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Episode 351: Welcome Home Weeks, Big Thunder Reopening & Fairy Bread
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On This Episode
DVC shared the details of the return of Welcome Home Weeks, including a 40% dining discount at select restaurants and free treats for members. Disney announced DVC Member and Annual Passholder previews for Soarin' Across America and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets. The guys discuss the hot start Big Thunder Mountain Railroad got off to after its year long refurbishment and they fire off a list of all of the enhancements made to the iconic ride. Disney gave a first look at the Bluey-themed "Fairy Bread" coming to Animal Kingdom. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets will not utilize a virtual queue upon its official re-opening. A summer preview for Disney Springs highlights the upcoming Level 99 mini-games experience and the Six Ravens restaurant from the team behind Gideon’s Bakehouse. Disneyland announced that all Autopia cars will transition to being fully electric by early 2027.
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Transcript
Welcome Message and Episode Introduction
00:00:07
Speaker
This is Skipper Albert A. Wall, the voice of the jungle, broadcasting on the DVC to all points unknown. If you're within the sound of my voice, you're listening to Welcome Home Podcast on the DVC.
00:00:30
Speaker
Hello and welcome home. This episode of Welcome Home is brought to you by DVC Rental Store. Thank you for joining us on episode 351 of Welcome Home, a Disney Parks and Vacation Club podcast. I'm Tom, here with Trevor. How's it going, Trevor?
00:00:40
Speaker
Hey, pretty good. guess we should start by um wishing all the mothers out there Happy Mother's Day. Yeah. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. That's great. Yeah, we're recording this before Mother's Day, but, you know, if you're listening to this. Yeah, I hope you had a good Mother's Day. Exactly. Yeah, because we're yeah we're doing this early so we can go and, you know, spend time with our mothers and wives and all that stuff. so Surprisingly, there's a fair amount of things to talk about, considering we we we actually recorded late last week and then early this week. So we had a much shorter window of of news to talk about. But there's there's still, there's so you know, a good amount to talk about. We're not going to, ah you know, talk for too, too long today. But, ah you know, we got a couple of things. Yeah, Disney has not let up on the news this last week. They really haven't. They really haven't. So, yeah. do ah Should we just get right into it, Trevor? Sure. Yeah, I don't...
00:01:33
Speaker
Yeah, I don't think there's anything we need to talk about ahead of time.
Welcome Home Weeks Benefits for DVC Members
00:01:38
Speaker
Okay, DVC news. Yeah, so let's get started with this. So they're bringing it back Welcome Home Weeks ah for if this year, which, you know, they had last year. And they've been doing it the you know past couple of years now. But there's some ah there a pretty good benefits going on here.
00:01:52
Speaker
ah And so, first of all, this is i you know, we always say blue card benefit, even though the blue cards are not a thing anymore. It's direct. yeah Direct member benefits. So direct versus resale members. and Yeah. yeah the The criteria for a direct member is minimum 150 points now, unless you were grandfathered in from... was grandfathered.
00:02:15
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah, me too. um But yeah, i guess I guess, yeah, for anyone curious, yeah, we we refer to direct membership as blue card membership because direct or... Membership used to come with a blue card back in the day. You know, one of my biggest sadnesses. Is that a word? Sadnesses? Yeah, sadnesses. I don't know. You know what mean. But I have, so I always bring with me, because I charge everything on my MagicBand, but then I like, well, always have like this really skinny wallet that's almost just like a, that I can put like a couple cards in and my ID just in case I need it. Like instead of, you know, my regular wallet when we're in the parks. And always kept my blue card in there just as like, you know, sentimental, I guess. Right. Even though it's not really accepted anymore. It's inspired. just was there. Right. Well, can't find that wallet. I lost it after our cruise last year, which also had our Disney redemption card in it.
00:03:10
Speaker
I didn't lose it. It's in my house somewhere. I just don't know where it is. oh it's It's one of these. You're going to find it like when you're like packing up to move or something. Yeah. Well, it's probably in the same place as magic bands. Oh, that actually reminds me, Trevor, you're going to find this hilarious. So you know how I was saying I couldn't find my magic band and, you know, I just before the cruise this time. So we were unpacking from the cruise and my wife opened one of the pockets on my daughter's suitcase.
00:03:39
Speaker
And it was my magic bands were in that pocket in the suit. So they were with me the entire time on the trip, unbeknownst to me. So what I did was we you know, i I have, I have a spare drawer right in my closet that was just empty.
00:03:56
Speaker
And I said, from this day forward, this is the Disney drawer, right? So all the magic bands go in there. the ponchos, pirate costumes, all, everything goes in there. Like that's, if we're like, Oh, where's the Disney stuff? It's in that drawer. like um That's, that's how you have to do it. I mean, I, I'm, I have, I have my luggage, which has the majority of our stuff, but then we also have,
00:04:22
Speaker
We have a box on a shelf that is the same thing. Like it's it's designated as the Disney stuff is in here. If you need to find a magic band, it's in here. so I'm really mad, though, that it was literally the magic band was with us the entire time. And I didn't know because I also swear that I looked in that pocket.
00:04:39
Speaker
i like i've I looked in all of the pocket. But I was also sad
Organizational Challenges and Personal Anecdotes
00:04:44
Speaker
to find to figure out that... my magic band was in that pocket, but the little wallet was not. And I thought they were in the same place, but the little wallet is still eluding. Obviously got put in another pocket you You need to start looking at your luggage, man. I do. Every time we unpack, we I go through every pocket and take everything out. and Yeah. But I feel like I've done this too, where there's there's like a weird, like,
00:05:12
Speaker
pocket dimension that happens sometimes where it's like disappears Yeah. like like like you'll check the same pocket like five times but it's like dug like deep down in the corner like you you run your hand through it and you're like no i don't feel anything but it's like if you don't hit that exact corner you'll never find the thing right so yeah I agree with you because I swear I looked in all the bags and I don't know how the magic I didn't see the magic band. Now, given my wife will tell you, she'd like, yeah, but like you look for stuff all the time and are looking straight at it and don't say you can't find it. bre And that's, you know, it's a fair criticism. It's true.
00:05:50
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, i've I've done that too, where I'm like, i I swear I know where something is, or I see like the last time in my head, I'm like, i know where this was. And then I'll walk by it like 20 times. And then my wife's like, what are you talking about? It's right here. So yeah I know this was an aside, but I know where it was actually. That's funny that you you found them like, or it's always after the fact, right? so and So yeah, same thing, you know, back to the whole blue card thing is, you know,
00:06:19
Speaker
No, the next time you're wanting to find that wallet will be well after you. I know. Whatever you're planning to do. I'm going to find that wallet if it kills me. Like, I'm going to find it. I know it's somewhere. None of the cards that are in there matter to me at this point.
00:06:35
Speaker
Um, we also couldn't find my license after this last trip for a while. Like we knew it was somewhere within the bag, so we couldn't find it. And it was like, I don't know. I was driving around for a while without a license. it Maybe you shouldn't say that. it's fine. It's only illegal if you get caught, Trevor. I guess it's, I don't know about the laws in your area, but I know around here you have, or for like insurance papers and stuff, you have 24 hours to produce them. Yeah. Just the license was was, it was in the car somewhere on the drive back. I just don't know where, but I could have found it if like i was pulled over, but I, you know, I have it now. I found it all as well. um But anyway, so we're talking about Welcome Home Weeks. and well Let's go back to Welcome Home Week. So actually, the the big thing that caught me on this, and I don't remember this from last year, but maybe it was this high, is the dining discount is 40% during Welcome Home Weeks. At 10 resorts. At 10 restaurants. it yes that's i meant yeah Sorry, restaurants. by the way, this is July twenty second to August twenty six so it's ah about a month.
00:07:44
Speaker
Yeah. So, yeah. So, up to 40% off at 10 restaurants. We also get... There's also free ice cream getting distributed at, you know, different parts of the resorts and theme parks. Mm-hmm. Some details not announced yet.
00:08:00
Speaker
No. New for this year, members get a free play of the Carnival Games at Pixar Pier at a California Adventure. That's fun. like that. That's pretty cool. actually like that a lot. Yeah, that's cool. Because, like...
00:08:11
Speaker
Because, you know, i'm I don't want to say I'm cheap, but I'm i'm not inclined to spend money on carnival games. I understand that.
00:08:23
Speaker
I've spent enough money on carnival games as a kid and, you know, seen like as an adult, see like, oh no, like, I do not want to spend $5 on this because it's like 30 seconds of entertainment. and Yeah.
00:08:36
Speaker
You know, i you know i I usually get like the smallest plush animal that you can get. Like, I don't do well at carnival games. So it's like, well, and like, I mean, a free go round, though, is like, you know, yeah, I'm not going to take that. he's not going to take that. I ah that is one thing I will miss about Dinoland is I used to I did enjoy the carnival games over there. And I but, you know, to your point.
00:09:01
Speaker
adds up real fast. Like, yes, if you do a couple of those, but so that's cool. But then also they're doing, they're trying to do a couple different Disneyland things here, which is nice. They're also doing a free appetizer when dining at the, at ah the Disneyland hotels, Palm breeze bar.
00:09:17
Speaker
So, okay. Yep. Oh, um the other one, too, is... um So, at the various ah Walt Disney resorts where they do movies under the stars, yeah um they're giving out free candy.
