Podcast: The Ride - Dark Universe with Chelsea Rebecca

Episode Date: August 15, 2025

PTR and the returning Chelsea Rebecca (Dead Meat) don capes and cloaks and little half masks to travel undetected through Epic Universe's new monster-themed land. Do they enjoy the dyed food and gentleman monsters?  "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Michael Graves Causeway" episode is up at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon.com/PodcastTheRide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FOLLOW PODCAST: THE RIDE: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/PodcastTheRide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/podcasttheride⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ BUY PODCAST: THE RIDE MERCH: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.teepublic.com/stores/podcast-the-ride⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PODCAST THE RIDE IS A FOREVER DOG PODCAST ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://foreverdogpodcasts.com/podcasts/podcast-the-ride⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Forever. Dog. Warning, the following podcast may contain Nepo Monsters, tummy crushing graphic teas, an invisible yet sexy man, and nets everywhere. All this plus Chelsea Rebecca returns to chat about

Epic Universe's Dark Universe on today's podcast, The Ride. Welcome to Podcast the Ride, where today we return to Epic Universe, the new theme park where hide where hideous monsters thrive. But enough about J.K. Rowling. Let's talk about Frankenstein and stuff. I'm Scott Gardner. Here's my Carlson. I'm here.

Can we add in a like ba-p-p-p-ba-bang or something? I guess that's not really appropriate for that. I like that better than like a rim shot or something. That's what I was going for. That's the modern rim shot. I love that. Yeah, something more like whatever DJ Collids like drop. I don't know.

With DJ Collid, that wouldn't be inappropriate right after you made a joke, I guess. Another one could work. Another one, yeah. Now we're with the times of eight years ago. Jason Sheridan What if Jason just said Jason Sheridan Right after you said you do a joke

After my joke? Yeah He was confusing It is I don't disagree But it might be good I think listeners would like it though They'd be like well that's great

I got a Scott joke And I got Jason saying his own name I would like it Yeah It was a wonderful set of circumstances You put a slam dunk noise in there too Not with me I mean with his joke

Oh when he makes a joke Now here's the thing I really like that idea but does a slam dunk itself make enough of a noise? I mean, there's like a swish. If they hit the backboard or like the rim. And I think if you add in kind of a, then I think we're, then I think we got plenty.

That's called buzzer-beater. And if there's a few in a row and you can throw in, he's on fire. Yeah, Marv Albert soundbite could be there. Look at us talking sports specifics. Yeah, wow. Because they said Mar-valbert? Well, and we're talking buzzer-beaters. We're talking rim noises.

We know our stuff. We know rim noises. We know rim noises and we know Mar-Balbert. We know old, old announcers. But what we know a little bit better, slightly better, is theme parks. And I'm really glad that we now are here in the afterglow of the opening of epic universe. We have new stuff to talk about so much of it. And it's a good excuse to bring some of our favorite guests on who have also made the pilgrimage who've gotten to be.

part of the magic. And I'm really happy this was an excuse to bring back a wonderful guest, horror aficionado and host of Dead Meat. It's Chelsea, Rebecca. Hi. Hi. Hello. I'm so excited to be back. Yeah, yeah. We're so excited to have you. I, uh, yeah. No, we, we loved our chat the first time. We loved Psycho House, Norman Bates, and all of that. And now we're back here in the, in the universal horror realm. Now that they have done something that I imagine is the most up-your-alley thing possible. Yes, it was so much fun to get to go. And it was so, you know, it was like the best situation possible because we got invited basically just to cover Dark Universe. I can't think of any other reason why we specifically were invited.

