May 21, 2025 • 48 mins
The landscape of Walt Disney World is shifting dramatically, with major transformations coming to every park. From Dinoland USA becoming a vibrant Central Americas-themed land featuring Encanto and Indiana Jones, to Tom Sawyer Island making way for a Cars attraction, these changes represent Disney's evolving approach to park experiences.
We dive deep into what these transformations mean for the Disney experience, exploring the tension between nostalgic attractions and Disney's push toward more recognizable intellectual properties. The upcoming Villains Land behind Big Thunder Mountain promises thrilling new experiences without replacing existing attractions, while Hollywood Studios will soon feature a Monsters Inc land with an innovative suspended coaster based on the door conveyor system from the beloved film.
These changes raise important questions: Is Disney losing some of its original magic by replacing unique Imagineering creations with movie tie-ins? Or is this evolution necessary to compete with Universal's Epic Universe and appeal to younger generations? We consider whether the Disney experience has improved or declined since 2019, discussing the loss of beloved perks like Magical Express and free FastPass while acknowledging the exciting new attractions on the horizon.
We also share our upcoming plans to test the new Multi-Pass system during our next trip, estimating we'll spend around $500 extra for our family of four to access all premium ride options. Will the convenience justify the cost? Is the Free Dining package actually saving money when factoring in required add-ons like Park Hopper tickets? These practical considerations reflect the changing economics of a Disney vacation in today's landscape.
Whether you're a Disney purist concerned about these changes or excited to experience the new attractions, this episode provides thoughtful perspective on what Walt Disney World's transformation means for different types of visitors. Connect with us on social media @CircleOfParks to share your thoughts on Disney's evolving future!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
hello and welcome to circle of Parks podcast, episode
number 203.
Today we are going to talkabout the changes going on in
Walt Disney World and answersome of y'all's questions.
There is far too much to seeand do.
We are here to help guide youthrough.
But before we do that we musttalk Disney merch.
(00:45):
So this week on DisneyStorecomthere's a new Lounge Fly mini
backpack.
It's based on the Disney pets,so we have dogs and cats for
inspiration on this Lounge Fly.
Some of your favorite pets canbe found on there, including
pluto and lady and a few others.
(01:08):
It's super cute and it ispriced at 79 dollars.
so I don't think so I don't knowif I would on this one either,
but it is super cute and if youlove pets, and especially disney
pets, and you're looking for anew lounge, fly this might be it
.
So that is this week's Disneymerch.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Thank you, everybody for joining us Episode number
203.
We're back.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Yes, we're back.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
It's been a few weeks .
Yes, we apologize.
I thought our life was going toslow down after middle school
soccer stopped.
Yeah, no, no, it went intohyperdrive, yes, and it's still
in hyperdrive, right now yes uh,this is just the first
opportunity we've had to do anepisode and it's going to be
more of a discussion episodebecause we haven't really had
(01:54):
time to put a formal episode out, like in an outline and
everything.
So it's going to be more ofjust a discussion about what's
going on in the parks now andabout our upcoming trip, not a
trip planning episode, but justkind of a discussion about what
we're doing.
And again we apologize, I knowwe do this episode because we
(02:17):
hope to break your week up andit's a break for us.
Unfortunately, we did not get abreak for us.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Right, and I mean we did re-release an older episode,
but then last week there wasn't, there was nothing.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
In that released episode we did.
I talked about a familyemergency.
It's been an extension of thatfamily emergency.
Everything's okay, but it hastaken away time that we've been
able to do other stuff.
Right.
And soccer's gone intohyperdrive.
We've had tryouts, we've hadtournaments, we've got state
tournaments coming up andout-of-town tournaments, and so
(02:52):
our life has not slowed down.
It's not going to until a weekand a half.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
When we're in Disney.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
When we head to Disney World.
Yes, I'm turning my phone off,except when we're doing some
plans we have for when we'reeating at the park, right?
So we do have a lot of contentcoming up that we're planning on
doing during the trip.
So look forward to that.
We're going to talk about thatmore next week on our trip
planning episode.
(03:17):
But if you're new here, thankyou, we appreciate it.
Sorry we haven't been around thepast few weeks but, like we
said, our goal here is to breakyour week up.
Take you to Disney.
It gives us a break usually andwe hope to help you have a
better Walt Disney Worldvacation.
So this week normally we havemore structured episodes, but
this is more of just me andBrittany talking about what we
(03:40):
think is going to be going on inthe parks.
We don't really do these typesof episodes.
It's not a criticism of Disney.
It's more of what we feel andwhat we think they're going to
be and how we feel about them,because we haven't really done
this before and I don't thinkwe've ever really talked about
it since all these new changeshave been announced.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Yeah, like we shared the announcements and stuff
several months ago, but otherthan that, yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
All right, so let's get right into it.
Brittany, our favorite park,animal Kingdom Park, is getting
Dinoland USA completely rethemedto the Central America's theme.
There's going to be an Encantoattraction, there's going to be
dinosaurs going to be turnedinto Indiana Jones and there's
(04:25):
going to be what's that carousel?
Oh, it's going to be like thatanimal carousel instead of the
primeval world right, yes, nowell primeval world was the old
one.
What is?
Speaker 1 (04:36):
it.
You said instead of that onebut triceratops spin, that's it
yeah, that's not a carousel.
That was a ride like Dumbo.
Yes, Dumbo.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
That's gonna be a carousel.
Now what do you?
What are you thinking aboutthis?
Are you down on it?
Are you looking forward to it?
Are you meh about it like?
What are your thoughts on?
Speaker 1 (04:56):
this.
Well, while we're on the themeof carousel, I think it's it
will be interesting, especiallyif they put the details into it,
like they did on the tree oflife, you know, because I
believe they're going to be likewood carvings.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
And so I think that that would be.
You know, it would go alongwith how they're planning to do
this new re-theming with theCentral Americas and all that.
I think you know I will missthe dinosaur ride because it's
just been a ride that the wholefamily has tended to enjoy, but
(05:28):
I think, as far as the wholeland itself, I think it needed
either some additional love orsome retheming.
Okay, because you've got, youknow, the dinosaur ride
eventually being rethemed toIndiana Jones.
And then, you know, I know somepeople are like, oh, this IP
and all that.
But you gotta you, you have tochange with the times and what
(05:52):
these current, more more youngergenerations are going to be
more familiar with that is agreat segue to what I was going
to talk about.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Dinoland USA is none.
None of it is disneyintellectual.
When we talk ip we're talkingintellectual property stuff
that's based on disney movies orwhatnot.
Right, right, none.
Nothing in dino land is okay.
You could make the argumentdinosaur is.
It was changed from countdownto extinction to dinosaur to
(06:21):
promote the movie the thedinosaur a long time ago.
You could make that argument,but for the most part there is
no disney ip in dino land usa,actually in any of animal
kingdom aside from like lionking, show lion king show, but
the lands themselves are not.
(06:42):
You have the characters walkingaround right, right, but Pandora
is Disney IP now.
But Exhibition Everest,dinosaur, tree of Life, like
none of this is Disney IP.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Right, except for Nemo and the Lion King shows.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
So the argument is, or the discussion can be they're
getting away from non-Disneyintellectual property and going
full force into Disney IP.
They're getting away from nonDisney intellectual property and
go and go in full force intoDisney IP.
We're seeing.
We're seeing that with all thenew rethinks we're going to be
talking about soon andespecially in Donnellan USA,
we're going to Indiana Jones, uhoh and Kanto and all that.
(07:17):
But there are some iconicattractions that are based on
non-Disney IP that did becomeDisney IP Pirates, haunted
Mansion, big Thunder Mountain,tower of Terror, like.
None of that stuff is based onExpedition Everest, space
(07:41):
Mountain.
I don't know if I said that ornot.
These are not Disney IP basedattractions and they are some of
the most iconic in the parks Do.
Are we missing some of that nowand going full on Disney IP?
That's not original figment,original.
You know that's not Disney IP.
Are we missing that now?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Well, I think in the animal kingdom kingdom?
No, because you still have someof those other things that you
just said, like expeditioneverest, for example, and the
safari the safari and you know afew other attractions there.
So I don't think so, but Ithink that this, some of this
area, like the carnival area andeverything I can't chest
(08:22):
chesters what was it chester andhester's?
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Yeah, yes.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Like I think that was just getting a little outdated
some.
And you know you're spending alot of money Sorry, disney,
you're spending a lot of moneyto go to Disney already, and
then you're trying to spend evenmore, to be like an actual
carnival and spend more money,and more money, and more money,
(08:50):
and your kids are crying becauseyou're not getting the stuffed
animals that they're trying towin.
You know, that part Iexperienced if you can hear it
in my voice several times withour youngest.
But then we've also had a goodtime with it too, where, hey,
mommy won me a dinosaur, youknow, and stuff.
But um, it's just I think thatpart of it at least needed to be
taken out.
And I think the triceratopsspin and all that too.
I think it was just starting toshow that it was really outdated
(09:14):
and you either needed to giveit a lot of love or bring
something else in Now.
Like it is sad that, likedinosaur area, because, like a
lot of kids love dinosaurs Likeit is sad that the whole thing
is eventually going away, but atthe or the whole land.
But at the same time you've gotto think how, how everybody,
(09:35):
most everybody, really loved inKanto, ok, and they're still
trying to tie in animals withthat, because you have to think
Antonio has that gift ofcommunicating with animals, so
I'd be I'm really interested tosee how they're going to tie
that all in.
And I think they'retransforming certain areas of
that part into supposedly like arainforest.
(09:56):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
You know, because Hopefully they'll have, like
some rainforest type animals onexhibit there as well, maybe.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Yeah, because, like it's saying, including Antonio's
room, which has beentransformed into a rainforest.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
I'm back and forth on this.
I always go back to what Waltsaid, that the parks will never
be finished, right?
They're always going to beevolving with the times.
Right, and this is this is and Ireally try to keep that in my
mind when I'm thinking about howI feel about these rethemes and
and whatnot.
I think we went on record veryearly on in this podcast of
(10:33):
donald and usa being our leastfavorite land in all of alt
disney world.
Yeah, I have since changed thatopinion.
Now take away hester andchester, the parking lot.
The more and more I learnedabout the backstory of Dinoland
USA, the more and more Iappreciated it.
And it's not based on Disney IP, right?
Yes, I will be a critic on theparking lot in the carnival
(10:56):
games.
I don't think that was veryDisney ish to do.
I think they just threw it inthere to kind of go along with
the theming.
