Walt Disney World has re-opened to the public, but not all of it. Yesterday we learned that one of the most popular resorts will be staying closed for a while.
The Polynesian Village Resort has had its re-opening postponed multiple times. It was supposed to re-open on October 4, but yesterday guests were told the resort would stay closed until Summer 2021. I heard reports from people who were planning trips in the coming months like this…
They sent emails out to guests with reservations this morning. They indicated they will be contacting us in the next 4 weeks to discuss options. ☹️
Now these guests will have to figure out another place to stay during their Disney World trip. Things haven’t quite picked up in Orlando after the COVID-19 shutdowns. According to stats in this USA Today report, hotel occupancy in Orlando continues to be among the lowest in the country – just 29% occupancy compared the national average of 48%.
Do you have a Disney trip coming up? Do you feel comfortable or ready to go back to the parks yet? I would love to hear from you.
Also, when the Polynesian DOES re-open, I highly recommend visiting Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and Tiki Bar. It’s a tiny bar inside of the Polynesia with all kinds of surprises in store. The less you know before you go there, the better. Unfortunately it isn’t open at the moment, but put it on your list of places to visit someday.
Every once in a while, I get a comment from one of our WGN Morning News viewers asking where they can find a story or video I talked about in my Trending News segment on WGN Morning News. In this post, you will find links or videos that I have featured on the segment all by date.
So if you missed something I talked about from a specific show, look no further! I will post them down below. And please be patient…I’ll get them up here as soon as I can.
Thanks for watching!
8/27/20
Kenny Smith walks off NBA on TNT set in solidarity with player boycott. VIDEO:
Kenny Smith just walked off ‘Inside the NBA’ in solidarity with the players
Italian Coast Guard saves people from burning yacht. VIDEO:
#GuardiaCostiera di #Olbia coordina soccorsi a 17 persone che si trovavano su unità con incendio a bordo, poi affondata.
Alle operazioni hanno preso parte due motovedette e un elicottero Guardia Costiera. Naufraghi, intercettati e scortati in porto.#SAR#SicurezzaNavigazionepic.twitter.com/UASll7DQQs
We’re not here to sway your #FatBearWeek vote, but consider the facts: it’s only August and 747’s rotund butt is already on the struggle bus. pic.twitter.com/TCBBEYGmAa
On Sunday in Estes Park, Wildlife Officer Rylands responded to a bull elk stuck in a swimming pool. With the help from Estes Park Police Officer Watson, they were able to rescue the elk and send him on his way. https://t.co/ll4mswSrm1pic.twitter.com/3yhid91Ffa
It was 1992 and I was 11 years old. The line was gigantic. Pretty sure it was the biggest line I had ever seen for any kind of amusement park attraction. And this was an amusement park attraction unlike anything else. I’m talking about BATMAN: THE RIDE at Six Flags Great America.
At the time, this was the only inverted roller coaster in the world. The story goes that Great America’s General Manager Jim Wintrode came up with the idea and the great designers at B&M made it happen. All I knew the first time I saw it was how CRAZY it looked. And how it ROARED as it flew by.
I wasn’t there on opening day. That whole summer, the line seemed to go on forever. I had never seen anything like it. It snaked around the East River Crawler and even further than that. I remember waiting for almost three hours the first time we rode it. And I remember not minding at all.
That’s most because of the tremendous amount of detail that went into the theming of Batman: The Ride. When you walk into the queue, you are stepping into Gotham City Park. Speakers disguised as rocks play the peaceful sounds of birds. As you moved through the park, things got darker. It felt gritty. There were discarded hunks of metal. A police car was destroyed. The sound got creepier. After you went through that area, you entered a storm drain with an odd, musty smell and this pulsing sound of a large fan. You climb a set of stairs to get to the station that feels way too close for comfort. I was 11 years old and freaked out!
By the time you left that tight space, you were inside the Batcave, and it was glorious. Train after train of the coaster came in with the clicking sound of all of the riders playing with their safety belts. There is so much detail in that station and all of it adds even more intensity to the ride. You aren’t in Gurnee, Illinois anymore – you are in Gotham City in the elusive Batcave. To this day, it remains one of my favorite themed attractions.
