Tony Baxter's Greatest Achievement

Earlier this month, famed Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter announced his retirement from WDI and his transition to a "part-time advisor."

Tony's began his Disney career selling ice cream on Main Street USA at Disneyland when he was just a teenager. He started at Walt Disney Imagineering in the 1970s when it was still known as WED Enterprises.

It's been said that Tony was part of the 2nd Generation of Imagineers, because he learned directly from many of the artists that Walt Disney hired himself.

Throughout Tony's 50-year career, he has been responsible for attractions like:

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Star Tours
EPCOT's original Journey into Imagination
The Indiana Jones Adventure
Splash Mountain
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
Re-design of Disneyland's Fantasyland
Re-design of Disneyland's Tomorrowland
Disneyland Paris

That's quite an achievement, especially when you consider that many of those attractions are household names.

It's also fitting that the painting of Barnabas T. Bullion that now hangs in the interactive queue of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad bears a striking resemblance to Tony.

We'll be devoting a big part of our next show to Tony Baxter and his imprint on Disney Imagineering and the entire theme park industry.

So our question to you is... which of his attractions is your favorite?

Here are the different ways to contact us:

* Call our voicemail line - 206-339-3360
* Post your idea on our Facebook Fan Page.
* Post your idea on Twitter
* E-Mail Us (the address is to the right of this page)

CoasterRadio.com #719 - Gold Striker UPGRADED!

There's big news this week out of Northern California and we have the first interview about it.

California's Great America announced that their new roller coaster "Gold Striker" will now include the world’s longest covered initial descent tunnel on a wooden coaster.
 

Adding intrigue to the record setting feature, Gold Striker’s 174-foot tunnel will be enclosed by wood on both sides, corrugated metal on top and in-fill underneath the tracks, to replicate a true "gold mine" feel.

We'll talk with Tyler Currie, Director of Park Operations for California's Great America about the new ride and their big announcement.

We'll also discuss some rumors coming out of Walt Disney World in Orlando.  Word is leaking out about a possible re-imagining of the entire Downtown Disney complex.... complete with a new name, layout and a five-level parking garage.  Interesting stuff... but maybe Mike and EB have a better idea of what can be done with the area.

All this, plus a Live Trip Report from Kings Island, the return of "OFF TOPIC" and a visit from everyone's favorite Dutch Performance Artist!

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

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CoasterRadio.com #718 - Listener Question Show: Part I

The best thing about this show are the people who listen to it.

They are all fun, passionate people who share a love of theme parks.

They are also one of the most engaged audiences out there.  When we have asked for listener interaction in the past, we always receive interesting and energetic responses.

That's why we love our yearly "Listener Question Shows."

We received a ton of great questions this week.  Actually, we received so many from you guys... we're breaking this show into two parts!

This week, we'll answer questions like:

* If you guys were still bachelors and had your pick of the girls of any of the countries in World Showcase who would you choose?  (Extra degree of difficulty:  No Norway.)

* If you guys could punch one person in the theme park industry who would it be and why?

* What was the most embarrasing thing to happen to you in high school?

* Was the Disney Podcast Guy character based on anyone specifically?  And if so, who?

We'll also spend our "First Drop" segment discussing the best attractions created during the career of Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter.  He announced his retirement last week, so we'll spend some time talking about his legacy and his classic Disney rides.

PLUS, we'll have a Live Trip Report from Disney's Animal Kingdom and the return of the greatest Amusement Industry Game Show ever: THEME PARK SMARTS!!!

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

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Get Your Questions In!

The best compliment this show has ever received is that when you listen, it feels like you're just hanging out with a bunch of friends.

We hope that every episode makes you feel like that. But we really think our next show is the best example of it.

It's our 2013 Listener Question Show!

Yeah, we know... people send in questions all the time.  But we normally only use the ones about theme parks and thrill rides.

But for this particular show, there are NO RULES!

The questions can be about anything!

You can stick to topics like theme parks, thrill rides and the amusement industry. Or, you can go Off-Topic and ask a question about movies, music or pop culture.

