107 - The Before and After with Shaun!

Matt is joined by Shaun for a Disney Before/After game built around Walt Disney World, Disney history, attractions, resorts, restaurants, entertainment, and plenty of random Disney chaos.

The rules are simple: Matt gives Shaun a Disney-related statement, and Shaun has to decide whether it happened before or after another Disney milestone. Some are easy, some are tricky, and some exist purely to expose how strange Disney timelines can be when you really start comparing them.

It is part trivia game, part nostalgia trip, and part excuse for Matt and Shaun to laugh through the topics.

Twitter/X Handles:
Dizhappenings: https://twitter.com/dizhappenings
Shaun: https://twitter.com/rankingthemouse
Matt: https://twitter.com/mattpeto

Before/After Watch

Music in Dizhappenings copyrighted by Audio Jungle 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:11

Diz Happenings, welcome back to another episode in our first relaunch season. And this episode, I got a very special treat. I got my buddy, my friend out west, Sean. Welcome back to Diz Happenings, man.

SPEAKER_02 0:28

What a reunion, Matt. Man, it feels so good to be back. I think we're on episode eight, right? And I just uh man, it's just awesome to be back. I can't wait for the season to drop and listen to it. And uh yeah, I'm just proud to be on, man. It's gonna be a ton of fun and feel like old time sakes going through our before and afters and all that good stuff, Matt. I'm really excited, man.

SPEAKER_00 0:46

Yeah, if everything works out, this should be episode seven. We'll we'll see where it actually fits. But that's that's that's the plan. And yeah, I mean, this is a new format I'm going with. Obviously, the daily thing was fun, but it was it was a big grind. And, you know, the nice thing about this format is like when we want to do a season, man, we could do it. You know, if there's a lot of content out there and we want to talk about it, we release it. And it's there's like no obligations. And when we release it, people have 10 episodes to listen to. Plus, you know, you never know, maybe we'll do an epilogue here and there on on some recap stuff or recap trips. So we got a little bit of flexibility, but you know, the plan is to do a prologue and then 10 episodes uh each season, and you know, we're going live with with season one real soon. And that's the best part, is that's that's what I'm pulling you guys in because I didn't want to pull in um like you and Scott, for instance, and then wait five weeks or three months to post you know to go live with it. So this has to this has to be time sensitive when I'm recording with you. If that makes sense. I love it. Yeah, no, absolutely. So let's this is gonna be all about our old game, which you've owned me pretty much to date that this happens before and after. But just to recap, I know this is gonna surprise a lot of people. You got you got the lead still, but it's only 20 to 19. So in this this lifetime battle that we've had, you were up quite a bit. I have made a little bit of a comeback.

SPEAKER_02 2:19

Yeah, you've made a comeback, Matt. I think at one point it was like 11 to 3 or something like that. You've just made a great comeback. It's also impressive that we've hit 39, and I know a couple of those are still open, uh, haven't been um decided yet, but man, that's so cool that we've hit 39. I know we're gonna bust out uh a ton more here, but before and after is just incredible, bro. I've become addicted since day one, so I'm really happy that's kind of the crux of our uh episode here.

SPEAKER_00 2:43

So this is how far it goes back. We don't we talked about Tiana's Bay You Adventure off Virtual Q. We talked about Communicord Hall showing up in the My Disney uh app. We talked about like when Dino Land USA would close, would Paint the Night would come back, like we have all kinds of stuff. I know halfway to Halloween. I mean, we really like covered a ton of stuff. The last few ones, I mean, I can talk about the there's two more that are open. Um, and by the time this goes live, it might be already resolved or or the resolution, the verdict might be out for it. The magic of Disney animation, you have before July 6th, and I have after. I'm hoping right around that time I actually go live with the season. I think it'll be a week after, but we should have the verdict for that. Um, and so I have the after, I'm feeling really good about that. I mean I think I heard Len and Jim Hill on a recent Disney disc said they're aiming for the first couple weeks of August uh for that. So we'll see if that actually happens. And then the other one that's that honestly made, you know, you might be right about the Wonders of Life pavilion, new, you know, new details. The before and after date is August 31st, 2026. I have after. If they touch on that at D23, you got me. So you very much could have the Wonders of Life update if they actually announce something there.

SPEAKER_02 4:14

Yep, beautiful. That's coming up here, man, and and real soon. Shockingly, 2026 is flying by.

SPEAKER_00 4:22

It is, it is. We're in the heart of the summer already. I can't believe it. So should we get at it, man? I mean, I got a bunch uh queued up. We could just kind of go back and forth. We might kind of run into each other, like, oh you, I had that one too. Um, you know, I I didn't the at least the ones that I'm gonna throw out there to you, none of them are like, you know, like uh, and maybe you'll throw it out there to be when's villains landing open. Like, I don't I don't want to talk about 2031. If you have it, that's cool, but I try to like have it somewhat 18-month-ish, if that makes sense. Like, I don't want to go out too far. Two years, I guess, is okay, but I don't want a before and after date be like, you know, when is like the monorail gonna extend to like Hollywood Studios? I'm not putting 2058 in there, you know?

SPEAKER_02 5:10

So I want that now just for the sake of having a before and after. It's gonna be open for like five years, so we can always just continue to come back to this. I love it, man. All right.

SPEAKER_00 5:21

I'm gonna I'll let you you want me to go first or do you want to go first? Up to you. I got I got a bunch ready, so it's up to you. All right, I'll go first because I I got him teed up. I'm gonna start out in Disneyland. You're you're probably shocked. But when does magic happens return at Disneyland or a daytime parade? So paint the night's going away right after D23, right? Which is cool. They extended that out a couple weeks. And then there's no parade besides the holiday offerings. So does Disneyland get a parade next year? I say yes. I say Magic Happens comebacks, and I'm gonna go with uh let me think here. I'll go with the March 1st, 2027 date. Where do you fall?

SPEAKER_02 6:06

You're saying just Disneyland in particular, right? Not DCA.

SPEAKER_00 6:09

Yeah, because I don't know what's going on with the Coco space and stuff. So I think it makes it a little bit tougher to predict what's going there. Um, right.

