? Like, I feel like... Yeah. That's just like, not, not it. Like, i yeah it's like a, it's like a throwaway model. They feel, Oh, we got to have something in there. So just, I don't even, it's funny though. I don't even see that. And I see, like I said, I see the other ones, but I don't see that, uh, the A-Wing yet. So yeah, I, I think for me, i think it's the, the X-Wing.
00:21:39
Speaker
Yeah. You'd have to go. it If you're only going to get one, you got to do red five. I kind of feel that that's the that's the same way as well. like Yeah, I would agree with that.
00:21:51
Speaker
But I still don't see this A-wing, and that that hurts my feelings. ah No, i just I don't see it. All right, well, we'll look for it later. ah Or I'll just continue to look for it as we talk, but yeah. they yeah yeah All right. So, again, moving on. There is a new snack stand at Disney Hollywood Studios. It is in Toy Story Land, and it is, oddly enough, called Popcorn and Snacks. That's the name of the stand. All right, everyone. i got it I got to jump in here again. So, there there is no Rebel A-Wing available for pre-order. There's only three sets currently. Okay. There are the X-Wing.
00:22:28
Speaker
Oh, okay. ah heres Here's why. bla you see this is I'm going fully blame Blake here for this. okay Okay. The throne room and X-Wing are one set together.
00:22:40
Speaker
It's not four sets. It's three sets. ah Okay. All right. All right. We can continue on about Toy Story's stupid snacks now. Okay. yeah All right, so it's opening up. It's going to have a menu that includes the good old Reliables, popcorn churros, Mickey ice cream bars, and they're also going to have Pizza Planet spring rolls, and these are the same spring rolls that are being served over at Magic Kingdom.
00:23:06
Speaker
So if you are a fan of those, you will now have an option over at Toy Story Land to have that, and that has opened. so Yeah, I mean, nothing nothing there really just amps it up for me. I mean, I get that they're snacks, but...
00:23:20
Speaker
yes Yeah. All right. over Let's go back over don't think I've really eaten in Toy Story Land that much. At all. I've never.
00:23:31
Speaker
I mean, I know they had the Woody's lunchbox, but I've never eaten there. I've heard it's really good, but. Yeah, I just, ah it's not for me. You can also order the Legos on Amazon pre-order. Just, I can't get myself off these. Oh my gosh, you're going to be focused on the Lego thing. We should have, we should have done that story last. Oh my God.
Disneyland's Ride Refurbishments
00:23:51
Speaker
All right, let's go back over to Disneyland, where Rise of the Resistance, their version of the ride, is going down indefinitely. So it will close on January 20th. And the interesting thing here is that they have not announced any reopening date, and they're not even giving an estimated window of return right now.
00:24:15
Speaker
Which is fairly odd because when something is taken down, they will at least say it's going to come back in the spring of 26, going to come back in the spring of 27, something like that.
00:24:25
Speaker
However, they have not given anything. And because of that, this suggests that this is going to be a refurb that's more than just repainting and touching up some things ah from an aesthetic standpoint.
00:24:39
Speaker
I just ordered Daxwing.
00:24:42
Speaker
Okay, is this kind of ties in with a Star Wars story. Yeah, so now I've ordered it, so I think I'm done at this point. All right. Folks, in the next show, Damon will give his review of the X-Wing it's not going to be here until March 2nd on Monday.
00:24:57
Speaker
a Now, Rise of the Resistance is kind of known, unfortunately, for some reliability issues, but that is because the ride is so complicated. Most famously, the moving cannons that you ride through, they have not moved in the Disneyland version and also for the Walt Disney World version, because I have to say I've been on the one there and they didn't move either. But they have not moved for quite a while. Now, those were finally fixed in early 2025.
00:25:26
Speaker
And they started working again. But there are other issues with that. And people are hoping that this ah closing with a lack of return date means that they're going to take the time to fix this. And probably one of the big things that they should fix is the final scene with Kylo Ren, if you are familiar with what that is.
00:25:47
Speaker
Usually his animatronic was not working when we went. So there was always the B scene. this is This is why it's always good to go see things as quickly as possible when they open. Right, exactly. Now, the bright side of this is the fact that they are so they are spending all this time to do this refurb means that Disney wants to keep investing on this to keep this ride up for a while. They're not going let this go down. Because there's this whole...