00:09:29
Speaker
So... Always a welcome thing. Yeah, I mean, that that's cool. Like, I don't... Or I'm i'm not, like... taken advantage of those. But, you know, ah usually it's like I'm coming back from the parks and, you know, you know, like I'm going to get stuff from quick service or whatever. And you can see, you know, you know, they set up the the movies and, you know kids are usually gathered around whatever. it's like,
00:09:52
Speaker
Throwing free candy into the mix there um it is nice, but also feels like a very dangerous thing. yeah You know, giving a bunch of kids that are, you know, trying to get wound down for the night a bunch of candy as they're sitting down to watch a movie. I mean...
00:10:11
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. It's a little bit of chaos. There are also some special. ah So they're going to you know be giving away the ice cream. There's going to be character experiences ah specifically. It looks like for Disney World at the Boardwalk ah Atlantic Dance Hall.
00:10:28
Speaker
ah So which is cool. That's great. You know, it's a good place for it. But yeah, you go pop into that. There's a bunch of dates for that one. We're not going to go through all the dates, but um the Disneyland ones have dates, but not locations. So, but then, you know, these benefits are also at Vera Beach and Alani and Hilton Head too, which, which is great that you can do them at those resources. I mean, and it makes sense because they're, you know, the essentially DVC, not DVC only, but you know,
00:10:54
Speaker
The majority of people that are there are members, right? So, um so that's good. And then there's the, ah the welcome home wake up, which I believe is, isn't it like ah the coffee? It's like, is that free coffee? I think.
00:11:06
Speaker
Yeah, it's, it's like, coffee right? Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, actually, or sorry, I was just reading the asterisk on that. So it says, yeah, welcome home, wake up and says, note, coffee events are only open to members with a current reservation at the indicated resort on that date. So driving all the way to a Disney resort to get a free coffee. like come out but No, but here's the thing is that specifically they are at Bay Lake Tower and Wilderness Lodge in in Disney World. And in Disneyland, it's at the, so you actually to be determined in Disneyland. So it has to be at that resort. Yeah, so so like you can't be like staying at like Saratoga and drive over and get you know free coffee from Bay Lake Tower, which like i I see why they're being sticky about that because i could see somebody going like, oh, you know I'm going to Magic Kingdom anyway. I'll just leave early and pass by Bay Lake Tower, you know pick up free breakfast and whatever, and then go to the park. yeah it turns it into like It's unfortunately something that could be very easily...
00:12:08
Speaker
abused So that's why they they they put the asterisk here that, you know, you have to have a reservation at that resort in order to um take advantage of it. So, yeah, there's also a wine mixer at ah Grand Californian and Alani.
00:12:24
Speaker
There's a mobile order discount of 20 percent, a one time use mobile order discount off quick service at a Disneyland only. ah Interesting. Interesting. They're doing a lot of Disneyland benefits, which i yeah I appreciate that they're doing that.
00:12:39
Speaker
ah And then we also have so we mentioned the 40 percent off. So the 40 percent is really one, two, three, four, five, six, seven restaurants. And then the there's 108, I guess. There's two other ones that are 20%. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, good.
00:12:56
Speaker
So the the only are okay the only two on this list that are 20% off are Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom and Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom. So the ones inside of Magic Kingdom are only a 20% off discount. But I think I don't recall those having...
00:13:12
Speaker
any substantial discount previously. So it's still like, still better than nothing. um But everywhere else, so all these other restaurants, it's a 40% off ho um discount for, from July 22nd to August 26th. So if you have, you have a yeah ah trip planned in July or August, I mean that I would definitely be doing sit down. Your options are Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood Studios, Tusker House in Animal Kingdom, Beer Garden in Epcot,
00:13:41
Speaker
Tiffin's in Animal Kingdom, Coral Reef in Epcot, Garden Grill in Epcot. Like I said, Crystal Canyon be our guest in Magic Kingdom. Whispering Canyon at Wilderness Lodge. And was it Trattoria Forno at Boardwalk?
00:13:55
Speaker
Yeah. i don't know if I pronounced that properly. Yeah, you did. Yeah, that's that's a really good restaurant, actually. Yeah, so so I mean, that's that's a great spread of of ah table service restaurants that, you know, a 40% off...
00:14:09
Speaker
I mean, that's discount is like that's huge. So and it's worth noting that some of these are breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some are just lunch and dinner. Some are just lunch. Some are just dinner. So check before you go. so like beer garden, for example, is only lunch. Tiffin's is only dinner. Coral reef dinner. Garden grill. Garden grill is is actually a huge one because that is a pricey restaurant to get 40% off of that. And it's lunch and dinner.
00:14:31
Speaker
Yeah, that's all that's yeah that's that's a big discount. That would be my pick for sure. Yeah, that would know But we know that. Yeah, I would do that. I'd do Crystal Palace. I'd do Whispering Canyon. Trattoria Al Forno is also really good too.
00:14:44
Speaker
um You know, I've been to, let's see, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight of these. Yeah. The only ones I haven't been to, I've never been Hollywood and Vine, believe it or not.
00:14:58
Speaker
um I don't know why. Just haven't. And then never been to Tiffin's. Yeah, Hollywood Studios is kind of weird for me for dining. I always, like, I forget that. Sci-fi dining, man. Well, yeah yeah. Between sci-fi and primetime, yeah like, those are my two go-tos. So I forget that there there is, like, there's Hollywood and Vine. There's... um Brown Derby.
00:15:19
Speaker
Yeah, thank you, Brown Derby. like like It's like, oh, there is actually way more. There was Mama Melrose. Yeah. And and i've just I just blank on the fact that there's like other places to eat in Hollywood Studios. But this is good reason good reason to remember. Yeah, why eat anywhere besides sci-fi or primetime? I mean... I mean, yeah, it's again, it's a matter of timing and and and all that. But but I mean, this is enough for me to go like, you know, the next time, you know, if I was going during this time and, you know, I'm looking at options, I i would actually consider dropping
00:15:57
Speaker
you know, one of those other two restaurants for Hollywood and Vine because like that's, that's a pretty huge but um discount. And, and Hollywood and Vine actually is one of the few that is breakfast, lunch and dinner.
00:16:09
Speaker
Yes, it is. So it's all day long 40% off. Actually, i think it's the only one that's breakfast, lunch and dinner. I thought there was a, yeah but you're right. Yeah. Yeah. You're right. Yeah. yeah Yeah, because ah it's it's weird how they have this broken out, right? So like breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Hollywood and Vine, but Tutorial Forno is breakfast and dinner, no lunch there. Some are just lunch, some are lunch and dinner. It's all over the map. West Spring Canyon is brunch and dinner.
00:16:32
Speaker
Okay. Like, okay. I mean, do they have a breakfast party? Is it just brunch and dinner there, though? You know what i mean? Like, yeah maybe that's technically all day, right?
00:16:42
Speaker
So I don't know. But yeah, listen, those are big discounts. If you're there during that month, that's ah that's a really, really good thing to do. So yeah. Speaking of member benefits, Trevor. Oh, sorry. I was moving up. I was going to say that's, ah I mean, that's a pretty nice incentive to get people coming over the summer months.
Disney Ride Previews and Updates
00:17:01
Speaker
um But yeah, like you said, in other member related stuff, there are member previews coming.
00:17:09
Speaker
Yeah. So the the two two different things, right? We got ah we got the Rockin' Roller Coaster one, and we got the Soarin' Across America one. For Soarin' Across America, Soarin' Across America will debut on May 26th, but they're going to do the Passholder preview on the 19th and the 20th, and then DVC, there will be one as well. ah But ah and this this is... a DVC News is reporting that it's going to be ah May 21st. It's going to be a one day. It's not officially an announced, but but they seem to believe, yeah, it will be May 21st for that preview. Interestingly enough, there's no registration required for pass holders or for DVC. I guess you just get to show up.
00:17:51
Speaker
I mean, i guess they're assuming people will just show up and show your card and, you know. you Didn't you such register for these things? I feel like am I wrong about this? I feel like for bigger things like LAN previews and stuff, yes. But because this is a ride and because it's very easy to control who's coming in and out of the ride, I feel like they can just do the show up and flash your card. And, you know, I i don't imagine that there will be enough people. And especially because they're actually splitting pass holders and DVC. Yeah.
00:18:25
Speaker
Yeah. um I feel like it's easy enough for them to just, you know, do it at the gate. Right. So. And by the way, so the in ah the around the almost the exact same time for Rock and Roller Coaster starring the Muppets, that's going to be happening May 21st to the 23rd for pass holders and then May 24th for DVC owners. So that's a really good week for previews if you're there. Yeah.
00:18:49
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. Right. I mean, and there's a bunch of stuff opening, of course, but you're also if you're there, it's going to be ah it's going to be busy week anyway. So, yeah, that's the thing is that it's like I I would consider going for these previews, but Like, again, for me personally, I'm usually like I travel in May, but I'm usually like I will try to make sure I'm going before the May long weekend because exactly for that is like once May long weekend hits, it gets really crazy.
00:19:19
Speaker
So I would much rather or I would always miss these because i would be there like a week before. Yeah. yeah yeah Oh, by the way, also, so just to differentiate a little bit here, the Rock and Roller Coaster one will require registration for pass holders.