But the backstory toRestaurant-O-Saurus and Dinoland
and the whole area the more andmore I learned about it, the
more and more I just fell inlove with it.
And when we are replacing theseoriginal Imagineering stories
(11:18):
with Disney IP, I think it kindof takes away some of what makes
Disney magical, right?
Speaker 1 (11:26):
Well, yeah, that's my opinion of it.
I get it, but then that's why Isaid they either needed to
revamp it with a lot of love ordo something different.
Because, like, I get whereyou're saying, like what is that
restaurant called?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Where.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
In.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Dinoland Restaurant-a-saurus.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Yes, restaurant-a-saurus, like the
theming in it and all thedetails and stuff, yes, like
once you realize that thehistory of it on that and
everything, then okay, yeah,it's, it's great what the
imagineers did.
But I just I don't know as faras if, going back to wall and
you know it's always changing,always evolving, and stuff I
(12:03):
think I think for me, I thinkjust some type, this type of
change is it the right change?
I don't know, we will, we willfind out, but I think something
did need to change in that areaso, and here's I'm going to harp
on this quite a bit.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
While we're talking about this, the average couple,
family from, let's say, middleohio is not going to go to walt
disney world because they didrestaurant of stores or they did
dino dinosaur, right?
Oh, there's a new indiana jonesattraction coming.
Oh, there's an incantoattraction coming.
Okay, that's getting theirattention now, right?
(12:41):
Right people like me.
I get it.
There's a lot of people like mewho appreciate this stuff, but
your average family doesn't care.
Right.
And I try to keep that inperspective as well.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
And that's what, as a business, disney needs to keep
up with those times you have tokeep in mind it's still business
, it is, it's still a business.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
So my final thought on this is I hope they do it
right.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
I really hope they do it right and tie it in and they
do.
Usually when they do thingslike this, they do it well.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Especially something this big.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
I just I hope they do it right.
I am anxious, not anxious.
Excited to see what it lookslike when I was there last month
and just saw nothing behind theconstruction walls, like the
dinosaurs gone, like all that'sgone.
Yeah.
It was surreal to see it thatway.
So yeah, I just hope they do itright.
(13:35):
All right, moving on, what doyou think of the retheming of
Tom Sawyer's Island and thetheming in Frontierland in
general?
I?
Speaker 4 (13:46):
have strong opinions on this.
Yes, I know you do.
That's my way.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
So as far as like what Frontierland and Liberty
Square area and all of thatrepresents, I to take Tom
Sawyer's Island away and thewhole retheming of that air,
some of that area it.
That part of it is hard becausethere is so much history there
and I feel to a certain extent,especially being in education,
(14:13):
that I still feel, even thoughit might not attract as many of
the younger generations, thatthe kids still need to see that
in some shape or form so do theyeven read huckleberry finn
anymore in elementary school?
uh, depends on where you are,but usually not okay.
But I get it, I get it yeah um,you know that, but they but the
(14:35):
time periods and stuff theystill talk about you know, in
some, some areas may, but anyway, moving on um.
So you know that aspect of itis kind of like uh, you know
they're, they're taking, youknow away the education aspect
of it and the relaxingenvironment of it too, because
all of that area, it it makesyou slow down it's an oasis,
(15:00):
right, it really is, really is,and like Tom Sawyer's Island.
I think we've talked about on afew episodes before that.
You you know we've seenfamilies go over there and
there's kids napping.
Parents are like ow.
Yeah, you know, and it's justso you know you're not going to
have that anymore, but I likethe fact that they're re-theming
(15:20):
for a Cars attraction.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Because you know, having two boys, especially our
oldest, he was really big intoCars.
I just hope that they do itright, because they've already
said it's not going to be likeit is in DCA in California, so,
but there's two separate Carsattractions too, so I'm just
wondering exactly how they'regoing to do it and are they
going to do it right?
Speaker 2 (15:45):
uh, yeah I this is really and I wrote about this
extensively in in my bookwriting about frontierland
because, again, why I fell inlove with walt disney world is
the storytelling here.
Liberty Square, fantasylandactually ties into it, but
(16:06):
Liberty Square and Frontierlandtell one big story.
It's the expansion of Americawestward right.
Right.
And the storytelling here isjust so well done and looking
and thinking about it right nowand in the past, I think this is
why I don't.
I'm not a big fan of Tiana'sbayou adventure, because it does
not fit in this land rightright when they built splash
(16:31):
mountain.
Splash mountain is set in, youknow, the 18th 1800s in the
south.
Right, well, that doesn't fitin with the 1800s in the wild in
the west, but the way theythemed it it fit the time period
and the way they colored therocks it did blend in, so it did
fit in there.
Tianus does not fit there.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
No no it just doesn't and I hate to say that, but it
does not so it, and some of thisis just also a sign of the
times, and unfortunately so.
So the reason why I was wordingwhat I was wording earlier is
because the adventures ofHuckleberry Finn, like it's been
banned a lot just because ofthings that are are mentioned in
(17:13):
it and words that are used andstuff, and so I don't know if
that's another reason behindthem going ahead and changing
this up, you know, because againit's, it's.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
it's the sign of the times changing, as we talked
about not only with ip and allthat more and what's going to
attract families, but then eventhings like this right but when
we talk about them getting awaywith liberty bell, the rivers of
america and tom soars island,it this is kind of the heart of
the park Kids could go and itwas built for kids to go roam
(17:46):
around and get lost, kind oflike Animal Kingdom.
You're supposed to get losthere.
Parents can relax.
It's got an old fort.
That is interesting and fun.
It is historical.
It's an area where kids can kindof be kids, kids can really be
kids and parents can relaxknowing their kids are going to
(18:08):
be fine, right, like you don'thave to always keep tabs on them
all the time, right?
The problem I have with there-theming is it's going to take
away a lot of the character Ithink of Liberty Square and
Frontierland.
I think like the whistles, thesteam of Liberty Square and
Frontierland.
I think the whistles, the steamwhistles from the Liberty Bell
right.
Right.
Hearing that paddle wheel slapin the water.
Right, that's going to be goneand that's a lot of the
(18:29):
character of that area.
Yeah, so that I'm hesitant on.
Also, we already have a CarsLand.
It's in DCA.
I know this is a Carsattraction, but I don't
necessarily think we need ithere, especially not in the
(18:50):
Magic Kingdom.
If they were going to put itsomewhere, I think Hollywood
Studios would have been a betterpark to do it.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Right, but here's the thing there's so much going on
in Orlando, with other parks aswell, they're trying to keep up
with all of that.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Right, I was going to talk about that at the end.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Oh, sorry no it's okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
But I don't.
I know they're by the conceptart in what the Imagineers have
said they're going to tie itinto Frontierland.
I don't know.
Yeah, have said they're goingto tie it into frontier land.
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
I don't know how you take the car's intellectual
property and put it into 1800ssouthwest I just I mean, I think
it's just the aspect of itbeing in the southwest, but I I
mean yeah, you know I get it.
Yeah, it's tough for me toswallow that I know, and again I
mean and don't get me wronglike I have enjoyed going to Tom
Sawyer's Island before andriding, you know, the riverboat
(19:48):
and all of that.
Is it something we do all thetime?
No, I think we've done it once,but Done a couple times.
Well, anyway.
Well, the island, I think we've, maybe with the boys.
So, um and again, yes, slowdown.
You know, take a moment, all ofthat stuff, but again as well.
I see, like I've said, I'mechoing it again you've got to
(20:11):
keep up with what's going on inother parks as well as what
families are looking for, andyou know like our generation
still wants to keep, keep it, asis more so than the younger
generations, because the youngergenerations that are now having
the younger kids that are beingtaken to the park aren't as big
(20:34):
on that.
So some are, don't get me wrong, but a lot are not I'm just
looking at it from astorytelling point of view.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
I just don't think it's.
I just hope they do it right.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Yeah, just do it right right and I get it like,
yes, from storytelling point ofview, but at the.
But I mean we know, like the,the times are changing, like
everybody, especially youngergenerations, are like they want
it.
They want it now.
They don't want to slow down asmuch, even though that is
needed in the parks.
But you know that it's justlike go, go, go, go go so all
(21:06):
right.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
What do we think of the new villains land to be
built behind big thundermountain?
Speaker 1 (21:11):
I am excited.
Okay, I am not big on villains,but the villains have needed
some love other than just athalloween time.
You know, I know they have likethe villains stage show that
they do and Hocus Pocus, theSanderson sisters and all of
that sisters.
But I think that, as big of afollowing that the villains have
(21:33):
, there are so many people thatjust absolutely love the
villains, you know, and so Ithink that this is a good way to
show them some love and andbring even more people to the
park, which I know magic kingdomdoesn't really need more people
, but it gives it another landto get people to, so maybe
certain other areas of the parkwon't be such clusters like
(21:57):
frontier land is going to bewhen they build the Cars
attraction and Villainsland.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Yeah, because everyone's got to get to it.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
So I don't know, but I just.
But I think I am excitedbecause something more needed to
be done for these villaincharacters, because, again, they
have such a big following.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
I am meh on this.
I'm not a big villains person.
However, I do like that theyare using the land outside
behind Big Thunder Mountain.
They're not taking stuff awayfor this, or?
Putting it in the middlesomewhere else, so to be its own
separate land, which I do like,and I'm excited to see how
they're going to tie everythingin and I think Maleficent's
(22:39):
going to be the main Maleficentyeah, Maleficent's fence gonna
be the main Maleficent, yeah,melissa to be the main character
based like a roller coasterbased on Melissa Fenton and oh,
you've heard that.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
That's what I've heard.
Yeah, okay so.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
I just again what I've heard.
Don't take this to well.
Zack and Brittany said thislike this is just what we've
heard, so I'm.
I'm mad on it.
But then like okay, what arethey gonna do with it?
Speaker 1 (23:06):
type of thing right at the same time right so yeah,
I again, I'm, I'm excited, likethe concept art looks exciting,
like it looks villainous, forsure, you know, um, and you're
gonna have like, since this isit, since it is its own land,
you're going to have not onlyattractions but dining and
(23:27):
shopping and all of that as well.
So I get they've had such a bigfollowing.
I, I mean, one of our neighborsis a big villain fan, you know,
and so she's a melissa thing,right, yes, yes yes, maleficent,
but then her favorite movie isalso snow white erica is a big
melissa fan too, right
Speaker 2 (23:49):
a little bit yeah, erica, correct us if we're wrong
, yeah, I mean, I know she likesthe maleficent movies, she
likes cinderella, but I thinkmelissa fits her favorite
villain and then, like I said,our neighbor likes maleficent
but her favorite movie is snow,snow white.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
So anyway, but uh, you know, I mean, there are so
many villains, think of it.