00:26:15
Speaker
ecosystem of what star wars means money-wise to disney right right it's funny as i was delving into an article i'm writing about harry potter versus impossible creatures versus you know theme parks and stuff like that but when you think about star wars there's just so much toy money and oh yes you just you have to keep it relevant even when it's kind of not anymore hate to say it like what we're really, we have the Mandalorian and Grogu coming, but like, I'm not even really, there's a star fighter movie coming as well.
00:26:51
Speaker
Yeah. I'm just not really even ah but like the overall story are has kind of died, right? and And I don't know what that means. So i yeah, I mean, they have to keep it relevant. I think keeping the ride up to date is going to be a good thing, right? we want people to be interested in Star Wars and things like that.
00:27:10
Speaker
I just don't, it doesn't hold in this, it's funny, the ride itself doesn't hold this like, oh, I want to definitely go back and ride it ride though. I think like it's a very overwhelmingly awesome ride the first time you ride it and then it becomes just passe. But I don't know.
00:27:28
Speaker
The sad thing is, you you know that scene where you go into the room and you're in there with all the AT-AT walkers? You know, that's what a trooper, do you mean? No, no, no, no. Oh, with the big, yeah. With the big life-size model of the Hadat walk.
00:27:43
Speaker
To me, the sad thing is you' you'll only be able to experience that for the first time, one time. Like, I wish there was some way, because anyone who's ridden that ride, you go into that room and your mouth is open, right? Yeah, but it's not life-size, really. Well, from a perspective that's meant to look life-size, so. Okay. Yeah. But yeah, I mean, but I think that's with a lot of rides, but that one even a little bit more so because it's not about the ride, it's about the experience.
00:28:18
Speaker
right I found that a lot, like I said, you know it's not just at Disney rides. It's, again, these horror places that I go to as well. right yeah have some friends that go to the same one multiple times, and I'm just like, my kids even, they're like, yeah, we can't go back to that place. And then we went to went to this new place this year, and it was like, yeah, that was pretty good. and like My kids were like, yeah, I don't think it was...
00:28:39
Speaker
it Like it wasn't as scary as like the ones we've been to in the past, but it was way better because it was something new. And and that's kind of the the thing. Like when you go on Guardians of the Galaxy, it's about the ride.
00:28:52
Speaker
right And right. The repeatability of the ride is is higher than that for me, at least than the repeatability of Rise of the Resistance. All right. All right.
Walt Disney World Ride Updates
00:29:05
Speaker
Over at Walt Disney World, big Thunder Mountain railroad refurbishment details have been revealed. So there are going to be new train cars, so new seating on the ride.
00:29:17
Speaker
They have updated and refreshed all of the animatronics throughout, which I didn't even realize some have not been working for years, and they've just never gotten around to fixing them. Well, now they have gone through and they have fixed all of these animatronics. They've also added in new effects.
00:29:34
Speaker
where, according to Disney, the mountain now is going to feel like it's pushing back at you to get out of it. What does that mean, though? Well, you know, the entire story of the ride is that there was a gold prospector who was digging for gold within the mountain, and the mountain didn't like it.
00:29:54
Speaker
And so it started, all of the elevators stopped working, and all of the mines started collapsing. And so now... part of this ride now is going to, you're going to be able to feel the mountain pushing back at you to get out and and leave the mountain alone.
00:30:10
Speaker
Sorry, and say that again? It says rumbling. Rumbling. and And other effects, which they didn't specify. so I mean, like I said, okay. so the last I think it's a good update with you know the colors and the this and the that. I think it's a good update, but it's still only an update. It's not a new ride. I think people are like all into this like it's some sort of new ride or something. I mean, there's enough being done, but it's still a refurb at the end of the day.
00:30:37
Speaker
Right. Last little piece of news on this, they have just within this last week or two installed the last piece of new track. They put in the golden spike, if you're familiar with that terminology, they did that. So now the new track is finally installed. So you can expect test rides to start here within the very near future.
00:30:58
Speaker
And they are still on track for a re a reopening in 2026. And I believe it's spring of 2026. So they've got three months, which lines up with right about, you know, the the test rides that they have to do. So usually they give themselves about three to four months of test rides.
