December 13, 2024 • 21 mins
As we reflect on 2024 and the great memories we've made, we wanted to take a moment and thank our listeners while wishing everyone a very happy holiday season. Plus, Randy shoots from the hip as he talks about what he's looking forward to in 2025.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hey everybody, welcome to whistle while you work podcast.
(00:14):
This is episode 87.
Happy holidays.
That's what you went with.
Well we could, we could have said happy Festivus.
Oh, do they, is it a happy Festivus or it's just we celebrate Festivus.
It's a Festivus for the rest of us.
Oh, okay.
Gosh.
That is, I don't know whose IP that is, but it's not Disney's.
(00:38):
It's Seinfeld, isn't it?
Fox own it?
I don't know.
NBC.
No, it's NBC.
Duh, it's NBC.
Duh, yeah, that's right.
Yeah, NBC.
Which is universal.
Well.
Yes.
Look at that.
Oh my goodness.
Well, we just wanted to really wish everybody a Merry Christmas.
(01:03):
We celebrate Christmas here in our home and a happy new year.
And just expressing gratitude for those that check out our podcast and, and get to hang
out with us.
We hope that you feel our warmth and love for you and for Disney.
And we're just, we're excited that we're here at the end of the year and kind of wishing
(01:26):
that we could celebrate Christmas.
I mean, I was at Disney World at Mickey's very Merry Christmas party right now.
How about you?
Yeah, I, I wish a lot of things.
He's got the dole drums right now.
I mean, I was reflecting beforehand how I'm feel pretty confident that everybody I know
has gone more recently than me.
(01:46):
Yeah.
There's some people that have never gone, but yes, you're even Jed has been more recently
than me.
Yeah.
Good guy.
That Jed you've gone in your heart and in your dreams to Disney World though, or Disneyland.
Yeah, I guess so.
Something like that.
(02:08):
But I look forward to going back.
Yeah.
I think we've had several good trips this year, but for you, it's been your memory.
Can't remember how, how long it seems like four years ago.
Is that what you said?
It's just too few.
Like I just can't, I can't remember.
I cannot remember.
Well, it was three in case you want someone to count for you.
(02:31):
That doesn't seem like enough.
In fact, I know it's not enough.
You know that song from greatest showman, you know, where she's like never, never, never
enough.
No, it's another Fox property.
I think I just butchered it.
But anyway, I don't know.
(02:52):
I don't know whose IP it is.
I just wish I was at Disney.
I look forward to going back.
There's a lot of cool things that have taken place since I was last there, such as the
opening of Tiana's by you adventure.
Oh yes.
You got to go on it.
I haven't been on it.
Oh, my friends have been on it, but I haven't been on it.
I love your friends.
I look forward to every person on this planet has been more recently than me and they've
(03:16):
all experienced it.
I'm the last one.
The last man standing also a Fox property.
Oh, my gosh.
So I just I look I look forward to going and checking it out.
I'm standing that was that was ABC.
Well, whatever.
You just felt like it.
You should say actually if ABC, that's Disney.
So that's OK.
I know.
(03:36):
Yeah.
Is it OK?
I don't know.
But a lot of cool things have happened.
There's been a lot of announcements.
There's a lot of things on the horizon.
There's there's some stuff coming up.
He's almost smiling, guys.
There's also some things that I I didn't approve of, like the desecration of the country bears
jamboree.
You didn't have a docusign where you signed off on on it or anything?
(03:57):
They didn't ask you.
I did not sign off on it.
Someone would have been fired in my shop for what they did to those bears and their musical
abilities and and subsequently how they how they ruined Disney's musical IP by trying
to change that.
So it did not work.
(04:18):
And I've met people.
I've talked to people.
They're like, oh, I thought it was great.
And I'm like, well, I think you're wrong.
You know, I just there's times when I'm like, I wish Randy had more of an opinion.
Like, I just wish he had a stronger opinion.
Like I just I don't think I could have more of an opinion.
My sarcasm.
Yeah.
(04:38):
OK, so we're we're we're saying goodbye to twenty twenty four.
So what what are you looking forward to in the coming year?
Yeah, no, I really do.
I look forward I look forward to going and experiencing Tiana.
Yes, I look forward to you know, there's some some things that just even very recently have
(04:58):
come back.
I just saw this.
You know, the ground lighting at Epcot is back.
You know, they used to have ground lighting.
