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Tag: Orlando Eye

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

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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

 

 

 

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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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Ep 35 – HUGE Rumors, Big Fire and Tall Tower

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

Song 1

Song 2

Recording Dates- Punch List – July 5, 2015 | Main Event – July 1, 2015

Punch List

Avanti Resort fire

Orlando Eye broke down

Skyscraper at Skyplex gets FAA approval

Fun Spot news

Old Town’s redo

Toby Keith’s at Artegon closes

Chipotle is coming to OIA

Where were the crowds on the 4th at UOR?

NBC Media Center pics

Main Event

Frozen Summer Fun

DAK poop

I-Drive 360

Exploration Tower at Port Canaveral

Florida Beer Company

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Ep 33 – May’s Big Rewind with Epcod, Elvenage and Sir Owen Disney

After a whirlwind month of announcements and news we gather some theme parks fan to break it all down. Sir Owen Disney, Epcod and Elvenage join Jake, Richie and Ken to discuss their takes on all of this past month’s news. The future of SeaWorld, the chances of Skyplex actually ever happening and the role of Value Resorts at the modern Walt Disney Role all come up. Hot takes on the latest news, reviews of Tomorrowland, gambling’s impact on Florida, and a lot more in the news round-up episode.

 

Show Info

Hosts
Special Guests
Recording Date
  • May 30, 2015
Music

 

Show Notes

News Round-Up from May
I-Drive and Surrounding Area-
Disney-
SEAS –
UOR-

 

Additional Notes

Wisconsin Dells- Noah’s Ark Water Park (with non-tube rides)

Ken’s M&M Star Wars treats

Camden Park

Darien Lake

Little Amerricka in Wisconsin

Epcod’s Tomorrowland rampage One | Two | Three | Four | Five

OTR’s tweet regarding Volcano Bay stucco work

Mr Brian in Orlando’s sad trip to I-Drive 360 (Broken exhibits at SEALife One | Views from The Orlando Eye One, Two)

Ken Recommends- Tin Roof at I-Drive 360

Florida Citrus Tower

Jack Recommends- #OrlandoEye on Instagram

#AskSeaWorld’s utter failure on Twitter

Sir Owen Disney Recommends- Christmas at SeaWorld

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