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Episode 168 - Still Alive in '25
154 Plays27 days ago
This week on the premier comedy roller coaster podcast Ben and Zach discuss the craziness of 2025 and the upcoming YFCS Southern California meetup.
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Transcript
Humor and Identity: Ben's Re-Coming Out Moment
00:00:42
Zach
I'm Zach and I'm getting by.
00:00:48
Ben
I'm Ben and I'm bi? Wait, no I'm not.
00:00:55
Zach
You sure about that?
00:00:58
Ben
said it because it arrives but it's not true.
00:01:02
Zach
Ben's re coming out.
00:01:05
Zach
This is getting off the rails quick. I'm going to just stop.
00:01:10
Ben
You never hear people doing that though.
00:01:13
Zach
What like, uh, Hey, I'm still gay.
00:01:16
Ben
No, like if someone's gay for like 20 years and then they like come out as bi.
00:01:26
Zach
They're like, ah, you know, might as well dip my toe back in.
Memory Lane: 2010 Trips and Roller Coasters
00:01:32
Ben
Yeah, I saw this photo on the internet of a woman and it was just like, wow, that is, that's great. I don't know.
00:01:43
Zach
Oh, I'm looking forward to your 20th anniversary.
00:01:49
Ben
for Unfortunately, it's actually coming up pretty quick, which is crazy to think about.
00:01:54
Zach
I mean, you're over halfway there, right?
00:01:59
Ben
Yeah, it's true. and I still remember it well.
00:02:05
Zach
Who played in the Super Bowl halftime show that year?
00:02:09
Ben
No idea.
00:02:11
Zach
Who played in the Super Bowl that year?
00:02:13
Ben
No idea. I didn't even watch Super Bowl this year.
00:02:18
Zach
What roller coasters opened that summer?
00:02:22
Ben
Well, it was 2010, so actually there really wasn't that many new rides.
00:02:30
Ben
Yeah, shit, there really wasn't and actually, cause that year our, with our mutual friend, we went to the, east we did this like big East coast trip and there wasn't like a single new big coaster that year.
00:02:43
Zach
Is that when shoot the rapids opened?
00:02:45
Ben
Yeah, it was. So there was that, that was just that, like, those like two, three years post GFC when like, there was just nothing open.
00:02:58
Ben
Cause like, yeah, like nothing, there was like no new good rides on the East coast.
00:02:58
Zach
Yeah.
00:03:01
Ben
I think sky rush was like announced that year, but I don't think it was a 2010 ride. I'm almost certain it wasn't.
00:03:11
Zach
Intimidator Yeah, I 305 intimidated both of them And I come up with something because otherwise our listeners would have Somebody was getting upset for a sec And we're sorry um Not really but
00:03:13
Ben
Oh, Oh yeah. Both Intimidators.
00:03:19
Ben
Yeah, that's right.
00:03:30
Ben
Oh and Skyrush and Skyrush was 2012.
00:03:33
Zach
So Sky Rush Sky Rush was just ah a glimmer.
00:03:38
Zach
In the ball sack of. Mr. Hershey Park.
00:03:44
Ben
Although I oddly remember them announcing this ride in 2010. For some reason. Like I'm almost certain
Coaster Announcements and Mic Mishaps
00:03:54
Ben
I remember sitting in the dorm room the first summer with like just
00:04:01
Zach
Don't you go fucking gaslighting the Theusies Ben.
00:04:07
Zach
I feel like Hershey Park is not the park that would be announcing an attraction like ahead of time in that way.
00:04:19
Ben
I'm almost certain of it though because I just I just have this like really vivid memory of I don't know I just love like the 2010 dorm room and like having the like I almost remember that the nerdy conversations about that ride people like
00:04:37
Zach
Well, that's the thing is I'm hesitant to call bullshit because you do have an impressive memory for someone that I've smoked pot with several times. um Because you'll be like, yeah, you ate this and you were wearing that shirt. And I'm like, dude, how the fuck do you? ever Did you just drop your mic in the sink?
00:04:57
Ben
No, I hit it hit it with a can. um Yeah.
00:05:01
Zach
Oh, cheers.
00:05:06
Zach
Post. All right. ah Anyway, yeah, you do have an impressive memory at times, but this this is one of those times where I'm like, I don't know, dude.
Roller Coaster Rumors and Management Decisions
00:05:15
Zach
It just seems weird that Hershey would announce something. Like a year ahead of time, you know.
00:05:26
Ben
Or it was, yeah, I don't know, or, I don't fucking know. I i feel like though,
00:05:35
Ben
if I can look up, if there's a way to historically look up on Screamscape, like I'm sure I could, I don't know. Maybe it was like the fall of 2010 or something. I swear it was that year. i only The only thing I remember about that was like it was around the same time that that Darien Lake had that accident.
00:05:59
Zach
I mean, I said it back then and I'll say it again now. If you have two prosthetic legs, how the fuck are you tall enough to ride a roller coaster?
00:06:12
Ben
the first accident i ever covered oh shit ah I don't know.
00:06:15
Zach
Oh boy.
00:06:17
Ben
I could be, I could be wrong. Okay. So the accident was 2011. Which means that maybe my Skyrush memory was also 2011, because I feel like they happen around the same time.
00:06:22
Zach
Okay.
00:06:30
Zach
CONFLATION!
00:06:33
Ben
anyway
00:06:34
Zach
Well, now that we've settled it, I just want to welcome everyone back to your favorite coasters sucks, where we can give you the most breaking roller coaster news from 14 years ago. Would have been 15, but Ben fucked the dates up.
00:06:52
Zach
Anyway, uh, welcome back. It's 2025. Um, we're a little bit into 2025 and, uh, if you're listening to this, you made it. Congratulations.
00:07:03
Ben
Yeah, and I mean, everyone's still alive, which is good. Or as a, you know, as a species still standing.
00:07:13
Zach
For now.
00:07:14
Ben
Yeah.
00:07:16
Ben
until
00:07:16
Zach
I mean we're not gonna we're not gonna bullshit you and tell you things are great but also maybe we just don't need to focus on the shit
00:07:19
Ben
Until... Yeah.
