Ever wrestled with the elusive balance between privacy and safety on social media? Buckle up for a wild ride as we dissect the prickly debate surrounding the newly signed HB3 (social media ban bill) in Florida and the demands for our personal details. With wit and wisdom, our in-studio duo Zach and Julia join the fray, pondering if it's the guardians or the government who should be the cyber shepherds of our youth. From sharing anecdotes of our own digital disciplining to the larger implications of online IDs, we serve up a feast of thought to satisfy your appetite for all things privacy.
Strap on your Viking helmets and prepare to sail through the skies of Universal Epic Universe's upcoming dragon haven, Discover The Isle Berk. The "How to Train Your Dragon" lore comes to life as we preview the Dragon Racers Rally and the delectable Mead Hall, while also sharing behind-the-scenes snippets from Universal Creative's Katie Patel. Our excitement is as unchecked as a Night Fury in flight; we're talking animatronic dragons, thrilling coasters, and belly laughs courtesy of a live Viking-themed show certain to entertain the entire family.
And as the moon waxes towards Halloween, we can almost hear the cackle of ghouls gearing up for Halloween Horror Nights Season 33. Our very own haunt-seeker, Julia, casts her votes for animatronic terrors, while we prognosticate the potential resurrection of iconic Horror Night fiends. But it's not all spooks and shocks—we're extending an open invitation for your thoughts, guest suggestions, and a promise to keep the banter as lively as a chat with your top mixologist at the Sloppy Taco Palace. So, grab your headphones and let's embark on this auditory journey together!
Ever wrestled with the elusive balance between privacy and safety on social media? Buckle up for a wild ride as we dissect the prickly debate surrounding the newly signed HB3 (social media ban bill) in Florida and the demands for our personal details. With wit and wisdom, our in-studio duo Zach and Julia join the fray, pondering if it's the guardians or the government who should be the cyber shepherds of our youth. From sharing anecdotes of our own digital disciplining to the larger implications of online IDs, we serve up a feast of thought to satisfy your appetite for all things privacy.
Strap on your Viking helmets and prepare to sail through the skies of Universal Epic Universe's upcoming dragon haven, Discover The Isle Berk. The "How to Train Your Dragon" lore comes to life as we preview the Dragon Racers Rally and the delectable Mead Hall, while also sharing behind-the-scenes snippets from Universal Creative's Katie Patel. Our excitement is as unchecked as a Night Fury in flight; we're talking animatronic dragons, thrilling coasters, and belly laughs courtesy of a live Viking-themed show certain to entertain the entire family.
And as the moon waxes towards Halloween, we can almost hear the cackle of ghouls gearing up for Halloween Horror Nights Season 33. Our very own haunt-seeker, Julia, casts her votes for animatronic terrors, while we prognosticate the potential resurrection of iconic Horror Night fiends. But it's not all spooks and shocks—we're extending an open invitation for your thoughts, guest suggestions, and a promise to keep the banter as lively as a chat with your top mixologist at the Sloppy Taco Palace. So, grab your headphones and let's embark on this auditory journey together!
Today's episode contains information about Universal Epic Universe taken directly from Universal destinations and experiences. The opinions of the hosts and guest speakers do not reflect the opinions, ethics or values of NBCUniversal or its affiliates.
Dustin :You're listening to Orlando, unplugged, celebrating life in living color with Dustin and Ashley. Grab a cocktail or a mocktail and let's get unplugged, orlando, okay. So last week I thought I was crazy because I thought I heard some random voice be like da, da, da in the background.
Ashley:I always thought it was just me and I just heard it again.
Dustin :I always thought it's just me, because I always go I don't know what's going on, but we're getting a weird. So we're getting a really weird feedback in our headphones. Everything's echoey, like our intro was just echoey, but I don't think it's playing that on the feedback, so hopefully not otherwise, this is going to be a very interesting episode for everyone it'll feel like you're at a concert.
Dustin :Welcome to it, but yeah as you guys know, we struggled with uh interviews and additional mics recently, and then we bought some more hardware we used it last week with geo and jordan, and then it appears that this week it's not, yeah, two weeks ago. It appears that the new equipment that we bought is also faulty. Um, so today we are going to be doing an episode with a total of four people and only two microphones, so we're going to be microphone sharing today. Here we go, it's going to be fun.
Dustin :And it's going to be fun.
Ashley:But Welcome to this week's episode. It's going to be chaotic, it's going to be epic yeah, it is.
Dustin :But it's epic.
Ashley:Remember that time we decided we were going to take a break from talking about theme parks, and here we go thank you so much.
Dustin :Universal, we we kind of do you guys ever sleep like.
Ashley:I wonder if that corporate office ever takes a nap y'all should do that, um, but it's well.
Dustin :I was going to say that's not why it's going to be epic. It was going to be epic because we have two very special guests in the studio with us.
Ashley:It's about damn time that's all I gotta say. I'm bringing Lizzo into this conversation because these two should have been here already, seeing as how one of them literally is on our payroll and the other one is the girlfriend of the person that's on our payroll.
Dustin :And it's supposed to do social media Correct?
Ashley:We will be asking the hard questions and we will be expecting answers.
Dustin :But, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the show.
Ashley:Our producer, Zach and Julia.
Dustin :Who's not our producer?
Speaker 4:Hi guys, hello, Hi, you've definitely heard us before.
Ashley:I was going to say you definitely have heard us before. This isn't the first time.
Dustin :Yes, but it also wasn't planned last week. You guys just kind of walked in the door and we just kind of went with it.
Ashley:Correct. So this time you actually planned and you're introduced. So we do have a couple questions. Where have you been Honest to God? Where, when?
Speaker 4:At work.
Ashley:I was going to say working or at a theme park. Guess who's not getting a Christmas bonus. I'm looking at them, hey, you know, because they're on their payroll.
Speaker 1:They're not getting anything.
Dustin :Well, I mean, we all work for free, so Adequate performance gets adequate rewards Does that mean I have to add this to my taxes. You have to do it the Dollywood way.
Ashley:So there's only four boxes and it would be needs improvement. You know what it is? It's the difference between sourly and hourly. But uh, how many times does that get plugged into these episodes.
Dustin :That's so good I forget we do that it's always a second late, though, because my brain has to process and go oh, press the button maybe you should get a get a producer to do that.
Ashley:But oh my god, we're gonna hire a new one. Is there anybody out there that would like to work for, uh, dustin and I to cover our producing and our social media, because the two people that are supposed to do those things, um, have been terminated that'll also work for free. That's a big one we'll feed you in food and beer.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's not true.
Dustin :I have to buy my own oh, speaking of which, uh, ashley, tell us about this wonderful cocktail that me and zach are drinking. Well, I'm drinking tonight. Zach's not drinking this, he's drinking well, zach's got, got he can talk about his his thing in a minute, but what did you make me? What cocktail do I have?
