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Coaster Enthusiast Conversations Ft. Braden
66 Plays2 days ago
Allison is joined by her friend Braden to talk about all kinds of stuff! Braden's first coaster experience with a little push from an IOA team member, his time working at Disney, editing videos for Buzzed Bars, and more! Plus Allison goes into some of her Sky High obsession that you might now have known about...
Follow Braden on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/mightyfineairtime/
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Transcript
Introduction and Welcome
00:00:00
Speaker
You are listening to the Inverted Creative Podcast. I'm Allison. I'm Bryant. And I'm Jen.
00:00:16
Speaker
You know, we had like a full 45 minute conversation before I hit record of all things that we could have been a talking about on the podcast, but clearly I'm good at podcasting. But anyway, welcome, Brayden.
00:00:29
Speaker
Hello. Hello. How are you? go hi I'm good. how are you? I am tired, but that's normal for me.
00:00:39
Speaker
Well, aren't we all?
Brayden's Roller Coaster Journey
00:00:41
Speaker
Well, welcome to the podcast. I know you're a listener. ah Yes, a full-time listener. i've listening listened Ever since I figured out you had a podcast, I've listened to every single episode. Oh, I love that.
00:00:54
Speaker
Yeah, or I try to support my friends. Yeah. We're putting out a lot more content now. So. That's awesome. I love it. yeah Whenever you said you were going weekly, i was, i I instantly jumped on the opportunity.
00:01:08
Speaker
love it. I messaged, I messaged you and was like, hello. I would need anyone. I'm new here. I did. can talk about that. said you're new here. Yeah. I'm new. I'm new to the community.
00:01:23
Speaker
yeah We can start with that. How did you get into the community? Yeah. So it was from my friend Mimi, actually. She lived in Louisville, Kentucky. So for context, the first upside-down roller coaster I ever did was VelociCoaster. And was like, oh, yeah. That was your first upside-down coaster? Yes, that was the first roller coaster I ever rode that went upside-down. What way to start. You're telling me, man. Look, okay, so – I was so scared that day that we, we walked up to the thing and I, my friend was but the entrance and my friend was talking to me, trying to talk me onto it. And I kept saying, no, I don't like this.
00:02:06
Speaker
And for context, I had written things like Hagrid's like, uh, I've written stuff like Green gots. I, that's the kind of level that I would go to like a, like a family coaster from universal or Disney was about my level.
00:02:22
Speaker
And then it the ah the employee, like the team member looks at me and goes, ah are you scared? And I go, yeah, I'm like really scared right now. And she goes, I can get you to the front of the line if you'll tell me that you'll do it.
00:02:37
Speaker
oh And I was like, what do you mean? It's sitting at a 55 minute wait right now. I was like, what do you mean? And she was like, I can get you to the front of the line. You can pick whatever row you want and you can go and ride it right now.
00:02:51
Speaker
If you tell me you're going to do it. And I was like, this is like a once in a lifetime experience. I'm going to do it. And so I, I chose the front row, which I think basically like raised the bar on my first time experience. Cause I think the front row that ride is, it is the best row.
00:03:15
Speaker
Uh, Absolutely unhinged. I loved every single moment of it. i was like hanging out of my seat. I did not put my hands up yet. I was not at that level, but I had a blast. I came off of it with the adrenaline rush that I had coming off of that. I was shaking so bad, but I had the best time ever. And then I said, I have got to ride everything at this place that I haven't ridden yet. So I went and did Hulk and all that. And so...
00:03:39
Speaker
Then i was like, oh, I've conquered all my fears. I can go and ride other rides like this. And so i it was i had never ridden anything at Six Flags Over Georgia, week mostly because i in my mind, I tried to rationalize it in a way that was like, oh, if it look if it launches, I'll hit the speed already. And i it won't like build speed like on a lift hill. Right. And I don't know why I thought that um because it's the same speed.
00:04:07
Speaker
ah But anyway, i was like, Yeah, you do get to it quicker. And so, yeah. And I think that's where I was like coming at it from that angle because I didn't like the stomach drop feeling. I feel like that's what keeps a lot of people off of roller coasters when they're younger, especially was that unfamiliar feeling in the pit of your stomach. And I always thought that launch coasters would just get you to the speed faster. So you wouldn't feel it. But if you did a drop like off of a lift hill, you belt, you built to that speed and it caused that feeling. Which is not the case at all. make sense.
00:04:42
Speaker
Yeah, it does make sense. I don't hate argument. i'm I'm rationalizing this. And keep in mind, I'm doing all this, well, I'm 19. nineteen Like, i should have been riding roller coasters a lot longer than that.
00:04:53
Speaker
But anyway, back to my friend Mimi. I went to visit her. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky. And she said we had met because I worked at Disney World. And we had bonded off of theme parks.
00:05:04
Speaker
And ah she was like, do you want to visit my hometown theme park? And I was like, what is that? And she goes, Holiday World. And I was like, what's Holiday World? And so I proceeded to dive into Holiday World on YouTube. which introduced me to like a ton of rollercoaster YouTube YouTubers and stuff.
00:05:26
Speaker
but And so I would just nonstop watch those people, like these channels over and over again, trying to like get myself out of the fear. And then I was like, that's perfect. This is the perfect park.
Working at Disney and Theme Park Experiences
00:05:37
Speaker
They have like three woodies that progress in levels of intensity. And I can try my theory on ah lift hills. Yeah. if my if my stomach dropped if my stomach will drop so we started at raven i was fine and then we did legend and i was fine and then i looked at voyage and said no and then we did we did thunderbird it my stomach was fine
00:06:01
Speaker
Because that's a lunch one. But like, and then we did Good Gravy. And then my friend Mimi was like, we really don't have to ride it. It's not going to hurt me if i I don't. I've been here going my entire life. And I said, I think I'll be mad at myself if I don't. And then I got on that ride and we rode it front row again.
00:06:16
Speaker
Because I'd also heard from the roller roller coaster YouTube that the back row is the most intense. yes And so I rode in the front, which was a great experience. That was an insane experience. And that roller coaster is now my number one roller coaster.
00:06:29
Speaker
Nice. I didn't know that. and that's how ah that's how I got in. And then I found Buzz Bars because I was like, someone in the line was like, yeah, they run this thing without the brakes on sometimes. i was like, what?
00:06:40
Speaker
how How do I figure that out? And ah Buzz Bars was listed on the clubs that was officially recognized by by Holiday World. So I was like, these people match my values.
00:06:53
Speaker
What, drinking and roller coasters? Exactly. like More community than anything. Exactly. so what what were some of the YouTube channels that you were watching when you dove into this?
00:07:07
Speaker
Definitely Coaster Studios. i was I was watching Coaster Studios, I think, a long time before. like Anytime that they would post like a Disney video, because I grew up my entire like my entire childhood going to Disney. And so that was like the extent of my rollercoaster knowledge. Anytime that they posted a video about Orlando, I would watch it. But like I had never really watched any of their like full-on like other theme parks that they had been to. So like seeing them go to holiday world and stuff, I was like, Oh, this place is really cool.
00:07:35
Speaker
And honestly, I cannot remember the rest, any of the other ones. ah I do know shout out to face ripped off. I don't know if you have ever watched any of his videos. I, heard that he is fantastic. I love his videos. I think he's, he's in a punk band and he's based out of California.
00:07:55
Speaker
what And so he films all of his little day, all of his days on like a little camera that he brings around the park. And he narrates over his videos of his like a day in the park. And he's like, does this place suck or not?
00:08:08
Speaker
And it is, he's he's like my favorite coaster YouTuber as of right now. Like I love his videos. I just found his Instagram. Yeah, he's he's great. I'll have to watch some that later.
00:08:18
Speaker
Yeah, definitely check him out. He's a he's pretty great. ah yeah he's He's really funny. Really funny. love it. Oh, yeah. Now, i know you mentioned Disney.
00:08:32
Speaker
And I just found out earlier today that you worked at Disney. Yeah. It was news to me when you sent pictures. I'm like, I recognize that name tag. Mm-hmm. When was that? Yeah, I worked at Disney World in the resorts. I did a college program in the spring semester of 2023.
00:08:50
Speaker
And so I worked at the Riviera. And i I was basically ah the man that would take you to your table when you ate at the restaurant there. I worked at Topolino's Terrace, which was the ah restaurant that was on the roof of the building. And we could see the Epcot fireworks. So my view out of the window of work was literally World Showcase every day. Oh, how terrible.
00:09:12
Speaker
Oh, it was it was awful. And I had to work fireworks duty. i got paid to stand there and watch fireworks. Are you kidding me? Oh gosh. All that literally consisted of was me opening and closing the door to the terrace when people would walk out and watch fireworks on the terrace, which i I had no complaints. People were giving me their fireworks shifts. I was like, yeah, I'll take the fireworks duty, please. Yeah.
