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Dynamic Park Storytelling with Ryan Eldredge, Regional PR Manager for Six Flags
21 Playsin 21 hours
"The nature of PR? Fast turns, high stakes, constant motion. What matters is keeping the story on track and the outcome on point.” In this episode, we dive into creativity in public relations with Ryan Eldredge, Regional PR Manager for Six Flags Great Adventure, Dorney Park, and more. We talk about the strategy of bringing in content creators, teaser campaigns for new rides and areas, the development of a ride theme, his history with parks and content creation, and of course....lots of discussion on Project Purple coming to Great Adventure!
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:00:00
Speaker
You are listening to the Inverted Creative Podcast. I'm Allison. I'm Brian. And I'm Jen.
00:00:17
Speaker
Hello, everybody. Welcome back to the Inverted Creative Podcast. Today, we have an extremely special guest for you.
Role and Responsibilities of PR Manager
00:00:24
Speaker
We are welcoming Ryan, the Six Flags Regional um Public Relations Manager.
00:00:32
Speaker
Thanks for having me on. Appreciate it. You got it right. Intro's good. Yeah. i Once I started to say it, I was like, these are a lot of words. and It's a lot. Yeah. Public Relations Manager, East Region. i have Great Adventure, Wild Safari, and Dorney Park, and Wildwater Kingdom.
00:00:49
Speaker
Which also, that also includes Hurricane Harbor, New Jersey, and the Savannah Sunset Resort. So there's like six unique little properties, but two parks.
Focus on Talon's 25th Birthday Celebration
00:01:00
Speaker
So two parks, one price. It's dourney ride.
00:01:05
Speaker
Heck yeah. We're really excited to get into this episode. As everyone knows, I'm pretty sure if you don't know, then I don't really know what rock you've been living under. um But there are some really exciting things coming specifically to Sixth Flag's Great Adventure, um but also it's Talon's 25th birthday. So.
00:01:23
Speaker
Yeah, right. We're here actually to talk about Talon's. That's the priority to talk about today. We're here for Talon's birthday 100%. 25 years to the king. love it Exactly. So um yeah, lots to get into an hour long of Talon birthday talk. That's all we're going to talk about the entire time.
Philosophy and Background in PR
00:01:42
Speaker
Yeah, and maybe like a minute of Project Purple. that's for that's That is fine.
00:01:50
Speaker
So I do want to start off. I kind of stalked your ah LinkedIn and found your about line on there. yeah The nature of PR is fast turns, high stakes and constant motion. What matters is keeping the story on track and the outcome on point.
00:02:04
Speaker
Yep. That feels so fitting for our podcast. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it is especially i don't know if it applies to all PR jobs, right? Like I've been around the block, but this specifically for the theme park community in the industry, um it is fast paced. It's ever evolving.
00:02:22
Speaker
Things change and you're just trying to.
Career Path from Sports Journalism to Theme Parks
00:02:26
Speaker
Hold on to the lap bar and stay on the track. And so I think there is something to be said for making sure that you control the narrative.
00:02:35
Speaker
And that's what we're certainly trying to do with Great Adventure and something I think i think we've done pretty well at Dorney over the last couple of years. um I think for both these parks, 2025 is kind of an anomaly.
00:02:47
Speaker
um But as we get back into 2026, it's been really good to kind of get into this dynamic storytelling mode where we're kind of getting into the nitty gritty of things. You know, if you're a roller coaster enthusiast, you know, um you know, you love who manufacturers are and you love when things are coming together and tracks getting delivered and where are things coming from and.
00:03:05
Speaker
All those different things that we can kind of lean into that this year um and capitalize on the momentum. So it's exciting. Yeah, I think that's a lot of what the job is and, you know, trying to keep a positive attitude about the parks, regardless of what's happening in the world, um which, you know, for some people can be difficult. But for me, it's easy because I i love these parks so much. I grew up going to both of them.
00:03:25
Speaker
And um I think that the future is bright, certainly for great adventure, but also, as we've seen in the last couple of years here, Dorney Park.
Initial Experiences and Cultural Resonance in Theme Parks
00:03:34
Speaker
So what's kind of been your experience like or your history of working at parks, being at theme parks and kind of how you got to where you are now?
00:03:42
Speaker
Well, it's a it's a weird story. I honestly, you know, when when you're younger, everybody's like, what do you want to be when you're growing up? I mean, for years for me, it was just like i want to play. want to play sport. want to play soccer or i want to be a baseball player. Then, you know, and you get to college and you realize like that's not going to be your outcome to be a professional athlete and to retire and all that.
00:04:03
Speaker
and so in college um got banged up kind of found myself not really that interested in sports after a couple injuries and um was just like hey what like what can i do and i started filming the soccer team and doing interviews as part of a program at temple university and i was like man you know what i really like telling stories and i really love photography and i really love cinematography and videography and i love to edit And what is something that I can do that that utilizes all these things? Well, the time um i had a professor, you know, everybody's like, I'm a communications major. So it's like at the beginning, year're everybody's in communications. And I had a professor who did journalism and she was like, hey, you should really, you you should do this, you should do this. And I had always thought about doing it.
00:04:47
Speaker
So went to journalism. I did that for 10 years as a reporter and a producer and anchored and directed and used the camera videographer. I did all those jobs, um but I never really found fulfillment in that line of work. I mean, you always feel important, I think, in journalism, but I personally just never really found it as like this, like is something that I really am passionate, like I really, really, really love.
00:05:10
Speaker
I'm passionate about everything. I'm just a passionate person. So shouldn't say I'm not passionate, but i just didn't love it. And so I started trying to figure out like what, a you know, you hit that point and think everybody is going to hit that point some point in their life, whether they call it a midlife crisis or whatever. For me, it was at 30 years old.
00:05:23
Speaker
It's just like, what am I going to like? I, this didn't work out how I thought it was going to go and I don't love it anymore. So what am going to do? And ah so for me, I just started looking around. I took a job in government doing PR and man, it was so boring. Yeah.
00:05:37
Speaker
I said, I got to find something more exciting. I just started looking around and Dorney had a job open for, you know, public relations and communications. And the title was different back then. And i'm like, oh. And I remember i interviewed with ah Mike Fainal, who is now the park manager at Great Adventure, Small World Stuff.
00:05:54
Speaker
And their big thing was like, hey, we need like someone who can connect together. us with our community and someone who can tell stories and someone whos who can take photos and just make sure that Dorney is like out and then like that we look good and we're telling, I'm thinking this job sounds awesome.
00:06:10
Speaker
And I grew up going to theme parks and I love theme parks and I've, every time I've gone on vacation, I've always tried to work, like it's worked around a theme park. and I honestly like I didn't know that like roller coaster enthusiasts were a thing and I didn't know that like people built their whole personalities around theme parks because I never grew up quite close enough to a park to be there all the time or to work there.
00:06:33
Speaker
So it's just not something I thought about. But um in that interview, but like a light bulb came on, I'm like, dude, this sounds really, so this sounds awesome. Like this sounds like my personality. And, um you know, a couple weeks later, they call me back, offer me the job.
Community Connection in Theme Parks
00:06:47
Speaker
I went out for a site visit. So I'm like hey, can I come out? Like i haven't been to Dorney since high school. You know, it's just probably a lot of people as they get older, like man, haven't been to that park since, so you know, a field trip in high school.
00:06:56
Speaker
And I went out and I just all those feelings. I tell people the time, like when you go to your home park, there's a reason we call it home park, because it's like when you go there, especially a park like Dorney and you see that things haven't like there's things that haven't changed. And it's like going to i always say it's like going to grandma's house.
00:07:12
Speaker
there's There's no better feeling. There's like this sense of like, man, I belong here. um And I feel like that's why the like the theme park community is so inclusive and why so many of us can connect to it so um you know lovingly and on a deep level. And so just when I went to the visit, I'm like, I'm taking this job.
00:07:31
Speaker
And I took that job and I haven't looked back. It's been, I'm on my fifth season now. ah with the company, which obviously has merged and changed. um But I guess the one thing that hasn't changed is just how excited I get for the parks and clearly very excited about Dorney. Love Dorney. And now I have the privilege of doing the same thing for Great Adventure. And um oh I used to go all the time because I'm a huge Batman fan.
00:07:55
Speaker
So Great Adventure had a very different... feel for me as a kid and tapping it and like this project that we're working on right now ah with Project Purple, the big purple coaster, I think is like the perfect encapsulation about how I always thought about Great Adventure, which is just like, oh man, it's always something dynamic, fun, exciting. It's different. It just feels big um And that's, I think, it's almost like the other side of you. You know, it's like you got that consistent home.
00:08:23
Speaker
it's It's safe. It's comfortable. Everything is like Dorney is just so beautiful and scenic. And in Great Adventure is like, boom. like exciting energy, enthusiasm around every corner. There's something different and exciting. And so um I don't know. It's just I guess that's the background is like I never knew that this was a job.
00:08:43
Speaker
Tell people that all the time. If I had earlier, I probably would have gotten into it earlier. um But now that I'm in it, it's like there's just no looking back. I mean, I love it. Super passionate about it. And You know, i I tell people all the time that if you're looking for something dynamic, doesn't have to be theme parks, but like the entertainment industry is just always so exciting and different and fascinating and it changes. And
Storytelling Strategies Across Parks
00:09:06
Speaker
for a personality like mine, it's the perfect fit. Yeah. Every time I hear you talk, I can tell how passionate you are about your role and the parks that you're working with.
00:09:16
Speaker
Yeah, passion is a strength of mine, but it can also get in the way sometimes. But I always tell people, what it's weird but to say like this, but I'm not a i'm not a i'm not like a big company guy. i'm I am a park guy. like I will bite tooth and nail for my two parks.
