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Tag: Walt Disney World

Ep 61 – Drug Paraphernalia Springs and Japanese Jaws

Today Mr. Brian gives a trip report from Universal Studios Japan where he relives Jaws, Back to the Future, Backdraft and more. Comparisons and insights on USJ versus our local Universal resort here in Orlando fill the conversation. During the Punch List Ken talks about affordable housing and the future of Osceola County. Jim shares some interesting news from Disney Springs and Ken wonders if people will want to go to Disney to buy knockoff bongs.

Show Notes

Hosts

Date of Recording: 2/4/16

Music– Jesse Cutler’s Music of Winter Park Album | Interview

Punch List

OCSC announces Lake Nona training facility. Is Lake Nona becoming a sports mecca?

Save Pleasure Island’s Disney Springs Update

Fulton’s Crab House lays off 214 employees as it goes thru a 6-month rehab

Club Disney closing at DHS

3,396 acres in Osceola County to be rezoned as Tourist Commercial

SDL, USH to have demand based pricing

Aquatica phasing out Commerson Dolphins

Educational class based on The Profit coming to UOR

-Other news not covered on the show-

Christian theme park planned for San Diego. Will it affect Holy Land Experience?

Holy Land announces free day- Feb 24

Daytona International Speedway officially opens Daytona Rising expansion

Great Wolf Lodge officially buys 50 acres they previously announce for the Orlando location

TopGolf confirms Orlando location on Universal Blvd

2 select service hotels, adult dayclub pool planned for near SWO

Passenger numbers up double digits in November at MCO (12.79 overall with 3.25 mill | Domestic = 12% with 2.85 mill | International = 17.1% with 402,177 )

 Palm Holdings announces renovation, expansion plans for The Inn at Calypso Cay in Kissimmee

Westgate to break ground on new sales center at WG Lakes in February

Wahlburgers announce opening date (Feb 9) of DT Orlando location, Mark, Paul and Donnieto be at grand opening Feb 18

Medical marijuana on 2016 ballot in Florida. Will it impact tourism?

Other Important Links

WPRK

Mr Brian’s USJ Trip Part 1 | Part 2

 

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Ep 59 – Brian Goes Global

Brian returns from Asia with a trip report from Thailand and Tokyo Disney Sea. Jim stops in to talk about all of the news coming out of SEAS lately. Kevin Yee discusses the layout of the Tokyo Disney resort. The news includes the latest closures from DHS, tram news from UOR and Coke moving into Disney Springs. Ken gives reviews of Otronicon 2016 and Ringling’s last visit to the Amway Center before they retire the elephants.

Show Notes

Hosts

Date of Recording:  Jan 20 , 2015

Punch List

DHS actually pulls off a Villain themed event

DHS next typhoon of closures hit, could the Earful Tower be moved to Disney Springs?

Habit Heroes closes at Innoventions (all that’s left is Sum, storm struck House and colortopia)

Rumor – Joy, Sadness coming to Epcot

World of Coke coming to Disney Springs

SEAS Update with Jim

SWO begins removing fast rising floors in orca tanks

SWO- Wild Days media event, Mako topping off, Manatee exhibit refurb, Wild Artic reopened (god no!) and all around updates

SEAS begins rolling out new focus on upcharge events (blog post on BGT interactions | trademarks for SWSA interactions )

BGT- Cobra’s Curse elevator lift is going up, rumors of 2018 coaster,

Lowry Park – Baby zebra

Weekend Adventure nature block (including SEAS tv shows) tops syndicated ratings for Dec 28- Jan 3 week (Judge Judy was #2)

Local News

Willie the Adarvark at DAK, now at the Planet Watch

The Delaney boutique hotel announced for Downtown South (ORMC)

Universal confirms VB tram from parking garage

Roboasis behind walls. Any news there?

BJ theater is gone, Twister is see-thru. Hello Kitty coming along. Kong- queue.

Otronicon

Ringling -> return of Legends. Last time of elephants in Amway.

Efteling’s new dark ride

Bruce Vaughn out, Bob Weis in at WDI

Other Important Links

Kevin Yee’s Top Tips for Visiting Tokyo Disney Resort

Mr Brian’s Thailand Video Trip Report

He Says, She Says Show

Epcot’s Daredevil Circus with Regis Philbin

Coaster Casters

WDW Navigators

WPRK

Sonny’s Smokin’ Showdown Jan 30 at Central Florida Zoo

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Ep 57 – Derek Burgan Goes All Out(let)

On today’s show we discuss Fun Spot’s new long-range plan then Derek Burgan stops by to talk about the latest from the Disney outlets. He also talks about dinner theatres, Disney bloggers and Cabana Bay parking.

Show Notes

Hosts

Date of Recording:  Jan 13, 2016

Song 1

Punch List

Tree

Feld announces earlier than expected plan to retire elephants (this May)

Fun Spot announces HUGE new expansion, Falcon’s Creative overseeing long-term growth plan

Height balloons spotted at Fantasia Gardens

Pizza Planet to close, will it become a Muppets restaurant?

Are projection mapping, flame throwers coming to DHS fireworks?

Disney files paperwork with FAA for drones at Epcot

DVC announces new perks for 25th Anniversary, including a lounge in the old ImageWorks

New lounge coming to DAK   (pre-2000s Kungaloosh possibly available for insiders at Jock’s)

Frontier Airlines expands at MCO

WestJet adds MCO to Vancouver service

Nude Nite Orlando to be hosted at Artegon

New Splash pad announced for Florida Aquarium

MOSI presents downtown proposal to City Council

Miami-Dade announces interest in ferry service to Cuba with terminal in downtown, F&F 8 may film in Cuba

Alton Towers gets VR coaster, could LLF be next?