It was really cool.
Yeah.
Now the ground lighting is finally back.
It's a little bit of an indication of the end of construction.
Epcot is ready to go.
And for the most part.
And so I think that's really cool.
(05:19):
I think that'll play really well into now the new light shows that take place on spaceship
Earth.
I look forward to seeing that.
I look forward to riding Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind once again, my favorite
roller coaster.
I look forward to it.
While we're on that topic of Epcot, I will say that that section, that center section
that was walled off for like five years or whatever, it they have like this entertainment
(05:46):
thing where it's like this merry-go-round that goes around and around and there's like
four what's it?
Acrobats.
Is that what the word is that they like?
I don't know.
I haven't seen them.
It's been so long.
I know.
I'm just saying that they've added live entertainment other than the jammiters.
I've only really only received the jammiters over in that area.
(06:07):
So anyway, there is more life to that section, which is nice because that's the exit.
Most people exit not at the International Gateway.
They exit at the front and it's just this kind of nice little warm hug as you leave
Epcot as opposed to this weird dark cold area.
(06:31):
Anyway, so the lighting is only going to add to it.
Yeah, the lighting.
You just hit the nail on the head there instead of dark.
And that's what it has been leaving Epcot now for the last few years.
It's just been really dark and it wasn't just because my soul felt dark by leaving.
It was because it was because it was actually physically dark.
Bringing that lighting back is going to be cool.
To tell you the truth, I forgot that that's what it was.
(06:55):
I just always thought it was great looking, you know, I'd said they did a nice ground.
Yeah, but I forgot.
I forgot that it was part of the lighting effects.
And I really do think, you know, it's not been on since they added the lighting to Spaceship
Earth, the LED lights.
So put it all together.
(07:16):
And I think we've teased this before, but you know, if you're out there by Spaceship
Earth in the evening times, especially getting closer to closing time, there's a little bit
of a incognito show taking place.
There's music that plays on the speakers and the LED lights are putting on a show coordinated
(07:37):
with that.
So I'm looking forward to that.
I think it's going to be cool.
I am, believe it or not, I do still remain a little bit salty about losing Rivers of
America, losing.
Oh, so now we're Magic Kingdom.
Yeah.
I've now I've now Park Hopped.
Okay.
You do it so quickly that I was like, okay.
(07:58):
I am still salty about the transformation of Frontierland.
I think I just feel like it could have been done another way.
But you know, I'm looking forward to see what's happening.
Big thing happening this year.
Big Thunder Mountain is going to be closed for a long time.
Why?
Because it's going to get some, I'm not going to say much needed upgrades, but it's going
to get some much needed upgrades.
(08:18):
And I'm excited.
I think it's more maintenance, like really overhaul maintenance.
It's going to get some upgrades.
It's going to get some upgrades.
Well, I saw that their cranes already showed up.
I think June, January 5th is the last day you can write it.
Yeah.
Look, I'll tell you this much.
They don't usually bring in cranes just for maintenance.
So there are going to be some upgrades.
There's going to be some things.
We're finally going to get that that dynamite show that they have out at Disneyland.
(08:41):
I think that's going to be a lot of fun.
But I don't think any of this has been guaranteed.
This is just your speculation.
It's just my speculation.
Okay.
You know, it's not an opinion.
It's a fact.
I know these are the things that come out of my mouth.
Oh, my goodness.
I told you I had no, no plan for what this episode would be.
Just I was just going to win it.
(09:02):
Is that what it's called?
Shooting from the hip?
Yeah.
And and my my aim is on target.
Our poor listeners are getting shot out.
I don't know what's coming out of what was that?
So I'm looking forward to those sorts of things.
And you know, another thing I think that's actually going to be pretty cool is.
(09:23):
The transformation that will take place is largely, I think, going to be out of the way.
So as opposed to that frontier.
Yeah, I'm talking about frontier land and then I'm talking about villains land, right?
It's going to be mostly out of the way because it's going to take place in parts that aren't
those major thoroughfares.
(09:45):
So I think that's going to be a great opportunity for Disney to really kind of not look.
The construction walls at Epcot, they had a tendency to a little bit kind of ruin the
experience, not just because you couldn't see around him and they were huge and ugly,
but because they really impeded your ability to get around the park like you're you have
(10:06):
to navigate way out of the way and it could mess up your flow.
