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Author: KLStorey

September 8, 2015

Ep 44 – Tim Grassey’s Great Big Beautiful WDW Rumor Round-Up

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Today we skip the news and instead bring the longest interview we’ve ever done with over an hour and half of uninterrupted Tim Grassey goodness. The show covers almost every single rumor currently circling Walt Disney World with a few new ones as well. Tim gives details on why Joe Rohde says he doubts Giant Pandas will ever come to DAK, why Tim thinks Osborne Lights might be moving to DTD and how accurate these Frontierland rumors are. Some Universal comparisons are brought into the conversation and at the end of the interview Ken asks ‘What? No love for Ferris Wheels or alligators?’ Not today Ken, not today.

Show Notes

Hosts

Recording Date: 9-1-2015

Music- Main Event Intro

The Punch List

While we skip The Punch List on today’s episode here a few of the bigger tourism stories from the past week.

Wet n Wild sues to stop drainage into the man-made lake

Artegon Cinemark getting $3 Million upgrade

Smart City fined $750,000 for blocking Wi-Fi signals (Smart City is the telecom provider of OCCC)

World’s largest arcade game being built-in OSC during Maker Faire Orlando

Pearl Seas Cruise Line announces cruise from Port of Palm Beach to Cuba

Florida Ports Council Elects New Chairman

Space Coast Office of Tourism to step up promotions next year

Former Miami Detective says now is the time to legalize prostitution

Pitbull partners with Visit Florida as our state’s newest brand ambassador 

St. Augustine celebrates 450th Anniversary with new distillery

Jungle Cruise Sunrise Safari Breakfast at DL

Now along with Magicbands Disney will ship you luggage tags when you book a hotel room at WDW 

Robot butlers hired at Aloft hotels

DreamWorks leaves Disney distribution deal, is DW headed to UOR?

Events

Magical Dining Month– Now through Sept 30

M.C. Escher at Dali Museum now through Jan 3

O-Town Mac Down for GKTW – Sept 12

The Pineapple Ball – Oct 17

Cast of Willy Wonka coming to Spooky Empire – Oct 30- Nov 1

The Main Event

WDW Theme Parks

E-Ticket Report

Tim Grassey Recommends- Keys to the Kingdom Tour

Gregory of UUOP’s question

Joe Rohde’s Instagram post regarding Dinorama

WDW Theme Parks Giant Panda info

Bungalower’s question

Winter Park’s former Pig Sculpture

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September 1, 2015

Ep 43 – Kubersky’s Art Night At The Cat Cafe

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Seth Kubersky stops by to talk about his new Universal Orlando guidebook. The local art scene, the future of 192, casinos, and California theme parks are all discussed. Plus what type of shoes Seth loves to wear to theme parks and his favorite district in town to go out for a night on the town. During the Punch List we talk about all the new hotel rooms announced for the area (over 2,000 in the past week alone!), our private conversation with the Maglev company, the future of museums in St Pete and Central Florida’s new cat café that’s about to open. News from Tampa, Daytona, Port Canaveral, Skyplex, iSquare, and SeaWorld is also included.

Show Notes

Hosts

Recording Dates: Main Event- Aug 26, 2015 | Punch List- Aug 31, 2015

Punch List Intro

Main Event Intro

Closing Song

 

Punch List

  1. UOR announces 400 more rooms in two new towers.
  2. Rosen announces 1,200-1,500 more rooms, spread across three OCCC area hotels (Shingle Creek, Centre and Plaza)
  3. New 365 room hotel announced for Universal Blvd (beside the Imagine Westin, across OCCC)
  4. Bike lanes, bus lanes discussed at I-Drive meeting
  5. New details on the SLR/I-Drive pedestrian bridge
  6. New renderings of Skyplex released
  7. Maglev chat- Groundbreaking by end of year, Phase 1 is OIA to I-Drive, Phase 2 I-Drive Circulator
  8. iSquare announces first retail tenant…a Subway
  9. Falcon’s to start licensing Turtle Trek for attractions world-wide
  10. Brevard Zoo plans an aquarium
  11. The Florida Aquarium partners with Florida Museum of Photographic Arts on new exhibit
  12. New $75 million western and native American art museum planned for St Pete
  13. Escapology announces a new room
  14. A Cat Café planned for Clermont (near 192/27 interchange)
  15. Daytona Lagoon sold to United Parks, $2 Million upgrade planned