00:09:33
Speaker
um And if they give me another one for a little bit, it's it's also like my baby, you know, whether it was knots for a couple weeks or stepping in and helping out at Worlds of Fun or New England or wherever, like I will embrace the culture and fight for the park.
00:09:47
Speaker
um But it's easy once you get in there and you meet people because it's it's not just rides and steel, it's it's people and it's communities. And I think that's what's so special about it. Yeah, that's a good way to look at it.
00:10:01
Speaker
It's the only way for me to look at it. I'm clearly a people person, so.
00:10:07
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. um I know you mentioned how the parks are so different. can Still going to get into your background a little bit, but just while it's top of mind, yeah um do you approach the way that you make posts, the way that you tell your stories based off of those differences? Because the parks really are like personality wise, completely different. Mm hmm.
00:10:31
Speaker
Yeah, I think it I mean, when you when it so I think me when I go into a presentation, start i mean, honestly, it starts with me, right? Like, what am what am I comfortable with?
00:10:41
Speaker
And what can work within my personality? Because I'm not going to be fake. I'm not a robot. People know that. I mean, like, I've done interviews before where people are like, why do you say dynamics so many times? It's like, dude, because I'm just a normal person. You know, sometimes you get stuck on one word and you really like it. Okay. So this, you know, this will be a dynamic interview. But yeah, I think when I think about each park, you do handle them a little bit differently.
00:11:03
Speaker
One thing that i I noticed with New Jersey is that there is a very
Involving Diverse Content Creators
00:11:07
Speaker
passionate um very connected group of influencers and content creators who exist in the theme park community. Whereas at Dorney in the Lehigh Valley, we tend to have more family influencers and content creators that are of a smaller scale.
00:11:27
Speaker
um But man, like when you think about Great Adventure, and it's great. Like literally it's in the name. Well, how how can you make it greater? And it's like, think of all these dynamic, large content creators that are right in our own backyard. So I think one thing people will notice is like, man, he's pulling in a lot of content creators and there's like this deliberate, you know, Ryan has this deliberate way of like, why is he pulling them all in so much? And they're so involved. And it's like, because it's great adventure.
00:11:55
Speaker
Like the story should overwhelm you. Like when we do something, I want you to get into your social media and you're like, my God, I can't get it out of my algorithm. And I think like that that's got to be Great Adventures niche where I think Dorney is just like so subtle and welcoming. And there is kind of like this chill, relaxed demeanor of it.
00:12:15
Speaker
But you got remember, too, that it is eastern Pennsylvania. So when I used to manage the social medias for Dorney, like I do still think there's like a, hey, we we'll still bop you around from time to time. Like we...
00:12:27
Speaker
but's Let's not get it twisted. Like we are still we so we are still in the tri state. But I think I think Great Adventure can be just a little more aggressive in how we tell stories and how we get out in front of things and what we're doing.
00:12:39
Speaker
um And I think that that leans right into like my passion. Like that's that's where I can really utilize that. Um, where Dorney, maybe we tap a little more into the nurture, but I don't I mean, I don't think, I don't want to make it sound like they're completely different cause they're not cause they're both in the Northeast.
00:12:56
Speaker
Um, but maybe Dorney is a little more neighborly, right? Maybe Dorney is a little more simple and natural and great adventures, maybe not quite those things. Um, but I love that we're, you know, it's like we are on the lake and there are, there is a lot of beautiful landscaping. So there's, there's still plenty of synergy and things that I can take from one to the other.
00:13:17
Speaker
But I think if you go to one and you then you go to the other, you're like, man, this is like two different
Trust and Collaboration in Storytelling
00:13:21
Speaker
experiences. But I think that's great, because that just that speaks to the value of of the gold pass right now and that regional perk of being able to go to Dorney or Great Adventure and you know the spring sale for Great Adventure. It's like 70 bucks.
00:13:35
Speaker
You have free parking and you can go to Dorney whenever you want to. And that's crazy. So it's all working out. Yeah, that definitely makes sense.
00:13:47
Speaker
So i know you talked about bringing in ah content creators from the area. and That was one of the things on my list. Have they kind of taken the story in different ways that you might not, didn't really expect them to originally?
00:13:59
Speaker
So honestly, this but that's part of why I bring in different voices. um So one of the things I was saying about my background is i I'm really big on photography and videography. And I don't say that to say like I'm the best. I am...
00:14:13
Speaker
Boy, maybe just above novice. But I think with really good creators or creatives, the way to get better and to improve who you are, which, you know, in my in my case is the park, is to surround yourselves with people who are different.
00:14:31
Speaker
in those aspects. So I love bringing in photographers who have a different eye, who use different lenses, who use different cameras, who see that who see the world differently through the lens of their camera. Because when they take a picture, it's not gonna look like anything I took. And I might learn something from it.
00:14:48
Speaker
And to our audience, it suggests, man like i've never seen great adventure this way in the same sense whether it's cinematography videography whether it's storytelling and content creators you know ryan chin is going to see it different than jen sees it who's going to see it different than uh colin petronani sees it who's going to see it different than katie kreiner or you know Rob Alvey or Taylor Byrne. mean, there's 80 million different creators that exist. Now, the theme park community doesn't have 80 million, but overall, I mean, there are so many different people and they all see things very differently. And I think when you can bring more people in, it's just going to make your story that much more dynamic and it will challenge us and how we tell stories as well. But yeah, I mean, they see stuff differently all the time.
00:15:33
Speaker
I mean, they'll come up to me and be like, did you did you think about this or did you notice this? And sometimes you're like, yeah, dude. OK. And then other times you're like, dude, actually, that's like a really valid thought. And I'm surprised that we hadn't thought of that yet. Or, hey, I really i really like what you're doing there. What if.
00:15:50
Speaker
What if, you know, what if we did this, we collaborated with you what if you? What if you added this to it? And we can push each other. And that's what happens when you kind of like surround yourself in that space.
00:16:01
Speaker
um I think the challenge early on with a project like this is you got be careful who you trust. So, you know, I'm big on that too. But as far as pulling in creators, it's like we're there's going to be times where I'm probably going to tell you stuff before it's it can go public.
00:16:17
Speaker
So there's got to be a trust of like, you're not going to breach my trust. um And so that's sometimes that's why the the circle starts small and it grows. um And over time, hopefully our circle continues to get larger as we try to figure out different and dynamic ways to
Creative Freedom and Departmental Collaboration
00:16:33
Speaker
tell the story. But man, nothing's better than media day when you look around and you've got different kinds of people, different faces, different perspectives, you unique content create creation and capturing abilities. That's what I love.
00:16:48
Speaker
So I think it's just creative in me.
00:16:51
Speaker
Yeah, everyone tells the story a little differently, so... It is... Like, getting everyone in the same room is probably amazing to watch as someone, beat not behind all of it, but, like, kind of behind all of it. Yeah, and the more I bring people in, the more I find, like, I'm...
00:17:09
Speaker
not as able to use the camera as I used to be because like when you're the site lead, it's like borderline irresponsible to be like geeking out with the camera and not paying attention what anybody else is doing. But um I think there's something, it's kind of like, ah you know, I am a dad. So it's kind of like the father in you to like sit back and be like, let look at my kids.
00:17:29
Speaker
you know, we're gonna creating content and they're having the time of their life. and And I can enjoy that too. So it's been a little different because when I did Dorney, it was more like I was in it, filming it, capturing it on the ground, in every like in space. And now it's more like I'm bringing in people to do those things for me and I can get a higher volume and more unique voices involved. But I have to take a step back and say, okay, well, I'm not the one with the camera anymore.
00:17:53
Speaker
So it's been kind of an evolution of of of myself and our storytelling too. Ryan's just a proud papa of all of his little content creators. I am. Some days I am. another And then other days, too, you're like, what are you doing?
00:18:08
Speaker
yeah You know, and they're like, all of a sudden, they're going to bolt and go into a go somewhere where they're not supposed to be. I'm like, what are you doing? No! He's not my kid. He's not mine. He's not mine. He's not with me. He was two minutes ago. He's not anymore.
00:18:23
Speaker
yeah i I put him up for adoption that quick. Yeah. Hey, you over there. but No, it's good though. um You know, at at the heart of it too, I always try to look at it like, you know, most people you run into more often than not are good people.
00:18:45
Speaker
And if you can keep that perspective, then, you know, ultimately you'll you'll develop deep connections with people and that allows you to work easier with them. So.
00:18:57
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. actually think it's easier to be guarded than it is to be open. It's my pro tip of the day. its easier to shut yourself off and not work with others and do it all yourself than it is to, because you can get hurt if you open yourself up, right? Same thing with parks. It's like we open ourselves up. We bring in all these content creators. Yeah, things could not turn out and someone could do something that, you know, doesn't do good by the group.
Managing Creative Chaos in PR
00:19:23
Speaker
But if we didn't, then it would just be us. So, yeah. And it also opening yourself up can turn into a really beautiful product project. Like the payoff is usually pretty worth it I've loved it so far. It's been really, really interesting and fun just to see the different content that comes out of every time we do something. We'll have another opportunity coming up here soon with a little spring creator day that we're doing. And I'm really just excited to see what people creating and expanding the opportunity that we gave to a very select few at the beginning um as we tried to figure out how this was all going to work and how it was going to look and make sure that we were talking to corporate partners and that they were like, hey, this does work. You're right.
00:20:04
Speaker
and kind of given us the flexibility to grow it. So it's been cool. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, it sounds like it's it'll be a fun um opportunity.
00:20:16
Speaker
Always.
00:20:19
Speaker
Now, this is probably a very vague question, but obviously we are a creative podcast. um So what are some of the ways that your role allows you to be creative? Bring in all your unique thoughts in.