00:19:35
Speaker
ah So, yeah, it's interesting. yeah Yeah. I love the inconsistent consistency of this. Yeah. So it's but they're doing ver they're they're doing virtual queue. So it's not really registration. They're doing virtual queue. Right.
00:19:51
Speaker
Which is interesting, but also I get it because if you look at it this way, Soren is one of those things that never completely completely shuts down because they have the the separate theaters, right? So they lose one theater, they got another one. Whereas Rockin' Roller Coaster, that shuts down, the whole thing's down, right?
00:20:09
Speaker
so yeah I think they can, they can, they do the virtual queue system because they're going to, they're expecting that they're going to have issues because they always do. And it's not like they replaced the ride system here. It's still the rock and roller coaster ride system. So they're going to have, you know, they're going to have those kinds of issues and and going to need some downtime. But Soarin', it's like, you know, like I said, ah one theater goes down, you got, you got another one, right? It's not, you know, it's, it's not like ah the whole ride shuts down. So yeah. Yeah.
00:20:37
Speaker
Makes sense to me. Yeah. And I thought I saw, again, this is probably falling into rumor land, but um I thought I saw that when Rockin' Roller Coaster opens up, they weren't planning to do, like, any kind of virtual queue.
00:20:54
Speaker
That's later in the run down. Yeah. Is it? Yes. You did get that in here. Okay. You jump jumped ahead. It's okay. we not to jump ahead I didn't realize you'd added that to the rundown. I honestly did not look that far ahead. It's all good. so It's all good. Okay. we'll We'll come back to that. So stay tuned.
00:21:13
Speaker
Yeah. Um, I guess since we're talking about roller coasters, um one thing we didn't talk about last week is a Big Thunder opening back up again. Yeah, and I'm actually kind of glad we did because it it ended up being a fairly eventful day. Yeah, I mean, with the, you know...
00:21:32
Speaker
or so i Sorry, the the track starting on fire, it it wasn't the track, it was the brake system. was the brakes, yeah yeah. And it was just funny that, like, you know, immediately people were trying to cover it as like, oh my gosh, you know. Oh my gosh. You know, it's the... Disasterous opening. Well, what was the one that I saw? It was like, Orlando's newest roller coaster starts on fire. And I'm like...
00:21:55
Speaker
Really? Yeah, that's how we're doing this now? Well, yeah, it just opened up again, but it's not new. And it's like, yes, they did maintenance and they they replaced pieces of track and whatever. But it's also like, honestly, I think it's more that the, you know, the the brakes were just being...
00:22:10
Speaker
they They were new and they were being overused and they overheated. And i mean, we don't even know if they were actually on fire, right? Like, they don't I don't think they've actually said anything about that, right? I saw a video where they were like, they actually had fire extinguishers out and they were like spraying fire to kind of just mean it was smoking, you know, and they just yeah sprayed it down and just to spray it down. I don't think I've seen anything where I saw actual fire.
00:22:35
Speaker
But, you know, not a great look, but still to your point, Trevor, like half of the blogs were like, what what was the one that was in the discord? It was like disastrous opening day for Big Thunder. By the way, it was open again like two hours later. yeah you know, come on. Also, to put that in perspective, so the, yes, the the first day the lineup for Big Thunder went all the way back to Liberty Square. So, you know, if you know the pathing around Rivers of America or, you know, the under construction area now, you know, that's a really long line just to get to Big Thunder. But from what I heard, um i saw um the next couple of days, people saying, or I saw some videos of like people rope dropping Big Thunder and getting on there immediately. And they're not being like, there was still lineups, but it was much more normal. It's always saw the worst on the first day, right? I mean, that's how it is. And I understand the irony of saying this as, you know, we are a podcast talking about Disney and whatnot, but yeah.
00:23:37
Speaker
the main reason for the lineup being so long for the first day seemed to be, uh, all the vloggers and, know, you know, you know, Disney.
00:23:49
Speaker
Yeah. Sorry. dis Disney, uh, influencers, you know, you know, that, that community trying to get their first take on it. Right. Or, you know, get, get their first video out, get the exclusive and all that. And, and I'm not, you know, like i said, I'm not hating on them for that because I understand, you know they're trying to compete in frankly, what's an oversaturated market. Yeah. um But it, yeah you know, it, it does, it does create a weird perception of like,
00:24:20
Speaker
ah you know, a lot of people were kind of like, you know, the the the track fire and everything like it made it sound like, oh, my God, you know, this opened up and it's already over capacity. And it's like, you know, what are we like?
00:24:31
Speaker
What's what's Disney doing about? and it's like nothing because it was just people buying into hype. like Yeah. you know Yeah, it's, you know, we're not part of the selfie stick crowd, right? Like, that's not how we do. That's not what we do. so I learned my lesson on that years ago. I actually, I had a selfie stick at one point and GoPro and all that. And i I eventually realized that, you know, yes, there is something to be said for capturing, you know, memories with your kids and stuff. I mean, I guess I was never using it for the sake of like starting a vlog or like, you know, trying to put my video out there before other people, which the other thing that was funny too, is that um the day that big thunder opened, ah Disney did put out a ride through video, like first thing in the morning. So they did, they were already like, we runs out but yeah yeah, which I, you know, it's about time they got on top of that because like that was like, there were so many videos of rides and there still are. It's not like they've, ended that. But, you know, the the fact that it they they started doing it themselves, you know, to kind of like have the official video, and of course it's the the best video, right? Because they have, they can, you know, attach cameras to the ride vehicles and things like that. um Did you watch the ride ride through, Trevor? Because I know you're spoiler-averse, but this is Big Thunder, so. Yeah, and and this actually, i did actually watch a ride through video this time, because
00:25:54
Speaker
I, my curiosity got to me over it. And also uh, the fact that, um, I'm not, or, you know, I don't have an immediate trip coming up. I was like, well, I, you know, I could try and avoid this for like the next year, but that's not going to work. Like I, I'll end up seeing it by accident someday. So I was like, you know what? I'll just sit down and watch it.
00:26:16
Speaker
I have to say in terms of, yeah you know, I was hoping for them to, do give it the same treatment that they did the Disneyland version. At the end. version and yeah ah yeah they They didn't. I mean, they they did something different, and I get how it plays into the lore of of this Big Thunder, because every Big Thunder has their own story, technically, and this one is very much like a Gold Rush thing, and you know they they they played into that.
00:26:44
Speaker
um yeah The thing that I i noticed was that they they did a lot of lighting tricks yeah with it, but there wasn't a lot of substance beyond that. and And I don't want to say like, I'm not, I'm not trying to say that I feel like they they did like the, the cheapest low, low bar um thing to improve it, which is just, you know, fixing lighting. I think it was, you know somebody may made a choice and, you know, I also get, you know, redoing a ride like this, you know, you know,
00:27:17
Speaker
With all the other stuff they're doing, they probably didn't have the budget to do extra effects and stuff like that that they did in the Disneyland one because there are extra effects going on in Disneyland. um So, yeah, I mean, it's i mean it's just not it's unfortunately it's still not the best version of Big Thunder, in my opinion. and I get that. I mean, listen, the the first scene though, the Rainbow Cavern scene is very cool. Yeah, you're you're right. and yeah And that's the thing. Like, I don't want, like, the I'm just comparing finales, I guess, is the thing. but Like, my my statement is entirely around the final lift hill, which is the yeah the finale of the ride.
00:27:54
Speaker
I feel like it could have been better. It's, like i said, it's nice and it's kind of, like, it's a neat little thing that they did with how they they lit it up and everything. But you're right. The Rainbow Cavern stuff at the beginning,
00:28:06
Speaker
And the bats and everything. but the bats Very cool. Yeah. Extremely cool. um And I mean, listen, they, this was a full teardown, right? Like they replaced all of the track. It's all brand new track, all new trains. They, all the broken effects that were there. They fixed all the broken stuff. They, you know, redid the little town that's, you know, that's, ah you know, in the middle of the ride there, they repainted all the, ride I mean, like it's,
00:28:31
Speaker
I understand what you're saying, Trevor, because they did add extra. They added extra things, but they also spent a lot of time just redoing the basics. Right. Like, yeah you know, like but like i said, you know, in Disneyland, they they did this or they did.
00:28:44
Speaker
It was the same thing. Like they did a bunch of fix ups to the ride, but then did the finale to it. the Like you said, you know it's not is' we're not comparing apples to apples here. It's just like I said, my I think my problem is my expectations were a bit higher because of the Disneyland version.
00:29:01
Speaker
And it's you're right. It's not fair to diminish all the work that they did because they did do a lot of work. And and I don't want to sound like a nitpicking just, you know, the finale. But do you really want him to have the same finale, though? Like, I think it's kind I kind of like that they have different different finales. Yeah, you're right. But I guess my only wish, I guess, would have been that maybe they could have done like it was entirely a lighting thing. I feel like they could have done something like even like utilizing projection mapping or something like it just. Yeah, sure.
00:29:33
Speaker
It feels well. and Yeah. So you're make video bit more you also watching videos though. So I think once you, you know, when you experience these these things in person, it is a little different than watching video, but true. Yeah.
