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Month: March 2017

Ep 99 – The Seth Kubersky Dinner Show

Seth Kubersky stops by the studio and tells stories of his years working in the local dinner theater scene. He talks about how those early years in local dinner theaters helped shape his views of Orlando today.

Then in the second hour we talk about the latest news including new details on OPD’s new headquarters, the Panda Express on I-Drive closing, and a nighttime show at USJ.

Hosts

Special Guest- Seth Kubersky

Recording Date- March 10, 2017 on WPRK 91.5 Winter Park (10AM-Noon)

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Ep 98 – @JLBNerdy Visits Orlando & Ken Tries to Talk Nintendo

One of OTR’s oldest and most dedicated fans stops by the studio as part of a grand non-Disney weekend she planned with Ken. News involves confirmation of two rumors from the previous week’s show and Ken gives exclusive new details on what Nintendo at UOR will look like.

Hosts

Special Guest- Jenny (@JLBNerdy)

Recording Date- March 10, 2017 on WPRK 91.5 Winter Park (10AM-Noon)

Punch List

 

Osceola leaders: Smart sensors, resorts and training programs to generate more jobs

Omni Orlando Resort execs foresee big payoff from expansion set to open in May

GOAA’s Kruppenbacher, Villages’ Lester among Scott’s picks for constitution panel

Omni Orlando Resort execs foresee big payoff from expansion set to open in May

Orlando airport contractors helped fund board member’s campaign

La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil Will Host Its Final Disney Springs Performance This December

Taste of the Nation Becomes Taste! Central Florida and Sets a 2017 Date

Caribbean Carnaval Coming to Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

Bike Week set to roll into Daytona Beach

Florida Mall unveiling high-tech children’s ‘Play Park’ in spring

Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge names firm to design new building

Creative City Project renames annual event

Amendments governing heights of airport-adjacent developments to change

Give Kids The World gets Intergalactic makeover and pays tribute to Founder

Miami’s SkyRise unveils crown jewel attraction with Skyway observation pods @SkyRiseMiami

Mayor Buddy Dyer unveils giant WrestleMania title belt at Lake Eola

Brightline installs new CEO, reveals 2.5-year delay on Orlando leg

Regal Pointe Orlando debuts 4D movie technology today

House gives tentative approval to abolishing incentives

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Ep 97 – Nick Ilasi Talks Disney & Callers talk Fallon

Nick Ilasi (@DadonDisney) stops by the studio to talk about his Florida Plunge story, what excites him the most in the next few years at WDW, and how he began podcasting. Callers join the show to talk about Fallon and SeaWorld’s Food & Wine Fest. And during the news the guys discuss the latest rumors coming out of Disney Springs.

Hosts

Special Guest- Nick (@DadOnDisney)

Recording Date- March 3, 2017 on WPRK 91.5 Winter Park (10AM-Noon)

Punch List

Disney

  1. Cars 3 Extended Look Debuts at Daytona 500 (Will we see a Florida version of Cars Land themed to Daytona Beach? PLEASE!!!)
  2. RUMOR: Cirque Du Soleil – La Nouba Coming to an End at Disney Springs (is a West End remodel about to happen?)
  3. Second Fort Wilderness Food Truck Coming to Disney

(On the local food truck front, there has been a major backlog for truck build-outs as one of the main food truck builders has a supposed mystery client who has rush ordered 10 highly themed food trucks.  The new trucks will be ready by mid-summer)

  1. RUMOR: 10-Story Tower, Waterfront Dining, and More Changes Coming to Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
  2. Miss Adventure Falls opening at TL on March 12
  3. ‘Avatar’ merchandise available at Disney World

SeaWorld

  1. SeaWorld attendance, revenue dip in fourth quarter(When will we see positive numbers coming out of SEAS?)
  2. Blue Horizons is confirmed to be ending, more educational show starting next month
  3. Busch Gardens new president faces headwinds in amusement park industry
  4. New Book Chronicles Busch Gardens Tampa History

Universal

  1. Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon opens at USF and the reviews aren’t good
  1. (OW) Universal is testing a room service droid at Cabana Bay Beach Resort

I-Drive/Tourist District

  1. O’Connor Capital updates 69-acre retail center plans on Daryl Carter Pkwy
  2. Gaylord Palms Resort finishes water park improvements
  3. Large hotels planned for construction will break Orlando’s current growth plan (Sentinel seems to indicate that iSq is still happening)
  4. 100-plus permits for local commercial projects pulled in past 3 weeks
  5. Osceola’s W192 Development Authority ups grant money to $3M in 2018 budge
  6. DeBartolo Development to build new apartments in Reunion Resort (Is the coalesce between the tourist and non-tourist distinctions finally coming to an end?)