SPEAKER_02 6:19

Yeah, that's a good one. I mean, because DCA had the Pixar play, or whatever they ended up calling it, um, this summer, 2020, or no, last summer.

SPEAKER_01 6:27

Yeah, man, it's been a while already.

SPEAKER_02 6:29

Yeah. Okay, yeah, this summer. Um, so that's an interesting one. I am 100% with you that it's gonna be Magic Happens because that parade really only came out for what, six months or nine months. And for all intents and purposes, it was a pretty big hit parade, and it can kind of double as a nighttime parade. Not that it is a nighttime spec, but it kind of, you know, was like a twilight um parade. So I think it's coming back. I like the date, and going before is dangerous because of the fact that it might be years and years, but I think that I am gonna go before Matt, partially because I want that to happen, and partially because I think that it could make a mid-January return.

SPEAKER_00 7:09

Yeah, I mean, I can see that coming back in early January, too. I mean, I I'll stick with the March 1st. I throw it out there. Like you said, maybe maybe it doesn't come back until the summer. Like, who knows? Um So do you want the after or do you want to move the date up a little bit?

SPEAKER_02 7:23

Let's go Valentine's Day. We'll make it a nice Because the next day, because the 15th is President's Day, isn't it? Yeah, that's that's that's so that's a potential weekend that it really could be.

SPEAKER_00 7:32

Yeah, I mean, I guess it probably would that's a Sunday on Valentine's Day. Let's stick with it. Because I mean, I think it does have a chance to come back in January. I mean, they're I don't know what Disneyland's gonna do to try to lure guests to come in January. You know, they're gonna be, I guess, you know, twinkling away all their Christmas stuff, right? Like probably super early January. So, you know, give them like a month to rev up. I think February 14th, that could be a sweet spot. And we'll do magic happens or another parade. If they bring something else back, that fulfills that. I'm cool with that. I I think we both think magic happens at daytime.

SPEAKER_02 8:06

But a daytime parade, right? Not another paint tonight or main street.

SPEAKER_00 8:10

That's true. A daytime parade. All right, all right, great.

SPEAKER_02 8:14

I'm I'm I love it.

SPEAKER_00 8:16

All right. Um, what do you got for me?

SPEAKER_02 8:18

All right, you ready, Matt? Yep. Okay, I will say I I didn't uh I I I didn't get some dates on some of these, so I might be going, you know, well, maybe we have to find a date on the fly here, but that's okay.

SPEAKER_00 8:28

I don't have any dates either. I just have topics. So we're running.

SPEAKER_02 8:33

Perfect. Okay, so we just recently got a bunch of details on the new, the next hotel coming to Walt Disney World, which will be the newest hotel since the Island Tower. I I mean that obviously that's sharing, you know, a lobby and such with with um Polynesian, but that is the newest hotel we've gotten. So my question is when is gonna be the next announcement of the hotel, the next hotel following Lakeside Lodge? So Lakeside Lodge is gonna be opening next year. So when will we get announcement from Disney about the hotel coming after that? Obviously, there's a chance that it comes D23, but that's unlikely because they're probably gonna pour out a ton of Lakeside um whatever, concept art or whatever that might be. So let's go. We're gonna go next year because I think that we might get it at destination D next year. And I want to say that destination D is in October. Does that sound right to you?

SPEAKER_00 9:26

I think it's in yeah, is it October or is it is it September? I think it's like I think it's usually like around Labor Day, isn't it?

SPEAKER_02 9:33

Right, right. I think that's right. I'm looking it up here. Well, they haven't announced it yet, but um, yeah, I want to say it's around then. So I mean, since we don't have an announcement date for it, let's we'll let's this might be a good uh good before and after here because we'll both be we're having reasons to go either way. So let's shoot for let's go end of September, Matt. Let's go like a September because Labor Day is gonna be end up being that first Monday of the month. So let's shoot for right after that. So let's shoot for September 5th of 2027.

SPEAKER_00 10:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 10:03

I'm sorry, Labor Day will be the 6th, September 6th. Let's shoot for September 6th, 2027. So just an announcement of a new hotel. We don't need the opening date, but just hey, Disney confirms this next hotel is coming. It could be anywhere on property, but obviously the leading rumor right now is somewhere around the left side of Magic Kingdom, just to the right of Grand Florida in there, or to the left, depending on what way you're looking.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

It's so interesting because they they got Lakeshore Lodge, and that is all DVC, which is very surprising, right? Um, I think a lot of people thought it was gonna be a mixed hotel, you know, half half cash, you know, half DVC, but it turned out to be a full DVC, which there's a lot of good DVC discussion about that on why they're doing that. It might take them 20 years to sell out, so therefore the first 10 years is they could use it as a cash resort. I don't like I don't know if they're gonna need the inventory for a while. I mean, you do make a good point. I mean, if they you know Lakeshore Lodge opens up next year, you would you do they typically do have a new hotel every couple of years, right? I mean, before Lakeshore Lodge was the island tower, and then I guess there was a gap there with the Riviera.

SPEAKER_02 11:16

Um we did have in between the Riviera, though, we did get the new DVC cabins, and I know that those were just replacing you know the old cabins, not like new inventory there, but that was a pretty big launch there for him.

SPEAKER_00 11:28

Then they had the Grand Fulradian extension. Yeah, I know it's it's a really good question.

SPEAKER_02 11:33

We did have the Disneyland Hotel. Uh, I think that was 2023.

SPEAKER_00 11:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:38

I'm sorry, the tower, the DVC tower, not the just the one, the single tower.

SPEAKER_00 11:42

So I'm gonna go after. I'm gonna I'm gonna say no who no new hotel next next year at all. I think it will be all about Lakeshore Lodge. They're gonna be trying to sell be selling contracts. So I'll go after September 6th, and I'll even give you the benefit of the whole year if you want. I'll give you 1230 wants to.

SPEAKER_02 12:00

Yeah, I'll take the whole year because I'm yeah, I'll take the before on on the whole year because I think we get it next year, but that might be like a like an October-November slip. So yeah, I'll take sometime in December if you want to do that, Matt. And you take the after there.

