IAAPA #IAE16 Day One Episode. We cover the big news of the day including the press conferences from SeaWorld, Triotech, and Zamperla. Plus thoughts on the opening ceremonies, the food scene in 2016 and what the general feel on the floor this year is. VR is big yet again and so are water rides.
Our Halloween blowout episode includes two special guests. First up we have Dawn of Come See Orlando. She talks about what she’s learned from working as the media rep for numerous I-Drive attractions, including the failed CSI: The Experience. She also shares her thoughts on the boom in zombie laser tag attractions, why Orlando is such a Halloween hot spot and more. Ken and Robert give a trip report from Howl-O-Scream.
Then Ricky Brigante stops by the studio to chat about Catharsis, his new immersive haunted house experience. Ricky also shares his thoughts on why Orlando can’t seem to have a successful year-round haunt attraction and the changes he’s seen since he first founded Inside the Magic years ago.
We also talk about Central Florida’s reaction to Hurricane Matthew and what lessons we hopefully learned from this near miss.
On today’s show Ken, Robert and Ed are joined in Studio B by Simon and Susan Veness of Veness Travel Media. Simon is the author of ‘The Brits Guide to Orlando,’ the best-selling guide of its kind in the U.K. Simon and Susan discuss their observations in the changing demographics of Orlando tourism and how the larger trends in Florida are affecting it. Brexit and changes to the OCSC are both discussed in detail.
We have trip reports galore on today’s show. Ken visits the Holy Land Experience, Mr. Brian checks out Animal Kingdom after dark and Jim sees what Legoland Florida has in store for summer. The Punch List includes HUGE news coming out of Fun Spot Kissimmee, an odd story regarding China’s Wanda Group, less booze at Epcot, and fun facts about a serial killer who spent time in downtown Orlando.
During the Main Event, we have a wedding planner stop by the studio to give us details on some of the wildest weddings ever seen in Orlando including one that involved a Joan Rivers lookalike and a live alligator. Dawn of ComeSeeOrlando calls in to give us a live report from MegaCon. Plus, we talk about the odd new bus routes that WDW just rolled out.
All of that and plenty of tacos on today’s Orlando Tourism Report!
FM content begins at 01:30:00 mark. Ashley Nickell of Restaurant ASH stops by the studio to talk about her time on Hell’s Kitchen, Orlando’s foodie scene and the struggle of helping operate a locally owned restaurant on I-Drive. We talk about eating guinea pigs, meeting Gordon Ramsey and why Orlando has so many reality TV stars. During the Punch List Brian calls in from Disney Springs to give us an on-location report of the newest addition to Orlando’s shopping scene. We also have an on-location interview from I-Drive’s new Zombie Outbreak laser tag experience. Quarterly earnings from the area cruise lines and Disney are discussed. ‘News’ from Busch Gardens, One Daytona and the Brevard Zoo are all discussed as well.
