January 3, 2025 • 25 mins
On the first episode of The Theme Park Podcast of 2025, the guys look forward to what will be the most "epic" year in theme parks!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
From the theme park capital of the World, Orlando, Florida.
This is the Theme Park Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Wait podcast? Is this a radio?
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Why does everything gotta be so messy on this station?
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Anyway? Here's your hosts, Dickerman, Jimmy d and Scott Harris.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Welcome into the first podcast of twenty twenty five. Dickerman here,
there is Jimmy T.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
What's going on?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
And Scott Harris? What's up.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
It's a new year and new you A big year
for theme parks? Yes, I mean this might be. I
will say, at least in the last decade, maybe two,
the biggest year for theme parks in central Florida.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
When when Disney World opened up? Hm, what was it like?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I wouldn't know because you were alive. I was alive,
but I wasn't there. I was a baby.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
It opened up in nineteen seventy two. What was it like?
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Wait?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
I wasn't alive then. What do you mean it was
nineteen seventy two. Yes, I wasn't alive then. You weren't around.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Oh are you sure?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
I thought you were old? Now I am. I'm not
that old. Seventy two No, actually seventy one. You weren't
around back then? No, oh, I thought, I thought, I thought,
that's when you graduated high school. You weren't there.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
No, I was not there for the opening I heard,
I've heard stories.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
I have not. I was not personally there.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
I was there as a very young child at some
point in the early eighties, I am.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
I was under the impression that you were there opening.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Oh yeah, I was eighty s eighties sometimes.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Okay. So what was Universal Studios Orlando like when not opened?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Okay, I do remember that. I do remember that. I
don't remember much about it. I don't know if I
was there, like in the open. I had a job there.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
I know you got stuck to the gum wall at
the people uder the stairs house.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
But then like I had grew in your friend's jacket. Yeah,
out of high school. I had a job there, and
then I just never took it. Like they offered the job,
I took the job.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
That went just a weird slot doors moment for you.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I just never went. I don't remember why. I was
doing something else. It was not long before I got
into radio though. Oh okay, there's a little window of
tall right then. What was it like when Islands of
Adventure opened? I do remember that yeah, I mean, and
what do you remember? It was very exciting, like it
was closed one day and then next it was open.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
I mean they opened it up. It was it was
a big deal.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Question, Dinosaur the ride? Is it accurate?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Like the moments that happened, when the comments came and
such were there.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
You know, I'm just wondering if it's to your memory
is accurate. That's as as.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
A senior of you by two years, I think. Yes,
Oh dude, you're like, how many.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Dude I am but a young crocodile you are over
there t your accident.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Yes, yes, no, but it is a big deal. So
this is the biggest opening since Islands of Adventure, right,
I mean, that's the last big opening, is there's.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I mean Animal Kingdom also was around the same time.
Oh that came at the same time.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah, okay, all right, I thought I thought Islands was
after Animal Kingdom for whatever reason. Yeah, So between Islands
and Animal Kingdom, this will be the biggest opening since then.
And that was nineties, so you know we're looking at
thirty years.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Basically, Universal does count Volcano Bay as a whole separate
park count.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
But they do. They count Okay, So it was Animal
Kingdom ninety eight, Islands ninety nine.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Oh okay, geez, so that was late nineties. Okay, I
did not know it was that late for Animal Kingdom.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
So yeah, so twenty five years yep. Basically twenty five
years almost to the date. Yeah, twenty five years later,
well to be twenty six A new park Islands. I mean,
I'm sorry, Volcano Bait does not count. It's a great
water park, but it is still a water park and
that does. Hey, my past counts. That is a third park.
I know they universal try as you might. You are
getting your third park and that is coming this Yearay.
(03:59):
A water park is not a third park. I enjoy
water parks. I like water parks. I loved Wet and
Wild back in the day. But uh, Volcano Bay is
not a third park.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yeah, opening May twenty second, twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Here it comes. I mean it's going to be.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
And the media blitz has like begun on it. Oh,
you can't escape commercials.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
It's everywhere. I'm shocked that you can still get tickets.
It's going to be completely bananas.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Well I think, well, they're selling tickets so for in
advance to kind of crowd.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Control right, will there be a soft opening with a
live broadcast from the theme park podcast? That is the
number one question of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Well, I remember when Island's Adventure opened and they did
a soft opening for a few weeks, if not months,
leading up to an opening.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Right, right? And did I broadcast for that? There's a
chance I might have. I don't remember. If I don't remember,
do you not remember that? I remember thinking, I don't know,
you don't remember anything. I don't remember if I did
for that? I remember. Okay, here's what I remember doing
a broadcast for when they redd Tower of Ear in
their did more drops? We did that. They let us
(05:02):
actually broadcast live from the actual ride. Okay, I do
not remember if we were there for the opening of Islands.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
So do you remember when we do you remember a
broadcast for the opening Velocit Coaster?
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Were you invited like extra people onto the ride.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Where we were? Do you remember that? Yeah? I did
not know. We were not supposed to do that. Okay, good,
Then you do you remember something radio behavior? So it's okay,
I didn't do that. I did not did not.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Yeah I would. I had my one person.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
You added two more people to that list, though, buddy,
I remember, well, wait, did I you did?
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yes, you did.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
It was only after I think it was only after
you had like mucked it up.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
See I might I might have thought that you had
done that, and then we might have just done it. Oh,
I know, is I didn't.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Whatever, we filled up a bus. It's fine. As overfilled
the bus.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
I don't think my friends came. I think they were.
They were percent in line with us.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
They were, Yes, they were absolutely in line with.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Us, Yes, hundred percent. Yes, I don't remember that.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
It's like the memory for that didn't It's typical radio people.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
It's fine. We don't think where the rules apply to us. Yes,
so this is going to be gigantic. I do wonder
you know how you're talking about the media blitz. You
know what they'll they'll probably do a radio rode with
stations from across the country, because.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
That is what they used to the world. They used
to do, they bring people from across the world.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
They would do like a massive blitz where you'd have
stations from all over the country, all over the world
in for the opening of this park.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
And we are happy to take the crumbs from.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
That they offer us.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Just give us a slot. Just give us a slot.