00:09:37
Speaker
Which that was, i I was actually there from the transition of, ah from the 50th anniversary back to like regular ah park operations. So we were we were in the middle of that transition there. So I got to see both of the Epcot fireworks shows that they had during that time, which was really very cool.
00:09:55
Speaker
Oh yeah. You know, I've never stayed at Riviera and that kind of makes me sad. It's like at the tail end of when I was doing Disney a lot more.
00:10:07
Speaker
It does not impress me. People are like, oh, you must love that resort. I really don't, actually. it it kind of reminds me of just like a big gray prison, the outside.
00:10:19
Speaker
It's just got a nice roof. Okay, so when me and Mike went and did like a Disney... Just kind of messing around at Disney for a day. Not even like we went to um to Peppa Pig so we can get a milestone there. And then we just ended up going around Disney for a while. Just see what we can get into. um And we ended up at Riviera. So specifically so I could see the Rapunzel mosaic.
00:10:43
Speaker
Okay, that area of the resort is gorgeous. I think all of the landscaping and like the placemaking they have around the resort is very gorgeous. I just think the resort building itself is just very ugly.
00:10:53
Speaker
i remember seeing Jixx's in the rooms and I'm like, eh. Yeah, the rooms don't look that impressive. that's That's kind of a complaint I have with my most modern Disney resorts that they keep building is that it's just very plain. Yeah. Yeah.
00:11:08
Speaker
Yeah. and And like, I've stayed at like the Dollywood resorts and they're plain, but they're like plain, plain in like a themed way, if that makes any sense. Like they're not trying to be modern. It's like, i don't know how to explain it.
00:11:19
Speaker
I kind of know what you mean. I haven't stayed at the Dollywood hotels yet, but.
Theme Park Trip Planning
00:11:23
Speaker
Oh, the I just got done this past weekend staying at the Heart Song Lodge. It is such a good place to stay.
00:11:30
Speaker
And you get free fast pass. I mean, that helps. Oh, it's great. um Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, Disney, my favorite resort, easily Animal Kingdom Lodge.
00:11:41
Speaker
Okay, see, I am very close to that. I really like, my favorite is probably Fort Wilderness. And i I think I like it a little bit more than my animal kingdom is probably my second favorite, but I just think that I like the vibes of the wilderness lodge a little bit better because i don't know. just lot this night the ah The lobby is like bigger. i like a Western vibe that that's actually really funny because a majority of my two, like three of my roller coasters in my like top 10 or Western. theater Yeah.
00:12:12
Speaker
The one time I stayed there, we randomly got upgraded to like a one bedroom suite with like club level access. I'm like, all right, this is pretty cool. Bed was nice. That is cool. Yeah. No, I've always wanted to stay there. I never got to when I worked there, but I stayed at a couple of resorts when I worked there. I stayed, um, in the Fort wilderness cabins before they like got turned into a DBC resort. And that was really awesome.
00:12:36
Speaker
Uh, I got to stay at Coronado Springs, which is really great. I really like that resort, actually. If you're like going to yeah if you're going to Disney World and you don't have a like a lot planned, for sure, and you're trying to do do like a resort-type vibe, I would definitely recommend Coronado.
00:12:51
Speaker
Coronado's probably my most stayed-out resort. Oh, really? i i can't get away from Pop Century. I love that resort so much, though. that That place is great. I've never had a stay-at-pop century.
00:13:03
Speaker
See, I arguably love the resorts more than I like the parks. And like I can do full days just resort hopping. Yeah, no, it's sometimes that's what we do the first day of our like stay is like we try to like shake off the jet lag basically by just doing a slow day with at the resorts. ah Have you ever done it at Universal?
00:13:22
Speaker
Not like specifically a resort hopping, but I've been to a lot of them. Oh, i love resort hopping at Universal, especially with the water taxis. So great. I think like the water taxi like route is like very close to like the monorail like hotels like route. It's pretty great.
00:13:40
Speaker
They're equally comparable in my opinion. And then i've I know i've stayed at one of the new hotels at Universal. I did do we did Terra Luna. think we did Terra Luna.
00:13:51
Speaker
I haven't stayed in those resorts yet. I think I might. ah I think I'm looking into it for like the epic stumble. Mm hmm. i'm I'm really considering staying at one of those just so I can walk.
00:14:02
Speaker
We'll probably end up at Dockside. i i think we did Dockside this last trip that we did, the last very stupid epic trip that we did. We enjoyed it. It was nice. great I actually prefer Surfside. Have you ever stayed at Surfside?
00:14:14
Speaker
No. Okay, Surfside is a lot better, in my opinion, because it's like way smaller. don't remember if we did Dockside or Surfside. We did one of those.
00:14:24
Speaker
So Dockside is like the brown one and Surfside is the blue one. I think that's how I differentiate the two. But like Surfside is set on this like lake that they have that's like next to the property.
00:14:35
Speaker
And it's very nice. It's like a nice view. And then if you stay at sort like Dockside, you just get fun spot as your view. It's also not terrible, to be fair. It's not. No, you can see white not lightning from the hotel rooms. Like I think that's pretty cool.
00:14:50
Speaker
You can also, you're more likely to get a hotel with with a view of like Universal if you stay at Surfside. But I just think I like it because it's smaller. And Dockside is just so big.
00:15:01
Speaker
i took a picture of the site. Okay, it was Dockside that we stayed in. Yeah, Dockside is huge. That's where all the cheerleading groups go. Well, like we had a nice full view room it was very nice. Not that we were there for very long.
00:15:13
Speaker
Y'all did have a nice view. That is very nice. We got there at 6
00:15:18
Speaker
Because we drove through the night. We got there at 6 a.m. and a room was available. That's great. Yeah. See, that's what I mean by it's so big. It's so big they have just rooms available. we were So we were able to go up to the room.
00:15:30
Speaker
Mike was the smart one. He took a nap. i edited I edited a podcast. Hey, you got to keep the grind going. Yeah. I'm pretty sure I even vlogged that. like I'm like, here's Mike snoring on a nap. Here's me. Here's me working on podcast after we barely slept last night. And we're going to a park for the full day.
00:15:49
Speaker
Oh, that see, that's the best, though. that was that i did a I did a road trip kind of like that in October last year when we went to Holiday World. And then afterwards, I went to... ah i went to So say Six Flags St. Louis and ah Silver Dollar City. And it was like one of those like get up early, full park day, drive through the night, sleep as long much as you can, and then wake back up and do it all over again.
00:16:19
Speaker
That's just kind of like normal for us on our park trips. but Like ah the UK trip last year, we did 10 parks in 10 days and we had like five flights in the middle of it all. Yeah, i have that but I foresee that being is like the way that I am with like every park trip. Yeah, because i I just I'm just like, if I'm going to be there, I'm going to get the parks that are up there. Of course, like, I can't just skip it.
00:16:44
Speaker
yes And you know, like me and Mike are very toxic when it comes to trip planning. So trying to plan honeymoon with the two of us has been. mean I don't know what you're talking about.
00:16:57
Speaker
I think we have like 12 parks on our list for that. Oh my God. Not like a lot of them are small, but. Okay. was going say, and I feel like that's like the culmination of like, you're doing like three parks in a day.
Movie Obsessions and Comfort Films
00:17:09
Speaker
Like the small ones. On one of the days. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Not every day is a park day. Let me, let me, you know, reiterate that.
00:17:20
Speaker
We're not just doing coasters on that trip. You have culture as well. Yes. sporadically yes and a couple f1s right shout out gary coasting yes i always think of him anytime i do something not coasters on a trip i'm like see i'm coasting with culture you are
00:17:41
Speaker
like that we're going to poland and then immediately going to auschwitz so o yeah wow i have to wow conversations guests I'm the first one. Well, to be fair, with only I think this is the third Conversations episode, but... Hey, it's a record. There's a first for everything.
00:18:05
Speaker
There is a first for everything.
00:18:09
Speaker
trying to think of like... My brain like died and I are you different. Oh, toxic trips. Toxic trips. Yeah, I'm really bad at segling into things. Okay. One question that I have for you that's not necessarily coaster related and it's not even on the list, but I added it after I sent you the screenshot.
00:18:27
Speaker
What have you been obsessed with lately? Just in life or coasters? Hmm.
00:18:36
Speaker
I've been obsessed with Westerns recently. Like Western movies? Yes. So like, I'm not, I don't know how to explain it. I just think like Western soundtracks are so cool. Like the film script for that soundtrack, they're so bombastic and awesome. And I, soundtrack music is what basically, basically I put on like a movie soundtrack in the background when I like have to do something. Cause any music with words or a podcast will get me like zoned out sometimes. Right. So if I have like homework I need to do or like editing, I need to get done. i usually just put on a movie podcast or a movie soundtrack and just work. It's pretty great. But I, that's the extent of what I've been like interacting with them.
00:19:20
Speaker
And so I've just been like, I've got to watch these movies that I'm like listening to that I have never seen before. And so I've been watching the good, bad and the ugly trilogy, which is like really awesome.