Ashley:so this is is my rendition of a healthy, um vodka drink for the summertime. Um, I've been calling it well, julia's been naming it. Ashley's concoction is what you branded it, so it's cranberry juice, pineapple juice, and then trader joe's power of red, and then vodka or rum, so you can do either one okay, so.
Dustin :So julia's version is called ashley's cocktail, correct concoction. But what is mine? The alcoholic version to her shirley temple I don't really know.
Ashley:Well, it's not a shirley temple because it's got pineapple juice in it and Power of Red.
Dustin :I'm making fun of the child in our presence, oh yeah.
Ashley:Yeah, we do not condone under 21-year-old drinking.
Dustin :What are you drinking? What is your mocktail?
Ashley:Kombucha Because it's good for my gut and it's back, but I got a new one.
Dustin :This one. So it's literally like orange juice, but kombuchi. You know what it smelled like to me when I smelled it?
Ashley:oh god, an orange fart. Do you know what you smell like every time I sit next to you? Worse than an orange fart.
Speaker 4:Oh, thank you, zach uh, I'm drinking summer shandy he rehearsed that so long.
Ashley:What was the drop?
Speaker 4:for it was supposed to be like a beer, a beer cap on the on the glass. That was supposed to be like a beer cap on the glass.
Ashley:It was supposed to sound really nice, you rehearsed that and it was beautiful and that was not.
Speaker 4:It just didn't work. God bless.
Ashley:Can you tell us a little bit about Light and Cuckoo's Summer Shandy? Do you know anything about?
Speaker 4:it. I know it's German. Ashley introduced me uh in publics one day. It was buy one, get one. Uh, I said, why not?
Ashley:this is all I drink in the summertime.
Speaker 4:It tastes it tastes like like a light beer, but with like a hint of lemon because it's lemonade and beer.
Ashley:It's really nice, that's literally what it is it's the big kid version of um an arnold palmer oh yeah, it's so delicious and it's even better. Miller's has that on tap, and on tap I mean obviously. I prefer on tap over bottles. At most places, however, I unless it's bud light but light always has to come in a bottle for me. But summer shandy on tap is so, so good, like 10 out of 10. We'll take it to miller's, then you'll drink it and it's great.
Dustin :10 out of 10 would recommend yeah it's great all right? Well, we've got a lot of fun stuff to talk about today, um, so I think are we ready to jump in, or do we have anything else?
Ashley:no, I think that's it.
Dustin :Let's go, all right, let so. As we promised you guys a while back, we had the uh social media ban in florida. That was up in discussion, and are we good? Yeah, okay, um, and I have an update for you guys.
Dustin :So on march 23rd, uh, governor ron desantis signedB3, or, as it's been more commonly known as the social media ban, which prohibits children under the age of 14 from becoming social media account holders and allows 14 and 15 year olds to become account holders with parental consent. So this differs from the original one, where it was just anyone under the age of 16. Governor Ron DeSantis said upon signing the bill that social media harms children in a variety of ways and HB3 gives parents a greater ability to protect their children. He then went on to thank Speaker Renner for delivering this landmark legislation. So, according to the governor's office, this bill prevents minors younger than 14 from becoming social media account holders, it empowers parents to decide whether 14 and 15 year olds can have a social media account and it protects the accountability or, excuse me, it protects the ability of Floridians to remain anonymous on theographic or sexually explicit websites, to use age verification to prevent minors from accessing sites that are inappropriate for children. So the association NetChoice is among critics that oppose the law on the constitutional free speech grounds.
Dustin :Carl I think it's Zanbz, who is the vice president and general counsel for NetChoice, said that the data consolidation for age verification will lead to a large honeypot of personal data that will be a large magnet for hackers. He went on to say in an interview with Weekend Edition of NPR anyone who has ever gone out and bought anything that requires a driver's license and age verification knows that if you're going to ban access, you have to check the IDs of every single adult who claims to say that they are over 15. So what we're actually going to see is a massive data collection of every single Floridian trying to use social media. We're talking about data collections from our most sensitive personal information, like driver's license numbers, social security numbers, passports and other things that prove that you are who you say you are and you are the age that you claim to be. So it's unknown at this time how, or even if, social media companies will be able to uphold this law on their platforms. This would mean that Floridians would have to put all of their trust for their digital fingerprint and personal information into companies like Meta, snapchat and TikTok. Now Meta alone has showed us how our private data has been leaked from their servers as far back as 2007. And it appears that the company hasn't gone more than two years without personal data being leaked or hacked.
Dustin :So what does this mean? What exactly does this mean for Floridians on social platforms? So we reached out to the governor's office to ask what measures that he will put in place to safeguard the privacy of Florida residents, particularly minors in the process of validating guardianship, and how his office plans to hold social media platforms accountable for the protection of personal information in the event of a data breach or leak. And how will this affect adults without children or anyone who already has a social media profile. So we haven't heard back from them at the time of this recording, but we will reach out again and update you guys once we hear back. So for all of us in here we don't have children, but from my understanding, we will have to input our personal information in to validate that we are all over the age of 15, we're 16 years or older. So that means that we're going to have to put in our private information and we are going to have to trust these social media platforms to keep us safe, so hot take. What is your all's opinion on that, ashley?
Ashley:Oh, you want me to speak, yeah.
Dustin :Oh, okay, I said I would read everything that I had typed and then we'll open it to a conversation.
Ashley:Were you listening, jesus Christ? Okay, good Lord.
Dustin :Unprofessional.
Ashley:Let's go on a rant for 25 minutes. No, I don't, I don't, I don't know.
Speaker 4:Guys let's go on a rant for 25 minutes. No, I don't, I don't, I don't know. Guys, stop fighting please. So, zach, what's your opinion on this? I'm so terrified. Oh, um, you missed your cue. I did um a terrible producer. Yeah, you are, hire me we already.
Dustin :We already have, we already have fired you and actively tried to replace you I, I mean, I don't really have a say, not really tech savvy, so how do you feel about having to put your personal information, such as your date of birth, your driver's license number, things that you have to use to validate your age onto a social media platform like meta?
Speaker 4:I, I would hate it.
Ashley:Well, you also, zach. You're not a social media person, though, so I think it's, it's pretty. I don't think you no offense are a person to kind of have an opinion on this because you only have one social media platform, facebook, am I right?
Speaker 4:I mean, oh, and you have instagram but how rarely do you use those and snapchat? Yeah, but snapchat oh, it's a social media platform, jesus because instagram isn't instagram still meta yeah, it's, it's a relative of facebook I mean, I would still would hate to have to input my personal information I just don't anywhere, I don't know how this is gonna work out there yeah, so what's your opinion, ashley?
Ashley:I don't know how this is gonna work, like that's my thing is I just I feel like there's too many variables and too many questions that I have. I mean, we sit and we trust our my iPhone to hold my credit card. You know, now there's there's gonna. There's a rumor that they're going to start doing IDs now on your phone, so that way, when you travel, you don't have to take that.
Dustin :Several states already do that.
