One thing that keeps Guests coming back to places like Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort is the fact that the Parks are never the same twice. There’s always something new and exciting happening. One of the most exciting times to visit the theme parks is when a new ride opens. At Universal Orlando, a new attraction is scheduled to open later this summer. That attraction is Villain-Con Minion Blast, and it will open in Universal Studios Park. Guests have been watching for months as Universal built the attraction, and the opening is almost here.
Like rides at Walt Disney World Resort, Universal will allow Guests to experience the attraction before it officially opens. This is called a soft opening. Soft openings are technical rehearsals that allow Universal ride designers to see how the attraction functions when it is being heavily used. The ride may not be open all day and the line may be cut off at any time. It is also not said how long the soft opening will last, and may not happen every day.
For the past couple of days, Universal has been allowing Guests to ride Villain-Con Minion Blast. The attraction is an interactive blaster game that is suitable for adults and kids of all ages. One of the rules for those who ride is that they are not allowed to film, and they’re not allowed to take video. This is because the ride is not officially open. However, in the age of social media, it’s hard to get people to follow the rules. Especially if some people consider themselves influencers who think the rules are above them.
One such influencer is getting called out for that exact behavior. Popular theme park social media creator JoJo rode Villain-Con during the soft opening and shared video footage from the ride queue. He was quickly called out for the fact that he was sharing footage when there were signs everywhere telling him he was not allowed to film.
The comments didn’t stop on TikTok, however. His video began making the rounds and people not only tagged Universal Orlando, but they also called him out on Twitter.
Posting a TikTok of an attraction where there were multiple signs posted about no filming AND tagging Universal in it is pretty ballsy
Posting a TikTok of an attraction where there were multiple signs posted about no filming AND tagging Universal in it is pretty ballsy pic.twitter.com/1dgebgNtyu
— ✨Christie ✨ (@christier0408) July 16, 2023
Over the past few years, Disney and Universal social media influencers have become a hot-button issue amongst fans. While some are beloved for the content they share and the upbeat attitude they have, others are called out for treating other Guests poorly, so they can film or get a shot. Influencers have been put to task by those who have had terrible experiences with them while in the Parks.
It is important to remember that, whether you are visiting Universal Studios, Walt Disney World, or another theme park, you must follow the rules that are in place. Should you fail to follow those rules, you may be asked to leave the theme park.
