Fri, 27 January 2012
There were some crazy stories in the press this week... and a lot of them had to do with theme parks. For instance... Disney decided to drop a decades old rule that Walt Disney himself instated. Starting next month, workers will be allowed to sport beards and goatees. Hipsters rejoice! Thorpe Park in England said that their new coaster "The Swarm" was apparently having some trouble making its height clearances during testing. Apparantly, some of the test mannequins came back without their limbs. I like this story for a lot of reasons, but mostly because it gave the the opportunity to post a still from one of my favorite 80's movies ever - mannequin. Emmy was one hot Egyptian, man. The guys also take an opportunity to preview upcoming shows and contests! You won't believe what is in store for February! |
Fri, 20 January 2012
Imagine if you had a chance to sit down and talk with Walt Disney when he started to brainstorm about an idea called "Mickey Mouse Park." What if you could go back to 1959 and have lunch with Angus Wynne Jr. to hear his ideas about a park that would eventually become "Six Flags Over Texas." Building a theme park from scratch is no easy accomplishment. It takes hard work, a solid business plan and most importantly... a vision. On this week's show, we welcome a man with a unique vision of his own. He wants to see a theme park built in his home town of Nashville, Tennessee. This week, David Webb joins us to talk about his plans for "Ole South USA". It would be a theme park celebrating everything that is vibrant and special about the southern region of the United States. David gives us a "virtual tour" of the different themed lands, including descriptions of some of their innovative rides and attractions. He also talks about the steps being taken to make this dream a reality. Most importantly, he fills us in on the Pioneer Club, which gives 3,500 people a chance to take part in the birth of this theme park. We also have an update on the Valentine's Day Charity Song Auction and we announce the first CoasterRadio.com Listener Meet-up of 2012. California, HERE WE COME! |
Fri, 13 January 2012
Among theme park fans, one of the most talked about locations over the past several years has been Universal Orlando. Year after year, they blow people away with their incredibly detailed and truly scary (and fun) "Halloween Horror Nights." They really turned people's heads when they unleashed the incredibly awesome "Spiderman" attraction on the world. Some people claim that ride hasn't been topped yet. Then, they shocked the world when they announced plans to build "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter." What was even more amazing is that the new land and it's attractions actually lived up to the anticipation and the hype. Most recently, they closed "Jaws", one of their original opening day rides and perhaps their most iconic attraction. That lead to speculation and some controversial reporting on what might possibly replace the gigantic Amity area. To make sense of all of this, we welcome Seth Kubersky back to the show. He is the author of "Universal Studios 2012: The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate Theme Park." We'll talk about the recent closure of "Jaws" and what the attraction has meant to the park's history. We'll also talk about what it was like to be at the attraction on it's closing night. We'll also discuss its rumored replacement. Seth will give us a breakdown about the possibility of a new Harry Potter themed area in Universal Studios Florida and a new thrill attraction that would be unlike anything we have ever seen at a park before. Fascinating stuff! Plus, EB and Mike announce a fun new project for all you romantics out there. The Valentine's Day Charity Song Auction gives listeners an opportunity to bid on an original love song that will be written especially for that special someone in your life. And, the best part is that all of the money raised will go to the winner's favorite charity. Check out our link on the CoasterRadio.com Blog for more info on how to bid!
Check out our link on the CoasterRadio.com Blog for more info on how to bid! |
Fri, 6 January 2012
The crowd in Times Square has gathered... The giant crystal ball is hovering above the masses, ready to drop... The New Year is just minutes away! And, there is only one host who has the charisma, sparkling personality and giant red claws to bring it all to you... Bob The Lobster. This week, the Original Theme Park Podcast rings in the new year with a "live" broadcast from Times Square in New York City, where our own "Bob The Lobster" is standing by to count us down Dick Clark style! We also will review all of the new attractions that made their debuts in 2011 at theme parks across America. Which ones worked? Which ones didn't? Which ones made an impact and which ones were bombs? After the clock strikes midnight, Mike and EB will give away the "CoasterRadio.com Award for Best New Attraction of 2011!" Plus, we'll go live to Universal Studios Hollywood to meet our exclusive correspondent who will give us the inside scoop on what's happening with their version of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Happy New Year from Bob The Lobster and everyone here at CoasterRadio.com! |
Fri, 30 December 2011
EB and Mike are taking a week off for the holidays. But, they have produced this video podcast showing you the complete circuit of Mike's 2011 Christmas Tree Monorail! Mike set up the Walt Disney World Monorail toy under his Christmas Tree. Two trains (Yellow and Black) move through a track switch and visit EPCOT's Spaceship Earth along with Disney's Contemporary Resort and Disney's Polynesian Resort.