Ashley:Yeah, when you buy alcohol, they're like, yeah, you can cover that, but the state has to approve it first. So I can't imagine what this is going to be like now that I have to put my my driver's license number into my instagram. Are we going to have to do that for the podcast page too? Are we going to have to do?
Dustin :that like for each separate one.
Ashley:Is that going to be a thing?
Dustin :it would be for for social media, we would have to prove that our business account is held by someone.
Ashley:But then my question goes to okay, are you going to be mad because I have my? My cat has an Instagram page. She's two.
Dustin :She don't count. So, Julia, what's your opinion on this?
Ashley:I mean Ashley kind of said basically what I would have said. I don't know, I don't really feel comfortable with that, I guess.
Dustin :Would you keep social media if that meant you had to put in your social security number to meta?
Ashley:Oh God, I don't know. I mean, I would get rid of Facebook and Instagram with ease. I don't really use any of them either way. My big one would be Snapchat for me, Like Twitter.
Dustin :Oh yeah. And Twitter, oh God. I mean Twitter's already kind of going through on websites that are pornographic or have sexual content. Elon Musk was very clear X is for everything and nudity porn is on Twitter. So does that mean that these children will not have access to the Twitter platform at all?
Ashley:Does that mean that Elon Musk is going to try to fight this too? If he decides, if they decide to go that route and say, hi, twitter is included in this, are we going to see Elonk, against the state of florida, go up against them and go, hey, no, I said, twitter is for everybody. I own twitter.
Dustin :You do not own twitter do you think that the state of florida would want that to happen, with him using cape canaveral for spacex?
Speaker 4:I mean, yeah, that's the thing, that's what I was gonna bring up. He's. He's a big contributor, contributor for the space program down here where it originated, so it's going to be a huge battle.
Ashley:I think this is going to be interesting to watch. I think it's going to be interesting to watch come the future.
Speaker 4:I mean, this is still going to be. We're probably talking maybe a year or so down the road.
Ashley:Yeah, I don't see this happening tomorrow.
Dustin :It's supposed to take effect in January of 2025. However, there are several lawsuits out against the state right now and a lot of people are saying that the state will probably lose, because it is. It's just. This is going to be unrealistic to manage.
Ashley:I mean, I think it's great that we're trying to come up with an idea to protect the children of the world, because, I mean, at the end of the day, we have no choice but to. We've watched how many children get affected by things that they shouldn't be affected at because parents aren't paying attention. But I think here's the thing. I think, instead of punishing the children, let's punish the parents. Add to that Teach these parents how to parent their children, so then that way they can be better educated on what to watch and what to pay attention to. You can literally any idiot can be a parent, but it requires an ID to have a gun and everything else.
Dustin :One night at prom, and here you go. I think that that brings up the biggest question that a lot of people have said with this whole situation is should the government parent social media use for minors, or should the parents parent their own children?
Ashley:Parents parent their own children.
Speaker 4:Parents parent their own children.
Ashley:That's the parent's job, I mean if we were. Can we? Can we can. I ask a question how was how? How were your parents with social media when you guys were kids?
Speaker 4:I was born in the 90s, so I didn't really get a phone until phones started becoming like more and more of a thing.
Ashley:You probably yeah, we started with flip phones first. More and more of a thing. Yeah, we started with flip phones first. Flip phones Without internet on them.
Speaker 4:I haven't. Yeah, I had to pay 10 cents a text message.
Ashley:You got social media after we became adults.
Speaker 4:I was in high school when I got a Facebook.
Ashley:Okay, you're the youngest out of all of us here. How were your parents with social media? Well, my mom wasn't too strict, but she trusted me. I mean, I grew up like peak, like social media coming, like, becoming a thing like I remember when snapchat was first introduced, it was like the biggest deal, for like anyone in my age, like I, didn't use snapchat for the first year.
Dustin :It was out.
Speaker 4:I thought it was stupid no, I yeah I'm with justin on that one I loved it.
Ashley:I got it because it was like the cool thing to do. You know, like all the other kids were doing it, I was like I mean, hey, mom, please let me have it like I'm begging, please. Um. So my mom wasn't too strict, but she had all the social medias that I had so she would monitor what I posted. I remember like one time I posted something she didn't like grounded, took my phone immediately, so like she wasn't like strict, but she knew what I was doing and I think that was like the best way to do it, because I ended up not having like too much crazy stuff happening when I was on social media as a kid.
Ashley:Like I had a pretty normal like experience when I know a lot of people haven't, I guess.
Ashley:See, she parented. She did what she needed to. She parented. How it went. I mean, I was the same way. I got Facebook my senior year of high school, my senior year of high school and my it was through my mom's account that I had facebook, so she monetized the whole thing. We had a family computer. That's where I could sit and do the entire thing. It wasn't something that, like, was on my phone because I had a flip phone. I didn't have facebook on my phone like I do now. So I think we, we I have a bruce on me, a bruce hair on me. I think you don't parent. The government needs to stop trying to parent 14 year olds and start parenting the parents. Let's do that.
Dustin :I think that it speaks volumes to the fact of right now, what should be happening is when a child's turning 13 or 14, 15 years old, it should be a conversation between the child and the parent of whether or not they should or should not be on social media, and I feel as though this I do agree, we do need to do something as a society to protect our children, but I feel that HB3 is taking away the parents ability to have that conversation. There's they can still have that conversation now, but it's not going to mean anything if they then have to verify their identity and then verify a child's identity. Which. How are we supposed to verify a child's identity other than a birth certificate and a social security?
Ashley:card. Is that what you're going to start doing? You're going to start making these parents upload birth certificates and and social.
Dustin :Yeah, let's do that with meta, when they've got literally hundreds of millions of users with their information.
Ashley:Just watch tiktok get sued because that that the same situation happened with the tiktok shops. What do you want? This all over again?
Dustin :2.0 well, and I think it's funny because on meta now it is illegal for meta to advertise to anyone under the age of 18. So this was something that I dealt with when I was working in digital media back in Tennessee, and so we went from no children to now. We're no longer going to market to children, but we want to retain their personal information and their private information. That, if it gets leaked or hacked, their credit can be completely destroyed before they ever turn 18.
Ashley:Correct. What do we need to do this for?
Dustin :No.
Ashley:I think, instead, what we need to do this for? No, I think, instead, what we do is you create some sort of classes. You create some sort of educational program that parents can elect into. You get them educated. You educate the parents on what is happening in social media, where it's within. That way, they can be up to date on it, because there are so many parents nowadays that grew up in a generation before Zach and I did and did not do not know what social media is. I had to teach my mother how to use Instagram. I had to teach my mother how to use Snapchat, so you create a class for them. You create some sort of easy this is how to DIY, how to do it wiki page that explains to them. This is how it is. This is how you need to watch your children, not hi, let me decide it for you. I think you guys are the governments in all of our uteruses, so you need to stay out of my social media. That's how I look at it. That's my thoughts.