And the best part of getting invited to cover just one land specifically is we also got to do all the other stuff. Oh, sure, yes. They didn't ban you. No. They didn't give you a wristband that only worked for one. Yeah. So everything else was just, I guess we can. film all this other stuff, but we can just kind of hang out, you know? Oh, you have no, you do not

owe to your YouTube channel or anything. You don't have to film Burke. You can just enjoy Burke. It was really fun. Oh, that's a good deal. That's, that's, that's right, rest of the dark universe, and then we're mapping out your videos in a lazy river. Right. That's right. Beautiful, beautiful. Well, that's, I mean, look, we could, obviously, the dark universe will be the, the core of this but broader thoughts you did the whole thing and you were there for like you got to you were there for the opening of the portals and all that stuff like a lot of that fun i mean kind of we were in the the back of the big crowds for the openings of the portal ceremony we saw the backs of people's heads for those and some of the daytime fireworks oh sure daytime fireworks relatively visible

you kind of see them yeah sure great great close did the crowd have to do anything to Did they have to summon, like, chant? No. Or they just had to stand there. Okay. Yeah, it kind of stood there. It was really hot. It was very hot.

Yes, I believe that. It's like impressively hot out. And I, yeah, I think every second of that place being open, it has been, I'm really I mean, it's a, the Carly Wiesel already said, just excited for fall, excited for some, for some winter epic universe. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

I mean, that's the big note I think everyone has is like, can't wait for all the trees to grow in. That'll be nice. Yeah, yeah. I think it's hard for us in modern times to go back to like, all right, well, I guess the trees were not grown out in 1955 when Disneyland. We had to wait on that. They can't grow as fast as we need. But, yeah, until, I mean, I don't know, they couldn't have built just like the world's largest umbrella on top of everything. Yeah, especially in that center portion, celestial park is just so open. It's wild. It's like, it's hard to not talk about it. I know. we're like, I feel, every episode we've done about Epic Universe, I can't, I think none of us can help but say, oh, it's pre-a-oh, I know, I'm not caught up on the pod, so I apologize, but I do feel like, I've listened to some of your Epic Universe stuff,

and I do know it's come up. No, it, but all the other, like, podcasts and vlogs have also been like, oh, yeah, this is great, and this is really cool, it's so goddamn hot here. Well, and it really, it does unfortunately weigh down Celestial Park, which I think everybody had the highest hopes for the,

The magic of just a glistening. Oh, it's like Europe or something. It's wonderful here. It's the grounds of Versailles. And then like, no, it's kind of pavement that you walk through as fast as you possibly get. Until night, at which point it becomes very lovely and well lit and millions of sparkling lights and everything. It's really, yeah, yeah. No, no, it's very well done.

What is your number one besides Dark Universe? Oh, geez. Man, I hate to say it. A lazy river. I wish there was a lazy river in there. That would be all. That would be awesome. That's what Slusial Park needs.

Because they could have like the Milky Way and it'd be like a lazy river. Oh, wow. That's cool. And if you do it at night, there's fiber optics in your inner tubes. That'd be really nice. Sparkles glistening through the riverways. I hate to say it. Oh, no.

Don't let my opening joke make you not able to say I know but don't let that rule it out it's it's it's such a draw dropper when you walk in the the Paris the Ministry of Magic area is so beautiful it's insane it's one of the most insane and that like knowing that this is a moment that a lot of theme parks have created so successfully that like this is a kind of a newish move I feel like is limiting the view that you have of something like creating a wall to where then they can control the way that you discover it like Diagon Alley

or kind of like it's kind of like how you enter Tokyo Disney Sea a little bit is like bam suddenly insane vista This is one of the best ones of that genre You can't believe that's jammed back there And you can't see it from the rest of the park And it's not forced perspective So it's like the right size for a lot of things

Wait is it not forced perspective Maybe some part of it is but a lot of it isn't It feels like yeah I think that's why I think that's why part of it feels like different. I think you're right. I think it does, yeah. It is just the proportions that Paris would be. A lot of it, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Well, that's what I just try to, I try to prefer to, I just think of it as like, it's Paris. It genuinely feels like, yeah, it's just Paris with some weird stuff going. There's a little, yeah, weird critters around. Yes, yeah, yeah, there's some

critters running around. No, it's, yeah, it's insane. That's, that's a job dropper of it. Yeah, absolutely. It's, yeah, it's, it's so beautiful. The, the, the, the, the, the, the attractions in there are incredible. The show especially was like one of our favorite things. I don't know if you got the chance to see it. We did, yeah. Le sur car canoe? Yeah.