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Ep 55 – Walt’s Frozen Head

Today we’re joined in studio by Ben Lancaster of Walt’s Frozen Head. Ben talks about what’s involved with making a film gorilla style at Magic Kingdom. Florida’s film talent, Lumberjacks at Epcot, legality of filming inside the parks, and much more are discussed.

During a shortened news segment Jay and Ken chat about Bindi Irwin’s win on DWTS, World of Disney’s expansion and holiday events at the Orlando Eye.

Show Notes

Hosts

Date of Recording: Radio Show- Dec 3, 2015 | Post Show- Dec 7, 2015

Radio Content Begins at 00:21:30

Music

Song 1

Punch List

Lumberjacks leave Canada at Epcot

New fireworks launch site at DHS. Its across World Drive, inline with Hollywood Blvd. Old location was a trailer near the tram tour.

World of Disney store at DS gets 6K expansion

Thirsty River Bar opens in former FastPass area near Expedition Everest

Frostival at I-Drive 360

Merlin announces full year results to be in line with expectations– $374.3 M profit per tax

  • Merlin said trading at Alton Towers has remained significantly below the previous year

Fred Jacobs – SEAS Sr VP of Corporate Communications (spokesperson) resigned. At SEAS for more than 25 years.

Bindi Irwin & Derek Hough with DWTS Season 21

Jurassic World: The Exhibition announced, kicks off in Australia then has several stops in North America

Other Important Links

Walt’s Frozen Head

He Says, She Says Podcast

WPRK

 

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Ep 50 – The One We’ve Been Teasing

On today’s 50th episode of Orlando Tourism Report we cover a wide-range of topics in the Punch List including a new huge ship coming to Port Canaveral, confusion in town regarding the DPAC hotel project, a plane crash that killed a co-founder of one of the region’s most controversial attractions, and the very latest in SeaWorld’s ongoing battle with the California Coastal Commission.

Then in a shortened Main Event we finally announce the thing we’ve been teasing since August. It’s true! Orlando Tourism Report will now be on FM radio.

Show Notes

Hosts

Recording Date: 10-19-15

Music

The Punch List

  1. SEAS announces its pursuing legal action against the CCC ruling
  2. SWO opens Pass Member Lounge
  3. Machine Gun America co-founder dies in South Florida plane crash
  4. 3 new retailers announced for Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores outlets
  5. Disney announces dates for the Christmas Day Parade taping (and its much earlier than expected)
  6. Epcot’s Candlelight Processional list gets filled
  7. Flying Fish closes for lengthy refurb, reimagining
  8. Fulton’s Crab House (13), Wolfgang Puck Grand Café (36) make Top 100 highest grossing restaurants in U.S. list
  9. Disney World offers new “better for you” snacks that feature minimalist character tie-ins
  10. Special events around the SW Ep VII premiere planned for DHS
  11. MCO officials meet Wednesday to discuss who will be the ‘design and engineering services architect of record’ for the $1.8 billion South Terminal (HNTB Corp, PZ Aviation Group JV, KBJ Architects). Fentress Architects is providing design consultation for the terminal.
  12. Melbourne Airport adds Orlando to name in hopes for increased traffic
  13. MCO passenger counts up 6% in August (3.2 million)
  14. Norwegian Epic (5th largest ship in the world) confirms Port Canaveral as its home port (4100 passengers)
  15. Jacksonville Maritime Museum closes due to lack of attendance and financial support
  16. Spain’s Paramount theme park in Alhama de Murica looks to be dead, despite developers denial
  17. Orlando City Soccer Club bringing Orlando City B USL team to Eastern Florida State College (Will likely announce a women’s team this week)
  18. USFL might be looking to bring a football team to Orlando
  19. Snap announces second gallery space in Downtown Orlando
  20. IAAPA Attractions Expo 2015 to feature the 2nd largest trade show floor in the event’s 97 year history, sells out of indoor floor space
  21. Orlando Eye shuts down again for technical difficulties
  22. Amazon abruptly shuts down Amazon Destinations, its hotel and reservation site. | Priceline and TripAdvisor sharing some services
  23. DPAC hotel project adds condos, increases in size
  24. 890 unit Grande Palisades resort near WDW to open in 2016
  25. Bella Collina’s condo hotel project changes names, will be suite only

Things We Loved This Week

Imagineer Cornelius Vanderbilt Wood bio on WDWInfo

St. Pete’s Dali Museum makes list of 23 amazing museum buildings to see this year

Victoria & Albert’s makes TripAdvisor’s Top 10 Travelers’ Choice Restaurants in the U.S.

Peas & Carrots are at WDW; follow along all week for a fun semi-outsider’s perspective

Marriott Island’s Dragon Point to rise again in 2017 | History of Annie the Dragon

Creative City Project (Ken thanks Beastly Kingdom for the reminder)

Events

Oct 21-25 Orlando Film Fest

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- Food Truck Wars stops by Artegon Marketplace

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

Nov 21- 2nd Annual Run for Wildlife 5K at BGT (Register before Oct 31 for $40, $50 afterwards)

Nov 20-22- Latin Baseball Festival at WWOS

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

Main Event

The Orlando Tourism Report is now bringing the local hospitality conversation to a new weekly show on WPRK 91.5 FM.  OTR is the only podcast devoted to all aspects of Central Florida tourism. OTR’s first show on WPRK will be on Thursday, Oct 22, 2015. This weekly show will air Thursdays from 10 to noon. This live show will feature in-studio guests, locally relevant music, and news and information related to City Beautiful’s most important industry.  Orlando Tourism Report will now be available live to the entire community on FM radio and the convenient TuneIn App.

We will continue to produce and release weekly podcasts, now moving it to every Sunday.  The podcast will feature original content with some highlights from the WPRK 91.5 FM broadcast.

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