Dustin :Yeah, that's pretty much it. So, like I did say earlier, we have reached out to Governor Ron DeSantis' office to ask those questions and see if they've even thought of these things and if they have looked at this stuff, things, and if they have looked at this stuff, so we will update you guys, um, when and if we hear back from the office. When the email was sent out, I was informed that they have at a very high volume of emails coming in right now.
Ashley:Um, and this may be something that they don't reply to us at all, um, but I guess we'll find out I'll be sure to put the our letter that we did reach out to to the governor on our social media platform so that way you guys can see it, and then I will also put a link on there so that you can, if you feel just as strongly as destin and I do um about all of this, that you can send your own letter to, to mr ron and, you know, get your opinion out and go from there mr ron listen, I just that man does some, some shit that I just don't feel like I have fully accepted the fact that he is governor.
Ashley:So I don't know if you have accepted that title yet and that might piss some people off, but at the end of the day it's my opinion not my governor he's really not.
Dustin :He's not great with that being said, that's all we have for that, so let's jump into our main topic for the day.
Ashley:Whoa hey, it's time for the clapping go go now, clapping now yeah, give me the clap.
Dustin :We'll be right back, Thank you. Explore how to Train your Dragon Isle of Berk, and discover an island where Vikings and fire-breathing dragons exist together in harmony Opening 2025 at Universal Epic Universe.
Ashley:On March 28, 2024, members of the creative team provided exciting details about the fire-breathing fun and adventure that you'll have at Universal Orlando's Resort's newest theme park. This included a roller coaster ride through the Isles of Berk, a spectacular live stage show, a thrilling dragon race trainer attraction, flying dragons and much, much more.
Dustin :Journey to a rocky isle and discover a village populated by rugged vikings and rambunctious dragons. From an exciting roller coaster to a heartwarming live show, it's fire-breathing fun for all ages.
Ashley:Now, when you enter the land through the portal, you are met with sweeping views of the island from across the lagoon. Now you're going to ask yourself where in this timeline are you when you visit? According to katie patel, assistant director, executive producer, universal creative, you're between movies two and three in a time that they're calling burke 2.5 I love that burke 2.5.
Dustin :I think it's so cute.
Ashley:Burke two and a half I definitely think I mispronounced katie's last and I do apologize, Katie, but I do not know how to say it. None of us do so understandable.
Dustin :So um, so yeah. So just recently universal officially came out and gave us more details not all of the details on this land, but they definitely gave us more details than what we had, which has been great, because now we have an update for all of you guys. So during this announcement they said, or they confirmed, some of the attractions and at least one of the dining areas for the attraction. So, zach, you want to talk about the first one.
Ashley:Oh, oh, I get the honors of to introduce ourproducer gets the honors of talking about a brand new attraction.
Speaker 4:He's still current for this episode. Hiccup's Wing Gliders. From Hiccup's workshop comes this latest contraption A winged flying machine that launches a spring dragon Aspiring I can't read.
Ashley:Spring dragons Yep, spring dragon Buddy, you've been fired. Aspiring dragon, you dragons, yep, spring dragon Buddy, you've been fired. Aspiring dragon rider. You messed me up, ashley. You messed me up. You messed yourself up.
Speaker 4:A wing flying machine that launches aspiring dragon riders into the air, swooping and soaring and encountering Hiccup and Toothless along the way. Get ready to board Hiccup's wing gliders. A fun coaster that invites Vikingsikings to prove they are brave enough to speed through the sky with dragons.
Ashley:Please, he's never ready again.
Dustin :Somebody take the mic away from him, hey reading and recording is stressful, especially if you like, don't practice at first especially when they throw the microphone on my lap and we also prior discussion.
Ashley:We also can't judge because remember that episode we did of the City Beautiful.
Dustin :Yeah, it was bad. Remember how many times we had to redo that it was so bad. So do we know? I don't know, Do we? Can we confirm who the manufacturer is? Julia, who is the manufacturer for this?
Ashley:Intamin Amusement Rides.
Dustin :Oh, this one's.
Speaker 4:Intamin.
Speaker 1:So proud of them. I love them.
Ashley:Hey Julie, can you tell me who some famous Intamin rides are that we would know? Well, right down the street at Islands of Adventure there's Velocicoaster.
Dustin :Hagrid's Magical.
Ashley:Creatures, motorbike Adventure Trademark. Oh yes, of course. Down the road in another park, busch Gardens, has Cheetah Hunt. That's another Intamin. I think those are the only notable ones. So that means Universal has worked with Intamin before. Who makes Mummy? Is that also Intamin? That's not Intamin, that would be Premiere.
Dustin :So the thing that I like about Intamin and their work with Universal so far is how themed and well done these attractions are. So that's just going to tell us that this is going to be another really, really good one. So this ride type is considered a thrill ride. It has a minimum height requirement of 40 inches, or 102 centimeters from those of you across the pond Wow, I said it again. And then there is a supervising companion requirement. Guests between 40 and 48 inches must be accompanied by a supervising companion, and it should go without saying, but handheld infants are not permitted.
Ashley:I'll make sure to hold Julia's hand during the ride.
Dustin :Bless, do you guys have your notes pulled up?
Ashley:We do, guess who's going to do the next one.
Dustin :Julia.
Ashley:Oh my gosh, this is so exciting. Okay, all right. So dragons oh my gosh, I'm in front of you, I'm in front of you. I can't read the word dragon, okay, um, you got this. You got this all right. Our next attraction is dragon racers rally. Uh, the sport of dragon racing is a celebrated pastime on the isle of burke. At dragon racers rally, burke's new vikings can practice you've got this, you've got it.
Dustin :Why are you laughing?
Ashley:guys, I can't, I can't. No, that's not that word. There's a, b. Why is there a? B aerobatic, aerobatic, I think it's aerobatic aerobatic maneuvers and high speed barrel rolls on a viking made dragon riding trainer. You'll need these high flying, gravity defying, swooping and soaring skills if you hope to become a champion dragon racer.
Dustin :Good job, julia, I'm so proud of you. So does anyone know who the manufacturer for this one is?
Ashley:Gerstlauer.
Dustin :Ah, this is the Gerstlauer. I love that she knows all these things. Yes.
Ashley:Guess who has taken over your job.
Dustin :So what's interesting to me about this ride is so this is technically a flat ride. This is, if you haven't seen it, it's the one where you sit in the chair and you have a wing on your left or your right and you control the rudder of the wing so you can do barrel rolls is it kind of like dumbo kind of concept, except?
Ashley:you're moving right? No, not at all. So then, what is it?
Dustin :it's we'll pull up the concept video so you can see it.
Ashley:I feel, but it's the similar concept where it's in a circle like this, and I'm just, you're on a giant arm and the arm is swinging, so is it more like forbidden journey, well like with the arm kind of concept?
Dustin :no, no, I'll pull up the video. You are so lost I'm not gonna lie.
Ashley:Well, don't have the video. It's. It's a big giant arm. It has on one side of it a bunch of seats and you have two wings on both sides. You control those wings so you have the choice. So when it goes like around and up, you can flip. Um, I went on one. They're actually really fun. I went on the one. I uh, the mall of america, this the like teenage mutant ninja turtle one.
