July 28, 2015
Ep 38 – Living the Florida Life with Dani of This Florida Life/Bay Lake Society
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Dani of This Florida Life joins us today for our Main Event. She gives an industry insider perspective on the hospitality bubble and what it means for the future of Orlando. Plus she talks Bay Lake Society and much more. Richie stops by for The Punch List where we cover the recent rape at Downtown Disney, the new peer-reviewed study on captive killer whales, Ripley’s expansion plans to Africa, and recent construction announcements around Orlando.
Macau casino giant Galaxy Entertainment is buying 5% in SBM to diversify into other markets, Macau performance under expectations. Galaxy Ent shares are down 46% due to Macau’s performance. Hong Kong hotel occupancy rates down for the 9th straight month. China’s economy is off. Japan’s shrank last quarter, “a soft patch.” Does all of this point to a bubble in Orlando? Dani weighs in during the Main Event.
Show Notes
Hosts
Special Guest – Dani of This Florida Life
- Song One (Punch List intro)
- Song Two (Main Event intro and outro)
- Song Three (Closing)
Recording Dates: Punch List- July 26, 2015 | The Main Event- July 21, 2015
The Punch List
Ken Recommends- Resort Loop episode with Len Testa
HKDL’s Golden Mickeys show had its final performance this past weekend. How long till MK gets a show like this? Earvengers talked about this a few weeks ago.
Fantasmic testing reserved seats, rows and sections.
Iconic Daytona Speedway sign is removed
Orlando ranks 10th for fastest growing hotel market 4.5% growth in Orlando.
- Davidson County, Tenn., which includes the Nashville metropolitan area, with 6.7 percent growth. Hillsborough County came in second overall with 6.12 percent growth. Employment in Orange County, FL reached 49,724 in 2014, up from 47,583 recorded for the previous year.
New peer reviewed study on Killer Whales released in the Journal of Mammalogy by the Oxford University Press. It found no difference in life expectancy between SEAS whales and wild populations. And found wild calf survival rates of Southern Resident killer whales to be significantly less that SEAS (79.9% vs 96.6%).
New apartments announced for the SWO area. Part of the Marriott Grande Pines Golf Club redo. $40 Million, 282 units
Orange County proposes mixed use development on 28 acres beside Aquatica.
$7.2 Billion in real estate sales across Orlando in the last 12 months.
Joshua Wallack may help pay for SLR/I-Drive ped bridge
Orlando HQ’d Ripley’s returns to Africa for the first time since 1933 when Robert Ripley visited. New 12 city traveling show stops by shopping malls in South Africa.
Last week we talked about the Tripadvisor Top 25 Theme Parks. E-Ticket Report did an excellent rundown of all 25 parks and gave insights into the American parks on the list.
The Main Event
Ken Recommends- Dani’s Trader Sam’s article on Touring Plans
Dani Recommends- The Boathouse
Dani Recommends- When visiting Orlando take a ride on SunRail on the day you visit Florida Mall
Dani Recommends- Park Ave in Winter Park
Dani Recommends- Downtown Sanford
Dani Recommends- Wekiva Island
Closing Remarks
Next week I’ll joining a new podcast. He Says, She Says. A Disney talking podcast. Follow along on Twitter @DisneyTalking
Speaking of podcasts check out The Park Blogger had a great show with Lite’em and Hyde this past week. WDW Today did an excellent job with their offsite episode last week, I give them a thumbs up for that but wish they had focused more on I-Drive, Park Ave and maybe even some places like downtown Sanford.
Happy birthday to space flight at Cape Canaveral. 65 years ago this past week.
Next week we’ll have John Frost of The Disney Blog joining us!
July 21, 2015
Ep 37 – Low Ratings With Josh Gonzales
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Josh Gonzales stops by today to share what he found while exploring TripAdvisor. We talk about restaurant ratings, off beat theme parks and Jake loses his gum. The Citrus Tower, Yalaha, Hot Krust, Artegon and Mythos are all mentioned in some detail. Ken has his usual random facts including some actually interesting ones for a change. The Punch List is Disney heavy with mentions of Prince Harry, Houlihan’s and a major identity theft ring busted in Orlando. Your credit card might’ve been stolen last time you visited Orlando but today’s show will at least make smile (or cry, or at least sigh heavily).