00:19:31
Speaker
And I don't know that thing it's i'm so I'm so bad with movies. Oh, see, that's that's my other big hot thing out of outside of Coasters is movies. We'll get into that in a minute too, I think. but Yeah. um Yeah, like most like classic movies.
00:19:48
Speaker
I probably haven't seen it. See, yeah that that's that's what I'm trying to fix is that people are not watching enough classic movies. There's some good ones, guys. There's some actually good ones. I am perpetually bad at movies.
00:20:02
Speaker
Except Disney movies. I'm good at watching Disney movies. As I say, those are the most digestible. I love Disney movies. yeah I'll send you a list. I'm probably not going to watch them, be honest. Most of the time when I send people lists, they don't watch them. so Yeah.
00:20:16
Speaker
Like, what what are a few on that list, all? that you think ah That you think I probably could have seen? God. That you probably could have seen? or like Yeah, or like that I should have seen at this point in my life.
00:20:31
Speaker
Okay, well, I have very unconventional. Okay, well, have you seen Jaws? No. Okay, wow. Wow. that is that That one's crazy, actually. And I also never got to do the ride, either.
00:20:43
Speaker
Oh, I never got to do the ride. When I went, it was they were building Diagon Alley. Yeah. um Oh, God. Other movies. Other movies. ah Have you seen The Florida Project? What is that?
00:20:54
Speaker
It's about a... It's the most depressing movie ever made. oh okay. it's It's about a mother and daughter who live in a motel outside of Disney World. And it's about just the daughter running around that area like on I-Drive. live in a motel. Willem Dafoe's in it.
00:21:13
Speaker
It is theme park adjacent. ah There is theme parks mentioned in it and Disney does play a pivotal role in that movie. ah But basically it's like, I think the guy who directed it was like talking about how the economy was just like so destroyed when they built that there that people are having to live in motels and stuff. Yeah. it is honestly the most depressing movie i don't know why i'm recommending it to people but it's it you know those like posts that are like is who what's your strange comfort movie that's my strange comfort movie for some strange reason okay and then i'm i'm throwing um a fun one in the muppet movie if you haven't seen the muppet movie you have got to see the muppet movie i don't think i have it's so good it's i have a kermit the frog tattoo on my leg it's so good yes i love the muppets
00:22:03
Speaker
Okay, I can tell you my two comfort movies, if that counts. Okay. um The, like, actual, like, kind of, you know, adult, not an adult, whatever. The Martian.
00:22:14
Speaker
Okay, that's a good One my favorites of all time. If that of is ever on TV, um I can try to put it on as background noise. It will not be background noise. I will sit down and watch the whole time. And then ah My Guilty Pleasure, um Sky High.
00:22:30
Speaker
Oh, I love Sky High. oh Oh my God. That movie is so good. i have stories. um I have. i o I love that movie so much. I have cosplayed as War and Peace on multiple occasions and met the actor while cosplaying as War and Peace.
00:22:49
Speaker
There's a reason that my book exists, Pyrokinetic.
Disneyland Paris Expansion and Coaster Insights
00:22:52
Speaker
It started out as Sky High fan fiction
00:22:58
Speaker
That's amazing. And it was dedicated to Stephen straight. um And so I got a picture with him. And then the next time i got to meet him, i was telling him how he inspired me to write the book. And then I gave him a copy of my book and I signed it to him and I have no idea what I wrote, um but he signed a copy as well for me.
00:23:18
Speaker
That's awesome. um height That movie was my entire childhood. Like that movie, that that's so cool. that that' sky high i have like theory conspiracy theories and,
00:23:29
Speaker
am Am I like the only one who thinks that they need to bring like they need to do a sequel or something? It's been talked about a lot. I know. and they needed to bite the bullet. It was supposed to be a whole series.
00:23:40
Speaker
don't tell me this okay upset me warren i could do this i could do a whole sky high podcast um maybe will one day um warren and layla are in game 100 okay um and i justify this in two different ways i'm um i could do i'm about to do a freaking thesis um I have a copy, ah not a copy, but like I have a PDF saved of like one of the original scripts and that alluded more to Warren and Layla becoming a thing. And then I also read the junior high novelization.
00:24:12
Speaker
Yeah. Some kind of novelization. And that also alluded more to them becoming a couple. All right. That, that you just like that, that, that fact that it was supposed to be a series just upsets me so much though. That that could have been like,
00:24:27
Speaker
a pivotal franchise for like people my age. yeah Oh. and then I also, um, he, I asked if he could sign his name as like Warren peace, what he would do. Warren pieces autograph as. And I got that. I don't know if you need that.
00:24:43
Speaker
That's so awesome. Okay. That you have to show me the next time I see you. Like that is so sick. Yeah.
00:24:53
Speaker
Yeah. Anyway. I don't watch movies, but I watch Sky High about 300 times. Hey, that is... that If you're going to watch one, that's that's a pretty good one, in my opinion. It's so cheesy.
00:25:06
Speaker
Also, any of the pictures of me cosplaying as him with Stephen Street, too. Yes, please. I would love to see that. And the fact that he remembered me the second time I saw him. ah Oh, that... i would I would be dead. I would be dead. That would kill me. So the first time I saw him when I was cosplaying War and Peace...
00:25:25
Speaker
like I was a little further back in line. He looked up and he saw me. He points. He's like, no way! And I cried. You're like, I'm back!
00:25:35
Speaker
o That's amazing. This a theme park podcast, Alice. This is a theme park podcast. Just becoming a Disney podcast today.
00:25:47
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry, guys. It happens. I've been on a Disney kick lately anyway. Hey, and we don't, I've been to other places other than Disney.
00:25:59
Speaker
I was just about to say, like, my two things that I've been thinking a lot about lately in Disney, in, like, the Disney universe or whatever. um Disneyland Paris. I can bring back the theme park, see? Disneyland Paris opened their new, or they, like, soft opened or whatever their new Arendelle expansion.
00:26:19
Speaker
Oh, my God. ice the It is gorgeous. it i I think all of those lands, if they brought them to America, I would not be upset. That that that land is as a concept as a whole is like really beautiful. Yeah. like I watched a video of it. I think it was like Jack Silkstone.
00:26:35
Speaker
And I watched a video and I'm like, oh my god, I need to go there. More than I ever have in life. I think the one in Tokyo, which is actually very surprising, looks like the worst. I think the one in Hong Kong looks the best. Because they also have the mountain coaster in it. Mm-hmm.
00:26:50
Speaker
ah which it's like 20 seconds long but yeah it it the it adds dynamics to the lands as well is it like wandering oaken sliding sleighs i if i'm not mistaken have rcdb open cdb open one yet wandering oaken sliding slis yeah they are in another thing that i think they do well in the hong kong version is hong kong disneyland's backdrop is a bunch of mountains which i think is an underrated disney like park like back like setting as a whole right and they incorporated those mountains into like the fake mountains they built for the land that's so disney it is so disney i think it's really cool
00:27:36
Speaker
um Anyway. we ah but Okay, go ahead. The other thing that I've been obsessing over the past few days is um the Disney Adventure cruise ship. i he Oh my god.
00:27:48
Speaker
It looks so different and I think it looks great. And like I texted my friend who works for Carnival and I'm like, I have a cruising related question for you.
00:28:00
Speaker
Why is this home ported in Asia and not here? I'm like, this has nothing to do with this job at all. But I have a feeling that they did that on purpose. So I know like this, I watched an Imaginarian video about the ship like literally last night. um And how it was like, they got it from another cruise company that had like gone bankrupt and couldn't afford to finish the ship. And so they converted it all, which is why it's so different.
00:28:26
Speaker
i And I think that's why they put it at a different port. That's not in America, like near America is because they were like, it's too different. I'm like, this one has a roller coaster on it, though, guys. I know. I don't know. That's pretty cool. I was literally talking with Mike last night. i kind of looked at him like, would you have any interest in going to Singapore? And he's like, why? I'm like, so that one, there's this cruise ship with a roller coaster, and I know you like Disney, and we can go to Universal Studios Singapore. got Marvel section. I'm like...
00:28:57
Speaker
We can make a little trip out of this, right? so was It's got Star Wars. It's never going to happen. and Oh, it see, you also have you have a park in Singapore you can hit too. Universal.
00:29:09
Speaker
Yep. Which that one looks pretty different too The Jurassic Park boat ride there is like completely different. um I had forgotten that ah the Battlestar Galactica coaster is there. I forgot about that too. Yeah. Until I looked it up. i one that's be the Oh, the one that's the suspended one and the sit down one. interwe oh that's so cool.
00:29:30
Speaker
I got to look this up. Yeah. Launch coaster dueling where it has, yeah, the inverted and the, and it's Vekoma. Okay. I'm like selling myself even more.
00:29:42
Speaker
i going to Singapore. It's not going to happen anytime soon. We have too many other trips planned, but.
00:29:51
Speaker
I was about to ask, is it too it too late to change your honeymoon? Yes. We just finished booking all of our lodging like three days ago.
