Happy Birthday CoasterRadio.com!

Today it's time for a birthday celebration of sorts... the CoasterRadio.com website went online for the first time seven years ago today.

We registered the domain name on February 7th, 2005 and on February 8th... we launched the site that would be the eventual home of the podcast.

Our first show wasn't produced until April, but we used the two months in-between to get both the podcast and the website ready.

Thanks to the Internet Wayback Machine, you can take a look at what the old site looked like in 2005.

It's interesting to look back and see all of the different ideas we had during the show's beginnings.  It's also interesting to see what has stuck around in 2012 and what ideas were abandoned long ago.

I think it's always useful to take a look at what creative things we did in the past, because it just might serve as inspiration for things to come.

It's also fitting because on next week's episode, we're celebrating our 200th show!  Honestly, we didn't think this thing would last past 20!

We know a lot of you have been with us since that first show in 2005 and we're grateful.  We're also thankful for all of you who have come along since then!

Happy Birthday!

Arthur Levine - TV STAR!

 

One of my "go-to" places for theme park information is Arthur Levine over at About.com.

I always like reading his detailed, descrptive and informational posts... but the TV producer in me was really excited to see that Arthur has now started producing short video segments!

It's fun to see Arthur exploring different attractions and resorts while bringing his theme park reporting to life with footage from the parks.

Some of the more recent videos include...

* Expedition Everest

* How to Meet Disney Characters

* Tips for Staying in a Disney Hotel in Orlando

* The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

* Tips for Navigating the Lines at Disney

I hope that this is just the first of many videos we see from Arthur!  Congrats!

What a View!

Over at the Coaster Crew Facebook page, they've posted some pretty amazing photos of Leviathan, a new B&M coaster under construction at Canada's Wonderland.

It looks a little unreal... almost like something that you'd only see in Roller Coaster Tycoon.

I especially like the photo above.  Imagine how cool it would be to live in one of those homes and see that monster outside your living room window.

Or... maybe it would get old after awhile.

CoasterRadio.com #618 - The Live Trip Report Show

Last summer, we sponsored a contest here at CoasterRadio.com where we would give the lucky winner a chance to produce an entire episode of the show.

We were so excited about everyone's ideas... we chose four winners!

This week, the first of those winners is stepping up to the plate to see if he has what it takes to live up to the pressure of producing a crazy podcast like this.

Tom from Louisville, KY has come up with the "Live Trip Report Show!"

He's gone though the dozens and dozens of backlogged trip reports that visitors have called in and has picked some of the most interesting ones to share with you.

Plus, to make things even more compelling... he has enlisted the services of the infamous CoasterRadio.com characters to introduce each one.

As EB says this week... "this is a show you're either gonna love or gonna hate!"

LISTEN TO THE SHOW

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Talk about this episode by leaving a comment here on the blog.

Get Advice from a Real Dating Coach!

We try to be a lot more than just a theme park and roller coaster podcast here at Coaster Radio.

That's why we're really excited about our upcoming show!

For the Valentine's Day episode of Coaster Radio, we're going to be joined by internationally-recognized Dating Coach Deanna Lorraine.

DeAnna has helped hundreds of people invigorate their dating life by identifying possible stumbling blocks that hold them back from having successful dates and meaningful relationships.

On our next show, we're giving all of you a chance to write or call in with your questions for Deanna.

Your questions can certainly be related to dating at the theme parks... but you could (and should) also ask more general questions.  DeAnna can give you answers that will help you get on the right path towards a better dating life.

Send us your questions to us by Tuesday, February 7th at 8:00pm EST by  e-mailing us at feedback@coasterradio.com.  You can also write on our Facebook Page or use our Contact Page!

The best option though is to call our voicemail line at 206-339-3360. Be a part of the show!

Interactive Experiences and Games at the Parks

One of my favorite things to do at EPCOT these days is to play the "Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure."

Sure, I feel a little self-conscious playing a game that was essentially designed for kids, but I am noticing that more and more adults are playing too.

Basically, you get a device called a "Kimmunicator" (which is essentially a Verizon Flip-Phone) so that Kim and her friends can guide you around the different EPCOT countries to help them fight crime.

The best part of the adventure is that your actions actually case things to happen all around World Showcase.