Dustin :I think the original concept for this style of attraction used to be that, like you, were a pilot in an airplane.
Ashley:Yeah, because then you can flip it and then you can flip as many times as you want.
Dustin :It's kind of a fun concept, or you don't flip at all. Yeah. So you don't have to no, you're in full control, oh perfect.
Dustin :Yeah, you get the little wings and you can just move known of them doing. But I mean, I know they've probably done more, but it's the first one. I know They've done Mystery Mine at Dollywood Fire Chaser Express at Dollywood. They did the Smiler at Alton Towers and several others. Do you want to go over the stuff for it below? No, okay. So it has a minimum height requirement of 48 inches tall or 122 centimeters. This is considered a high thrill attraction and there is no supervising companion for this one, because you must be 48 inches tall to ride and it is a single rider vehicle. So while there can be like up to I don't know how many seats there are per arm I know there's two arms for this one, but there's you sit in your own little dragon in this case and rotate I can't hold your hand, that's so sad all right, you get to do this one the next one is going to be kind of what I'm most excited for in this area, um, and it is uh, fire drill and that's f?
Dustin :y r e drill go get them brothers so, with fire breathing dragons everywhere, villagers have to be prepared. Viking twins, rough nut and tough nut. What in the world have transformed burke's fire school? I knew you were gonna do that into a watery interactive battle boat at sea. Board your ship in fire drill and blast your water cannons at flame-like targets and the occupants of every other boat to out-soak other Vikings.
Ashley:Julia do you know the manufacturer for this one? It's Mac, I'm pretty sure it's Mac I could be wrong, but Mac is also working with Universal a lot Epic Universe. Is there any other attractions that Mock does right now for Universal? Currently in the parks? No.
Dustin :They did build River Battle at Dollywood. Oh, I've done that. I think it was Tom Sawyer something. Another at Silver Dollar City oh, very nice. Huh, legoland has one.
Ashley:Oh yeah.
Dustin :Legoland does have that one, the pirate themed one, yes. So this is a very slow going ride. There's no rapids. Um, you will come off wetter than dudley do. Rights rips off falls on this one, because other people have water guns and they can just shoot you. And I know at dollywood and silver dollar, people off of the ride, so on the walking path, have guns that can actually spray you. So I don't know if we're going to see this at Epic Universe Definitely not an attraction that I'm going to participate in, because I hate that type of ride, but there are so many people out there that love it.
Ashley:Yeah, do it for the credit babe.
Dustin :There's no minimum height requirement. If you are under 48 inches, you must be accompanied by a supervising companion. Obviously, again, handheld infants are not permitted. Uh, and this ride type is considered a kid-friendly water ride, so it's good for everyone. This was actually my favorite, that I thought I was talking about before I realized I wasn't.
Ashley:So ashley do you know what my favorite is?
Dustin :it's also mine, but what is it?
Ashley:uh-uh, this is all me. You get the fire water. Enjoy the new restaurant that got announced. I am here for it. So Mead Hall is going to be a massive hall in Burke's main gathering place, a grand chamber that is hewed from mountain rocks, where Vikings feast on a hearty menu which include meat, fish, sandwiches and desserts, and beverage can include all assortments of meads, ciders and ales. So we are looking at like an entire brewery with sandwiches and hearty things, and I am so here for it. Like this looks. It looks so good, like so good. I cannot wait.
Ashley:It is going to be a quick service kind of concept and the menu items have yet to be confirmed. However, there will be alcoholic beverages that, obviously with a valid 21 and up ID, you will be able to consume. I am so excited that Universal is stepping out of their comfort zone and going to do something like this, that they're going to do some sort of brewery concept, because Duff Beer is, I think, the concept. There is the right idea, but I think this is going to be a beautiful, much more execution that they needed to have and a great addition to that. I'm very much looking forward to it.
Dustin :I like. The concept art for this that I've seen is amazing. So all of the stuff that we were talking about if you go to Universal's website and you select Epic Universe, you can actually get a virtual walkthrough of the Isle of Burke and Celestial Park currently, so you can see it for yourself. Keep in mind they have stated that the art that you're seeing on their website is just concept design, so it may not look like the finished product, but this meet hall is massive.
Speaker 1:And because it is.
Dustin :It is the centerpiece in the movies for the Isle of Berk. It is the meeting ground for everyone. It's where they have their. I call them. I'm going to call it a town hall meeting because I don't know what else to call it right now, um. So I think that this is going to be great and it'll be a great focal point and center point on the land.
Ashley:I'm curious to see, though, if Universal is going to go with like a a family, like a family sharing dining point, like with this, like they do in Harry Potter land right now is that they do?
Dustin :like Harry Potter land.
Ashley:Listen, that's what you get um.
Dustin :Wizarding Worldry potter, don't come first.
Ashley:Okay, listen she has lots of nicknames, but that same kind of concept that is going to be a family dining. I wonder if they're going to do like big, massive meals that are meant to be shared, because that is what they do in those movies. They do share quite large of these meals. They put big platters down, big things of ale. I'm curious to see if that's what they're going to do. I think that'd be pretty great.
Speaker 4:I don't think they're going to share food, but I can definitely see them like possibly long tables.
Ashley:No, no, no. I'm thinking like a family shared thing, like if we're a party of four. Are you talking about?
Dustin :family. I don't think it's going to be family dining because it's quick service and you only see family dining in full service restaurants when it comes to over in Harry Potter.
Ashley:Please tell me.
Speaker 4:You know what I'm talking about Three Broomsticks does have a it's quick service.
Ashley:No, it's quick service and it has a feast option. It has the feast option. I could see them offering like a feast style option and I don't know, it gives me the vibes of like Three Broomsticks or Leaky Cauldron. Yeah.
Speaker 4:Like that kind of I was with a random family and sharing their food.
Ashley:No, I meant like the four. I meant they're going to do like the four of us and they're going to do like a package thing, like they'll do a big bowl of mashed potatoes and a big thing of fish and meat and things like that, so that way we can all share.
Dustin :I could definitely see Universal doing something like that with Epic Universe. I mean, there's obviously a big influx on that's one of their key points, but I feel like with Epic they have definitely been pushing for the family aspect, so I could definitely see them doing something like this.
Ashley:I can't talk it over the fact that you, honest to God, thought I meant a stranger sharing food with you. You are so fired. Yes, zach, the strange lady that's next to you, she just wants to share her fish with you.
Dustin :All right. So this next one I want to talk about because I'm super, super, super excited for it.
Ashley:So we saw in uh, is it japan?
Dustin :uh-huh hong kong horror.
Ashley:No, I think it's it might be, it's either japan or shanghai, so in asia, in in one of the three universal parks on the continent of asia.
Dustin :Um there's three oh really?