00:30:02
Speaker
ah So close. You could have changed it. See, that looks so cool. That is so cool. I know. I mean, we're going to a country neither of us have been to and we're really excited. so Well, that's a plus. Yeah.
00:30:17
Speaker
It's plus like 46, but you know, for me, plus like 64 for him or something like that. e Dang.
00:30:29
Speaker
He's still not going to beat you though. No, he's still like 80 behind me or something. Oh, that's not far. That's not many. he'll He'll gain a little bit of ground on me, but we're going to energy landia and I've been to energy landia and he has not.
00:30:42
Speaker
That's true. And he'll get like a plus 20.
00:30:47
Speaker
are you going to I would not be doing the gauntlet with him. I'd be like, I'm going to watch you on these kid ecrabs. We're going to have some other friends with us for just the Poland portion. Okay, well that's nice.
00:30:57
Speaker
And I get to watch everybody do the gauntlet.
00:31:01
Speaker
Not everybody, but um majority of I will be filming a lot. Well, that's good. From not writing it I'm not getting on Viking again.
00:31:12
Speaker
Folks, get ready for plenty of kitty cred madness Angie Web. The vlogs are going to be ridiculous. ah You're going be tired of seeing those little creds.
00:31:24
Speaker
Yeah. But it'll be fun watching them get everything. Yeah, you can sit down. They can feel the pain of doing the gauntlet. Yeah. You can go get you a snack. Yeah. I can get some pierogies.
00:31:36
Speaker
Exactly. Yeah.
00:31:40
Speaker
Okay, we're supposed to be talking about your life right now. yeah
00:31:46
Speaker
um Let's see. You just went to Dollywood. You didn't talk about that. I did go to Dollywood. ah I mean, it's Dollywood.
00:31:58
Speaker
It's one of my, i count them, I count it as one of my home parks, but I call it my far home park. Yeah. because ah it' It's like four, five hours from me, but yeah i just love it so much. You're based in Atlanta right now?
00:32:10
Speaker
No, I'm based in Alabama right now. I thought you were in Atlanta. I drive to Atlanta. You're in Atlanta a lot. Yeah, am in Atlanta a lot. I actually got home from Dollywood, and then I went straight to Atlanta.
00:32:23
Speaker
so But yeah, no, Dollywood is great. They just retracted Lightning Rod, which was really cool. um It's ah not really a wooden coaster anymore. You're looking at a full, basically, Ibox coaster now. Interesting.
00:32:38
Speaker
ah It is running faster, though, for sure. Makes sense. It does make sense, I feel like, because there's not as much resistance now, and ah it it it's running fantastic. ah I would not be upset if they got rid of the chunks that are still ah topper track, because...
00:32:57
Speaker
it's a You can tell a difference. You can tell a major difference. You're going through these... They mostly did all of the retracking in the valleys and on the wave turn. So like the wave turn doesn't shake you side to side anymore.
00:33:11
Speaker
it's It's really smooth. And then I think I saw someone else say that they took the headrests off of the restraints, but I never, I don't remember like paying attention to that. for I was just like, wow, it's smooth.
00:33:25
Speaker
But I, you know, I've never, I didn't get to ride it before the launch got taken out. So I don't really have anything to like base it on, but I, it's still in like my top 25. I love that ride. It's so fun.
00:33:38
Speaker
i i think like I went on it after they took, after it became lift hill rod. I went a couple years ago. We met up with um my family. They were doing a trip from Florida.
00:33:50
Speaker
And so I met up with them at Dollywood for a weekend. And that was my the weekend my niece rode her first roller coaster. oh um Which one was it? Big Bear Mountain. Oh, I love that ride.
00:34:02
Speaker
So I actually brought my friends with me on this trip. And i was me and my other friend were hyping up Big Bear because we both loved that ride. And then my other friend it and was like, I'm not impressed. Yeah.
00:34:14
Speaker
he was like it's just not long enough and i'm like it is pretty long it just it kind of just goes fast like that ride is fast i love that there's puns on it yeah oh and see when we wrote it the audio wasn't working oh well that's really upsetting actually that is but big you know it's such a fun ride and thunderhead running fantastic as well yeah as it does it It is so good. That ride. I think people, you are sleeping on that ride.
00:34:43
Speaker
I'm making a call to the caster community. We need to revisit Thunderhead. It's so good. i i find it hard to believe that it's a wooden coaster because of how smooth it is now. yeah It's like insane.
00:34:56
Speaker
i don't know. Whatever Gravity Group's doing, they need to keep doing it. so ah i love them. and No, like I think Gravity Group is the ones that are like re have been retracking it recently. On Thunderhead?
00:35:09
Speaker
Yeah, they they I think that they've been putting some DreeTrak work into it recently, that if I'm not mistaken. I'm not an expert on Dollywood. I could be talking like out of my mouth right now, which I am, but i could be pulling it out of my mouth right now. I i accidentally hit Thunderbird instead of Thunderhead. I'm like, that's not the right coaster.
00:35:38
Speaker
I don't think they've done a full retract, but I think it's like...
00:35:43
Speaker
I mean, i have people I can ask about this, but... Yeah, it was completed in 2023.
00:35:52
Speaker
Say that again? I said it it was in 2023 that they retracted.
00:35:59
Speaker
Yeah. What do I know? ah I don't know. I know that people on Reddit are saying that... but Oh, wait, no, it might have been GCI that did the retracking. I don't know. Whatever they're doing, they need to keep doing work on upis typically
00:36:16
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. i just made that up, apparently. Somebody correct us or give us the right information because we don't. Yes, please. Because I i don't know. I didn't know they didn't do that. I thought that gravity group would just do whatever people wanted.
00:36:31
Speaker
i mean, that that tracks. Yeah. literally Literally. and then whatever But whatever they did, i've know their i know their touch is like like out there because like Grizzly is fantastic too. Right.
00:36:45
Speaker
Yeah, no, that that was that was my 100th cred. loved Loved it. Loved every second. Thunderhead or Grizzly? Grizzly. okay. That also is in my top 25. It made it.
00:36:57
Speaker
Was that a ba Virginia's for Stumbles weekend? Mm-hmm. It sure was. i think a few people got milestones on Grizzly. ah I think Alex did as well.
00:37:08
Speaker
Yeah, I think he did. I saw him taking his picture at night because I took mine during the day. was going to say, I think I i was taking his picture. so i was to the side when he was taking his picture.
Coaster Milestones and Future Plans
00:37:19
Speaker
I remember that because I was also like, oh my god, another hundred on Grizzly today. That's crazy. like Y'all could have teamed up on this. Yeah. It was either going to be racer, twisted timbers, or ah grizzly. And I was like, if we hit any of these in that order, or if we hit any of these out of that order, I will be fine with these being 100.
00:37:39
Speaker
It was supposed to be pantherian. well. But we all saw how that went last year. Yes. That is my biggest spite ever. Like, ever.
00:37:51
Speaker
Ugh.
00:37:54
Speaker
i think probably I'm trying to think of my biggest spite. Probably big one. That was a pretty big one. That is a pretty big one. That was a pretty big spike. I wasn't on that trip, but when I saw that on the on the Discord, i my heart sank for everyone on that trip.
00:38:12
Speaker
You know, of like all the parks on that trip, I was okay missing Big One. like There are a lot worse ones we could have missed. We missed Rita, too. I guess that was a little... Oh, Rita. Oh my God.
00:38:24
Speaker
That, that sucks so bad for you guys. Rita looks awesome. I think Rita looks awesome. I feel like you were just like more hurt about us missing Rita than you were about big one i am I am. Those, those launches, those there's not, darns there's not many of those left. No, there's not.
00:38:40
Speaker
And I want to hit more of them. i I hit accelerator. Oh my God. That ride is amazing. I love accelerator. Okay. That's another spike that I had. it was close. Have you done it yet though? No.
00:38:52
Speaker
oh Oh, I love, I think i love accelerator a lot more than other people do for real. I'll get back in there eventually. um That launch is incredible though.
00:39:03
Speaker
Oh, it's so great. That park is great. I love, I love Knott's Berry Farm. I only got to spend four hours there when I went, but the the four creds I got were great. it was It was a nice park.
00:39:15
Speaker
Yeah. I like that park. It's got a charm to it that most, uh, parks in that chain don't have. Yeah, that's very true. And I love all the boysenberry. It was all tasty. The boysenberry beer was great.
00:39:28
Speaker
So was the punch. I loved the punch. I tried some kind of boysenberry wine and I know I had a cookie that was really good. ah So when we went, we actually stayed at the hotel on and all of the all of the toiletries, like the lotion, the bath wash. It's all boysenberry flavored. It's incredible.
00:39:48
Speaker
Yeah, it's crazy. I love it so much. i took my little boysenberry lotion home with me. No, even Kings Island sells some boysenberry stuff now.
00:40:00
Speaker
I've heard. I've seen it People post it and they're like, what is this? I saw somebody post about it. like on It was on Reddit or somewhere. Facebook, it popped up. And I'm like, really? I need to go find this.