Show Info
Hosts
- Ken
- Lissa
- Kyle
- Jake of Orlando Park Pass
- Special Guest – Josh Gonzalez
Recording Dates – Main Event – July 17, 2015 | The Punch List – July 21, 2015
The Punch List
- TripAdvisor Top Theme Parks in the World– IOA #1, Discovery Cove #2, MK #3, USH #4, DHS #5, USF #6
- New details emerge about the Tacky Tourist McDonald’s. Grand opening Feb 2016, current one will close around the end of December
- Prince Harry’s Invictus Games coming to WWOS May 8-12. The only international adaptive sporting event for active and veteran service members
- Nik Patel hotel auction going on right now. Ends Wednesday morning.
- Last remaining Houlihan’s in Florida closing July 26. It’s in Colonial Plaza on Hwy 50 near Downtown. It’ll become an Ale House.
- Gaylord Palms unveils details on its Christmas offerings.
- Major identity theft ring busted at Preferred Guest Resorts. At least 1,855 victims identified.
- WWII bomb found, exploded on St Pete beach.
- Walmart proposed for 192 just off Disney property.
- Shanghai Disneyland details released. First impressions? Anything there that we might see in Orlando? (Ken’s Tomorrowland comparison article)
- SW Launch Bay from Shanghai might come to DHS? Screamscape and other sources are reporting it. Didn’t Jim Hill mention this coming to Innoventions awhile back?
- Radio Harambe reporting that a SW themed Blue Sky Cellar might be coming to the SW meet and greet going into the old Animation Courtyard. Kevin Crossman joined the guys on the last episode and mentioned it.
- Rumors of work in Frontierland, part of the $3 Billion WDW updating. Could this be the long proposed boardwalk between BTM and HM? That would close the Rivers of America but open the possibility of new attractions on Tom Sawyer Island. 416 ft from old TSI raft loading dock/smoking area to HM dock.
- D23 details announced. George Lucas, Susan Lucci named Disney Legends. Parks gets 90 min presentation.
The Main Event
TripAdvisor Orlando Restaurant Rankings
3042 Ranked Restaurants
2 Hot Krust Panini Kitchen (Turkey Lake)
5 The Melting Pot (Sand Lake)
10 The Cheesecake Factory (Conroy Rd)
14 Fishbones (Sand Lake)
15 Olive Garden (I Drive)
16 Longhorn Steakhouse (Vineland Ave)
31 Red Lobster (I Drive)
38 Sanaa
47 Publix??
64 California Grill
153 Mythos
TripAdvisor Orlando Attraction Rankings
8 WDW
14 Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe
20 Gatorland
59 Jellyrolls
82 Holy Land Experience
166 Greenwood Cemetery
206 Festival Bay Mall/Artegon
Angel’s restaurant at MainGate
Planet Hollywood’s Stuff’s Magic Burger
Josh Gonz Recommends- Cowfish milkshakes, Bread Box.
Jake thinks PR’s Taco Palace has tiny tacos…
Ken was wrong. Bill Whitaker founded Press 101. Hot Krust has Evan Dimov at Title Manger and Biff Godfret as Reg Agent listed
Ken Recommends- The Chicken Alfredo at the Sand Lake Road McDonald’s
Publix sub shop April Fools joke
Informative article from 2002 on the Millenia/Conroy interchange
Info on the TBN takeover of Holy Land Experience
2013 article on the planned Orlando TBN studio
Ken Recommends- Reptile World Serpentarium
Ken Recommends- Save Pleasure Island blog
The mystery of the I-4 Flea Market
Greenwood Cemetery Moonlight Strolls
Ken Recommends- Following Orlando Cemetery on Twitter
Life-size replica of Graceland in Pine Hills
Jake Recommends- Roadside America
Ken Recommends- UCM Museum/Abita Mystery House
Ken then goes off how we should all sleep during the day…
July 14, 2015
Ep 36 – Coloring A Whole New Mall
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Today Mark of Orlando Mall Guide stops by to talk about the new Crayola Experience attraction and the new Dining Pavilion at the Florida Mall. He also gives his thoughts on Artegon, the new I-Drive megamall and Disney Springs. During the Punch List Richie, Ken and Jake talk about religious freedom in the workplace, the future of camping at Disney World and the general public’s lack of interest in space travel.