00:29:45
Speaker
So I, I, you know, I thought it overall looked really good. i although I will say it, my worst fears about this were confirmed. And I, ah which is that because it's a brand new track, you kind of lost the craziness of it, you know, of like the feeling like you're going to fly off the thing. I've seen a couple,
00:30:05
Speaker
ah you know, I've seen a couple of people mention this and it's funny because when I watched the official ride through Trevor, I'm watching it and I'm like, oh this is really smooth now. Like, cause you could tell like the camera wasn't shaking at all. And I know it was like, it was literally like, you know, attached to the ride vehicle, but you would at least see some vibration or something, but it was literally so smooth that there was not a single vibration. And I'm like,
00:30:26
Speaker
You know, I... Cameras do have stabilizers. No, no. I will say this. I know. But it's not just that. I've read... I mean, I've read accounts of this now. ah Several people have said this in, like, reviews of it. And it's interesting because I feel mixed about it, right? Because part of me feels like...
00:30:44
Speaker
the the story and the ride itself, like that out control feeling of it, where, like I said, it feels like you could go flying off the tracks at any time.
00:30:55
Speaker
What to me was part of the ride. Right. And like, Like, if you if you change Space Mountain to not be, like, you know, to make you need to see a chiropractor after every trip, I don't think anyone cares, right? Because, like, that doesn't matter for the story of Space Mountain to me, right? Like, you can have a smooth coaster for Space Mountain. But, I don't know, part of Big Thunder to me was that out-of-control feeling. And I've seen a bunch of people now describing it as, like, being as smooth as, like, Seven Dwarfs, right?
00:31:24
Speaker
Which... oh that's Okay. Yeah. And I also, at the same time, understand that, listen, when you put in brand new tracks and have brand new trains, of course it's going to be smooth, right? Like, yeah. I mean, i guess maybe part of what you were talking about is, you know, over time, you know, pieces or you know, the connectors on the tracks will, you know, slightly warp, right? Like they they don't like completely disconnect, but you'll get like, like, i feel like what you're talking about is that like,
00:31:54
Speaker
Like you can almost feel like every time you hit a section, like it's kind of bumpy almost. Yeah, it's like you're vibrating, you're shaking, you're, you know. Which, I mean, maybe it's a matter of, like you said, know, right now it's incredibly smooth. But, you know, give it a couple months, give it a year of time. See how it's actually like. Put that Florida sun on there, you know. Yeah, let it cook for a little bit. Yeah.
00:32:17
Speaker
You know, i maybe maybe it'll be back to what you were expecting. It's the wildest ride in the wilderness, Trevor. You can't, you got to have it be wild, right? It's got to, it can't feel like seven dwarves. It still looks wild. I mean, it's not like, yeah, I know, like, I know you're saying like it's smooth as seven dwarves. The sections of track that, you know, made the car, like, yeah. It still has those pieces to it where kind of where it kind of like shoots left, dips down or like the trick track by the little town and stuff like that. Like that's all still there. It's just I think it's a lot of the um the wear on the track maybe that you were used to is not there. And that's why it feels jarring. yeah and And that's kind of what got me and they imagine in the video they put out with the Imagineers riding it because they're just having like a casual conversation as they're on the ride. Like, you know what I mean? Like there's no there's no like time where they stopped for a second and went like wo like, like literally they just were like, yeah, so, you know, we worked on this part. And it's like they could have been anywhere, you know, like it was its like barely affecting them in any way. You know, I don't know. It just I i would argue how many times do you think they actually rode that ride? Probably a lot. That's yeah it's it's a fair argument. You're right. But I just am glad to see the effects back and, you know, even like the steam pipe, you know, with the steam coming out of the state, you know, the station area, like the geyser, all that stuff that like,
00:33:41
Speaker
are things that weren't working for a long time. And also, like I said, that i think the rainbow cavern in the beginning looks amazing. The bats look great. Um, I, the, the end scene I want to see in person because i I think from what I've read, there are more effects there that don't exactly come through very well in video. Like, uh, I like, so I think you can like see the veins of gold and stuff like that. and And it doesn't come great. Like kind of like ah the new test track where like, it looks cool in video, but apparently in person is even cooler. You know, there's, There's tiny little nuance that doesn't show up on camera. also, yeah I think there is an audio aspect to it as well. I think that. oh that's true. Yeah. um Again, does it like audio audio cues and stuff, especially when it's like spatial sound that is like meant to be, you know, coming from various places, especially in like a ride like that.
00:34:29
Speaker
You know, you watch them on video and, you know, anything coming through YouTube is, you know, it's monodirectional. It's not. Yeah. You do miss, you're missing some of the ah the audio texturing is the best you can describe it. so Yeah. I saw a lot of people commenting on how, how um incredible the new trains look and, and how like they made their brand new, but they look, they made them look old and you know, and, but they still are really, really cool.
00:34:58
Speaker
i listen, I'm glad, I'm glad to see my, my favorite Disney ride ever getting some love. you know, that makes me happy. So, and I'm excited to ride it again.
00:35:08
Speaker
ah But you know, it's, I'm kind of sad that I, like, I really want to go and and ride it, but yeah, Yeah, I mean, me too. i'm i I'm excited to see, you know, but by the time I get back to Disney World, there's going to be a lot of stuff that's changed. And, you know, and I guess what I'm going to be wondering is, you know, from what I've seen of Big Thunder now to like, I'm wondering what it'll be like in a year.
00:35:36
Speaker
And if it'll like, i guess nobody really talks about that. Like, like the the just like the... Like there's like the initial like opening impression, like, wow, it looks so great. And it's like, yeah, but how does it, how does it sit after a year?
00:35:50
Speaker
Right. How does it hold up? Yeah. Yeah. And, and, and I don't mean like hold up. I mean like just like, like how do, like the same way that it got to the point where things were like oh broke down over time. It's like,
00:36:03
Speaker
you kind of don't realize how much can happen to a ride in a year. Right. Like, yeah, it's true. Yeah. So that's, I'll be, uh, I'll have to try and remember this when, when, uh, you know, when I'm getting on big thunder the next time is like, you know, how, how much of everything that we talked about, well, will it feel the same or different or yeah, like, I mean, cause even after a year, if it still feels like smooth and it's like, well, yeah I mean, maybe those tracks were more foregone than,
00:36:33
Speaker
than I realized. Yeah. Yeah. I, I will we' have to see that. It's always like the thing of, yeah, the Imagineers made it look great. Okay. Now keep it that way. Like, yeah, you know, like maintain it. Right. That's the true challenges, yeah know you know, doing these fix ups is one thing, but you know, them actually having a plan to, you know, keep it intact is way more of a lift than you realize, especially because of the fact that Florida you Just consistently humid, right? like Just a yeah brutal environment to live and have anything outdoors. Yeah. it You know, I mean, Disney's constantly having to repaint stuff because it just gets cooked by the sun, you know? Yeah. so Sun and humidity is yeah is a great way to break things down. Yeah, that's florida that should just be Florida's slogan, sun and humidity. Like, that's... that's yeah Anyway. um
00:37:25
Speaker
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Speaker
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Speaker
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00:38:07
Speaker
All
Disney Dining and Bluey-Themed Offerings
00:38:08
Speaker
right. So we are ah we are going to have ah some Bluey going on here sometime soon at Walt Disney World. So maybe you wanted you wanted to see Bluey stuff at Disney World and you got your wish, but it's a monkey's paw wish.
00:38:23
Speaker
We're going to get more. This is just the beginning. I was actually surprised we haven't heard more because this is not that far away. This is a couple weeks now. And um I was talking to my wife about this because...
00:38:37
Speaker
This is, a you know, this we talked about the hot mess of what happened at Disneyland. and I mean, it continues to be an extraordinarily popular experience there. And they've had to make a lot of changes. But like now imagine that you had to take a train to get there. Yeah. So, yeah, that's really what the fun is going to be at Disney World. But that's OK. going to it's not going to be a while till we go. But we are getting a little preview and I'm assuming we're going to get more very soon here. So ah but this is like the just the first part, which is ah one of the food items and they are doing different food items. At least this one is different than what we have at Disneyland.
00:39:14
Speaker
And again, staying true to the show, ah they are are doing ah they were doing a ah riff on fairy bread, which um is, you know, i I actually didn't know what this was until I blew it.
00:39:28
Speaker
Yeah, I'm i'm re I've heard of this. I actually didn't realize it's exactly what it was either, which honestly, it sounds um like the the big proper version sounds amazing. Yes. But Disney's doing their own take on it. But of course, so so for anyone who doesn't know what fairy bread is,
00:39:43
Speaker
um It's sliced bread with butter or margarine on it coated in hundreds and thousands, which is sprinkles. So like so like rainbow sprinkles, right? but I love that they call them hundreds and thousands. Yes. so yeah Yeah. Basically rainbow sprinkles. It's basically sprinkles and butter on bread. That's literally what it is Which sounds awesome. And I like i wish I had thought of that. I have done that as a kid. I just never thought of that for some reason. But but yeah, so Disney's doing their own version. Of course. Which looks to be a vanilla birthday cake dipped in white chocolate with rainbow sprinkles and a raspberry dipping sauce. So that's that's a much more bougie version. Much thicker too. Yeah.
00:40:24
Speaker
it's It's a big, thick piece of yeah bread, but it's cool how they did it because it looks it looks like it's a piece of bread. I mean, it's yeah you know it's really well done, and you know it's cut into a triangle. It's got crusts. So this is going to be available at Pete Safari, ah a place I haven't gone to in a while.