Dustin :no, I didn't know, there was three I thought there was just two I always forget about beijing, um but they had a live stage show and still have it called the untrainable dragon, and universal has officially confirmed that we will see the untrainable dragon here at epic universe, isle of burke. So the concept of the show when a new viking shows up on the isle of Berk. So the concept of the show when a new Viking shows up on the Isle of Berk, the Vikings think that they have finally met their match. Hiccup and Toothless, along with help from Gobber and Astrid, work together to solve the mystery of the Untrainable Dragon. Experience the wonder of dragons on stage and soaring overhead.
Dustin :In this spectacular, music filled, heartwarming live show, we are actually going to see a Toothless with like 20 something foot wingspan flying over the audience and if you haven't seen the videos of this online already, you are missing out. That is amazing. So it is considered the show type is considered an action comedy and they've labeled it as music. So I don't know if that means musical. I don't know if it's going to be like live singing or lip syncing. The target audience it literally says on the website everyone, adults, teens, tweens and kids. There is a parental advisory for this show. So they do state that this theatrical production includes sudden and intense sound effects, theatrical lighting effects and performers in close proximity to the audience. So I wonder what that means do you?
Ashley:is this going to be a full copycat of the, the one that's over there?
Dustin :I mean I don't see why they would need to change it.
Ashley:It's so good so good, I don't know. That just kind of makes me sad because I feel are you ever gonna go to japan or shanghai or beijing?
Dustin :are you ever gonna go to universal? About this like two last episode about how that we were so upset that disney no, you are copying, pasting you are oh my god, but this is also not disney and we're talking about two different shows that are on literal opposite ends of the world.
Ashley:I just I feel like we copy and pasting and I don't like it.
Ashley:Okay, Well with that being said, other than Mario, this is the only thing being copy and pasted and the Mario stuff is like a little different. Just because of how big of a crowd that draws, I feel like considering the rest of this area is all brand new. A crowd that draws, I feel like considering the rest of this area is all brand new. It's not as big of a deal as some of the things that the other, the other park, sometimes does, because at least it's like also an extremely well done show. Like the show is one of the best theme park shows. I mean I've never seen it in person so I guess I can't say that, but from the videos I've seen it's one of the best theme park shows out there, a hundred percent. So like I guess it's just not as extreme as like copy and pasting, like I don't know.
Speaker 4:Rise of the resistance at a two-way because it's also not the same ride experience like a ride, it's a, it's a show you can get a different experience every time that's true.
Ashley:Maybe they mess up and it's more fun. I don't know. Well, I guess we'll just have to watch it and see. It's really cool, though. Alright, zach, what else is coming? He's going to talk about my favorite. You want to talk about it. No, you can go for it why? Don't you guys do it together and make us all want to vomit on air? This is what I'm most excited for.
Speaker 4:Say hello to Hiccup, toothless and Friends. Visit the Haddock Paddock and meet Hiccup and Toothless. You may meet Astrid with Stormfly and other favorite Vikings and dragons around Berk. You might even catch dragons flying around high overhead.
Ashley:Appearances of characters listed is subject to change without notice, and not all characters listed are guaranteed to appear at the same time or on the same day, so essentially what every other. You read that like a lawyer because she is, because it kind of is written like a lawyer like wrote it you know, because you know people would be mad that they can't meet certain characters.
Ashley:You've been, you know that's true, that is very true so this is going to be a character encounter, which is going to be a meet and greet opportunity, and it's going to allow guests to take photos with the characters. Now, um, we do not know if this means that there will only be I'm assuming it's going to be like all the other meet and greets that you can take a photo with your own phone as well, as universal also provide their photographers that will also be able to take the photo for you I'm really excited for this.
Dustin :I'm not one that likes to do meet and greets with characters, because for me like I totally get it it's a fun thing, and if I get to meet Mary Poppins, I love to get to meet Mary Poppins.
Dustin :However, I also am not 100% comfortable when it comes to interacting with a performer dressed up as a character, because I'm, like I am, a 30-year-old man interacting with someone that's in a costume. However, the fact that people are going to be able to recreate the moment that Hiccup and Toothless meet, when Hiccup bows his head and puts his hand out and Toothless places his head onto Hiccup's hand, that was really hard for me to say and I think that just that by itself is going to be an amazing photo opportunity and, based off of the concept art, I think that we could potentially be getting one of the most state of the art toothless um animatronics, characters, costumes, I don't know what it is. Universal has not confirmed that, but with what we're seeing them pull out, I think that this is going to be really amazing. Um. Now, that being said, that is everything that universal has officially confirmed wait, you really don't like character meet and greets and I do, but I don't.
Dustin :They're kind of weird I love them I just don't like waiting in line for them I love them if I'm meeting transformers, it's one thing, but if I'm meeting like if you go to like okay.
Ashley:So I feel like disney obviously kind of set the the tone for this a lot more than universo does. There's not. I don't feel like I go to universal to meet a character. I go to disney to meet some characters. Like every single time I go I always meet mickey mouse, I always like see a princess, I always do those things. So I I've waited like multiple hours to meet these people to take my photo with them I would never do that, oh my god.
Dustin :and, that being said, at universal I've met marilyn monroe, I've met lucille ball and I enjoyed those because they're characters that I can interact with, but you would never catch me waiting to interact with like Scooby-Doo or the Simpsons, because they're costume characters that don't speak and that, to me, is just kind of weird.
Ashley:I met the Jason Bourne guy. That was pretty cool.
Dustin :But so, that being said, we do know obviously there is more stuff coming to the Isle of Burke but, like we said, Universal has not officially confirmed anything and at this point in the construction phase and process we don't want to get caught up in all confusion and speculation and steer you guys in the wrong way. However, Is this my favorite part?
Ashley:Can I do it? Can I do it? All the fun facts.
Dustin :Oh, I was going to say yes. However, we did pull some fun facts directly off of the Universal website, so we're going to no, but we're calling them fast facts, Fast facts yes, they are called Epic Fast Facts. It is on their website. So, ashley, I guess you start us off with the first one and then we'll go Julia and Zach and then me.
Ashley:Wow, I love that you just explained how to take turns. Well, this is so everyone could prepare and read ahead. Zach, you have just one line, you got this buddy. Thank God. So the first fast fact about the uh new world of how to train your dragon the isla break will encompass 15.5 acres of the total 162 500 square feet of the rock work, making it a viking village for dragon size adventures. Gosh, that's gonna be huge, it is. Is this the largest of all the lands?
Dustin :um, I think it might be at this time.
Ashley:I think it's I feel like it's it's got to be tied with with mario land.
Dustin :This one we also. We do also have to understand that this one has a very large lagoon in the center now is this one of the ones that also has an additional back part of it.
Ashley:Like that we, I know, when we did talk about our epic episode, there was a portion of certain lands that had like expansion. Parts of this is is how to train your bad dragon. Part of an expansion lane I don't know.
Dustin :I just say I don't think anything that we know of um. I guess we'll just have to wait and see if universal says anything like that, but I don't, I don't think so. I mean, judging by what we have seen and what universal has confirmed, it looks like it's going to be fully encapsulated well with their lack of nap taking who knows what's up their sleeves that's also true. Oh, I'm glad you have this one, because I cannot pronounce this you got this.