SPEAKER_00 12:13

Yeah, I like it. I got so basically I got 2028 and beyond. You got 2027. If it they announce it on New Year's Day, it's a uh it's a bullseye. We'll both a little New Year's Day news drama.

SPEAKER_02 12:26

Yeah, I like it, man.

SPEAKER_00 12:27

I like the theory though. Cool. All right, let's go with all right. I this this topic is very dear to my heart. The monsters theater show that's gonna replace Muppet Vision 3D. Um and you know why this this is so interesting to me, because I was in the the forums um uh, you know, debating why they closed Muppet Vision 3D and all that stuff, right? So like I have extra interest that that this show is gonna open. Um, but I I I kind of feel like especially because they reused the animatronics to Muppet Vision 3D, then I feel like I already won that argument, even though they'll tell me I have it. Uh they closed it when they did because they needed to do they, you know, they were shifting things over to rock and roll or featuring, you know, the or starring the Muppets. So here's my thing. I still think that this show opens before the end of next year. So I'm gonna go with 1231, 2027. I I'm not saying that the whole land will open, but I'm saying that we will have the new Monsters Theater show open before the end of 2027. What do you say?

SPEAKER_02 13:41

Gosh, I gotta say, uh I'm sadly leaning after, but I don't want that to be the case because I do want it to open next year. If you gave me like a month earlier, Matt, like if you gave me a late November, like Thanksgiving-ish, I would take the after. Really? Interesting. But I because I I'm thinking it's gonna be, I mean, I'm hoping, and maybe more so than thinking, that we would get a like a late like a December or very late November 2027.

SPEAKER_00 14:10

Okay I mean they have been known to release stuff or release new activations, they like to call it, in early December. That has happened before. I feel like Eptech is a good idea.

SPEAKER_02 14:21

Yeah, would you be considering good? Would you consider like an AP preview or something like that? Uh or a soft open as as a as a hit there?

SPEAKER_00 14:29

No, it's gonna open to the public, and I'll even put open to the public.

SPEAKER_02 14:33

So whatever they Okay, I would go a little bit later then if you're talking public. I would go, I would go a Christmas E, Christmas area, area. Maybe like a December. Hmm. I mean, they're not gonna release anything on Christmas, obviously, with those crowds. If you gave me like a December 17th, I'm I would probably take the after there. December 17th. They're not, I mean, I don't think they're gonna release anything. Those are their craziest two weeks, no matter what. So that's basically the end of the year.

SPEAKER_00 14:59

Yeah, I mean, uh, it's up to you. I can move the date back or I can keep it for the the field of 2027. It's up to you.

SPEAKER_02 15:07

I would have a that's a tough one, Matt. That means you got a good date there, because I'm really struggling on that.

SPEAKER_00 15:12

I can move it. I'll move it to uh I'll move it to 12. What do you want me to move it to? 12-1? How about like a 12-16? All right, done. I'll take I still got the before.

SPEAKER_02 15:23

Yeah, I'll take the after. That's a that's a really good date, though, Matt. Because obviously we're not, you know, the land's not gonna open until 2027, but the potential of that theater opening, because that shouldn't be too tough of a flip, and that would really, really appease some fans, and and they wouldn't really have to um you know move too much construction-wise, because that's right there at the front. So I like that. I like that, Matt.

SPEAKER_00 15:44

There's so much time out in that courtyard right now. Like, you know, I don't know the pace of construction. And if you if you act like if you say that on the forums, like it looks like they're moving really fast. People get so angry with that because they're like, you don't know, you don't understand construction. Yeah, they get so they get so upset. But it it does look like they're doing a lot in that space, and it feels like that is gonna have a phased opening. I don't think the door coaster makes 2027, but I think if they want to open Metropolis and maybe the restaurant, we'll get to that potentially in this before and after. I think they can beat, I think they can do it before the end of 2027, but we'll see.

SPEAKER_02 16:21

Totally.

SPEAKER_00 16:22

Alright, what do you got?

SPEAKER_02 16:23

That's a good one, Matt. I I really enjoyed that one. All right. We got the next one we got, and this this one could be a never, or it could be a you know, D23 confirmation on finally World of Pandora West coming to Disneyland. So we just need an official word from Disney, and we also need an exact location, Matt, because Disney has been teasing us for years, like they're the high school quarterback trying to flirt with a sophomore in high school, bro. They have been leading us on for years with this. So we need concrete that Pandora, the world of avatar, is coming to Disneyland at the exact location. I'm okay if they don't give us a date here, but just hey, this is coming and it's gonna be this time frame and this exact location.

SPEAKER_00 17:13

Gotcha. The confirmation details, right? That it's still common because a lot of people think they're shipped into Zotopia, right? In that space. Totally. And this is Pandora.

SPEAKER_02 17:23

Yeah, totally. So and so obviously the after here could be never, right? Or I mean 10 years from now. But it it this could be very likely could be coming to D23, and so this is gonna be a tough date to place. And I am tempted to just do the D23 week, but I um that just seems so soon, Matt. I mean, we're within weeks of that uh, you know, coming. So I think right now, just for the safety of it, I'm gonna say, I'm gonna say early November. Let's go November 2nd. That's a Monday. Disney likes to drop good news on Mondays a lot. So let's go that and and we'll see where your head's at.

SPEAKER_00 18:01

This is really interesting. So, how about we build a couple caveats with this? If they tell us that Zootopia's coming, right, and that's all they give us, to me, that's confirmation it's not coming. So that we would still get a verdict, then, right? Or you're saying it's a good point.

SPEAKER_02 18:17

I was leaning towards confirmation on Avatar coming, meaning if they say Zootopia, that pushes Avatar to a different expansion plot that might be five, ten years down the road. So that would not be a confirmation that Avatar's coming. That's the way I was looking at it. Okay. All right, that's fine. It's also possible Which really incentivizes the after if you if you are one inclined to believe the Zootopia rumors, of which I am not one of those, but it's a possibility. Well, so how about this one?