Le sur car canoe. We are obsessed with, I didn't know what to expect going into that. I didn't even know there was a show in there until a friend we were with was like, oh, we heard it's really cool. We should go. We just thought it would be like, I don't know, some guy juggling. And there's a second where you think you're correct. You're like, okay, so it's a little circus thing?

It's a little circus, okay, great. And then when that scope expands. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. Yeah, incredible stuff. You think it's just going to be a guy working with bubbles. Yes, that's right. And then it turns out to be so much more.

Yes, like a sad clown doing bubble tricks. A little soap bubble work, you know. Which is a thing, I think. Yeah, like, why was the loading so slow for this sad clown bubble show? That's right. If I could move people through this quicker. No, it's absolutely stunning. It's so cool.

That land also is so funny because you can tell if you're familiar at all with like Harry Potter and like the movies and kind of just the general box office drama of the movies and like fantastic beasts and how they tried to make that a thing and they weren't well received just you can so easily tell when you walk in that they like during the planning and building of this area we're going to make it fantastic beasts. And midway through those movies were coming out, I think, at the same time and didn't do well. And they were like, shit, shit, we got to, like, put in a ministry of shit. We got to put Dolores on bridge in there. We got to tie it to the original. Oh, that's a good. Time travel, time travel, time travel, flu powder, flu powder, flu powder. That thing we had in the bookshelf.

It's such a funny thing where all of a sudden there's this corner where you travel. Like, remember, get in there. You're going, it's actually tied into the original thing. The old ones, the old characters. Look, we brought them back. Don't ask how we did it. Don't ask if the actors were involved. I truly don't know.

That's still a mystery to me. Deep fake the children who are all pushing 30. Yeah, the children are not, yeah. But I think the newer, I think they're not newer, the older actors, some of them are involved. I think so, yeah, yeah. Pretty sure. I think so. Newtskommander does appear in the search art of new, of course.

Oh, that's right. Sorry to spoil this, Jason. Oh, yeah, you didn't do it. I guess I should have to spoil. I didn't get there. I was going to go back and get my Newtz commander fix and buy his luggage from the

Universal Store website. You can buy the load. Newtskamander's luggage. Oh, cool. Boxy. How much is Newtskommander's luggage? Like $80, I think. And it could actually take it on a plane.

It's not like full of candy or something. I think maybe it's first off, you can take candy on a plane too. Yeah, that's a good point. I wouldn't. Yeah, but now you're paying for a carry-on. I don't think there's critters.

Yeah, does it fit in the, you know, when you get to the airport and there's the thing where you can stick your luggage in to make sure it fits in the overhead, like, does it fit? Or did they, like, to be dicks, design it one inch too wide? Everybody's in for a big surprise. They made a deal with all the airlines, like, yeah, we'll get you some.

I see Knutzcomander's monogram backpack for $190.90 on the Universal website. So it's not even your initials on it. It's not even like his carpet bag. You put yours next to his. I see, I see Knut's Commander's suitcase on a different called Sina Replicas for $299. $299.

Where did you see this, Jason? Is this a website? Is this an in person? I just saw it like in the opening merch roundup. Oh, I see. So it was probably his briefcase or his actual luggage? Yeah, it was this thing he carries. Okay.

Where there's always tentacles or furry little things popping up. Or that like, what is it? Like long-haired monkey that crawls out of it. Oh, they forgot that. I forget it already. One of our episodes was a breakdown of all of the creatures who you get to. Every single creature in that show. I will very into it.

But I don't remember any of their names. And apparently we said a lot of the names wrong. So I caught that. We said almost every name wrong. I think so. I think we're outing ourselves as not really potter. We all had Jason Energy that day, this pronouncing names.

Jason Sheridan. Will that, will that actor crawl out of it as the emcee from the recent cabaret where he's doing the like TikTok man sort of dance that was on the Tony's. That's right. With the little hat? Yes, with his tiny little hat. That's right.

I get you. I don't know what he's talking about. Yeah, I know. I don't either. This is gone. I'm not a year or so old. No, yeah.