00:07:29
Ben
Yeah, and I mean, locally in our own community, we do kind of have a little bit of a, a doge situation going on with the Six Flags chain and ripping out rides, but ah we'll see what happens.
00:07:45
Ben
ah Fortunately, other than Kingda Ka, there hasn't been anything too dramatic announced. Although there are rumors blown around of saying Of basically, uh, you haven't seen anything yet. So.
00:08:02
Zach
Here's the thing, right? Remember, under Jim Reed Anderson, every Six Flags park got a new ride every year. Well, now under Richard Zimmerman, every park will lose a new ride every year.
00:08:19
Ben
Pretty. Yeah. Kind of reminds me of that Shapiro era. I was like. they were They were removing thrill rides and adding like the Wiggles into all the park.
00:08:32
Zach
which was not Which was not a terrible idea.
00:08:36
Zach
Because it's an idea, right?
00:08:38
Ben
Yeah.
00:08:40
Zach
The Cedar Fair idea is just like, I don't know, that one costs a lot to operate. Tear it down. People will come back.
00:08:49
Ben
The King Nokaw one is a little shocking. It's um
00:08:57
Zach
Yeah, it was surprising because it's like, where are they gonna go? Hershey Park? Oh yeah, shit, they probably will. Fuck.
00:09:05
Ben
Yeah and also it didn't it actually that one didn't hit me until I saw the photos of the deconstruction that updated like a week or two ago. Seeing it being deconstructed is actually kind of wild because I know it's been like 20 years, but it, it still doesn't feel that long.
00:09:27
Ben
Even, um, yeah, it's just weird. Like it's weird seeing that being taken down.
00:09:34
Zach
Yeah, and make no mistake, they give no fucks about this ride.
00:09:34
Ben
and Yeah.
00:09:39
Zach
The roller coaster museums not getting any preserved pieces.
00:09:47
Ben
And we know, I mean,
00:09:47
Zach
Or maybe they are. I don't fucking know and I don't care.
00:09:51
Ben
Yeah, I'm actually curious.
00:09:52
Zach
Talk to me when they're open.
00:09:54
Ben
And, uh, we've entered 2025 and it's now. Well, it's six years since they announced that they're trying to open, which we're going to, we're coming up on a decade.
00:10:09
Ben
It's pretty funny.
00:10:12
Ben
Do you think they have any updates for this year?
00:10:15
Zach
I'm sure they do.
00:10:17
Ben
For merch, new merch.
00:10:19
Ben
national like
00:10:20
Zach
Yeah, I like that they they have
Drinking Culture: Milwaukee vs. Other Cities
00:10:22
Zach
put the option on their website, at least for a bit to. Was it roast them or something?
00:10:31
Ben
Okay, so they they got a model of a mine bender, or of the West Edmonton Mall mine bender, which is pretty cool.
00:10:41
Zach
That's cool.
00:10:42
Ben
um It is just a model though. I wonder if if that was, if you could buy that, that would probably buy that that. That looks pretty cool.
00:10:56
Zach
Look, I'm not bullshit and they got a great collection there and I want to see it. So just open the fuck up and I'll buy a ticket.
00:11:07
Ben
yeah they've got Yeah, they've got no updates on their shit.
00:11:16
Zach
A friend of the show, Luna Russ Lance has been tweeting at them day after day, counting the days of asking them to open.
00:11:28
Ben
Nice. People, a lot of people got to start doing that. Put the pressure back on them.
00:11:33
Zach
Yeah. Send an email, ask them when they're going to open.
00:11:38
Ben
Or just be like, or, you know, if you were at the email would be like, Hey, I was really, and or be like, Hey, I'm planning on being in town. Um, where can I buy it? Can I buy a ticket in advance or, you know, make them tell you it's not open.
00:11:55
Zach
Right. Yeah. I'll be in town on March 8th.
00:11:56
Ben
I like, yeah, can I buy a ticket online? Do I just knock on the door?
00:12:05
Zach
Yeah. What's, what's the procedure? Cause I don't see a ticket purchasing link here.
00:12:10
Ben
I first heard of you guys back in 2019. I'm really excited to visit. I'm planning on visiting on this day. I don't see any options online to purchase a ticket.
00:12:21
Zach
Although I do see a donation tab. is it Does it work like I donate to get my admission?
00:12:29
Ben
Yeah, people everyone just start doing that. Bug the shit out of them.
00:12:32
Zach
Yeah. Is it like a block party where it's a suggested donation to get in?
00:12:36
Ben
ah
00:12:40
Ben
You know, there there's there's an aerial photo of the building. And so first, I love it. It's just next to a highway, which is, I mean, expected, but then in the photo of the person on the highway, of of the highway, there's like a truck pulling, I think like pulling like a, like a boat, like a jet ski or like a, you know, like a sports boat, a ski boat.
00:13:16
Ben
I think about the bar, the bar, like,
00:13:16
Zach
speedboat.
Nostalgia and Hometowns: To Return or Not?
00:13:23
Ben
I mean, the bar looks cool. What the fuck?
00:13:31
Ben
Dude, this thing's the dumbest fucking idea. It's like somebody's personal collection.
00:13:44
Zach
I mean, it's kind of cool. I'd go see it.
00:13:49
Ben
Established 2009 They're gonna have come up on 20 years of being established and not open Well
00:13:51
Zach
Sure. We'll go with that.
00:14:08
Zach
I like how they revised their website because of the video, but it's still like, it doesn't make it sound any better. Oh, established 2009. Okay.
00:14:21
Ben
I mean, what have they been, I don't even know, like, is there is there somebody there during the day?
00:14:28
Ben
You know what I mean? Like, are there people, like, do they do they have a full-time staff?
00:14:31
Zach
Uh, I don't think so.
00:14:37
Ben
So that shit's just collecting dust all the time.
00:14:43
Ben
I bet they don't even have like a bathroom in there. That'd be funny if that's why they can't open because they don't have a bathroom.
00:14:51
Zach
Right. They're like, they have the bar and everyone is drinking beers and it's like, where can I take a piss? And they're like, all right, well, you got to walk outside and around back.