00:20:31
Speaker
Yeah, we we kind of talked about that. yeah i always tell people, I think the one really unique thing is, is that, um you know, in my space right now, there' there's not a whole lot of individuals who have my skill set or have my experience at the park level.
00:20:46
Speaker
um but they all do see the park uniquely, right? Like whether you're a ride operator or whether you're in security or whether you're a park manager or whether you're in entertainment, they all see the park differently.
00:20:58
Speaker
um And it's really cool when they can come to me with all these unique ideas and we can flush out like, how does that work into like the overall marketing strategy for the, for the park? um And like, Hey, I think that that's great. It exists in social or like, Hmm.
00:21:12
Speaker
Maybe we should go back to the drawing board with that idea like, hey, we I actually do think this is a great opportunity to get like media involved, legacy media, right? Like this is a good opportunity to tell that story. Let's get some video, kick it out on a press release. So I think there's flexibility in that level of creativity, like how we tell the story, where we tell the story, what does it look like, who's involved?
00:21:32
Speaker
um The other area of creativity is like, yes, I do still get to get out with my camera from time to time. Shot a fun little thing with the Zephyr this week and but I just saw the the picture went on Dorney Park socials. So um being out being able to get out there with the camera again and then did some video like sticking, metaglasses are really cool, sticking them on like our ride operators or sticking them on a mechanic is something that like we used to have to do it with a GoPro and it was kind of a pain in the neck, but just being in like, yo, know take my glasses.
00:22:00
Speaker
and just let let them roll for three minutes and let's see what we get is really cool. So being able to have like that creative flexibility and then like I'm a writer at heart. um So one of the things we've rolled out over the last two months is this spot on our, hate calling it a blog, but it says blog. So if you go to sixflags.com, there's actually a blog.
00:22:20
Speaker
And we're able to write articles and then dynamically introduce like video and photos that we've taken and tell stories. And um whether it's been Great Adventure with Shoreline Pier at the Boardwalk or whether it's been Dorney Park with like Operational Excellence Awards, I've had the flexibility to tell those stories too in a way that is external. And then also like internally, like we have a hub for information for our associates and um we tell those stories and they get to see them internally in the work that they do or whether we get nominated for awards. So like you're always part of the fabric of things and you get a lot of creative flexibility in storytelling.
00:22:54
Speaker
And I think kind of goes back to what I said, like my origin story, like that's what I love. Like I am a storyteller at heart and like I am like a visual interpreter. So to be able to work those two things together, I think has been really cool.
00:23:10
Speaker
Yeah.
00:23:12
Speaker
That sounds like a perfect balance. Oh, there's there's days, but it is a perfect it is
Theme Park History and Storytelling Importance
00:23:21
Speaker
a perfect balance. But yeah, we have few days where you get really, really busy.
00:23:24
Speaker
so Yeah, I can imagine. It's dynamic. Yeah. What you mean? There's nothing going on at the park right now. It is dynamic, Jen. Good catch. Yeah. I got you. See what you did there.
00:23:36
Speaker
It's the beauty of ADHD. I will now use dynamic a hundred times. Oh my gosh. Someone pointed out and i was like, yo, I did say it a billion times. I must've really been digging it that night. It's like, sorry.
00:23:47
Speaker
yeah It's your okay. Make one game to see how many times we use the word dynamic in this episode. We just keep going. and guy If that guy ever hears it, he'll be like, holy moly, he saw my comment.
00:24:03
Speaker
um Since we talked about balance for a second, um do you find it difficult most days to strike a balance between your like PR, like professional talk, and creative freedom?
00:24:19
Speaker
ah No, I don't think so. I mean, you got to remember, I always tell people this, like one of the things is, you know, Project per Purple is a perfect example of like, why won't you just tell us the name already? and Why won't you tell us the stats? Or like, why aren't they telling us?
00:24:35
Speaker
And I think um the one thing that's nice about PR is it what it does is it actually like controls... all of the chaos from all the different areas it's coming from. Because to pull a project together of that magnitude, Iron Menace, another great example, right?
00:24:54
Speaker
There are so many different people involved. And there's so many different things going on. It's like animation, images, logos, name, backstory, dynamics within the area, dynamics of the ride, manufacturer, all these different things are coming together. And then you've got the contractor and you've got, you know, site visits, there's just all this stuff coming together.
00:25:15
Speaker
And what PR says is we can't talk about it until we are 100% aligned. And there's like some beauty in that because what that also suggests is that we're ready to move forward as a team.
00:25:28
Speaker
And the PR person's job is like, your you're not really the captain of the ship, but you some days people think you are because you're at the front of the ship, right? You're you're like the person that's at the front is like yelling, land hoy.
00:25:42
Speaker
And everybody's like, wow, look at that guy. He's in charge. Well, really, there's someone at... at the rudder, you know, like there's like a Jessica Naderman at the rudder or Mike Fainal or Kim Solis or whoever is in charge of the park. They're really the ones in charge, but you get to be the one out front scoping and going like, Hey, we got a problem. Make a left.
00:26:00
Speaker
Or you can say like, yeah, we're clear to go. Like, let's start firing the cannons. Let everybody know we're here. So I think as much as they do compete at the end of the day, PR is actually the machine that says, Hey, there's no relationship with the public.
00:26:15
Speaker
until that creative, like all of that creative energy is, is put into something dynamic that has 100% alignment. um Man, Project Purple has been a great example of that because this as soon as maybe we're like 90%, we start looking at it and there's you know one party isn't ready or one thing isn't quite ready. And I'm really big on like making sure that we are, and maybe it's a me thing too. I don't know if every PR person feels this way, but I'm really big on being like, is everyone ready? Does everyone have what they need before I go and talk about it? Or we go and tell people about it or we show it.
00:26:53
Speaker
um And if there's, here's the thing with Project Purple too, right? It's like the answer to that is clearly no, we're not 100% yet. But we've I found a way and we found a way and they've given me the opportunity to still tell the story without being 100% aligned. and what does And then people go, well, what does that look like? Well, it looks like showcasing construction, talking about construction in subtle ways and creative ways when we can actually tell you what the end result is.
00:27:22
Speaker
And i so I think there's, they're there once again, there's that creative flexibility, but it you notice it all kind of works with PR. you just It just depends on you and if you can find a balance as a team.
00:27:37
Speaker
Yeah. Long story short. Not gonna lie, that whole ship analogy, I was just picturing you as, like, the front of the pirate ship. Yeah, saw that. Yeah, I mean, that's what thought. Like, you know, like, the mermaid is like, that's me.
00:27:49
Speaker
I was thinking of you, like, on the little basket thing at the top. Once said it, I was like, what do you... I'm like, yeah, but' like, the dude in the front or in the mast or something. no If you want to be the mermaid, though. Everybody hear everybody hears my voice and is like, wow, that guy's steering us in the right direction. But in reality, I'm not steering anything.
00:28:07
Speaker
That's all I could think of so it pretty It was a good analogy. but The only one I could think of.
Excitement of Announcing New Rides
00:28:14
Speaker
Ryan's a pirate, confirmed. Yar. but And we did move the swashbuckler at Great Adventure, so maybe that's what did it. I've been thinking about pirates.
00:28:23
Speaker
Really? That's an interesting move. Moving into the boardwalk. so Okay. Yeah, it's moving into the boardwalk, which is exciting. Yeah, that is an exciting move. maybe like It'll be a super roundup once again, which is one of its OG names. i think it is the OG name. It's had a couple.
00:28:41
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like Dorney, in the history of Dorney, they do like to just move their rides around and give them a new name sometimes, just for funsies. I don't think we've done it since I've been there, but yeah. it's Yeah, it has been pretty... so pretty it still if you go to One thing I love about Dorney, which I guess Great Adventure is getting some of this with the boardwalk, but the one thing I love about the Dorney is like the history of Dorney is like we the coaster, the whip. this Oh, yeah. This is the most and wave swinger.
00:29:09
Speaker
Ferris wheel, carousel. It's like, boy, we really went all out with the naming, man. Yeah, we're really creative here. Challenging ourselves, you know? I know for the first time ever, I heard someone use the name Zephyr.
00:29:23
Speaker
Yeah. Like, and I was like, oh, that's so weird. That's the name of the train at Dorney Park. And people were like, that's the name of the train. And I was like, mind blown. No idea.
00:29:35
Speaker
There's a, it's funny too, because I guess I did. I kind of always associated Zephyr with Dorney too. And, um you know, in the Lehigh Valley, there's a high school where like their mascots are the Zephyrs. And I was like, holy hell, man, this great. They named themselves after the Dorney Park Zephyr. Everybody's like, no dude, it's just, it's a train.
00:29:52
Speaker
no There's no convincing me it's so it's anything but the little Dorney Park Zephyr that like you can barely fit two people into in modern day America. like Oh yeah. that charm Nothing. No. A Zephyr is the Dorney Park train. There's no convincing me otherwise. I'm with you.
00:30:11
Speaker
I'm sitting over here like there's another Zephyr. Like there's any other one. Yeah. I was literally like... Z-O-G Zephyr, man. Save the park from the Great Depression.
00:30:24
Speaker
Yeah. was it And that cracks me up too. Dorney Park's biggest attractions at one point are like the trout pond, a dance hall, and the zephyr. That's like wild.
00:30:38
Speaker
Crazy. It is really... all right. I mean, really the coaster was there. before it was Thunderhawk, but it was nothing like it is now. It's been changed. but Yeah, didn't they add on like half of it? Isn't half of it like a newer edition? Half of it, yeah. yeah Significant portion.
00:30:56
Speaker
Yeah. I didn't know that either. It's just funny to me, even before some of the rides, is like people would come out just for like a dance hall and a in a trout pond.