00:31:17
Speaker
All right. Staying at Walt Disney World, the first look at the new Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin Refurb has been released. There is a video showing the hyperspace scene. And if you're familiar with the ride, that is the scene near the end of the ride where you're going through the tunnel.
00:31:35
Speaker
Now you will see Buzz Lightyear fighting Zerg. He will be flying around. Zerg's going to be releasing space mines, and it's part of your job. You will be blasting those space mines with your blaster.
00:31:48
Speaker
And this is a reminder that the blasters are now going to be removable from their stand. So the ride is now going to be like the one at Disneyland and other parks around the world where you can move that gun around instead of it just being permanently attached to the ride vehicle.
00:32:07
Speaker
I like this. I mean, I'm always a big fan of these sorts of rides. It was funny when we went to Universal and we rode Men in Black and i was like, this is still fun. Like there's something to be said about scoring rides always being fun if you go with your family, right? Yes.
00:32:23
Speaker
I think that there's there's a lot to be had there. Plus you're sitting down. It's a little more, you know, you know walking around the park. I like the look of the hyperspace scene. i think that It won't be enjoyable.
00:32:38
Speaker
Yeah. The one thing I noticed about that, it looks a lot clearer than the original version. The way that they were doing the panels for it. Right. How they were of building them. Yeah. I'm excited by this again, totally another refurb, but there's, there's a difference between a refurb of something like that and a refurb of a coaster. Yeah.
00:33:01
Speaker
You know, this is again, a scoring sort of ride. Like, if they threw in two new scenes of Toy Story Mania, it would be a refurb, but I'd be like, hype is all get out, right? Right. Yeah.
00:33:15
Speaker
All right.
Avatar Movie Box Office Update
00:33:16
Speaker
Last little bit of Disney news not related to a part. I just don't even understand this. I'll be honest with you. Yeah. So Avatar, Fire and Ash, the new movie that just released right before the new year, has now passed $1 billion dollars in ticket sales. And it did that in just 18 days. it Most of it globally, though, let's be honest. Yeah, a lot of it is globally. So right now, ticket sales are currently at $1.23 billion. dollars It has been the top movie for four weeks straight. I don't even get it. I haven't thought about Avatar since the first one, like in terms of...
00:33:54
Speaker
you know, going to the theater or or watching it. like I saw the first one and then I was like, yeah, that's cool, but I think I'm done. Like, I'm good. like Now, your sentiment seems to be running in line with ticket sales because right now, Fire and Ash is running behind where the first two Avatar's movies were at this same point in their run. so That's tough, though, because theater sales in general are a little bit different.
00:34:20
Speaker
Right. but Oh, yeah. Way different than the first movie, for sure. Yeah. I mean, still, for me, I still think, like, I don't know. Even my wife said, like, people still watch a Avatar? I mean, I guess.
00:34:31
Speaker
I guess. mean, good for them, though. It makes the land stay relevant, which I guess is good overall. Because I don't want a whole land of non-relevant stuff. That's the big thing.
00:34:42
Speaker
yeah right like You could have a ride that's not relevant, and then it gets pulled. But when you have a whole land, like no no one's redoing Avatar into something else. Avatar land into something else, let's be honest. So as well continue to pump out some movies and give us some stories. Well, they kind of have to now with a Avatar coming out at Disneyland. You know, they're adding all that in. So they need to keep that that synergy machine running as as Disney likes to do.
00:35:08
Speaker
All right, folks, that is all of the Disney news for right now. So let's head on into the after shows.
Busch Gardens and Universal Event Announcements
00:35:25
Speaker
All right, let's get with the after show. First order of news is Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. The famous Verbotten ride has closed for refurbishment. So it closed on Sunday, January 4.
00:35:39
Speaker
It is going to reopen in spring of 2026. So it's going to be a short three to four month refurb. It's going to come back as Verbotten, the forbidden turn. See, that's that's interesting, though because it's going to come back as kind of a little bit of a different name, but we really think they're not going to change anything. like So there's going to be some re-theming to it. So obviously there's not going to be any track differences with this, which is such a short downtime. So this is this is one of my favorite ride stories, right? So my daughter, I don't remember how old she was.