00:15:07
Ben
I have a feeling they Got excited about the location. They moved all the shit down there. And there's some like weird permitting thing and like this, like, you know, like they can't open it as a museum because of some weird classification or, you know, something like that. And now they're just like, well, we don't have the money to move it it somewhere else. So we'll just keep this going as long as we can.
00:15:34
Zach
Yeah, or like insurance, they can't open it to the public, which wouldn't surprise me.
00:15:36
Ben
Mm hmm.
00:15:41
Ben
Yeah.
00:15:43
Ben
I don't know.
00:15:45
Ben
Yeah. I don't know. It's, it's frustrating, but
00:15:49
Zach
It is.
00:15:51
Zach
But Hey, we'll mark it, right? It's February, 2025. I'm sure by February, 2026, we won't be having this conversation again.
00:16:03
Ben
It's just, it's so funny at this point, it's been like so many years of a joke and yeah.
00:16:11
Ben
Well,
00:16:13
Zach
yeah Yeah, hey, you know, like I said, your favorite coaster sucks where we hit you at the best of the breaking roller coaster news from 14 years ago. Or in this case. Twenty six.
00:16:30
Ben
Well, speaking of other indoor coasters.
00:16:33
Zach
Oh, I just really unmath that shit.
00:16:37
Zach
We'll try 16 maybe.
00:16:39
Ben
Yeah.
00:16:41
Zach
We're okay.
00:16:43
Zach
So what about kitty ghosters, Ben?
00:16:44
Ben
of No, same other ah indoor coasters. um
00:16:51
Ben
Okay. And that is kind of funny. High pro slide hive. Anyway, it looked like it just said HIV and I got, I was just like, what? Um,
00:17:02
Zach
That is the scariest ride.
00:17:07
Ben
um no galaxy land. It says that they're preparing at a new coaster to replace my mender. And as much as I want,
00:17:16
Zach
It's a Vekoma family junior boomerang.
00:17:21
Ben
Well, that's just it. Like, I don't know. Like, honestly, I have no expectations of what to expect. Like, part of me is. Like, as cool as it would be, because isn't um I mean, there's like other Mattel parks opening those new Vekoma loopers, right? So part of me thinks it's possible they're going to get one of those Vekoma looping coasters. um But I could also see them just getting like a spongebob.
00:17:51
Ben
Eurofighter clone, too. So.
00:17:54
Zach
That seems pretty likely.
00:17:56
Ben
Yeah.
00:17:59
Ben
And it'll be one of those things, too, where like obviously like the original mind mender was built um like the design or the building was kind of designed with the ride in mind. And I have a feeling that whatever they put in there is just going to like.
00:18:13
Ben
Not be incorporated into the building, it'll just be a standalone footprint.
00:18:18
Zach
Yeah, I feel like they're going to buy an off the shelf layout.
00:18:22
Ben
Yeah.
00:18:23
Ben
And then it'll just be kind of like so the scaffolding and shit.
00:18:24
Zach
Like, could you could you motherfuckers at least import the layout of the building into no limits and fuck around with it a little bit?
00:18:35
Ben
Yeah, I just don't really see him spending money, although I mean, they did get I mean, they did buy that custom spinning coaster, which I forgot who made that. Was it Gerstlauer?
00:18:49
Ben
That one is pretty cool. So they did do that. I mean, that one goes like in and out of different rooms and stuff.
00:18:56
Zach
Shit, we got a buddy who could make it just as good of a coaster in 12 by eight tiles.
00:19:05
Ben
Yeah.
00:19:10
Ben
Galaxy Orbiter.
00:19:10
Zach
but same With the same goddamn bridge and everything.
00:19:13
Ben
Mm hmm.
00:19:15
Ben
Who the hell built this?
00:19:16
Zach
And actually, you know what? I'm not gonna say that person's name, but I will say, because I think they're a listener, Uh, congratulations to them because they got a promotion.
00:19:29
Ben
Oh, nice.
00:19:30
Zach
Yeah. They're, um, they're like full time shiny name tag and all that.
00:19:33
Ben
Oh, cool.
00:19:37
Ben
Nice.
00:19:39
Zach
Yeah, yeah, I think that's, uh, like when people say live in the dream, I think he, I mean, they, uh, will be, I don't know. I think, I think they'll be honestly, you know, saying that in earnest, but just, uh, just to really, um,
00:19:54
Ben
Yeah, that's cool.
00:20:01
Zach
Yeah, not not put that person's um employment situation in question in any
Midwest Culture: Drinking and Lifestyle
00:20:07
Zach
way, shape, or form. We won't even mention their name. But congratulations to them, because I'm sure they know who they are. And if you just got a promotion, congratulations to you, too.
00:20:22
Zach
Congratulations, Arnold. You know what else, Ben?
00:20:25
Ben
What's that?
00:20:26
Zach
Uh, this is coming out Friday. It's Friday. It's Valentine's day.
00:20:32
Ben
And your birthday tomorrow.
00:20:34
Zach
Well, yes, I'm, I'm older now, a year older. And I don't want to say a number cause that's no fun. Just a year older.
00:20:46
Zach
But that's okay. Uh, Ben talked me into.
00:20:50
Zach
psychedelics so into the way that tends to happen when I hang out with you so I think the plan for my birthday may involve that but um Lord yeah Valentine's Day you got any plans
00:20:53
Ben
Talk to you into or out of? Oh.
00:21:09
Ben
Um.
00:21:15
Ben
um We were going to go out to dinner and then I think we just talked to ourselves into just eating at home and not going out because like it's kind of a weird day. There's like a lot of unnecessary pressure to do things just because so.
00:21:40
Zach
Well, the economy kinda depends on it.
00:21:43
Ben
Yeah. Well, that's true.
00:21:45
Zach
Buy it buy a card, buy flowers, buy chocolate, make dinner reservations, buy champagne.
00:21:51
Ben
Yeah, but I always, I
00:21:53
Zach
You're not a good American if you skip on any of that shit.
00:21:57
Ben
always just kind of get the like image of, I don't know, like a miserable straight couple with kids and they, you know, it's like, all right, we gotta do Valentine's day dinner type of type of vibe.
