Part of the magic of visiting a theme park is that it feels like anything can happen. Whether you’re hurtling through the air on a gravity-defying ride or having a close encounter with one of your favorite film characters, these parks are designed to keep us on our toes. Now at Universal Studios, it looks like we won’t ever be able to let our guard down – because Shrek’s Donkey just unloaded on a guest he caught wearing Disney merchandise.
The next time you visit Universal Studios, you might want to be careful when approaching the Shrek-themed Meet and Greet station – especially if you’re not prepared to swear your allegiance to the park. In a video posted to TikTok, Shrek’s Donkey can be heard ranting about a guest who had the audacity to wear Minnie Mouse ears in his presence. Take a look at the hilarious moment here:
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Imagine getting thoroughly roasted by an animatronic donkey in front of a crowd of strangers. Those other guests standing around also sporting Disney merch were probably glad they dodged the character's ire. Some might argue that Donkey went a little too hard on this guest – when he started to list out all of the Universal characters that had been disrespected, including the Minions, E.T., and Jurassic Park’s dinosaurs, it started to feel pretty personal. I guess now we know what can happen when you bring a competing theme park’s brand across enemy lines.
Part of what’s so funny about Donkey going off on this guest is that it was almost certainly improvised, but it sounds exactly like something Eddie Murphy’s iconic Shrek character would say. It’s a reminder that even if you visit a theme park numerous times and think you’ve seen everything, there’s always a chance you’ll end up in the middle of an unforgettable moment.
It goes without saying that when it comes to theme parks, Universal Studios and Disney, which have both been feeling the effects of COVID, are in constant competition. As a result, you won’t just find Universal taking shots at Disney within the park grounds. On Twitter, Universal Studios has developed a habit of trolling the House of Mouse over everything from the retirement of the park’s trams to the cancellation of its Annual Pass program. And since turnabout is fair play, Disney Parks has found its own way to shade the park right back, too.
We also have to keep in mind that Donkey may be a little more sensitive these days. Universal Studios recently shut down Shrek 4-D, which has been a staple at the park for nearly 20 years. Now, the beloved ogre and his pal’s presence at the park is mostly relegated to the meet and greet station where Donkey took the mouse ears-wearing guest to task. Maybe the character just wanted to make sure that guests don’t forget about him? Regardless of the reason for the outburst, the talkative little guy still holds a special place in our hearts – and he’s made us all think twice about wearing Mickey Mouse ears around him.