00:40:13
Speaker
So I did. I need to grab that. I didn't buy anything, but I found a little shelf of boysenberry stuff. That's such an odd thing. I guess they're trying to make it a big chain-wide thing. Maybe.
00:40:25
Speaker
Imagine them selling it like... Six Pikes over Georgia? Yeah, Six Pikes. I was about to say that. I was trying to pull one up that was more like obscure. Great Escape. Dorney Park.
00:40:41
Speaker
I don't know. it actually would have made It probably would make sense at Dorney Park. like I feel like it makes sense at like kind of the legacy Cedar Fair parks. yeah More so than just like the random Six Flags parks. Discovery Kingdom. yeah
00:40:54
Speaker
Discover Poisonberry.
00:40:59
Speaker
I don't know. If they brought it to Six Flags Over Georgia, I would buy some though. Actually, that stuff was pretty good. yeah oh man now I'm craving boysenberry stuff oh that's an issue yeah they don't i don't think they sell those at the store guess I gotta go to California oh no don't make you no no one nobody make her no oh actually no we don't have California in the plans this year ah but see that's a good segue do you have any yeahline I do so I've never been to Cedar Point and I will be going for the first time in May
00:41:36
Speaker
woo So yeah, I get two full days there plus an evening when I, the day I drive up. And ah then from there I will be leading into the Canada stumble for buzz bars. So I'm going to go to the Canada stumble, which I'm so excited for. i got a passport and everything.
00:41:54
Speaker
you doing Cedar Point right before Canada? Yeah. so I'm doing Cedar Point right before. And then I'm meeting up with a bunch of other buzz bars people in Detroit. and We're driving across the border to drive up to Vaughn.
00:42:04
Speaker
So I think it's looking at like two to three days at Canada's Wonderland, which is really awesome. Yeah, it's needed. yeah can Yeah. That's going to be a cred hall weekend for you.
00:42:16
Speaker
I can't wait. I want the Burger King coaster bad. Why? It's always, it's eluded me, man. I don't know. It's it's it's like a siren that calls to me.
00:42:29
Speaker
it this firering it it's got a it's got a gigantic Frankenstein next to it so like that's so sick it's it's so terrible though I have no doubt that it's gonna be awful but it's it's something that I've always wanted to do it's also only left turns I and and you know what I'm ready for it it's just a very odd experience it's like oh Burger King roller coaster Frankenstein yeah Haunted house? Okay.
00:43:00
Speaker
Isn't it like official name Frankencoaster or something? I think so, yeah. Now I'm looking it up. That's so funny. trying Yep, Frankencoaster at the House of Frankenstein. Oh, that's so great. It has nothing to do with the Burger King. It just happens to be there.
00:43:16
Speaker
Just happens to be there. And I will be eating at that Burger King. I don't think we did. and not be mood I think maybe Mike got an ice cream or something. I feel like they're like not... capitalizing on this. They can make it like the kids meals like coaster themed. Make it like they have like date night coupons or something like a dinner at Burger King and then go ride the coaster and see the haunted house. Go ride coaster.
00:43:42
Speaker
Yeah. You have to go through the haunted house to do the roller coaster, right? No, not in entirely. okay Okay. you you You go through some stuff. that would be That would have been awesome.
00:43:54
Speaker
I'm sure there's like a combo pass thing. i't know we We got there like like out there super late so we're just like hopefully the coaster is still open. And it was. Yeah it was.
00:44:05
Speaker
Okay that's good. could probably figure out like what time of day we were there. It was a long day if I remember right. I know that I'm trying to get back to Silver Dollar City this year at some point. I think my family is trying to plan a Thanksgiving trip to Branson and I'm like if we're standing ah if we're spending a week there I'm doing at least two days.
00:44:28
Speaker
that a That place has instantly become my like favorite park on Earth. I love that place so much. It's nice. It's so awesome. Outlaw Run is like... That's a hot take I have. Outlaw Run is probably my favorite RMC.
00:44:43
Speaker
As of right now. that is well what's your What's your count right now? don't think I asked that yet. I am at 181. Okay. one eighty one okay yeah Very nice. Also, I did find the picture of the Burger King coaster and it was time stamped at 12.03am.
00:45:03
Speaker
Oh my god. you That is crazy. If you went there on New Year's, you could ride it into the New Year. don't know it would be open then. it was open at 12.03, I don't know. Well, I mean like on a holiday night.
00:45:18
Speaker
Oh, true. but Yeah, somehow we got to ride that then. That's beautiful. I'm trying to hit, i think I'm trying to hit 200 at Cedar point.
00:45:31
Speaker
Oh, y'all lot of good coasters to choose a milestone from. I've got it written down in my little notebook. right What are you, what are you leaning towards? I have a little, ah so for context, I have a little coaster notebook. I write a lot of stuff down in, I drop, I write my trip reports down in here and stuff.
00:45:47
Speaker
Uh, it Magnum 200 XL 200. Oh, okay. Obvious reasons. That makes sense. Yeah, Top Thrill 2, of course. Top Thrill 200. Still Vengeance or Maverick.
00:46:01
Speaker
But i think i want to sacrifice I think I'm going Magnum as being I'm going to wait on that kind of has to... i make I don't know. and i love Arrow and I love Hypers and I don't know. i think, I think it should be, it's in the name. Like that's self-explanatory. Yeah. Like that could literally be your milestone picture is just like pointing to the next to pointing to the 200. Yeah.
00:46:32
Speaker
But yeah, I'm so excited to go. I'm so glad glad of that I get two days there. going be great. Yeah. You need it for that park. Yeah, and I was really trying to do it without buying Fastlane.
00:46:47
Speaker
Godspeed. Yeah, i think the two days I think the two days will be good. Yeah. Yeah, we'll be back there. ah We'll be there opening weekend.
00:47:00
Speaker
for well We're going day trip it.
00:47:04
Speaker
because we're Drive up and come back? Yeah. oh that'll be fine. You'll be fine. done it before. i yeah I feel like four, is it like four hours? Yeah, or three and a half if you're Mike.
00:47:18
Speaker
That's the cutoff for me within with like driving late at night is like three or four hours. I don't think I could ever do anything over.
00:47:27
Speaker
That's how it was on the Midwest trip I did last year. Yeah, and then there's us with our 14 hour drives to Orlando for a weekend. Well, twice. Twice.
00:47:41
Speaker
i i I book hotels in in between places. that's That's what I do. We do lot of bar naps. Mike just also drives a lot, so it's not really a huge deal for him to do that, which is great because I'm a very good passenger princess.
00:47:57
Speaker
That's good. I excel at being a passenger princess. You're taking naps. you're just yeah You're talking when he needs Yep. Chilling. Usually working on other things because I do that all the time.
00:48:09
Speaker
i'm like Editing while he sleeps. Or editing on the road. I do publishing work on the road. i'm always doing something. See, that that's perfect. that's like a mini That's a driving office for you.
00:48:22
Speaker
Somehow I don't get car sick doing it. Oh. I would get the car sick, unfortunately. i get car sick on my phone sometimes, but not on my laptop. ah Yeah, I don't get it on my phone, but if I have like a book or a laptop, I'm getting car sick.
00:48:38
Speaker
But luckily, I do a lot ah a lot of the driving when I'm on my road trips. Yeah. This is like any time that we're planning a trip and like someone else is going with us.
00:48:49
Speaker
And I'm like, do I have to drive? No. Perfect. I'm i'm in.
00:48:55
Speaker
See, that's how I get my friends to go. is i like Hey, I'm driving. You can sleep on the way there. And that's when they're like, okay. I need to road trips with you, I guess.
00:49:07
Speaker
I'm always down for them. I love road trips. Trust me. We were just talking about coming down to Alabama. Yeah, yeah. i if If that happens. it like if If John Mike comes and then I don't have to drive, alright, cool. I'm only getting one credit out of it, alright, cool.
00:49:23
Speaker
Look, if they actually open Rampage, it i I'm running to it because I don't think it'll be open I don't think it'll be open for long. Yeah, like so for context, literally that news dropped today that they a plan. Yes, in a personal Facebook post. the What's his name? Daniel Koch.
00:49:47
Speaker
Daniel Koch. He was like, guys, guess what? We're opening America's favorite wooden coaster. I'm like, don't know about favorites. Rampage. And just so you know, here's the opening date. And if it doesn't open after that, just know we're working on it. He literally said, it was basically, he said, give it through three weeks and we'll have it back open if it doesn't open on opening day. i was like, well, I'll be standing outside of the parking lot with the browser to buy my ticket open if I see a train go. Yeah.
00:50:19
Speaker
Mike said also apparently ah they're trying to reopen Cyclone at Lakeside. Yes, I saw that. I love wooden coasters getting worked. That's what he's like. we need If that does happen, we're going to Denver. No questions asked. I'm like, okay.