Then there was the actual ride. To me, Batman is a mandatory front seat ride. I remember the feeling of getting on it for the first time, feeling my feet dangling from a coaster car. It was exhilarating. You’re in the station, the floor drops, and people were yelling WHOA! This was a new experience.
This remains one of those great coaster moments. You twist down, gathering speed before that first inversion, a loop that whips you back into your seat. Then….THE ROLL.
I love this roll. You’re floating in your seat, and if you pay close attention, you can look down at the end and see that smashed cop car that was in the queue. Just brilliant design here! After all of that you enter that absolute bat-crazy portion of this ride.
I have no clue how they crammed all of these maneuvers into that tight space. And I swear, this ride gets faster every year. Either that or I’m getting older. This moment here, this insane inversion nearly blacks me out every time.
The roll comes out of nowhere! This whole section of the ride is like a blur to me. I’ve been on it so many times, I should know what’s coming next. But for some reason it surprises me every time.
And of course, who can forget the slam-on-the-brake run at the end that throws every rider into their harnesses? You still look at the person next to you after that happens like “what the heck was that?!”, don’t you? I do! Then I kick my feet wildly to empty out all of the adrenaline pumping through my body, and play with that harness seatbelt flap until we arrive back into the station. Just like I’m that 11 year old kid, again. Although this time I’m a lot dizzier.
Today, there are many more inverted B&M coasters all over the world. People from outside of Chicago might come to Great America and walk right past Batman, thinking “I’ve seen that before.” I’m so thankful my home park got this ride first, that I had that moment to look up at something the world had never seen before.
Even though it gets harder and harder to ride it multiple times the older I get, Batman still holds a special place in my heart. Today it turns 28, nearing three decades of craziness. Yet it still feels like yesterday when I took that first ride I will never forget.
Do you have a Batman: The Ride memory?
Did you get a chance to ride BATMAN BACKWARDS at Six Flags Great America? I did a few years ago! Here’s some video of that…
Here is some classic video from the day the ride opened..
And here is the latest and greatest official POV. If you haven’t been to Great America in a long time, the ride is yellow now…
With quarantines happening across the country because of the spread of COVID-19, more and more reporters and anchors have been working from home. That includes me! While I’ve had my share of hiccups figuring out this process, I didn’t make the best news bloopers of the month.
The people over at News Be Funny once again put out their monthly video of the best news bloopers. It includes many at-home mixups and just funny moments. Being on live television for hours at a time every day leads to some interesting moments, for sure. You have to laugh at them when you can.
WWE superstar John Cena has granted more Make-A-Wish wishes than any other person. It appears he isn’t slowing down.
Yesterday WFLA-TV in Tampa, Florida reported the story of 7 year-old David Castle who is currently battling a Wilms tumor, a cancer that starts in the kidneys. Cena showed up at the family home with two WWE title belts, some signed t-shirts and more. David’s mom says was filled with excitement and tears of joy.
Once again John Cena is spending the time to give a family going through hardship a moment they will never forget. Well done.
You can see the full report here…
WFLA has more details about the visit on their website here.
Millions of people around the world have spent the last month or so in their homes, quarantining because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
That led to the creation of a new Facebook group called View From My Window. According to the group’s description, it was created to connect people all around the world during these tough times. We are all in our homes, looking at the same view every day. Here you have an opportunity to see other people’s views all over the world!
Users are asked to post one photo of the view from their window with their name, town, country and time the photo was taken. Organizers hope to turn this into some kind of book or calendar eventually.
I have found myself scrolling through the group a lot over the last few days. It gives you a look at the world in a unique way, and shows you different cultures and climates this time of year.
You can view and join the View From My Window Facebook group here!
With so many people staying home around the world, check out the "View From My Window" Facebook group. People share photos of what the view looks like where they live all over the world. Pretty cool! https://t.co/l7uRMKUTYrpic.twitter.com/pZQXlwk81y
If you planned on getting the new iPhone this Fall, you might have to wait a bit longer.
Apple usually releases its new iPhones in September. The Wall Street Journal is reporting the company has delayed full scale manufacturing by about a month. Company leaders now believe the expected iPhone 12 will be released in October, though nothing is official yet.
Other reports have hinted that as many as four new iPhone models could be coming this year, some with 5G capability. It’s still uncertain what things will look like in the Fall. Will we see long lines and crowded stores full of people clamoring to be the first to get their hands on a new phone?