00:40:42
Speaker
ah I forget that Pete Safari exists. Yeah. Poor Pete Safari. What did Pete Safari ever do? To be fair, okay, like, like let's be honest, okay? you know You know, back to the discussion of, you know, eating at, like, I have certain places that I go in each park that I've established as, like, I like this place.
00:41:02
Speaker
i I've eaten at other places in Animal Kingdom, but Flame Tree, Flame Tree just, like, it lives rent-free in my head. it does, yeah. And so it's like,
00:41:13
Speaker
you know, knowing that there's like Peace Safari, even like Yak and Yeti, I like Yak and Yeti as well. Like, they you know, they have like the, you can get the quick service stuff from there and everything too. But it's like, there's a part of me that's like, when we're, when we're standing in there, I'm like,
00:41:28
Speaker
I'm hungry. and And before my head can even say, like, where do we want to eat? It's like, I'm hungry. We're going to Flame Tree. It just skips the question entirely. Right. So so unfortunately, yeah, yeah you know, going to Pete Safari is like, you know, this poor fairy bread cake. I think they need to offer this at at Flame Tree as well or else I'm never going to eat it.
00:41:53
Speaker
But. But I will say, I do actually want to go get some bread and just make fairy bread. I mean, I have all the other stuff to make fairy bread. I just need a – I don't have any bread. I don't have sliced bread at the moment. Actually, sorry, I do, but it's sourdough. I don't think you want sourdough for this. No, that's not the proper bread for this. Just like white bread. Yeah. Yeah, this is so, you know, have you seen this?
00:42:21
Speaker
I know this is an aside, but well, OK, first of all, I agree with you, by the way, on on Flame Tree. i we've Animal Kingdom has a lot of great food. They really do. There's a lot of really good food. I mean, because like if you go over to like ah Pandora, that that quick serve is really good.
00:42:37
Speaker
um You know, like you said, Yak and Yeti is really good. ah You know, and you have ah and you have the the ah flame trees. You know, like I said, I think it's the best. The only problem you have with flame tree is the the aggressive birds over there because the birds also realize that flame tree is the best.
00:42:54
Speaker
So they actually weren't there when we were there last time, which was finally figured that one out. Well, i because I think that what happened was they they actually had some prevention going on that because we talked about it like like years ago. They put up nets and stuff. Yeah, they put up nets and they actually had like they actually had dogs that were like like trained to chase those birds away. And but then also, yeah, yeah, that that we we did talk about that on one of the episodes. Yeah.
00:43:25
Speaker
And but also, um it it was like right before COVID. and then But then what also happened was COVID um happened. So that whole area was not a place to get food because there was nobody there. So a lot of the birds moved on. And I don't i don't know that it's ever come back to like super aggressive birds in that area. but I could be wrong. i guess, like I said, i haven't been there I haven't we been there recently, but yeah. We've fallen victim to the birds there. and we We actually – we had a bird come and jump on our table and take our food. Like it happened to me.
00:43:59
Speaker
um and they And listen, they it happens all the time there. So literally they replaced it immediately. ah So it was not ah not that big of a deal. But scared the heck out of my dog. Yeah. Yeah. I can tell you if ah if a bird came and stole my fairy bread, um they'd they'd be having to clean up a bird.
00:44:18
Speaker
Well, one of the ah one other things I wanted to ask you, Trevor, have you seen this ah cookie dough brownie ice cream sandwich thing that they have going on at Animal Kingdom that's gone like super viral? Cookie dough brownie ice cream sandwich. Have you have you heard about this? I'm not, actually. okay i i don't know, but I'll send you a link. i got I'm going to look. yeah Yeah, I got you link. um But this has been, apparently this has gone very viral and which I'd seen it, but not because it went viral. I don't, you know, do social media. So I didn't see it anywhere on there, but I know this has gotten like extremely popular. ah And it's, I mean, it's exactly what it sounds like. There's cookie dough on the top. There's ice cream in the middle. There's a brownie on the bottom. It it looks amazing and I must eat it.
00:45:00
Speaker
but that That's actually kind of insane. I didn't think like, yeah when you say it's When you say it was a sandwich, I assume like the brownie had everything sandwiched in between. Using the cookie dough and the brownie as like the top and the bottom, the yeah, that's okay. Yeah, that that would that would be... i would I would fight a bird for that. yeah i would I would absolutely fight a bird for that. I would i would elbow a bird in the face. for you're You're not taking this from me. but No, definitely not. i actually think i think somebody in the Discord had put in their ah like had mentioned this at some point that they tried this and and it was we're talking about how great it was. But I might be making that up. But, I mean, how could it not be great? Look at the thing.
00:45:44
Speaker
But yeah I know i know we we just, again, went off really on a tangent here. But, you know, it's we're talking about Animal Kingdom food, right? And we're going to have this new fairy bread now. Fairy bread. Yes. they're They're going to have fairy bread. And it's it like you said, it the fairy bread looks great. But it does. But I, you know, I will say this. I know that they're, you know, dis Disney is looking at this and, you know, they they even said, you know, they're doing their own take on fairy bread because.
00:46:12
Speaker
um i I understand the point of, you know, sometimes there are there are snacks or treats or stuff in different countries that don't translate well between cultures. But I feel like if you had handed kids, um you know, a slice of bread with some.
00:46:34
Speaker
hundreds and thousands on it and some butter. i i feel like it would work. but But then also, I guess for Disney's prices, people would go like, you charge me $6 for this? or like So, i mean, yeah, I guess I understand why that they're trying to make it a little bit extra. And, they're and you know, I guess in Disney fashion, they're they're making it you know, special. yeah i appreciate they plussed You know, they plussed it. exactly Yeah. Yeah. So it's, I'll, I'm, I'm happy with that. I'm interested to see what the rest of it is going to be.
00:47:06
Speaker
and I'm sure we'll talk about it when that comes out. I, I, I'm going to bet next episode, we're going to have that. Uh, we don't have it now, but I, would, I would be surprised if they don't say anything before that. So, yeah um, but anyway, yeah, this is, this is a good start. Uh, I'm excited to see what the merch looks like too.
00:47:24
Speaker
Um, but yeah, uh, anything else on that or you want to move on? No, I that i think we can circle back on Bluey later, like you said. have to tell you, Trevor, have you been looking at the pictures of all the painting they did at Rockin' Roller Coaster for the new Muppets thing? Because it just looks really cool, though. I've been catching bits and pieces of it. So, yeah, like like I've seen the guitar is is visible again. And the yeah the car that is over top of the the entrance to the...
00:47:53
Speaker
the courtyard where Rockin' Roller Coaster is. as I know they said it's been repainted. I mean, it looks, it's still that same red. It's just they've added to it. Yeah, they made it all like Muppety.
00:48:05
Speaker
ah Like very tie-dye. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And listen, the guitar looks awesome, too, though. I mean, the whole thing looks really cool. um But I did think it was interesting that they're not going to do a virtual queue for this um because they and I mean, you think that's just because it because it's an existing ride. I mean, i don't know. It's weird to me. They're doing a virtual queue for the preview, but not for the opening.
00:48:29
Speaker
Yeah, it's, I mean, like, I'm thinking back um as far as virtual queues go, because Rise doesn't have a virtual queue anymore right now either, does it? No, they only, I think they institute it when it's, like, super busy, but I don't, I can't remember the last time they did. Yeah, I i have to wonder if, um and and actually, I guess now that I'm thinking about it, virtual queues have been just kind of,
00:48:57
Speaker
fading out over time anyway they have it's it's not so it's not it's not anything exclusive to this ride or um you know you know, because it's ah an endex existing ride reopening.
00:49:10
Speaker
I feel like, and and again, this is just my take and my speculation on it. um I know, you know, using the virtual queue system over the last couple of years, um so so, you know, light i feel like, you know, lightning lanes have kind of replaced the virtual queue system yeah because it's like, you know, if it's something that you really want to do, um you know, you lightning lane it, but...
00:49:36
Speaker
The virtual queue thing, you know, it stops people from, you know, excessive lines from forming in the in the park for standbys and everything. um I feel like, though, that disney Disney realized that the virtual queue comes with its own problems.
00:49:52
Speaker
yeah Because yeah it turns it into this game of like, you got to be up at like five o'clock in the morning, you know, refreshing the app. And if you lose out like it, it actually creates more of a a far more negative experience that I think people realize because it's like, if you miss out on that virtual queue, you're, you're not like, like before you even start your day, your hopes and dreams are dashed. like think that that's a ruined Yeah, like that that's kind of what it was, was that's like if you if you missed a virtual queue, it was like, oh, try again tomorrow. No, or like you might, you know, there might be a one o'clock virtual queue for some rise, but it was like, if you're busy, you know, if you're not paying attention, well, you missed that too. Well, sorry. Whereas like standby lines are a lot more like, yes, it may get busy. And like and yeah like you said, you know, for certain times a year,
00:50:43
Speaker
You know, the virtual queue may make sense, but I feel like Disney is trying to... I feel like virtual queue might have been a bit of a failed experiment, honestly. I liked virtual queues personally. That's... I don't know. Maybe that's just me, but I liked it. But... Yeah, I... I understand why people didn't, too. Like, I get it. like... I'm more happy to... do Like, I know the lightning lane thing is, like...