00:31:07
Speaker
It's amazing. And if anybody's ever seen the trout pond at Dorney, it's like, It's just a little thing. It's like a fountain. Yeah, I was gonna say, like, I always knew about the trot pond, but I don't know which body of water is actually the trot pond. It's not the body of water that, like, Hercules was on, right?
00:31:25
Speaker
No, that's a lake. That's The trot pond is literally right by Demon Drop, and it is just, like, it's, honestly, I mean, it's not, it's a little bigger than a fountain, but it's not, like, it's not real grandiose.
00:31:38
Speaker
Wait, so that's like the whole trout pond that the park was built? That little thing. I did not know that. Honestly, I just assumed that they called it the trout pond, but it was the lake. I mean, it makes it funnier. It makes it funnier that it was an attraction.
00:31:51
Speaker
Honestly, it just is kind of like decor. but That's actually so good. I love Dorney lore. Dorney history is special. Yeah, Dorney lore. You have the trout pond, the zephyr, and then also you the haunted car carousel. The haunted carousel is my favorite lore. That's, it that's I mean, that's that's actually CP's fault, but... Yeah, and they took the horse, so I mean, I guess it's not too haunted anymore, but... Haunted carousel.
00:32:19
Speaker
Is that the one that's at the ah Mary Garone Museum? yes or Yes. That's the one I saw. okay Yeah, it's from the carousel that now lives at Dorney. Okay. So...
00:32:31
Speaker
Yeah. But now it does live at the Cedar Point Carousel Museum. Yeah. Or Sandusky Carousel Museum. Whatever it is.
00:32:40
Speaker
Cool place, too. I really enjoyed that. Well, you saw the now Dorney Park Honage Coast. Yeah. It's coming full circle.
00:32:50
Speaker
So I know we've kind of briefly mentioned the boardwalk and all the excitement with that coming up soon. i wanted to get into one of the, i guess we can get into the more of the listener questions. um But Mike had asked, what is the favorite part of the process between announcing a new ride or, you know, a whole new area of the park and it finally opening?
00:33:11
Speaker
So what is it? What is the most exciting part announcing or opening it? What is your favorite part of the process between announcing and finally opening? Oh,
Challenges in Park Operations and Theming
00:33:19
Speaker
man. I mean, nothing beats when you actually open it um because you put so much work into it and there's like a relief there.
00:33:29
Speaker
um and an excitement and like look we all the work that we do is at the end of the day is for the guests so when all of that all that work comes to fruition there's nothing quite like that first day of operation and the parks open to everyone um I honestly I think that's the most special part but you know if the question was posed in a way where like they want they want the answer to be like what's the coolest part in the middle um It's all pretty – honestly, like, the teasing of it is really stressful because you're always worried that, like, something's going to get out, um you know, whether it's a name or a backstory. So, like, that's always in the back of my mind, which just stresses me out. But I will say um if it's a coaster, when the train arrives, that's really, really cool. That's, like, a big deal for me. it was
00:34:20
Speaker
And um the one thing for Iron Menace that I'll never forget was the first cycle. like it's cool to watch it get constructed and you know, you always have like one big milestone in construction. There's lots of different milestones in construction. We always have that one where it's like,
00:34:37
Speaker
the biggest part of X or whatever it is. You know, it's like the the part of the dive is started or the dive connected or, you know, you're at the top of a tower or whatever. But honestly, the first cycle to me is like awesome.
00:34:50
Speaker
And you obviously got all the captures with it too. So you're doing all the media and you're you're doing the release and all that. So all of it works into it. And if you can time it right, you get people out there. Never really seems to work out that way. But that was always exciting for me.
00:35:03
Speaker
So I'd say those, the open it and first cycle are probably the two biggest things. Train arriving too is low key, super cool.
00:35:13
Speaker
Yeah. I feel like they would be really exciting milestones. I couldn't even imagine what it must feel like to see the first cycle after all of the teasing and the building and the stories and Yeah. And finally seeing that cycle run.
00:35:26
Speaker
that Yeah. Iron Menace was interesting too. I mean, um they were still working on a lot of the dynamics of the ride, and but when they did the first cycle, they like actually manually pulled it up the lift hill and then just basically let it go because the ride dynamics just, it made it all the way through the cycle without, you know, climbing up the lift with, with chain, the expedited chain. So that was really cool. It took them a while to get it up to the top, but then once they got it up there, just to like let it rip and then hear it for the first time, you're like, oh, this is awesome.
00:35:59
Speaker
Yeah, that is pretty cool. I had no idea that that Yeah, cool. First two or three runs, just manual pull. Oh my gosh. i mean Yeah, that's pretty interesting.
00:36:11
Speaker
Yeah. yeah I also heard ah two dynamics in that response and I'm then i'm actually like noticing that more now. yeah
00:36:22
Speaker
Feathering it in. Yeah, slowly we're getting it in there. Yeah. are we are we move Are we good, like, moving into listener questions? Sprinkling some of them? Yeah, maybe we'll. Yeah, we'll go with that. um So Chris has a good one here. So what's something you learned about the theme park industry as a whole since stepping into the role that the average park goer or even enthusiasts wouldn't have known?
00:36:50
Speaker
Hmm. That's good question. I feel like I probably touched on it and one of my answers at at some point. Hmm. There's a lot there.
00:37:01
Speaker
I mean, i think I think the big thing is all of the work that goes into just operating a park on a daily basis and how much time people spend and and put work into it, all the different disciplines that are involved.
00:37:16
Speaker
um you know, all the different people that are involved on a daily basis just to keep it operating. i don't I don't think people really understand or quite understand the scope of it. um You know, they just come back year after year and they expect the same thrills and the same experience. But, you know, behind the scenes, people change and processes change. And I think that's something that maybe people Quite honestly, I mean, I took it for granted.
00:37:42
Speaker
like When you go to a theme park, you don't think about all those things that have to get done to even like get the park open for the day. you know Whether it's like inspecting a ride at 4 a.m. if you're in maintenance because you you need to ride up and running by 9 a.m. m you know All of those different things that happen and that go into it. Yeah.
00:38:00
Speaker
I don't know, it's like an incredible feat. And i don't I don't know if that is the right answer because I don't, I mean, maybe some enthusiasts do because they've worked in the industry so they know like, yo, it takes a lot of work to operate a theme park.
Naming and Theming Rides
00:38:12
Speaker
I think one of the other things too is, i always tell people this about like with Iron Menace and like the naming, um and i don't know, people know all the different things that go into but there's so much to go. I tell people all the time, it's like anything that you could think was like a unique name Like the English language has been around for so long and we've been trademarking and copywriting names for at least like the last century.
00:38:37
Speaker
So you could go into something and think like, oh boy, this is like this really dynamic, great name. Let's take it through trademark and you take it through trademark and it turns out it's like someone's solo band name. you know, from wherever or it's it's someone's bar that they once had, but they still own the trademark for the beer.
00:38:56
Speaker
I mean, so that's always like really interesting because are always like, that name stinks and I wouldn't have picked that name. and watch It's like, well, but you know, that might have been our seventh choice. So we went through the first six before we could find it.
00:39:07
Speaker
um But then you've also got to get all the different players involved too. So it's like, well, you know, whether it's you've got a partner, you know, for each park, is it Peanuts? Is it Warner Brothers is it legendary or whatever it is, whether it's a hunt attraction or whether it's or a ride or what it's just like so many different people have to go into. So i like naming something i don't think is as easy as like one dude sitting around in his car and like, I got a great name. It's like, yeah, i mean, maybe had a great name.
00:39:35
Speaker
but it might not hold mustard when we start putting it through the process. So i think that's always a really interesting thing because people are always come up with these stupid names? And it's like, why is iron in every name? And it's like, i don't know, for some reason, no one's trademarking iron.
00:39:47
Speaker
And also it fits into the area. So it's like a lot of different things that go into it. So Juan has a question that kind of is similar to that. He said, what comes first, a ride type or a ride theme?
00:40:00
Speaker
little bit of both. um Yeah, I think so you you go to the manufacturer or you go to manufacturers and you say, hey, we you know we want to we want to finance a ride and and this is where we want to do it and this is a space we want to do it in.
00:40:16
Speaker
And then, you know depending on how you're doing the project, whether you went to one specifically manufacturer or whether you went to multiple, then they all can kind of pitch you on like, hey, this is what we think would fit the area. um And then from there, you know if you're ah Jessica Naterman or a Pete Carmichael, you could say, yeah, I actually think like this model right here is perfect.
00:40:36
Speaker
It financially works for us. And this is what we do. And then they can come back and now they'll say, hey, we we're going tailor this a little bit. you know Here's three different things that we think work for that space based on the model you selected.
00:40:48
Speaker
it mean, and it could be more. This is a generality. And you could say, okay, well, What do we want to do in the area? So at Dorney, we knew we wanted to do something that was um connecting with the Lehigh Valley. So we kind of knew we wanted to do like a steel mill, steel yard kind of thing.
00:41:08
Speaker
um And so then once we pivoted and started working with B&M and we knew it was a dive, then we're like, and we knew wanted to steel yard. We're like, okay, how do these work together?
00:41:20
Speaker
And what does it look like? So I think like there's a group or ah a thought process of like, hey, we want to, and it depends too, because, you know, prior to Iron Menace, Dorney Park wasn't really big on theming. So we would have just slapped something in and called a day and we would have figured out how to name it later. So I wouldn't say it's always one size fits all.
00:41:36
Speaker
um But with this this company right now with Six Flags and even Cedar Fair before it, um there's a desire to pick rides that fit into theming and concepts and ideas that you have.
Teasing New Rides and Managing Leaks
00:41:49
Speaker
um So clearly with Shoreline Pier at the Boardwalk and Project Purple, we already know what the theme is going to be. So selecting a name is more reflective of theme.
