September 22, 2015
Ep 46 – That Seven Year Saving The Island Itch
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Today King Bob of the Save Pleasure Island blog stops by to talk Disney Springs, the 7th anniversary of the closure of Pleasure Island and the future of night life in Central Florida. The interview takes place on location at Disney Springs and part walking tour, part history lesson and part look at the future.
During the Punch List the crew talks about Blizzard Beach, Disney canning cover bands, Pop Century’s odd new menu, local celebrity sightings, downtown hotel towers, local roadside attractions and much more.
The show is flipped from the regular model with an extended Punch List and shorter Main Event but today’s show has even more news in it than usual.
Show Notes
Hosts
- Ken
- Brian
- Jay
- Events and Disney Correspondents-Lissaand Nicki
- Online Trends Correspondent-Jake of Orlando Park Pass
- Hotel Correspondent-Kyle
- Touring Shows and Media Correspondent- Richie
Recording Dates- Punch List: 9-21-2015 | Main Event: 9-18-2015 at Disney Springs
The Punch List
- Issues at Blizzard Beach
- Mulch sweat and shears leaving
- WDW adds lots of EMHs in December, are EMHs here to stay?
- Peter Pan closed for quick update. When will we get Anaheim’s updates
- Disney firefighters union
- Brunch at Narcoossee’s
- Pop Century gets crazy new menu
- Jock Lindsey opens, Disney on Dad’s coaster tweet
- SIN cancelled at HOB
- Mike of Mike & Molly opening pizza joint in Hunters Creek
- Ken Recommends- A TMZ Orlando
September 15, 2015
Ep 45 – Cali VIPs
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Today we have a full house as all but two of the regular hosts join us in a Punch List full of rabbit trails and additions. We talk about a giant observation that’s not in Orlando, a Soarin’ ride that’s not at Epcot, something that is closing at Magic Kingdom which the theme park community all seems ok with, a future where Orlando might not be the top tourist destination, and how to properly build a good drainage ditch.
During the Main Event we go high-end when Jake gives a trip report from Discovery Cove and his VIP tours at Disneyland, UOR and USH. He also mentions some from his visit to San Francisco’s Walt Disney Family Museum, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and more.
Show Notes
Hosts
- Ken
- Brian
- Jay
- Events and Disney Correspondents-Lissa and Nicki
- Online Trends Correspondent-Jake of Orlando Park Pass
- Hotel Correspondent-Kyle
- Touring Shows and Media Correspondent- Richie
Recording Date: Punch List: 9-13-15 | Main Event: 9-14-15
The Punch List
Disneyland announces new $300 breakfast that allows you to eat on the Jungle Cruise’s African veldt and captain a Jungle Cruise boat.
WDW announces new dessert party that will take place on one of 7 Seas Lagoon’s double-decker ferry boats. Its only $99.
Now along with Magicbands Disney will ship you luggage tags when you book a hotel room at WDW
China shuts down 153 factories so that Shanghai Disneyland can have blue skies
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
- Ken
- Brian
- Jay
- Events and Disney Correspondent- Lissa
- Online Trends Correspondent- Jake of Orlando Park Pass
- Hotel Correspondent- Kyle
- Touring Shows and Media Correspondent- Richie
- Special Guest- Tim Grassey of WDW Theme Parks
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
Tim Grassey Recommends- Keys to the Kingdom Tour
Gregory of UUOP’s question
Joe Rohde’s Instagram post regarding Dinorama
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
- Ken
- Brian
- Jake of Orlando Park Pass
- Special Guest- Seth Kubersky
Recording Dates: Main Event- Aug 26, 2015 | Punch List- Aug 31, 2015
Punch List
- UOR announces 400 more rooms in two new towers.
- Rosen announces 1,200-1,500 more rooms, spread across three OCCC area hotels (Shingle Creek, Centre and Plaza)
- New 365 room hotel announced for Universal Blvd (beside the Imagine Westin, across OCCC)
- Bike lanes, bus lanes discussed at I-Drive meeting
- New details on the SLR/I-Drive pedestrian bridge
- 436 Double Decker Proposal (Ken was a little off, it was proposed in 1986)
- New renderings of Skyplex released
- Maglev chat- Groundbreaking by end of year, Phase 1 is OIA to I-Drive, Phase 2 I-Drive Circulator
- iSquare announces first retail tenant…a Subway
- Falcon’s to start licensing Turtle Trek for attractions world-wide
- Brevard Zoo plans an aquarium
- The Florida Aquarium partners with Florida Museum of Photographic Arts on new exhibit
- New $75 million western and native American art museum planned for St Pete
- Escapology announces a new room
- A Cat Café planned for Clermont (near 192/27 interchange)
- Daytona Lagoon sold to United Parks, $2 Million upgrade planned
The Main Event
- Seth Kubersky
- Seth Kubersky’s Orlando Weekly articles
- Touring Plans
- The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando
- UG Beyond Disney
- UG Las Vegas
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
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
- Ken
- Brian
- Jake of Orlando Park Pass
- Special Guest- Safari Mike of Jambo Everyone
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)
- Dismaland – Banksy theme park
- Lord of the Rings park in Spain put on hold due to gov’t $ cuts
- F&F at USF
- Fantasy of Flight to reopen in 3-5 years
- Falcon’s Creative Group announces office expansion.
- Black Bear exhibit coming to the Central Florida Zoo
- Winery, vacation home, botanical gardens development at Formosa Gardens area of 192 moves forward
- Visit Orlando kicks off new campaign
- MK, DLP make list of riskiest places to use public wifi
- New renderings of Skyplex released, T-Mobile/AT&T announced as telecommunications partner
- Occupancy and nightly rates up year over year in the region
- Hotel announced for Bella Collina
- AC Hotel/Residence Inn coming across from Millenia, new office building were also announced for across the street from that project
- 2 new hotels announced for OIA, no flag announced at this time
- OIA announces Fentress (Denver, LAX) as the architect for the new South Terminal
- Mag-Lev hits a snag with the OIA
- Daytona Beach getting gun range with booze bar
Events
- Magical Dining Month– Now through Sept 30
- M.C. Escher at Dali Museum now through Jan 3
- Florida Kids and Family Expo – August 29-30
- O-Town Mac Down for GKTW – Sept 12
- The Pineapple Ball – Oct 17
Ken Recommends – Florida Matters TIA Interview
The Main Event
National Elephant Center in Fellsmere, Florida
Potter Zoo’s new moose exhibit