00:51:08
Speaker
it's the same thing. Like, you know, you're still like having to play that game of like, you know, you know, getting into the queue fast enough to get what you want and all that kind of stuff. But I feel like the, you know, when there was just the virtual queue on rides, there was no opportunity for like, if you missed, if you missed any, um,
00:51:30
Speaker
Any kind of window, it was like, you're just never getting on this. where At the very least, you know, you know having a so ah standby queue is like, oh, well, you know, yeah, I didn't get my virtual queue, but, you know, I can weigh whether or not I spend an hour, you know, waiting in line or whatever. you so You could make the cynical argument here, which is that they're not doing it because they want more people to buy Lightning Lane.
00:51:54
Speaker
Yeah, i mean I mean, that's fair too. And actually, I guess this is something I don't know that has been um has been covered or not is um because this is reopening, what I actually expected they would have done is put this into the individual lightning lanes. I don't know if we've heard any confirmation or denial of that because previously the the the lightning lane for this was just under the the multi-pass one.
00:52:22
Speaker
yeah So yeah I actually have to wonder if it'll get its own lightning lane potentially. That's ah that's ah that's a good question. I'm just pulling up the website now. yeah i've I'm not seeing any, you know, people who talked about the virtual queue and everything, but...
00:52:37
Speaker
I mean, think the bigger question is, you know, would they not give this its own lightning light? They're not they're not doing a single, is according to the website right now. It's part of the multi-pass. All right. Because it even says Rock and Roller Coaster starring the Muppets. So it's, yeah, it's just from the Choose One app.
00:52:56
Speaker
bucket right it's tier one so you you it's mickey minnie's runaway well railway smugglers run rock and roller coaster or slinky dog dash you get to pick from and then everything else and that's like half park like yeah the rest of the stuff is pretty much shows uh yeah yeah only other one that's not on that or i mean there's star tours and there's tower of terror so it's like and And Toy Story. So those are the three probably. yes right Yeah, sorry. Yeah, Midway Mania. Yeah, yeah. So, I mean, if i if i were get if I were going to do this, you know, you'd you'd go with would go with one of those and then that with Star Tours and Toy Story for me. But yeah, no, they're to do Insignal Lightning Lane for this, it looks like.
00:53:32
Speaker
Yeah, I guess also back to the the point of Virtual Q, I feel the other thing about Virtual Q is that um if in if the area is not equipped to handle a lot of people,
00:53:47
Speaker
I also see where they could maybe justify virtual queue. Like, I know it's like like, it's going to be busy, but they actually have quite a lot of space. Like the the queue for Rockin' Roller Coaster is quite large. It has, it has a lot of space already, or it was just designed originally with a good amount of space.
00:54:05
Speaker
And that courtyard is quite large. And even the area leading out of the courtyard um it's very easy to manage a large queue there. and it's And it's all the way on the like the corner of the park. It's like tucked away. So it's not going to traffic problems, you know.
00:54:20
Speaker
And kind of back to the point of, you know, we were just talking about with Big Thunder, um you know, there's going to be that like first day rush. of you know you know you'll see i guaranteed when this opens up the first day you'll be like oh my god the line was already back to you know you know whatever hollywood and or what's the what's the main road called i can't remember uh you're putting me on the spot here is it hollywood boulevard Yeah, I think yeah i think they they call it Hollywood Boulevard. but um But yeah, like, you know, imagine like, oh my gosh, you know, the queue's already all the way back there the first day. It's like, yeah, but, you know, kind of to the same point of with the Big Thunder stuff. It's like people are going to be doing their, you know, you know day one vlogs of the ride. And then, you know, I would be more curious, like...
00:55:08
Speaker
You know, one day of surge against it. And then, you know, it being it's not that that the ride will go back to just like how it was before. It'll be busy, but I don't see it being enough that, you know, I don't think it's justified having a virtual queue. Like, I don't think the ride is going to be that huge that it needs like it's not going to be like guardians where it's like you know they need they need to have a virtual queue for it right like yeah i get that yeah so yeah like you said it's it's an interesting choice but like i said i'm honestly ah the virtual queue thing surprised me surprises me last i really
00:55:51
Speaker
I'm honestly surprised that they didn't adjust lightning lanes ahead of time. Because, like, yeah, to your point, like, you know, they they have it right now in the verbiage on the multi-pass lightning lane, but they could have taken it out, like, you know, months ago yeah and made it its own thing. No, but it says Rockin' Rollercoaster starting the Muppets on the site. So they they did update it. So obviously they would have taken it out of there if they thought. Yeah, that yeah exactly my point. Like, they I'm surprised that that wasn't the play that,
00:56:19
Speaker
And like, it it sounds like they're just assuming that it'll be busy for a little bit, but it'll just kind of fall back in line with everything else. Because it's it's not like, I mean, it's not a new ride. It's, you know you know, people know the ride and people are going to go to check out the changes and everything. but And people do love the Muppets. We should read yeah he should mention that. but But I guess like, you know, I don't i don't think Rock and Roller Coaster is going to pull the kind of numbers.
00:56:43
Speaker
Whichever that Guardians or Rise or any of those other rides yeah are pulling because it's it's still a like still like a 20-year-old roller coaster, right? so i want to I want to correct something really quick. I said it was Hollywood Boulevard.
00:56:56
Speaker
It's Sunset Boulevard. Thank you. yeah hollywood but yeah I knew it was something like that. Hollywood Boulevard is the other street that's right before it, yeah. Yeah, I was thinking Hollywood and Vine for some, like, the restaurant, but I was like, I knew it was something, like, Hollywood-related, I couldn't remember what it was. But, yeah. yeah it's It's funny, because i I feel like sometimes people listen, and I know there's definitely people yelling at their radio or whatever they're listening to, like, a in the car, you know, and, like, it's Sunset Boulevard. It's like, okay, yeah, but it what obviously.
00:57:25
Speaker
But, you know, listen, when you do this, and I think anyone that has ever done one of these before understands it, sometimes you just can't think of this stuff on your feet. It's hard, you know? I i mean, I try to be good. Like, can visualize it in my head, but I don't have, like, yeah like i I know the names of these things, but it's not always on the tip of my tongue. It's harder than you think it is to to to be right all the time about stuff. Because, you know, I remember we got that review. I'm never right about things. we We try to be right. And i we we do. we try we We try really hard to give correct information at all times. And if I don't give correct information, we we change it or we we we correct it. But, you know, it's hard. You know, honestly, you just say stuff sometimes and it's like you don't really think about
00:58:08
Speaker
Think about it. So, yeah, no, I just it's funny to me, though, because I think if you haven't done this before and been in this kind of like it's not that there's there's pressure doing this. You know, we're fine. We're, you know, like it's not like but it is in a way, you know, it's the stream of thought like it is a stream of consciousness thing that it's like it's very hard to like.
00:58:29
Speaker
pull facts in when you're in the middle of like a thought like a whole like you know train of thought right yeah exactly yeah exactly so yeah so i hope everybody understands that you know we we do try our best but it it is what it is so anyway uh what else we're talking about here let's uh let's talk about some disney springs news because you know we've been talking about the parks here for a bit and there is some stuff coming at disney springs over the summer there's really only two things i want to talk about here because there's really only one thing i want to talk about level 99 of course yes Yeah, level 99, which is something we talked about a while ago when they announced it, and it is actually happening ah this
New Experiences at Disney Springs
00:59:05
Speaker
summer. And this is like a bunch of minigames and challenges. So it's 60-plus life-size minigames. And, you know, I think we jokingly were calling this a Disney Quest 2.0, right? I wouldn't say jokingly. I would say I'm wishing that this would be Disney Quest 2.0. You know the problem with this, is Trevor, though? We we say that, but this is like...
00:59:27
Speaker
I don't know These are like physical challenges and everybody in here is like, you know, 20 years younger than me. So, but I mean, Disney quest had a lot of physical stuff. like Like that raft game was no joke. That's true. That's true. Yeah, that's true. But this is like, you know, running through swinging, ah swinging axes. Yeah. Or it looks like there's like a little maze.
00:59:48
Speaker
Yeah. And there's something here with, ah it looks like pipes. that Yeah. There's something with pipes. They only show the outside, and not the inside. Yeah. um Can you just like walk in and in and out of these rooms as you please? Like, how does this work? That's a good question. Oh, is that is that a laser? That looks like a laser floor. Yeah, like they're jumping in the air there. Yeah. yeah don't know what that is But again, that looks like I'm going to break an ankle.
01:00:12
Speaker
I... ah Sorry, where're I know we're a Disney show, but this reminds me of the first Resident Evil movie. And i'm if you know the scene I'm talking about, let I'll just leave it there. but Okay. Yeah.
01:00:28
Speaker
I don't, but um is it the swinging axes? Is that what you're referring to? No, it's the laser. The room where they're jumping over the lasers. There's a laser room in the first Resident Evil movie, and it's...
01:00:40
Speaker
But it's not PG. So guys just that's why I don't want to... yeah I do feel like the swinging axe thing is, ah you know, going to be the thing that everybody wants to do, right? Because like these... Yeah. The way that they're portraying this, the it doesn't look...