00:22:14
Ben
We gotta go to the Applebee's.
00:22:20
Zach
All you can eat steak.
00:22:23
Ben
Which I can't remember.
00:22:28
Ben
It was either a Chili's or an Applebee's. um But a couple of years ago when I was I guess more than that when I was living in Minneapolis, it was Valentine's Day and I was just hanging out with a friend and we we're driving back um from like the Wisconsin border because you couldn't buy alcohol. In Minnesota on Sundays. Until like a couple of years ago, which I always thought was crazy.
00:22:53
Ben
um But anyway, it was late, and we were like trying to find shit that was open. And then like the only thing was ah that was open was either like a Chili's or like an Applebee's, and it happened to be Valentine's Day. And it was like deep in the suburbs of the Twin Cities. And it was like funny and sad, because it was just like i don't know exactly who you'd expect to be at an Applebee's or Achilles on Valentine's night in the suburbs in the Midwest
00:23:29
Zach
Did you walk in there like go Packers?
00:23:34
Ben
we did walk in like oh fuck Because it was packed it was slammed and they had like, you know like the the special Valentine's Day menu and there was like people who clearly like Do not take each other out for dinner like at all It was cute
00:23:50
Zach
And you're like, we're just trying to get two dozen beers to go.
00:23:57
Ben
a good time now what's that yeah ah no and even I don't know what that is I think
00:23:59
Zach
You know what's weird about um Minnesota to me? Fucking princes, fucking princes from there. You ever go to Paisley Park when you live there?
00:24:18
Zach
It's like Prince's estate.
00:24:24
Ben
Like I kind of think I know what you're talking about, but I don't know if I've ever like seen it or maybe I have, I don't know. I know, like I know, think I like rode my bike near it or something.
00:24:37
Ben
Cause I remember like being on a bike ride with a group of people and someone pointed it out, but I can't tell you like where or what it looks like or anything. I know that he had that nightclub on,
00:24:48
Zach
Yeah, I think yeah, it's like a whole fucking compound, I think.
00:24:50
Ben
on Hennepin. I've never been I don't think I've been inside of it.
00:24:58
Ben
Yeah, yeah, there's a few gay bars over there. And then there's what's funny is there's a place called gay 90s. Which I don't think is a gay bar.
00:25:13
Ben
And then there's like strip clubs. It's a weird. It's a weird. Hennepin is like a weird thing because. Well, like, you know, you can't buy alcohol and the like, there's no liquor sales on Sundays.
00:25:28
Ben
With the exception of restaurants, if like a certain percentage of your sales is food, which is why like. Most bars in Minneapolis are also also have kitchens and like are basically restaurants.
00:25:45
Ben
was the number one thing i It was one thing I always hated living there because there's no just like ah coming from Milwaukee where there's just like bars and taverns and like you know you can
00:25:46
Zach
Interesting.
00:25:57
Ben
There's like bars and people's like house basements in your neighborhood and stuff like that. Like there, everything was a restaurant. So like you'd go with friends and you'd have to like sit at a table and it had a server. It wasn't like a mingling spot. People didn't just like go to the bar and mingle. There was no really like dance floors or anything with the exception of like clubs. I don't know. It is a weird, it's a weird place.
00:26:25
Zach
I mean, to be completely fair, Wisconsin's kind of weird, too.
00:26:32
Ben
yeah
00:26:32
Zach
Because like you're talking about how there's bars everywhere. I remember driving around Kenosha one time.
00:26:40
Ben
Yeah.
00:26:40
Zach
And it's like there's a kid with a table and I'm like, oh, there's some lemonade and you drive by and it's like, holy shit, that's a bar.
00:26:53
Ben
I remember that I was, there was always like news stories too of like the kid who had the lemonade stand and he was selling like highlives or something.
00:27:01
Zach
Oh my god, I was joking, but it's not surprising.
00:27:07
Ben
And it's always just like a feel good story too. And then it shows like the cop like drinking the beer with the kid and they're just like laughing. Sorry kid, you can't be selling beer. But let me buy one off you.
00:27:21
Zach
Instead of one dollar, I'll give you two.
00:27:26
Ben
Corey, the neighborhood entrepreneur selling lemonade and also surprisingly something else.
00:27:33
Zach
milk
00:27:35
Ben
Hey kid, do you uh, you have a license for that? Now? It's always like the fluff piece.
00:27:50
Zach
Kids like I can drink them all. That's okay.
00:27:54
Ben
But yeah, like um...
00:27:57
Ben
Yeah, the the neighborhood basement bar. I want to like go back and just stay in Milwaukee for a week and just explore.
00:28:06
Zach
How does your, how does your liver feel about that?
00:28:11
Ben
Uh, it'll probably take some adjusting since I'm still on the dry kick this for 2025.
00:28:21
Zach
That's kind of how I feel. I've been back to Chicago a couple of times. And of course it's been the winter every time. And so I go back and like my family is just like every other Midwestern family. My dad's like, you want a beer?
00:28:34
Ben
Mm hmm. Yeah, now it's like I kind of like feel weird when I have. Like, I don't know. Which is like good, I mean. Like I went to the I was just at the doctor. Last week and I had like the best blood work I've ever had.
00:28:56
Ben
So. Yeah, I don't know, like and it's weird, like how. It's just such a communal thing to are like, like, ah like there's literally like the bars that are in people's, ba like there's certain neighborhoods in Milwaukee where you walk and it's like a house that's like on a block. And it just has like the pap sign on like a window and you're just like walking into somebody's house and there's just like seven people drinking in like a basement.
00:29:28
Zach
That's insane.
00:29:29
Zach
Like in a.
00:29:31
Ben
Chicago's got that stuff too, though. I mean, it's not like.
00:29:33
Zach
It's not. There's the thing is that Chicago is crooked, especially with the alcohol licenses, so they'll shut your shit down if you're like you got a bar sign, you know what I'm saying?
00:29:46
Ben
Well, yeah, but the thing is, in Milwaukee, theyre they have liquor licenses. It's like you just go through the whatever the Tavern League or whatever, like it's easy. It's just easy to get. Or, or people have like grandfathered themselves into their liquor license.
