Magic Meets Adventure is where Disney meets Universal! This is your one stop shop for all things Disney and Universal Theme Parks. As park enthusiasts, Tim and Ayren share their ideas, rankings, travel tips, history, and more to help create an everyday escape into the incredible worlds of magic and adventure!
Episode 2_FINAL
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[00:00:00] Welcome. So we're in the tower. We are ready for takeoff. I would enjoy this interview a lot more if I had got a cup of coffee! Please stand clear of the door. Looks like you've lost power. It's the wildest ride in the wilderness! To all who come to this happy place, welcome. Hey friends, welcome to the Magic Beets Adventure Podcast episode number two.
I'm Tim, and I bring the magic, and I'm Aaron, and I bring the adventure. And so we got an exciting episode for you guys today and we're of course going back to All the lovely parks, but this time instead of ranking things. We're going to be Changing them up a little bit adding a little bit of spice so to speak Spicy spicy.
Yeah, what we're going to be doing is essentially Picking one or two things that we would change each park we've been to. And boy, oh [00:01:00] boy, are there some things that need a changing. That's facts. These are like, all over the place a little bit. Like, some of them are gonna be very realistic things that we would like to see happen in the park.
Some are gonna be Totally Like I would move Magic Kingdom to the moon, you know, like stuff that can't happen. But yeah, at least I mean, let's get you I mean they could happen. It just requires a lot of money which Disney has dude They're what is it? 60 billion dollar renovation plan of the parks or something like that are putting 60 billion dollars.
Wonderful. I absolutely love it I'm all here for it I'm a, I'm a big Universal guy, Tim's a big Disney guy, but we are all about the parks getting better. That is 100 percent in common and something we like to see. Yeah, so. Are we going to go ahead and get this going? Let's go ahead and get this going. So what's going to happen is we're going to essentially have a randomizer randomize which Park, we're going to do off the bat and then we'll just go through talk about what stuff we would change [00:02:00] This is our opinion.
And so we'd love to know yours, which means go ahead and give us a follow And magic meets adventure on instagram. Go ahead. Follow us there for all different types of content without further ado Let's dive in. Let's go ahead. Pull on that yellow tab. We gonna have a ride. Let's do this. The first park that we are going to try to improve according to this magical mythical spinner that I just found online for free is Animal Kingdom.
Ooh, I love it. Animal Kingdom. What would you do Tim to make Animal Kingdom a better park? Well funny enough, what I would love to do is kind of happening. Um, because Dinoland U. S. A. is awful. I like Dinoland. Dinosaur is cool. It's good for you. Dinoland is cheeks. It's not, it's not good at all. The ones on your face or Um, you know exactly which one I mean.
Uh, [00:03:00] but that being said, so I'm not going to touch that because that's probably what's going to happen. Don't touch Jeeves. And I'm here for it. Don't do that either. Um, no clue where this has gone. But, what I would change is add some classic characters, like some classic animal characters. Hmm. So they don't have like a North American section of the park, but like, imagine a, like, Bambi walkthrough.
Would be kind of neat. I fall asleep on Bambi all the time. So I just imagine falling asleep on I get what you're saying, though you know just adding some of those characters because like This is a park about animal conservation and what better way to tie that in That being said though my dream thing would be give me a jungle book attraction.
Oh Not the live action one that was rumored Give me a animated jungle book attraction. What are you thinking? Is this dark ride? Is it? Oh 100 percent house Is it dark right? I wouldn't do tree house. I'd do it as a dark ride, you know Kind of sit in your boat sort of thing, you know, I think that [00:04:00] would be Awesome.
It was rumored actually a long long time ago when primeval world was first talked about closing is they were going to take the design and like Ride system of the shanghai pirates for a Live action adaptation of the jungle book Although i'm here for all of that except the live action live action part.
I've never seen the live action one. It's okay It's not as good as the original although i'm biased because that's one of my favorite disney animated movies But that being said that's what I would change. Give me a jungle book attraction add some more classic characters bambi Give me some kevin love other than just a walk around, you know Some of those things I think would be muy perfecto.
I dig that that sounds pretty dope. Um, yeah, I definitely agree Animal Kingdom could use some love We mentioned in episode 1 like we both feel like it's pretty much a half day park. Mm hmm This is one of those things that like falls into the category of this probably can't happen But I would like to [00:05:00] see it become a full day park simply by adding more rides staying open later.
Um, I know that this isn't fully possible because of the animals, um, because you have that reality, right? Like there will never be a fireworks show in animal kingdom. Totally okay with that. I think it's the right call. I appreciate that they care so much about the animals that are there. Um, but yeah, I'd like to see in my brain when I go to animal kingdom, that's also my Disney Springs day.
Like, I'm thinking about, you know, and the reality is, man, is like the price difference to go to Animal Kingdom isn't drastic enough for, to justify it being The type of park that it is. So I would like to see, um, yeah, more rides stay open later. What's that going to be? I don't know. Like obviously there's, um, talks about like Zootopia and stuff like that.
Like I do think you have a lot of different options. There are so many iconic animals in the Disney stratosphere. Right. So, [00:06:00] um, yeah, you have a lot of options there. I would like to see something that keeps you in the park more because even now You consider it a half day park. There's a lot of stuff people don't do.
Right. Like taking the, I forgot what it's called, but the, the train that like brings you to the part where there's like the animation station and all that sort of stuff. Like I feel like the conservation station. Yeah. Yeah. There's a lot of like hidden gems and animal kingdom I feel, but it's not enough to keep me in the park.