This isn't going to do that.
And so I think it's a great opportunity.
So the other thing to look forward to is Epic Universe opening May of twenty twenty five.
So that's the third gate at Universal Studios Orlando.
Nintendo World, more Harry Potter, How to Train Your Dragon.
(10:30):
They got several hotels and things that are also opening up.
So I just think I think what's what's the expression?
Rising tide raises all ships.
I think Disney, I think they've been.
Doggy paddling a while.
I think that they're going to have to.
I think they're going to have to really step it up.
(10:50):
Yes, they do have four gates and now Orlando's I mean, universe is now going to have three.
So maybe in their mind, they don't think it's quite evened out.
But I'm hoping that this, you know, again, raises all boats, raises all ships.
And I don't know, do you think that they're a fifth gate is I mean, it's got to happen
(11:11):
one day.
I don't know if it's any time within the next five years.
I don't think I don't think it's any time in the next decade.
I would be really surprised.
And the reason why is the expansions that they announced this year, I think took all
their money was I mean, they're they're dumping billions into making this happen.
And you just don't have capacity to build a whole other park to make that work.
(11:34):
I would say the other thing, too, is what would another park even be?
You know, when you when you think about what they've built here, Magic Kingdom contains
lots of different elements with different lands.
That makes sense.
Animal Kingdom focuses on animals and the environment.
That makes a lot of sense.
Hollywood Studios focuses on great movie IP in the movie going experience.
(11:57):
That makes a lot of sense.
You know, Epcot is a world showcase that brings in all sorts of different things.
But I still think they're so creative and imaginative.
There's something I just don't know that I don't know that you're going to make something
that someone wouldn't come back and say, shouldn't that be an Epcot or shouldn't that be a Magic
Kingdom?
(12:18):
And that's what Villains Land was right.
If you're going to make another gate, you'd probably make one that was focused on that.
And this expansion, as they've described it as the largest that they've ever done, it's
going to I mean, it's going to be absolutely huge in terms of a of a footprint for the
park.
It's basically a fifth gate and what they're doing.
But it just wouldn't make sense to make it be something else that had to be separately
(12:42):
ticketed and with as expensive as they as things have gotten.
Can you imagine kind of the backlash that they would have to deal with was saying, oh,
and here's a fifth ticket now you have to buy to come and experience us here.
Universal only has to deal with that on three fronts, really.
And Universal does their ticketing system in a way already where most of the time you
(13:05):
can get at least the two main parks at a pretty good price.
It's not like you're buying two full separate tickets there altogether and they're already
closed.
They're accessible.
I just think that would be hard.
Now Disney's going they're doing their money grab in other ways.
You know, they get their money there.
(13:27):
Well, you know, the the Lightning Lane Premier Pass is I mean, some of the prices I've seen
on that given a forgiven days, it is absolutely astonishing to me.
Like almost incomprehensible, astonishing.
Yeah, I wonder if we'll ever get to a point in our life where we're just like, yeah, let's
(13:49):
just do the Premier Pass.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I think even I would feel guilty about that.
And I tend to be a little freewheeling when it comes to vacations when it comes to my
Disney time, right?
You know, I just it seems that seems like that would be a tough one to swallow.
But anyways, I'm looking forward to seeing what's going to happen.
I think there's a lot of good things that are going to happen.
(14:11):
There's some things that admittedly I am, you know, put aside my saltiness about Rivers
America and losing Tom Sawyer Island.
You know, I'm not I wouldn't call myself optimistic about rebranding Rock and Rollercoaster with
the Muppets.
Yeah, me personally, I think it's an awful move.
(14:32):
But you know what?
Let's see what happens.
Let's see where it goes.
I'm not super excited about losing them up at 3D experience for, you know, putting Monsters
Inc land over there.
I think there was a better part in the park to do that.
In fact, we've talked about it on this show.
I've talked about it on the other show, Escape to the Magic.
(14:52):
Like we've kind of run our magical scenarios of what would you do?
Where would you go?
We talked about something almost exactly like that.
So I think they missed the mark on some of those.
But having said that, there is one thing, absolutely one thing that the Imagineers are
amazing at that is pulling a rabbit out of their hat and and making me a believer out
(15:13):
of things that I wasn't going to be a believer in.
Not everything.
See the country bears Jamboree.
But you know, there's other stuff that's worked really, really well.
Oh, my goodness.
