A subreddit called r/disneyvacation has found a second life by taking WikiHow illustrations and removing their original context, replacing them with humorous captions instead. Its sister subreddit, r/notdisneyvacation, works in the opposite way: it posts the same images alongside their actual captions and tutorials. The effect is a collection of absurd instructions that seem too wild to be real.
The subreddit’s posts round up some of the funniest examples. Here is a selection of what the collection includes:
- How to accept your crush doesn’t like you
- How to contact George W. Bush
- How to play pinball like a pro
- How to stomp a Capri Sun
- How to clap your hands
The Origins of WikiHow
Jack Herrick launched WikiHow in 2005, after working at eHow, another how-to website. His goal was straightforward — borrow Wikipedia’s shared editing approach for everyday guidance. As he told WIRED, his aim was to create a place where anyone could “practical education,”.
Herrick launched the site on January 15, which happened to be Wikipedia’s fourth birthday. He used some of Wikipedia’s open-source software to build it and let users write and edit guides themselves. At first, very few people noticed. Herrick told WIRED that only around 2,000 people visited during the first month, and he would personally message people who made edits to encourage them.
Growth and Expansion
The website grew slowly at first. By 2009, it was receiving more than 20 million visitors each month. That number reached 100 million by 2016. One big part of its appeal was how much information people could find there. Contributors could create a guide for almost any question someone might have, from everyday tasks to niche problems.
The process for creating articles was altered as well. Contributors kept writing and editing pages on their own, though paid editors and experts entered the picture as well. WikiHow started using professionals to review articles on topics such as medicine and finance, areas where accuracy is particularly essential.
The Pictures Arrive
WIRED reported that WikiHow’s CEO Elizabeth Douglas explained the site originally relied on Creative Commons images from sources such as Flickr and Wikimedia. Those pictures, she said, were often too generic to properly show someone what to do. The company eventually decided to hire photographers to create images specifically for its tutorials instead.
When 2011 arrived, WikiHow started hiring illustrators alongside its writers. This allowed the site to present visual explanations for ideas that would be difficult or impractical to shoot. A drawn scene of an awkward conversation with a partner works far better than a picture ever could.
What the Collection Shows
A selection of some of the funniest captions and images has been gathered below by the subreddit. In many cases, the jokes that accompany the pictures are just as absurd as the memes themselves.
The assortment features guidance on diagnosing illness in an emu, directions for using a fork, and instructions for removing a tattoo. It also contains more peculiar items, including how to mimic a convincing American accent and how to handle news of a plane crash.
The subreddit’s approach is simple: take a picture from WikiHow, strip away the context, and let the caption stand on its own. The result is a gallery of absurdity that proves the site’s humor runs deeper than anyone expected.
Here is a quick look at the timeline of WikiHow’s growth:
| Year | Visitors |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 20 million |
| 2016 | 100 million |
The Verdict
The subreddit’s success shows that the internet loves absurdity. WikiHow’s instructions are often so specific and so earnest that they cross into comedy on their own. The site’s willingness to cover anything means that the most ridiculous guides exist alongside the most practical ones.
The subreddit has earned its reputation by removing the context that makes the instructions relatable. A picture of someone stumping a Capri Sun paired with the caption “how to stomp a Capri Sun,” delivers the joke without any setup needed.
See the 80 illustrations at Bored Panda.
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