Who was it dancing? Sorry? It was Eddie Redmayne. Eddie Redmayne. Eddie Redmayne. Yes. Was Eddie Redmayne? Oh,

now that's the thing I get. Doing like a different than a Joel Gray. Yeah. He was doing kind of a weirder. Yeah, the revival's very cool. We saw it on the West. Oh, did you? It's very cool.

Oh, really? Yeah. And no merch I can buy of that, though. I'm sure there was at the time but I don't know you're best pets probably eBay now Sure sure I'll give it a look

Yeah but no There's so many Wonderful things throughout that part But I think I was in thinking about Dark Universe Because I think the debate is ongoing Of anybody's favorite portals And I think anybody's answers are valid

But I think you'd be kind of insane To not put Dark Universe At least in the top two Like is there a list that is possible That boxes out Dark Universe? universe i mean that's the it's the one that lives with me the most for shit like like 80% of my epic universe memories are dark universe yeah it the only thing i could think of is like in terms of like the rides themselves like if you're looking at like which kind of area has the most like

well-rounded selection of rides like the coaster in dark universe is really fun i wish the like the theming left a little to be desired. The ending of it is so great. Did you guys get a chance to go on it? Yes. I did. Yeah, yeah. I did after I was, because I was staying at Tafar Falls,

a universal hotel, so I went to the early park entry. Okay. Because I didn't do the math of like, oh, no, there's 11,000 hotel rooms now, and if even a quarter of them are coming to this. So early entry was a lot of. queuing and then I got to I went straight for monsters unchained and unleashed

unchanged unchanged okay yeah yeah I did I thought about that yesterday yeah I don't know why unleashed every I also like that's the first word that we all want to say secret life of pets is unleashed oh that's yeah yeah well and canned tooth some chocolate emporium toothless the dragon That we got to keep that one straight to Just remind ourselves every episode Just until we get it right

Byron Allen's comics unleashed That's what you're thinking too Not comics unchained Not comics unchanged No they're still chained up Unleashed They're unleashed but they're chained up Like junkyard dogs

We're doing five more tapings today Yeah Stay here Yeah so I went straight for that God Oarn I had an ECV And they're like Oh, we just opened up the stationary loading, the secondary loading platform, got in the car.

My wife's taking pictures of me in the ride vehicle, and then heard the magical, like, hey, this is Igor. I'm going to turn on the worklights. Do not panic. And I was just so tickled by Igor mentioning worklights. Yes, yeah. I didn't even mind getting escorted off. But then I went to, I did the werewolf coaster.

Yes. Which is a pretty intense It is, it's a quick coaster, it's very intense And then my favorite part Was probably seeing the department store manicade Yes, we need to talk about her Yeah, we have to talk about her Yeah, I didn't watch the ride through today

And I don't think I'd even clocked that before So we're talking about, this is, you know, like You had all that kind of the deepest you can into the land And this is the ride curse of the werewolf, correct? Yes. Yes. Which is a spinning coaster, not like a controlled spin, like Guardians of the Galaxy, but just a whatever you get. It's a free spin.

You feel like all your stuff's going to fall out, which is why there's nets around the entire world. There's so many nets. I don't like the nets. I know. Like, that's something that, oh, when you walk, you're walking around and it's so immersive and beautiful. And then there's just nets everywhere. Well, even monsters have to be safe. Yeah, that's true.

I love the Mystics Caravans. like camp that you go through and I believe that's a big nod to the original movie and to which original Wolfman? The 30th is Wolfman because that's another thing

you learn about in Dark Universe a lot of the monsters are not the original monsters. They're like descendants. They're descendants but they're not the descendants. The Disney descent. No one here is descended from Japan. They're not the Disney descendants. And these monsters have not had a bunch of hit records.