Show Notes
Hosts
- Ken
- Lissa
- Jake of Orlando Park Pass
- The ghost known as Richie
- Special Guest- Orlando Mall Guide Mark
Recording Dates: Punch List – July 12, 2015 | Main Event – July 10, 2015
Punch List
Bill Cosby column now DHS’s newest photo-op
Ken on Resort Ears Part One | Part Two
Fort Wilderness cabins getting remodeled
Ken thinks FW will be closing sooner than later.
Disney Family Culinary Experience at The Contemporary
Sikh Cast Member wins lawsuit against WDW
Shanghai Disneyland information released July 15
Is Magic Kingdom getting updates? Richie expects so.
Richie- “I’ll be excited when Disney builds another ride; that’s when I’ll be excited for Magic Kingdom.”
Disney Anaheim announces $1.1 Billion expansion
Richie recommends: Variety for TWDC news
LA Times report on Star Wars at DL
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Dies At 55
McDonald’s on SLR/I-Drive breaks ground on July 20
The Chew tv show comes to Epcot, Food & Wine booths coming to Future World
New memorial exhibit opens at KSC dedicated to Challenger and Columbia
Do you know about tourism in Cuba? We’d love to talk with you on the show! Message us for more information.
Main Event
Crayola Experience at The Florida Mall
The Florida Mall’s new Dining Pavilion
July 7, 2015
Ep 35 – HUGE Rumors, Big Fire and Tall Tower
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On today’s show we have a full Punch List with a hotel fire, Skyplex gets FAA approval, The Orlando Eye gets evacuated, more bad news at Artegon and rumors say Fun Spot is about to open their checkbook. Then Kyle and Ken share recent trip reports of when they hosted out-of-town guests. Kyle gives details on touring at DHS and DAK with pregnant guests then Ken talks about I-Drive 360, Artegon and Port Canaveral’s Exploration Tower. Richie, Jay, Jake and Griffin throw in their hot takes during The Punch List and everyone leaves hoping the NBC Media Center is just a bad dream.
Show Notes
Hosts
- Griffin – @_Epcod
- Ken
- Kyle
- Jay
- Jake of Orlando Park Pass
- The ghost known as Richie
Recording Dates- Punch List – July 5, 2015 | Main Event – July 1, 2015
Punch List
Skyscraper at Skyplex gets FAA approval
Toby Keith’s at Artegon closes
Where were the crowds on the 4th at UOR?
Main Event
June 7, 2015
OTR Special – Happy 25th Anniversary to Universal Orlando
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In this special episode dedicated to Universal Orlando’s 25th Anniversary we are joined by an old JAWS skipper, a guest who took in family throughout the 1990s, a local who spent much of their free time there in the ’90s and a current fan boy. Jake hosts this round-table discussion on what makes Universal Studios Florida so special. Jaws, Kongfrontation, Hitchcock, Hanna-Barbara, and more are discussed in the special edition of the Orlando Tourism Report.
Show Info
Recorded- June 3, 2015
Hosts & Guests
- Ken
- Jake of Orlando Park Pass
- Brian – @MrBrianOrl of Orlando Park Pass
- Bill – @MrCoaster1
- Griffin – @_Epcod
- How Bowers – @GoAwayGreen | Retro WDW Podcast
Today we’re talking about old school Universal. If you aren’t familiar with 1990s Universal check out this cool videos from 1990
Also check out this great collection of interviews and details from the gone but not forgotten attractions of Universal Studios that Orlando Park Pass recently published.