Well, you know, I think we publicly know so much that's going on, but there is things
that they don't really publicize.
(15:34):
Like I just saw an article about like these mysterious construction and things happening
at Canada and that when we well, when we I mean, when I was there with friends.
Yeah.
And we went by Epcot.
I was like, what is going on here?
Like you couldn't maneuver and there were lots of walls and certain things.
And so I just think that that they are doing stuff without telling us.
(15:54):
You know, I don't think that there is any reason they have to tell us what all their
different things they're doing.
So yeah, I think I could see a rabbit coming out of a hat.
We don't know.
Yeah, we'll see.
I mean, at the end of the day, the fact is whether I like it or you like it or any of
(16:15):
our listeners like it, they're doing it right.
So it's going to happen.
Yeah.
Don't fight against reality.
That's right.
And you know, one of my colleagues now, we were having a conversation today about some
folks at work and about Jim Zanges that are coming.
And you know, someone had been had their duties changed, right?
(16:36):
Different jobs description.
You know, they they had the same position, but the duties within that position have always
been flexible.
And so they were going to start doing something else.
And the person was saying, well, what are my options?
And and my friend said, well, your options are you can either go and do this and be happy
or you can do it and be sad or grumpy.
(16:56):
But this is what your new job is to do.
So that's what's going to happen.
And I think that's the same for us when we experience some of these changes at the parks,
right?
Remember how many people were, you know, crying foul about losing Splash Mountain and putting
it with Tiana's?
Yeah.
Right.
Well, it happened.
It's over.
(17:17):
So so now you get to love Tiana's right.
And you can still miss Splash Mountain.
I think that's I think there's nothing wrong with that.
I will absolutely miss Tom Sawyer Island.
But you haven't gone to it in a long time.
Tom has missed you.
Well, I can't remember last time I went to the park.
So I guess it's the same thing.
So you know, it's but I'm going to learn to probably enjoy whatever Radiator Springs attraction
(17:44):
is going to be there in the middle.
I think it's a little bit like this is a loose analogy.
But I think, you know, the Imagineers and those that are in charge at Disney are a little
bit like the parents of the family and the kids are just down here.
We only have a limited vision and view.
And we're like, why did you pick this?
And, you know, we just complain and don't have the full vision.
(18:06):
And there's just fingers crossed that there is a big vision and plan.
And we can put a little trust that things will work out.
And what I've learned is if it doesn't work out and if we don't like it, they will eventually
change it.
So you can hold on right that one, too.
Or you just don't do it right.
I mean, look, now I can go to the park and none of my plans are going to have going to
(18:31):
the country bears jamboree on it.
Yeah, I have to worry about that.
I'm going to get for the rest of my life unless they like brought it back the way it should
have been.
And so but, you know, for now, like in this instance, I have just no interest in doing
that.
Well, thank you.
You simplified my plan for the park for that day.
I'm going to go do something else instead.
And plenty of other things to do.
(18:53):
That's the thing.
There's so many things to do.
It's not like you could do everything in a day anyways.
Right.
And that's a little bit of my argument.
They should have made a fifth park rather than expanded a park where you really need
two days already.
And now you definitely are going to need two days.
Well, think about it this way.
They expanded, though, their most expensive park.
Well, and I appreciate that.
And it's the what I mean by most expensive, though, is their their highest ticket price,
(19:16):
their highest genie price.
You know, that that's the thing.
So you're going to do it.
Go to the place where all the people are going to go.
You're already getting the biggest gate there anyways.
And now it's easier to even charge more because you're getting so much more stuff.
So I mean, there's financial sense behind what you're doing.
Well, I don't like it.
Other things I'm looking forward to the next year is just our kids growing up more and
(19:40):
making more memories and and just waiting to see what happens and live in life.
So anyway, I've had a great year.
I'm excited for what's to come and and happy to have this podcast to just chat about things.
And I know we used to do it more regularly and now it's closer to monthly rather than
(20:01):
weekly.
But anyway, I love you.
Thanks for hanging out with me.
I love I was talking to you, not our listeners.
But I'm sure I love you, too.
You're great.
That's so nice.
It's a lot of fun.
(20:22):
It is a lot of fun to do this, even if I'm shooting from the hip with two two hands on
two different guns.
Yeah.
One of them is pointed backwards.
Well, happy, happy holidays.