Give us give us a six by six tape. Our
six six ft long table will be good to go.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
If they give us a piece of plywood and two
milk crates, we will be grateful.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Give you a power outlets all I need. That's that's it.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
We will Indian style in the back.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
I don't know if I can see Indian style anymore painful.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
I don't think you're allowed to say that.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Criss Cross Apple sauce, yeah, Chris so, Yeah, chriss Cross Apple.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
Gen x.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
So it's going to be a gigantic deal. I wonder
how gigantic you know. As we approached, may you know
what it's looking like? You talked about the media bullets
being big. Now what's it going to be like? As
we it's gonna be massive. We remember when they opened
Harry Potter that was a giant deal. When they opened
Harry Potter Land, that was a giant guys.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Remember when they opened galaxies Edge. We were there.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
Okay, those are two fandoms that take it to like
another milky way.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
That's true. That was a lot of fun when we
did that at the Galaxy I was reminiscing about it
the other day. That was fun.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
I just remember being like tired, punch drunk and just
laughing at everything you were saying.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Yeah, that was fun.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
I can't I remember. We were in the single rider
line and they hadn't put like a plate over the
wires at the top, and Diggerman's like stick your finger
in you you get electric cue, you get Turos for life.
And the kid in front of us was just dying,
dying at your jokes.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Yes, well you know, like a sleep and uh, Jimmy
editing Christmas videos while that.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
That was the other one.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Okay, yeah, yeah, that was that a lot of fun
when they did those. Well, the other one was like
when we we we got to Hollywood Series like two
in the morning. Yeah, and then you guys got yelled
at for like parking somewhere. Well we tried to wait
in line and like you can't wait in line yet
we got there too early.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Yeah, that was a weird. That was a fun day.
That was fun. We should we should do that. We
should do that for Epic Universe.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yeah, Okay, they don't broadcast, we don't have tickets, so
it'll be kind of hard.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Well, you know, we no never mind.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
I was gonna say, we get asked for something, but no, yeah, no,
we the door has closed on our influence.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Well in the.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Promo department, not completely completely, yea, but yeah, I mean
I would, I would welcome up broadcast.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
I have some I have some ideas.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Okay, all right, well, we welcome the idea of broadcast,
but we believe the mete.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
We welcome the idea of being able to go to it.
But here's my question.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Does Disney do anything at all to attempt to counter
any of this or they just let it happen.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Yes, they counter it by opening their doors that day,
because what it will do is there will be people
that are like, well, that park is gonna be busy,
I'm gonna go to these other.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Parks, fair point. But that's not the that's not the
position Disney is used to. That's a role reversal of Rover.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
No, you have to think about this, like, so the
new trailer for James Gunn Superman has been out now, yes,
and everyone's like, oh no, like, how can he do
this to DC? Like, or how's he gonna do this
to Marvel? Like Marvel's got to be so upset about this? No, No, no,
if you're Marvel, you want you want Superman to succeed
(09:31):
because it makes everything work better for the comic book
movie industry. Disney will want Epic Univers's seed because that
means more people flying across the country to Central Florida.
It also just means they'll be staying an extra day longer.
That's an extra day that they have the potential to
go to one of your parks.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
That's true, that's your Disney used to try to like
monopolize the whole thing with their bus from the airport.
They try to keep you on property. But they've kind
of given up a little bit of that ground because
they don't run the bus the airport anymore. And you know,
they realize people are going to lead the proper They're
gonna go other parks.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
Harry Potter's just too much of a draw. But the
thing is, the whole time I worked at Universal, they
never once looked at Disney as a threat or a competitor.
They were just like partners, or not partners, but like
colleagues or you know, there was like a mutual respect there.
And I believe it because they would allow their texts
(10:26):
to work at both parks. And if you think, like,
imagine being able to work in radio as an engineer
at two different radio companies, it would never happen in
a million years.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah, well that's interesting. So no counter by Disney.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
What if?
Speaker 2 (10:40):
What if Disney says we'll do a lottery and reopen
Galactic Star Cruiser and some people will stay for free.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
For tax purposes. Not happening. I can't believe we never
got to stay there.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Well, we got to grow this podcast to the point
where they buy it, they will open it for us.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
That was the original plan for the podcast, was it. No,
the original plan for the podcast was to be invited
to the opening of Galaxies Edge.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Okay, that was right, That's what it was.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
So when we started this podcast, it was we moved
the goal post to not feel bad.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
We've moved the goal post so many times. So the
goalposts now are invited to Epic Universe.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Yes, So if you don't know the story of the podcast.
At the time, I Heart was pushing podcasts and like
you have to do a podcast.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
We were like, let's do this.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Yeah, let's do it, and maybe we'll get invited to
the opening of Galaxies It like I want to yes,
And then we didn't get invited, so we said, all right,
no that's fine, we're gonna go to gal We're gonna
Galactic Star.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
No no no no no no no.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
It was like, okay, it was opening of Galaxy's Edge, right,
that was the initial didn't happen.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Then it was opening of Rise of the Resistance. Oh yeah,
still didn't happen. Still didn't happen. Then then then the
pandemic happened. Yes, so then it made going to theme
parks very different. Yes. Then it became uh Velocit Cooast.
I think that was like our next.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Sime No no no, because the plastic coaster I think
opened uh well after the Galactus Star Cruise.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
No no, no, no no no. Vlast coaster was twenty
twenty two. Stark Cruser was twenty twenty three. I don't remember.
I just remember Star Cruiser. At one point was the
was the goalpost of hey, let's get a broadcast from
the Star Cruiser because we want to check it out
because there's absolutely no way on Earth we can ever
afford to go and stay there.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Yes, And then that didn't happen, and then.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
They closed the galact to Star Cruiser, which if you
had a time machine and could go back and tell
everybody is they're opening this thing. Hey, you guys are
gonna close this within a year, they'd all told you
you're completely insane.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Sorry, I had my years wrong. It was twenty twenty
one was Volaso cooster. Twenty twenty two was Galactic star Cruiser.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
You're right, you were absolutely right. I'm wrong.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
So yeah, so we didn't get on the star cruiser.
So the goal post has now moved to we are
going to Epic Universe for the broadcast for this, and
you know what this is, and be a wide net.