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Fri, 23 December 2011
Here at Coaster Radio, we're big fans of the Variety Specials they used to have on TV awhile back. We're so thankful that you listen to the show week after week and have made us a part of your lives. We wish you and your families a Happy New Year! |
Fri, 16 December 2011
Jim Hill Media published an interesting article this week about possible plans at Walt Disney World to introduce a fee-based version of the FastPass System. Nothing has been announced by the Walt Disney Company as of yet, but the article says that Disney is considering offering a way to reserve ride times and show/parade viewing spots if you stay at a Disney Resort and purchase something called "The X Pass." This week, the guys discuss this new possiblity and what it would mean for the theme park experience... at Walt Disney World and beyond. The guys also take a look at the winners of the 2011 Themed Entertainment Awards - The THEA Awards! The annual awards reward excellence for the creation of compelling educational, historical and entertainment projects. You'll be amazed at some of the new technologies that were honored this year! AND, you'll be excited to learn about an old friend of the show who won the Lifetime Achievement Award! Plus, we'll have news about our GIGANTIC holiday spectaculars that are coming up in the next two weeks! |
Fri, 9 December 2011
With the holidays right around the corner, you might be scrambling to find the perfect gift. But if you're looking for something for a theme park fan, the local mall might not have exactly what you need. Never fear! Here at Coaster Radio, we're bring back our annual tradition - The Holiday Gift Guide! The 2011 version has a ton of great ideas, sure to impress the theme park fan in your life. Hey, you might even want to check out some of these items for yourself. Plus, EB and Mike get into a great debate/rant about the latest announcements from Universal Studios. This week, we found out that Hogwarts (and the incredible Forbodden Journey attraction) are coming to Universal Studios Hollywood. In addition, there were confirmed plans to expand the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. However, another recent annoucement had to do with the closure of the classic "JAWS" attraction at Universal Studios Florida. The latest hot rumor is that Amity Island will make way for Harry Potter's London and Phase Two of the Potterverse. Mike and EB will disect the rumors and give you their opinion on the current state of things. Hey! As you listen to the show, here is a list of all of the gift items that the guys discuss! Coaster Dynamix Kits Online stores - Holiday World, Busch Gardens, Cedar Point, WWOHP |
Fri, 2 December 2011
The guys had planned on producing a regular show this week, but Mike came down with a pretty bad case of the flu. So, after some thought, they decided to enlist the help of Clint Novak from The Coaster Crew and dig out an episode of the show that has never been heard on our podcast feed before! Let me explain.... Back in 2007, after Coaster Radio 1.0 had gone off the air, Mike, Flava and Mario formed a team to compete in the first ever "Single Riders Marathon" at Kennywood Park. Now, the marathon had nothing to do with being single. Instead, it meant that each marathon rider would fill an empty seat on a coaster and complete as many laps as possible during the day. People would then pledge a certain amount of money for every coaster lap counted. As part of this event, Flava , Mario and Mike produced an episode of "The Coaster Crew's Guide to the Midway" on-location at the park. We thought this show was lost forever, but Will Holder was able to dig it up out of the archives this week! So, since Mike is sick, we decided to play this show for the first time ever on OUR podcast. For all of you who have missed Flava and Mario... this one's for you. For all of you who have missed Flava and Mario... this one's for you. |
Fri, 25 November 2011
Happy Thanksgiving! On this week's show, EB and Mike let the listeners vent on what they are most (and least) thankful for at the theme parks this year. It's a chance to give thanks and complain at the same time! We also have the first ever Holiday Kid Call! Our own version of Santa Claus makes a call to the children of one of our listeners. Does this turn out to be a good idea for the show? Or does it go into the category of failed ideas like "Being David Arquette?" |