We hope you enjoy the season and a happy new year to you.
We look forward to seeing you in 2025.
(20:42):
All right, y'all take care.
Hey everybody, welcome to whistle while you work podcast.
(00:14):
This is episode 87.
Happy holidays.
That's what you went with.
Well we could, we could have said happy Festivus.
Oh, do they, is it a happy Festivus or it's just we celebrate Festivus.
It's a Festivus for the rest of us.
Oh, okay.
Gosh.
That is, I don't know whose IP that is, but it's not Disney's.
(00:38):
It's Seinfeld, isn't it?
Fox own it?
I don't know.
NBC.
No, it's NBC.
Duh, it's NBC.
Duh, yeah, that's right.
Yeah, NBC.
Which is universal.
Well.
Yes.
Look at that.
Oh my goodness.
Well, we just wanted to really wish everybody a Merry Christmas.
(01:03):
We celebrate Christmas here in our home and a happy new year.
And just expressing gratitude for those that check out our podcast and, and get to hang
out with us.
We hope that you feel our warmth and love for you and for Disney.
And we're just, we're excited that we're here at the end of the year and kind of wishing
(01:26):
that we could celebrate Christmas.
I mean, I was at Disney World at Mickey's very Merry Christmas party right now.
How about you?
Yeah, I, I wish a lot of things.
He's got the dole drums right now.
I mean, I was reflecting beforehand how I'm feel pretty confident that everybody I know
has gone more recently than me.
(01:46):
Yeah.
There's some people that have never gone, but yes, you're even Jed has been more recently
than me.
Yeah.
Good guy.
That Jed you've gone in your heart and in your dreams to Disney World though, or Disneyland.
Yeah, I guess so.
Something like that.
(02:08):
But I look forward to going back.
Yeah.
I think we've had several good trips this year, but for you, it's been your memory.
Can't remember how, how long it seems like four years ago.
Is that what you said?
It's just too few.
Like I just can't, I can't remember.
I cannot remember.
Well, it was three in case you want someone to count for you.
(02:31):
That doesn't seem like enough.
In fact, I know it's not enough.
You know that song from greatest showman, you know, where she's like never, never, never
enough.
No, it's another Fox property.
I think I just butchered it.
But anyway, I don't know.
(02:52):
I don't know whose IP it is.
I just wish I was at Disney.
I look forward to going back.
There's a lot of cool things that have taken place since I was last there, such as the
opening of Tiana's by you adventure.
Oh yes.
You got to go on it.
I haven't been on it.
Oh, my friends have been on it, but I haven't been on it.
I love your friends.
I look forward to every person on this planet has been more recently than me and they've
(03:16):
all experienced it.
I'm the last one.
The last man standing also a Fox property.
Oh, my gosh.
So I just I look I look forward to going and checking it out.
I'm standing that was that was ABC.
Well, whatever.
You just felt like it.
You should say actually if ABC, that's Disney.
So that's OK.
I know.
(03:36):
Yeah.
Is it OK?
I don't know.
But a lot of cool things have happened.
There's been a lot of announcements.
There's a lot of things on the horizon.
There's there's some stuff coming up.
He's almost smiling, guys.
There's also some things that I I didn't approve of, like the desecration of the country bears
jamboree.
You didn't have a docusign where you signed off on on it or anything?
(03:57):
They didn't ask you.
I did not sign off on it.
Someone would have been fired in my shop for what they did to those bears and their musical
abilities and and subsequently how they how they ruined Disney's musical IP by trying
to change that.
So it did not work.
(04:18):
And I've met people.
I've talked to people.
They're like, oh, I thought it was great.
And I'm like, well, I think you're wrong.
You know, I just there's times when I'm like, I wish Randy had more of an opinion.
Like, I just wish he had a stronger opinion.
Like I just I don't think I could have more of an opinion.
My sarcasm.
Yeah.
(04:38):
OK, so we're we're we're saying goodbye to twenty twenty four.
So what what are you looking forward to in the coming year?
Yeah, no, I really do.
I look forward I look forward to going and experiencing Tiana.
Yes, I look forward to you know, there's some some things that just even very recently have
(04:58):
come back.
I just saw this.
You know, the ground lighting at Epcot is back.
You know, they used to have ground lighting.
It was really cool.
Yeah.
Now the ground lighting is finally back.
It's a little bit of an indication of the end of construction.