SPEAKER_00 18:44

How about they tell you it's coming, but it's not coming in this in the you know, the Mike and Sully to the rescue lot. It's it's coming. They just say we are we're still bringing Avatar, we're figuring it out with the Disneyland forward, more details coming. That's still is that still confirmation for it?

SPEAKER_02 19:01

It's too much of a tease for me. No, it's too much of a tease. So you need confirmation plot.

SPEAKER_00 19:05

You need confirmation plot.

SPEAKER_02 19:06

I want confirmation because I don't think Disney is in the I don't think they're in the let's shoot down rumors like world. I I think that they're either gonna give us concrete info or it's not coming. And the fact that they've sent out like five different fake like quote unquote confirmations of oh, it is coming, and here's concept art. I think that either something's coming very soon or nothing's coming. Is that makes sense? Like, yeah, so I feel like we need we need concrete info here. So you need confirmed info. If they do go that Utopia route, Matt, if they go the Zootopia route in that area, that just means Avatar is getting pushed to the other expansion plot at Disneyland. Obviously, they're not gonna give us that info yet, I wouldn't think, maybe, but that's gonna be a 2032 type situation. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 19:53

Confirmation plot of World of Pandora. This is a this is a big shot. If they tell us exactly where it's going, I'm good with it. Right? If they say it's great, it's going, is that considered backs backstage? Like, is that what that's called? Or what what's the area that Michael tells us?

SPEAKER_02 20:09

Actually, right now, I think it's the parking lot. Oh, yeah, yeah. Well, yeah, not backstage. I mean, I guess. I guess just a Hollywood lot. Yeah. Yeah, the bus, the bus drop-off lot, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:18

Yeah, but if they say, you know, Pandora's coming to Disneyland, or they say we found a new home for it, details to come, I'm I'd still be willing to give it to you. That's yeah. All right.

SPEAKER_02 20:28

Yeah, I would accept it. Yep. As long as they say it's coming, the words it's coming, and a l like a location for it, a land or anything like that. I'm gonna We don't need an opening date, but we just need confirmation.

SPEAKER_00 20:40

I think you're gonna win this one, man. I don't even I don't even know what I would because I do think we'll find out by D23. Like if if my gut feeling is we find out exactly what they're doing at D23. I'll be so curious to see what Scott says on this one, but um Okay, well then that's interesting.

SPEAKER_02 20:57

So if you think that, then let's go to the D23 calendar. And the next conversation, Matt, becomes is this something that gets released on the preview day for media, which is gonna be August 13th, or is this something that we see on the first day of the open floor, which is August 14th, or is this something we don't hear until the parks panel, which is not until super late in the evening, like almost midnight Eastern, on the 15th, becoming the 16th. So, really, if you're thinking D23, which I think I am too, we kind of got four days to play with there.

SPEAKER_00 21:33

You pick the date and you take the before or after, and I'll I'll I'll be I'll be okay with okay.

SPEAKER_02 21:39

Okay, so the 13th is media preview. Okay. That is when media gets in and gets to see the floor, and that's usually when we get a bunch of like, oh, look at this um, whatever model that we haven't seen before. That's what we got for the Montropolis coaster a couple years ago. Media saw it on the 13th, and they all tweeted it out, or whatever, YouTube, whatever. 14th is the day the Expo floor opens to the public, 15th is The parks panel. Oh man, that's so tough.

SPEAKER_00 22:04

Why don't we go to the 14th?

SPEAKER_02 22:05

Let's go 14th and I'll go after. If you want before. That's fine. Let's do it. I'm in. Because there's a if it's if it's announced, it's probably going to get leaked either the 13th or the 15th. It's going to be leaked to media on the show floor or it's going to be announced at the at the expo.

SPEAKER_00 22:19

So the only thing I don't like is the never thing. I guess you get you get the win there, right? If they if they never if they never talk about it, to me, like we're going to hear definitively if it's going to be Zotopia or Avatar. That's kind of where my head is, right? So maybe that maybe You think that's guaranteed? I think so, man. I think they're either going to double down on Pandora, they're going to tell us, or they're going to say, we're bringing Zotopia with future ideas to bring Avatar still pending or something.

SPEAKER_02 22:52

Okay, well, what about this? What if we make it interesting, Matt? And what if we do the 15th? And what if we do the 15th on Eastern Standard Time? So that means if this thing gets announced 9 p.m. Pacific or later, which is right in the heart of the panel, it starts at 7, but they usually do a bunch of intros, so it doesn't start until 7.30, and it's about two and a half hours long. If it's 9 p.m. or later Pacific time, that would be the 16th on Eastern Time. If it's before that, that would still be the 15th. Is that too convoluted?

SPEAKER_00 23:24

That's pretty rough, man. But I'll go with it. I'll put it.

SPEAKER_02 23:26

That's pretty convoluted. I just feel like it, as someone that's going to the expo, I can see myself like checking my phone. Like, is it 9 p.m.? Like, when's this announcement coming?

SPEAKER_00 23:34

Alright, we'll go by Eastern time. And maybe I'm a little selfish with that, but that's just that sounds like it adds some excitement to it. Confirmation plot on World of Pandora. I probably would rather just hear confirmation of what's going in in the Hollywood backlot. That's that's kind of because that would I think that's a little bit fair. Um, because if we ever get the never, you know, I don't want to take the L with that one. Um confirmation.

SPEAKER_02 24:00

Sure, let's roll with that. So you get uh so let's do the 15th then. So you get 15th or well, 15th would be a bullseye. So you get 14th or earlier, 13th is the media preview, and I'll take the after, so I get 16th or later, and 15th would be a bullseye.

SPEAKER_00 24:15

Alright, I'm gonna do Mike and Sully um future, whatever. Something like that's confirmation of plot of what happens at Mike and Sully's uh location. That's that's the uh that's the topic, how we evolved, but it is all around Pandora. Sure, totally.