They're casting a wide net this time. Maybe we'll let us.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Come yep, yes, yes absolutely.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
If not, we just glom onto real radio like usual.
Maybe we can slip in there for a little extra.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Yes, could we just do the do the area fifty
one thing where we just like show up.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
We'll just turn it up with a with a briefcase
with the recording equipment and just go in.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
No, we're not doing that. We're not doing that at all.
We're getting invited. Yes, we're getting invited. Yes, yeah. Or
we'll buy three tickets and then we'll go and then
we'll talk about it after the fact.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
We have friends at work at Universal and SeaWorld kind
of Disney.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
I don't know. I don't guess Disney really counts this.
Never gave us the time of day. Have they. We
have a direct friend that controls this at one of
those parks, and we still don't get invited. And there
was like recently a group text happy of Merry Christmas
is involving that person.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
We're still not invited. Maybe they're trying to tell us.
I know, I don't think they're telling us. I think
they've told us. Okay, that's that's the thing. All right, Well,
we're still going to shoot for Epic Universe. It's going
to be a meaningful it's huge. Let's be successful in
spite of all that.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
And here's the thing.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
If that doesn't happen, then when all the new stuff
over at Disney happens, new goal Post.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
We're gonna get invited.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Yeah, yeah, you know what, We'll always have Mega con Yes,
that's true. And you know what, maybe you know the Empire,
by the time Disney happens to people will have an
insider there. Yeah, maybe our maybe our insider will be
there and they'll say, oh, yeah. Yeah, those people we're
gonna bring you into this lest we're gonna put these
But they don't make the cut.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
It's okay, they can still come.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Do we let them in the park. No, no, no, we
just said they could come. Yeah, you guys stand out here.
It's outside the gates. You guys stand here.
Speaker 4 (14:44):
You know, I'm thinking we should set the bar at
we do the broadcast from the parking lot.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Well, we did talk about the pods.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
In the pod we're gonna do the the Godless We
did talk about doing doing that too. Yeah, I mean,
I guess we could, but I know we should be
in uh and we should get all the all the amenities.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
That come with it. I'll be you just let me in, okay,
don't I didn't even more amenity? Okay, I mean yeah,
give me butter beer. I'll pay for it. If they
offer the warm, I'll take it. I'll pay for it.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
Give me want something for free?
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Yeah, you know what the free thing is going. I
grew up in radio. Here's the thing here free, here's
the free thing. Parking. Okay, I'll take that. I'll take that.
I hate you want free thing parking and ticket? You know,
you know me, you know me to my core.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
No, No, if you want to trap Dickerman, you just
bait the track with a free parking.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
To free parking at It doesn't say where, it's just
this free parking.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Yeah, and it's very like you know Warner Brothers cartoon free.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Ticking painted on the side of a ball.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
Oh no, you put that on the van if you want.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
To free parking inside? How to kidnap Dickerman? Free parking?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
So with the opening that the universe, how do you
see that park's capacity laying out for that?
Speaker 4 (16:05):
First?
Speaker 2 (16:06):
I guess, well, let's go through the summer because it
opens at the end of a so it's basically the
start of summer or kids getting out of school, people
traveling from around the country to coming here. What's that
gonna look like for those three months? Like how many
people are gonna be allowed to say and like can
you like is it you? Is it a daily where
capacity every day?
Speaker 3 (16:23):
I I think it's gonna be weird because they're gonna
limit it to just see how much the park can
handle capacity rides in all of that, that's what there's
any idea of what capacity could look like? No, we
don't really know that for any park, if we're being honest,
None of that that is not like a publicly like
known thing somebody knows. I mean yeah, security fire marshals
(16:43):
like vain. Now is that never leaked on the internet? Uh?
Because I just I think that's it? Maybe sounds ghost
or you want you want the mystery. They all have
it as a mystery. Yeah, they do, like nobody wants
it to be known. My park holds more than your park.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
You can kind of figure out what parks can hold
more than others, Like University, you will get the layout
just of Universal compared to Islands Adventure. Universal just looks
like you could hold more. There's more walk paths, there's more.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Rooms or like but like or you compare FCOT to
Animal Kingdom right right, two vastly different footprints.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
Right right.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
I just I'm curious what, like what the size of
Epic Universe feels like compared to Universal compared to Islands
of Adventure. Like if you laid them like you did
a map, and you overlaid them on top of one another,
you know, what's the size looking like on these parks?
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Well, I can tell you that Epic Universe, the park
itself is about one hundred and ten acres. Okay, that's
just the park. Okay.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
We're in about a half acre here at Jimmy's house,
so third third acre, okay, all right, I'm a mumpy
to half acre them around a round up.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
I don't know if that helps his property taxes.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
I'm gonna I'm gonna annex your neighbor's yard and we're
gonna round up.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
No, don't. I don't think you should do any of that.
Oh So that's that's the size of that. I can't
really find any of the other size of I'm just
trying to find that. I believe it's like hang on
Volcano Bay is thirty.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Acres, okay, all right, So yeah, it's a big difference.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Universe Orlando the resort itself is just under thirteen hundred acres. Okay,
the the land itself for the entire development for Epic
Universes seven hundred.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
And fifty acres. Okay, all right, all right, so you're
talking about the size of Epic Universe completely is maybe
a third smaller than Universal Orlando Resort.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Okay, all right, we're gonna we're gonna know any walk
it's big when you.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Walk through the gates is when you.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Don't know through these giant portals, the giant portals, through
the gates, the super Mario, all those things.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
What's the first one you're gonna run to?
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Well speed, I will drive my mobility speer as quickly
as it will run over people's heels, straight to the
super Mario.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Really, you're not gonna go Dark Universe.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
I figured that would be Super Mario. You gotta go
for it, man, you gotta do it. I want to
end Dark Universe.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
I want all the merch. I want all the food,
I want all the bricks, I want all the rides.
I want to go through that. I want to go
through the tunnel.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Well, you know somebody that's worked on a lot of
these rods allegedly allegedly I do allegedly according to you,
it is according to me. I mean I can call
you claim that, and you've been saying that for four years.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
I honestly don't ever want to hear about this again.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
You want me to get him on the show.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
We have been saying Christ's sake for the entire history
of this show, which is approaching like five years, six years,
so much.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
We've wasted our lives.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
Hmm, okay, I will I will send a I will
send a message by raven.