Like I do it and I'd be happy with it. But, um, Yeah, it's it's just not enough to keep me there. So I agree with that 100. I like it Maybe beastly kingdom come back. I mean That'd be cool. They had some cool stuff. They had they really did concept I don't know if you saw it, but it was like a peter pan style attraction, but it was a coaster But it was a dragon coaster.
So like there was one shot of just you and like another [00:07:00] person strapped in like a vehicle going across. But the track is like over your head. Is that what you meant by the Peter Pan? Yeah, tracks over your head. Yeah. Like Peter Pan style of that. But it was a coaster. It looked awesome. I would love to see that be an actual thing.
Yeah. Finding a way to tie an IP in it though based off the way Disney is right now would be a little tricky, but yeah I think it would be awesome. Yeah, I mean, how do you feel about that? Like even the fact that they decided to do Avatar I love Pandora don't get me wrong. It feels out of place to me Personally, yeah, that's why i'm not overly worried about like zootopia if that ever moves in because avatar already feels Semi out of place so I get that but yeah, I don't know and it's not necessarily even the story and stuff.
It's just When I think Disney, I don't think Avatar, so that's the part that feels out of place to me. All right, is that all you got for Animal Kingdom? That's all I got. Let's roll right along. We're spinning the randomizer. This takes a long [00:08:00] time. The animation doesn't have to be this long. You could just California Adventure.
What would you change about Disney's California Adventure? I can't say space, although I am excited about all the Disneyland Forward stuff though, with like the expansion pads. That is really cool. If it does get approved, I think they're working on it for the start of the year? 24 I think is when they're they're gonna vote on it the anaheim city council side note anaheim city council Uh, if you are watching, please, uh, accept the offer for that.
That's besides the point Uh for me, I think expand paradise, uh expand pixar pier and a paradise garden Um other than goofy sky school I don't really see anything there that needs to stay and that also kind of includes little mermaid if i'm being honest give me an uh I'm trying to think of a a movie that would be cool to put in give me a wall e attraction in that area What [00:09:00] would that be like?
I have no clue at all But that would be cool. Uh but either way essentially getting rid of paradise gardens Section of the park and just expand paradise pier to or pixar pier. Excuse me. Yeah paradise pier does not exist. No more um but expand it to be essentially all around the The lagoon for a world of color, I think would be awesome uh for me I said I would Ultimately, this is probably a theming issue, but I would change the name Um, I know that's been like something that people have talked about for a really long time.
I do think It needs a new name. It's taken on a new identity. It's not about California anymore. And I don't know, I mean with the direction that they're going in, like it feels more of a, just an IP park. So I don't know if you even call it something like Disney's adventures or something that it's just [00:10:00] like.
I feel like the adventure element is still there with a lot of the rides. Um, whether it's like all the rides have a really clear story. You feel very immersed into the lands and the environments and all that sort of stuff. Um, islands of adventure is already taken, but that would have like honestly could have worked like with the car's land with Pixar pier with, you know what I mean?
Like there's a way they could have checked section things off there a little bit. I would be lands of adventure. I mean, That could work. So it'd be a little too cheesy. On that note, I asked ChatGPT to come up with a different name for Disney's California Adventure. I love it. You won't. Not when you see the suggestions.
How fun are they? They're all just spins on the California idea. So first of all, the first one is super lazy. Disney California Adventure Park. Like that's. That is the name. Um, come on chat. Second option california adventure like that doesn't do anything disney's california park golden state adventure socal adventure disney california dreaming [00:11:00] California magic kingdom, which is the laziest so don't chat gpt, please don't There Disney don't listen to chat GP for any of these California Disney experience like none of them are good No, Mickey's California playground is a good name, but I wouldn't it wouldn't work for the park I mean, it sounds like for a little kid area.
Yeah Californian Odyssey adventure by the bay like I don't know none of these just just click I think they need to get away fully from the California idea Because it's not that anymore. Yeah, they need something with the adventure though Because it may get confused with, uh, the new ship that's going over, um, in, like, the Australia Philippines area.
Uh, which is called the Disney Adventure. And then you also have Adventures by Disney. So there's a lot of those things. So it's like, you can't just call it Disney Adventure Park, unfortunately. Right. It also sounds like a roadside attraction. Yeah, I don't know, but I think I think they can save themselves a lot of the work of doing a retheme with simply changing the name.
It just [00:12:00] feels out of place. It feels outdated. Um, Yeah, but I don't know what that would be. So yeah, um, so that was that was mine. Um, okay, here we go Number three we have Epcot, what would you do to change Epcot? I actually have a couple of ideas. This one is easy for me. Yeah, um tear mission space down It's not because it's a bad ride or anything.
But because uh There was a better ride that existed there before. Uh, that was called horizons. Uh, that is awesome. Google it on YouTube. It's not the best quality cause it is the nineties. So keep that in mind. So that's been something for me. So I hear people all the time say. I mean, there's a big part of the Disney community that feels like Horizons was the best ride Disney ever created.
I've heard that I've heard that a lot. And so I've tried to go back and watch POVs, but it's so tough just because the video quality back then you couldn't get anything great. So, um, I take their word for it. It does sound awesome. I [00:13:00] like the concept a lot. But yeah, yeah essentially picture the end of carousel of progress but expanded and that's horizons Uh, so if you like carousel of progress you like the end of it Uh, it's literally talking about the ideas of the future, which is already a cool concept and fits epcot very well So for me, it would be that if I had a second option, it would be bring back the dream finder for uh, journey into imagination because Yeah.