Ashley:Uh oh wow, that word is wild. Um. The next fast fact is the gronkle eggshell seen on hiccups wing gliders weighs as much as 84 large chicken eggs, which is about 13 pounds. I love that, oh my.
Speaker 1:God.
Ashley:Look at all those chickens.
Dustin :I yeah, I said that and you made fun of me.
Ashley:You're not as cool as me. Grongle is crazy.
Speaker 4:It's a lot of eggs.
Ashley:That's a big egg. That's massive, that is a massive egg.
Speaker 4:Make an omelet. An eggless omelet Stop An eggless omelet.
Ashley:Guess what?
Speaker 4:I bet you that's probably going to be one of the foods that's going to be in the meat hall a 13 pound egg omelet actually it's gonna be 250 dollars and served with a pint of scrambled eggs like their breakfast option yes, oh, I could see it look at you universal attaboy, should we uh tell them that and get money from them?
Ashley:yeah, that'd be cool universal hi hire us please, we'll do your social media. It's that quote. But we will can't read nothing.
Speaker 4:Uh, another fast fact. Uh, the village's main gathering place has faux entrance doors, standing an impressive 16 feet and seven inches.
Ashley:Good lord, that is huge. That's the meat hall. I know this place is going to be massive, dude, Like it's going to be massive, it's got fake doors.
Speaker 4:I love it. How am I supposed to get in?
Ashley:It's got faux doors.
Speaker 1:I thought I had a comeback for you and I just was, like you know what you're dumb and it's not even worth me giving you some sarcastic answer.
Ashley:Right back to you. And, ladies and gentlemen, that's the end of our podcast episode, because we have all died.
Dustin :Oh bless. So the next fast fact that we have so for Fire Drill, this watery sea adventure has water cannons that shoot over 28 feet through the air to reach the many targets throughout the ride, along with other Viking ships.
Ashley:Wow, you really will come out of that drenched.
Dustin :Yeah, yeah. This ride is notable for just being soaked, and what really sucks is if someone in another boat decides you are their target. You're their target for the next two and a half minutes because you're moving at less than a mile an hour.
Ashley:You are screwed.
Dustin :Yeah, it's like that video that I saw where, um, this family was riding on a water ride and someone from the like sidewalk had a water cannon, yeah, and they were just spraying the dad and the dad was like stop, stop, stop, and he finally got out of reach and he just gave them the dad look until the boat went all the way around the corner you're screwed dude, oh fun times, so do it can I can I talk about this one?
Ashley:yeah um, our next fast fact is the untrainable dragon in the show. Toothless, it soars over the audience. That then weighs 1.157 pounds with a week no no it weighs one I saw the comma as a period, my bad a one pound dragon I'm sorry, I need to zoom in so you can't read I can't zach, still zach so how much does it?
Dustin :how much? Lizard harry how much does toothless weigh, ashley?
Ashley:1.157 pounds, no 1157 pounds. I literally saw that comma as a period. I'm dead, uh. It has a wingspan, though, of 27 feet. That is, I've said it, I've said it so many times that is massive, that is going to be. Oh, I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it. Epic, I do it every time I love that shit actually stop talking.
Dustin :Okay, good feedback again. So it stopped recording which part all of it. You're really loud, high pitch laughter I'm just done laughing.
Ashley:We didn't lose anything. Can I do the last one too?
Dustin :no, it's julia's turn, do it, do it, do it.
Ashley:We have a button for that, do you really? Oh, my god, it's me um. All right, your last fast fact. Well, this is so fun. I'm so glad I got this one um. The viking village features 30 animated and static dragons representing 17 unique dragon species throughout the world. I think that is so fun.
Speaker 1:Wow Thanks.
Dustin :So, okay, I'm going to jump back for a second, because I don't think I put it in our show notes, but it is talked about on their website. Actually, no, here it is talked about on their website. That's a lot of Anna, actually, no, here it is. So in where they say hello to Hiccup Toothless and Friends. So, as Zach read earlier, you can meet the characters. And then here's something interesting. I can't elaborate on it because I don't know any more information other than the sentence you might even catch dragons flying high overhead, so does this mean that we may potentially see something actually flying in the sky?
Ashley:I think you can. I think that's what's going to happen. I think you're gonna walk down this little path on your way to the meat thing and there's gonna be a big old dragon with a 27 foot wingspan and 1.157 weight and it's going to go over your head. That's what I think, because I can think things.
Speaker 4:Boop. I think dragons are real and we finally discovered them with Universal's big budget. We went out, they spent the money. They hired someone. Thank money, they hired someone, thank you, thank you. They hired someone to go out and find a dragon.
Ashley:Thanks, JK Rowling. We borrowed the one on top of the bank. I was going to say, hey, this is perfect opportunity to bring back Pyrock and Blizzrock. Give me a little dragon challenge reference Dueling dragon challenge.
Speaker 4:The Gerslauer is red and blue. That's what I'm saying.
Ashley:I want to see Blizzrock and Pyrock fly over my head. That would be exciting. I had a bet for this episode that two things were going to happen. I was waiting for Julia to make a comment about some sort of horror thing or some sort of dragon challenge, and I was waiting for Zach not to be able to read. And both of those things happened in this episode, so it's successful. I just need Julia to talk about Halloween, horror Nights, and then we'll be real great.
Speaker 4:Oh, oh gosh Don't get me started on.
Ashley:Halloween Horror Nights. I have questions. I have questions. Are we done with our main topic?
Dustin :No.
Ashley:Oh.
Dustin :Then I don't have a question yet. Okay, we'll circle back to that. So that, unfortunately, is everything that universal has officially confirmed in the isle of burke. So if they have any more information that comes out on it, we will definitely update you guys, and I think it's pretty safe to say that we were. We'll have zach and julia back with us for sure again, but when Universal announces anything more for Epic Universe, we'll definitely come back and go over all of that with you guys. Ashley has her finger on her nose, so she wants to say something.
Ashley:I'm excited that's it that's all I got. Thank you I have questions that do not have to do with Epic but that's the show nope, we're over, we're done. No, no, I'm I'm just kidding, you can keep talking thank you so much, because every single time we have a guest, we always ask them some sort of question. Before we end up, we end the show, we have questions and I have decided to ask the best question of all.
Ashley:As we all know, this is going where? Where mardi gras season is ending, which means the next thing coming up is that godforsaken holiday that surrounds all things spooky and haunted.
Dustin :My birthday no.
Ashley:Halloween Horror Nights. It's not about you, so, my God, this entire podcast is about you. Let this question session not be so. I want to know what haunted house you want to see for this year. What? What halloween horror night season is this?