Speaker 4 (19:59):
No you're gonna call, I will.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Send a message and uh and see if there there's
ability to speak about these things. Mostly, I just don't
want to sound like an idiot in front of this
guy because I admire him and he's really smart.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Well, don't start with that.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Yeah, I don't want to hear me talk. Just go
with your hat in your hand and just be like, hey,
I would like to talk.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Hey, so I think you're like really cool and stuff.
Do you want to come on my podcast?
Speaker 2 (20:22):
That's a perfect way to do it. It's a good
way to do it.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
And whatever you do, do not hold up a sign
it says prom question.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Mark nice because we're not a prom podcast, a theme
park podcast. All right, all right, all right, well then
are you going immediately to Bowser's Challenge Mine Cart Madness
or Yoshi Adventure.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
M Bowser bownser I want to say, what's the Bowser's Challenge?
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Which one?
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Samario Kart one?
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Yeah, that's Mary Car Bowser Challenge.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
That's the one that's the one that's the one to
go with. Yeah, absolutely, is there a which one? When
you enter that portal. Is that where you go through
the tunnel? Is that where you go through the green tunnel?
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Well, you go through the green tunnel to get to
Super Nintendo Land.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Okay that's yeah, okay, yeah, that's that's that's what.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
I'm I'm just gonna go through the Tunnel'm just gonna
go back and forth through the tunnel, and and he
just wants to hear that sound over and over again.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Yeah, basically, yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Through the tunnel over and over again, back and forth
as this as so following Super Mario is the Monster's
dark Emison number two?
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Is that number two for you teams? I gotta his
number two? Yeah, I gotta number two.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
I'm gonna say number two because I've seen some test
footage of the windmill, the windmill on fire. Oh yeah,
I got to see this in real life.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
Yeah that's true.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
You know what, though, I'm probably not going to go
to the villain's number two because I'm gonna wait number two.
I'm gonna wait until it gets dark till dark yea,
because that that land is going to be have a
whole different feel at night. Is that is that your
number one is the villains your.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Number one well, actually my number one is I'm I
should have I kind of cheating in this. I'm doing
the roller coaster that's in the front area. This artist racers.
Speaker 4 (22:01):
You never do the frighty right in front.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
It's right there. Well the back okay, well you're in
the back of the park. You're going to Harry Potter.
Oh yeah, that's right, Pottery there.
Speaker 4 (22:11):
That's not a bad spot to go next, because you
get some butter beer.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
If you're if you're if you're doing if you're using
that logic, it's either it's actually well it's actually the
hotel is the back part.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
It's the Ministry of Magic back there is that direct?
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Yes, I want to see that too. Yeah, I've been
seeing a lot of TV commercials for that. Oh yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
Do they come up with a new version of butter
beer just for Repic Universe.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
I don't know if you can come up with a
new version of beer, like the version is it gas?
They've done hot, I haven't done gas yet. They've done cold,
they've done solid, they've done ice stream, they've done frozen popcorn.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
Popcorn. I mean, well, like you know, like caramel popcorn.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
Yeah, popcorn.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
How much are you eating?
Speaker 2 (22:51):
I mean, if it's as good as the regular butter beer,
it's a significant weight.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
What did I just see like your arteries?
Speaker 2 (22:58):
I mean, if we're going there for broadcast and they're
offering free butter beer popcorn.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Yeah, I'm gonna should say we don't actually know if
it exists. We are just thinking aloud of hay food.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
How many times do we put stuff into the universe
and it happens?
Speaker 3 (23:11):
Right? Yes, that is true, shallow scream over at sea world.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
I mean just I'm just saying that right now. I'm
telling you right now, wear are your sweatpants that day?
Speaker 2 (23:18):
I will wear my sweatpants that will be in the
last day with with the draw string on my pants.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
Or no, what did what did Homer? Where would he
get the move moves straight? And I look for the
podcast move I mean the logo.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Why not get the dialing wand now, yeah, get the
dialing wand get the little bird to turn on and
off my mic the little.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
I have a drinking bird? Oh yeah, I do.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Yes, I need to get one of those. And you
promise my child and get one of those. Yeah. So
it's uh, it's gonna be epic. I mean, there's no
other way to describe it's gonna be. It's gonna be
the story of twenty twenty five. There will be no
bigger story than the opening of Epic Universe.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Yep, that's the that's the story, and everything else beyond
and beyond that's like secondary.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
That's the bar that Disney now has to uh, you know,
that's what the bar they need to clear.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
And they're gonna be watching the Disney one hundred percent
be watching and deciding, you know, what their next moves are,
following what Universal does here. Yes, they will, guys, They's
still land. There's a lot of land out there for
Disney to do stuff with.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
Yes, there is.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
All right, Well we're just about it out of time
for this first show of the year, Scott. If people
want to catch the latest breaking theme park news, where
can they go?
Speaker 3 (24:29):
You can follow us on Twitter at Theme Parks Show, Facebook, Instagram,
TikTok and threads at Theme Park Podcast. You can watch
it themepark YouTube dot com, and.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
The show comes to you live from the Laurencampbell Rereealtrue
dot Com, t Bogus Ebo Studios for jimmyd for Scott Harris,
I am Dickerman until next week, We'll see you out
at the parks.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
This has been the theme Park Podcast. Follow the show
on Facebook and Instagram at the theme Park Podcast. To
catch up on previous episodes, check out the themeparkpodcast dot com,
the iHeartRadio app, or Apple Podcasts.
From the theme park capital of the World, Orlando, Florida.
This is the Theme Park Podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Wait podcast? Is this a radio?
Speaker 3 (00:11):
Why does everything gotta be so messy on this station?
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Anyway? Here's your hosts, Dickerman, Jimmy d and Scott Harris.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Welcome into the first podcast of twenty twenty five. Dickerman here,
there is Jimmy T.
Speaker 4 (00:27):
What's going on?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
And Scott Harris? What's up.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
It's a new year and new you A big year
for theme parks? Yes, I mean this might be. I
will say, at least in the last decade, maybe two,
the biggest year for theme parks in central Florida.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
When when Disney World opened up? Hm, what was it like?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I wouldn't know because you were alive. I was alive,
but I wasn't there. I was a baby.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
It opened up in nineteen seventy two. What was it like?