00:36:13
Speaker
I got to imagine somewhere between just being able to ride that ride and not, um, and, you know, we're kind of like, Hey, come on the ride. It's not so bad.
00:36:24
Speaker
And, you know, she gets on the ride with me and ah I'm on the ride with her. And, You know, that drop that happens is terrible, but it's also very interesting. So she she must have been like so like squeezing and upset about that that she just bites me.
00:36:41
Speaker
Like she bites me on my arm. It's it's a funny, it's a running joke in the family. And like, I get off the ride and like, I mean, it's like, are you bleeding? I'm not bleeding, but it was close. It was close. It was like, it was an indentation of, you know, epic proportion at that point. And it's so funny. And then like, she's like, I don't like roller coasters. Now she goes on every roller coaster. Like she'll go on anything. She'll go on stuff. I probably wouldn't go on, but that was kind of her first real taste of a roller coaster. And it's funny because we always kind of give her a hard time about, you know, the, the biting that happened.
00:37:14
Speaker
if This is another ride that I love. I truly, honest to goodness, love this ride, but and it is not the same ride the second time. Right. the That first drop is one of those things that I talked about earlier. Like, I wish you could experience that for the first time again somehow yeah because it's completely unexpected. so It is. Really cool.
00:37:35
Speaker
Good ride and something that I had never experienced before. So was even better. yeah Yeah. All right. Let's go to Universal. Universal has dropped multiple events for the coming year in 2026.
00:37:49
Speaker
First off is the Mardi Gras. They're going to run that from February 7th through April 4th. There are going to be a number of performers that come as part of that. And some of those that are included are Cascade,
00:38:05
Speaker
Shaggy. Shaggy. Wasn't me. Right? So ah Bare Naked Ladies is coming also. All American Rejects. Those, among others, will be there as the featured performers. And, of course, you will also have the famous Mardi Gras parade that they always do every day. So, again, that runs February 7 to April 4. Then, later in the year, Halloween Horror Nights. Man, they are already talking about Halloween Horror Nights.
00:38:34
Speaker
The thing is, is that I'm still very upset because this is going to be the anniversary, right? Right. um I still can't go because while my one son will be out of school, let me he'll be in grad school, which I think will make it a little bit easier.
00:38:47
Speaker
My other son's still going to be in school and college and you just can't make it with those dates. But gosh, I really want to go to this. Right. So it is happening from August 28 through November 1. So you can expect new house themes. trading I still want to go new New attractions, new food, ah everything to com commemorate the anniversary. of Yeah, I can't even, like, it's not even like I can go with just my wife or my daughter who could go because they don't like that. They won't go.
00:39:17
Speaker
That's right Because your wife is a no scare, no jump scare. Yeah, and my daughter as well. So we're kind of stuck there. now Yeah. Yeah. All right. And then they are already looking at the Christmas holidays at Universal. It will run from November 14 through January 3 of 2027. The big thing here is Christmas at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
00:39:41
Speaker
That will be coming back. Yeah. and Universal's ah holiday Macy's parade that will be there as well. in In connection with that, this year marks the 25th. Man, there's so many anniversaries coming up this year all across the board. So this is the 25th anniversary of the first Harry Potter film coming out in theaters. I cannot believe it has been that long.
00:40:06
Speaker
so And in celebration of that, Universal will have some limited time events all year long to help mark this anniversary with Harry Potter. So first off, Butterbeer season will go from March 1 to May 31st. So what is Butterbeer season? I actually had to look that up.
00:40:26
Speaker
They, of course, celebrate all things Butterbeer. So they will be selling some new collectible mugs that will celebrate this. And then there's going to be Butterbeer-inspired food, such as Butterbeer-flavored cream puffs, chocolate bars, ice cream, things like that. So if you are a huge Butterbeer fan, make sure you head on over to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter from March one to May 31st to experience that. You, you like butterbeer?
00:40:56
Speaker
I do. you I do too. yeah well Do you like the, it when we were there? Are you the, are you the iced version or are you the frozen version? Oh. In other words, you know, there's like more, the more liquidy version and then the frozen slushy version. Yeah. Either one.