00:50:33
Speaker
Because that probably won't stay be open for long. No, yeah these are these are rides you need to get done if if you if they do open up we need because they're not going around long. I've not been to Denver.
00:50:45
Speaker
so i ever been I've been to Denver, but only like flying in and out of it was not like a go and visit. Yeah. Colorado is a place that I'd love to visit. Yeah. Just for hiking in general. I love hiking.
00:50:57
Speaker
I just want to see the mountains, honestly. Yeah, I love the mountains.
00:51:03
Speaker
You know what's depressing on a related note was going to Switzerland and not really seeing the Alps until the day we were leaving because it was just so cloudy like the whole time. Oh, i've heard i've I've heard of people that drive into the Alps and then they get to the top and then it's just cloudy.
00:51:19
Speaker
Yeah, because like we were in Lucerne and it's supposed to like on a clear day, it's got it's gorgeous views. don Saw none of it. Saw none of it. But like we were at the airport leaving Zurich and i'm like, oh,
00:51:32
Speaker
The mountains are there. I'm like, well, least we kind They do exist. Those giant mountains, they are real. They look like Lord of the Rings.
00:51:44
Speaker
um On a related ah note to our conversation before we were recording, have not seen Lord of the Rings either. think I started to watch one and never finished it. and i love those movies. You got to watch the theatrical versions if you're trying to get into it. I don't recommend people watch the extended editions for their first time.
00:52:02
Speaker
That is the nerdiest thing that has ever come out of my mouth.
00:52:08
Speaker
I think like my boyfriend in high school tried to get me to watch him and I'm like, I'm kind of bored by this right now.
Buzz Bars and Industry Aspirations
00:52:13
Speaker
And then just It is boring if you're not into fantasy or anything. Like I've seen Star Wars. Most of them.
00:52:20
Speaker
I think Star Wars is more entertaining than Lord of the Rings. It's a lot more digestible. haven't seen all of the classic, like the original ones, but.
00:52:34
Speaker
Wait, the original Star Wars? Yeah. Like Empire Strikes Back. and That's the best one Okay. i watched like I saw the prequel ones. Those came out when I was young.
00:52:48
Speaker
And I was obsessed with Hayden Christensen. Oh. there's a reason you got these ones.
00:52:57
Speaker
I really, really enjoyed Hayden Christensen. Yeah, i I like him. in the The third one, at least. um When did the just second one... What was that one Attack of the Clones? Attack of the Clones. And then it was Revenge of the Sith. Attack of the Clones came out in 2002. Yeah, was 13. That tracks.
00:53:18
Speaker
Dang. that is yeah that's the perfect that's peak time for you for like being obsessed with like yeah yeah that's peak Hayden Christensen that's incredible and then look at the ones I got growing up not good the Star Wars movies that I got growing up were not good weren't terrible I mean Rogue One is pretty good yeah Rogue One was good I do like Last Jedi I have a soft spot for that movie but like every they're not the best they're not the best
00:53:50
Speaker
I think I saw all of them like once and haven't seen them again. so i I just realized that if any of the, drunk writers listen to this they're gonna like maul me for saying i was gonna say i have a soft spot for last jedi ive so i've heard i've heard tom scream about how much he hates about that movie i don't think any of them listen to this podcast to be fair i didn't think so but i just wanted to cover my bases
00:54:20
Speaker
the cool people listen yeah i agree he
00:54:26
Speaker
how the How are we already almost at an hour? geez I don't know. And we haven't really even talked about roller coasters that much. okay um Okay. We can do some like lightning round kind of stuff.
00:54:37
Speaker
Okay. Okay. I know kind of how we met. How did we meet? ah We met at the like Wobble Force event. That was like the first time we interacted, but I think we actually had like full. Yeah, I think so. i that actually We got really drunk in that parking lot. Yeah. true true that was where i had malort for the first time that's probably where a lot of people had more um yeah yeah i think we really actually started to like have a conversation and talk like fully was opening day of over georgia okay that's what i thought yeah that and then once again got drunk in the parking lot and yeah we did and then we went and got some really great fish and chips at this like pub in atlanta that was really fun
00:55:20
Speaker
I don't know if you know me and Mike did something different. Yeah. Y'all went to Chili's, I think. Yeah, I think we got to eat Chili's. think everyone results it was like, I came to Atlanta, I'm not eating Chili's. To be fair. I lived in Atlanta for 20 years.
00:55:34
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, that's true. That's true. But the fish and chips were great.
00:55:42
Speaker
If it helps, I had fish and chips in the UK. Okay, well, that's pretty good. i had authentic.
00:55:51
Speaker
I'm sure Jake was all about that, though. Oh, yeah, no, he loved it. He was like, pictures, everyone. i think four of us got it, and we all had were like sitting in a square, so it was just a square of fish and chips. like It was pretty great.
00:56:06
Speaker
that picture actually saw that picture of us in the ah the over Georgia parking lot. i I saw that picture when was trying to send send you pictures for the the episode.
00:56:18
Speaker
When was that? That 25. March of 25? There it is. Oh, Simon was there too. Yeah, because I'm literally just like hugging on Jake as I do.
00:56:34
Speaker
As one does. Yeah, it was great. Yeah. um Okay. I'm not doing good at rapid fire questions. What are some of your top 10 coasters or just top coasters in general?
00:56:52
Speaker
Okay. So i' am i've I have my little thing pulled up. So I will go through my top 10. Okay. Top 10 is Twisted Timbers. ah Number nine is Ghost Rider.
00:57:04
Speaker
Number eight is Time Traveler. ah Stop me if you have anything to say. um Because I've got an outrageous top ten. I've got an outrageous top ten. Eight is Time Traveler.
00:57:17
Speaker
Seven is Legend. Six is Thunderhead. You really like wooden coasters. I love wooden coasters. ah Five is Iron Gwazi. Four is Air Force One. Three is Outlaw Run.
00:57:32
Speaker
Two is VelociCoaster. And one is Voyage. I'm glad you have Velocicoaster that high. Oh, yeah. No, that ride is amazing. I love that ride. That's like, it's like my 1A and 1B up there. i don't think they're ever going to get knocked down. Unless, okay, I have a very strong feeling that Steel Vengeance could do it for me.
00:57:51
Speaker
That or Maverick. Yeah. I think, I think. Based on your RMC rankings, I could see that. Yeah, but. I don't know. We'll have to see in may yeah hopefully Hopefully it opens.
00:58:04
Speaker
you know I never say anything after 3.05 being down. I'm like, if it's open, I'll do it.
00:58:15
Speaker
ah Also, special shout out to Accelerator. That's my number 11. Love that ride. yeah i' i don't know how I feel about Ghost Rider at 9. I love Ghost Rider, though. The Helix is incredible. It's like it's like legend diet and then you have legend above it yes i do because legend is 10 times better than that ride i love legend those rides last year were like what sold me on that ride i love that ride i actually i have legend above raven right now i've had better rides on legend lately yeah raven has that pothole think they're fixing they're fixing it
00:58:54
Speaker
it's great i like last time I was at Holiday World didn't even ride Raven. i'm like i definite like it I only rode it twice. I could not handle it. It was so bad.
00:59:04
Speaker
like i was like, you guys really chose the wrong places to retract on this one. I think they're fixing it this year, though. They are fixing it this year, and I'm so grateful. I'm so grateful. It's going to be so it's he's going to run so great at the at the birthday bash. I just know it. Maybe maybe I'll ride it again. We'll see.
00:59:24
Speaker
uh what are some bucket lists like parks and coasters and countries for you i don't want to go to i really want to go to germany i'm not going to say cedar point or anything because i'm going magic mountain magic mountain's a big one i really want to go to magic mountain uh i really think that's about it canada's wonders Canada's Wonderland is up there. the Fiesta Texas and Over Texas are two big ones that I really i really want to do.
00:59:53
Speaker
ah And I hate it because I don't think I'm going to be able to make it to the November event. Yeah. Which would have been perfect for that. but i don't think we're doing that one either. Yeah, I have to move around then. so i was like, I'm not about to...
01:00:07
Speaker
Yeah, no, I'm not about to do all that. I'd rather save up for bigger things next year that have been, like, not so secret within the club. Yeah.
01:00:19
Speaker
Yeah, there's a reason we're not planning yeah a major trip next year and why we're doing the wedding and honeymoon this year. Mm-hmm. Yeah, um... You can go back to my first answer to that question for details on that. um That's definitely, i also really want to do the UK. Disneyland and Paris is another big one that really want to go to.
01:00:40
Speaker
And of course, Japan as a whole. so Yeah. I think everybody ask that question is like Japan. like yeah I think that's just like the basic answer, but like, man, it it's it looks so cool to go. it That country looks so awesome. The culture there looks so interesting. And i the parks there look really incredible as well.
01:00:59
Speaker
And just so like quirky. They still have the Jaws ride at Universal Japan. I didn't know that actually. They do. They still have the Jaws ride.
01:01:11
Speaker
Yeah. I got to go to that.
