Know the city | Know the industry

Tag: Aquatica

Ep 54 – Joshua Wallack Talks Mangos, Skyplex and More

Today we have a special interview with Joshua Wallack, the visionary behind Skyplex and Mango’s Orlando. He sits down with us to talk about the struggle to build Skyplex, the benefits to the community, the new parking garage plaza, and Mango’s (which will be the largest Latin club in the U.S.).

During a shortened Punch List Jay, Jake and Ken talk Universal, I-Drive and Mummies.

Don’t forget to tune in tomorrow through Friday for the latest IAAPA coverage.

Show Notes

Hosts

Recording Date: FM- 11-12-15 | Punch List 11-15-15

Music

 

Trends With Jake
  1. Trackers take a break after creepy message includes their private info
  2. Theme Park Review Robb mocks runDisney fans, twitter goes nuts (mention the OTR twitter poll)
  • He later on sneaks’ beer bottles onto Rockin Roller Coaster
  1. An Epcot guest gets drunk, scales the Mexican pyramid
  2. The mainstream media tries to cover SEAS, gets its comically incorrect
Punch List

Mummies of the World exhibit at Orlando Science closing end of November

Rosen Shingle Creek announces 640 rooms, other new expansions

Beetlejuice at USF confirmed for Dec 3 permanent closure

UOR confirms parking for Volcano Bay will be in existing garages, guests will be shuttled to the water park

Pets attraction coming to UOR?

Legoland Florida may soon be within the city limits if Winter Haven has its way

Ken thinks the SeaWorld Rescue ride is coming to Key West at SWO

B Resort rebrands American Q restaurant

Disney focused men’s clothing boutique Twenty Eight & Main opens at Disney Spring’s Marketplace Co-Op

Famed Disney imaginer Marty Sklar stopping by Disney Spring/DHS Nov 17, 18 for a book signing

DHS’s Jedi Training gets updates, new characters

Main Event

Mango’s

Mango’s Hollywood parking garage gets the green light after 2 year feud with nearby Golden Corral owner

WARNING- Static occurs 01:37:30 – 01:45:00 but still listen because it’s very good insights!

LET THE COUNTY KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF SKYPLEX!

Email planning@ocfl.net

Continue Reading

Ep 53 – Artegon Zombies and SEAS Prophets

With breaking news coming out of runDisney, SEAS and I-Drive today’s podcast includes Jake talking about the ending of HHN, Kevin Yee covers the history of upcharge events at WDW and a special podcast exclusive interview with Andy of Theme Parks and Travels talking SEAS. The FM content includes the latest from Premier Exhibits and from Artegon. The I-Drive Vision Plan is also discussed in length on today’s show.

FM Content ends at 00:45:00

Show Notes

Hosts

Recording Date: FM- 11-5-15 | Aftershow 11-9-15 | 11-10-15

Music

 

Punch List

  1. I-Drive Vision Plan. The BoC accepted the recommendations but made it clear that they are not adopting the recommendations. BCC Morning Session around the 01:20:00 mark.
  2. SEAS raises prices, unveils new logos for Cobras Curse & Mako, unveils plans for 2016.
  3. Twister closing
  4. Legendary Truth at HHN – Are these signs of the tech to come?
  5. Star Trek gets a new TV show, will an attraction come to Orlando?
  6. Crowne Plaza on Universal Blvd gets new management.
  7. Premier Exhibits buys Dinoking Tech. Will we see Dinoking exhibits in Orlando?

 

  1. Artegon announces the end of the cages, a new food court and new attractions
  2. Xero Gravity Sports Park land deal falls thru, new locations sought, but Kissimmee is very negative towards the project
  3. MargaritaVillage releases new details
  4. SunRail cancels late night train, adds mid-afternoon one
  5. New info on UCF’s proposed hotel
  6. Hunger Games, Fox announced new theme parks.

 

Trends Report with Jake of Orlando Park Pass

“Center for Leadership Development & Mentoring”

Nov 7 – Jan 3, 2016: Minnie’s Holiday & Dine Dinner

Jan 4, 2016 – March 20, 2016: Hollywood themed

March 21 – June 5, 2016: A celebration of Spring

June 6 – September 11, 2016: A beach-party blast for the Summer

September 12 – November 6, 2016: Enjoy a festive Halloween celebration

The Bigger Picture with Kevin Yee

Continue Reading

Ep 49 – The Big Blue Super Long Whale of Show With Eric Davis

SeaWorld is the focus of today’s main event when Eric Davis stops in to talk about the recent ruling from the California Coastal Commission that might mean an end to breeding in SeaWorld’s original park. The future of the company, orcas in captivity, that bizarre social media day earlier this year and more discussed in the firework filled conversation.