00:30:02
Ben
You know, like it's just, uh, there's just so many.
00:30:05
Zach
Yeah, Chicago is like, yeah, liquor license. That's going to be the personal charge here.
00:30:14
Ben
Yeah.
00:30:16
Zach
But you know what Chicago has a ah shitload of is fucking BYOB establishments.
00:30:22
Ben
Yeah.
00:30:24
Zach
That's that's the that's the little workaround in Chicago. So like. Every little shoebox theater and like three quarters of the restaurants and shit are all B.Y.O.B.
00:30:40
Ben
That's right. I always forget about that.
00:30:42
Zach
Yeah, you just got to find out which ones because then it's like worst case, they'll charge you like a corking fee or whatever.
00:30:49
Ben
Yeah, right. Yep.
00:30:51
Zach
But I mean, yeah, that's kinda like hookah lounges even are BYOB. I'm like, fuck it, bring in vodka.
00:31:00
Ben
Okay.
00:31:03
Zach
You want orange juice to mix with it? $8, you
California Living and Disneyland Adventures
00:31:06
Zach
know?
00:31:06
Ben
Yeah.
00:31:07
Zach
okay But whatever. that's That's the trick in Chicago. That's why um everybody you meet from Chicago knows how to sneak liquor in.
00:31:13
Ben
Yeah. Huh. Yeah. Now that I always forget about that, that shit does not fly. Like there's no, that concept does not exist, um, in Wisconsin. Flip side though is,
00:31:19
Ben
yeah
00:31:22
Ben
yeah now that i always forget about that that that shit does not fly like there's no that concept does not exist in wisconsin flip side though is
00:31:33
Zach
Well, that's that's because, like you were saying, every place is a bar.
00:31:37
Ben
Yeah. And it's generally pretty cheap, like. Even like last time I was there, like, I don't know shit like restaurants here in Denver, like you're used to paying like nine dollars for a beer. You know, like there, the beers are still like two, three dollars apiece.
00:31:57
Zach
god
00:31:59
Ben
I mean, depending on where it is, but, you know, it's not unreasonable.
00:32:03
Zach
Q. John Mulaney saying, I'm pretty sure if we go to nickel shot night, we'll die.
00:32:13
Zach
But yeah, no, I mean.
00:32:15
Zach
I remember getting so fucking drunk at the lakefront brewery.
00:32:20
Ben
Yeah.
00:32:21
Zach
Because that tour is cheap as hell and they give you four fucking pores.
00:32:26
Ben
Mm hmm. It used to be like six, I remember, and then um Milwaukee Brewing Company used to be all you can drink for, I think it was like 12 bucks.
00:32:41
Ben
Um, and then literally quote from the owner was basically like, yeah, the Chicago tourists came up and like kind of ruined it for everybody. So we can't do that anymore.
00:32:55
Zach
Yeah, Chicago.
00:32:58
Zach
Well, like, and that's the thing is like I got so goddamn drunk and I'm I drove with a caravan of people, friends that I worked with at Six Flags at the time. And like. I was like, whoa, I should not be driving, but like I am convinced the standard is different in Wisconsin.
00:33:21
Ben
Yeah. Unfortunately, yeah, it's like, that's true. And everyone I knew out of the UI, but like your first one is just like, it's like, um it's like a traffic ticket, basically.
00:33:35
Ben
Where you still have to go to court and it's still on your record as a DUI. But basically they're just like, well, it's your first one. Did we, uh, did we spook you? Are you scared? Okay. Just don't do it again.
00:33:50
Zach
yeah dude like the the fucking like wisconsin's like the epicenter for the alcoholism of the midwest but i i just want to make it clear i i know now especially after moving away that chicago is not too far off
00:34:06
Ben
Yeah, I think that what was different like these are the two like the two vibes that I've experienced between the two cities is like. In Chicago, it's like people drink as almost like people drink as much on a day to day basis, but like. In Chicago, you encounter.
00:34:26
Ben
more like really drunk people like people that are kind of like more like people that are slurring more people that are acting drunk you know and like laughing and like tripping in the streets and stuff and then in Milwaukee everyone is just as drunk but like they're they're so alcoholic that they're not like outwardly drunk like like you'll be like talking to somebody and it'll be like a total It's a totally normal conversation, but like the smell of alcohol in their breath is so strong.
00:35:01
Ben
You're like, you're wasted and like, you're talking more sober than I am.
00:35:07
Zach
feel like, Oh, Jesus Christ.
00:35:07
Ben
And then they'll just like get in their car and like, Oh yeah, I gotta go pick up the kids.
00:35:12
Zach
I feel like there's a lot of like suburban kids in Chicago that come to the city and they're, you know, young, potentially underage with a fake.
00:35:16
Ben
Yeah.
00:35:25
Zach
Whereas I don't know. Like you said, I think it's more in Wisconsin. There's less of the suburbs. It becomes rural a lot quicker.
00:35:36
Ben
Yeah.
00:35:37
Zach
And so people are, have a ah lot higher tolerance for alcohol by the time they arrive in Milwaukee.
00:35:43
Ben
Yeah.
00:35:46
Zach
Perhaps that's an incorrect read, but, uh.
00:35:50
Ben
I mean, yeah, everyone's tolerance, just like thinking about like growing up and like friends and watching parents and like my family and even like the way I used to live, it's just like it's so crazy.
00:36:05
Ben
Like how, yeah, you just, you think it's so normal. Like it's just bizarre.
00:36:11
Zach
Yeah. You remember that New Year's Eve that I came up there with, uh, we hung out at your house, the house you were living in with like, those are like your, your, du your boys from school or whatever.
00:36:16
Ben
Yeah.
00:36:19
Ben
Yeah.
00:36:28
Zach
Right.
00:36:30
Ben
yeah And I remember.
00:36:34
Ben
well It was like my neighbors were over there or something. They were supposed to be like, I was supposed to have like people over. And then of course, like people, everybody showed up at like midnight. It was like really late. Cause I remember you guys came up kind of early and we started drinking and then you had the, you guys had to leave kind of early. And then like, yeah, that was a weird night.
00:37:00
Ben
That was a weird house too.