01:00:56
Speaker
Or like, sorry, the one picture where like the the girl is like standing in between the axes kind of looking like, oh, I don't know what to do. Like, it it doesn't make it look difficult. like Like, they just look like they're going to be like light foam axes on a stick that don't really do anything. would find a way to get injured here. Yeah.
01:01:19
Speaker
ah But I, you know, listen, this place looks cool. I definitely would like to check it out. um I'm interested to see. And i I know they have other locations, so I'm sure I could actually find out how they operate at other locations. Like, do you just pay one price and then you go to whatever rooms? Is there like a, you know, do you have to pick a certain amount of rooms? Like, how does it work?
01:01:38
Speaker
Right. And that's, that's really what I'm, I'm interested, ah you know, and, and how that's going to work. But, you know, I, I, it looks cool to me. i will, I love places like this. I love like, and you know, there's puzzles, there's a lot of rooms that are like puzzles. So like that would be more, my kind of thing is the puzzles,
01:01:55
Speaker
ah You know, the physical stuff I can try, but I am telling you right now, going to get wrecked by one of those axes like immediately. Like there's no amount, there's no coordination that I have enough to get to even walk across this beam, Trevor, let alone do it without getting hit by an axe.
01:02:11
Speaker
so see See, I absolutely love this stuff. And i i feel, ah i agree with you that, you know, I would get wrecked by some of these things, but I'm just overconfident enough in my own abilities to like do these kinds of games and stuff like this. And and I've done like, you know, I've done things like this. Like we've had places, this is by and far the most important,
01:02:40
Speaker
complex one I've seen, but like there's been family play centers that I've taken my son to when he was younger that had like a similar vibe to this. Right. But, but but I think the difference is, you know, my son was younger. i was younger too.
01:02:55
Speaker
i I get what you're saying that like, i would look at it like, yeah, I can get across this. And then my body halfway through would betray me. And, and, that yeah and I mean, it would be a, like,
01:03:10
Speaker
I would probably end up moving the wrong way and like throw my back out. That's what I'm saying. Like that's what's gonna happen to me. yeah Like, I mean, we did, i told you about this. We did a thing called beat the bomb, which was kind of similar where you like doing like rooms like this. And there was like a room that was like a you know, mission impossible kind of like lasers everywhere room. And you had to go through the lasers. And I swear to you, I've never felt older in my life trying to get through those lasers, man. i was just like, I'm gonna die. this have just This is over. um But this this place is clearly targeted towards like 20-somethings, like for sure. Because, you know, there's like a two-story bar and there's like Wagyu burgers and handcrafted cocktails and that kind of stuff. Like it's very much like a 20-something hipster-y kind of place. But i'm I'm cool with that. I don't mind that. um
01:03:59
Speaker
You know, I think it's neat. so ah But I do – is there anything else you want to say about that? Because I wanted to talk about the next thing just a little bit. No, no, no. Actually, I i found a a short of, it looks like another level 99 location. Because they have a couple locations, I think. right Yeah. it So, yeah, you can, if you search it up, you can find, ah you can find shorts that, it looks like the same kind of stuff that they're previewing on on the page here.
01:04:24
Speaker
Which, yeah, like to your point is, it looks like it would be fine, but like the, like the, the, the axe wing thing, like you're on like a balance beam, which, yeah, I mean, I guess how good's your balance? Yeah. Not good. Not good at all. But yeah, I mean, like a lot of these look kind of physical, but some, oh my God, like I'm watching a video actually on their site. They just have like a video playing of all the crazy stuff they got there. So this looks really interesting. But, you know, some of these things I think I would, you know, like you said, throw my back out. I'd twist an ankle.
01:04:56
Speaker
ah But anyway, so yeah. stretch If you're going to go in there, make sure you stretch. Yeah, that's right. Do deal little stretch beforehand. Yeah. ah The other thing, though, is there's new restaurant.
01:05:07
Speaker
coming to coming to Disney Springs called Six Ravens. i And this is by the people that brought us Gideon's, ah which, you know, if you haven't been to Gideon's, they they have really good cookies.
01:05:17
Speaker
ah But I just love Gideon's kind of like... I love the owner's style, like just their' like they're the artistic, you know, things that they do. It's it's so cool and gothic. and Yeah, i was going to say, it's very gothic. And honestly, um it it feels...
01:05:35
Speaker
And I know you don't have the frame of reference for this, but it feels like um Dark Universe in Epic Universe. Okay. Like, the the I mean, Dark Universe is, it's extremely gothic, but this is this is falling in that same...
01:05:51
Speaker
that Like you said, that that same kind of fantasy setting, right? like it's yeah Yeah. This is continuing the theme of the Bakehouse, which existed before Dark Gamers, right? good like Because Gideon has a very similar style to this.
01:06:05
Speaker
And um so, yeah, it's called Six Ravens, and they're specializing in grab-and-go hand pies. And they're all they're called coffins. Called coffins. Yeah. It's called C-O-F-F-Y-N-S, by the way. Because, of course. Yeah, because, of course, why not? yeah um But it's a house-made yeast roll stuffed with savory fillings.
01:06:26
Speaker
I mean, that sounds fantastic to me. I will i want that. These are just Hot Pockets, but fancy Hot Pockets. But better Hot Pockets. i'm i'm I'm not hating on that by any means. Like, I like a good Hot Pocket. Yeah, I mean, you don't even need that little sleeve to make it, you know, nice and crispy. Yeah. Yeah. And they they got some other stuff there, too. So i'm I'll be interested to see what the menu is going to look like there. But ah those are really the two things I wanted to mention there.
01:06:50
Speaker
Yeah. I mean, i think I think that's enough. Like, you know, a new restaurant opening and a new or a replacement for Disney or Disney Quest. Yeah. Because, you know, i know...
01:07:02
Speaker
Maybe somebody went to the NBA experience. I'm sure we've had listeners. Who went there? Yeah. I mean, I know somebody somewhere was excited about it, but it just didn't fit. It's different building, though, even. It's a different building. It's not even that same building. Yeah, I know. so like but but yeah But I feel like it like that just didn't fit. And I think I'm hopeful that level 99 will at least bring back...
01:07:27
Speaker
Whatever that fun was of Disney Quest, that like it it made Disney Springs like just a little bit extra. Yeah. right like g yeah hey that's Honestly, I felt that that way when they had the VR thing there, too.
01:07:41
Speaker
like it's just yeah Yeah, you're right. I think that's been the problem, is that like since the Void left, like there hasn't been anything like that. That's super wacky and... like Well, just just some like just some out of out of the ordinary entertainment is really all it is. It's like, I don't, like, I know there's a movie theater and stuff there, but it's like, give me just something a little bit extra, right? Yeah, exactly. And i I feel like, yeah, these these things will definitely bring that.
01:08:09
Speaker
Yeah, yeah.
Transition to Electric Vehicles at Disney Parks
01:08:11
Speaker
So last but not at least, Trevor, we got a little bit of Disneyland stuff. And I you remember that time two years ago when we talked about the fact that Autopia was going to be replacing the gas-powered vehicles with electric vehicles.
01:08:24
Speaker
Oh, you mean one of our reckless speculation things that would never happen? Well, no, they actually announced it. No, they announced it. It there was a real announcement that happened a couple the two years ago. Well, now it's actually happening. Yeah, it was. It was. They announced it. It was it was a real announcement. Yeah. I could have sworn it was a rumor at the time, but it might have admit we might have discussed it as rumor and then after announced it, confirmed it. But they said this in 2024. They said it would be done by fall of 2026. Looking like it's going to be the beginning of 2027 now, but it is happening. They are doing it.
01:08:52
Speaker
And all I have to say is sounds good to me. Now, when are you going to do it at Tomorrowland Speedway in Disney World? Like that's that's next. Like, yeah, do that. Yeah, I mean, it's like, I feel like this has become one of those things. Like like you said, you know, we've we've been talking about for years and it's like,
01:09:12
Speaker
When it happens, when it does finally happen, and and I feel like it's going to happen with the Utopia and then it it will happen in Disney World. Like, I can't imagine it not happening, but it's it's weirdly turned into one of these things where it's goingnna it's not going to be like, oh, my gosh, this is amazing. the you know, the ride's so much better. It's going to be like, finally, right what what took you so long?
01:09:36
Speaker
I actually, I actually, it's funny. I read an article about this on one of the tech blogs that I frequent and they, they had, and they had posted about this and they said they were talking about how our electric vehicles even tomorrow, like the fitting into tomorrow land anymore because they're, they're commonplace now. Right. So it's like, it's not really a futuristic thing anymore, but at the same time, it's a thing they should do and they should have done it a long time ago.
01:10:00
Speaker
And, you know, I would fully expect them to do this in in Disney World, too. I mean, if they're designing the cars from, you know, and testing them and and, you know, and all that, why can't they just port that to Disney World? It's the same thing. Just make more of the cars and move them there. Like, it's not, you know what I mean? It's not that difficult of a thing to do in my mind.
01:10:20
Speaker
um But, you know, I also wonder, though, too, it would It would be amazing not to hear that just insanely loud noise coming from to Marlin Speedway of all the engines. Like, can you imagine just walking through there and not hearing that? It almost would feel weird.
01:10:37
Speaker
Well, but so here's the interesting thing about that is like, i feel or Electric cars are not completely silent. That's true. So so you're not going to like it's it's not going to be that lawnmower sound.