00:42:01
Speaker
how it works together. So it's a little bit of both. I think you kind of have, they're almost like two different thoughts. Like you're always thinking about theming and one group's always thinking about rides and what packages you're getting and what you're putting in.
00:42:12
Speaker
And then somewhere in the middle, they kind of meet and you go, okay, this works with this. Yeah. um but it's never the same thing twice either right like you could you could just get a ride and then go okay well what what theme can we fit this in or you could have a theme already and get a ride and go how do we fit this ride into this theme it's it's possible don't think there's any but for the last two that i've worked on the theme was kind of already in development and then the ride started to come and they kind of work together so okay yeah um
00:42:46
Speaker
We do have another one talking about theming. Solar Coaster said, will there be nice theming on the King Tuca like is seen on Iron Venice? Oh, yeah, definitely. I think I kind of answered that. i'll keep I'll keep it simple. Yeah, there's going to be great theming on Project Purple.
00:43:06
Speaker
Yeah, I'm excited for to see the new theming in that area. Yeah, i mean, this this company specifically, I think we're really big on theming and storytelling, which maybe why i like it so much. And so, yeah, you're going to see that with any project we work on at at either of my parks.
00:43:26
Speaker
I also feel like most projects with the company, I feel like there are really high expectations, but I also feel like with the reputation of the predecessor, it's like even like the bar is really high. And I i would imagine, yeah, that it's going to hit it.
00:43:45
Speaker
Yeah, and a lot of the creative minds from Legacy Cedar Fair are in charge of kind of like the creative development. um Ken Parks was with me for Iron Menace, and he's a part of the storytelling for Great Adventure and Shoreline Pier.
00:43:59
Speaker
um So that's encouraging for me. and And Clayton Lawrence is still with the company. He was also instrumental in Iron Menace, and so he's a part of this project as well. So working with those two, I know um really good storytellers are sharp, and I'm excited to see what they do.
00:44:14
Speaker
Yeah. I'm too. I'm very excited.
00:44:20
Speaker
So with Project Purple, um obviously we're going to be hopefully seeing some more teasing soon. But Mike had another question and said, what is the biggest challenge when teasing a new ride?
00:44:33
Speaker
Well, it just depends on the ride. Of course. um ah Well, no I'll be honest. I think that, okay, so the biggest challenge is trying to stay ahead of folks in the industry who dig and dig and dig for everything they can before we release it. Honestly, that's the biggest challenge.
00:44:52
Speaker
um And, you know, I think some people in the industry get more worked up about it than I do because I do think at the end of the day, speculation is good. um But there is a rubber meets the road somewhere sometimes where it's like speculation,
00:45:08
Speaker
um Just to say like, hey, here's what I think it is. And you know maybe you know when they went to the township, they put they submitted this plan and this is what we saw and this is what I think it is.
00:45:19
Speaker
That's good speculation. um Improperly flying a drone over the park while there's construction underway and there's people below and you're flying low to like spot footers and and ah steel.
00:45:32
Speaker
That's bad speculation. um And then just trying to – it's like we – there's sometimes two it's like you have to submit permits sometimes well in advance of work. And sometimes you're not comfortable with the information being public because the permit – just because you submitted the permit doesn't necessarily mean that you're doing that or that you're going, and um I don't just mean coasters, I mean everything, right? Like you might have to submit a permit to alter a bar.
00:46:00
Speaker
At the end of the day, you may not actually do the alteration, but you still had to submit the permit because if you didn't submit the permit when you submitted it, you'll never get the work done in time because everything has like an estimated date date of completion. But then if the information gets out there because someone was digging around and,
00:46:16
Speaker
did a freedom of information or was privy to information that was like given to a government employee who then leaked it to them. Those are all different things that I think are challenging about teasing. Um, but at the end of the day, you know, I think it also just shows how excited people are when you get new things.
00:46:33
Speaker
Um, And obviously, you know, you want to control the narrative. So it's ah it's a balance. and I think that's actually the most challenging thing is like finding that balance between like, hey, how do we stay in front of this thing while making sure all parties are 100% aligned and that we're ready, knowing that some information is going to go to the public that will give something away that we're just not 100% ready to talk about yet. And it's ah it's it's tricky. And I've found it with every project I've worked on.
00:47:05
Speaker
because permitting and those things are just, are difficult to time out correctly. So it's one of those things.
Working at Knott's Berry Farm
00:47:12
Speaker
Yeah. And there are some really good sleuthers out there. Yeah.
00:47:16
Speaker
They are. they're It's impressive. um We see stuff all the time and it gets flagged for me and it's like, how in the world? And sometimes it's obvious, you know, it's like, I mean,
00:47:28
Speaker
The truck's going down 295. I like, of course someone saw it, you know? um But then there's other things where it's like, i don't even know how they pulled that document. So just, it's impressive I mean, it is impressive. Sometimes you just gotta tip your hat to them.
00:47:41
Speaker
Yeah. Not get worked up about it. Yeah, I've seen some really impressive ones in my time as an enthusiast. So have I. And then you see other ones too where you're like, that's just wrong.
00:47:53
Speaker
but Right. You know. Yeah. ah fortunate that all the ones that we've had for this project are just kind of like, I mean, Bravo is what it is.
00:48:07
Speaker
Iron Menace too, you know, it's like, oh yeah, we had to go to the township. It is what it is. Yeah, especially, yeah, Iron Menace, it's really hard to get around the township because I know they are very stripped. They're tied in.
00:48:18
Speaker
Yeah, they are very, that it's really hard because that park is so close to everything. So it's like, we are Well, and we didn't used to be. we used to be the only thing. Now now it's the communities growing up around us. so Yeah, it's like literally you could see the houses behind. I know.
00:48:34
Speaker
It's crazy. The airport's nearby. and That's crazy. It's, yeah, insane how that area has grown. um Ethan has a good question here. um Besides the two parks you're currently working out, at which Six Flags park would you be most interested in working at?
00:48:58
Speaker
Knott's Berry Farm. I got to spend time with them summer of 2024 after I opened Iron Menace and I got to help them to open Camp Snoopy. And The team out there is incredible. they're They are talented.
00:49:11
Speaker
um Southern California weather is undefeated. It is so beautiful out there. now I didn't have to live out there. So, i mean, cost of goods and services is certainly high, and it's not cheap to live out there. So I'll caveat it um by saying I was blessed enough to stay at the Knott's Hotel. Boo-hoo.
00:49:28
Speaker
um But it's just – I mean, and that park is so beautiful. It's so incredible. really is. The food and beverage team there, the entertainment team – um Like the way that they're able to like step in and assist you. And I have that adorned a great adventure, but like something about creatives in California.
00:49:48
Speaker
um I don't know it was it was just really impressive. like It's an impressive operation. Year-round, so well operated. um Every detail, everything is is cared for.
00:50:02
Speaker
um i was there for their summer nights. The festival was incredible. they and like The music, the food, um you know you got a tasting card. like i just I love my time there. Everybody there was so nice and accommodating and uh yeah i can't i can't say enough about the the team that was there 24 at knots and i would yeah i mean if they said like hey we need you to help again i'd i'd be more than happy to go there and help what was your favorite ride out there out of curiosity uh i mean there's there was quite a few i'm i really like the nostalgic rides i mean hang time was cool i really i mean keep thinking about that one um
00:50:46
Speaker
Yeah, don't know Probably Hangtown. Well, I don't know. Ghost Rider was really good too. There's so many good rides at Knott's. It's hard to pick one. I think like what I've just blown away by is just like their ability to theme everything out so well. like Ghost Town Alive is crazy.
00:51:02
Speaker
and Like crazy. And then just like the little entertainment that they have. don't know. It's just an impressive park, man. so to To pin anything at like one, I think, would be...
00:51:15
Speaker
Difficult. Yeah, that is like my in the States. That's like one of my two highest desired parks.
00:51:27
Speaker
I just love seeing all the creativity with boysenberry. Like I have a friend who was there, you know, this past or past couple days, I think he was there and just sending things in our group chat of every single boysenberry flavored food that he ate. I came home with a ton of it.
00:51:42
Speaker
All right. I thought about it I thought about a little longer. Accelerator was my favorite ride. um But the boysenberry cotton candy it' like, what is it? That actually sounds so good. So good. The food is really good there.
00:51:56
Speaker
Anyway, I've heard i incredible. They're um the not scary farm product too. Like they just were able to take me on for like lights on tours while I was out there. And I'm like, what in the heck? Next level. Like everything's like ghost in the machine level.
00:52:12
Speaker
Wild. and Yeah. ah Did Do I remember? Did the Knott's Burry? Plague Productions. Plague Productions, which is a lot of guys that came from Knott's Scary Farm and started their own their own company. They worked on Ghost in the Machine.
00:52:26
Speaker
Oh, I thought it was the Knott's team directly, but it was just people who were... Guys who used to be the Knott's team. yeah Yeah, I did remember there was some tie to Knott's there. Yeah, because Knott's from the California people, like Knott's Scary Farm specifically, like rivals with some of those like...
00:52:43
Speaker
really high budget haunted attractions yeah out there. So it's very impressive. they um They know I love them out there. So any chance I can to gas them up, I'm happy to do it.
Future Changes and Additions at Parks
00:52:54
Speaker
so Yeah.
00:52:56
Speaker
Also accelerator is the choice. Yeah, I know. I was trying to like my rack my brain. I'm notoriously terrible with names, you guys, like bands, people, dogs, rides, man.
00:53:11
Speaker
I think I meet too many people. I used to be really good because i used to think that was a big thing. like It's really intentional to remember somebody's name, and the older I get, I'm like, oh, boy, I know too many people. What's your name? i guess yeah Hey, buddy. What's up? I'm just so ADHD. They'll tell me their name, and I'm like not listening in the least.