We’ll keep you posted on any date when the 2020 iPhones might be released.
Yesterday I told myself I wouldn’t look. I don’t need to know what the first viewers of the last movie in the Star Wars Skywalker saga thought about the movie. Do I?
Well guess what I did first thing when my alarm clock went off at 1:30am?
I rushed right to Twitter to see what all of those lucky people were thinking when they walked out of THE RISE OF SKYWALKER’s world premiere. Here’s a roundup of RISE OF SKYWALKER reactions.
First, some are just plain gushing about it.
Just stepped out of #TheRiseofSkywalker. It’s an immensely satisfying and MASSIVE end to the saga. It somehow addresses issues, problematic characters, and most unanswered questions from The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi too. pic.twitter.com/TMKeXCXuUx
#StarWars#TheRiseOfSkywalker…OH MY GOD! I am absolutely blown away! I’ve never been so satisfied by a film. This is the end of an era and a franchise that has defined my life and this did it justice in a way I didn’t imagine it could. You WILL cry…. pic.twitter.com/Jfx5bzdZOO
Epic. All of it. #TheRiseofSkywalker is a terrific finale that is just stuffed with so much of everything. Action, adventure — answers!! — humor, heart, love, and grit. I spent the entire second half with tears in my eyes – a wonderful way to end the Skywalker story pic.twitter.com/K2NhHSGWzM
I’m emotional, overwhelmed, surprised, shocked & stunned. More than anything, I’m happy. Thanks for coming through one more time, Star Wars.#TheRiseOfSkywalker
All I can say is “wow.”#StarWars: #TheRiseOfSkywalker is many things: horrifying, hopeful, violent, lowkey horny, and full of the right kind of fan service.
But most of all, it’s a fitting ending for this incredible, 40+ year-long saga. pic.twitter.com/pd2GEwI7O3
Utterly gorgeous. Messages of unity. Shocking moments (I yelled at the screen a LOT). SO much lightsaber swinging. Rey is SUCH a badass. It’s over, but I wouldn’t mind reliving that experience again. Y’all gonna lose your minds. #TheRiseOfSkwalker#starwars@starwars
Then, there are those who had a positive reaction, but you can tell that there was SOMETHING they didn’t like…
My favorite Star Wars are the ones that take their time and focus on the characters. The whole first half felt like all exposition. It does get better. And Lando rules. But there’s just so much plot it feels so rushed. And the Emperor stuff is so weird.
There’s the “it’s going to start a conversation with fans” reactions…which pretty much means some fans probably won’t be too happy?
#StarWars#TheRiseOfSkywalker is a lot. It’s a big, giant movie with a lot of spectacle and high stakes and it’s definitely going to start a conversation (or a lot of conversations) among fans.
And there are some who just didn’t like it at all..
At worst, I expected #TheRiseOfSkywalker to be a well made movie that I didn't like or whose story choices I disagreed with. I was not expecting a genuinely bad movie with video game plotting, thin characters, weak action and endless exposition of no consequence. Heartbreaking…
But the biggest takeaway from all of the reactions I’m reading? A LOT happens in this movie. It sounds like we’re going to get a lot of plot. Personally, I’m happy to hear that there may be a lot of answers. Just have to remember to bring the notepad.
Man does #TheRiseOfSkwalker MOVE. This film hits the ground running & doesn’t let up. JJ’s energy is all over this thing. A Last Crusade style adventure. The bromance between Poe & Finn steals the film. Felt a bit more concerned w/plot than character, tad rushed, good not great. pic.twitter.com/S4tbDhXG35
Wow. Wow. Wow. #TheRiseOfSkywalker delivers. So much happens in this film it’s hard to get my head around. But it gets this epic ending right. So right. JJ Abrams and team nails it. And gives a whole new appreciation for The Last Jedi in the process. Please avoid sppolers!
Well… #TheRiseOfSkywalker is a drastic departure from TLJ, but also not as invigorating as TFA. It is a movie packed with action (it’s seriously nonstop), but also jammed with fan service. @starwars fans – brace for the debates. pic.twitter.com/DjKo9ejRWw
I’ll leave it there. Some of the reactions are getting into details I didn’t want to know about. I’ll be seeing the movie in the “fan first screening” on Thursday, can’t wait to see how they wrap this all up!
