Know the city | Know the industry

Tag: Disney World

Ep 52 – Banks Lee Talks DHS, the future of I-Drive and HHN

This week Banks Lee of Attractions Magazine calls in to chat about the sudden closure of 7220 I-Drive, safety at HHN, the future of DHS and more. During the FM segment Robert and Ken talk I-Drive NASCAR’s new partnership with the Orlando Magic, the new Orlando Pride soccer team and the James Beard chef who’s headed to Disney Springs.

Jake talks about Bill & Ted, a new indoor snow ski simulator center in town and Tiffany’s crazy concert at Epcot’s Food & Wine.

During the Aftershow Mr. Brian joins the show to talk the future of iFly and Pointe Orlando. What’s happening at the corner of I-Drive and Universal Blvd also comes up. And the latest details from Port Canaveral are discussed. Then Ken gives the very latest on the World’s Largest Entertainment McDonald’s.

Show Notes

Hosts

Recording Date: FM- 10-28-15 | Aftershow 11-2-15

Music

 

The Punch List

I-Drive

Orlando Eye closes for nearly a week

Magic, IDrive Nascar announce new partnership

iFly announces new location in between Wonder Works and Icebar. No word on what that means for the current location.

OTR’s tweets about Hawaiian Rumble

Dubai Skydive plans new indoor skydiving at I-Drive 360

Stabbing in parking lot near International Drive’s Howl at the Moon

Volcano Island mini golf owner’s odd Youtube video

World’s Largest Entertainment McDonald’s

Fun Spot’s Skycoaster lighting

WDW

Celebrity Chef Rick Bayless (6X James Beard award winner) confirmed to be opening new restaurant at Disney Springs.  Scott Joseph has been reporting since late 2014.

Permits show new entrance, expansion areas for DHS.

UOR

Universal theme parks have their highest attendance ever.

Safety of Scare Actors at HHN. Drunks, wild guest. What can be done to keep HHN under control?

Space Coast

Port Canaveral announces its slowing down cargo rail project

Port Canaveral terminal upgrades

Overview of Port Canaveral

Other Local Tourism

OCSC announces new details on Orlando Pride. 1500 season tickets sold, 3 new celebrity players.

10 more players announced

Tampa Bay Rays get out of Tropicana contract, can now look for new stadium home outside of Tampa Bay.

SunRail gets DOT approval for MCO leg (Still won’t open until 2020)

The Florida Aquarium starts construction on new events center.

Holy Land Experience gets more lights and mirrors

Central Florida Zoo changes expansion focus

 

Trending This Week

Indoor snow skiing coming to Winter Park

Fun Spot Kissimmee has a black out Monday. It lasted about an hour, no reports of stranded riders.

Film crew at the Sunday, Oct 25 Bill and Ted

Tiffany stopped by Epcot’s Food & Wine. Everyone is talking about her cover of Guns and Roses “Sweet Child of Mine.”

Custom Magicbands will soon be available (in a new Tomorrowland station)

Ahead of Shanghai Disneyland’s opening next year farmers in Shanghai welcomed Mickey Mouse this week with forming the famous cartoon star in a rice field.

A sinkhole opened up on the Maitland I-4 off ramp Monday swallowing the front end of a car.

Daytona International Speedway shares new aerial shots of Daytona Rising. Less than 75 days until it’s finished.

Screenshots of an AP survey asks how interested they would be in “Upgrading paper annual passes to plastic.”

Deadline gave new details, including who’s writing, the Tower of Terror feature film by Disney

 

 

 

Continue Reading

Ep 39 – John Frost Talks Orlando

John Frost of The Disney Blog stops by to talk Disney, Marvel and the future of Orlando’s theme parks. Living wage initiatives, SeaWorld, Gatorland and, yes, even casinos are all brought up in the conversation. During The Punch List Lissa and Ken get into it over parking at Disney World. Mr Brian weighs in on the new interactive shots bar coming to downtown Orlando and asks ‘are food trucks still a trend?’ LGBTQ rights in Osceola County are discussed ahead of an important vote there. Old Town announces a redo. Plus we recommend some upcoming events around the region.

Show Notes

Hosts

Song One (Punch List)

Song Two (Main Event)

Song Three (Closing)

Recording- The Main Event July 30, 2015 | The Punch List Aug 3, 2015

 

The Punch List

OCSC unveils new stadium. 25,500 capacity, fan plaza next door, canopy covering every seat, $155 Million fully privately funded.

New renderings and details for iSquare megamall.

Skyscraper changes ride manufacture: S&S out, Intamin in.

Old Town gets $10 Million in improvements.

Osceola County looks to add sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression to protection from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations.

Orlando celebrates being a Paper Town and proves they didn’t read John Green Day’s book (now a movie!)

Lissa was correct. Some scenes were filmed in Orlando.

Busch Gardens shuts down because of the rain

Gatorland hatches 19 Nile Crocodiles.  First time in 2 years.

World’s 5th largest cruise ship – Norwegian Epic – to sail from Cape Canaveral in November 2016

Swan & Dolphin gets into the food truck game

WDW gets new Director, Parks Arrival Experience, Program Management and Park Support. Valeria Bunting was the GM of Port Orleans and has worked previously at both MK and DAK.

DTD maps now list it as ‘Transforming into Disney Springs’ and districts are using new names finally. Save PI pointed out The Tunnels are being worked on.