I mean you have the queen ofhearts from alice in wonderland,
jafar from aladdin, you know,um, just naming a few cruella
deville, captain hook, gaston,mother gothel, ursula hades.
You know, there's in the evilqueen from snow white.
You know, those are just a fewof them.
(24:23):
I think there's like 13 or 14.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
So, yeah, yeah, gothel, ursula Hades and the
evil queen from Snow White.
Those are just a few of them.
I think there's like 13 or 14.
Yeah, yeah, and so I think thereason Disney's doing this is
because, right down the road at.
Shmurnaversal Epic Universe.
If you haven't seen EpicUniverse yet, now, with all the
YouTubers doing everything, itdoes look really, really cool.
I don't know anything about howto train your dragon and I
don't really care about DarkUniverse because I don't like
the old horror movie stuff.
Right.
(24:45):
But Super Nintendo Land looksawesome, yes, looks really cool.
So Disney had to respond.
They just had to.
So they had to make these bignew attractions to bring your
average family from like CentralIllinois or Ohio or New York or
wherever york or wherever right, like, oh they're going, we
(25:05):
need to go do that.
They don't care about a re likea re-theme or not a re-theme,
but a rehash of figment or ormaking that attraction better.
They don't care about that.
This is what they're going tocare about.
So I I do get it from abusiness standpoint.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
I just really hope that they do it right.
They do it right.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
And they keep the storytelling of these lands in
mind when they're doing it.
All right.
Planning a Disney vacation canbe overwhelming, but that's
where our new sponsor comes in.
You've heard us talk about herfor a long time and now she's
the official sponsor of thispodcast, travel planner Erica
with Wishes and Code TravelPlanning.
(25:43):
As a travel plannerspecializing in Disney
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Speaker 1 (26:05):
We're thrilled to have Travel Planner Erica as the
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vacation or your next run Disneyracecation with Erica, you'll
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(26:27):
your arrival day to put towardsyour Disney snacks.
Speaker 2 (26:30):
So if you're dreaming of a magical Disney trip, she's
the expert you want on yourside, ready to plan.
Reach out to Erica atTravelPlannerEricacom, or follow
her on Facebook and Instagramat Travel Planner Erica.
To erica at travel plannerericacom, or follow her on
facebook and instagram at travelplanner erica.
Yeah, and when this episode isreleased, she'll be doing her
multi-passes yes she can planall your multi-passes for you
(26:51):
and we're gonna be.
We'll talk about that in alittle bit yeah, I was like
you're holding, we're jumpingahead.
All right, we're gonna move onto things we'd like to see.
Come back to the parks that areno longer there.
Brittany, do you have anythings on your mind?
Speaker 1 (27:05):
I think the old FastPass system.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
The paper FastPass or the free FastPass, where you
did them like 60 days out or 90days.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Either really they both.
Anytime I see old videos on itor something, I'm just like, oh
yeah, that would be nice.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
I don't know you know more of the details on those
two things, but like the firsttime we went, we had the, the
three, the free, yeah, the free,three free that you did them,
was it 90 days.
I can't I can't remember.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I think it was 90 days out yeah, um, and then if
you uh, I forgot the youtuber'sname defunct land.
They did like an hour and ahalf hour and 45 minute
documentary on fast passes andthey did like these computer
models and all this stuff.
When there's a history of howthey got developed and all this
(27:53):
stuff, great, go check it out,defunct land on youtube.
They concluded that the oldpaper fast pass system was the
best system to keep ride timeslower but still have a little
bit of a advantage of skippingthe line, but it being fair for
(28:14):
everybody.
So the old paper fast passsystem was they had a booth set
up outside the attractions andyou would go and pull a, pull a
ticket out and have a.
It would have a return time onit, right?
Speaker 1 (28:25):
right and then, once they were out, they were out
right, and I remember seeingthose machines the first time we
went.
We didn't use them, but Iremember seeing them and so that
was so.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Whenever the park opened, you ran to whatever
attraction you wanted and youpull the ticket right yeah, so I
think it was the most fair foreverybody, but then there was
only a limited amount of them,and so it kept the standby wait
times low.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Right, because it wasn't like thousands and
thousands could get them yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
And so now you see longer standby wait times
because they're adding moremulti-passes now, and so, yeah,
I'm kind of meh on that.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Yeah, I just, I don't know Like.
I just feel like when we'vewatched, you know vloggers that
were doing it back then theyjust it seemed like it was.
It was just a good experienceyou know.
And then, when we first went,you know the fact that you
didn't have to pay extra forthose three rides.
You know.
I think, that was the big partis how expensive it can be
nowadays be nowadays.
(29:26):
Yes, we're gonna talk aboutthat in a little bit I would
love to see the magical expresscome back.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
Yes, for sure they are inching that way, I think,
with the luggage stuff now atthe value resorts right, slowly
getting.
I hope it comes back becausethat was when you got off the
airplane in the airport you werein the bubble.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Yeah, the minute you got to the magical express area
you were, even though youweren't in disney yet, you were
in the bubble.
Yeah, the minute you got to theMagical Express area you were,
even though you weren't inDisney.
Yet you were in Disney.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
You were in that because as soon as you got on
the bus there was like Disneycartoons playing or like it was
some behind the scenes thingsabout your favorite songs or
something Right, and you wereimmediately thrust in that
bubble.
It was great.
And then, as you leave, I cryyeah, it was great.
And then, as you leave, I cryyeah, because they play the
mickey mouse march, you know, atthe end and see you're like oh
(30:10):
man, you're like whoa, yeah thetrip's over, it's over like, but
you're in that like the wholetime.
I loved everything about it.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Now we uber and I agree, though, like maybe they
are going to eventually it wouldbe wonderful.
I think most people would saythey want it back.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
I would even pay for it.
Yeah, I'd pay 30 bucks each way, right Per person, to have that
.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Yeah, because of everything that Zach said, and
you know the fact that they aredoing the luggage thing at the
resorts, where that your luggageis taken directly there and all
of that or to into the airport,right.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Right.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
You know that was so the fact that they're slowly
reintroducing- that maybe justso.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
You check your bags at the resort and you don't see
them till you get to your desk,till you get home yeah at the
carousel baggage carousel, yeah,yeah um anything else you'd
like to see come back that wemiss I don't know you I would
like to see the flotillas andanimal kingdom.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Oh yes, they took them away I know, you know, I
know, they did it during thepandemic, the pandemic and
everything um, but they kept itfor a couple years you know, and
uh, it was just so cool to likelook out on the river and what
is the river called?
rivers of rivers of light yeah,and just you know, you don't,
you didn't know if you weregonna see, like, uh, the up
(31:24):
characters on a flotilla or apocahontas or Chippendale or
whoever you know, and it wasjust cool because they'd be
playing music as they're comingby and yeah, I would agree to
that.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
All right.
So do you think going to WaltDisney World is better or worse
now than when we started goingin 2019?
Ooh, this is a tough question.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
Yeah, ooh, I don't know, that's hard because, like
our boys are different.
Now yeah, it's like the ages ofour kids in our very first
experience, you know, like wedidn't know anything.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
It was great.
You know, ignorance really isbliss because we didn't stress
over stuff.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
It was just like going with the flow, you know,
uh.
And then the next time we went,in 2019, we did no more and
that was a trip, that was a blur, and disaster well, we just
planned too much in such a shorttime.
But, um, anyway, uh, I don'tknow.
I think I feel like some of themagic isn't quite there, but I
(32:31):
don't know if it's because ourkids are older too.
Yeah, you know, because youcome across some really great
cast members still and it's allmagical, and then you have
others that are, you know, allmagical, and then you have
others that are, you know, um,but again, it was it more, was I
seeing more of that because thekids were little and they're
(32:52):
more.
Hey, how's it going withyounger ones?
Like I don't know?
I don't know, um, the, the fastpasses as I talked about, I feel
like back then I like it betterthan now.
I just feel like we're justconstantly paying more and more
and more money, you know, forthings, but you also don't want
to wait half a day in lineseither.
So, uh, I think certain thingsare better and certain things
(33:13):
are worse I agree.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
I think you're spending a lot more than you did
in 2019 even adjusted for theinflation right.
They're just nickel and dimingyou more than they were back
then.
I think, yeah, I definitelythink you got more for your
money in 2019 than you are now.
Right, but, like you said, it'sdifferent because our boys are
(33:35):
different now.
So we're not rope dropping now,right, we're not doing the
things we did seven years ago,six years ago, yeah.
The parks have changed too.
There are more attractions nowas well, a lot, some really
great attractions now right yeah, I so I I don't know, this is
(33:57):
our trip we're doing is gonna be.
It's gonna be the first liketake it easy seven day only walt
disney world trip we've done ina few years Because we've
focused so much on Disneyland inthe past couple years, we
haven't done just a full sevendays only doing four park days
Disney World only.
So I think we need to re-answerthis question after.
Speaker 1 (34:21):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
What do you think?
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Yeah, but I mean already though, this trip is
different because of our boys'ages, and we're not going to be
rope dropping and we're doingquick service and not a lot of
sit down, you know, and so Idon't really know how we can
compare it.
Yeah, because it's justcompletely different in so many
ways, you know, because we'reonly doing like a couple of sit
(34:45):
downs, um, in one, just onecharacter me and nolan.
Yeah, are we all doing what?
no, we're not all no, we're not,I'm out, okay, so again, there
you go.
The only character diningthat's going to be happening is
just one, with me and nolan, andso I I don't know if we can
really compare it.
Okay.
(35:06):
Because of some of what I justsaid.
Okay, you know, but I mean it'sstill going to be a great trip.
It's just going to be adifferent type of trip, with the
timings that we wake up and allof that stuff.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
What do you think of the new Monsters Inc land and
the retheming of Rockin' RollerCoaster to Muppets?
I am excited, yes.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
I am excited.
Yes, I am excited because youknow, I know initially
everybody's like no, all theMuppet stuff is gonna go, but
then you hear, oh well, they'restill giving them some love on
another attraction.
So I think that kind of helpedwith that.
Put a bandaid on that.
Right you know the new themingfor Monsters Inc.
I think you know that.
(35:44):
I think that area needed to beupdated.
Whether I ride the suspendedroller coaster with the doors or
not, I don't know.
But I think a lot of people aregoing to really love that ride
and are excited for that rideand you know it's going to take
you like.
Think of the movie when all thedoors are on, like the conveyor
belt, kind of thing.