You can even ask us personal questions if you'd like. Sometimes the best questions are about the podcast itself!

Here are the different ways to contact us:

* Call our voicemail line - 206-339-3360
* Post your idea on our Facebook Fan Page.
* Post your idea on Twitter

* E-Mail Us (the address is to the right of this page)

Do you have a burning question for us? Now's the time to ask!

AND, we'll be playing another round of THEME PARK SMARTS! If you want to be a contestant, drop us an e-mail!

CoasterRadio.com #717 - Pimp My Park: Disney Edition

Week after week, we get a lot of interesting feedback from you guys.

One listener will write in and say that we need to focus on the regional parks more and less on what's happening at Disney.

An hour later, we'll get an e-mail from someone wanting more talk about the Disney Parks and less about Six Flags and Cedar Fair.

It's impossible to come up with topics that please everyone, but this week we might have one that comes close.

On this week's show, Mike and EB will take a look at things that the regional theme parks can "copy" or "outright steal" from Disney to make the guest experience better for everyone.

The audience steps in with their ideas, as we discuss ways our local parks can improve the family experience.

We'll talk about ride capacity, front-of-the-line programs, food quality, attraction diversity and a bunch of other ideas that might make a trip to Six Flags a little more like a trip to Disneyland.

Plus, we'll have a Live Trip Report from Verbolten at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and the return of "Off-Topic!"

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

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Click here for our podcast RSS Feed.

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

Interactive Topic - What Can the Regional Parks Copy from Disney?

I've heard people say that "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

And when you imitate someone or something that is successful, you have a pretty good shot at being successful yourself.

Of all the theme park companies throughout the world, it's widely accepted that the Disney Parks are the best run and therefore, the most successful.

Over the decades, they have come close to perfecting a management style that makes millions of people happy each year.

So what could your nearby regional park "copy" from Disney to bring in some of that same success?

For this week's Interactive Topic, we want you to think of specific programs or practices that the Disney Parks employ that could also be brought over to your local theme park.  We're looking for specific instances here and not necesarily generalities.

For instance, don't say "I wish my local Six Flags Park would be as clean as EPCOT." Instead, talk about a specific guest experience or program that could be duplicated at a regional park.

The best answer wins a prize from the patented "CoasterRadio.com Prize Closet!"

Here are the different ways to contact us:

* Post your idea on Twitter
* Post your idea on our Facebook Fan Page.
* Call our voicemail line - 206-339-3360
* E-Mail Us (the address is to the right of this page)

CoasterRadio.com #716 - 2013: What it's all About.com

We're only a few short months away from the regional parks beginning to open up for the spring.

That means that the new attractions for 2013 will be opening at parks worldwide shortly thereafter.

Are you aware how many new rides will be opening during the upcoming year?

On this week's show, Mike and EB are joined by Arthur Levine, the Theme Parks Expert at About.com.

Arthur and the guys will weigh in on close to two dozen of the newest rides that will be thrilling guests at parks this summer.

Which ones will be hits and which ones will be misses.

The guys will also discuss the recent rumor about how Six Flags might be interested in purchasing Sea World Parks and ENtertainment.

What would it mean if Shamu and Busch Gardens were owned by Six Flags?

Plus, we'll have a Live Trip Report from Six Flags Over Texas and MUCH, MUCH MORE!

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

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CoasterRadio.com #715 - We Stole This Show

Imagine covering 40 different topics of discussion in a 60-minute show.

Sounds exhausting, right?

Mike and EB will attempt to do it, as they lovingly "ripoff" one of their favorite ESPN programs, "Pardon the Interruption."

PTI is known for its fast-paced conversation, incessant bickering between the hosts and rapid-fire topics.

The show uses a countdown timer in order to keep the conversation moving.  Once the time expires, the hosts hear a buzzer and they have to move on to the next topic.  They also have an updated rundown of the show on the side of the screen.

If CoasterRadio.com was a video podcast, this week's episode might look like this:

But even though we're an audio podcast, you get the idea.