SPEAKER_02 24:36

Yeah, I don't, I mean, bummed out's probably the right word. I wouldn't say I'd be like upset about it because at the end of the day, it you know, they can add whatever they want, and I'm sure Zootopia is gonna be great, but and I do struggle to see the thematic fit of Avatar, and as a big themed, you know, fan there, that that worries me. But I just the concept art they released just looks magnificent, man. So that's what I'm hoping for. But I mean that what you just brought up wraps into what you said earlier. I don't think, and in fact, I'm fairly confident that the avatar at Disneyland is not a never. I don't think that that's even in the likelihood of scenarios. I agree. I think it's either in that Mike and Soli bus drop-off lot or it's gonna be in one of the other Disneyland forward lots that we get in 2032, 2034, or something like that. Or as you keep saying, Oh yeah, third gate at the Toy Story lot.

SPEAKER_00 25:24

That's where I think it's going. If if they do a pivot, that's where they could dude. They could they could really what happens if this happens? They tell us that they're going Zootopia, but they're bringing an Avatar to Disneyland Forward. They like, or to gate three. Who wins? That sounds like a hit to me. Who wins? That sounds like a hit to me, so it depends on the day it comes out. All right, I love it.

SPEAKER_02 25:45

Alright, cool. I got 8.15, I got before. Great. So if it hits 815 before midnight, then that's that's a that's a bullseye for us. Alright, I love it. And if it's after midnight, so that would be 9 p.m. Pacific or later, then that's an after hit.

SPEAKER_00 25:58

Alright. I love it. Um we'll be checking timestamps for that one. Our audience is probably like, what is going on with these guys? I know. Alright, you ready for the next one? Ready. Tropical America land opens. And I'm I'm very I I like a date, man. I like a date a lot. And I I probably already mentioned it on an episode in this podcast, in this season already. But I have to I have to go with my date, man. I'm I'm saying Memorial Day 2027. This land opens. I'm not saying that both attractions open in one shot. I do think, and I don't know if we'll get to it, I do think that the whole land will be open by the end of 2027. But I think if if I if if I had to, you know, if I had a crystal ball, I think Indiana Jones opens by Memorial Day next year. So I'm going Tropical Land Opens, Tropical America's Lands opens on Memorial Day, 2027. We're right around that time. I'll give you a date.

SPEAKER_02 27:06

Man, that's hilarious, man. I had that exact one on my list. I didn't have a date for it. So I'm crossing it off now, but I'm I'm excited to hear your date because that was on my list as well. So I don't know if they'll open it on May 24th.

SPEAKER_00 27:17

Um, that's Memorial Day, but I'll go I'll go May 31st, 2027, and I'll take the before.

SPEAKER_02 27:25

May 31st.

SPEAKER_00 27:26

That's right.

SPEAKER_02 27:27

Oh, man, are you killing me because I do not want to visit Disney World in the summer if I take the after.

SPEAKER_00 27:34

Dude, they have nothing. They have nothing in the pipeline for the summer. And you can see that's their that's their slow season now.

SPEAKER_02 27:42

So they are Yeah, and they love that, they love that late May opening. I mean, they opened in the last two years, they've opened like seven things in that late May window.

SPEAKER_00 27:51

Like, if they were closing a bunch of attractions and re-theming them, I might be like, okay, maybe they're gonna push this Tropical Americas off to the later part of the year. They got nothing. They have one other thing. We'll probably get to it before and after. That is it. They have Tropical Americas, one other thing that's penciled for 2027. So to me, this has got to be the song, this has got to be what draws people to come to Disney World in the summer. And maybe the whole land opens. I I doubt it. I don't know if Encanto can be open by then. Indy, you know, they took Dinosaur down, what is it, February 1st this year? That gives them a year and a half, man, or almost. Like probably July 4th would be a good, uh maybe a better estimate just by going by 18 months to re-theme. But I think they could do it, man. You know?

SPEAKER_02 28:39

So I mean, they're definitely gonna be targeting that so they can hit their beloved late May days. You know it. I mean, that's even when we got Epic last year. Man, that's a really good one, Matt. And I just I have a lot of rooting interest in these before and afters, and going to Orlando in the summer to experience the opening of this sounds horrible, but I think I have to go after. As much as I want it to be before, because I would love to go to Disney World in May.

SPEAKER_00 29:03

Yeah, and I'll say, you know, something's gotta be open in the land. Either the restaurant, right, the quick service, the carousel, or one of their main attractions, right? If they just open up the land and and nothing and you can just walk around it and nothing else is functional, you know, that doesn't count as it really opens to me. I but I mean if the if the casual guest could go walk in the land, I that that could I consider that open.

SPEAKER_02 29:27

So I like it. All right.

SPEAKER_00 29:29

What do you got?

SPEAKER_02 29:31

Man, Matt, I don't feel comfortable on that one, but I loved that one. It's a good one. All right. All right, Matt, I know this is not up your aisle here, but I had to do it because it's just been the talk of the town lately. When are we gonna get confirmation of what is coming to replace the Lost Continent at Universal? I know this is not up your alleyway, but they have just been breezing through construction, or not what, you know, these um what's the word I'm looking for here? The opposite of construction. Demolition here at Lost Continent. I mean, everything's going except for that restaurant, Mythos. So when are we gonna get confirmation from Universal about what is replacing Lost Continent? There's been a lot of rumors. Pokemon, Zelda, you know, something else. So I just want to get confirmation from Universal about what's coming there, what's replacing Lost Continent. So I thought Mythos was going away. It is, but it's gonna be the last one. It's staying until I want to say early 2027, and everything else is gone already, and Mythos is staying. You know, I've never really destroyed basically everything else. Do I need to down it back for mythos? Bro, I mythos might be might might be the number one greatest theme park restaurant I've ever been to. If not one, it's top five at worst. It is incredible. I want to just so well themed.

SPEAKER_00 30:46

And they don't have anything with the closing date there at all, right? I'm trying to I don't think so.

SPEAKER_02 30:50

Yeah, I think just I thought there was a date, but I guess not. I think just early 2020.

SPEAKER_00 30:54

It says we'll permanently close in 2027. I got a shot to get down there, man. Yeah, I need a down and back to go to the show.