Oh, I didn't have this on my list. Ooh, go for it. But were those all of yours? Yeah, those were my only two. Okay, I have a couple, so I have like three now. I only had two before, but then you started talking about Dream Finder. Sorry. Can we ch I want to change the figment meet and greet that just came out. I wish it was like actual size figment.
Like, they used to have that. I know. And I that's what I want like giving me the college student in a costume Just I would rather [00:14:00] you give me I wish it was a dream finder meet and greet With a small figment if they go back to the original. I hope they do that. Yeah that being said I still want to meet giant figment though.
No, I feel that I would still go meet figment But like when they said he was coming to the parks, especially when you see the stuff they're doing with like the droids and Bro, like they're getting those droids were dope. They're getting so cool with kind of going even back to like the, I forgot what they were called, but like, kinda like the walk around attractions.
I forgot what they were called. Um, but yeah, the like free sting, like they used to have like the talking trash can and stuff like that. That was cool that that sort of stuff creates an immersion. When I see giant figment, like, I feel like I'm at a Chuck E. Cheese. It doesn't feel like, you know, like, it's still, it's still cool.
I still want to meet figment, but it's just not the same as, like, an authentic, life size figment. And I think the way you could pull that off would be with the Dreamfinder, so. No, I would love for that to be. That would be really cool. Anyways, what are your, what are your other two? My other two is, one, I would want to get closer to Walt's original vision.
Um, I know there are [00:15:00] reasons why that didn't happen, but I like, dude, when I never feel more ripped off than when I like, look at the history of Epcot and what it should have been and what it could have been like, yeah, I'm like, yo, this would have been dope. We talked about this in the first episode.
Spoiler alert if we haven't listened to it yet, but Epcot's pretty low on my tier list. Um, but I think had it have been like, like, dude, if you would have taken like merge. Epcot with Disney Springs and create this like shopping district slash you can live there slash you learn the history of Disney World and Walt Disney and Technological advance like I know it's it's a it's a wish list I know that but I feel like it would have been really really cool if you could actually do that.
I'm okay celebration
Not celebration. We tried that. Um, [00:16:00] yeah, I don't know. It would be really tough. I, like I said, that would be interesting. It didn't work for obvious reasons. I get that. But it is one of those things. It's like, man, if there's anything we can just rip out of Walt's brain and make it real, that would be dope.
My other one, Disney. I hope you're listening to this. I know you'll never do it for obvious reasons, but a drinking around the world pass 150 bucks. Gets you a pass you get a sample size drink from every pavilion If it's a sample size drink then a hundred percent if it's a sample size drink, they'd probably consider it I know they don't want to encourage binge drinking in the parks.
So I get that being a thing Here's the thing people are gonna binge drink in your park. It's what you Designed the park as right now. I realize like now currently if we went have a few drinks at a certain point, you're gonna be like, Hey, that's my limit. I'm done. Right. But if I have eight more punches, I'm gonna keep it rolling.
So I understand why they don't want to do that. Um, but I do think [00:17:00] even if it was a sample thing, you know, of like, you know, the same way they do for, well, I don't think, do they do a food and wine pass? I think they used to I mean the only thing would be like They gave like you can get a Disney gift card that like was on a wristband Uh huh, and then you can use it to like tap.
Okay, but that was probably as close as it got. Okay So yeah, I would say for drinking and eating around the world. I would like if you gave me a flat rate I mean, let's be honest. You're Disney you can charge I think up to three hundred dollars and people would pay of three hundred bucks. This gets you one food and or drink sample from each pavilion.
Maybe you, I would actually, okay, no, I take that back because maybe Disney is listening. I would go one of each for three hundred. I would go either or for one fifty. And then I would do like maybe another option where it's like three hundred. [00:18:00] But you can use it like almost anywhere so like even during festivals and that sort of stuff like, you know, it's a anyway Disney loves making money and people love spending money at Disney.
Just throw us a bone man. Like this is this is 150 to 300 more on top of my entry to get into the park. And I'm saying I would do it and I hate spending money. So, so I don't know. I think that would be really cool. No, that would be, that would be sick. I think that'd be dope. It's just like everybody always has these dreams of drinking around the park around the world and then you do it and you're like three or four drinks later and 100 in and you're like, bro, what the heck?
You know? So anyway, that's me. All right, here we go. We're going to switch things up now. The next one up on the list is Universal Florida. Universal. What, uh, what would you do to change this park? We might be unanimous on this one. This, this, uh, maybe, I don't know. We'll see. Uh, for me it's, uh, because they're losing the rights to this, [00:19:00] uh, is get rid of Simpsons.
Okay. Change it to stranger things. Oh. So they've had interesting, several of the, uh, you know, mazes for Halloween Horror nights, which have been really successful, I think. For them both for season three they had one and then of course this past year they had or this year they had season Yeah for That I mean the popularity of stranger things is there.
Mm hmm. And because Universal has used it Why not make it a permanent addition? Because of how popular it is that could be losing the rights to Simpsons. Yeah, so give me an Eggo stand Oh, give me the restaurant that Uh, oh crap, why am I blanking? Joyce and, uh, Hopper, where are you going to eat at? Oh, dude, that could be a shoe in to replace the, like, Simpsons dining hall thing.