00:37:03
Zach
It was.
00:37:05
Ben
I hated that house.
00:37:08
Zach
I think, didn't I visit you at that same house a different time?
00:37:12
Ben
Uh, I'm not, I think so.
00:37:16
Zach
And like I met one of your neighbors, like I mistook your neighbor for you.
00:37:23
Ben
Maybe.
00:37:24
Zach
Before you came outside and like I ended up offering him a beer and we were just chatting.
00:37:30
Ben
Yeah, I mean, that sounds right.
00:37:35
Zach
Which is one of the only times that's ever actually happened.
00:37:38
Ben
Yeah.
00:37:38
Zach
Cause even in Chicago, when I've offered people a beer, like random people I've just met, they'll be like, nah, I'm cool.
00:37:46
Ben
Yeah.
00:37:47
Zach
You're like, all right, whatever.
00:37:49
Ben
Yeah, he's a very neighborly place. I do miss that. So she's living like in the actual city of Milwaukee.
00:37:58
Ben
but I romanticize it. And then I think like, Oh, well it's so oriented around alcohol. I don't even know if I could like do that lifestyle sober.
00:38:09
Ben
Like it wouldn't be the same. Like you can't just like not offer beer or like, yeah.
00:38:14
Zach
So I'm saying I go back to Chicago and I'm like, man, I do miss it a little bit, but I'm like, I don't know what you do during the winter.
00:38:23
Ben
Right.
00:38:23
Zach
Because I don't know what I did during the winter every other year.
00:38:27
Ben
Mm-hmm.
00:38:28
Zach
Aside from like drinking and wishing I was elsewhere.
00:38:32
Ben
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
00:38:37
Zach
But, you know,
00:38:41
Zach
It's also a grass is greener situation.
00:38:45
Ben
Yeah, yeah.
00:38:46
Zach
Because you get elsewhere and it's like, oh, oh, there's like a lot of problems with wherever you are, too.
00:38:51
Ben
Mm hmm. Yeah, and that's the only difference like now that see like now that I've been home or that I've been away for coming up on 11 years away and now that I'm getting older I'm kind of thinking about that like oh like how fun would it be to just like move home but then like Yeah, you you do that for six months and you're just like, oh, that's right. I mean, this is exactly how it was before when I hated it and I left, you know. So.
00:39:27
Zach
Yeah, and that's the thing. It's like there's a lot of positive, um, you know, about the places you come from. But then it's like, there's also a reason you left, you know,
00:39:41
Ben
Yeah.
00:39:44
Zach
and things don't, things don't change, right?
00:39:49
Ben
Right.
00:39:49
Zach
Not like that.
00:39:51
Ben
I mean, that's kind of what the goal was. Duluth is like a nice hybrid because it's like new, but also it's like a nice it's like there's enough flavor of home to where it feels comfortable, but it's not like actual home.
00:40:05
Ben
It's still new.
00:40:07
Ben
But.
00:40:08
Ben
We'll see how we'll see how things happen politically, and if there's a reason to beyond the largest source of freshwater and two hours from the Canadian border, we'll see.
00:40:26
Zach
I mean, I don't I don't mind. Being in the Bay, but also like. You know. There's a lot of asterisks with that.
00:40:37
Ben
Yeah.
00:40:43
Zach
Like that will cost the living thing.
00:40:47
Ben
Yeah, like I forgot who said someone who is telling me this. Someone was basically because like i we were talking about like how I move like how I lived in Seattle and I did like the whole works in Sacramento and like Palo Alto and San Jose and stuff. And like basically they were just saying like, yeah. The best way to move to the West Coast is to move there as if it's not like your forever home. So just like basically, you know, like move there with the, an understanding that you'll, you'll probably move away at some point and just like take advantage of it.
00:41:35
Zach
Yeah, that's. ah
00:41:38
Ben
Cause if you try to like, cause you can spiral about thinking about like, Oh man, like where are my, Are we going to buy a house? Like if we have kids, like where are they going to go to school? Like all this expense, like where the, you know, everything's so expensive and like how I'm going to retire and like, but like, it's like now we're here now. Let's just enjoy it.
00:41:54
Zach
Yeah. I mean.
00:41:58
Zach
It's it's cool to be here.
00:42:00
Ben
Yeah. I mean, California is so cool.
00:42:05
Ben
There's a lot to do out there. A lot to see.
00:42:09
Zach
That's what I'm saying, so I'm I'm all about it for now. Yeah, that's a that's a pretty good way to look at it. Because it's definitely like.
00:42:19
Zach
You know, look, I don't have to tell you all what a high cost of living is like.
00:42:25
Zach
But man, it stacks up when you're in an in an apartment, you can see every wall of
00:42:34
Ben
Even just that whole like like There's times to where like you get that where you get where you got the eat or something and you get the check and you have to like It just doesn't make sense Like oh, yeah, like I remember There's this diner in Seattle. I would go to like sometimes on Sunday morning and And then like you get the check and it's like, how is this $50? Like I got like a plate, there's a couple of eggs, some hash browns, I had like a coffee and like, you know, like two beers. It's like 50 bucks.
00:43:15
Zach
yeah it sounds about right which yeah as you were saying back in Milwaukee things cheaper man going back to Chicago I'm like holy shit I uh I ended up eating Subway for lunch one day when I was there not bragging but uh
00:43:24
Ben
Yeah.
00:43:36
Zach
I got, you know, the combo and I bought some cookies and shit and I was like, they rang up the whole shit. And I'm like, wait, that's it for real.
00:43:47
Ben
Will the subway also lower their prices because of the backlash?
00:43:51
Zach
Maybe, but like.
00:43:53
Ben
Because there is this whole meme about people like on TikTok and stuff, I guess, like going in there and ordering like the $5 foot long. If you're like, wait a minute, it's not $5. They're like, no, that was 10 years ago. It's now $17.99.
00:44:09
Zach
Yeah. That's what I'm saying, though. But you get the foot long and everything. All the shit came out to under 20 bucks in Chicago. And I'm like. Here in the Bay, I'm like, there's no way I'm getting out with under 25 for all that shit.
00:44:26
Ben
Yeah. Yeah.