(36:10):
You know, not a conveyor belt,but you know what I'm saying yes
and um, so that's a bit oftrack, yeah, so that's.
You know what this coaster isgoing to be modeled off of and
everything and the concepts ofit that they've been sharing.
You know, I think it will.
It will be fun.
I just don't know if I'm goingto do it.
Uh, and then I think they'regoing to have it.
Is it one more ride too?
I think so yes and then, justyou know, since it's going to be
more of a monster zinc land,there's bound to be some dining
(36:33):
and shopping experiencesjapanese restaurant.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
I forgot the name of it, but yeah, yeah so so I'm
excited.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
I'm excited for it.
Now I don't ride rock androller coaster, but zach and I
have talked about like oh, it'dbe awesome if they added this at
this part of the attraction,and so I think if they do it
well, then I think that it canbe a good, exciting fit too I'm
excited for monsters inc land.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Um, I think disney needs to make the muppets more
appealing to the new generation,because it's not I don't think
no, it's not so I think disneyneeds to do a better job of
marketing the muppets and doingmore muppet content.
I think that's my opinion, butI'm excited for the new monsters
(37:17):
, inkland, I think actually Ithink I said this on one of the
first few episodes it would beawesome to have a roller coaster
that's through that scene yeahI think I said that a long time,
yeah, you did, and then nowthey are now and I think it'll
be so much fun.
I love the re-theme of rock androller coaster to muppets,
because nobody knows whoaerosmith is anymore, except for
(37:38):
our generation, right rightnewer kids, like you ask our
kids, and they have no clue whohe is yeah who the band is, and
so, I think, re-theming it tomuppets again.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
I don't, the new generation, I don't think nearly
knows a lot of the muppets no,but the fact that it's a roller
coaster and all that right, andI think it will keep it going
with, like the you know animaland and all of that.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
I think that would be cool and I just remind like
animal on drums.
Yeah, I just imagine when we'resitting ready for launch.
You just hear and then justtake off, like that would be so
fun right right, and so I I'mlooking forward to all this.
You know and I know there's alot of discontent with Muppet
(38:24):
Vision 3D going away, becausethat was the last attraction Jim
Henson himself worked on.
I get it, but I've read thatthey are like the Imagineers are
storing all of this stuff andthey're going to keep it for
preservation, to be maybe inlike a museum or something,
because it was Jim Henson didwork on that.
(38:46):
So I get it, but yeah, I'mlooking forward to it.
Yeah.
I think, it's gonna be fun.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
Yeah, and I was trying to think it's called
Monstropolis.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Monstropolis.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Okay, yes, the city that the yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:56):
Yeah, all right.
Oh, you got an earring problemthere.
Yes, all right.
Do you think we'll enjoy usingthe new multi-pass on our
upcoming trip?
So we are doing multi-passesfor all the parks.
I know we've been staunchlyagainst using them for Animal
Kingdom and Epcot, but we'redoing them for all the parks.
And we're doing all the singlepasses as well.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
Yes, we're doing all of them.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Yes, erica, you might have to type all this out for
me.
We've already.
Yes, we are estimating the costto be around 500 extra for all
four of us to do all of thisstuff yeah do you think we'll
enjoy it?
Speaker 1 (39:40):
I do think, as far as not waiting in line as long and
all of that will help, becauseeven though our boys are older,
they still get very antsywaiting for a long time.
Then they start being brothersand kind of picking on each
other, pushing, shoving a littlebit if it's a certain amount of
time.
So I think it's going to helpwith that, okay for sure.
So, as a parent, a little lessstressful, um is it worth the
(40:03):
500?
I don't know I will get back toyou I will get back to you on
that one okay, I sure hope soyeah I sure hope so um I am
money aside.
Speaker 2 (40:16):
That's a lot of money .
I am looking forward to havingthe day kind of planned out,
because with the old lightninglane system you did not have
that.
Right.
You're constantly on your phonewhat can I get next?
What can I get next, what can Iget next?
And it doesn't really allow forany kind of structure.
(40:37):
To the day when we're talkingabout the old fast pass system
where you picked them, you know,90 days out, whatever it was,
you had a structure that you'relike okay, at this time we got
this, at this time, we got thisright, so now you can add in
filler attractions in betweenthose or relax and take your
time right, not on your phone asmuch not on your phone as much,
so I'm looking forward to thataspect of it of okay.
(41:01):
At this time we have this wedon't have anything else until
this time, this time so we havethese three hours to do an
attraction, go to a show, relax,sit down.
So I think I do think it will,just on the face of it, force us
to slow down a little bit,because we're not going to be so
(41:22):
rushed to do everything rightright yeah, um because before it
would be like okay, now thatwe've ridden this ride, now back
on the phone, right exactly,find the next one I'm not going
to be.
We're not going to be doing that.
Yeah, and I'm really.
We've been staunchly againstlightning lanes or anything for
animal kingdom, because there'sjust not that many attractions
right now.
(41:42):
We've always been advocates ofgetting the single pass.
Now it's called single pass forflight of passage, but
everything else I don't thinkyou needed it for, but we are
going to use it for this.
So I'm wondering, I'm curious,how much extra time we're going
to have for nomad lounge showsor just sitting around the tree
of life doing nothing right.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
Hopefully more than last time, I felt like I didn't
get quite as much time as Iwanted to to do some of those
things you just mentioned on ourlast trip.
So well, we were so beat up bythat point as well after that
trip, yes, I don't recommenddoing that well, and what he's
talking about for those of youthat are new is we did a coast
(42:24):
to coast trip.
Basically, we started off indisneyland for a few days and
then went straight into disneyworld and the jet lag got us and
it the heat.
It was super, super hot it itwore us down yeah so, but yeah I
, so I hope that it will give usmore time, like I'd like to see
lion again, I would like tospend more time around the Tree
(42:47):
of Life, the otters, you know, Icould watch them all day.
You know, of course, the trailswe've talked about and
everything.
So, yeah and yes, nomad Lounge.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
Hours at Nomad Lounge Hours Well, alright, so we got
the free dining package on thistrip.
Speaker 1 (43:07):
We did the quick service.
Speaker 2 (43:08):
We're staying at Coronado Springs and with that
you have to get the uh parkhopper ticket, so it's one big
package.
Do you think we will save moneyby doing that, or do you think
we will not have saved money?
Speaker 1 (43:23):
for the, for the dining, I think Quick service If
you have like, because itincludes a beverage too right.
Speaker 2 (43:35):
Correct Alcoholic, one alcoholic beverage.
Speaker 1 (43:36):
Yeah.
So if you I'm saying youbecause you know- me in the heat
.
I can't handle alcohol thatmuch in the heat.
You know me, in the heat I'm.
I can't handle alcohol thatmuch in the heat.
So if you use that credit andme on occasion, then yes, but I
think it may also surprise us.
Now you mentioned so it is parkhopper we have park hopper
(43:59):
tickets you have.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
You had to get the park hopper tickets to get the
free dining.
That's where they get you,because we're not going to be
park hopping on this trip, butwe paid for park hoppers.
Speaker 1 (44:08):
How much was park hopping?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (44:10):
So we're going to do an episode that's going to break
all of this down and find outdid we save money by booking the
free dining or did we not?
I'm going to go.
We did not.
Speaker 1 (44:28):
Because of the park hopper aspect of it that's going
to be a not if we don't parkhop at all.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
Now, if there's a day , I think we might on the animal
kingdom, that's what I wasgonna say what?
Speaker 1 (44:33):
does animal kingdom close at six or eight when we're
there?
I don't know.
But the only reason why I'masking for those of you that are
new is a lot of timesthroughout the year animal
kingdom closes like six or seven, but later or not later, but
like times where it's usuallyless crowded, like the off times
.
Sometimes they're open untileight.
(44:53):
So if it's an, if it's a daythat we're there and they close
at like six or seven, then wemight would hop over to say
magic kingdom and catch thefireworks or something I don't't
know.
Speaker 2 (45:04):
Closes at six.
Speaker 1 (45:05):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
So we would be going to Magic Kingdom to hang out,
yeah.
Speaker 1 (45:13):
Or do we go back to resort and just chill?
We'll see how we feel at theend of the day.
Speaker 2 (45:16):
So, yeah, with it being the quick service, there's
a lot of quick servicerestaurants.
You don't get the full value ofthat credit, right, so it's
easier, it's more convenient tohave it, because we're going to
go to different, uh, restaurantsthat we haven't been to before.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
Right, and we're talking about this earlier,
we're going to be doing livedining reviews from some of
these quick service restaurants,not all of them but some ones
we haven't been to yet and it isa little less like stressful,
for sure, because you're notlike, oh, like, if you're
debating okay, well, I'mdebating between these two meals
and this one's 15 and thisone's 10, like you don't really
have to think about that get to15 yeah, but I mean I'm just
(45:55):
saying like, but if you werepaying cash on the spot, you
would look at that.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
Yes, so yeah I'm gonna say we're not, I'm saying
I'm gonna say we're losing moneyby doing this.
Yeah.
But it's more convenient.
I'm also saying we're going tolose money because we're taking
two full off days.
One would be a full pool day,so we'll just be eating quick
service from the quick servicerestaurant at Coronado Springs
(46:20):
and then the next day you andNolan will have an off day, but
me and Ryan we'll be going toSmirnoversal the next day, you
and Nolan will have an off day,but me and Ryan will be going to
Smirnoversal, so that's one dayof dining credits.
We're not even going to use.
Right For me and Ryan.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
Me and Nolan for one of our meals.
That is a character diningthat's not included with this
dining package.
Speaker 2 (46:38):
Right, but y'all still have lunch and dinner to
use it on Right.
But I'm just saying but that'sone meal, though, like right
where you're not going to use, Ihave to pay.
Yeah, yeah, but we have three.
We're gonna have three sitdowns yeah, I know, but I mean
like talking about the days youwere saying that we're off right
, though, yeah, so yeah, I thinkwe're gonna lose money on it,
but it's all in one package,it's done we don't have to worry
(47:01):
about it.
So is it worth it for that?
Maybe, but we'll do an episodeof breaking down how much we
paid for our trip and how muchit would have been if we get
everything.
We did not do the free diningbecause we have all of our
receipts from the quick servicerestaurant, so we'll go from
there.
Okay, what do you think?
Yeah, all right.
Anything else you'd like totalk about?
Speaker 1 (47:20):
No, I think that.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
No, Well again.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
Sorry, the past few weeks youhaven't been around.
Speaker 1 (47:25):
It's just a busy season.
Speaker 2 (47:28):
Life just gets you.
But we're going to be back tonormal and look forward to some
great content coming up.