Exactly. Uh, and then [00:20:00] give me either a, like, honestly, give me, like, an Indiana Jones dinosaur style of detraction that mixes the upside down and the real world. Oh, that could be a lot of fun. Yeah. Just the set pieces, dude, the set design that they had for the walkthroughs for HHN, it's insane, man. Like the attention to detail and stuff.
And like just their collaboration with those studios and everything. Yeah. That could be really cool. I don't, man, I don't know. I struggle a little bit with that's such a valuable piece of land. So I'm a tattoo guy. I love tattoos. And I think every time I get a tattoo, I realized like. If I put this thing on my body, that means nothing else can go there later.
And so that FOMO sets in a little bit. That's the same way I feel about this. Like there's such a decent chunk of land for the Simpsons. Yeah. I don't know if Stranger Things is the thing that I would put there. I think what they could do, not saying that's a bad idea. I do think that's a solid idea. But I think what they could do is kind of like what they're doing [00:21:00] in Vegas, how they're opening kind of like the year round, almost like horror walkthrough sort of thing.
But I mean, HHN is such a big draw for them. They would never, this year was their biggest ever. Was it really? I think so. Yeah. I wouldn't be surprised by that. Well, between like the last of us and, and uh, stranger things, that would not surprise me at all. So, but yeah, it's just like, I don't know, maybe if they did like year round walkthrough attractions.
Themed to different movies. So, oh man, bro. This is kind of like the melding of our ideas here So one of the things that I said is I would love for them to bring back some of the classic attractions Universal owns the right to some just killer movies killer movies dude that are really like a history of filmmaking genuinely so if they did like Something that they could almost change out.
So like they have the tribute stores that like every season will change and they theme it to something different. It would be so dope if they did like a Halloween horror nights themed [00:22:00] walk through attraction that changes to different movies. And I feel like over the course of the year, like, let's say if you said you had four movies a year.
So in the spring we do jaws in the winter. We do back to the future in summer. We do whatever, fill in the black, fast and furious. I don't care, whatever. That would be really, really cool. And I feel like it would be a draw to get people back into the parks a lot. Um, so I don't know. I think that could be pretty cool, but I like where you're going that the Stranger things idea.
Like even if Yeah, even if a stranger things, I mean there's been people who have been saying like, obviously there's like the contract deal with Steven Spielberg where they can't do anything to ET until he dies. But like, et being re themed to Stranger Things is something that a lot of people have talked about.
Feels like a natural fit. But, um, yeah, for me. For Universal Florida, get rid of the screens, man. Go back to practical effects as someone who didn't start going to these parks. Well, I mentioned in the last episode, like I went to the parks as a kid, I was afraid [00:23:00] of a lot of stuff, but like. The one that I remember is Twister ride it out Because they created a tornado in front of you.
That was so cool when I look at Confrontation and I see the type of stuff they did when I look at Earthquake and I see the type of stuff they did with practical effects. Like I don't understand how the decision was made I don't know if it was like we want to modernize the parks. I don't know if it was we want to go cheaper I don't know what the reasoning was, but when they stepped away from practical effects, like you're, you're a theme park about the movie industry.
Don't show me screens. Like, show me the way that movie magic happens, you know? I just want to see more of that. Um, I don't know. I think that'd be really cool. Um, okay. So that's Universal Orlando. Let's go ahead and spin our wheel again. We're getting down. We only have four more left to go. Are we going back to Disney?
We are. We're going to land on Hollywood Studios here. Oof. Hollywood [00:24:00] Studios, that's my number two park, man. What can you really do to make it better? Uh, pie in the sky idea. I thought that was your idea, was just to have pie in the sky. Yeah, there you go. Done. That's my dream. Uh, no, so I would take Muppets, which, no, not changing it at all because it's glorious and wonderful.
Um, Move it over to Animation Courtyard. Okay. Re theme it to Muppets Courtyard. Okay. Then, from there, if you want to, because I think there's a way to do it, is expand that into Rockin Rollercoaster, because Aerosmith is not going to have their contract for too long. They're not. I'm very interested to see what they do with Rockin once Aerosmith's contract is over.
I saw this on, I think it was Threads, uh, give me a Muppets Mayhem coaster.
I don't know if that was a good or a bad sign. I think it would [00:25:00] be, would be awesome. That way you can expand, potentially expand Galaxy's Edge or expand the Star Wars area that's there and find a way to include, uh, some of the older. Star Wars stuff from like the original trilogy and the prequels into that area that way Not everybody's upset about the fact that galaxy's edges set in the sequels.
Yeah, so I guess you probably know this better than me because you're more of a star wars guy But there's I guess something from it might be from clone wars, but I guess it's like interdimensional Middle world or something Do you know the world between worlds? It was interesting. Star Wars rebels. Yeah.
So I've like heard people raising the alarm on like wanting to do that as like the way of like bringing in the original trilogy. Um, I don't know how I feel about that. I'm so over like multiverse stuff [00:26:00] That it feels like that But I it does feel like a way that they could have their cake and eat it too.
I can see how that would work Yeah, it's more time jumping rather than multiverse. Oh, well, you know how I feel about time travel We don't have time for that on this podcast I hate time travel such a cop out even though back to the future is coded But that's I mean, but that was like the og they're allowed to do it now.
Everybody's doing it. It makes me mad Um, even though they botched it too they they created the rules for time travel that have created the issues for everyone else moving forward I'll give you that. Um What park are we on hollywood hollywood studios? There we go. So for me, um, this is a pretty vague one, but just more cohesive theming Um it the park just feels super segmented right now.