During the Punch List Robert and Ken talk about the recent monorail breakdown at WDW, the abrupt closure of the CSI exhibit, new hotels proposed for 192, OSHA’s rulings on the WDW Speedway accident, and that 400 acres that’s about to go up for sale. Southern cooking, Pitbull, Ferrari World, and I-4’s newest exit ramp are all worked into the conversation.

Show Notes

Hosts

Recording Date: 10-12-15

The Punch List Music

The Main Event Music

Eric Davis Speech Song | Speech

Closing Song

Punch List

  1. Monorail breaks down at WDW
  2. CSI, 7220 abruptly shuts down
  3. Jungleland might reopen
  4. 3 Hotels proposed for Osceola Heritage Sq
  5. Legoland movie attraction
  6. OSHA fines Petty Holdings $7,000, cites them in WDW speedway death
  7. I-4 exit ramp to Disney Springs opens
  8. New Chocolate shop coming to Disney Springs
  9. Chef Art Smith opening Florida themed restaurant at Disney Springs
  10. Club Disney dance party coming to DHS
  11. Disney announces Port Canaveral as home port for 3 ships in 2017
  12. Holland Cruises announces new make your own wine program aboard cruises from Port Everglades, Ft. Lauderdale
  13. Pitbull named Norwegian Escape’s ‘godfather’
  14. Blackjack agreement about to expire
  15. Over 400 acres in tourist district is going up to auction
  16. More details emerge regarding the I-Drive Marriott golf course near SWO
    • Residential portion include 260 single family homes, 176 townhomes and 700 apartment homes.
    • 423 single family homes/townhomes approved on Oct 8
  17. UOR confirms Hulk refurb will be done by B&M
  18. HHN Orl expands Scareactor dining experience
  19. iSq site work begins, their Twitter becomes active

Things We Loved This Week

Not Mentioned But Still Loved-

Events

Oct 9-31- Underground Vampire Bar at DRIP

Oct 17- African Penguin Awareness Day at BGT

Oct 17- Brian Miser (The Human Fuse) will be fired from bar to bar in a cannon in downtown Orlando to promote Captain Morgan’s Cannon Blast Bar Crawl (at Wall St Plaza)

Oct 17- Orlando Creative City Project

Oct 24- Cows ‘n Cabs in Winter Park

Oct 30-31- Swan & Dolphin Food & Wine Classic

Nov 13-15 Winter Park Concours d’Elegance

Nov 14-22 Festival of the Trees at OMA (tickets on sale now)

Nov 20-22- Latin Baseball Festival at WWOS

Dec 5, 12, 19, 26 Barista Bootcamp at the 4 Seasons Orlando

 

Main Event

Behind The Thrills – CCC bans breeding at San Diego, what’s next?

SeaWorld announces new position for Matt Rearden (former VP of Business Affairs) as Sr Business Development Officer

SEAS disappeared from the Fla Dept of Education website briefly

Journey to Atlantis Texas

Blue World ProjectOBJ

Awesome Ocean

Unofficial SeaWorld Podcast

SeaWorld Erin Sea McKinney

Continue Reading

Ep 45 – Cali VIPs

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

Recording Date: Punch List: 9-13-15 | Main Event: 9-14-15

The Punch List Music

The Main Event Music

Closing Music

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

UAE could rival Orlando’s tourism numbers

Continue Reading

Ep 38 – Living the Florida Life with Dani of This Florida Life/Bay Lake Society

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

Ken

Lissa

Special Guest – Dani of This Florida Life

Recording Dates: Punch List- July 26, 2015 | The Main Event- July 21, 2015

The Punch List

Ken Recommends- Resort Loop episode with Len Testa

Rape at HOB

Carjacking near DTD

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.

Comcast revenue skyrockets.

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

Bay Lake Society

Ken Recommends- Dani’s Trader Sam’s article on Touring Plans

Dani Recommends- The Boathouse

Mango’s Orlando

iSquare Orlando

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!

Continue Reading