Epcot is ready to go.
And for the most part.
And so I think that's really cool.
(05:19):
I think that'll play really well into now the new light shows that take place on spaceship
Earth.
I look forward to seeing that.
I look forward to riding Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind once again, my favorite
roller coaster.
I look forward to it.
While we're on that topic of Epcot, I will say that that section, that center section
that was walled off for like five years or whatever, it they have like this entertainment
(05:46):
thing where it's like this merry-go-round that goes around and around and there's like
four what's it?
Acrobats.
Is that what the word is that they like?
I don't know.
I haven't seen them.
It's been so long.
I know.
I'm just saying that they've added live entertainment other than the jammiters.
I've only really only received the jammiters over in that area.
(06:07):
So anyway, there is more life to that section, which is nice because that's the exit.
Most people exit not at the International Gateway.
They exit at the front and it's just this kind of nice little warm hug as you leave
Epcot as opposed to this weird dark cold area.
(06:31):
Anyway, so the lighting is only going to add to it.
Yeah, the lighting.
You just hit the nail on the head there instead of dark.
And that's what it has been leaving Epcot now for the last few years.
It's just been really dark and it wasn't just because my soul felt dark by leaving.
It was because it was because it was actually physically dark.
Bringing that lighting back is going to be cool.
To tell you the truth, I forgot that that's what it was.
(06:55):
I just always thought it was great looking, you know, I'd said they did a nice ground.
Yeah, but I forgot.
I forgot that it was part of the lighting effects.
And I really do think, you know, it's not been on since they added the lighting to Spaceship
Earth, the LED lights.
So put it all together.
(07:16):
And I think we've teased this before, but you know, if you're out there by Spaceship
Earth in the evening times, especially getting closer to closing time, there's a little bit
of a incognito show taking place.
There's music that plays on the speakers and the LED lights are putting on a show coordinated
(07:37):
with that.
So I'm looking forward to that.
I think it's going to be cool.
I am, believe it or not, I do still remain a little bit salty about losing Rivers of
America, losing.
Oh, so now we're Magic Kingdom.
Yeah.
I've now I've now Park Hopped.
Okay.
You do it so quickly that I was like, okay.
(07:58):
I am still salty about the transformation of Frontierland.
I think I just feel like it could have been done another way.
But you know, I'm looking forward to see what's happening.
Big thing happening this year.
Big Thunder Mountain is going to be closed for a long time.
Why?
Because it's going to get some, I'm not going to say much needed upgrades, but it's going
to get some much needed upgrades.
(08:18):
And I'm excited.
I think it's more maintenance, like really overhaul maintenance.
It's going to get some upgrades.
It's going to get some upgrades.
Well, I saw that their cranes already showed up.
I think June, January 5th is the last day you can write it.
Yeah.
Look, I'll tell you this much.
They don't usually bring in cranes just for maintenance.
So there are going to be some upgrades.
There's going to be some things.
We're finally going to get that that dynamite show that they have out at Disneyland.
(08:41):
I think that's going to be a lot of fun.
But I don't think any of this has been guaranteed.
This is just your speculation.
It's just my speculation.
Okay.
You know, it's not an opinion.
It's a fact.
I know these are the things that come out of my mouth.
Oh, my goodness.
I told you I had no, no plan for what this episode would be.
Just I was just going to win it.
(09:02):
Is that what it's called?
Shooting from the hip?
Yeah.
And and my my aim is on target.
Our poor listeners are getting shot out.
I don't know what's coming out of what was that?
So I'm looking forward to those sorts of things.
And you know, another thing I think that's actually going to be pretty cool is.
(09:23):
The transformation that will take place is largely, I think, going to be out of the way.
So as opposed to that frontier.
Yeah, I'm talking about frontier land and then I'm talking about villains land, right?
It's going to be mostly out of the way because it's going to take place in parts that aren't
those major thoroughfares.
(09:45):
So I think that's going to be a great opportunity for Disney to really kind of not look.
The construction walls at Epcot, they had a tendency to a little bit kind of ruin the
experience, not just because you couldn't see around him and they were huge and ugly,
but because they really impeded your ability to get around the park like you're you have
(10:06):
to navigate way out of the way and it could mess up your flow.
This isn't going to do that.
And so I think it's a great opportunity.
So the other thing to look forward to is Epic Universe opening May of twenty twenty five.