I don't know what it would look like but just something to connect um Yeah, I don't I genuinely don't know what that looks like but like leaving Toy Story Land and going into Galaxy's Edge like it's just Disney's so good the immersion Immersion piece. Mm hmm. They're not having that just [00:27:00] feels like something's off here, you know Yeah, so I love all of the lands that are there but if there was some way to connect them and honestly like Disney's so good at this That they don't really have to change anything as much as they could just come up with a story You know if the park had a story a backstory that just linked everything together then I think it would work um, and i'm sure there are people there who are smart enough and getting paid enough to figure it out, but uh, just something to yeah, it's it's Hollywood Studios is my What's my number two?
I think on the ranking on the tier list Um, so I love the park, but it is the least immersive park that I think disney has so Yeah, and that's just because of a theming issue. So that'd be mine. Yeah more more cohesive theming. I like it. I like it Alright getting down to the bottom three here. We have Universal's islands of adventure up next I'm interested to see what [00:28:00] you would say about this because you had I feel like your experience was A very I feel like it was more spectator driven.
We've talked about how like there's a lot of rods you haven't written Written there, which is a fine. I think that's actually really cool. I think rides kind of give you these rose colored goggles of like, man, even at the park sucks, like VelociCoaster was really dope. So as someone who hasn't done a lot of the rides and stuff there, um, I am just to see what you would do to make the overall park experience better.
Uh, for me, I mean, most of it, I wouldn't really. Change, I don't think it's so it's so dope. It's a great park. Uh that being said though. There is a little sore spot Okay, um, that's toon lagoon It's not to say it's bad or it's themed bad. It's actually themed. I think very well. Mm hmm. It's just No one recognizes it.
I'm like Gen Z's the last generation that may recognize it. I'm gonna do some research here Yeah, you can you can keep going but like Dudley do writes that like their [00:29:00] water ride is based on like, yeah I want to know when that character was in its prime. I think 40s or 50s. Right? That's what like my brain went to the 50s Yeah, cuz Popeye was the same way too.
Yeah, which I feel like Popeye's a little more well known I saw a rumor there was a Popeye movie coming out. A new one? I think. Yeah. Huh. Yeah. Which would be interesting. Yeah. So Dudley Do right's first appearance was in Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle in France. That was in 1959. So yeah, the sixties, which is actually honestly later than I thought it was, but I agree.
Yeah. Yeah, but that being said, uh, as much as I would like to change it to a Lord of the Rings area, that's gonna go in Epic Universe. So, better idea. Give me Shrek. A whole entire land to the Shrekverse. Okay! Because here's the thing. I can get down with that. They made the dumb decision, which I understand for cohesiveness, but they [00:30:00] still made the dumb decision of getting rid of Shrek 4D.
They made it into villains Minion Blast, or Villains Con, Minion Blast, and, which I get, they're lovable characters, and it fits when you're making a Minion's Land, so I get all of that, makes total sense. But then he got rid of my boy Shrek, um, and I'm biased because I was born the same year Shrek came out, so I have to i'm required.
You're welcome Uh that makes me feel required to like it which I do but there's so many good movies with this franchise There's so many cool areas like I would love to see Even if it's like the start of a queue for like a dark ride or a coaster of like you walk through shrek's house Would be awesome, but there's also really cool.
There's also like areas are there already like the Park, I think it's in shanghai already has Or no, it's in Singapore, Universal [00:31:00] Singapore, that uh, has a, I mean it's a kid coaster, but they already have a Puss in Boots coaster. Okay. So you've already got some DreamWorks stuff that, sure, the cheaper option would be bring it over for there.
Yeah. But I think having a whole Shrek land, granted they did announce, I think a few months ago, of a DreamWorks area. I was just about to say that, yeah, like would you rather see DreamWorks take over that part of the park? I think so, but like, It feels like that would have been a more natural fit, right?
Yeah, there's so many Great dream work movies though. Yeah, because you got shrek you got kung fu panda like both of those I think could have their own. Yeah lands like how to train your dragon is getting where it's going next to et and universal feels Like an afterthought to me. I agree. If they would have completely overhauled Toon Lagoon with Dreamworks I'd have been okay with that.
Yeah, cuz that that would just make that [00:32:00] me Dreamworks is great It feels like such a copy and paste thing It's like hey, let's just take the old cartoons and retrofit them with the newer cartoons. Yeah, just you can still keep your water rides Change out the animatronics and stuff like yeah, I think so, you know, so I don't know Yeah to me, I think that would be the the best thing to you haven't done deadlies though No, it was closed.
It was closed when it was closed when we went that one and I think popeyes was also closed But they are both Honestly, they're two great water ride. If I go on a water ride, I want to get soaked. Um, and those are, they're, they're both pretty great next time we'll do next time. It's worth, you should definitely do them before they eventually do overhaul them.
Cause that, that's gotta be soon. Um, for me, I said I would get rid of skull Island where Kong is and expand Jurassic world. I was going to die a hundred percent agree with Jurassic park. Jurassic world is such yeah. An S tier IP and you can just get away with doing so much there. Um, to [00:33:00] expand that part of the park and I'll be honest with you, like I love Jurassic Park.
I was indifferent towards Jurassic world. I liked the first one. The other ones that came out just felt like cash grabs to me. It's like we signed a contract for a trilogy, so we have to make them. Yeah, they weren't great. They weren't great. And so I was nervous when I heard that Jurassic. I'm sorry when I heard that VelociCoaster took place in the world of Jurassic World, but I thought it was flawlessly executed.