Ashley:33 all right, what do you? What do you? And julia gets to go first as our little halloween horny guru? That's a very loaded question for me. Um, there's a lot I would like to see. That I don't think is very realistic to see. Um, I feel like right now, what I really want is five nights at freddy's for an ip anyways. Um, I think I would like it more based on the games in the movie, I'm not gonna lie, but I think that would be really fun just to see the costume design with the animatronics and what they would pull out with that, because I feel like they'd be massive and it would be really cool. Um, but like non-ip or, I also would love to see more universal monsters. I feel like people are getting sick of that. I'm not I want more.
Ashley:I want so much more. I want creature I want.
Dustin :So we're going to talk about this because universal has a brand new display in the horror movie makeup show as you come out of halloween horror nights. Well, no, it's not halloween horror nights, merch. It is creature of the black lagoon merch, creature of black lagoon mannequin. And on that mannequin it has a bracelet that says hashtag 33 oh, I know.
Ashley:So on this stuff, I'm excited for that.
Dustin :I don't know what that means, but hopefully we get some creature of the black lagoon I would love to see it.
Ashley:They've been, it's been a thing for years. People have wanted it for years, so hopefully they finally put that into place. I also would love to see the icons come back. That's my other big one, specifically the director. For me, I think that would be really fun. To get a slaughter cinema part two or something to do with, like the director making some crazy films, killing people as he does. I think that would be really fun. Or chance the clown, because that's my, that's my girl right there. Would you like to see odd fellow come back? I do love odd fellow, but I really I'm chance and the director are my, are my two that I'm like obsessed with personally, so I would just I miss them a lot, but the odd fellow was great and I loved him in his entire year. Zach, would you like to?
Speaker 4:yeah to yeah. No, I agree with all what you said. Maybe not a director. I'm not the biggest fan of the director.
Ashley:He makes movies that kills people. How could you not be a fan?
Speaker 4:Because I watch horror movies. I watch horror movies, as you know, through my fingers. I also, for Horror Nights, watch the back of your back, right? I think Very true, Zach my head is just buried and you are just leading the way. But hey, I still love the season. You know, I love the jump scares. It's good for the heart, apparently.
Ashley:Zach's there to get wasted.
Speaker 4:I love the premixes, the call out.
Ashley:Zach's there to drink all the ghoul juice and keep.
Speaker 4:Universal in business for all the ghoul juice and keep universal in business for all the alcohol consumptions.
Ashley:I am not looking forward to the fact that this will be my first Halloween Horror Nights where I am going to do my first ever haunted house. I have never done one in my entire life. This is going to be the first I have enlisted the Halloween Horror Night guru and have given her full range of which house I get to go through. I am hoping that Five Nights at Freddy's is not there, because animatronics scare the crap out of me, especially Five Nights at Freddy's animatronics.
Dustin :What is that? Auto erotic phobia. Something like that. Yeah, fear of animatronics.
Ashley:That girl ate a Jimmy John's sandwich and I ain't about to be eaten. So no, thank you. I do not want to see that in live in my face because I know that's the house that she'll drag me through. So but I am excited for the gold juice. I do enjoy that and I really love Halloween Horror Nights food, Like I think it is. It is by far. For me, it ties with Mardi Gras food. I think both of them are really really good and they bring such like details to those foods items that they have. So, and I love that it's not super expensive for the food either. So, yeah, no, I'm really looking forward to this year.
Dustin :I'm excited All right, dusty, tell me what you want. Well, this one is hard for me because haunted houses don't scare me. I worked at one for 10 years, so for me it's just the immersive of the walkthrough experience and personally I think it's going to be hard to top um the last of us because it's my favorite video game, my favorite TV show, so obviously it was my absolute favorite walkthrough that I've ever done. I thoroughly enjoyed walking through the weekend's house a couple of years ago. I think that was fun.
Dustin :I like the music that you could hear from that, but I don't so like it's so hard for me to think of. Like what would I want? I'm excited to see what their original IPs are. I would love to see what they have in store for that.
Ashley:What was the big one? That was last year's, that everybody was obsessed with Oddfellow. No, no, no, oh, no, no, no, that was my baby Darkest Deal.
Dustin :Oh, darkest Deal. Yeah, darkest Deal was really good, it was fantastic, it was everybody's favorite.
Ashley:I'm an original girly at heart. I love the originals, I love them and Darkest Deal, one of the best, one of the best I've been through in a very long time.
Speaker 4:I'll agree.
Dustin :I'll say, yeah, it was pretty too, but I think I'm on the same wagon as Julia here. I would love to see a Five Nights at Freddy's house. It would be so fun. I think it would be a lot of fun. And if they do it, here's my thought process behind it With the Last of Us. They did not copy the TV show, they copied the video game true, so hopefully, if we do get a five nights at freddy's house, it will be following the video game and not the movie I want stranger things.
Ashley:Girl, there's not another season to do what I want she's done for I want you to thanks. I would also like to see some of the netflix ones. Like you know how they did haunting of hill house yeah I want.
Speaker 1:I want something like that, but I would like to see them.
Ashley:Do fear street as a scare zone. Don't do it as a house, do it as a zone. I think that would be cooler to me, I think that would be. Yeah, I could see that like do fear street as like that, where that mummy jimmy fallon time frame is right there, because I think it would go with that area pretty well.
Dustin :Yeah I think that would be neat. I agree with that, um, but yeah, so twitter halloween horror nights on twitter has been very active recently I've only been posting uh periods for the last couple of days, so we we can't actually confirm anything, but we do think that we may be getting official announcements coming soon I do think that whomever runs Halloween Horror Nights' Twitter page deserves a raise.
Ashley:Because, they are on top of their game all year round, like they are here for the comments, like I mean even just the commentaries on some of them. They're like oh, I saw one of them. She was like oh, nachu, just like teasing us, and he was like, yeah, because I want you to then scream. And I was like, okay, here for this, got it.
Dustin :No, big fan, big fan so yeah, so we'll definitely pull you guys back in once we have any more information on epic universe and halloween horror nights, uh, and we'll keep you guys updated on all of that. Um, anybody else got anything?
Speaker 4:I'm excited for I'm excited for the new coaster coming to Isla Burke. Going back to that, you went so off topic. Can we talk about that?
Ashley:it's not off topic, it's a way to bring it back.
Speaker 4:I was bringing it back.
Ashley:I was going to be like guys, please bring Scream to Halloween Horror Nights, even though that won't happen.
Speaker 4:I was scared talking about Halloween Horror Nights already.
Ashley:Oh, girl, oh buddy. You already know it's starting to be the season where I don't shut up.
Dustin :Alright, guys, we have a lot of fun stuff coming up down the pipeline. Hopefully we are in the talks with having some future guests here on the show, so we look forward to bringing that to you guys. Please don't forget to follow us on whatever platform it is that you're listening to like. Please subscribe so you can get notified when we have a new episode. Please rate the show.
Ashley:It would be greatly appreciated and, as always, share with your friends, share with your family and, of course, share with your favorite bartender, and ours is at uh, the sloppy taco palace yes we love that place good old stp love that you should go there all right bye.
Dustin :Guys, goodbye do you guys want to say bye?
Speaker 4:bye.