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Wait?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
I wasn't alive then. What do you mean it was
nineteen seventy two. Yes, I wasn't alive then. You weren't around.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Oh are you sure?
Speaker 3 (01:09):
I thought you were old? Now I am. I'm not
that old. Seventy two No, actually seventy one. You weren't
around back then? No, oh, I thought, I thought, I thought,
that's when you graduated high school. You weren't there.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
No, I was not there for the opening I heard,
I've heard stories.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
I have not. I was not personally there.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
I was there as a very young child at some
point in the early eighties, I am.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
I was under the impression that you were there opening.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Oh yeah, I was eighty s eighties sometimes.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Okay. So what was Universal Studios Orlando like when not opened?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Okay, I do remember that. I do remember that. I
don't remember much about it. I don't know if I
was there, like in the open. I had a job there.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
I know you got stuck to the gum wall at
the people uder the stairs house.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
But then like I had grew in your friend's jacket. Yeah,
out of high school. I had a job there, and
then I just never took it. Like they offered the job,
I took the job.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
That went just a weird slot doors moment for you.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I just never went. I don't remember why. I was
doing something else. It was not long before I got
into radio though. Oh okay, there's a little window of
tall right then. What was it like when Islands of
Adventure opened? I do remember that yeah, I mean, and
what do you remember? It was very exciting, like it
was closed one day and then next it was open.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
I mean they opened it up. It was it was
a big deal.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
Question, Dinosaur the ride? Is it accurate?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Like the moments that happened, when the comments came and
such were there.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
You know, I'm just wondering if it's to your memory
is accurate. That's as as.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
A senior of you by two years, I think. Yes,
Oh dude, you're like, how many.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Dude I am but a young crocodile you are over
there t your accident.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Yes, yes, no, but it is a big deal. So
this is the biggest opening since Islands of Adventure, right,
I mean, that's the last big opening, is there's.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I mean Animal Kingdom also was around the same time.
Oh that came at the same time.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yeah, okay, all right, I thought I thought Islands was
after Animal Kingdom for whatever reason. Yeah, So between Islands
and Animal Kingdom, this will be the biggest opening since then.
And that was nineties, so you know we're looking at
thirty years.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
Basically, Universal does count Volcano Bay as a whole separate
park count.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
But they do. They count Okay, So it was Animal
Kingdom ninety eight, Islands ninety nine.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Oh okay, geez, so that was late nineties. Okay, I
did not know it was that late for Animal Kingdom.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
So yeah, so twenty five years yep. Basically twenty five
years almost to the date. Yeah, twenty five years later,
well to be twenty six A new park Islands. I mean,
I'm sorry, Volcano Bait does not count. It's a great
water park, but it is still a water park and
that does. Hey, my past counts. That is a third park.
I know they universal try as you might. You are
getting your third park and that is coming this Yearay.
(03:59):
A water park is not a third park. I enjoy
water parks. I like water parks. I loved Wet and
Wild back in the day. But uh, Volcano Bay is
not a third park.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
Yeah, opening May twenty second, twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Here it comes. I mean it's going to be.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
And the media blitz has like begun on it. Oh,
you can't escape commercials.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
It's everywhere. I'm shocked that you can still get tickets.
It's going to be completely bananas.
Speaker 3 (04:23):
Well I think, well, they're selling tickets so for in
advance to kind of crowd.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Control right, will there be a soft opening with a
live broadcast from the theme park podcast? That is the
number one question of twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
Well, I remember when Island's Adventure opened and they did
a soft opening for a few weeks, if not months,
leading up to an opening.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Right, right? And did I broadcast for that? There's a
chance I might have. I don't remember. If I don't remember,
do you not remember that? I remember thinking, I don't know,
you don't remember anything. I don't remember if I did
for that? I remember. Okay, here's what I remember doing
a broadcast for when they redd Tower of Ear in
their did more drops? We did that. They let us
(05:02):
actually broadcast live from the actual ride. Okay, I do
not remember if we were there for the opening of Islands.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
So do you remember when we do you remember a
broadcast for the opening Velocit Coaster?
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Were you invited like extra people onto the ride.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Where we were? Do you remember that? Yeah? I did
not know. We were not supposed to do that. Okay, good,
Then you do you remember something radio behavior? So it's okay,
I didn't do that. I did not did not.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Yeah I would. I had my one person.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
You added two more people to that list, though, buddy,
I remember, well, wait, did I you did?
Speaker 3 (05:34):
Yes, you did.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
It was only after I think it was only after
you had like mucked it up.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
See I might I might have thought that you had
done that, and then we might have just done it. Oh,
I know, is I didn't.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Whatever, we filled up a bus. It's fine. As overfilled
the bus.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
I don't think my friends came. I think they were.
They were percent in line with us.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
They were, Yes, they were absolutely in line with.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Us, Yes, hundred percent. Yes, I don't remember that.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
It's like the memory for that didn't It's typical radio people.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
It's fine. We don't think where the rules apply to us. Yes,
so this is going to be gigantic. I do wonder
you know how you're talking about the media blitz. You
know what they'll they'll probably do a radio rode with
stations from across the country, because.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
That is what they used to the world. They used
to do, they bring people from across the world.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
They would do like a massive blitz where you'd have
stations from all over the country, all over the world
in for the opening of this park.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
And we are happy to take the crumbs from.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
That they offer us.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
Just give us a slot. Just give us a slot.
Give us give us a six by six tape. Our
six six ft long table will be good to go.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
If they give us a piece of plywood and two
milk crates, we will be grateful.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Give you a power outlets all I need. That's that's it.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
We will Indian style in the back.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
I don't know if I can see Indian style anymore painful.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
I don't think you're allowed to say that.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Criss Cross Apple sauce, yeah, Chris so, Yeah, chriss Cross Apple.