 

The Main Event

 

Events

Magical Dining Month– Now through Sept 30

M.C. Escher at Dali Museum now through Jan 3

The 4th Annual Great Irish Hooley – Sept 4-7 @ Raglan Road

O-Town Mac Down for GKTW – Sept 12

The Pineapple Ball – Oct 17

 

Next Week on OTR – Tim Grassey of WDW Theme Parks and E-Ticket Report

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August 25, 2015

Ep 42 – Safari Mike Hopes For A Train But Not For a Monkey Island

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Safari Mike of Jambo Everyone/Radio Harambe stops in for a chat about the future of Animal Kingdom and the history of live animals at Walt Disney World. Ken is let down when Safari Mike tells him a monkey island in the Seven Seas Lagoon is unlikely. Jake asks about the role of the conservation message in the future of the park. Both SeaWorld and Busch Gardens are also brought up in the discussion. During the Punch List Brian, Jake and Ken talk about wine on 192, booze at a gun range, that odd leak from Universal Orlando and their favorite parts of IAAPA. Ken tells the guys about some bad news regarding the Mag-Lev train and some good news regarding Orlando International. A quick discussion on Monday’s insane stock market drop and what it means for Orlando is also included.

Show Notes

Hosts

Song One (Punch List)

Song Two (Main Event Intro)

Song Three (Closing Song)

Recording Dates: Main Event- Aug 21, 2015 | Punch List- Aug 24, 2015

The Punch List

Paul Brinkman’s analysis of how Monday’s stock market craziness affects for Central Florida businesses (And it doesn’t look good for SEAS)

  1. Dismaland – Banksy theme park
  2. Lord of the Rings park in Spain put on hold due to gov’t $ cuts
  3. F&F at USF
  4. Fantasy of Flight to reopen in 3-5 years
  5. Falcon’s Creative Group announces office expansion.
  6. Black Bear exhibit coming to the Central Florida Zoo
  7. Winery, vacation home, botanical gardens development at Formosa Gardens area of 192 moves forward
  8. Visit Orlando kicks off new campaign
  9. MK, DLP make list of riskiest places to use public wifi
  10. New renderings of Skyplex released, T-Mobile/AT&T announced as telecommunications partner
  11. Occupancy and nightly rates up year over year in the region
  12. Hotel announced for Bella Collina
  13. AC Hotel/Residence Inn coming across from Millenia, new office building were also announced for across the street from that project
  14. 2 new hotels announced for OIA, no flag announced at this time
  15. OIA announces Fentress (Denver, LAX) as the architect for the new South Terminal
  16. Mag-Lev hits a snag with the OIA
  17. Daytona Beach getting gun range with booze bar
Events

Ken Recommends – Florida Matters TIA Interview

The Main Event

Jambo Everyone

J.E.’s. Zazzle Shop

National Elephant Center in Fellsmere, Florida

DAK makes worst zoo list

Bronx Zoo’s World of Darkness

Potter Zoo’s new moose exhibit

Discovery Island

Flamingos at Epcot

Zootopia rumor for DAK

Wild monkeys of Silver Springs

Dixie Landings Radio

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August 18, 2015

Ep 41 – Wars of Sabers and Wands

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On today’s show Griffin of Epcod joins Ken, Jay, Jake and Richie to discuss all the WDW related announcements from D23. Booze in Magic Kingdom, Super Heroes in Epcot, live actors in Rivers of Light, and Slinky Dog vs Barnstormer are discussed. Then Richie and Ken go at each other when Richie calls Star Wars Land the ‘Potter Swatter’ we’ve been talking about.

During the Punch List Lissa and Ken discuss the new Jimmy Buffet town being built on 192, another list that Orlando is #1 on, lots of good food, and the horrific crime that recently took place on a Carnival Cruise ship. Cruising to Cuba, a set of new twin 75 story tall towers in Tampa and bicycle ride that makes you work to escape it are also brought up.

Show Notes

Hosts

Song One (Punch List)

Song Two (Main Event Intro)

Song Three (Closing Song)

Recording Dates: Main Event- Aug 16, 2015 | Punch List- Aug 17, 2015

 

The Punch List

MargaritaVillage coming to Kissimmee

New artwork added to Chef Mickey’s

German’s model railroad gets extensive refurbishment.