So that's the third gate at Universal Studios Orlando.
Nintendo World, more Harry Potter, How to Train Your Dragon.
(10:30):
They got several hotels and things that are also opening up.
So I just think I think what's what's the expression?
Rising tide raises all ships.
I think Disney, I think they've been.
Doggy paddling a while.
I think that they're going to have to.
I think they're going to have to really step it up.
(10:50):
Yes, they do have four gates and now Orlando's I mean, universe is now going to have three.
So maybe in their mind, they don't think it's quite evened out.
But I'm hoping that this, you know, again, raises all boats, raises all ships.
And I don't know, do you think that they're a fifth gate is I mean, it's got to happen
(11:11):
one day.
I don't know if it's any time within the next five years.
I don't think I don't think it's any time in the next decade.
I would be really surprised.
And the reason why is the expansions that they announced this year, I think took all
their money was I mean, they're they're dumping billions into making this happen.
And you just don't have capacity to build a whole other park to make that work.
(11:34):
I would say the other thing, too, is what would another park even be?
You know, when you when you think about what they've built here, Magic Kingdom contains
lots of different elements with different lands.
That makes sense.
Animal Kingdom focuses on animals and the environment.
That makes a lot of sense.
Hollywood Studios focuses on great movie IP in the movie going experience.
(11:57):
That makes a lot of sense.
You know, Epcot is a world showcase that brings in all sorts of different things.
But I still think they're so creative and imaginative.
There's something I just don't know that I don't know that you're going to make something
that someone wouldn't come back and say, shouldn't that be an Epcot or shouldn't that be a Magic
Kingdom?
(12:18):
And that's what Villains Land was right.
If you're going to make another gate, you'd probably make one that was focused on that.
And this expansion, as they've described it as the largest that they've ever done, it's
going to I mean, it's going to be absolutely huge in terms of a of a footprint for the
park.
It's basically a fifth gate and what they're doing.
But it just wouldn't make sense to make it be something else that had to be separately
(12:42):
ticketed and with as expensive as they as things have gotten.
Can you imagine kind of the backlash that they would have to deal with was saying, oh,
and here's a fifth ticket now you have to buy to come and experience us here.
Universal only has to deal with that on three fronts, really.
And Universal does their ticketing system in a way already where most of the time you
(13:05):
can get at least the two main parks at a pretty good price.
It's not like you're buying two full separate tickets there altogether and they're already
closed.
They're accessible.
I just think that would be hard.
Now Disney's going they're doing their money grab in other ways.
You know, they get their money there.
(13:27):
Well, you know, the the Lightning Lane Premier Pass is I mean, some of the prices I've seen
on that given a forgiven days, it is absolutely astonishing to me.
Like almost incomprehensible, astonishing.
Yeah, I wonder if we'll ever get to a point in our life where we're just like, yeah, let's
(13:49):
just do the Premier Pass.
I don't know.
I don't know.
I think even I would feel guilty about that.
And I tend to be a little freewheeling when it comes to vacations when it comes to my
Disney time, right?
You know, I just it seems that seems like that would be a tough one to swallow.
But anyways, I'm looking forward to seeing what's going to happen.
I think there's a lot of good things that are going to happen.
(14:11):
There's some things that admittedly I am, you know, put aside my saltiness about Rivers
America and losing Tom Sawyer Island.
You know, I'm not I wouldn't call myself optimistic about rebranding Rock and Rollercoaster with
the Muppets.
Yeah, me personally, I think it's an awful move.
(14:32):
But you know what?
Let's see what happens.
Let's see where it goes.
I'm not super excited about losing them up at 3D experience for, you know, putting Monsters
Inc land over there.
I think there was a better part in the park to do that.
In fact, we've talked about it on this show.
I've talked about it on the other show, Escape to the Magic.
(14:52):
Like we've kind of run our magical scenarios of what would you do?
Where would you go?
We talked about something almost exactly like that.
So I think they missed the mark on some of those.
But having said that, there is one thing, absolutely one thing that the Imagineers are
amazing at that is pulling a rabbit out of their hat and and making me a believer out
(15:13):
of things that I wasn't going to be a believer in.
Not everything.
See the country bears Jamboree.
But you know, there's other stuff that's worked really, really well.
Oh, my goodness.
Well, you know, I think we publicly know so much that's going on, but there is things
that they don't really publicize.