Speaker 4 (06:55):
Gen x.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
So it's going to be a gigantic deal. I wonder
how gigantic you know. As we approached, may you know
what it's looking like? You talked about the media bullets
being big. Now what's it going to be like? As
we it's gonna be massive. We remember when they opened
Harry Potter that was a giant deal. When they opened
Harry Potter Land, that was a giant guys.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Remember when they opened galaxies Edge. We were there.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
Okay, those are two fandoms that take it to like
another milky way.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
That's true. That was a lot of fun when we
did that at the Galaxy I was reminiscing about it
the other day. That was fun.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
I just remember being like tired, punch drunk and just
laughing at everything you were saying.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Yeah, that was fun.
Speaker 4 (07:35):
I can't I remember. We were in the single rider
line and they hadn't put like a plate over the
wires at the top, and Diggerman's like stick your finger
in you you get electric cue, you get Turos for life.
And the kid in front of us was just dying,
dying at your jokes.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Yes, well you know, like a sleep and uh, Jimmy
editing Christmas videos while that.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
That was the other one.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Okay, yeah, yeah, that was that a lot of fun
when they did those. Well, the other one was like
when we we we got to Hollywood Series like two
in the morning. Yeah, and then you guys got yelled
at for like parking somewhere. Well we tried to wait
in line and like you can't wait in line yet
we got there too early.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Yeah, that was a weird. That was a fun day.
That was fun. We should we should do that. We
should do that for Epic Universe.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yeah, Okay, they don't broadcast, we don't have tickets, so
it'll be kind of hard.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
Well, you know, we no never mind.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
I was gonna say, we get asked for something, but no, yeah, no,
we the door has closed on our influence.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Well in the.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Promo department, not completely completely, yea, but yeah, I mean
I would, I would welcome up broadcast.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
I have some I have some ideas.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
Okay, all right, well, we welcome the idea of broadcast,
but we believe the mete.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
We welcome the idea of being able to go to it.
But here's my question.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Does Disney do anything at all to attempt to counter
any of this or they just let it happen.
Speaker 3 (08:55):
Yes, they counter it by opening their doors that day,
because what it will do is there will be people
that are like, well, that park is gonna be busy,
I'm gonna go to these other.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
Parks, fair point. But that's not the that's not the
position Disney is used to. That's a role reversal of Rover.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
No, you have to think about this, like, so the
new trailer for James Gunn Superman has been out now, yes,
and everyone's like, oh no, like, how can he do
this to DC? Like, or how's he gonna do this
to Marvel? Like Marvel's got to be so upset about this? No, No, no,
if you're Marvel, you want you want Superman to succeed
(09:31):
because it makes everything work better for the comic book
movie industry. Disney will want Epic Univers's seed because that
means more people flying across the country to Central Florida.
It also just means they'll be staying an extra day longer.
That's an extra day that they have the potential to
go to one of your parks.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
That's true, that's your Disney used to try to like
monopolize the whole thing with their bus from the airport.
They try to keep you on property. But they've kind
of given up a little bit of that ground because
they don't run the bus the airport anymore. And you know,
they realize people are going to lead the proper They're
gonna go other parks.
Speaker 4 (10:05):
Harry Potter's just too much of a draw. But the
thing is, the whole time I worked at Universal, they
never once looked at Disney as a threat or a competitor.
They were just like partners, or not partners, but like
colleagues or you know, there was like a mutual respect there.
And I believe it because they would allow their texts
(10:26):
to work at both parks. And if you think, like,
imagine being able to work in radio as an engineer
at two different radio companies, it would never happen in
a million years.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah, well that's interesting. So no counter by Disney.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
What if?
Speaker 2 (10:40):
What if Disney says we'll do a lottery and reopen
Galactic Star Cruiser and some people will stay for free.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
For tax purposes. Not happening. I can't believe we never
got to stay there.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Well, we got to grow this podcast to the point
where they buy it, they will open it for us.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
That was the original plan for the podcast, was it. No,
the original plan for the podcast was to be invited
to the opening of Galaxies Edge.
Speaker 3 (11:04):
Okay, that was right, That's what it was.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
So when we started this podcast, it was we moved
the goal post to not feel bad.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
We've moved the goal post so many times. So the
goalposts now are invited to Epic Universe.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
Yes, So if you don't know the story of the podcast.
At the time, I Heart was pushing podcasts and like
you have to do a podcast.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
We were like, let's do this.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Yeah, let's do it, and maybe we'll get invited to
the opening of Galaxies It like I want to yes,
And then we didn't get invited, so we said, all right,
no that's fine, we're gonna go to gal We're gonna
Galactic Star.
Speaker 3 (11:34):
No no no no no no no.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
It was like, okay, it was opening of Galaxy's Edge, right,
that was the initial didn't happen.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Then it was opening of Rise of the Resistance. Oh yeah,
still didn't happen. Still didn't happen. Then then then the
pandemic happened. Yes, so then it made going to theme
parks very different. Yes. Then it became uh Velocit Cooast.
I think that was like our next.
Speaker 4 (12:01):
Sime No no no, because the plastic coaster I think
opened uh well after the Galactus Star Cruise.
Speaker 2 (12:08):
No no, no, no no no. Vlast coaster was twenty
twenty two. Stark Cruser was twenty twenty three. I don't remember.
I just remember Star Cruiser. At one point was the
was the goalpost of hey, let's get a broadcast from
the Star Cruiser because we want to check it out
because there's absolutely no way on Earth we can ever
afford to go and stay there.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Yes, And then that didn't happen, and then.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
They closed the galact to Star Cruiser, which if you
had a time machine and could go back and tell
everybody is they're opening this thing. Hey, you guys are
gonna close this within a year, they'd all told you
you're completely insane.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Sorry, I had my years wrong. It was twenty twenty
one was Volaso cooster. Twenty twenty two was Galactic star Cruiser.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
You're right, you were absolutely right. I'm wrong.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
So yeah, so we didn't get on the star cruiser.
So the goal post has now moved to we are
going to Epic Universe for the broadcast for this, and
you know what this is, and be a wide net.
They're casting a wide net this time. Maybe we'll let us.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Come yep, yes, yes absolutely.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
If not, we just glom onto real radio like usual.
Maybe we can slip in there for a little extra.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
Yes, could we just do the do the area fifty
one thing where we just like show up.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
We'll just turn it up with a with a briefcase
with the recording equipment and just go in.
Speaker 3 (13:20):
No, we're not doing that. We're not doing that at all.