We're going to document ourtravels and we're going to do
some live reviews from the quickservice places.
Speaker 1 (47:38):
Right, and next week will be trip planning, trip
planning.
Speaker 2 (47:40):
Next week.
Yes, can't wait.
All right.
So if you want to support thepodcast, the best way to do that
is to book your next vacationwith Travel Planner Erica.
Tyler Reese sent you.
Take advantage of that giftcard.
Her website'swwwtravelplannerericacom.
She's on Facebook and Instagram.
At Travel Planner Erica.
You can email us circleofparksat gmailcom.
Our website iswwwcircleofparkscom and we're on
(48:03):
Facebook, instagram and X allat circle of parks.
Don't forget, go to Apple.
Leave us a five-star rating Ifyou really do appreciate it.
Thank you so much.
We'll talk to you next week.
Talk to you soon, thank you.
hello and welcome to circle of Parks podcast, episode
number 203.
Today we are going to talkabout the changes going on in
Walt Disney World and answersome of y'all's questions.
There is far too much to seeand do.
We are here to help guide youthrough.
But before we do that we musttalk Disney merch.
(00:45):
So this week on DisneyStorecomthere's a new Lounge Fly mini
backpack.
It's based on the Disney pets,so we have dogs and cats for
inspiration on this Lounge Fly.
Some of your favorite pets canbe found on there, including
pluto and lady and a few others.
(01:08):
It's super cute and it ispriced at 79 dollars.
so I don't think so I don't knowif I would on this one either,
but it is super cute and if youlove pets, and especially disney
pets, and you're looking for anew lounge, fly this might be it
.
So that is this week's Disneymerch.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Thank you, everybody for joining us Episode number
203.
We're back.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Yes, we're back.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
It's been a few weeks .
Yes, we apologize.
I thought our life was going toslow down after middle school
soccer stopped.
Yeah, no, no, it went intohyperdrive, yes, and it's still
in hyperdrive, right now yes uh,this is just the first
opportunity we've had to do anepisode and it's going to be
more of a discussion episodebecause we haven't really had
(01:54):
time to put a formal episode out, like in an outline and
everything.
So it's going to be more ofjust a discussion about what's
going on in the parks now andabout our upcoming trip, not a
trip planning episode, but justkind of a discussion about what
we're doing.
And again we apologize, I knowwe do this episode because we
(02:17):
hope to break your week up andit's a break for us.
Unfortunately, we did not get abreak for us.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
Right, and I mean we did re-release an older episode,
but then last week there wasn't, there was nothing.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
In that released episode we did.
I talked about a familyemergency.
It's been an extension of thatfamily emergency.
Everything's okay, but it hastaken away time that we've been
able to do other stuff.
Right.
And soccer's gone intohyperdrive.
We've had tryouts, we've hadtournaments, we've got state
tournaments coming up andout-of-town tournaments, and so
(02:52):
our life has not slowed down.
It's not going to until a weekand a half.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
When we're in Disney.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
When we head to Disney World.
Yes, I'm turning my phone off,except when we're doing some
plans we have for when we'reeating at the park, right?
So we do have a lot of contentcoming up that we're planning on
doing during the trip.
So look forward to that.
We're going to talk about thatmore next week on our trip
planning episode.
(03:17):
But if you're new here, thankyou, we appreciate it.
Sorry we haven't been around thepast few weeks but, like we
said, our goal here is to breakyour week up.
Take you to Disney.
It gives us a break usually andwe hope to help you have a
better Walt Disney Worldvacation.
So this week normally we havemore structured episodes, but
this is more of just me andBrittany talking about what we
(03:40):
think is going to be going on inthe parks.
We don't really do these typesof episodes.
It's not a criticism of Disney.
It's more of what we feel andwhat we think they're going to
be and how we feel about them,because we haven't really done
this before and I don't thinkwe've ever really talked about
it since all these new changeshave been announced.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Yeah, like we shared the announcements and stuff
several months ago, but otherthan that, yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
All right, so let's get right into it.
Brittany, our favorite park,animal Kingdom Park, is getting
Dinoland USA completely rethemedto the Central America's theme.
There's going to be an Encantoattraction, there's going to be
dinosaurs going to be turnedinto Indiana Jones and there's
(04:25):
going to be what's that carousel?
Oh, it's going to be like thatanimal carousel instead of the
primeval world right, yes, nowell primeval world was the old
one.
What is?
Speaker 1 (04:36):
it.
You said instead of that onebut triceratops spin, that's it
yeah, that's not a carousel.
That was a ride like Dumbo.
Yes, Dumbo.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
That's gonna be a carousel.
Now what do you?
What are you thinking aboutthis?
Are you down on it?
Are you looking forward to it?
Are you meh about it like?
What are your thoughts on?
Speaker 1 (04:56):
this.
Well, while we're on the themeof carousel, I think it's it
will be interesting, especiallyif they put the details into it,
like they did on the tree oflife, you know, because I
believe they're going to be likewood carvings.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
And so I think that that would be.
You know, it would go alongwith how they're planning to do
this new re-theming with theCentral Americas and all that.
I think you know I will missthe dinosaur ride because it's
just been a ride that the wholefamily has tended to enjoy, but
(05:28):
I think, as far as the wholeland itself, I think it needed
either some additional love orsome retheming.
Okay, because you've got, youknow, the dinosaur ride
eventually being rethemed toIndiana Jones.
And then, you know, I know somepeople are like, oh, this IP
and all that.
But you gotta you, you have tochange with the times and what
(05:52):
these current, more more youngergenerations are going to be
more familiar with that is agreat segue to what I was going
to talk about.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Dinoland USA is none.
None of it is disneyintellectual.
When we talk ip we're talkingintellectual property stuff
that's based on disney movies orwhatnot.
Right, right, none.
Nothing in dino land is okay.
You could make the argumentdinosaur is.
It was changed from countdownto extinction to dinosaur to
(06:21):
promote the movie the thedinosaur a long time ago.
You could make that argument,but for the most part there is
no disney ip in dino land usa,actually in any of animal
kingdom aside from like lionking, show lion king show, but
the lands themselves are not.
(06:42):
You have the characters walkingaround right, right, but Pandora
is Disney IP now.
But Exhibition Everest,dinosaur, tree of Life, like
none of this is Disney IP.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Right, except for Nemo and the Lion King shows.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
So the argument is, or the discussion can be they're
getting away from non-Disneyintellectual property and going
full force into Disney IP.
They're getting away from nonDisney intellectual property and
go and go in full force intoDisney IP.
We're seeing.
We're seeing that with all thenew rethinks we're going to be
talking about soon andespecially in Donnellan USA,
we're going to Indiana Jones, uhoh and Kanto and all that.
(07:17):
But there are some iconicattractions that are based on
non-Disney IP that did becomeDisney IP Pirates, haunted
Mansion, big Thunder Mountain,tower of Terror, like.
None of that stuff is based onExpedition Everest, space
(07:41):
Mountain.
I don't know if I said that ornot.
These are not Disney IP basedattractions and they are some of
the most iconic in the parks Do.
Are we missing some of that nowand going full on Disney IP?
That's not original figment,original.
You know that's not Disney IP.
Are we missing that now?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Well, I think in the animal kingdom kingdom?
No, because you still have someof those other things that you
just said, like expeditioneverest, for example, and the
safari the safari and you know afew other attractions there.
So I don't think so, but Ithink that this, some of this
area, like the carnival area andeverything I can't chest
(08:22):
chesters what was it chester andhester's?
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Yeah, yes.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Like I think that was just getting a little outdated
some.
And you know you're spending alot of money Sorry, disney,
you're spending a lot of moneyto go to Disney already, and
then you're trying to spend evenmore, to be like an actual
carnival and spend more money,and more money, and more money,
(08:50):
and your kids are crying becauseyou're not getting the stuffed
animals that they're trying towin.
You know, that part Iexperienced if you can hear it
in my voice several times withour youngest.
But then we've also had a goodtime with it too, where, hey,
mommy won me a dinosaur, youknow, and stuff.
But um, it's just I think thatpart of it at least needed to be
taken out.
And I think the triceratopsspin and all that too.
I think it was just starting toshow that it was really outdated
(09:14):
and you either needed to giveit a lot of love or bring
something else in Now.
Like it is sad that, likedinosaur area, because, like a
lot of kids love dinosaurs Likeit is sad that the whole thing
is eventually going away, but atthe or the whole land.
But at the same time you've gotto think how, how everybody,
(09:35):
most everybody, really loved inKanto, ok, and they're still
trying to tie in animals withthat, because you have to think
Antonio has that gift ofcommunicating with animals, so
I'd be I'm really interested tosee how they're going to tie
that all in.
And I think they'retransforming certain areas of
that part into supposedly like arainforest.
(09:56):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
You know, because Hopefully they'll have, like
some rainforest type animals onexhibit there as well, maybe.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Yeah, because, like it's saying, including Antonio's
room, which has beentransformed into a rainforest.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
I'm back and forth on this.
I always go back to what Waltsaid, that the parks will never
be finished, right?
They're always going to beevolving with the times.
Right, and this is this is and Ireally try to keep that in my
mind when I'm thinking about howI feel about these rethemes and
and whatnot.
I think we went on record veryearly on in this podcast of
(10:33):
donald and usa being our leastfavorite land in all of alt
disney world.
Yeah, I have since changed thatopinion.
Now take away hester andchester, the parking lot.
The more and more I learnedabout the backstory of Dinoland
USA, the more and more Iappreciated it.
And it's not based on Disney IP, right?
Yes, I will be a critic on theparking lot in the carnival
(10:56):
games.
I don't think that was veryDisney ish to do.
I think they just threw it inthere to kind of go along with
the theming.
But the backstory toRestaurant-O-Saurus and Dinoland
and the whole area the more andmore I learned about it, the
more and more I just fell inlove with it.
And when we are replacing theseoriginal Imagineering stories
(11:18):
with Disney IP, I think it kindof takes away some of what makes
Disney magical, right?
Speaker 1 (11:26):
Well, yeah, that's my opinion of it.
I get it, but then that's why Isaid they either needed to
revamp it with a lot of love ordo something different.
Because, like, I get whereyou're saying, like what is that
restaurant called?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Where.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
In.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
Dinoland Restaurant-a-saurus.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Yes, restaurant-a-saurus, like the
theming in it and all thedetails and stuff, yes, like
once you realize that thehistory of it on that and
everything, then okay, yeah,it's, it's great what the
imagineers did.