01:10:51
Speaker
But I think you're going to hear more of like ah a word, like a beat sound. So don but it's ah at least well you barely hear it, though. Like, i feel like. yeah Yeah. I feel like every time I walk through Tomorrowland and I walk by that attraction, it's like yeah there's 40 landscapers outside my door at the same time, you know? Yeah, it's that whole section next to Space Mountain and kind of curbing around it to Cosmic Rays, right? Like, that's yeah that's the entirety of that area.
01:11:19
Speaker
And I'll be honest, i never really thought about it. But now that you bring it up, it's like usually I'm not stopping in that area because I'm usually trying to, like, I'm i'm going from, like, the People Mover to Fantasyland or something like that.
01:11:35
Speaker
So i'm i'm not I'm not stopping there long enough to be like, man, this sucks and man, this is noisy. ah and yeah But also I think about too, like, you know waiting in line for the ride. Like when it's when it's really hot and those fumes are coming off that ride, yeah it's bad. Yeah. And yeah, I mean, you're you're right. it's It's a lot of things that, yeah you know, it'll take it'll take away a lot of the um Like, even though i know that the the the old, the gas-powered vehicles, they're not overtly polluting, but they're still like, it's archaic, it's inefficient, it's noisy. It's smelly. Yeah, it's it's going to take away a lot of that. And yeah, I agree with you to that point. It's like, you know, hey, you could actually like stand there and just enjoy, you know,
01:12:25
Speaker
the cars going by on the speedway without it. um Yeah. Like you said, feeling like there's ah there's a lawnmower running. i don't There's like 40 lawnmowers at once. Yeah. yeah And then, ah you know, multiple leaf blowers as well. I mean, it's, it it is really interesting because it's, if you look at just the Autopia attraction and Tomorrowland Speedway, like,
01:12:48
Speaker
Autopia made a lot of sense in the fifty s right? Because like the the highway system was a novel concept to that point. right it was it was not It was a new thing, right? So it was really the future, right? like the The highways were were just starting to be built then, right?
01:13:03
Speaker
But now it's just like, it's it's almost weird that it's like, why do we just have this like driving, this, you know, right driving your own car attraction in Tomorrowland. Like, you know, we yeah we've had highways for a long time now. like you know yeah So I get what you're saying with that, but I guess the way I've always looked at it is it's a means of in Like, that there's there's the, you know, proposing highway traffic and all that, but it was also a way to introduce kids to to that concept. and And, you know, I guess the way I've always looked is, you know, when I was a kid, it was like, oh my gosh, like, you mean I get to drive my own car? Like, that's amazing. yeah and yeah And, you know, even now, like, you know, with my son, it was the same thing. it was like, you know, the first, you know, I think the first time we got on
01:13:52
Speaker
the Utopia in Disneyland, it wasn't quite big enough to hit the pedal. So, you know, it was like, you know, me sitting there like, you know, he was, you know, him sitting next to me and kind of figuring it out. But then the next or the next time we went, he was big enough. But, you know, he still needed my help to to hit the gas because he like he couldn't quite get his foot down on it.
01:14:11
Speaker
But then he was driving and ah and like that. I feel that's the magic of the Tomorrowland Speedway in the Utopia. And, you know, i I don't, that's why I don't ever want to actually see it go away.
01:14:24
Speaker
i get that. But i I get, you know, once they get them to electric vehicles, it'll just, it'll be a better experience for everybody. But then I think it still has merits there as, you know, it is you know,
01:14:37
Speaker
Disney World and Disneyland, you still need kiddie rides. Yeah, yeah. Like, not everything has to be, like, a blockbuster, like, you know, this is the most technology-advanced ride and super impressive. It's like, just let kids drive cars. Like, that's...
01:14:53
Speaker
That's fine. Ironically, ironically, ah Hong Kong Disneyland's version of Autopia used electric cars up until it closed 10 years ago. So like literally they had been using electric cars from the time from the time they had Autopia. They phased it out for something else because it just wasn't popular. Because there's very limited space in ho in Hong Kong. So, yeah, they they I mean, they have to kind of get rid of things for that. But it's it's just funny that they had it for, you know, a long time.
01:15:23
Speaker
And now there it's finally making its way here. And I listen, like I said, i think it's great. I really hope they do it in Disney World, too, because I think and i I don't know if anybody's really going to be upset about not hearing that insanely loud noise and smelling those fumes anymore. I think i feel like. Yeah. i even Even if like, you know. Yeah. I just I just can't imagine anybody being upset about that. I don't know.
01:15:46
Speaker
it It has a weird place in my head where it's like like I can hear it right now. Like I'm thinking about it right now. Yeah. And smell. I i i can hear it. And I and I think about those really hot days where it's like.
01:15:58
Speaker
you know, it's a negative, but then there's also other times where like, I'm happy to hear it. If that makes sense. Like it's, that's what I'm saying. It's going be weird if we, if they ever do it and I walk through there and I just don't hear it anymore. It's like, but, but at the same time, you know, I'm sure Disney,
01:16:17
Speaker
really does want to do this because they, know, really take a lot of care in the background music and, you know, what is, what you're hearing, what you're seeing at every point. And I'm sure it probably drives some Imagineers a little crazy that, you know, when you go over there, just every sound is drowned out by, you know, that insanely loud noise coming from the Speedway. And, you know, it's just, and so I'm sure they would love to be able to replace that with some sort of, you know, background music that makes sense for the area. So don't know. Yeah, you would actually be able to hear the proper transition from Tomorrowland into the Tron area. Yeah, there you go. Exactly. Because right now you're in Tomorrowland, but then it's car noise and then Tron. And then Tron, yeah. Okay. Well, this is great, but let's wrap it up, Trevor. Yeah. Okay. So, yeah, lots of interesting stuff I think we talked about today. agree.
01:17:13
Speaker
Yeah.
Listener Engagement and Future Teasers
01:17:14
Speaker
So, you know, if if you have your own thoughts on anything we talked about, if you want to share your own takes or you have questions or other things you want us to talk about, on the show, um, you can always send us an email at welcome home podcast at gmail.com.
01:17:29
Speaker
Um, you know, we love hearing from you guys. Also, you can go through our website, which is welcome home podcast.co. There's the, uh, the contact us section in there. Um, and then just also, you know, you know, check out the website because it is a way to get to the episodes. We also have the store in there. I'll mention the store in a minute, but you can get to the store through the website.
01:17:50
Speaker
Uh, But ah also other places to get hold of us. You can find us on Facebook as a Welcome Home Podcast. You can find us on YouTube as Welcome Home Podcast. You can find us on Instagram as Welcome Home Picks.
01:18:01
Speaker
um So, you know, check us out in any of those places. You know, whenever we do video episodes, we are, you know, you can watch those on YouTube so you don't just have to listen to us. You can also, you know, watch episodes like we did, um you know, the the Dapper Danielle interview a little while back. We're going to have more stuff like that.
01:18:18
Speaker
coming in the future. So, you know, probably a good idea to subscribe to the channel if you haven't. um And then, like I said, you know, earlier, if you want to help support the show, you can go to our store, which you can hit through the website, or you can go straight to the store, which is store.welcomeonpodcast.co. You can check out our different merch there. And if if you don't see um something on the website that you are on the the store that you think we should have, or, you know, if you if you are looking for a particular type of merch, send us a message. You know, we can we can add stuff to the store. So, yeah.
01:18:52
Speaker
So, yeah, you know, just just let us know what you want to see in there. um Also, if ah if you want to help support us through Patreon, you can check out our Patreon at Patreon dot com slash welcome home pod and our see our different levels of Patreon support, which come with exclusive merch that you can only get through Patreon.
01:19:10
Speaker
And all of our Patreon supports get access to the Discord server, which, as we've mentioned, is yet another place that we have great conversations with our listeners. you know, we talk about stuff from the show. We we talk about random things. Sometimes it's just people planning their next Disney cruise and, you know, getting getting bad stuff. Not bad advice, but getting, getting ah you know, encouraged by other people on to book things and whatnot, which is always funny to watch.
01:19:41
Speaker
um So, yeah, you know, come check us out there if you're if you're interested. And last but not least, if you're listening on iTunes or Spotify or anywhere else that you can leave us five-star review, please do so because it just helps ah more people find the show.
01:19:55
Speaker
Yeah, the other thing you can do is subscribe to the show, the podcast, I guess I should say. so you can remind it every time you release a new episode and you can, you know, hear when I forget to edit out mistakes. And, you know, that that way you'll get it auto downloaded. You'll have to hear the original version.
01:20:13
Speaker
ah Not like when I, you know, edit stuff out later. Anyway, you can find us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Music, just about any podcast app that's out there. You can find us. Huge thank you to our sponsor, DVC Rental Store, for sponsoring this episode and Keyholder Vacations for being ah great friends and sponsors of the show for a long time. So please check them out for all your DVC needs. Join us next time for more Disney Parks discussion. Of course, more DVC talk.
01:20:42
Speaker
We hope to see you all real soon. you
01:20:52
Speaker
We do a hug when we head to church. How she can cuddle, she's no man's affair. I look around from all the poles, found her in her sugar bowl.
01:21:05
Speaker
We look out, hercules, my ball and chain. The End