Like the story, the idea that this is a ride that was in Jurassic World and like you're in that story, which is so unlike Universal. Universal is like, you're on the set of these movies. This one was like, no, you're actually in the park from the movie. You can expand that so much, you know? And what I really like about VelociCoaster is like, we didn't see.
The VelociCoaster in the movies, this was added on. And so there's just such a big horizon. Like you have a water ride, you have VelociCoaster. You could easily expand this to make it like a mini park within a [00:34:00] park. And I think that'd be really cool. I mean, yeah, treat it that way. Treat the the staff that's there.
Which, I had a question. I don't know if you know the answer to this. They're not cast members. Team members. Team members. There we go. So, treat the team members in there, not like they work at Universal, but like they work at Jurassic Park. And like, make it this super immersive island within an island. I don't know.
I think that'd be really cool. But yeah, Kong Skull Island is, is, it's pretty cool. I mean, I like what they did with the space. It is, I mean, it's the smallest land they have, but even for how small it is, it is pretty immersive. But I think why do that for like a pretty, in my opinion, sub tier attraction? Um, like I said, the animatronics cool, but they could probably do more.
So yeah, just expand, expand. Um, yeah. Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, and I think you just have a lot of fun with that, man. Yeah, I wouldn't say no to expanding it all the way to Toon Lagoon, to be honest. They could! They could. I'm sure it's It's hard to figure out. Is it? Yeah, because it's Marvel, Toon [00:35:00] Lagoon.
Skull Island and then yeah, yeah, they could um, be a big old chunk though. It would be, that would, I mean, that would take over half the, well, I mean a quarter of the park, but yeah, yeah, I don't know, I don't know. I guess it depends. Yeah. I don't know. That's a whole nother tangent. That's probably another episode idea right there.
But anyway. Um, okay. So we're down to the last two. Is that right? Yeah. We got Magic Kingdom and Disneyland left. How fitting. How fitting. How fitting. How fitting. We're going to go West Coast first. We're going to go Disneyland. Yeah, let's do it. Uh, I have a, what do I have? You're trying to improve two of the most successful theme parks in the entire world.
Good luck. Yeah, really. Uh, well, there is a source spot in Disneyland that's called Tomorrowland. Oh my gosh, Tim. So, that's where we're starting. Tim, if you bring this up, I'm going to be so mad. It is on my list. Oh my gosh. Um, my biggest thing, if I had to choose one, is change Autopia to a Tron themed. [00:36:00] So keep the idea of Autopia, but have a Tron aesthetic.
Oh, I get you. Like just update it, make it more futuristic. Yeah. Make it more futuristic. But have it, like, be, like, you can ride a light cycle and drive it around. That's pretty cool. And I think that would be a simple fix to that area. Yeah. And you can, you know, spice it up, you can trononize it, if that's even a word.
It is now. It is now. Patent pending. But I think that would just be a cool fit plus that allows disneyland to get a sort of tron thing Because i'll be honest. I don't think they have really any room to put tron It's a thing man trying to get them to do anything is tough just because they don't have the space.
Yeah How would you feel I heard somebody say this somewhere? I don't remember where I heard this. Maybe it was another podcast, but they were talking about the idea of just updating Autopia to where it's like basically they [00:37:00] wanted Disney to go back to the days of sponsorships and like asking like Tesla to sponsor or something or like talk about some sort of like Um fuel efficient like switching over to like energy, you know, whatever be easy for them to do that there You would think so, right?
Yeah Mean they would have to change the ride system because those cars do run on gas. That would be the cheapest option Yeah, is doing that and converting to electric? I'm just thinking because of again Disney is leaning with their IPs, which I think they should because They've done it since the parks opened.
Yeah, but that also yeah They're gonna have to do something eventually because if you're talking about Tomorrowland as the world does move closer to electric vehicles gas powered vehicles Literally are becoming the past, you know, so at some point they'll have to do something with that and change. Yeah that being said There's also a big hole.
I'd get rid of Launch Bay. Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. Yeah, there's too much Star Wars stuff in [00:38:00] Tomorrowland Star Tours I'd keep because I brought this up in two episodes. I feel like you're bitter about it makes It makes no sense. No, I love Star Wars with all my heart. It's my favorite Yeah, franchise in the 90s or I don't remember when Star Tours opened but 80s and 90s like in that time It does feel like it fits in perfectly with Tomorrowland, but I agree Again, when that happened, no one thought Disney was gonna buy Lucasfilm.
So yeah, so because of Galaxy's Edge I'd keep again. I still keep Star Tours, but Get rid of Launch Bay. Maybe have a new version of Carousel Progress There you go, and how do people move her back? I would love Carousel of progress in disneyland. It was where it was. Yeah, it feels like it should like it should be there It's that one ride that like when I think about both parks i'm like wait, is that?
Florida or is that California because it feels so quintessential Disney. Yeah. Um, yeah, dude. No, that would be really [00:39:00] cool an updated Carousel of Progress so you could have two versions of it I think you put the OG in Disneyland and do an updated version Disney World. That would be really cool. I'd be okay with that Yeah, because then you could do cuz oh gosh it went up to 60s that sounds about right.
I think I think so. I guess I need to go back and rewatch it Yeah, good thing I am. Um, it's got vr and all that junk. So I don't know what they thought that was gonna happen but yeah, but I think like the actual stuff ended in the 60s so then you could go to like the 70s 80s 90s early 2000s to now kind of the 20 2100 or something.