01:01:17
Speaker
i One day I'll get to Japan. Yeah. it's That's going to be in the very far future for me. Yeah. But it's like one thing that I have like told myself I cannot die without letting myself do this.
01:01:30
Speaker
Yeah. That's like me in Italy. I'm like, I've talked for so long. Like my college best friend and I were like, one day we're going to go to Italy together. and I told her recently, I'm like, I'm sorry. I'm going to Italy without you. arent you but ah But I'm sure, im you know, that's, you got to take those chances. yeah you got to jump on it. Yeah. I'm very excited for that though.
01:01:54
Speaker
Awesome. Cause we were, we were, Our final two like choices for that were Italy or Japan. you oh We decided to hold off on Japan because we wanted to do that with friends.
01:02:08
Speaker
That's very true. That would be a friend trip as well. that like I want to do capsule hotels. That's not very honeymoon. No, no no it's not I want to stay at Disney, like Tokyo Disney, but I want to stay on site.
01:02:23
Speaker
and If we have four people, it'll just be a lot cheaper. Yeah, and you know they have those rooms that have like three beds in them. Yeah. Which I'm like, why can't we do that in America? know.
01:02:35
Speaker
They've got it right. The capsule hotels and the three beds in one room is a great thing that we have to like start adopting people. Let's get let's get into that. I agree. Especially like for just like how we are with like buzz bars and just like all the trips that we do with friends. I'm like, i want to make it cheap.
01:02:53
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. we And it's pace better with other people. hu so one day we'll do Japan. just
01:03:04
Speaker
Do you have any creative endeavors in the industry? ah and i think the only thing industry related is that I work with the media team for Buzzbars.
01:03:16
Speaker
So, I help edit the videos that get posted on the YouTube channel. so I have kind of passed my baton on yes i took your job all the and i'm having a blast doing it i'm glad yeah no i love doing it iles i love doing it because they'll look at me and be like guys i don't think we can make one a video for this this is how this is what the conversation went for the chicago one yeah it was like guys all of the footage for this is vertical do we even want to make a video and i said i like a challenge
01:03:48
Speaker
So I made one and I think it turned out pretty well. i was no help contributing footage on that trip. I think I had like three videos from the whole weekend. Usually I am. i did the video for the Virginia event last year and ah there was some like off-ride footage that I did, but like I did, I took barely any on that Chicago trip. There was, that trip was more so for like the people and drinking than it was the park.
01:04:12
Speaker
Yeah. But it was such a fun time. Buzzbars people in Chicago, the land of Tim, it was great. That that was one of my and one of my clips that I got was Tim dancing at the pool.
01:04:23
Speaker
And I put it in the video. I loved that video so much. I watch it every now and then if I just need to smile. It's so amazing. He's so easy. at That's like ah he's in like ah Nirvana doing that. yeah like And then like John Mike was in the pool, like splashing water into the air.
01:04:40
Speaker
You can kind of see that in the clip. It looks amazing. But yeah, no, that's that's literally the only thing I have. I i do have a like a coaster Instagram that I run, but it's like something I update like very infrequently. I need to get better at it. Oh, by the way, I'm going to tag that on the episode art. so Yes, yes, please do.
01:05:00
Speaker
um I'm thinking about starting a YouTube channel at some point, but yeah, I got the equipment for it. Ready to do it. Just so need some parks to open.
01:05:12
Speaker
are You're in school for... film or something like that? Yeah, so I'm actually i go to the University of Alabama at Birmingham, which is actually not affiliated with the University of Alabama.
01:05:22
Speaker
Really? Yeah, it's really funny. Yeah, it's not. it's no it is I think they were a satellite like campus and then they like became their own thing. interest I think when it was the satellite campus, it was university of Alabama in Birmingham. And we we like split off. It was university of Alabama at Birmingham. Oh yes yeah. Yeah. that's weird all the different Yeah.
01:05:43
Speaker
Everyone just calls it UAB, but um I'm there for um broadcasting and film. So, and then I just tacked on a marketing minor to that as well. So.
01:05:55
Speaker
Yeah. I know you, ah you interviewed me and Mike for a documentary kind of thing. I did. And I am updating that as we like, I'm in the process of doing that. And I'm going to submit it to like a film festival, so like a local one that I submit stuff to that I've ah like, I've done stuff in the past has gotten in. So I'm hoping that they'll look at my name or and recognize it and be like, okay, we'll throw him in.
01:06:18
Speaker
But yeah, no, my, my teacher's like, I don't know. It's pretty good. I was like, thank you. i have like, I don't think I have pride in my work for real. I'm just like, okay, yeah, it's done.
01:06:31
Speaker
Yeah. There's sometimes like there's some videos that I did for buzz bars where I watch them when I'm like, man, I'm proud of that thing. Yeah. There's like a ton of this. Like, i don't know. It's I'm like really proud of the buzz bars videos that I've done, but It's more so like my own personal like projects that I'm just kind of like about sometimes, but yeah, I like doing stuff like that. And I'm trying to pursue that within the industry for like a future job.
01:06:59
Speaker
Cause I'm pretty sure next year I'll, I will, I'm trying to like work with Disney again and stuff. Yeah. Trying to work my way up in the company. Yeah. I have a friend who's done that, so i know how to... It can be done. Yeah, it can be done. Yeah,
01:07:16
Speaker
yeah I kind of feel that like with the podcast. like I love doing it, and it's a passion project for me, and I really want to grow it. But I'm like, do people really actually like enjoy this?
01:07:27
Speaker
I do.
01:07:30
Speaker
straight up, when I got like the Spotify wrapped or whatever for the podcast, and I saw that like a few people had us as like their number one podcast, I'm like, really? thanks I was going to say, where else am I going to get two solid episodes about Europa Park? There will be a third one at some point.
01:07:49
Speaker
Oh! this is news to me. I'm so glad. um Yeah, i't I don't know when it'll be. It's not going to be like next week or anything. But we are planning an episode three with um talking about Rural Antica and the resorts.
01:08:02
Speaker
I will be, i will definitely be listening to that. i and That is a bucket list park as well. like what other podcast where you can, can you get six solid hours of just Europa? Europa Park.
01:08:15
Speaker
I don't know many. I'm like, we did three hours in Fantasio Land. think we did like two and a half on Epic and there was more to talk about. Okay. Those park deep dives are long.
01:08:28
Speaker
You need to make one about Cedar Point. i need I need tips. I don't know if that'll be before you go is the issue. issue ah ah have I have all the episodes kind of planned out through like the end of May right now. ah I see.
01:08:43
Speaker
yeah I kind of got to plan ahead for things. Yeah, no, I have to do that as well.
01:08:51
Speaker
um Let's see. Do you have any hot takes? Besides the Outlaw Run. I was going to say, the Outlaw Run one is pretty spicy. I don't i think Diamondback is better than Mako. Everyone seems to get upset about me. Yeah. no yeah I don't know. I think that I just like the longer layout of Diamondback compared to like the more compact one of Mako.
01:09:14
Speaker
And then after the break run, Mako does nothing. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. It does nothing. I'm not getting any air. I get a couple laterals at best.
01:09:24
Speaker
like But Diamondback, I feel like it's going to stall out every time it goes. don't know. I like it. I wrote that in the back row with John Mike and it was like a life changing experience.
01:09:35
Speaker
Like the only way I can have an enjoyable ride on that is if I can give myself a little bit of room and just aggressively hold the bar up the entire time and then I won't get rattled to death.
Riding Experiences and Park Frustrations
01:09:44
Speaker
I don't know. I didn't really notice a rattle to it for real.
01:09:48
Speaker
Now, keep in mind, i i this was like last year in May. So, like, I don't ride it as frequently as you do. But I love that hyper so much. I'm also a little scarred from the one time I rode it and I got stapled so hard my leg was numb by the end of the ride. so oh my God. That's awful. Yeah. Yeah.
01:10:07
Speaker
You know, but i I do have Goliath above both of those, though. I love that ride. That is home park bias right there. i i am kind of jaded, i I guess is kind of the word for that. I rode Goliath so much, I'm just kind of over it.
01:10:21
Speaker
I feel like it's getting very rattling. I will say that I need them to fix that. But like, I gray out on the Helix like every time.
01:10:32
Speaker
I know, I love it. the uh i love the the the last three bunny hills yeah the the turn into the brakes is awesome i love the the finale of that ride is so good at least they finally painted it yes it looks amazing and it's held up i lot i looked at it as soon as i walked to the gate of over georgia and they didn't let me in it looked nice oh i saw that instagram story of yours i'm like why Yeah, okay, so they have like this new rule now, I guess, at Over Georgia that they don't let people in an hour before park close. I was there like three minutes after the hour, and they were like, we're not letting anyone in
01:11:12
Speaker
And like everyone at the front gate was gone. like The security people were sent home already, and I was like, are you ki do you want money? i mean excited by I know about your debt.