00:41:15
Speaker
Yeah. I like the frozen version better. So. Okay. My wife likes it warm. Warm? Yeah. No, no thank Yeah, no. Yes, so I'm the same way. All right.
00:41:27
Speaker
Then, running from August 1 through September 1st is Back to Hogwarts. So now this coincides with the traditional start of school. They're going to have exclusive back-to-school merch that emphasizes the different houses in Harry Potter. And all of this is designed to evoke that traditional return to Hogwarts each year and that nostalgic return that students are supposed to feel. So, yeah. Expect a lot... I wonder what's going to happen when the new HBO show drops. like Are they going to coincide with that as well? It would be interesting. I would be surprised if they did not.
00:42:02
Speaker
so It's going to make a lot of the animatronics obsolete, though.
00:42:09
Speaker
Ooh, I hadn't thought about that. Yeah, right? Yeah. Yeah. Well, who knows? Maybe they're... Death Eaters are covered, I feel like. I mean, true, but you know what? They could do it like...
00:42:21
Speaker
like how Disney did Guardians of the Galaxy where they were filming the third film in that series and at the same time they were also filming ride sequences. So maybe, maybe doing something think that there's a lot of work from Universal. I don't see that happening, but i maybe there are some refurbs that are going to happen. I mean, how do you do that with the Battle of the Ministry that just came out? Like, I can't see them going back and refilming stuff for that, right? Right, right.
00:42:47
Speaker
and Anyway, just ah just a thought. Right. And then they are having the dark arts at Hogwarts castle. This is going to be select nights during the fall. So that's going to kind of tie in with the Halloween theme here. Yeah. It's going to include castle projections. And then here's the kind of the cool part that I think it's going to have roaming death eater characters that will interact with guests as they are walking through the park. Now, have you ever, have you ever experienced this? No, I have not, unfortunately. I have not either, but this sounds really, really neat.
00:43:23
Speaker
Yep. And the last thing that I just added, Lego Lands Ninjago, um they have like an overall Ninjago weekend that happened within January and February. You'll have to look them up. I don't remember.
00:43:37
Speaker
Exactly what the dates are. Actually, you know what, though? Look at me. I wrote an article about it at BSC Kids. Plug, plug, plug. So that means that I can go over there and just look and see what those dates are. And those dates are January 17th, 18th, 24th, 31st, and February 7th, 14th, and 15th.
00:43:57
Speaker
This is kind of cool. So again, here's another 15 years of Ninjago from Lego. Really? Wow. Yeah, some Ninjago heroes. you know There's Ninjago rides there, but there's also a bunch of activities like Lloyd's Elemental Challenge, Dragon Buildup, Whip Around Dance Party, things like that that you'll be able to do at the park as well. So anyone that's huge fans of Ninjago, I mean, your weekends are coming up over at Layla Land.
00:44:26
Speaker
Right. All right, folks. Well, that is going to wrap it up for this week. We'd like to thank our sponsor, DontResistTheTravel.com. Remember, if you are heading on a trip, please let them help you handle all of the details about the trip. They will help with your flights. They will help with your stays. They will help with your whatever events or things you would like to do during that trip, please reach out to them. They would be happy to help. And when you do that, make sure you let them know that the guys over at Rhubarb Traveler's podcast sent you. Again, that is don'tresistthetravel.com. Make sure you listen to us on all of your podcast streaming services.
00:45:09
Speaker
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00:45:46
Speaker
Well, folks, stay tuned to see Blake on Instagram and Facebook this week as well. That's right. We will be making another Instagram video to be put up. I mean, I don't know if you can like, what do you do after the bell one? now Like, what going to bring to the table? Then you were away. So you're filming somewhere like, well, what's going to be special this week? I don't know. going to have to, going to have to think about it. So we'll see.
00:46:07
Speaker
All right. Well, folks, until two weeks from now, we will talk to you later. Folks, the Rhubarb Travelers podcast is for entertainment purposes only.
00:46:17
Speaker
We are not employed by the Walt Disney Company or NBC Universal, the parent company of Universal Studios. And as such, all opinions expressed on the show are exclusively our own. Please consult a DVC or Disney cast member or Universal team member for more information about anything we might have talked about today.