But I just I don't know as faras if, going back to wall and
you know it's always changing,always evolving, and stuff I
(12:03):
think I think for me, I thinkjust some type, this type of
change is it the right change?
I don't know, we will, we willfind out, but I think something
did need to change in that areaso, and here's I'm going to harp
on this quite a bit.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
While we're talking about this, the average couple,
family from, let's say, middleohio is not going to go to walt
disney world because they didrestaurant of stores or they did
dino dinosaur, right?
Oh, there's a new indiana jonesattraction coming.
Oh, there's an incantoattraction coming.
Okay, that's getting theirattention now, right?
(12:41):
Right people like me.
I get it.
There's a lot of people like mewho appreciate this stuff, but
your average family doesn't care.
Right.
And I try to keep that inperspective as well.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
And that's what, as a business, disney needs to keep
up with those times you have tokeep in mind it's still business
, it is, it's still a business.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
So my final thought on this is I hope they do it
right.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
I really hope they do it right and tie it in and they
do.
Usually when they do thingslike this, they do it well.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Especially something this big.
Speaker 2 (13:12):
I just I hope they do it right.
I am anxious, not anxious.
Excited to see what it lookslike when I was there last month
and just saw nothing behind theconstruction walls, like the
dinosaurs gone, like all that'sgone.
Yeah.
It was surreal to see it thatway.
So yeah, I just hope they do itright.
(13:35):
All right, moving on, what doyou think of the retheming of
Tom Sawyer's Island and thetheming in Frontierland in
general?
I?
Speaker 4 (13:46):
have strong opinions on this.
Yes, I know you do.
That's my way.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
So as far as like what Frontierland and Liberty
Square area and all of thatrepresents, I to take Tom
Sawyer's Island away and thewhole retheming of that air,
some of that area it.
That part of it is hard becausethere is so much history there
and I feel to a certain extent,especially being in education,
(14:13):
that I still feel, even thoughit might not attract as many of
the younger generations, thatthe kids still need to see that
in some shape or form so do theyeven read huckleberry finn
anymore in elementary school?
uh, depends on where you are,but usually not okay.
But I get it, I get it yeah um,you know that, but they but the
(14:35):
time periods and stuff theystill talk about you know, in
some, some areas may, but anyway, moving on um.
So you know that aspect of itis kind of like uh, you know
they're, they're taking, youknow away the education aspect
of it and the relaxingenvironment of it too, because
all of that area, it it makesyou slow down it's an oasis,
(15:00):
right, it really is, really is,and like Tom Sawyer's Island.
I think we've talked about on afew episodes before that.
You you know we've seenfamilies go over there and
there's kids napping.
Parents are like ow.
Yeah, you know, and it's justso you know you're not going to
have that anymore, but I likethe fact that they're re-theming
(15:20):
for a Cars attraction.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Because you know, having two boys, especially our
oldest, he was really big intoCars.
I just hope that they do itright, because they've already
said it's not going to be likeit is in DCA in California, so,
but there's two separate Carsattractions too, so I'm just
wondering exactly how they'regoing to do it and are they
going to do it right?
Speaker 2 (15:45):
uh, yeah I this is really and I wrote about this
extensively in in my bookwriting about frontierland
because, again, why I fell inlove with walt disney world is
the storytelling here.
Liberty Square, fantasylandactually ties into it, but
(16:06):
Liberty Square and Frontierlandtell one big story.
It's the expansion of Americawestward right.
Right.
And the storytelling here isjust so well done and looking
and thinking about it right nowand in the past, I think this is
why I don't.
I'm not a big fan of Tiana'sbayou adventure, because it does
not fit in this land rightright when they built splash
(16:31):
mountain.
Splash mountain is set in, youknow, the 18th 1800s in the
south.
Right, well, that doesn't fitin with the 1800s in the wild in
the west, but the way theythemed it it fit the time period
and the way they colored therocks it did blend in, so it did
fit in there.
Tianus does not fit there.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
No no it just doesn't and I hate to say that, but it
does not so it, and some of thisis just also a sign of the
times, and unfortunately so.
So the reason why I was wordingwhat I was wording earlier is
because the adventures ofHuckleberry Finn, like it's been
banned a lot just because ofthings that are are mentioned in
(17:13):
it and words that are used andstuff, and so I don't know if
that's another reason behindthem going ahead and changing
this up, you know, because againit's, it's.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
it's the sign of the times changing, as we talked
about not only with ip and allthat more and what's going to
attract families, but then eventhings like this right but when
we talk about them getting awaywith liberty bell, the rivers of
america and tom soars island,it this is kind of the heart of
the park Kids could go and itwas built for kids to go roam
(17:46):
around and get lost, kind oflike Animal Kingdom.
You're supposed to get losthere.
Parents can relax.
It's got an old fort.
That is interesting and fun.
It is historical.
It's an area where kids can kindof be kids, kids can really be
kids and parents can relaxknowing their kids are going to
(18:08):
be fine, right, like you don'thave to always keep tabs on them
all the time, right?
The problem I have with there-theming is it's going to take
away a lot of the character Ithink of Liberty Square and
Frontierland.
I think like the whistles, thesteam of Liberty Square and
Frontierland.
I think the whistles, the steamwhistles from the Liberty Bell
right.
Right.
Hearing that paddle wheel slapin the water.
Right, that's going to be goneand that's a lot of the
(18:29):
character of that area.
Yeah, so that I'm hesitant on.
Also, we already have a CarsLand.
It's in DCA.
I know this is a Carsattraction, but I don't
necessarily think we need ithere, especially not in the
(18:50):
Magic Kingdom.
If they were going to put itsomewhere, I think Hollywood
Studios would have been a betterpark to do it.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Right, but here's the thing there's so much going on
in Orlando, with other parks aswell, they're trying to keep up
with all of that.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Right, I was going to talk about that at the end.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Oh, sorry no it's okay, yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
But I don't.
I know they're by the conceptart in what the Imagineers have
said they're going to tie itinto Frontierland.
I don't know.
Yeah, have said they're goingto tie it into frontier land.
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (19:25):
I don't know how you take the car's intellectual
property and put it into 1800ssouthwest I just I mean, I think
it's just the aspect of itbeing in the southwest, but I I
mean yeah, you know I get it.
Yeah, it's tough for me toswallow that I know, and again I
mean and don't get me wronglike I have enjoyed going to Tom
Sawyer's Island before andriding, you know, the riverboat
(19:48):
and all of that.
Is it something we do all thetime?
No, I think we've done it once,but Done a couple times.
Well, anyway.
Well, the island, I think we've, maybe with the boys.
So, um and again, yes, slowdown.
You know, take a moment, all ofthat stuff, but again as well.
I see, like I've said, I'mechoing it again you've got to
(20:11):
keep up with what's going on inother parks as well as what
families are looking for, andyou know like our generation
still wants to keep, keep it, asis more so than the younger
generations, because the youngergenerations that are now having
the younger kids that are beingtaken to the park aren't as big
(20:34):
on that.
So some are, don't get me wrong, but a lot are not I'm just
looking at it from astorytelling point of view.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
I just don't think it's.
I just hope they do it right.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Yeah, just do it right right and I get it like,
yes, from storytelling point ofview, but at the.
But I mean we know, like the,the times are changing, like
everybody, especially youngergenerations, are like they want
it.
They want it now.
They don't want to slow down asmuch, even though that is
needed in the parks.
But you know that it's justlike go, go, go, go go so all
(21:06):
right.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
What do we think of the new villains land to be
built behind big thundermountain?
Speaker 1 (21:11):
I am excited.
Okay, I am not big on villains,but the villains have needed
some love other than just athalloween time.
You know, I know they have likethe villains stage show that
they do and Hocus Pocus, theSanderson sisters and all of
that sisters.
But I think that, as big of afollowing that the villains have
(21:33):
, there are so many people thatjust absolutely love the
villains, you know, and so Ithink that this is a good way to
show them some love and andbring even more people to the
park, which I know magic kingdomdoesn't really need more people
, but it gives it another landto get people to, so maybe
certain other areas of the parkwon't be such clusters like
(21:57):
frontier land is going to bewhen they build the Cars
attraction and Villainsland.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Yeah, because everyone's got to get to it.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
So I don't know, but I just.
But I think I am excitedbecause something more needed to
be done for these villaincharacters, because, again, they
have such a big following.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
I am meh on this.
I'm not a big villains person.
However, I do like that theyare using the land outside
behind Big Thunder Mountain.
They're not taking stuff awayfor this, or?
Putting it in the middlesomewhere else, so to be its own
separate land, which I do like,and I'm excited to see how
they're going to tie everythingin and I think Maleficent's
(22:39):
going to be the main Maleficentyeah, Maleficent's fence gonna
be the main Maleficent, yeah,melissa to be the main character
based like a roller coasterbased on Melissa Fenton and oh,
you've heard that.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
That's what I've heard.
Yeah, okay so.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
I just again what I've heard.
Don't take this to well.
Zack and Brittany said thislike this is just what we've
heard, so I'm.
I'm mad on it.
But then like okay, what arethey gonna do with it?
Speaker 1 (23:06):
type of thing right at the same time right so yeah,
I again, I'm, I'm excited, likethe concept art looks exciting,
like it looks villainous, forsure, you know, um, and you're
gonna have like, since this isit, since it is its own land,
you're going to have not onlyattractions but dining and
(23:27):
shopping and all of that as well.
So I get they've had such a bigfollowing.
I, I mean, one of our neighborsis a big villain fan, you know,
and so she's a melissa thing,right, yes, yes yes, maleficent,
but then her favorite movie isalso snow white erica is a big
melissa fan too, right
Speaker 2 (23:49):
a little bit yeah, erica, correct us if we're wrong
, yeah, I mean, I know she likesthe maleficent movies, she
likes cinderella, but I thinkmelissa fits her favorite
villain and then, like I said,our neighbor likes maleficent
but her favorite movie is snow,snow white.
Speaker 1 (24:02):
So anyway, but uh, you know, I mean, there are so
many villains, think of it.
I mean you have the queen ofhearts from alice in wonderland,
jafar from aladdin, you know,um, just naming a few cruella
deville, captain hook, gaston,mother gothel, ursula hades.
You know, there's in the evilqueen from snow white.
You know, those are just a fewof them.
(24:23):
I think there's like 13 or 14.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
So, yeah, yeah, gothel, ursula Hades and the
evil queen from Snow White.
Those are just a few of them.
I think there's like 13 or 14.
Yeah, yeah, and so I think thereason Disney's doing this is
because, right down the road at.
Shmurnaversal Epic Universe.