For instance, Molly and I were playing in Germany and were told to activate our "Kimmunicator" when we reached the giant glockenspiel.  Once we pressed the button, the clock came alive to reveal the next clue for the game.

It was a lot of fun to play a game where we had control over giant EPCOT icons.

Imagineers also did an excellent job blending the interactive props into the existing World Showcase architecture.

Disney is currently testing a similar experience over at the Magic Kingdom that looks even more exciting. 

The Orlando Sentinel has an excellent article about "Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom," which is the next generation of this type of interactive experience.  It looks to be more involved and have more interactive options than Kim Possible at EPCOT.

My question is, why haven't we seen these types of experiences at other locations around the country?

To me, this seems like a slam dunk for museums.  One of the best ways to educate people is to tick them into learning while they're playing a game.  Imagine if there was an interactive treasure hunt that took you all over the American History Museum.

I could even see this working at a shopping mall.  The game could take players to strategic places in the mall where they where would find clues for the game (and undoubtedly spend money too!)  It might even provide a return on the investment within a year.

Anyway, I'm excited to get down to Orlando and play "Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom."  Hopefully we'll see similar experiences at entertainment venues outside of Florida as well!

Say It Ain't So, Ferris!

By now, you've no doubt seen this commercial that spread across the web last week of what looked to be Matthew Broderick bringing back his Ferris Bueller character.

When I first saw the 10-second teaser, I was admittedly excited.

My mind raced with all of the possibilities of what a big-budget "Ferris Bueller" Super Bowl commercial might entail.

Surely, we'd see Cameron Frye, Ed Rooney, Sloane Peterson... heck, I wouldn't even mind seeing Ben Stein show up to say "Bueller... Bueller... Bueller" a few times.

In my head, I built up this commercial to be one of the greatest pop culture moments of the decade!

But after watching it today... there was no Cameron, no Mr. Rooney and actually there wasn't even a Ferris.  Matthew Broderick was playing himself going though some scenes that vagely looked like they could have come from the original movie.

I realized that the term "anticipointment" isn't just for theme park rides.  Sigh.

Be Our Guinea Pig!

By now, you've probably heard that the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Park in California are going to celebrate Leap Year by staying open for 24 straight hours on February 29th.

This means that for the first time ever, people will get to spend a solid day in the parks (if they can actually stay awake for that long).

Here's our question... are any of you actually going to attempt to spend a full 24-hours in the park?

Will you get there at 6am on Wednesday, February 29th and stay through 6am on Thursday, March 1st?

If so, we want to hear from you!

We want to document your visit and create a WHOLE EPISODE of CoasterRadio.com around you.

E-mail us at feedback@coasterradio.com if you're planning on doing this Disney "marathon!"

Weekend Theater - A Classical Rollercoaster Ride!

CoasterRadio.com #617 - Mannequin Accidents = PR Gold!

There were some crazy stories in the press this week... and a lot of them had to do with theme parks.

For instance...

Disney decided to drop a decades old rule that Walt Disney himself instated.  Starting next month, workers will be allowed to sport beards and goatees. Hipsters rejoice!

Thorpe Park in England said that their new coaster "The Swarm" was apparently having some trouble making its height clearances during testing.  Apparantly, some of the test mannequins came back without their limbs.  But the park's PR team didn't see this as a negative... they saw a golden opportunity!

I like this story for a lot of reasons, but mostly because it gave the the opportunity to post a still from one of my favorite 80's movies ever - Mannequin.  Emmy was one hot Egyptian, man.

The guys also take an opportunity to preview upcoming shows and contests!  You won't believe what is in store for February!

LISTEN TO THE SHOW

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Or you can listen online by using the podcast player on the right hand side of this page. 

Talk about this episode by leaving a comment here on the blog.

A Close-Up Look at Verbolten

Here is a video we edited (courtesy of Busch Gardens) of the final track piece of Verbolten being installed.

This is shaping up to be a pretty cool ride!  The video shows some new angles that we haven't seen yet.  There look to be a lot of fun twists and turns... especially in the "forbidden forest!"

I'm excited about the high level of theme that Larry talks about.

I also like how the finale is essentially a nod to the best part of The Big Bad Wolf.

This could be a major hit for 2012 and beyond!

Their PR Professors Would Be Proud

I want to know what PR school the flacks at Thorpe Park attended.