00:44:31
Zach
But anyway. I digress. um
00:44:36
Zach
We got a meetup coming up.
00:44:40
Ben
Yeah that's coming fast.
00:44:42
Zach
Sure is. That's what he said. I'm looking forward to it. um We'll be here in Southern California in just a couple weeks if you're listening to this on Valentine's Day. um There is still time to join us if you'd like.
00:45:03
Zach
although we'll have to figure out any arrangements but just in case you're deciding you'd like to come join you're free to meet us at any of the parks um we will be at Magic Mountain on um Thursday the 27th that evening definitely all day on the Friday the 28th and Then we will be at knots on the first or second, both, I think. So come out and hang out with us, ride some coasters.
00:45:45
Ben
It's, er, San Diego Thursday, Magic Mountain Friday, Saturday, not Sunday.
00:45:52
Zach
There you go.
00:45:54
Zach
So if you're in the area want to come ride some rides with us. That's the time to do it.
00:46:00
Zach
I am. Oh, I'm going to give you the TLDR trip report from my trip to NAMM. It's a bunch of fun.
00:46:12
Zach
real quick. Did go to Disneyland, three different days on the trip, didn't really, only rode stuff one of the days, really, only a couple rides.
00:46:24
Zach
still a lot of walking around heads and churros you know the good shit uh... but nam right uh... that's the but correct me if i fuck it up that's the national association of music merchants so all the instruments uh... manufacturers of all sorts uh... dj gear and speakers and It's fucking awesome. It was right at the Anaheim Convention Center. I met Dave Ellifson from Megadeth.
00:47:02
Zach
He was promoting his coffee, as well as Michael Starr from Steel Panther. It's fucking cool. Got pictures with those dudes. um Got to see a bunch of super talented musicians. Tried out some new ah rain and pioneer DJ controllers, as well as ah one of the new NPC models from Akai. Shit was sick.
00:47:31
Zach
um Found some cool portables turntables corgs got a new model out Yeah, oh saw the keyboard player from snarky puppy Yeah, it was cool Yeah, so the Anaheim Convention Center is like two blocks away from Disneyland and
00:47:46
Ben
Was it adjacent to Disney? or
00:47:54
Ben
Okay. Nice.
00:47:57
Zach
Yeah, yeah, it was awesome. Um. John Batiste played one night. We tried to see him, but the main promenade was like full, so we couldn't really get a spot. So we only caught like two songs of the set. It's awesome. Really, really good performers.
00:48:19
Zach
Um.
00:48:20
Zach
Trying to think if there was anything else. I mean, we heard Stevie Wonder was walking around, but didn't see him. And we heard that Verdean from Earth, Wind and Fire was walking around, but we did not see him either.
00:48:34
Zach
But it's a fucking blast. It's a great time.
00:48:38
Ben
So was there like actual, but there were like actual concert or like live music.
00:48:42
Zach
Yeah, there's like um around the whole perimeter of the convention center, there's like stages set up.
00:48:43
Ben
Yeah.
00:48:52
Zach
So all day long concerts going on. And then at some of the boots, like, you know, um that's where we saw like the keyboardist from Snarky Puppy.
00:49:07
Zach
He was like rocking out on a keyboard and he had like a DJ with him who was doing beats. But it was just ah like a booth at a convention on the convention floor.
00:49:19
Ben
ah Okay, nice.
00:49:20
Zach
Yeah, yeah, so it's all over the place and it's like. The most talented fucking musicians. Definitely a bit of a. Imposter syndrome going on when I was walking around there. You know.
00:49:37
Zach
But I felt I felt pretty comfortable at the Pioneer DJ booth and checking out the rain gear and the car gear. Shit that I actually know how to fucking use.
00:49:49
Zach
But yeah. um Was there anything super interesting at Disneyland on that trip? It rained. That was weird.
00:49:59
Ben
is ah Is that uncommon, like this time of year?
00:50:02
Zach
Well, you know, this was at the tail end of the fires.
00:50:07
Ben
Oh, right. Yeah.
00:50:10
Zach
Like but the the.
00:50:13
Zach
The one up by magic mountain was, was just contained at this time.
00:50:20
Ben
yeah
00:50:21
Zach
So I think the rain helped a bunch, but yeah, it had been, I don't know, two or three months since it had last rain in like all of Southern California.
00:50:34
Zach
So it was great to have the rain on one hand.
00:50:38
Ben
Yeah.
00:50:39
Zach
didn't really help with the, uh, the lines at Disneyland. Oh, Disneyland. Duh. We rode the haunted mansion with the new bride. Kind of burying the lead here, but, um, new brides. Interesting. Kind of just like floats there.
00:51:02
Ben
Wait, so I keep seeing felt like, so it's just like a new animatronic or Okay.
00:51:08
Zach
I don't think it's an animatronic. I think it's a figure with projection mapping, possibly.
00:51:22
Zach
I'm not quite as in the know as some of the Disney crew. So, um, if any of our listeners who are more on the imagineering end of things understand,
00:51:33
Zach
Feel free to reach out. Um, I'm a little curious about the new bride, how it works on the technical aspect. Um, not bad, definitely not bad. Um,
00:51:46
Zach
I dunno, it's a lot brighter. Cause like the whole thing's kind of illuminated. Whereas the old bride. from the videos I saw because it had been since 2009 since I last rode non holiday haunted mansion at Disneyland was a little darker and the the heart was more emphasized the beating heart ah so it's it's like brighter now which makes me think it's projection mapping on a figure
00:52:21
Zach
But it's a little hard to tell because it's so damn dark in that whole ride. Kind of the point. Oh, and we like stopped right before the endless hallway for. Probably seven, eight minutes.
00:52:38
Zach
Was really hoping for an intro exit, but didn't happen.
00:52:42
Ben
Is that where I'd been redone recently?
00:52:45
Zach
Um,
00:52:46
Ben
Or is it just cause like, okay.
00:52:49
Zach
they, they redid the whole queue last year and it was closed the whole year until shit like August when it came back as haunted mansion holiday.
00:53:07
Zach
So it hadn't been open since 2022.
00:53:11
Ben
Oh, okay.