If you haven't seen EpicUniverse yet, now, with all the
YouTubers doing everything, itdoes look really, really cool.
I don't know anything about howto train your dragon and I
don't really care about DarkUniverse because I don't like
the old horror movie stuff.
Right.
(24:45):
But Super Nintendo Land looksawesome, yes, looks really cool.
So Disney had to respond.
They just had to.
So they had to make these bignew attractions to bring your
average family from like CentralIllinois or Ohio or New York or
wherever york or wherever right, like, oh they're going, we
(25:05):
need to go do that.
They don't care about a re likea re-theme or not a re-theme,
but a rehash of figment or ormaking that attraction better.
They don't care about that.
This is what they're going tocare about.
So I I do get it from abusiness standpoint.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
I just really hope that they do it right.
They do it right.
Speaker 2 (25:23):
And they keep the storytelling of these lands in
mind when they're doing it.
All right.
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Yeah, and when this episode isreleased, she'll be doing her
multi-passes yes she can planall your multi-passes for you
(26:51):
and we're gonna be.
We'll talk about that in alittle bit yeah, I was like
you're holding, we're jumpingahead.
All right, we're gonna move onto things we'd like to see.
Come back to the parks that areno longer there.
Brittany, do you have anythings on your mind?
Speaker 1 (27:05):
I think the old FastPass system.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
The paper FastPass or the free FastPass, where you
did them like 60 days out or 90days.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Either really they both.
Anytime I see old videos on itor something, I'm just like, oh
yeah, that would be nice.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
I don't know you know more of the details on those
two things, but like the firsttime we went, we had the, the
three, the free, yeah, the free,three free that you did them,
was it 90 days.
I can't I can't remember.
Speaker 2 (27:32):
I think it was 90 days out yeah, um, and then if
you uh, I forgot the youtuber'sname defunct land.
They did like an hour and ahalf hour and 45 minute
documentary on fast passes andthey did like these computer
models and all this stuff.
When there's a history of howthey got developed and all this
(27:53):
stuff, great, go check it out,defunct land on youtube.
They concluded that the oldpaper fast pass system was the
best system to keep ride timeslower but still have a little
bit of a advantage of skippingthe line, but it being fair for
(28:14):
everybody.
So the old paper fast passsystem was they had a booth set
up outside the attractions andyou would go and pull a, pull a
ticket out and have a.
It would have a return time onit, right?
Speaker 1 (28:25):
right and then, once they were out, they were out
right, and I remember seeingthose machines the first time we
went.
We didn't use them, but Iremember seeing them and so that
was so.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
Whenever the park opened, you ran to whatever
attraction you wanted and youpull the ticket right yeah, so I
think it was the most fair foreverybody, but then there was
only a limited amount of them,and so it kept the standby wait
times low.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
Right, because it wasn't like thousands and
thousands could get them yeah.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
And so now you see longer standby wait times
because they're adding moremulti-passes now, and so, yeah,
I'm kind of meh on that.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Yeah, I just, I don't know Like.
I just feel like when we'vewatched, you know vloggers that
were doing it back then theyjust it seemed like it was.
It was just a good experienceyou know.
And then, when we first went,you know the fact that you
didn't have to pay extra forthose three rides.
You know.
I think, that was the big partis how expensive it can be
nowadays be nowadays.
(29:26):
Yes, we're gonna talk aboutthat in a little bit I would
love to see the magical expresscome back.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
Yes, for sure they are inching that way, I think,
with the luggage stuff now atthe value resorts right, slowly
getting.
I hope it comes back becausethat was when you got off the
airplane in the airport you werein the bubble.
Speaker 1 (29:43):
Yeah, the minute you got to the magical express area
you were, even though youweren't in disney yet, you were
in the bubble.
Yeah, the minute you got to theMagical Express area you were,
even though you weren't inDisney.
Yet you were in Disney.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
You were in that because as soon as you got on
the bus there was like Disneycartoons playing or like it was
some behind the scenes thingsabout your favorite songs or
something Right, and you wereimmediately thrust in that
bubble.
It was great.
And then, as you leave, I cryyeah, it was great.
And then, as you leave, I cryyeah, because they play the
mickey mouse march, you know, atthe end and see you're like oh
(30:10):
man, you're like whoa, yeah thetrip's over, it's over like, but
you're in that like the wholetime.
I loved everything about it.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Now we uber and I agree, though, like maybe they
are going to eventually it wouldbe wonderful.
I think most people would saythey want it back.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
I would even pay for it.
Yeah, I'd pay 30 bucks each way, right Per person, to have that
.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Yeah, because of everything that Zach said, and
you know the fact that they aredoing the luggage thing at the
resorts, where that your luggageis taken directly there and all
of that or to into the airport,right.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Right.
Speaker 1 (30:46):
You know that was so the fact that they're slowly
reintroducing- that maybe justso.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
You check your bags at the resort and you don't see
them till you get to your desk,till you get home yeah at the
carousel baggage carousel, yeah,yeah um anything else you'd
like to see come back that wemiss I don't know you I would
like to see the flotillas andanimal kingdom.
Speaker 1 (31:02):
Oh yes, they took them away I know, you know, I
know, they did it during thepandemic, the pandemic and
everything um, but they kept itfor a couple years you know, and
uh, it was just so cool to likelook out on the river and what
is the river called?
rivers of rivers of light yeah,and just you know, you don't,
you didn't know if you weregonna see, like, uh, the up
(31:24):
characters on a flotilla or apocahontas or Chippendale or
whoever you know, and it wasjust cool because they'd be
playing music as they're comingby and yeah, I would agree to
that.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:36):
All right.
So do you think going to WaltDisney World is better or worse
now than when we started goingin 2019?
Ooh, this is a tough question.
Speaker 1 (31:47):
Yeah, ooh, I don't know, that's hard because, like
our boys are different.
Now yeah, it's like the ages ofour kids in our very first
experience, you know, like wedidn't know anything.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
It was great.
You know, ignorance really isbliss because we didn't stress
over stuff.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
It was just like going with the flow, you know,
uh.
And then the next time we went,in 2019, we did no more and
that was a trip, that was a blur, and disaster well, we just
planned too much in such a shorttime.
But, um, anyway, uh, I don'tknow.
I think I feel like some of themagic isn't quite there, but I
(32:31):
don't know if it's because ourkids are older too.
Yeah, you know, because youcome across some really great
cast members still and it's allmagical, and then you have
others that are, you know, allmagical, and then you have
others that are, you know, um,but again, it was it more, was I
seeing more of that because thekids were little and they're
(32:52):
more.
Hey, how's it going withyounger ones?
Like I don't know?
I don't know, um, the, the fastpasses as I talked about, I feel
like back then I like it betterthan now.
I just feel like we're justconstantly paying more and more
and more money, you know, forthings, but you also don't want
to wait half a day in lineseither.
So, uh, I think certain thingsare better and certain things
(33:13):
are worse I agree.
Speaker 2 (33:15):
I think you're spending a lot more than you did
in 2019 even adjusted for theinflation right.
They're just nickel and dimingyou more than they were back
then.
I think, yeah, I definitelythink you got more for your
money in 2019 than you are now.
Right, but, like you said, it'sdifferent because our boys are
(33:35):
different now.
So we're not rope dropping now,right, we're not doing the
things we did seven years ago,six years ago, yeah.
The parks have changed too.
There are more attractions nowas well, a lot, some really
great attractions now right yeah, I so I I don't know, this is
(33:57):
our trip we're doing is gonna be.
It's gonna be the first liketake it easy seven day only walt
disney world trip we've done ina few years Because we've
focused so much on Disneyland inthe past couple years, we
haven't done just a full sevendays only doing four park days
Disney World only.
So I think we need to re-answerthis question after.
Speaker 1 (34:21):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (34:21):
What do you think?
Speaker 1 (34:22):
Yeah, but I mean already though, this trip is
different because of our boys'ages, and we're not going to be
rope dropping and we're doingquick service and not a lot of
sit down, you know, and so Idon't really know how we can
compare it.
Yeah, because it's justcompletely different in so many
ways, you know, because we'reonly doing like a couple of sit
(34:45):
downs, um, in one, just onecharacter me and nolan.
Yeah, are we all doing what?
no, we're not all no, we're not,I'm out, okay, so again, there
you go.
The only character diningthat's going to be happening is
just one, with me and nolan, andso I I don't know if we can
really compare it.
Okay.
(35:06):
Because of some of what I justsaid.
Okay, you know, but I mean it'sstill going to be a great trip.
It's just going to be adifferent type of trip, with the
timings that we wake up and allof that stuff.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
What do you think of the new Monsters Inc land and
the retheming of Rockin' RollerCoaster to Muppets?
I am excited, yes.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
I am excited.
Yes, I am excited because youknow, I know initially
everybody's like no, all theMuppet stuff is gonna go, but
then you hear, oh well, they'restill giving them some love on
another attraction.
So I think that kind of helpedwith that.
Put a bandaid on that.
Right you know the new themingfor Monsters Inc.
I think you know that.
(35:44):
I think that area needed to beupdated.
Whether I ride the suspendedroller coaster with the doors or
not, I don't know.
But I think a lot of people aregoing to really love that ride
and are excited for that rideand you know it's going to take
you like.
Think of the movie when all thedoors are on, like the conveyor
belt, kind of thing.
(36:10):
You know, not a conveyor belt,but you know what I'm saying yes
and um, so that's a bit oftrack, yeah, so that's.
You know what this coaster isgoing to be modeled off of and
everything and the concepts ofit that they've been sharing.
You know, I think it will.
It will be fun.
I just don't know if I'm goingto do it.
Uh, and then I think they'regoing to have it.
Is it one more ride too?
I think so yes and then, justyou know, since it's going to be
more of a monster zinc land,there's bound to be some dining
(36:33):
and shopping experiencesjapanese restaurant.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
I forgot the name of it, but yeah, yeah so so I'm
excited.
Speaker 1 (36:38):
I'm excited for it.
Now I don't ride rock androller coaster, but zach and I
have talked about like oh, it'dbe awesome if they added this at
this part of the attraction,and so I think if they do it
well, then I think that it canbe a good, exciting fit too I'm
excited for monsters inc land.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Um, I think disney needs to make the muppets more
appealing to the new generation,because it's not I don't think
no, it's not so I think disneyneeds to do a better job of
marketing the muppets and doingmore muppet content.
I think that's my opinion, butI'm excited for the new monsters
(37:17):
, inkland, I think actually Ithink I said this on one of the
first few episodes it would beawesome to have a roller coaster
that's through that scene yeahI think I said that a long time,
yeah, you did, and then nowthey are now and I think it'll
be so much fun.