They've got to go so out of pocket that like it'll never happen for the future like the last scene should be like Instead of people they're dinosaurs Like so you're like when did they all become ducks and they're like, oh, [00:40:00] yeah in the year 20 259 we all realized that living as ducks was more efficient than living as human beings.
Lean into the whole Pixar theory of them evolving into cars. Oh man, dude, oh my god, okay, could you imagine, you're in Carousel of Progress for the very first time, and the song's going on, great big beautiful tomorrow, and then it all goes into minors, like minor chords, so it sounds really creepy, really like apocalyptic, and then you get to the last scene, and all the family's dead.
And there's just robots standing over them with like some robot war and like Terminator is dude like the Robot is like using the grandpa's like a sock puppet or something. I don't know dude Could you imagine that'd be so that'd be that sounds like a Banksy exhibit. Yeah waiting to happen. That's just Sounds like the Terminator.
We haven't decided if we're a family friendly podcast yet or not, so I hope that doesn't give you nightmares. Uh, oh wait, I didn't give mine for Disneyland, right? [00:41:00] I had the PeopleMover back, by the way. Of course you would, but I wasn't gonna let you record that. We'll edit that out. No, you won't. Um, mine is very simple.
I'm a simple man. Give me a bigger castle That's all I want those kind of fighting words with them though. I just want a bigger castle. I remember the first time I went to disneyland I was Disappointed by the castle in my brain. I imagined it being bigger again. So I grew up in louisiana. So I was closer to disney world Um disney world's castle was the first one that I saw in real life um, and I think just when you think about going to like disneyland is such this like yes, it's Small in stature, but it's this bigger than life place like the idea of being there and stuff and you go and the castle is Just like what is it like 87 feet or something?
Like yeah, so it's so cute. And so I get it. Yeah, but It would be I would like to see I don't know Maybe this is just my dream of like I wish Disneyland itself was [00:42:00] bigger At least more spaced out but like I like the quaintness of it I just think the castle is such an icon that it should stand out a little bit more but no, that's fair I may be the only person who went to Walt Disney World a ton to think that the Disneyland Castle was bigger than I thought.
You are. Because I heard so much throughout my time. Mostly from me. I feel like I said a lot of it. Well, yeah, part of it was you and then a bunch of other people and YouTubers and podcasters and it was just like, yeah It's I mean, it's smaller than Walt Disney World. I turned the corner because first thing I did was like I'm going to visit the lamp and then I'm going to, you know, check out the castle.
I'm like It's bigger than I think. I mean, it's still small compared to Magic Kingdom. It's so much smaller. But, yeah. Speaking of Magic Kingdom, though. Yeah. That's our last park. Yeah, it is. It is. That feels like an appropriate place to wrap up. So, Magic Kingdom. What would you do to make the most successful theme park of all time even better?
Yeah. Uh, [00:43:00] well, first things first. I'm gonna take a page out of the Blue Sky idea. Okay. I like the idea of doing stuff beyond Big Thunder. Mm hmm. I don't know about a villain's area. It's not to say I don't want one. I do would you rather villains bigger? Absolutely. I agree. Give me a heroes and villains park.
Yeah Yeah, that's the fifth park because then If disney chooses to which they totally should by doing a trade Of getting Hulu's assets over to Universal. Universal gives park rights to Marvel to Disney. And it's even schmieven. From there, you do like Marvel and Disney villains and all that stuff at one park.
But that's for another topic for another day. Give me Toontown back. Okay. I'm here for it, man. Toontown Fair is very nostalgic for me. I feel that. I grew up with Toontown Fair. I thought it was cute. Granted, Toontown at Disneyland? [00:44:00] Amazing. Spectacular. I love the way it looks, given its new transformation.
Give me Toontown back. I think it would be incredible. I think it would be amazing. When I went as a kid, I don't remember much mm hmm We went with my grandma my great grandma who was getting up in age And so she was like her memory was really bad. So like she we lost her in the park so there's only two things I remember was looking for my great grandma in the park and Going to Mickey Mouse's house, and I thought that was the coolest thing ever And so I remember when I brought my wife back there later years later decades later.
I was like I was like, man, I, like, I, I keep looking at videos and stuff and I was watching Disney food block and I was like doing recent googling and everything. I'm like, I don't think it's there anymore. And the idea that they got like, like there was a meeting where someone decided we're going to take Mickey Mouse's house out of the magic kingdom.
That blows my mind, dude. They did use it to expand for new fantasy land, which is awesome, but yeah, yeah. [00:45:00] And if that were the case, I would prefer. Uh, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway in ToonTown, like the way they have it in Disneyland, I think would be a better place for it. It's better there than it is at Hollywood Studios.
Yeah. That being said, gimme a Once Upon a Studio Runaway Railway thing then. Hmm. Based off the new Short, yeah. Over in Hollywood Studios. But that, again, that doesn't matter, but that would be my, my thing. Or a simpler change, which again goes back to Utopia Speedway theme into Big Hero six. They theme what?
To Big Hero Six Speedway. Okay. How would that work? So essentially like all the cars would be like as if they were designed kind of to like test track style, like. Designed by the characters from big hero six. Okay, it's sci fi. It's techie. It's in my opinion Tomorrowland esque you incorporate a great [00:46:00] ip And also you get rid of those cars that have been the exact same for the last 50 years I dig it or 50 plus years now.
No, that's pretty cool. I like that Those would be my, my, my two options. Disney, I will gladly give you both. No cost. I feel that. Yeah, that, yeah, that's pretty cool. That's pretty cool. I like that a lot. Um, for me, My Magic Kingdom, uh, I would say do something with Liberty Square. Um, it feels like a bit of an afterthought to me.