Beyond the tourist district

  1. Drive Shack leases Lake Nona land, awaits permits to break ground on golf facility
  2. Orange County tourist tax collection up in January
  3. Groundbreaking Ceremony for the 1,700 Seat Acoustical Hall Set for Next Week
  4. Orlando Museum of Art acquires more art for their collection
  5. First of Four New Trains at Orlando International Airport is Installed and Running
  6. (OW) Art31 sets Maitland aglow for the month of March
  7. Spooky Empire Mid-Season Convention announces Malcolm McDowell, Dee Snyder, and other ‘retro’ guests

Beyond Orlando

  1. 44 Florida hotels land Forbes Travel Guide ratings
  2. Tourists to the U.S. Set a New Spending Record Last Year ($247.1 billion international travelers spent in the U.S. last year is a 0.4 percent increase from the $246.2 billion they spent in 2015)
  3. Hard Rock Hotel Malta Announced for 2020
  4. Downtown Miami Site for 1700-room Convention Center Hotel Expected to Close in Weeks, Per Report (1700-room hotel with 600,000 square feet of convention space)
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Ep 96 – Kings Bowl, Florida Sports Expo contest, and James Gray in the closest

This episode we start off with announcing a new contest we’re running over the next 24 hrs. Then we sit down with Robert Morris of Kings Bowl to discuss bowling in Orlando, managing an attraction on I-Drive, and the future of local tourism. After Morris leaves we have an extended Punch List where we go through a ton of local news including new details on Volcano Bay, info on Avatar, and a State Senator shares the latest on gondolas in Orlando.

Hosts

Special Guest- Robert Morris, Director of Sales & Guest Systems Development at Kings Bowl

Recording Date- Feb 24, 2017 on WPRK 91.5 Winter Park

Punch List

Universal-

  1. Mark Woodbury Becomes Vice-Chairman of Universal’s Parks
  2. Universal Parks and Resorts Launch National Advertising and Brand Campaign
  3. Halloween Horror Nights 27 Vacation Package On Sale Now
  4. ProSlide teases new ride, could this be the one Ken announced in May of 2016?

Disney-

  1. Celebration at the Top with Fireworks Viewing at California Grill
  2. Shutters, Old Port Royale, and More Closing in 2017 at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
  3. PI Update: Edison Blueprints
  4. Price increase for the 2017 Disney Dining Plan
  5. New D-Tech On Demand Station in ESPN Wide World of Sports (more coming to Pandora)
  6. Walt Disney World adds retro RV food truck to Fort Wilderness Resort with new takes on campground grub
  7. Dusty on MiceChat brings up the old rumor of $2 billion in new investments in MK/Epcot including Brazil coming to World Showcase

SEAS-

  1. SeaWorld reports decline in attendance
  2. Rumor- SWO to get new round raft ride

Other Attractions

  1. KSC to give visitors 6 seconds to Mars…err, weightless
  2. LEGOLAND Florida to Host Batman Movie Days in March 2017
  3. Breaking: Skyplex adds another heart-stopping thrill to ride portfolio
  4. Florida Mall adds 3 first-to-market specialty concepts

News

  1. American Maglev tells us new news within 90 days
  2. After last week’s show Florida State Senator told Ken that she “I still like the idea for going east and west hook up to sunrail” (with gondolas).
  3. After 52 years Cocoa cancels the Easter Day Surf Competition
  4. Senate pushes gaming deal
  5. Rick Scott fumes as House tourism bill moves ahead
  6. Florida’s Siesta Beach named best beach in the U.S. by TripAdvisor
  7. 138th Silver Spurs Rodeo brings out families, critics (20,000 to 25,000 people showed up)
  8. Phillips Center’s second phase to break ground next month
  9. Bank to take over Fashion Square Mall on Thursday
  10. Orlando to vote on $975M in OIA bonds and debt to build new terminal, more
  11. Metro Orlando hotels see increase in room rate, slight dip in January occupancy
  12. National tour operator seeks tax incentives to make Orlando its co-headquarters
  13. Chicago investor pays $6M for 26-acre resort on W192
  14. ContraVest buys land on Universal Blvd for second-phase apartments ­­­­
  15. Madame Tussauds London getting its own giant-sized King Kong animatronic in new “Skull Island” experience
  16. Merged economic development/chamber group announces new name
  17. Jimmy Buffett community coming to Daytona
  18. iFly reveals opening date for new I-Drive location(two all-glass wind tunnels on April 27)  What happened to the Skydiving museum that was announced for next door?
  19. Bass Pro opens in Daytona, more of the One Daytona project open this year

Comments and End of Show Notes-

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