SPEAKER_02 30:59

Yeah, I mean, everything else will be gone there. They've already, you know, started tearing down everything. All the shops are gone, that fountain's gone, all the rides obviously are closed. Poseidon's Fury's torn down. So Universal's cool. Mytho, Smithho's gonna be the last one standing.

SPEAKER_00 31:12

Universal's kind of cool with this. Like, they don't they don't let details out. Like, I don't think they like said it was the Velocicoaster until like it like a month before it opened, right?

SPEAKER_02 31:21

Like they went into the layout. They did, but that yeah, they did, but that was uh that was uh I think a rarity more more so than anything because they've already confirmed the Fast and Furious coaster before that thing even started construction, and that thing zipping through construction, but that that we've known that for you know a couple months now. So I think that that was not the norm for them, but who knows? You never know with Universal, they're a wild card.

SPEAKER_00 31:44

I don't know what when's their fiscal year? I like I don't even know.

SPEAKER_02 31:48

Is it I think it's the same as Disney, so that'd be October of would be you know the end of the uh but I'm not 100% sure on that. I mean we know it's we know that Mythos is closing in 2027. I would think that we would know what's coming before it closes because of how fast they're flying through this demolition. But I really just don't know. This is a shot in the dark. Let's go. I mean, Universal doesn't have any conventions, right? Like they just don't have anything that like you that Disney does where they announce stuff, so it's it's kind of just a random, you know, shot in the dark. Let's go, let's go January, Matt, of 2027, and let's go MLK Day. Let's go 18th of January. We will get confirmation what is replacing Lost Continent. The leaders in the clubhouse being Zelda or Pokemon, but could be something else too.

SPEAKER_00 32:34

Yeah, I'll take the after. I mean, I I don't I probably don't know enough about Universal and how they release news to to make a real a better educated guest than that, but I think they'll hold that one back until like do you think we're gonna get details on the on the epic expansion that they're doing first? Like, what do you think comes first?

SPEAKER_02 32:54

Yeah, I mean I just who knows. You think that I mean there's been so much talk of that. You'd think they'd have to announce something soon. You could tell me next week they announce it and I wouldn't be shocked, and you could say next summer and I wouldn't be shocked. That's just so hard to know with Universal.

SPEAKER_00 33:08

Yeah, I'll go, you said January 18th. Yeah, that's an MLK. I'll go after, but I mean it's it's just an educated, it's my best, you know. I'm throwing I'm throwing darts at the wall with that one. What's what I Yeah, I I'll take the before.

SPEAKER_02 33:21

I don't I don't really have much education there either. I it's a guess. I like it though. Like I've said multiple times, it's a shot in the dark, but but I it just there's just so many rumors, and they're just flying through that that teardown. I mean, they've been tearing down buildings like every day. If you follow Bio, Bio Reconstruct, shout out to him. I mean, they're just they're just tearing down new stuff every day. So I think something's gotta be coming.

SPEAKER_00 33:43

Well, you and you're raising a point too. With Mythos closing somewhere in 2027, that's probably when they're gonna tell us what's actually happening, because that'll be the last thing that they close in that land, right?

SPEAKER_02 33:55

Right. They'll keep it open as late as they can until they just you know gotta tear it down. And it does benefit because it's on the left side of that um walkway, whereas basically the whole rest of the land is on the other side of the main walkway that goes back to um Wizarding World. So yeah, well, who knows? We'll see. This this could be we could be way off on this one. Who knows? Do I need a down and back for that restaurant? Matt, it's pretty dang good, man. I I mean, I don't know if you need a down and back just for that on its own, but man, with with how yeah, with how low crowds are at islands right now, because everyone's at Epic, I think that'd be a pretty good day. All right.

SPEAKER_00 34:28

I'll have to keep it in mind. All right, let's see what else I got here. Um let's go with dude. I can't believe I'm going out west again, but I I have to do it. Avengers campus expansion. Oh man, and so maybe I'm breaking a little bit of my role here because I am gonna have to go out a little bit. Um But I think I think they want this open for you know, the Olympics is in Los Angeles in 2028. I think they want this open before then. So I you know, is that crazy? Is 2028 crazy for that? Because that's that's where I'm going. I'm going, I don't know. I'm going May uh of 2028. It's a little bit further away from a before and after that I'm comfortable with, but I'm I'm I'm doing it. Okay, so give us the official verdict then. One more time. Um I guess the Avengers campus expansion open. So um I guess it's the what is it, the Affinity, what's what's the two attractions called?

SPEAKER_02 35:34

So do you want do you want both of them open at this like official opening, or what if we have a staggered opening?

SPEAKER_00 35:40

Um, dude, they gotta put the e-ticket one out, right? No nobody's like making a special trip for the the little Stark Force laptop. For the one that you need to be able to find in your local mall. Yeah, so I'll guess I'll go e-ticket. Let's go e-ticket opens. I know that's got a ride already. It's got a name already. I forget what it's called. What is it? It's uh Avengers.

SPEAKER_02 36:04

Avengers um Stark Defense, is that right? Infinity Defense?

SPEAKER_00 36:08

Yeah, I think that's what it is.

SPEAKER_02 36:09

I think it's Infinity Defense, I think.

SPEAKER_00 36:11

Yeah, that sounds right. Yep. Avengers Infinity Defense. Yep. So where did I get Stark from? Is that the other one? Yeah, that's the that's the uh Stark Flight Lab? Yeah, that's the one I don't think you're ever going on, right?

SPEAKER_02 36:24

I'll do it once for the sake of it. I do everything once, and then if I hate it, never again.

SPEAKER_00 36:28

So I'm going before May 1st, 2028, in the spirit of the Olympics. I mean, in the spirit of d of creating intent to visits. And that's not that far away, man. I mean, that's we're talking two years away. I mean, I think it's yeah, we are.

SPEAKER_02 36:44

And we were talking before the pod, Matt, that the Olympics start on the 14th. So of July, right? Yeah, of July. So that would be so you said the end of May, right? So that'd be about a month and a half.

SPEAKER_00 36:54

I'll go May 1st.