Del Frisco’s opens on I-Drive

Orlando #1 convention destination in the nation. Chicago dropped to #3, Vegas sits still at #2

USWN Soccer Team vs Brazil on Oct 25 at the Citrus Bowl

La Modeleine coming to Florida Mall and Millenia area

Johnny Rivers (former Exec Chef of WDW) teams up with Petrakis (Cask & Larder, Ravenous Pig) for proposal for new café at MCO

Executive Chef of the Alfond Inn invited to the James Beard House in NY

Sanford’s Limo Cycle creates cycling escape game

Daytona Rising 85% complete. $400 Million, 101,000 seat grandstand, 40 escalators. 4.5 months to go. Construction began July 8, 2013.  Jan 30-31 Rolex 24 will be first event in the finish facility.

Carnival announces plans for cruises to Cuba. Fathom brand (a social impact focused cruise brand) 710 passenger ship. Would be the first U.S. based cruise ship operator to sail to Cuba.  Plans call for every other week beginning in May 2016.

Carnival Valor crew member arrested in Brevard County for sexually assaulting an underage boy (13-16) on a cruise.

Port of Tampa Bay announces new plans that include a 75 story tall tower and new cruise terminals

BGT announces new partnership with Blair Witch Executive producer Robin Cowie for HOS

Florida Kids and Family Expo – August 29-30

O-Town Mac Down for GKTW – Sept 12

 

The Main Event

Here’s the D23 Announcements for each WDW park:

MK- Skipper Canteen

Epcot- Frozen Ever After, Innoventions West Closure, Soarin’ Around the World, Super Hero HQ

DAK- Rivers of Light, Pandora, Night Safari

DHS- Star Wars Land, Star Wars Launch Bay, Toy Story Land

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August 11, 2015

Ep 40 – No Flakka’n Around With BriMan of Orlando United

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Today we are joined by BriMan of Orlando United for a discussion on the past, present and future of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando. Miami’s new megamall, Mango’s and Columbian burgers are brought up in this fun chat. During the punch list we talk about those shocking Q2 results from SEAS, updates to Magic Kingdom, Zagat’s latest Orlando rankings and a new museum opening in town devoted to pencils. In the pre-Punch List chat Ken reviews Taste of the Nation 2015 while Lissa tells of some bad service she recently received at DHS. Ken admits to disliking Kickstarter while Jay admits to not listening to the show.

Show Info

Hosts

Song 1 (Punch List)

Song 2 (Main Event and Show Closing)

Song 3 (Main Event Closing)

Recording Dates- Punch List- Aug 9, 2015 | The Main Event- Aug 5, 2015

The Punch List

Taste of the Nation- SeaWorld | Universal

SEAS Q2 numbers (84.5% drop in profit) Joel Manby announces news on Nov 6 (International expansion details are expected then)

Disney Q3 Numbers

The Guardian reports new details on the Russian belugas that NOAA blocked The Georgia Aquariuam getting. Some of those would be headed to SeaWorld too.

BTMR getting updates

Duffy Meet and Greet closing at Epcot

New homes announced for Golden Oak. Prices start at $5 Million.

Zagat releases Best of Orlando restaurant list. Cress beats V&A, Capa at 4 Seasons ‘noteworthy’ but not on ranked list.

New restaurant announced for downtown by what Scott Joseph calls a ‘Dream Team’

Casey Anthony celebrated there after her ‘victory’

New friendly match announced for Citrus Bowl. Richard at OBJ asked ‘Can Orlando be Mexico’s favorite soccer city?’

OIA area Holiday Inn sells for $14 Million. JHM Hotels bought it.

Leogland Florida’s Legoland Dollars now listed on Travelex Currency Exchange Boards. The first time any theme park has had its internal currency listed on an outside exchange

Dixon opens new pencil museum in Lake Mary (free but reservations required)

The Main Event

Orlando United

HHN Forums on OU

USJ Night Parade

Ken is hiding in this questionable ATL IG post

Miami Wilds

Miami Megamall

Junior’s Columbian Burgers

Upcoming Events and Closing Remarks

The 21st Annual Harvest Grape Stomp is Aug 15 at Lake Ridge Winery

Florida Kids and Family Expo – August 29-30

O-Town Mac Down for GKTW – Sept 12

Walt Disney’s hometown launches a Kickstarter to build a replica of its Autopia (based on one Walt gave them in 1966) in the middle of the town.

Fulton’s Crabhouse at Disney Springs offering kids cooking classes 

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