(15:34):
Like I just saw an article about like these mysterious construction and things happening
at Canada and that when we well, when we I mean, when I was there with friends.
Yeah.
And we went by Epcot.
I was like, what is going on here?
Like you couldn't maneuver and there were lots of walls and certain things.
And so I just think that that they are doing stuff without telling us.
(15:54):
You know, I don't think that there is any reason they have to tell us what all their
different things they're doing.
So yeah, I think I could see a rabbit coming out of a hat.
We don't know.
Yeah, we'll see.
I mean, at the end of the day, the fact is whether I like it or you like it or any of
(16:15):
our listeners like it, they're doing it right.
So it's going to happen.
Yeah.
Don't fight against reality.
That's right.
And you know, one of my colleagues now, we were having a conversation today about some
folks at work and about Jim Zanges that are coming.
And you know, someone had been had their duties changed, right?
(16:36):
Different jobs description.
You know, they they had the same position, but the duties within that position have always
been flexible.
And so they were going to start doing something else.
And the person was saying, well, what are my options?
And and my friend said, well, your options are you can either go and do this and be happy
or you can do it and be sad or grumpy.
(16:56):
But this is what your new job is to do.
So that's what's going to happen.
And I think that's the same for us when we experience some of these changes at the parks,
right?
Remember how many people were, you know, crying foul about losing Splash Mountain and putting
it with Tiana's?
Yeah.
Right.
Well, it happened.
It's over.
(17:17):
So so now you get to love Tiana's right.
And you can still miss Splash Mountain.
I think that's I think there's nothing wrong with that.
I will absolutely miss Tom Sawyer Island.
But you haven't gone to it in a long time.
Tom has missed you.
Well, I can't remember last time I went to the park.
So I guess it's the same thing.
So you know, it's but I'm going to learn to probably enjoy whatever Radiator Springs attraction
(17:44):
is going to be there in the middle.
I think it's a little bit like this is a loose analogy.
But I think, you know, the Imagineers and those that are in charge at Disney are a little
bit like the parents of the family and the kids are just down here.
We only have a limited vision and view.
And we're like, why did you pick this?
And, you know, we just complain and don't have the full vision.
(18:06):
And there's just fingers crossed that there is a big vision and plan.
And we can put a little trust that things will work out.
And what I've learned is if it doesn't work out and if we don't like it, they will eventually
change it.
So you can hold on right that one, too.
Or you just don't do it right.
I mean, look, now I can go to the park and none of my plans are going to have going to
(18:31):
the country bears jamboree on it.
Yeah, I have to worry about that.
I'm going to get for the rest of my life unless they like brought it back the way it should
have been.
And so but, you know, for now, like in this instance, I have just no interest in doing
that.
Well, thank you.
You simplified my plan for the park for that day.
I'm going to go do something else instead.
And plenty of other things to do.
(18:53):
That's the thing.
There's so many things to do.
It's not like you could do everything in a day anyways.
Right.
And that's a little bit of my argument.
They should have made a fifth park rather than expanded a park where you really need
two days already.
And now you definitely are going to need two days.
Well, think about it this way.
They expanded, though, their most expensive park.
Well, and I appreciate that.
And it's the what I mean by most expensive, though, is their their highest ticket price,
(19:16):
their highest genie price.
You know, that that's the thing.
So you're going to do it.
Go to the place where all the people are going to go.
You're already getting the biggest gate there anyways.
And now it's easier to even charge more because you're getting so much more stuff.
So I mean, there's financial sense behind what you're doing.
Well, I don't like it.
Other things I'm looking forward to the next year is just our kids growing up more and
(19:40):
making more memories and and just waiting to see what happens and live in life.
So anyway, I've had a great year.
I'm excited for what's to come and and happy to have this podcast to just chat about things.
And I know we used to do it more regularly and now it's closer to monthly rather than
(20:01):
weekly.
But anyway, I love you.
Thanks for hanging out with me.
I love I was talking to you, not our listeners.
But I'm sure I love you, too.
You're great.
That's so nice.
It's a lot of fun.
(20:22):
It is a lot of fun to do this, even if I'm shooting from the hip with two two hands on
two different guns.
Yeah.
One of them is pointed backwards.
Well, happy, happy holidays.
We hope you enjoy the season and a happy new year to you.
We look forward to seeing you in 2025.
(20:42):
All right, y'all take care.
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