Topics on this week's show include:

* Doubts about Cedar Point's supremacy amongst theme parks
* Universal getting into the MyMagic+ game
* Choosing the #1 flat ride in the world
* Replacements for Son of Beast
* Lou Mongello being mentioned in the Spiderman comic book series
* Adults-only nights at the parks
* Iconic rides being retired
* Tom Hanks as Walt Disney
* Stacey Lantz joins us to talk about her RunDisney experience
* Plus MUCH, MUCH MORE!

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

LISTEN TO THE SHOW

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Show Notes

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Click here for our podcast RSS Feed.

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

Help us with a Ripoff!

On next week's show, we're bring back an old favorite - PARDON THE RIPOFF!

We're basically stealing the idea from ESPN's Pardon The Interruption, where the hosts quickly talk about the day's sports stories in 60-seconds or less.

The cool thing about this show is that we get to cover a lot of topics quickly.

So it's your chance to help us produce the show. Send in your ideas for quick discussion topics. Ideally, they're about the amusement industry... but we don't mind if you go "Off Topic."

Here are the different ways to contact us:

* Post your idea on Twitter
* Post your idea on our Facebook Fan Page.
* Call our voicemail line - 206-339-3360
* E-Mail Us (the address is to the right of this page)

CoasterRadio.com #714 - Rockin' New Years Countdown!

It's the start of a New Year!  Happy 2013!

To celebrate, we'll look forwards and backwards.

We'll take a look at all of the Best New Attractions from 2012 and how they affected parks across the world.

Which rides were hits?  Which ones were misses?  Which one will be crowned the "CoasterRadio.com Best New Attraction of 2012?"  We'll find out on this week's episode.

We'll also have an in-depth discussion about the new RFID initiative that Disney announced this week...MyMagic+.  You'll want to listen closely to what the guys have to say, because Disney's announcement is going to radically change the way you visit their parks.

Mike and EB will give you the scoop on how the FastPass+ system will work and the changes that are coming sometime in 2013.

AND... since it is a New Year's Show, we'll have our 3rd Annual "Rockin' New Years Eve with Bob the Lobster!"

Our own "Crustacean Correspondent" was inside the "Tank at Times Square" to report on all of the happenings at the "Crossroads of the World." He'll countdown to midnight, see the shiny ball drop and maybe even get a kiss from a famous starlet!  Whoa!

All that, plus a Live Trip Report from Dollywood on this week's episode of The Original Theme Park Podcast!

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

LISTEN TO THE SHOW

Direct Podcast Link
Show Notes

Click here to subscribe through iTunes.

Click here for our podcast RSS Feed.

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.

Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights - 2012

Josh, one of our listeners from DC, was at Disney's Hollywood Studios and took these photos on the last night of the spectacle. Thanks for sharing Josh!

Winter Construction on Hades 360

Justin was in Wisconsin Dells, WI and stopped by Mt. Olympus to check out how contruction was going on Hades 360! Here are some shots!

CoasterRadio.com #713 - Guest Hosted by Ricky Brigante and YOU!

This week, we do something on the show that hasn't been done since October 10, 2005!

For the first time in seven years, an episode of Coaster Radio will not be hosted by either Mike or EB.

Instead, we welcome several guest hosts!

First, as master of ceremonies, we're happy to welcome Ricky Brigante... host of the extremely popular and longest running Disney podcast in the world, Inside the Magic.

Ricky will be the ringleader this week, welcoming CoasterRadio.com listeners as they introduce their favorite show moments from 2012.

You'll hear the best interviews, guest appearances, character segments and stories from the past year.  You might even hear a few things that are new to you!

We'll also have a Live Trip Report from Six Flags Magic Mountain and hear about some improvements that have been made to the California Theme Park.

Don't forget to vote for the CoasterRadio.com Best New Attraction of 2012! Voting runs from now through Tuesday, January 8th.

Check out all of the show notes and links in our new interactive ZEEN - "In Styleee!" It's brand new for Season Seven!

LISTEN TO THE SHOW

Direct Podcast Link
Show Notes

Click here to subscribe through iTunes.

Click here for our podcast RSS Feed.

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.