Super Soap Weekend @ Disney’s Hollywood Studios

This year was the last year (supposedly) that Walt Disney World will host the popular ABC Super Soap Weekend at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. For 13 years, soap opera fans have converged in droves to the park to try to meet their fave actors/actresses, but ABC feels from now on, a traveling tour of the stars would be a better idea. I think they’re shooting themselves in the foot, especially since the event draws tens of thousands of people to the park during a time when attendance is generally down (right before the holidays).

Granted, it’s a crazy weekend. Picture over 100,000 rabid soap opera fans in one location. There’s pushing, shoving, stroller wars (seriously-I can’t count the times I’ve had my feet run over or my legs bruised by a stroller) and other fanatic behavior. What’s really scary is when the women start screaming the character name instead of the actor.

So why was I there you ask? No, I’m not really a fan of any of the soaps. I got stuck watching them up in Wisconsin when gramma was sick because all I had was 3 channels on the TV, but never really became a fan. But I had the day off and figured I’d take some pix to see if I could do a story on it. Of course, this was the day that the cold front decided to roll in, so after five hours outdoors, I was frozen. And I decided just to shoot the parades and the stage interviews instead of racing around to shoot the autograph sessions, so I pretty much planted myself along the parade route the whole time. I got the best shots during the All My Children parade/talk since it was still daylight.

I uploaded the best to Flickr but here are some of my faves:

Super Soap Weekend :: Disney's Hollywood Studios :: November 16, 2008 Super Soap Weekend :: Disney's Hollywood Studios :: November 16, 2008 Super Soap Weekend :: Disney's Hollywood Studios :: November 16, 2008 Super Soap Weekend :: Disney's Hollywood Studios :: November 16, 2008 Super Soap Weekend :: Disney's Hollywood Studios :: November 16, 2008 Super Soap Weekend :: Disney's Hollywood Studios :: November 16, 2008

The stage shots were the toughest because I couldn’t get up close so I had to really get in close with the zoom lens, which meant I couldn’t move at all during the shutter release. That any of those shots turned out is a miracle. LOL  And I like the way some of the car shots turned out with the actors in focus and the crowd all blurry. That was just blind luck they turned out that way.

The interviews weren’t too bad, except for the last panel “Men We Love”, which was hosted by Sherri Shepherd of The View. It was like listening to a Cosmo mag panel – “what do you like in a woman?” type of stuff. Blech! I mean, yes, the guys were cute, but treating them as pieces of meat is just boring to listen to. I ended up leaving afterwards.

This next week all the Holiday stuff starts at Disney. I’m not a huge “xmas” person per se, but I do love the pretty lights and parades. 🙂  Plus they have Neil Patrick Harris doing the Epcot candlelight processional the first three days of December. That should be cool.

Facebook Comments

About zengrrl

I'm Michelle Snow, the writer and creator of Zengrrl. I write about travel, entertainment, women's issues, health, body positivity, and more, both for this blog and freelance. I have also authored/co-authored four guidebooks on Orlando and Florida. If you aren't already following me, the links are below, as well as on the top right of this page. Thanks!

Tagged: ,

1 comment

  1. akeorlando November 23, 2008 at 11:40 am

    Was there ever any release or bit in the news about why this is the last year the Soap days are happening? I’ve never been to any of them but I was under the impression it’s a pretty huge thing for Disney.