Okay. Like, I feel like it's pretty easy to walk through the land and not realize that you walked through it. You don't recognize the The river of poop. Yeah, I mean, that's that's like the one saving grace like literally when I think about Liberty Square I think of the river of poop and I think about like telling people about it whenever we walk through it But other than that, like I don't know like I actually [00:47:00] think the Hall of Presidents is pretty cool.
I like it a lot I always think of so when I think about Liberty Square and when I think about the American Pavilion in Epcot Mm hmm. Disney has so many International guests every year That i'm like is this really the best we could do, you know, so I kind of feel that way about liberty square um Yeah, when I think about it, it just kind of feels like an afterthought to me I would say either go big or retheme it all together.
Um, so You know, I think that New Orleans Square is way superior in Disneyland. Oh, by far. Um, and so I don't know if that's the pathway they have to take. I wouldn't say that they have to do. I'm from New Orleans. I love that Walt loved New Orleans enough to want it in his park. I think it'd be really cool to have a slightly bigger version of that over in Disney World.
But, um. Yeah, I don't know, man. Liberty Square is just the one spot that, like, it kind of feels like an afterthought to me in the Magic Kingdom, and so I would want to do something [00:48:00] with that space. Um, yeah, no clue what that would look like. Um, maybe you just expand one of the neighboring areas to do something like that with it, but, um, Yeah, do something to draw me in, you know, um, I just don't feel compelled to go to that.
I always kind of forget about Liberty Square until I walk up to it and I'm in it and I'm like, oh yeah, this is here. Uh, I'm usually like there on my way to something else. Um, but yeah, that's, that's it for me. I would just want to do something with that. Other than that, man, you know. I put Magic Kingdom pretty low on my rankings list, but like, I love the park.
I get what it's there for. It's nostalgia. It's to make you feel like a kid. And I think it accomplishes all those things really well. Um, Liberty Square just feels like a, well, Walt would have wanted this. So let's do it, you know, but yeah, it feels a little lazy to me. So, well, I have an idea then. Okay.
What'd you get? Take all the presidents, right. And I wouldn't say get rid of it. Okay. Theme it. And you have, you tell the [00:49:00] history of America, right? Okay. Um, but you have, uh, instead of people and animatronics, kind of similar to the American Adventure, you get the Muppets to do it. I've heard about this. Well, they used to have a show in Liberty School, right?
Yes, Great Moments of History, and it was really cute and really fun. And you just get them to retell the story of America. It is one of those things that I hate that I never got a chance to see. Awesome. I never got the chance to see it either, so if that makes you feel any better. But that would be my, my pitch to you in, in that regard.
Granted, I'm all for any more Muppets we can throw into the parks. Yeah, I don't know, man. Like, I'll be honest, like, Hall of Par Hall of Parents? Hall of Presidents That would be better. Give me a Hall of Parents. This is my dad, Steve. And it's just Steve wearing Skechers or something. I love it. I love it. No, Hall of Presidents does make I'm not the most patriotic person.
Like, I'll [00:50:00] I love America. Don't get me wrong. That's not me being like, you know, I can take it or leave it. No, but I'm not like, my wife cries the national anthem. I'm not that patriotic. Right. But, um, there's something about the hall of presidents that does make me feel like, man, we, yeah. Cool as America, you know, and I just wish there was kind of more stuff like that.
Um, I don't know if that's the best point of American history to try to highlight not trying to get weird or anything But like, you know, like what could we do to and I actually do think the attraction does a decent job at being like Hey, we had some dark spots, but You know, we always persevere and we overcome and stuff.
So I don't know. I don't know exactly what that would look like but um, yeah I'd like to see something done with that area. So no, that's fair You got anything else just kind of like overall any overarching thoughts or this doesn't fall into the parts category But I always have brain arching thoughts bring the Magical Express back fax.
Please. Give me that [00:51:00] back, please I'm glad the Disney dining plans back. But like yeah, that is great You gotta give me some more value Disney make it give me a haunted mansion theme restaurant here for it Especially if you do a villain's land back there, be a perfect tie in. That would be cool. Uh, crap. I just lost all my thoughts.
Maybe we'll do an episode one day like dreaming up a villain's land. What that would look like, that'd be a lot of fun. Yeah. Give me, uh, give me a, uh, a, uh, a new, new groove coaster. Find something that looks as good as the turkey legs, but tastes better than the turkey legs. Impossible turkey leg. Just kidding.
Oh, gosh. I thought you were saying it's impossible to do that, which I agree. No, I mean turkey legs look so flipping good. And then you bite into one and you're like, this is the worst 85 I've ever spent. With that being said, hope you guys enjoyed it. Make sure to follow us on all the socials. I bring the magic.
And I bring the adventure. We want to hear, [00:52:00] what are those things that you would change about the park? So yeah, go to uh, go to maybe our most recent post or something like that, drop us a DM. We'd love to hear, what are some of the ideas that you have that you would use to change the parks? We will not judge them.
I will. He will. We will blast you on the next podcast episode. That's a joke. We won't actually do that. Oh, I will. I'll do it. I'll start a reddit thread about you It'd be like mickeywaffles87 said this horrible idea Uh, well now that his name's mickeywaffles. I gotta agree with that one. But anyway, thank you all so much for listening wherever you listened at We appreciate you.
See you next time. Bye
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