SPEAKER_02 36:56

May 1st, okay. And you you think you're leaning the before on that? Man. Gosh, that's really tough. It's a it's a good date. It really is a good date because yeah, I mean, I would be shocked if they if they don't have this open by you know when the crowds will start coming in around July 7th or so. I think I'll go after and try and snipe that that two-month window there, Matt. That's a good date, though. That's a good date. I think I'm leaning after. But just bear it.

unknown 37:20

All right.

SPEAKER_02 37:21

I love it. All right, what else you got? All right. I got two more, but one of them we kind of already have, I think. No, it was gonna be confirmation on what's coming next to Wonders of Life slash play pavilion. But I think that one's still open, is it not?

SPEAKER_00 37:37

It's still open, so we'll just let that.

SPEAKER_02 37:39

It's only find that one.

SPEAKER_00 37:40

What was our what was our verdict on that? Oh man, it's coming up. It's uh Wonders of Life New Details, August 31st. I had the after, you have before. So if they if they talk about that at D23, you get that one.

SPEAKER_02 37:53

Ah, I just don't know, man. That's just like universal. We could not hear anything for five years on that, or we could find out within the month and a half. Yeah, that's tough. Okay, well, let's get that one and we'll go the opening date. Let's I don't know, I don't know if I want to go time frame or date. I would say date, just because time frame can get a little bit uh subjective. We're gonna go the official opening date announced for Piston Peak National Park.

SPEAKER_00 38:17

Ooh, opening date.

SPEAKER_02 38:18

We don't need all the rides open if they keep that big e-ticket, you know, if that takes a little bit longer. But the but the grand opening date of Piston Peak National Park. Now, do you want to go what will the date be, Matt, or do you want to go when will we get a date? That can get a little bit confusing.

SPEAKER_00 38:34

You tell me.

SPEAKER_02 38:35

Well, when will we get a date is gonna come soon? I think that comes at D23.

SPEAKER_00 38:39

I think that comes at I think they tell us a season in 2028 or something, right? Right? Don't you agree? Yeah, I mean, yeah, I guess.

SPEAKER_02 38:49

Now that you say that out loud, you're probably right. So when's the car's e-ticket ride open? So when's the car e-ticket ride open? No, let's go. Uh let's go uh so you're confident it comes at D23. Okay, let's go. When will we get an exact date then? Because I don't think we're getting a date at D23. Okay. And I don't think we're gonna get a date for a while. I don't think the date itself is gonna be for a while. So let's go. When will we get an exact opening day for Piston Peak? And I mean, I'm pr I'm assuming they're aiming for like a May 27th, 2028. So when will we get that quote unquote May 27th date or whatever date they choose? All right, I'll go uh you you first. Let's go before after. I don't we're not getting a date of D23, Matt. We're probably gonna get a timeframe. There's no way we get a date. I agree. And so October 2027 would be destination D23. That almost seems too late, no? Like now you're within seven months or so of them wanting to open. Oh, maybe that does sound right then. Let's go, let's go right now, Matt. Seven September 30th, 2027, and you tell me where your heart's at.

SPEAKER_00 39:55

Dude, that's pretty good, man. I like I like how you backed into that date. And it makes sense. At Destination D23, that's the perfect thing to announce. That it's opening, you know, March 31st, 2028, right?

SPEAKER_02 40:09

Um I think that we might have been a little late on D23, destination D, sorry, D23. I think it's usually like early September. But man, I haven't gone to that one yet, so I'm not 100% sure. I really have been wanting to go. I'm gonna I'm gonna go after.

SPEAKER_00 40:28

I I feel like this is something they put out in like January when this is coming out. Like to get people pumped about booking trips. So I'll I'll go after.

SPEAKER_02 40:40

Totally, totally. Well, when we get to the Okay, so you're thinking January. So what if we did like a what if we did like a Thanksgiving on November 25th, 2027?

SPEAKER_00 40:48

That works, man. Well, I thought I'd just You want after um Yeah, I'll still go here. Or do you want to go earlier than that? No, we could go 1125. I'll give it uh that's that's we could still stick with the same thing. 1125.

SPEAKER_02 41:01

Okay, so then you yeah, because then you got all of 2027 and then the month of month of December there.

SPEAKER_00 41:05

Yeah, I yeah, I got well I have if I have the after, I got December and then and beyond to get the exact date. Right.

SPEAKER_02 41:12

December, yeah. Thanksgiving and beyond, basically, right?

SPEAKER_00 41:15

Right, done. All right, how can we not do this one, man? It's still this is still a Disney World thing that's definitely coming next year. The carousel of progress. When when does that how did I miss that one? That's a good one. Opening date. Now it went down, well no, it's going down in a we in we're recording this in super late June here. So we're talking, let's think about this. Um that's it's closing what, July 4th or 5th, right? Uh permanently. Or, you know, the the the current uh attraction. So I'm going with I see it takes them like are they gonna have this open by next summer? That's why I'm telling you Tropical Americas is open in early next year. I'm so convinced, man. They got nothing else. Look what they had this year. They had so much this year, right? So can this make a summer? Can this kind of be like the animation court the magic of um what's it called? The magic of animation thing that they're doing in Hollywood Studios?

SPEAKER_02 42:14

Yeah, courtyard, uh animation courtyard. No, it's something.

SPEAKER_00 42:18

I know, I can't think of what it is, but yeah, it's it's basically animation courtyard, the magic of animation, whatever the the experience is inside. Um I'll go with actually let me look this up. Let's see if I can go okay. Carousel of Progress. Here's a little date for you. It opened on April 22nd, 1964. And in Disneyland, in Disneyland, it opened on July 2nd, 1967. And in Magic Kingdom, it's January 15th, so that's out. I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go that it opens, man. I don't know if it can make April 22nd, man. That's rough. That's early. Um, I say it's down for a full year. Let's go July 4th, 2027. And I'll I'll take uh I'll take the before on that one.

SPEAKER_02 43:11

Yeah, I mean it's gotta be before. That that's not gonna be a crazy, you know, uh that's not gonna be a crazy overlay. And granted, I don't think that they'll need to like be rapid with that one. Like they could probably take their time and be fine. But I would think I'd be leaning earlier as well on that, or before on that as well. What date did you got? You might flip me then. I don't know. I don't know. Shoot me out another date and I'll tell you where my head's at.