Because year after year, these guys amaze me with the stories that they get published.

And I'm not just talking about press in the United Kingdom... their wacky stories about Thorpe Park always go worldwide!  Here are some examples from the past few years:

* They once had a contest where they asked members of the public to donate urine to create a "signature stench" for their new "SAW Alive" horror maze.

* One summer, they banned roller coaster riders from putting the hands in the air due to complaints of body odor.

* At one point, park management called in a paranormal expert when the park was experiencing ghostly encounters.  They said they had to suspend six members of their staff after a late-night Ouija board seance at the park was blamed for a series of supernatural events.

These are not the happy, put a smile on your face type stories that we're used to hearing from Disney, Universal, Six Flags and Cedar Fair.

I'd be shocked if any of those companies ever asked their guests to show up at the park with a cup of pee in their hands.

But once again, Thorpe Park managed to get a story in the papers this week that has raised eyebrows all over the world.

According to The Telegraph, "theme park officials had to take drastic measures to the £20million project after dummies were ''alarmingly'' damaged. Thorpe Park in Surrey said a number of the crash test dummies returned with scratches and limbs missing, forcing a costly operation to make changes to comply fully with health and safety requirements."

This is usually the type of thing that, if it happened, theme park PR people would try to keep out of the press.

I remember when Kingda Ka was testing, there were all types of crazy rumors about how the test dummies were flying out of the seats during the launch.  One of the PR people from Six Flags Great Adventure actually had to come on our show to refute the story!

Now, most theme park fans who know about Thorpe Park's PR past have come to the conclusion that this is a gimmick.

If you look closely at the picture, the dummies in the front row are different than the actual testing dummies that are in all of the other rows.

Most people, including me, believe this is just a way to drum up some interest (and some irrational fear) about how intense and "dangerous" this new roller coaster will be.

I don't know what PR school these people went to, but my professor always said that the ole cliche is true... "any publicity, is good publicity."

Bring On the Beards at Disney!

Will we see this guy working in Frontierland?

One of the things I find most magical about the Disney Parks are the traditions.

Many of them go back to Walt Disney himself.

He laid out a strict set of rules and guidelines that he believed would set his parks apart from others.

For instance, you weren't supposed to see any maintenance going on while the park was open.  You also weren't supposed to see a costumed cast member from one land walking through another.

Small things like this made Disneyland better than other parks that operated around the same time.

One of the rules that has been active for 60 years is that on-stage cast members would not have any facial hair.

In the 1950's and 60's, long hair and beards were considered to be what the 'beatniks" and "hippies" wore. When you went to a carnival or run-down amusement park, most of the people working there were sporting this "unkempt look."

Walt wanted Disneyland to be different... he wanted all of the employees to look friendly and approachable.  He felt that a guy who looked like a biker probably wouldn't be the best ambassador, as nice as he may be.

So, the policy at Disney Parks has been that all male employees have short haircuts and no facial hair. There was a slight change to this policy in 2000, when Disney allowed male employees to have neatly trimmed mustaches.

But yesterday, Disney sent out this message to its employees:

“The Disney Look is an important part of the history and heritage of the Walt Disney Company. As the company continues to evolve, the Disney Look appearance guidelines must also be prepared to be re-evaluated with awareness to industry standards. Effective Friday, Feb. 3, facial hair, specifically beards and goatees are now an approved option for U.S. based Walt Disney Theme Parks and Resorts costumed and non-costumed male Cast Members, unless otherwise restricted by regulatory codes and standards."

Wait, what? Awareness to industry standards? Last time I checked, Disney IS the industry standard!

Look, I'm not one of those Disney nuts who freaks out everytime a change is made.

To tell you the truth, this issue doesn't really bother me at all.  Interacting with some guy in a goatee isn't going to ruin my day at Disney.  Just as long as that dude in the goatee keeps The Haunted Mansion running smoothly and keeps the monorails and buses on time.

But, I guess it's a bit of a bummer that one of the traditions that makes Disney special is gone.

It was one of the fun trivia facts that you could tell someone as they made their first visit to a Disney Park.  It was one of the interesting rules that was laid out by Walt Disney himself.  It was one of the things that separated Disney World and Disneyland from any other park.

It isn't something to get upset over, but it does bring Disney just a tiny step closer to Six Flags.