Figment comic Series 2 heads to Epcot

The Main Event

The Disney Blog

Summary of rumors for SW at DHS in 2016

400 acres near the OCCC being sold

Disney and More article referencing possible SWO buyout

Caesars Magical Empire

Titanic Orlando experience

Fun Spot

Florida Resident Deals at Gatorland

This Week Around Orlando

Main Street Restaurant Week $5 – $30 prix fixe meals at 49 local restaurants

Mango’s hosting job fair August 7, 8

Taste of the Nation is Aug 8. GO!!

Florida Kids and Family Expo – August 29-30

The 21st Annual Harvest Grape Stomp is Aug 15 at Lake Ridge Winery

He Says, She Says. A Disney talking podcast. Follow along on Twitter @DisneyTalking

Next week we have BriMan from Orlando United joining us to talk HHN 25.  OU Radio had Robert Niles on last week.

Continue Reading

SideChat 10 – Dutch, Sharks and Blockbusters

On today’s SideChat Banks Lee joins Jay and Ken to geek out this summer’s upcoming blockbuster movies including Sharknado 3 (which Banks makes a cameo in). Disney Spring’s The Boathouse, the summer dance party at Typhoon Lagoon and Dutch Lombrowski all come up in conversation.

Show Info

Music
Hosts
Recording Dates

Show Notes

Sharknado 3 (July 22)

Banks- “I’m willing to bet that half of [Sharknado 3] will be set in Universal Orlando.”

Bruce the Shark will be in the movie!

Dutch’s 2 hour drive to MK- How far are you willing to drive for an hour in Magic Kingdom?

Tomorrowland (May 22)

Brad Bird’s tweet regarding the trashcan

Jurassic World (June 12)

Teen Beach 2: Beach Party at Typhoon Lagoon

Boathouse on Attractions – The Show

Ken Recommends- Do the Swan Boats at Lake Eola

Banks- The Boathouse is a place where you go once in a while, it’s not for regular dining at.

Continue Reading

Ep 28 – Floating Cars Get Across The Pond

First up today is a Punch List with Jay and Lissa plus we’re joined by Jake who is taking the Caption E.O. news pretty hard. After a touchy exchange between Ken and Lissa regarding Disney Jay brings up some UOR news.

Then for the Main Event today we have Part 2 of the interview with Simon and Susan of Veness Travel Media (Part 1 was posted March 16). They give their unique insights into the local British tourism trends and weigh in on all the news including Star Trek attractions, Star Wars and where SeaWorld goes from here.

Show Info

Music

Song 1

Song 2

Hosts

Special Guests

Recording Dates

  • Punch List- March 28, 2015
  • Interview with Simon and Susan- March 5, 2015

 

Show Notes

Punch List

WDW

UOR

Legoland Florida

  • Lego Friends announced as final room theme of LLF Hotel. Is it smart to focus so heavy on a gender specific brand

MAIN EVENT

Part 2 of the interview with Veness Travel Media (Part 1 is here)

5 Takeaways from the Interview

  1. Paramount is bringing an ‘American style’ park to U.K. and it will be interesting to watch how its received.
  2. Simon and Susan think gaming will be a bad mix for Orlando
  3. Tampa, Daytona and Miami have the adults covered, Simon and Susan think Orlando should be family focused
  4. SeaWorld does a great job of conservation but they could do more to focus on it
  5. 192 may have to give up on tourism as the main draw for certain segments of the road, but not the entire road.
Continue Reading

OTR – Ep 25 – Unofficial Tours and Thoughts With Bob Sehlinger

Today we have Bob Sehlinger, Founder of The Unofficial Guides. He discusses the history of Unofficial Guides and Touring Plans, his thoughts on current events in Central Florida’s tourism industry and the future of Unofficial Guides. Along the way interesting tidbits related to Disney World, South Florida, Busch Gardens and Len Testa are all brought up.

Show Info

Interview with Bob Sehlinger

Recorded Feb 19, 2014

Show Notes

The Unofficial Guides

Time Dependent Traveling Salesman Problem

Len Testa’s Twitter

Bob- “We basically write for Type A personalities.”

Touring Plans

Ken Recommends – The Touring Plans Lines App

WDW Today Touring Plans restaurant review episode

Ken Recommends – Couchsurfing

History of Disney Price Increases

Michael Moore vs Charlton Heston

Derek Burgan’s DAK Full Day Park post

New Avatar at DAK info

British vacation time entitlements

Rasulo stated hotel future plans, not Iger like Ken stated.

Chalet Suzanne closed

Clearwater Aquarium expansion plans

Unofficial Guides on Twitter | Facebook

 

::The Unofficial Guide Author Events::

Both events are free of charge

Celebration Writers Group: Special Author Visit

  • Monday, March 9 at 7 p.m.
  • Bob Sehlinger, Laurel Stewart, Len Testa, Seth Kubersky and Lilane Opsomer.
  • Hosted by Celebration Writers Group
  • Enjoy details on the business of publishing.

Wonderful World of Disney Authors

  • Wednesday, March 11 at 7 PM
  • Bob Sehlinger, Laurel Stewart, Seth Kubersky and Liliane Opsomer
  • The focus of this event will be Disney stories and their inside scoops on writing the successful series.
Continue Reading