SPEAKER_00 43:37

I mean that's what takes. April 22nd, that's when the uh originally opened, 1964.

SPEAKER_02 43:43

Okay, I think that I would probably go after, but not confidently.

SPEAKER_00 43:49

So you want to split the difference then? You want June first?

SPEAKER_02 43:54

Um well no, June first I'm going before. Okay. June fifteenth? June 15th, I'm going before. I'm thinking like I'm my headspace is like April May here. So you got you I think you're pretty close with that April 22nd, you said. Are you also leaning after there?

SPEAKER_00 44:12

I'm leaning towards like I originally thought it would be July 4th. I don't know how by how many months.

SPEAKER_02 44:19

Oh, okay. I see what you're saying. Okay. Well, yeah, I'm leaning, I'm leaning before there, but probably by about a month. So I'm probably in like the early June head space here.

SPEAKER_00 44:27

How about I'll go June? Late May, early June. I'll go June 8th, 2027. I'll give you the before and me the air.

SPEAKER_02 44:35

Okay, I'd take I'd take the before. Not confidently, but I'd take it.

SPEAKER_00 44:38

I'm going with that opens in around July 4th. I mean, because they still get they still got to replace every scene, right? Like, I don't know. And they got to put the Walt Animatronic in. Like, I I don't. That's it's a good guess. I mean, will that open within a year? I guess it could. I mean, they they had some pretty quick turnarounds. All right. Um I like it. That sounds good to me. Are you got any more? Let's see how many we got so far. Let's see. We have done nine so far. That's pretty impressive, man.

SPEAKER_02 45:08

That's good. I I got nothing else. I'm I'm unless you got one more to make it an even ten.

SPEAKER_00 45:13

All right. How about so I am really intrigued if, and this is probably more of a D23 topic, that Disneyland Paris. Well, first off, how about we do this one? How about we put an announcement of a new park? Because let's. You have some contenders out there. Everybody thought thought that Shanghai was gonna get one and didn't get one. There's still a lot of rumbles that Disneyland Paris is gonna get its third gate. They have to do it by I forget X year if they're gonna pull the trigger or they lose the land. Something weird, right? I still think Disneyland will get a new park. I guess, I guess it could be really out in the future with this one, right? But I'll go um new theme park announcement. Um do we get that at D23? What's your gut feeling? So anywhere in the country. Or I mean sorry, anywhere in the world. Anywhere in the world. Obviously, not including uh not not including out of Dubai, whatever it's called. Yeah. Because that already was announced.

SPEAKER_02 46:11

Uh yeah, Dubai. Man, okay. What sorry, what was your dating? Oof, that's it.

SPEAKER_00 46:18

I'm thinking I'm thinking D23. We gotta get that.

SPEAKER_02 46:22

I can't imagine. I can't imagine.

SPEAKER_00 46:24

You don't think they announced the Shanghai second gate?

SPEAKER_02 46:26

Shanghai Second Gate is the only option here. Disneyland Third Gate would not be announced for months to years if it's coming at all, which I don't think it is. Disney World Fifth Gate is five, ten years away. You know, we're not getting to Tokyo Third Gate until not after they just did the the recent land. Yeah, Hong Kong, I don't think they're even planning that. Paris isn't planning that. So it'd have to just be Shanghai or Disneyland. Yeah, I'd go after Matt. I don't I don't think that's coming. I don't think they can do two at the same time.

SPEAKER_00 46:53

I'm just so you don't think they're gonna do you don't think they're gonna announce Shanghai's coming to second gate at D23?

SPEAKER_02 47:00

I mean, it's a possibility. I just I hope they don't go that route, because that's a massive announcement that obviously, you know, obviously we're in America. That's uh we're not really getting out of China anytime. So let's you're right. Obviously, different construction crews between between the Middle East and and between the UAB and and and uh Shanghai, China, but that would really stretch the imaginary stin, I would have to think.

SPEAKER_00 47:23

All right. You're right. It's probably like that. I that's all my like, you know, I'm thinking about that one. I'm also thinking, I'm thinking Moana's coming somewhere, right? And I don't know where. I don't know if it's going to to Adventure, Adventureland and Magic Kingdom. I don't know if it's going to Hollywood Studios. I don't know if it's going to Disneyland Paris. I think Moana's going somewhere. But again, that's not really a before and after. That's more of just uh theory. So I think with nine, I think that's good, man. I mean, we could do some of the ones like when does Indy open? When does Encano open? When does you know Piss to Peak open? Why don't we save those for the next time? Because at least we'll have more information. We'll get, you know, we'll get through D23, and now that's a perfect like follow-up, you know, to to this batch of nine. So let's wait on that. And man, I had so much fun talking to you.

SPEAKER_02 48:17

I love it, Matt. That sounds great to me. And man, before and afters are just so addicting. They are. Yeah, nine of them.

SPEAKER_00 48:23

They're so good. Yeah, and I guess after this season goes live, I'll give it a little time, but maybe we can I could put this on Twitter and we mean you can go back and forth on it a little bit on social media. I think it'd be kind of fun to to talk about each one. So I that's I have good intentions to do that, whether I actually do it or not, but that would be fun.

SPEAKER_02 48:43

I can't imagine a better episode than nine before afters, Matt. Really, really excited to hear your your season one. It's gonna be great. Um, yeah, so excited for it to drop and and uh excited to see where these before and afters end up landing. We have we'll have a couple of them that'll be decided here at D23, including that play pavilion one from a few months ago or a year ago. So it's gonna be gonna be interesting.

SPEAKER_00 49:05

Yeah, maybe I'll finally um you know tie you and maybe even you know go ahead of you. It's been a close battle, man. You're only down one here. You made a huge comeback. All right. Well, if that's it, man. Appreciate the time as always. Um we will be talking soon. And let's, if we don't have another episode together here, let's definitely talk post D23 because we gotta catch up. Perfect. Let's do it, Matt. Sounds great. Sounds good, man. Let's catch up.