We're getting invited. Yes, we're getting invited. Yes, yeah. Or
we'll buy three tickets and then we'll go and then
we'll talk about it after the fact.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
We have friends at work at Universal and SeaWorld kind
of Disney.
Speaker 3 (13:35):
I don't know. I don't guess Disney really counts this.
Never gave us the time of day. Have they. We
have a direct friend that controls this at one of
those parks, and we still don't get invited. And there
was like recently a group text happy of Merry Christmas
is involving that person.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
We're still not invited. Maybe they're trying to tell us.
I know, I don't think they're telling us. I think
they've told us. Okay, that's that's the thing. All right, Well,
we're still going to shoot for Epic Universe. It's going
to be a meaningful it's huge. Let's be successful in
spite of all that.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
And here's the thing.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
If that doesn't happen, then when all the new stuff
over at Disney happens, new goal Post.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
We're gonna get invited.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Yeah, yeah, you know what, We'll always have Mega con Yes,
that's true. And you know what, maybe you know the Empire,
by the time Disney happens to people will have an
insider there. Yeah, maybe our maybe our insider will be
there and they'll say, oh, yeah. Yeah, those people we're
gonna bring you into this lest we're gonna put these
But they don't make the cut.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
It's okay, they can still come.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Do we let them in the park. No, no, no, we
just said they could come. Yeah, you guys stand out here.
It's outside the gates. You guys stand here.
Speaker 4 (14:44):
You know, I'm thinking we should set the bar at
we do the broadcast from the parking lot.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
Well, we did talk about the pods.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
In the pod we're gonna do the the Godless We
did talk about doing doing that too. Yeah, I mean,
I guess we could, but I know we should be
in uh and we should get all the all the amenities.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
That come with it. I'll be you just let me in, okay,
don't I didn't even more amenity? Okay, I mean yeah,
give me butter beer. I'll pay for it. If they
offer the warm, I'll take it. I'll pay for it.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
Give me want something for free?
Speaker 3 (15:19):
Yeah, you know what the free thing is going. I
grew up in radio. Here's the thing here free, here's
the free thing. Parking. Okay, I'll take that. I'll take that.
I hate you want free thing parking and ticket? You know,
you know me, you know me to my core.
Speaker 4 (15:33):
No, No, if you want to trap Dickerman, you just
bait the track with a free parking.
Speaker 3 (15:37):
To free parking at It doesn't say where, it's just
this free parking.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Yeah, and it's very like you know Warner Brothers cartoon free.
Speaker 3 (15:46):
Ticking painted on the side of a ball.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
Oh no, you put that on the van if you want.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
To free parking inside? How to kidnap Dickerman? Free parking?
Speaker 2 (15:56):
So with the opening that the universe, how do you
see that park's capacity laying out for that?
Speaker 4 (16:05):
First?
Speaker 2 (16:06):
I guess, well, let's go through the summer because it
opens at the end of a so it's basically the
start of summer or kids getting out of school, people
traveling from around the country to coming here. What's that
gonna look like for those three months? Like how many
people are gonna be allowed to say and like can
you like is it you? Is it a daily where
capacity every day?
Speaker 3 (16:23):
I I think it's gonna be weird because they're gonna
limit it to just see how much the park can
handle capacity rides in all of that, that's what there's
any idea of what capacity could look like? No, we
don't really know that for any park, if we're being honest,
None of that that is not like a publicly like
known thing somebody knows. I mean yeah, security fire marshals
(16:43):
like vain. Now is that never leaked on the internet? Uh?
Because I just I think that's it? Maybe sounds ghost
or you want you want the mystery. They all have
it as a mystery. Yeah, they do, like nobody wants
it to be known. My park holds more than your park.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
You can kind of figure out what parks can hold
more than others, Like University, you will get the layout
just of Universal compared to Islands Adventure. Universal just looks
like you could hold more. There's more walk paths, there's more.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
Rooms or like but like or you compare FCOT to
Animal Kingdom right right, two vastly different footprints.
Speaker 4 (17:15):
Right right.
Speaker 2 (17:15):
I just I'm curious what, like what the size of
Epic Universe feels like compared to Universal compared to Islands
of Adventure. Like if you laid them like you did
a map, and you overlaid them on top of one another,
you know, what's the size looking like on these parks?
Speaker 3 (17:32):
Well, I can tell you that Epic Universe, the park
itself is about one hundred and ten acres. Okay, that's
just the park. Okay.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
We're in about a half acre here at Jimmy's house,
so third third acre, okay, all right, I'm a mumpy
to half acre them around a round up.
Speaker 3 (17:52):
I don't know if that helps his property taxes.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
I'm gonna I'm gonna annex your neighbor's yard and we're
gonna round up.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
No, don't. I don't think you should do any of that.
Oh So that's that's the size of that. I can't
really find any of the other size of I'm just
trying to find that. I believe it's like hang on
Volcano Bay is thirty.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Acres, okay, all right, So yeah, it's a big difference.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Universe Orlando the resort itself is just under thirteen hundred acres. Okay,
the the land itself for the entire development for Epic
Universes seven hundred.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
And fifty acres. Okay, all right, all right, so you're
talking about the size of Epic Universe completely is maybe
a third smaller than Universal Orlando Resort.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
Okay, all right, we're gonna we're gonna know any walk
it's big when you.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Walk through the gates is when you.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Don't know through these giant portals, the giant portals, through
the gates, the super Mario, all those things.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
What's the first one you're gonna run to?
Speaker 2 (18:59):
Well speed, I will drive my mobility speer as quickly
as it will run over people's heels, straight to the
super Mario.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Really, you're not gonna go Dark Universe.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
I figured that would be Super Mario. You gotta go
for it, man, you gotta do it. I want to
end Dark Universe.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
I want all the merch. I want all the food,
I want all the bricks, I want all the rides.
I want to go through that. I want to go
through the tunnel.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
Well, you know somebody that's worked on a lot of
these rods allegedly allegedly I do allegedly according to you,
it is according to me. I mean I can call
you claim that, and you've been saying that for four years.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
I honestly don't ever want to hear about this again.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
You want me to get him on the show.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
We have been saying Christ's sake for the entire history
of this show, which is approaching like five years, six years,
so much.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
We've wasted our lives.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
Hmm, okay, I will I will send a I will
send a message by raven.