I love the re-theme of rock androller coaster to muppets,
because nobody knows whoaerosmith is anymore, except for
(37:38):
our generation, right rightnewer kids, like you ask our
kids, and they have no clue whohe is yeah who the band is, and
so, I think, re-theming it tomuppets again.
Speaker 1 (37:46):
I don't, the new generation, I don't think nearly
knows a lot of the muppets no,but the fact that it's a roller
coaster and all that right, andI think it will keep it going
with, like the you know animaland and all of that.
Speaker 2 (37:59):
I think that would be cool and I just remind like
animal on drums.
Yeah, I just imagine when we'resitting ready for launch.
You just hear and then justtake off, like that would be so
fun right right, and so I I'mlooking forward to all this.
You know and I know there's alot of discontent with Muppet
(38:24):
Vision 3D going away, becausethat was the last attraction Jim
Henson himself worked on.
I get it, but I've read thatthey are like the Imagineers are
storing all of this stuff andthey're going to keep it for
preservation, to be maybe inlike a museum or something,
because it was Jim Henson didwork on that.
(38:46):
So I get it, but yeah, I'mlooking forward to it.
Yeah.
I think, it's gonna be fun.
Speaker 1 (38:51):
Yeah, and I was trying to think it's called
Monstropolis.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Monstropolis.
Speaker 1 (38:54):
Okay, yes, the city that the yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:56):
Yeah, all right.
Oh, you got an earring problemthere.
Yes, all right.
Do you think we'll enjoy usingthe new multi-pass on our
upcoming trip?
So we are doing multi-passesfor all the parks.
I know we've been staunchlyagainst using them for Animal
Kingdom and Epcot, but we'redoing them for all the parks.
And we're doing all the singlepasses as well.
Speaker 1 (39:22):
Yes, we're doing all of them.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Yes, erica, you might have to type all this out for
me.
We've already.
Yes, we are estimating the costto be around 500 extra for all
four of us to do all of thisstuff yeah do you think we'll
enjoy it?
Speaker 1 (39:40):
I do think, as far as not waiting in line as long and
all of that will help, becauseeven though our boys are older,
they still get very antsywaiting for a long time.
Then they start being brothersand kind of picking on each
other, pushing, shoving a littlebit if it's a certain amount of
time.
So I think it's going to helpwith that, okay for sure.
So, as a parent, a little lessstressful, um is it worth the
(40:03):
500?
I don't know I will get back toyou I will get back to you on
that one okay, I sure hope soyeah I sure hope so um I am
money aside.
Speaker 2 (40:16):
That's a lot of money .
I am looking forward to havingthe day kind of planned out,
because with the old lightninglane system you did not have
that.
Right.
You're constantly on your phonewhat can I get next?
What can I get next, what can Iget next?
And it doesn't really allow forany kind of structure.
(40:37):
To the day when we're talkingabout the old fast pass system
where you picked them, you know,90 days out, whatever it was,
you had a structure that you'relike okay, at this time we got
this, at this time, we got thisright, so now you can add in
filler attractions in betweenthose or relax and take your
time right, not on your phone asmuch not on your phone as much,
so I'm looking forward to thataspect of it of okay.
(41:01):
At this time we have this wedon't have anything else until
this time, this time so we havethese three hours to do an
attraction, go to a show, relax,sit down.
So I think I do think it will,just on the face of it, force us
to slow down a little bit,because we're not going to be so
(41:22):
rushed to do everything rightright yeah, um because before it
would be like okay, now thatwe've ridden this ride, now back
on the phone, right exactly,find the next one I'm not going
to be.
We're not going to be doing that.
Yeah, and I'm really.
We've been staunchly againstlightning lanes or anything for
animal kingdom, because there'sjust not that many attractions
right now.
(41:42):
We've always been advocates ofgetting the single pass.
Now it's called single pass forflight of passage, but
everything else I don't thinkyou needed it for, but we are
going to use it for this.
So I'm wondering, I'm curious,how much extra time we're going
to have for nomad lounge showsor just sitting around the tree
of life doing nothing right.
Speaker 1 (42:03):
Hopefully more than last time, I felt like I didn't
get quite as much time as Iwanted to to do some of those
things you just mentioned on ourlast trip.
So well, we were so beat up bythat point as well after that
trip, yes, I don't recommenddoing that well, and what he's
talking about for those of youthat are new is we did a coast
(42:24):
to coast trip.
Basically, we started off indisneyland for a few days and
then went straight into disneyworld and the jet lag got us and
it the heat.
It was super, super hot it itwore us down yeah so, but yeah I
, so I hope that it will give usmore time, like I'd like to see
lion again, I would like tospend more time around the Tree
(42:47):
of Life, the otters, you know, Icould watch them all day.
You know, of course, the trailswe've talked about and
everything.
So, yeah and yes, nomad Lounge.
Speaker 2 (42:59):
Hours at Nomad Lounge Hours Well, alright, so we got
the free dining package on thistrip.
Speaker 1 (43:07):
We did the quick service.
Speaker 2 (43:08):
We're staying at Coronado Springs and with that
you have to get the uh parkhopper ticket, so it's one big
package.
Do you think we will save moneyby doing that, or do you think
we will not have saved money?
Speaker 1 (43:23):
for the, for the dining, I think Quick service If
you have like, because itincludes a beverage too right.
Speaker 2 (43:35):
Correct Alcoholic, one alcoholic beverage.
Speaker 1 (43:36):
Yeah.
So if you I'm saying youbecause you know- me in the heat
.
I can't handle alcohol thatmuch in the heat.
You know me, in the heat I'm.
I can't handle alcohol thatmuch in the heat.
So if you use that credit andme on occasion, then yes, but I
think it may also surprise us.
Now you mentioned so it is parkhopper we have park hopper
(43:59):
tickets you have.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
You had to get the park hopper tickets to get the
free dining.
That's where they get you,because we're not going to be
park hopping on this trip, butwe paid for park hoppers.
Speaker 1 (44:08):
How much was park hopping?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (44:10):
So we're going to do an episode that's going to break
all of this down and find outdid we save money by booking the
free dining or did we not?
I'm going to go.
We did not.
Speaker 1 (44:28):
Because of the park hopper aspect of it that's going
to be a not if we don't parkhop at all.
Speaker 2 (44:31):
Now, if there's a day , I think we might on the animal
kingdom, that's what I wasgonna say what?
Speaker 1 (44:33):
does animal kingdom close at six or eight when we're
there?
I don't know.
But the only reason why I'masking for those of you that are
new is a lot of timesthroughout the year animal
kingdom closes like six or seven, but later or not later, but
like times where it's usuallyless crowded, like the off times
.
Sometimes they're open untileight.
(44:53):
So if it's an, if it's a daythat we're there and they close
at like six or seven, then wemight would hop over to say
magic kingdom and catch thefireworks or something I don't't
know.
Speaker 2 (45:04):
Closes at six.
Speaker 1 (45:05):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (45:06):
So we would be going to Magic Kingdom to hang out,
yeah.
Speaker 1 (45:13):
Or do we go back to resort and just chill?
We'll see how we feel at theend of the day.
Speaker 2 (45:16):
So, yeah, with it being the quick service, there's
a lot of quick servicerestaurants.
You don't get the full value ofthat credit, right, so it's
easier, it's more convenient tohave it, because we're going to
go to different, uh, restaurantsthat we haven't been to before.
Speaker 1 (45:34):
Right, and we're talking about this earlier,
we're going to be doing livedining reviews from some of
these quick service restaurants,not all of them but some ones
we haven't been to yet and it isa little less like stressful,
for sure, because you're notlike, oh, like, if you're
debating okay, well, I'mdebating between these two meals
and this one's 15 and thisone's 10, like you don't really
have to think about that get to15 yeah, but I mean I'm just
(45:55):
saying like, but if you werepaying cash on the spot, you
would look at that.
Speaker 2 (45:59):
Yes, so yeah I'm gonna say we're not, I'm saying
I'm gonna say we're losing moneyby doing this.
Yeah.
But it's more convenient.
I'm also saying we're going tolose money because we're taking
two full off days.
One would be a full pool day,so we'll just be eating quick
service from the quick servicerestaurant at Coronado Springs
(46:20):
and then the next day you andNolan will have an off day, but
me and Ryan we'll be going toSmirnoversal the next day, you
and Nolan will have an off day,but me and Ryan will be going to
Smirnoversal, so that's one dayof dining credits.
We're not even going to use.
Right For me and Ryan.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
Me and Nolan for one of our meals.
That is a character diningthat's not included with this
dining package.
Speaker 2 (46:38):
Right, but y'all still have lunch and dinner to
use it on Right.
But I'm just saying but that'sone meal, though, like right
where you're not going to use, Ihave to pay.
Yeah, yeah, but we have three.
We're gonna have three sitdowns yeah, I know, but I mean
like talking about the days youwere saying that we're off right
, though, yeah, so yeah, I thinkwe're gonna lose money on it,
but it's all in one package,it's done we don't have to worry
(47:01):
about it.
So is it worth it for that?
Maybe, but we'll do an episodeof breaking down how much we
paid for our trip and how muchit would have been if we get
everything.
We did not do the free diningbecause we have all of our
receipts from the quick servicerestaurant, so we'll go from
there.
Okay, what do you think?
Yeah, all right.
Anything else you'd like totalk about?
Speaker 1 (47:20):
No, I think that.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
No, Well again.
Thank you so much for joiningus.
Sorry, the past few weeks youhaven't been around.
Speaker 1 (47:25):
It's just a busy season.
Speaker 2 (47:28):
Life just gets you.
But we're going to be back tonormal and look forward to some
great content coming up.
We're going to document ourtravels and we're going to do
some live reviews from the quickservice places.
Speaker 1 (47:38):
Right, and next week will be trip planning, trip
planning.
Speaker 2 (47:40):
Next week.
Yes, can't wait.
All right.
So if you want to support thepodcast, the best way to do that
is to book your next vacationwith Travel Planner Erica.
Tyler Reese sent you.
Take advantage of that giftcard.
Her website'swwwtravelplannerericacom.
She's on Facebook and Instagram.
At Travel Planner Erica.
You can email us circleofparksat gmailcom.
Our website iswwwcircleofparkscom and we're on
(48:03):
Facebook, instagram and X allat circle of parks.
Don't forget, go to Apple.
Leave us a five-star rating Ifyou really do appreciate it.
Thank you so much.
We'll talk to you next week.
Talk to you soon, thank you.
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