00:53:29
Speaker
You know, Accelerator was crazy. Accelerator was crazy. And I got to ride it during the day. At night was wild. Really? Yeah, it was cool. Yeah, they are ah It's I love a good hydraulic launch.
00:53:45
Speaker
Yeah, it was. It was cool. minding me I mean, it reminds me a lot of like Storm Runner at Hershey. Yeah. So. Accelerator was closed when I went and I was very sad.
00:53:56
Speaker
I mean, awesome. That's like the biggest fear. Not to rub it in. but Yeah. My biggest fear is that I'm going schedule a trip to Knott's Berry Farm and I'm going to get there and Accelerator is going to be closed. You know, I never got to ride Top Thrill because of that.
00:54:12
Speaker
went three times down every time. Oh no. Never, never. Not, not TT. TT. Yeah. TTD. So I went to Cedar fair twice when it was top thrill dragster and the first or the second time it was down just because it was down. But the first time, do you know the great Northeast blackout?
00:54:38
Speaker
Hmm. That does sound reminiscent. I'm not going to sit here. I remember, remember it, but I remember like it's striking something in my brain. Yeah. So in 2003, there was some kind of energy thing and like Sandusky, New York City, like Philadelphia, Toronto, like all of that section of the Northeast, um, completely lost power for like, I think over a day. don't remember, you know, I don't remember this well because I was a child.
00:55:05
Speaker
but yeah to My brain started from somewhere. But do you know why I remember it? Because I was standing in line for disaster transport. It was like my second ride of the day. It was 1030 in the morning.
00:55:16
Speaker
um And then we had to walk out of the park and we couldn't even like get into our hotel room or even leave the parking lot because it was so crazy. So my parents gave us a wheelchair and said, here you go. Have fun for hours. We found this wheelchair wow and we spent hours playing with a wheelchair in the parking lot of Cedar Point instead of actually being at Cedar Point. You seem to do that a lot when you go to Cedar Point.
00:55:42
Speaker
Not go to Cedar Point. Random stuff and not not be at Cedar Point. I would discourage others from doing the same thing.
00:55:51
Speaker
Don't take the gen tourism playbook on Cedar Point, please. I spend a lot of time picnicking in the Magnum parking lot. And apparently and in Sawmill Creek, just chilling, listening to whoever's there singing.
00:56:05
Speaker
Yeah, so music. Yeah. ah Yeah. Don't take don't take tips from me. I'm a bad Cedar Pointer, guys. It's hilarious.
00:56:19
Speaker
You say this as I plan just monthly day trips to Cedar Point. Yeah, I'm really bad at that park. I don't know why. It's like probably there's been far too many times where I've gone. I think it's because the year that Top 3 2 like opened but didn't open. Like and we planned so many trips because of ever all of the events.
00:56:41
Speaker
So I spent like 12 days there. So ever since then, i now I'm just kind of like I'm out Cedar Point. I'm good. Like, I'm just going to chill in the parking lot.
00:56:52
Speaker
Listen to Magnum. It's fine. That's such a nerd thing to say. I'm just going to listen to Magnum. Yeah, I was like, I'm just going to sit here and watch things and it's fine. um I don't know. I don't know how Cedar Point people can go as often as they do. 12 days was enough for me. I was good for three years.
00:57:16
Speaker
like three years but
00:57:21
Speaker
Yeah. All right. Back to our question. Back to our actual interview. um All right. We have another from Solar Coaster. um He said, since Dorney Park is still part of the Cedar Air Six Flags chain, um can we expect more overall changes and additions?
00:57:42
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And we'll see, I mean, yeah, we'll see we'll see some additions. So I'm going to assume when they say additions, they mean rides and not just experiences because we're we're actually going have some additions this year for the experience part of it. um And I think that that also encompasses changes. But I think when they, I don't know, I'm going assume with a name like Solar Coaster that you mean additions and changes rides.
00:58:07
Speaker
And the reality is, yes, um there will be some, won't be for 2026. um But that's like i say all the time, I am always encouraged for the future of my two parks.
00:58:21
Speaker
And i I don't think I would be doing this job if I if i wasn't.
Iconic Merchandise and Park Souvenirs
00:58:25
Speaker
So nothing that I can divulge or really talk about yet. Some of it's kind of in infancy stages. Some of it's like middle and some were kind of lurking between getting closer to Don and being close to the start. But yeah, there's always, there's always, yeah, there I mean, there's already changes.
00:58:43
Speaker
for the park this year there's changes every year um but as far as rides are concerned yeah nothing for 26 but uh hopefully we've got some exciting stuff for 27 and beyond 26 is the year of talon yeah 26 yeah add anything on this the 25th birthday of talon at dorney park so Banners, timelines, 2000s music in the queue. You know, it's all about talent this year. So we just had to park all plans for talent. Now, there'll be food and beverage upgrades. There's going to be some entertainment changes, new event.
00:59:25
Speaker
So we're we're working through some things, and hopefully we've got information out in the next week or two. So we're getting close to putting some of that out there. Yeah. Is there going to be... Is there going to be 25th anniversary talent merch?
00:59:39
Speaker
There is. Actually, i showed some off. We did did an event with American Coaster Enthusiasts back in February, and um there's quite a few items from our fabulous merchandise team at Dorney, which i I think is the best in the biz.
00:59:52
Speaker
um along with Great Adventure, of course. And they have hoodies, shirts, mugs, hats. Bob's got a, Bob and Kim have a really good lineup of stuff. So I'm excited to ah roll that out on June 13th when we do the 25th birthday celebration.
01:00:12
Speaker
Alright, I'm excited. You need to get- I'm gonna roast myself about not getting my Patreon videos done because we need to get the Patreon- You're the proud owner of one of like, what? One one of, I don't know, 30 Talon lamps?
01:00:27
Speaker
So you're already an insider. Yeah, it's it's not a lot, but I do have my Talon lamp. Yeah. There you The Talon lamp's what it's all about. Siri's going nuts.
01:00:39
Speaker
Yeah, the Talon lamp is definitely, that was a really fun piece of merch. I carried that around the park, too. I don't even know. I did. I carried it around the park. Did you call me and ask me, like, if there was somewhere you could put it?
01:00:52
Speaker
And I was already, like, done for the day? feel like we had that conversation like, can I not carry this around all night? I'm like, I am no longer there. So, yeah, I think you're going to have to carry I feel like asked. There was no re-entry. It was, like, haunt.
01:01:04
Speaker
Yeah, so I think that I asked if there was like, like if I was allowed to walk around with it because I was like, I'm- Oh, okay, okay, maybe that works. Yeah, because I was like, I'm not, like, I'm gonna buy this- It's heavy. $100 lamp that's like 50 pounds. I have no idea why I was allowed in those houses with the lamp.
01:01:25
Speaker
they light Light the way, I guess. It was so funny, but it was probably one of the most fun I've ever had at the Hawn event because even the scare actors were like, why you lamp Why do you have a lamp? And I was like, don't scare my lamp. like Careful around the merchandise.
01:01:43
Speaker
Yeah, I'm like, whatever you do, don't scare my lamp. One of those iconic pieces at this park. It was like one of the most talked about merchandise products of all time. Yeah. We still talk but we still talk about the lamps. I think we got like maybe a dozen left.
01:02:00
Speaker
And it's still just like, man, who's going to buy the lamps this year? but There's still some left. There's couple left. Yeah. Maybe it like it might be less than a dozen, but it's somewhere around that around that neighborhood. so It's crazy that there's still some left. They're so good. Well, I think part of it too, for a while there, they Possessions was the old store and they would just kind of be like hidden back there.
01:02:23
Speaker
So possessions though, like anyone who knew Dorney knew that possession possessions, I feel like got all the merch that you guys like found in the back room that was like 50 years old. and Like some of the shirts I had were like one, i have this one talent shirt that there was a single shirt left and it was like a double XL and it's the coolest talent shirt I own, but it is clearly from like the late nineties, early, well, I guess early 2000s. It's like,
01:02:49
Speaker
yeah It's so old. they dug some i'm I'm big on like ninety snapbacks and they dug some hats out that they found in the warehouse a while back and I was like, yo, those hats are fire.
01:03:01
Speaker
It was like a 2002 Steel Force snapback and I was like, yo I need that hat in the worst way. and they're like, you want that hat? And i'm like, my God, yes.
01:03:12
Speaker
Six of them. I'm like, yes, give me all of the 90s and 2000s merch. It's so good. Yes, I want the Steel Force one and the Thunderhawk one and the Hercules one. Give me them all, please.
01:03:25
Speaker
Yeah, I loved everyone who was anyone knew that possessions, if you were buying merch, possessions was the place to go. Yeah. That was the spot. I was so sad when it closed.
01:03:37
Speaker
It's for the best. You got a better store now. It is a better store, but I'm like, what do you mean? I'm not going to talk about possessions, man. That place was a mess. I will say possessions is like the smartest name for merch that I've ever seen. Yeah.
01:03:53
Speaker
Yeah. ah I love my one true theme park merch love possessions. What a time. See, now are y'all are talking up the town lamp and I want to go get one this season.
01:04:06
Speaker
good yeah gotta do it You only live once. YOLO. YOLO, Allison. That's it. you got to do it. have a random collection of a theme park pieces. You love getting that back to Ohio.
01:04:17
Speaker
Well, we'll do drive, so just sit in the car. but um' break it. it's ah It's a really good one. i have to. It's been on my list. I do want to change the lampshade. I have yet to actually use it. It's just sitting on a desk right now.
Dorney Park's Unique Experience
01:04:32
Speaker
i want like a I feel like it would be really cool with a a different lampshade. um but Because the Talon lampshade, when you put a lamp in it, it's a little orange. And I don't, my ADHD can't do that.