01:11:24
Speaker
I know about your debt. They know you're a pass holder. Anybody coming in an hour before park goes, you're going to a pass holder, and they're not going to get money off of you. I was like, my friends are already inside. Are you kidding me?
01:11:34
Speaker
and they were like, no. And then I was like, can I at least use the bathroom? Because they're there they have bathrooms outside of the security plaza. And it was like right at where they were blocking me off. And I was like, I just drove two and a half hours to be here.
01:11:46
Speaker
Can I please go to the bathroom? they were no. i was I wanted to be like, you let me in the parking lot. I feel like that needs to... that's I feel like that's grounds enough to like let me in the park. Yeah, should close the parking gate.
01:11:58
Speaker
Yeah, if you're going to do that. They also took out the... I think they took out the the parking gate that I liked ah recently. Yeah, I saw that they like redid those. like They moved it for while. It's so ugly. oh my god i here and i'm like that looks so temporary i hope that's temporary i do too it it looks like they're gonna i think they're gonna put in the same thing that king's island has where it's like the the scan and then go it has like a nice kind of entry plaza yeah for context everyone they they tore down the toll plaza that had the big welcome to six flag sign and just replace it with a bunch of beige post posts with like red red roof booths like
01:12:35
Speaker
They're not booths. They're just awnings. Wooden two-by-twos with a little of covering. Supported It's so bad. It is bad. and i really hate that.
01:12:48
Speaker
I know. and I hate it because they've made that park look better than it has a long time. They put all
01:12:58
Speaker
and they put pull their money into Gold Rusher and Monster Mansion. which yeah I support that. but I do support the Monster Mansion thing. Guys, if you have not been to Over Georgia and been on Monster Mansion, i am obsessed with that ride.
01:13:12
Speaker
it is That is like my ride. i think that is the best ride at Over Georgia. It needs to be protected at all costs and they are doing that right now. Yeah, they're putting a lot of ah lot of work into that ride.
01:13:25
Speaker
every they are They are. They put more like figures in this year and apparently they've redone them to like electric figures and stuff too. So like Oh, italy i it's going to be so great. I say i wouldn't know. like You don't hear all the snorros or whatever?
01:13:39
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. But like I said, I wouldn't know. i They wouldn't let me in. Okay, I guess last kind of little thing. um i know you haven't been in the hobby super long.
01:13:56
Speaker
Still kind
Community and Enthusiast Advice
01:13:57
Speaker
of new. But what advice do you have for younger enthusiasts who are just getting into the hobby? ah I would definitely say, i feel like everyone says it, but just do it.
01:14:08
Speaker
It's really simple as that. you You really just need to do it. I definitely would suggest joining a club. That's mainly how I did it. um I know you were talking about how like you owe it all to Ace, basically.
01:14:20
Speaker
ah i basically owe it all to Buzzbars because I've met some of my like closest friends because of the club and stuff. so i agree. Yeah, it's it's an awesome way to get credits and get friends.
01:14:36
Speaker
Maybe mean real credits for the friends you made along the way. And get real drunk. It's a family podcast. Oh, well, get very happy.
01:14:50
Speaker
Very hydrated. Hydrated. Yes. That is something that we love to do in Buzz Bars because we love to stay hydrated. We're in these hot parks in the summer. We got to stay hydrated, guys. So come and join Buzz Bars. Stay hydrated. Get some friends. It's it's great.
01:15:07
Speaker
I read Buzz Bars everywhere. yeah Get some friends, man. Yeah, get some friends, man. i But I'm serious. that They'll go on road trips with you. If you get coaster friends, and they will go on road trips with you. And that that is like a huge thing. that's That's advice right there. There we go. go you find friends within the community, you will you're more likely to do things within the community.
01:15:28
Speaker
Go on toxic trips to places don't need to go. You know you want to travel 14 hours for Epic Universe. Okay, that one's valid, though. No, that one is valid. I love that park so much.
01:15:40
Speaker
I didn't get to do Stardust, though. So, very excited for the for the new stumble. Yeah. Oh, that'll be such a good weekend. Oh, I'm so excited. I need... i might we room i'm I'm learning. I'm not able to talk anymore. um We're trying to figure out how to work a Disney day in.
01:15:59
Speaker
Because i don't have Guardians. I don't have Tron. I don't even have Slinky Dog. Oh, that's something interesting that I can talk about is I went to the opening of Tron. i got to ride it before anyone else.
01:16:12
Speaker
Ooh. Yeah, I was, whenever I worked at, I worked in spring of 2023 and ah when I worked there, they were doing the opening previews of tros of Tron for the ah cast members. So I've probably ridden Tron probably 28 times.
01:16:26
Speaker
No joke. lucky number i it's got ah It's got a very special place in my heart. The launch is great. The rest is fine. I worked at SeaWorld the year ah Manta opened.
01:16:39
Speaker
Oh, I love Manta. Yeah. It's a great ride. i agree. See, that would have awesome, too. i wasn't, like, one of the first ones to ride it. I don't think I'd, like, work there long enough to really be a part of it. I feel like my first day was, like, Manta opening day or something.
01:16:58
Speaker
I think the first time I rode Tron, I was like third, the third group that was like able to go in. So I was like definitely one of the first people to ever ride it. That's cool. And it was so awesome. It was so awesome. i It was just a bunch of friends who had like nobody they knew that lived around there inviting you on their preview dates. So like you just get kept getting to go back and do it again. it was so much fun.
01:17:23
Speaker
I wrote Revenge in the Mummy on technical rehearsal. Does that count for anything? That's sick, actually. That's really cool. I'm obsessed with Mummy. I love Mummy.
01:17:33
Speaker
I loved it when I when i did that. ah still I still love it i I love Mummy. love the movies, and I love The Ride. and don't think I've seen that movie either.
01:17:45
Speaker
That's a good me bad one. like Don't watch the sequels. you could Only watch the first one. Does Brendan Fraser ever get his cup of coffee? ah I know he does at the end of the ride.
01:17:56
Speaker
yeah
01:17:59
Speaker
He definitely gets it. Have you ever, ah did you know that there's like, he actually says something like when he's screaming. so like, if you like, listen, he's like the, the mummy like goes to attack him. And while he's screaming, he screams out. That feels good.
01:18:13
Speaker
yeah but and every single time that I ride that ride now I cannot unhear that at the end it's just him screaming it over and over again yeah if you look it up and if you start listening for it you will now be able to hear it ah yeah I will definitely be doing that after we're done on here yeah do it
01:18:36
Speaker
on that note any ah parting words for the podcast listeners uh Subscribe to the Patreon when Jen gets her videos done. this rate, I don't know if they're ever going to get done.
01:18:52
Speaker
But it's just going to become a trend for everyone to bully her on the episodes if she's not on.
01:18:59
Speaker
Exactly. we need to make it ah We need to make it a bit. Dude, even Nate texted me the other day. He's like, hey, has Jen recorded her Patreon videos yet? And I'm like, no. Of course he did.
01:19:12
Speaker
But yeah, no, ah thank you for having me. I had such a great time. Thank you for joining for jumping on.
Social Media and Closing Remarks
01:19:18
Speaker
do you want to drop your ah socials? Yes. For context, my last name is Fine, so my coaster Instagram is MightyFineAirTime.
01:19:29
Speaker
If you want to go follow me over there. ah Like I said, I post very infrequently. It's mostly just stories now. But once I get in the parks, start one more. Almost to that point. It is. I'm so close.
01:19:43
Speaker
So that's where I'm at. You can follow me on my personal Instagram at Brayden is fine. It's B-R-A-D-E-N. Yeah. So, you know it's spelled like it's spelled on the episode art.
01:19:58
Speaker
Exactly. Find me there. And eventually on YouTube. Yes. i i eventually it'll be, a if I start one, I'll post about it and it'll be linked in the bio of my,
01:20:10
Speaker
coaster instagram nice but i i have recorded a video but uh my camera i learned actually has a 12 minute cutoff time so it just stopped recording so i have 40 minutes of audio and 12 minutes of video so i gotta record that but voiceover it's fine yeah yeah i i will rectify it soon Yeah, with that ah with that film degree that you're working on.
01:20:40
Speaker
Yes, yes. Or how to use the equipment. Yes, something I do need to do.
01:20:47
Speaker
Well, thank you for joining me on this conversations episode. And to all of our listeners, hashtag keep thinking inverted or whatever that stupid motto is that I need a better one of because that's it's just all I can think of.
01:21:02
Speaker
but I like it. Well, thank you. No, I need to think of something else. I don't even know. Saying hashtag every time is kind of stupid, but... ah' Stay inverted. Like, the whole... Like, when I started the inverted thing, like, the whole tagline was, like, see the world from a new perspective kind of thing. so You can bring that back.
01:21:22
Speaker
Yeah. See the world from a new perspective. I don't know. Keep thinking inverted. We'll workshop it. We'll workshop it. We're creative. I'm not very creative sometimes.
01:21:34
Speaker
But we will ah we see all next time.