Speaker 4 (19:59):
No you're gonna call, I will.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Send a message and uh and see if there there's
ability to speak about these things. Mostly, I just don't
want to sound like an idiot in front of this
guy because I admire him and he's really smart.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Well, don't start with that.
Speaker 2 (20:12):
Yeah, I don't want to hear me talk. Just go
with your hat in your hand and just be like, hey,
I would like to talk.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Hey, so I think you're like really cool and stuff.
Do you want to come on my podcast?
Speaker 2 (20:22):
That's a perfect way to do it. It's a good
way to do it.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
And whatever you do, do not hold up a sign
it says prom question.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Mark nice because we're not a prom podcast, a theme
park podcast. All right, all right, all right, well then
are you going immediately to Bowser's Challenge Mine Cart Madness
or Yoshi Adventure.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
M Bowser bownser I want to say, what's the Bowser's Challenge?
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Which one?
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Samario Kart one?
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Yeah, that's Mary Car Bowser Challenge.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
That's the one that's the one that's the one to
go with. Yeah, absolutely, is there a which one? When
you enter that portal. Is that where you go through
the tunnel? Is that where you go through the green tunnel?
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Well, you go through the green tunnel to get to
Super Nintendo Land.
Speaker 4 (21:03):
Okay that's yeah, okay, yeah, that's that's that's what.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
I'm I'm just gonna go through the Tunnel'm just gonna
go back and forth through the tunnel, and and he
just wants to hear that sound over and over again.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
Yeah, basically, yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Through the tunnel over and over again, back and forth
as this as so following Super Mario is the Monster's
dark Emison number two?
Speaker 3 (21:24):
Is that number two for you teams? I gotta his
number two? Yeah, I gotta number two.
Speaker 4 (21:30):
I'm gonna say number two because I've seen some test
footage of the windmill, the windmill on fire. Oh yeah,
I got to see this in real life.
Speaker 3 (21:38):
Yeah that's true.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
You know what, though, I'm probably not going to go
to the villain's number two because I'm gonna wait number two.
I'm gonna wait until it gets dark till dark yea,
because that that land is going to be have a
whole different feel at night. Is that is that your
number one is the villains your.
Speaker 3 (21:52):
Number one well, actually my number one is I'm I
should have I kind of cheating in this. I'm doing
the roller coaster that's in the front area. This artist racers.
Speaker 4 (22:01):
You never do the frighty right in front.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
It's right there. Well the back okay, well you're in
the back of the park. You're going to Harry Potter.
Oh yeah, that's right, Pottery there.
Speaker 4 (22:11):
That's not a bad spot to go next, because you
get some butter beer.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
If you're if you're if you're doing if you're using
that logic, it's either it's actually well it's actually the
hotel is the back part.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
It's the Ministry of Magic back there is that direct?
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Yes, I want to see that too. Yeah, I've been
seeing a lot of TV commercials for that. Oh yeah.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
Do they come up with a new version of butter
beer just for Repic Universe.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
I don't know if you can come up with a
new version of beer, like the version is it gas?
They've done hot, I haven't done gas yet. They've done cold,
they've done solid, they've done ice stream, they've done frozen popcorn.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
Popcorn. I mean, well, like you know, like caramel popcorn.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
Yeah, popcorn.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
How much are you eating?
Speaker 2 (22:51):
I mean, if it's as good as the regular butter beer,
it's a significant weight.
Speaker 3 (22:55):
What did I just see like your arteries?
Speaker 2 (22:58):
I mean, if we're going there for broadcast and they're
offering free butter beer popcorn.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Yeah, I'm gonna should say we don't actually know if
it exists. We are just thinking aloud of hay food.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
How many times do we put stuff into the universe
and it happens?
Speaker 3 (23:11):
Right? Yes, that is true, shallow scream over at sea world.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
I mean just I'm just saying that right now. I'm
telling you right now, wear are your sweatpants that day?
Speaker 2 (23:18):
I will wear my sweatpants that will be in the
last day with with the draw string on my pants.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
Or no, what did what did Homer? Where would he
get the move moves straight? And I look for the
podcast move I mean the logo.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
Why not get the dialing wand now, yeah, get the
dialing wand get the little bird to turn on and
off my mic the little.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
I have a drinking bird? Oh yeah, I do.
Speaker 2 (23:43):
Yes, I need to get one of those. And you
promise my child and get one of those. Yeah. So
it's uh, it's gonna be epic. I mean, there's no
other way to describe it's gonna be. It's gonna be
the story of twenty twenty five. There will be no
bigger story than the opening of Epic Universe.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
Yep, that's the that's the story, and everything else beyond
and beyond that's like secondary.
Speaker 4 (24:03):
That's the bar that Disney now has to uh, you know,
that's what the bar they need to clear.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
And they're gonna be watching the Disney one hundred percent
be watching and deciding, you know, what their next moves are,
following what Universal does here. Yes, they will, guys, They's
still land. There's a lot of land out there for
Disney to do stuff with.
Speaker 3 (24:20):
Yes, there is.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
All right, Well we're just about it out of time
for this first show of the year, Scott. If people
want to catch the latest breaking theme park news, where
can they go?
Speaker 3 (24:29):
You can follow us on Twitter at Theme Parks Show, Facebook, Instagram,
TikTok and threads at Theme Park Podcast. You can watch
it themepark YouTube dot com, and.
Speaker 2 (24:35):
The show comes to you live from the Laurencampbell Rereealtrue
dot Com, t Bogus Ebo Studios for jimmyd for Scott Harris,
I am Dickerman until next week, We'll see you out
at the parks.
Speaker 1 (24:46):
This has been the theme Park Podcast. Follow the show
on Facebook and Instagram at the theme Park Podcast. To
catch up on previous episodes, check out the themeparkpodcast dot com,
the iHeartRadio app, or Apple Podcasts.
The Theme Park Podcast News
Popular Podcasts
40s and Free Agents: NFL Draft Season
Daniel Jeremiah of Move the Sticks and Gregg Rosenthal of NFL Daily join forces to break down every team's needs this offseason.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.