01:04:47
Speaker
So, but I can put a cool lampshade on it that's white. ah I keep saying I'm going to do it and sitting on my desk downstairs without a bulb in it. You should get the lamp that they sell at Voltron and just start a coaster lamp collection. Oh, yeah.
01:05:03
Speaker
That one I will never get home from Germany. It can be done. Nate has one. Speaking of Nate, actually, here's a good question. What is your favorite ride at Dorney Park? Mine?
01:05:15
Speaker
Iron And it's not Talon, Jen might kill you. So it's ah so it's interesting. i think I can claim two. So Iron Menace, because of all of the work that I put in to get it open, um it means the most to me and probably a lot of the team that's there currently because of all the work that we put in in 2024 and transformatively what it means for the park in terms of investment and moving more towards dynamic theming.
01:05:39
Speaker
um First major investment in 17 years, yada, yada, yada. So like, I am a huge proponent of iron menace but if you're talking about just like hey ryan if you're going to go to if you could go to dorney park and you could only ride one thing you can only get on one ride what would it be for me it's talon 100 just because of i i so like i do love steel force too so like i don't want people to get it twisted but for me talon hits this like this core memory as a kid of being like one of my first big boy rides with multiple inversions but i will say like even now like you know
01:06:15
Speaker
20 years removed from being a kid going there. um it's I get on Talon and it's just like it's sleek, it's fast, it's quiet, everything's tight. It's right at the front of the park. It has incredible views.
01:06:28
Speaker
i Just doing the like the lift walk, i think Jen and I did it back in 22. um Just like that lift walk is just like simplistic, it's easy. Everything about it is like it's easy fun. Like it's easy.
01:06:41
Speaker
fun that everyone can enjoy and it has just enough oomph to like to be everything you need in a coaster and i just for me it's like the perfect invert um and i just think it's awesome that it exists at dorney park to be quite honest um but yeah i mean steel force and iron menace are transformative for different ways um but like yeah if you're gonna be like hey ryan if you go and you could ride something over and over and over again it's it's talon um Steel Force improved greatly with the... We did the control system upgrade.
01:07:15
Speaker
And before the control system upgrade, I don't even think it was in my top three anymore. But once we got the control system upgrade and it was like bumping over the top and just flying over the top, now like, all right, dude, I am back in on Steel Force. I almost said Iron Menace. I mean, always been on Iron Menace. I'm back in on Steel Force.
01:07:33
Speaker
But yeah, for me, it's like Talon, it's talent Iron Menace, and it's just like... for for two very different reasons. Yeah. I think of all people, you can have two answers for two different reasons. One is only because of the personal connection and how hard I worked on it, right? It's not really to do with the ride dynamics.
01:07:51
Speaker
Yeah. Although that dive is pretty dope at Haunt. That dive The fog and you're looking down into the, you know, the steel yard, which is a Haunt zone. And it's that's pretty awesome.
01:08:03
Speaker
Yeah. It is a really good... it's ah It's just a really good setup fully, like the way it looks in the park. The queue, have Ghost in the Machine back there and empty buckets. like it's just It's a transformative ride. It brought everything up with it.
01:08:19
Speaker
so Yeah. yeah It's a good one. But yeah, Steel Force, that thing. so good. That thing has been wild. So good. now So much positive feedback after those updates.
01:08:33
Speaker
Yeah, it was like it feels like I know it's not a simple update, but I feel like it's such... Like, in the world of, like, the coaster needs a refresh, I feel like it's a fairly simple update, and it made yeah ah crazy difference. Oh, yeah.
01:08:48
Speaker
That thing was wild. The first time I rode it, I was like, I don't even think I could process what just happened to me. Yeah. it's ah I don't know. It was weird, too, because I rode it August of...
01:09:00
Speaker
i I honestly don't even remember when when the upgrade happened. I can't remember if was before 24 before 25. It all kind of bleeds together. But I wrote it in the fall before for Haunt, and i almost felt like that's getting a little rough.
01:09:14
Speaker
And it's crazy what a modern computer system can do. And it went from like a wargame-style computer... to like an iPad.
01:09:24
Speaker
And it's like, it's 10 times smaller and 3 billion times more efficient and easier. So yeah crazy. Insane. Yeah.
01:09:36
Speaker
Yeah. I, um, I remember my first ride, I was so surprised by how fast it was going and how good it was. I forgot to yell that you guys should RMC Hercules, Hercules as I rode by Hercules.
01:09:48
Speaker
the Yeah. The only thing left from Hercules is like a couple of foundations. Yeah, that's fine. We can arm suit it with some foundations. It's fine. It's all we need. It's funny because Hercules missed the boat by, you know, just a couple years. I mean, it was torn down before anyone was really trying to do anything of significance. But I also will say the mate, from what I understand from our maintenance guys have been doing it for 20, 30, 40 years. The maintenance over the lake was a nightmare.
01:10:19
Speaker
Oh, I could imagine. Especially how hard it banked coming out of the coming out of the drop. Yeah, because it was known for having some pretty intense forces, for even for, like... Yeah, I mean, your most intense forces are pulling over a lake that's hard to maintain. So, like, yeah.
01:10:35
Speaker
I mean, I get why they did it, but maybe not the greatest idea. ah It's just so sad, because it was such a... It was such a... Like, the... Hydra is great and like it looks beautiful but the wooden coaster over the lake like that is just like it hits different. 100%.
01:10:56
Speaker
Yeah, I'm looking at pictures of it right now. It looked so pretty.
01:11:02
Speaker
It was definitely a like yeah, it fit in the park really well and it was very pretty. I also just like to me, Dorney feels like very old school and very chill so like I just think the vibe of having like a a wooden coaster instead of like a newer B&M is to me feels more Dorney. So like that view over the lake with a wooden coaster, it's all for look for me. I don't know, vibes.
01:11:28
Speaker
I just a great replacement though.
Wood vs. Steel Coasters Debate
01:11:31
Speaker
Yeah. i mean, there was a debate at one, at one time too, like wood versus steel for the new coaster. But I think ultimately when you start talking about a story and theming, that's going to connect with the community.
01:11:43
Speaker
I always tell people this, like the steel yard was a slam dunk. And I'm i am almost surprised that like it could it could have been really easy to fumble the bag. Yeah. And for Iron Menace- You've got to build a steel coaster for doing a steel yard. It doesn't make any sense.
01:11:59
Speaker
For Iron Menace, for sure. I meant more over the lake. Oh, I agree. there like high Yeah, Iron Menace- I mean, well, any ride if went directly over the lake would be sweet.
01:12:10
Speaker
Yeah. The dive coaster, though, for the steel mill is like, that's a that was a slam dunk theme. Yeah, so it was almost like too easy not to do it. so Yeah.
01:12:21
Speaker
No other coaster would have fit as well. There's like not even a chance. No, in my opinion, no. Yeah. It's a good one.
01:12:33
Speaker
All right. We have one more question. All right. It's... A little bit silly. Liam asked, do you like Gimmelman's? Do I like Gimmelman's? Yeah.
01:12:44
Speaker
Yes. I mean, i and well the answer has to be yes, because of Iron Menace, first of all. But yeah, actually, you know what? It's one of the best elements of Iron Menace, if I'm being honest.
01:12:55
Speaker
So yes, I do. I feel like that's a loaded question, and I can't quite put my finger on it. But the answer is yes. His name is Immelman Images. Oh, yeah and' the answer is yes. I mean, iron it's funny too, because Iron Menace, I don't think people a lot of people know this, but you you shift forces. So at one point in the ride, you're you're negative forces. The other part of the ride, you're positive forces, which is why some people get off and they're like, geez, the back half is rough. And it's like it's positive forces. So it's pressure on your body to keep you in the seat.
01:13:24
Speaker
So in the beginning, when you do the Immelman, which is you know goes back to I do like Immelmans, um you have the You have the negative forces. And then as soon as you get to the tilted loop is where you have the change in dynamic and all of a sudden you're going from negative to positive forces. And that's when people start feeling pulled and pushed. It's like it's by design.
01:13:44
Speaker
Because it's supposed to it's supposed to be a short, compact ride that gives you as many sensations as possible. Which is funny because it's also some of the most, most of the criticism about it is how it how it feels. And it's like, so it's supposed to push your body.
01:13:59
Speaker
That's kind of the point of the ride. um Yeah. Which is which is why it's just like this it's just like the dynamic little engine. You know, it's a mini dive. Yeah.
01:14:12
Speaker
i I actually never put together that it's negatives and then positives. That's that's a pretty cool. Yeah, the first two elements, you're negative.
01:14:23
Speaker
And then the last two, you're positive. So it's kind of interesting. I never really, I just didn't process that before. That's funny. And obviously you float while you're going down the dive too.
01:14:37
Speaker
So chalk that one up. Happy to answer all the questions. Those are easy. Yeah, we didn't get too many crazy questions um this time around.
Secrecy and Excitement of Project Purple
01:14:48
Speaker
do you have anything else you want to talk about? No, it's funny because when we were doing the pre-chat, you guys were like, oh, what's the name of the new ride? And I'm like, I'm not going to tell you. Even if you ask the answer is I can't tell you yeah Well, we have more of a chance that you'll tell us when we're not recording. Yeah, right. To to be announced.
01:15:06
Speaker
Just like many things about Project Purple and some to be announced despite everyone seeing it. So yeah what's the color of the track? Purple. yeah Columns are gray.
01:15:17
Speaker
So lot of it's already spelled out. Um...
01:15:24
Speaker
What so far, like now I'm just going to ask a random question. um What so far has been your favorite part about Iron Menace? Wow. Project Purple's like creation.
01:15:39
Speaker
Yeah. and I was to say Iron Menace was opening it and the first public writers when they were screaming and I was like, why am I getting emotional? That was the thing. I was like, holy crap. People are screaming. um But anyway, but Project Purple, um my favorite part,
01:15:54
Speaker
so far was we um we had ah i said we had a very small collection of content creators come out on a day that the track piece was delivered and it all timed out like really well.