00:53:11
Zach
So yeah as Han and Manchin, they had the overlay open, you know, for the holiday season.
00:53:19
Zach
And they had initially announced that this year, the overlay was going to start in November.
00:53:28
Zach
But then they walked that back right away and moved it back to August like normal, which sucks.
00:53:35
Zach
Cause everyone wanna ride on a mansion on Halloween, right? But not possible.
00:53:43
Zach
And Small World was down. A lot of shit was down, unfortunately. ah Railroad was down. um Mr. Lincoln's still down. I'm kind of hoping that that'll be open um for the meetup with ah Walt Disney, A Wonderful Life, but I don't think so. I don't think it'll be open in early March.
00:54:17
Zach
But I digress. Get your Disneyland fill.
00:54:23
Ben
Yeah, I'll have to. I'd like to do go back, but although now with Hollywood. Or whatever fast and furious. I might have to just do like a Disney Universal a weekend when that shit opens.
00:54:42
Zach
yeah universal I highly highly recommend um the VIP tour yeah you get a you get like normally the studio tour is 45 minutes but you get like an hour and a half one and you actually get to walk around some of the sets
00:54:51
Ben
It's like through the stad like studios and stuff.
00:55:02
Ben
okay
00:55:08
Zach
And then ah your guide walks you up the line on all the most popular attractions. And then you get an express pass for the rest of the day.
00:55:22
Ben
Nice. How much is that?
00:55:26
Zach
When we did it back in twenty twenty two, I think it was like three fifty a person.
00:55:31
Ben
Oh, that's pretty substantial, but.
00:55:35
Zach
Yeah, not the cheapest thing in the world. But again, you get walked right on to all the major attractions.
00:55:43
Ben
Yeah, it's true.
00:55:45
Zach
Like they walked us up to Jurassic World and gave us ponchos. They walked us up to Mummy. They walked us up um to
00:56:00
Zach
Transformers Minions. Harry Potter. ah Oh, and it include breakfast and lunch, too. And parking.
00:56:15
Ben
Nice.
00:56:18
Zach
Yeah, so it's it's the the value proposition is there, at least in my opinion.
00:56:24
Ben
Yeah, I mean, that sounds pretty good compared to like,
00:56:31
Zach
Well, like at Disney, it's like probably. It's like double that per hour with a minimum of seven hours.
00:56:42
Zach
But that's for a group of up to 10.
00:56:46
Ben
Wait, it's... 700 per hour with a minimum of seven hours.
00:56:52
Zach
Yeah, at Disney. I think so.
00:56:58
Ben
So four 90 a person.
00:57:02
Zach
If you get 10 people, yeah.
00:57:03
Ben
Yeah.
00:57:05
Zach
Which like.
00:57:07
Zach
I mean, in Florida, I think it's worthwhile if you can find the right group, because if I'm not mistaken, they'll also include transport from park to park.
00:57:21
Ben
Okay. Yeah. Does that include admission?
00:57:25
Zach
No.
00:57:26
Ben
Oh.
00:57:27
Ben
I was going to say, well, that's not too bad. It's like double admission, but that's a little different than, but I mean, I guess it's not bad. I guess it's Disney.
00:57:35
Zach
also doesn't include food.
00:57:35
Ben
So, Oh yeah.
00:57:42
Zach
But you know, different experiences, right?
00:57:48
Ben
yeah
00:57:53
Zach
But yeah, you got to go back to Disneyland. You got to ride Tiana's and rise of the resistance.
00:58:02
Ben
And I think cars.
00:58:03
Zach
Oh, definitely. Yeah. Radiator Springs racers for sure. And you see world of color.
00:58:15
Zach
I don't know. Soren, if you like that ride, I'm not big on it. But I think if you go during food and wine, they have sworn over California.
00:58:21
Ben
What
00:58:26
Zach
So that's when that ride's good.
00:58:30
Ben
is it normally?
00:58:32
Zach
Soren around the world.
00:58:34
Ben
Oh.
00:58:35
Zach
It's just a lot more like CG in there.
00:58:38
Ben
Yeah.
00:58:39
Zach
And it's not
00:58:42
Zach
great. It makes me pretty motion sick. But soaring over California is an actual film print.
00:58:52
Zach
You know, because it's a giant curved screen, like a dome basically.
00:58:55
Ben
yeah
00:58:59
Zach
And so like, on soaring around the world, the A lot of them have a pit, ah a curve, depending on where you're seated. So if you're and on the left side, shit, like, especially the Eiffel tower, it's right in the middle.
00:59:15
Ben
Oh,
00:59:15
Zach
But if you're seated on the left side, it curves to the left. And if you see it on the right, it curves to the right. and know
00:59:20
Ben
of yeah.
00:59:22
Zach
But yeah, because someone over California is an actual film, it doesn't distort in that way.
00:59:30
Zach
I think they fixed it at Epcot because the ending scene had old Epcot in it.
00:59:30
Ben
Yeah, that makes sense.
00:59:37
Zach
But obviously not being at Epcot, it's DCA. They didn't have to change anything. So I don't know if they fixed actual distortion problem at DCA.
00:59:51
Zach
And I don't care to find out.
01:00:01
Ben
Well, yeah, I mean, it's, we'll get through the year, next couple of years and got to keep moving.
01:00:04
Zach
Yeah, um I don't know. I think it's good to be back, huh?
01:00:19
Ben
And I guess there might be one more episode before the trip meetup, but
01:00:28
Zach
Yeah. And we'll we'll record during the meetup.
01:00:34
Zach
So, you know, there's that.
01:00:39
Ben
Nice.
01:00:41
Ben
well No, um I'm all good.
01:00:41
Zach
Yeah. Yeah. You got anything else, Ben?
01:00:46
Ben
and
01:00:47
Zach
All right. Well, uh, thank you all so much for listening. Welcome to 2025. Thanks for sticking with us, uh, for this long. We'll try our best to keep the uploads going.
01:00:59
Zach
So, um, yeah.
01:01:03
Zach
Yeah. Thank y'all. And until, uh, until next time, your favorite coaster sucks.
01:01:09
Ben
Your... every... coaster sucks.