01:16:06
Speaker
um And my my park manager was there and he like cut the lock and it was like oh it was just like you know i was like choreographed. was like, oh, this went great. And that was just like a really, really special day because to see like the first piece of purple and see it pop because like we, you know, we get like designs and we see paint on a piece of paper, but like to see it in and we we got some pictures from the manufacturer, but like then to see it in real life on our site was like, oh my gosh, it's happening. This is awesome.
01:16:33
Speaker
um So for me, that's been the most exciting part so far was that first piece of track arriving. um du The second coolest part was like I went ah four or five days without going out to the site because I had some obligations at Dorney.
01:16:46
Speaker
um And then obviously like we had Sunday, we don't, you know, Sunday we don't build and sometimes we don't build on Saturday. so it was like four or five days in between. I came out and I was like, holy moly. Like half, like all of the track where the station is gonna be is is done.
01:17:02
Speaker
It's like, it's the it's up. So just to watch how aggressively and quickly they're working on this project, it's been fun. Yeah, I was really shocked when I saw everyone's pictures from last weekend.
01:17:15
Speaker
Cause I was like, you guys just put the first piece of track in. What do you mean this is already like this? Yeah, and the and the first piece of track getting put on Inside baseball, but everybody's like, well, took you eight hours to put the first piece of track in. You guys are going so slow. And it's like the first piece of track is like the most instrumental piece of track in the entire build. Because like, as everyone knows, as you go along, you know, gets so it's not that it gets easier, but like, it's it's like a Lego set.
01:17:45
Speaker
Yeah, if you're off by even like center. And like with the first piece, like we put it on with that, like we didn't have the crane for it yet. So like dynamically how we were doing it different. Now it's all crane work, it's all different. So it's just funny.
01:17:56
Speaker
I thought it was great that like four days later when when all the pictures started coming out from us and the content creators, it's like all this work's done. And I was like, dude, just relax. It's so critical of like, well of how long it took to put the first piece on. And I'm like, if you were there, you'd know that this is like a critical juncture of the build is when you first start to go vertical.
01:18:20
Speaker
Yeah. And then it kind of just seamlessly starts to work together. um One of the next big things that you see normally is like circuit completed, right? Like whatever it is, whatever that circuit is, um that's like a big thing, too.
01:18:32
Speaker
So that'll that'll be coming down the road at some point, too. So there's always there's always something um to watch out for. But yeah, the build has been incredible to watch how fast that is. Yeah.
01:18:43
Speaker
Can I also I saved I don't know why I saved these to the end of the episode. Sorry. um Did you, ah did, were there like other options potentially outside of mock or was mock kind of always the idea? don't know what you're talking about.
01:18:58
Speaker
All right.
01:19:02
Speaker
Can't, can't get into manufacturer questions just yet, Jen. Okay. All right. Also Nancy, I'm sorry. I assume mock is going back. No, it's all good. yeah It's all good. Hopefully we can talk about those things real soon.
01:19:14
Speaker
all right, well then, we'll save my question and when we can talk about those things real soon. Yeah, I love how you i love how like you guys already, you're so dead set on everything and what it is. That's what I mean. It's like it's great. I don't mind it.
01:19:28
Speaker
Yeah. We're just we're not 100% ready to talk about that just yet. I don't think it's a big secret. And I want to treat it like it's a secret. It's just not i yeah just not quite there yet.
01:19:41
Speaker
Yeah. The story is not ready to be told. That's where we're at. end of off you Allison gets it. Jen gets it too. She walked right into it. I did. We were so concerned that we were going to questions that you wouldn't be able to answer. And yeah, I was the question. You're the one. Yeah, it was me. hey i don't and i don't have a problem with it. I mean, yeah, you gotta ask you got to ask that question. It's good.
01:20:03
Speaker
Yeah.
01:20:06
Speaker
Yeah. Okay. Well, anything else, guys?
Instagram and Podcast Mishaps
01:20:11
Speaker
No?
01:20:13
Speaker
I have something else to reference, but that's not related to Ryan, but it's a more of a general podcast thing. I do. I am a little sad we don't get a dandelion in appearance on this episode. I feel like last time got dandelion appearance on the episode. She was very quiet this episode. She did not pop up. ah No of dandelion and Ahsoka. No dandelion. No facing around either. She did pretty good.
01:20:36
Speaker
no No dogs this episode, guys. sorry Where's the corgi at? Go on. She just started rolling around on the ground just now. Quiet in her bed. i'd Look at that name. Look at that. I remember that name. That's pretty good.
01:20:49
Speaker
Dogs. Yes. People. Rides. Not so much. Yeah, I always tell this story, but like before me and Taylor Bybee were friends, um the first time he met me, we met through mutual friends and I had Ahsoka with me. She was a puppy and he followed Ahsoka on Instagram and he followed Ahsoka on Instagram for almost a year before he followed me on Instagram.
01:21:12
Speaker
That checks out. I can relate to that. Yeah. i i was Sorry, your dog's older than you is what it is. Yeah, he was like, I want to follow your dog on Instagram and just never followed me. Just only followed the dog.
01:21:26
Speaker
I was like, valid. That's fine. mean, my dogs are definitely cuter than I am, so I get the vibe. Yeah, I was like, I would also only follow the Corky. That's fine. All right.
01:21:38
Speaker
all right Appreciate you guys having me on. Yeah, thank you, Ryan. or We'll have more to talk about here in a couple weeks. All right, we'll have to have back. Happy to jump on again later. In the year.
01:21:50
Speaker
Yeah. I'll definitely have to get you back on. And we'll see you at Great Adventure soon. Yes. For sure. And real quick before we end the recording, um for our April Fool's episode that dropped yesterday as of recording this, um we did mean to drop an episode on Wednesday instead of Monday. Like, that had been the plan all along.
01:22:12
Speaker
I did not mean to release an episode without one person's entire vocal track on there. Yeah. That was not the ah April Fool's part of it. It was the... ah We actually did have an episode and it was just a dumb one. So sorry about that to anybody who listened to the episode before i' pulled it down during my ah my day job and kind it got it fixed up. That was stressful. Yeah, I do, however, think it would have been genius because Mike was so excited about that topic. would It would have been genius just to cut his cut audio for like half the episode and then tell him later.
01:22:49
Speaker
I thought about it later and I was like, man, that would have been a fantastic joke. He was far too educated on theming in bathrooms. Yeah.
01:23:00
Speaker
But like when somebody messages me, it's like, hey, did mean to have like 20 seconds of silence and then you guys randomly referencing King's Island when nothing else was said? i'm like, no, that wasn't supposed to happen.
01:23:13
Speaker
Yeah, it happens. We're learning. April Fool's on me, but it's fixed up. Enjoy a silly episode. Yeah, if you like bathrooms. We'll have to talk about Dorney Park bathrooms or something.
01:23:29
Speaker
Yeah, I don't think they were mentioned. Or Great Adventure. Ryan, the parks are missing the bathroom. Good bathroom marks. um Good bathroom marks? Yeah. Well, you know, Dorney's been around for 140 plus years, so that could explain that.
01:23:45
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Great, i mean, you know, Great Adventure's got some nice bathrooms. I don't know. Maybe just not something they're really, maybe they just get in and get out when they're at Great Adventure. they're just trying to experience the thrills. They're not too worried about it, you know?
01:23:58
Speaker
Yeah, we need like immersive bathrooms. So you could be featured on next year's April Fool's episode about bathrooms. You know what? Dynamic bathrooms.
01:24:09
Speaker
Dynamic bathrooms only. i'm not a big i'm not a big prankster, but I'm sure we can figure something out I'd like to stay away from social media on April Fool's. I hate it. It's so annoying.
01:24:21
Speaker
Yeah. It's not even worth it. It's not even worth it. Yeah. that's why i always want place what are What are your parks doing for April Fool's? And I'm like, nothing. Yeah. so You're no fun. And I'm like, don't just, you know, I'm one of those weirdos too. When like everybody does it, it just makes me not want to do it.
01:24:39
Speaker
Everyone's doing it. You should do this trend. No, no, I don't want to do it unless we can elevate it. Then I'm like, okay, I'll do it. Like if everybody's doing hot to go by Chapel Rhone, then like how, what are we doing to make it but like cool and make it uniquely ours? Oh, we're sticking monsters up on top of roller coasters and using a drone. Okay. um cool I'm cool. I feel like every year there's like one or two things that end up being really good, but the rest is just, yeah.
01:25:08
Speaker
It's just because everybody does them. so Yeah. It's oversaturated. Yeah, I don't care for the pranks, but I had fun with the just recording a silly episode. That's different. Yeah, we recorded- You didn't go on social media and put out something that looks serious and guest facing, and then it was a joke. like Yeah. oh yeah Yeah, we just did a silly episode that we had a guest on who had no idea what it was about. and That's funny. And got to surprise him with a very random- um episode. So yeah, it was a fun little not random post lying about something.
01:25:43
Speaker
Smart. Yeah. All right. Well, I think that brings us to the end of the episode.
Conclusion and Future Teasers
01:25:50
Speaker
Yeah. It's been a lot of fun. Yeah. A lot tonight.
01:25:55
Speaker
It has been. Thank you so much again, Ryan. We really appreciate you coming on with us. thanks you Thank you for your time and i hope everybody gets a great adventure in Dorney Park and a Six Slags Park near them soon.
01:26:06
Speaker
Yeah. I can't wait to hear more about Project Purple. Oh, you'll hear more this weekend from Jen. So, stay tuned. Yes. Look forward to that.
01:26:17
Speaker
Well, until next time, keep thinking inverted and we will see all again soon. Bye, guys.