No, like chilling like a villain. My favorite of all the songs. I did see, I'm jumping around here, but I did see on your video, someone commented. Okay, I hope someone corrected me or further explained to the lore. Well, they did explain some lure that I did not pick up on. They said they're a lap tech, a monster is unchained, and the mummy in our ride is not immotap like many believe but in fact his lover

Anoxunamun Amun Aksunamun! We all remember Arnold Voslin Yes, Anxunomonon Which one do we think is right? Aksunamoon versus How did you say it? Aksunaman.

If you've seen the original mummy that he says it a gazillion times And James right now has been, he's doing it right now on the kill count So that has been playing in the office over. So, yes, Aungsunaman. Aksunaman.

Which is not Oksana Bayul. It is not. It is not. The figure skater, no. But in the mummy returns from 2001, 2002, the one with the rock is the bad CG story. Ornoboslu is constantly yelling. Yes.

An oxenamu! Yes. He says it a little differently. So that is the mummy In our version of the lore She was the one resurrected With the scroll of Thoth And seeks vengeance

Of Thoth? Yeah For her lover Who was mummified alive Thousands of years ago Just saying Thoth makes me feel like I have a speech Embediment I believe

What do they call it in the Brendan Fraser mummy? It's the book of the dead The Egyptian book the dead. I think they were selling a replica now for horror nights this year's horror nights.

Of the, from the Fraser mummy? Yeah, yeah, oh, you gotta get that. Yeah. He said it like, dumb, like,

I pre-or- There is very funny, there's a funny t-shirt they have of just Brendan Fraser in the mummy, but it's, it's a woman's shirt

and it's not the first, it wouldn't be the first time. Wait, for horror nights? the shirt? No, it's just up there. Oh. They have a bunch of mummy throwback, like vintage dupes. Um, but this one, it's clearly like a women's shirt.

It wouldn't be the first time I bought a woman shirt for a novelty like pop culture t-shirt. But this is such a baby doll cut. I just can't pull that off. You can't? I know what the listener is a side. I'm a little heavy right now. I think I'd be

Steve's self-conscious. Is it a belly shirt? Is it a belly shirt? Is that what he's saying? Yeah, what is the technical term, a definition of a baby girl tea? I think it's the collar and the sleep. Help me out here. I don't. I feel like if it's got like, when you're holding it up, it like kind of, it like really curves in on the sides. Oh, it's for like, I see.

It's like the shape. So if you're putting it on, it's going to like really hug super tight in the middle. And that always, I get too, I get short of breath. I don't like too tight clothes. The shirt was your shirt. Since I was a kid. It's like. the mummification process.

I'll say even like most women, I know, don't love t-shirts that are, like, cut like that. Yeah. Form-fitting shirt. But there's a bag of your throwback mummy movie poster shirt up there that I got a cat. Mummy movie poster shirt. Yeah. Okay, we're jumping all around. Let's go back to Curse of the Werewolf.

The Curse of the Werewolf. Okay. So this is, yeah, as you say, it's this, like, it's this cool camp that you're traveling through and the illusion is a little bit of ruined. Nets. I can tell because one thing that got me pretty pumped up, we could all maybe attest to this, that when they kind of

portal by portal did these videos that teased what these worlds were going to be, the dark universe one was the only one that I showed Aaron, my wife, who was not going either of the times I had planned to go. But I'm like, can you get it? You got to see this one.

And every new thing they said, she's like, God damn, ooh, I got to give it up for that. I mean, that That was a like, I rewatch that today and just a strong video. And I think they delivered on a lot of it. But it is a bummer. When you watch all the CGI fly-throughs, you're like, no nets on that coaster. Yeah.

That's just weaving through the town normal. So clearly that was a last minute, like lawyers mandated. Yeah. Sorry. And to be fair, when we did ride it, I had my bag, because they had you just stick your stuff between your feet. And at one point, I launched forward and grabbed my bag because it did feel like all our stuff was just going to fly out. car this is a ride syndrome to you know there's been a lot of talk lately of stapling which mike has run into which is the universal uh the process by which they like really you think that

you're you're buckled in and you're harness in they gave you one more they should have jam it yes it's an inter the term it's an inside industry term yes and this has been do that to like jack it into somebody's crotch yeah yeah this has been a difficult situation for mike's crotch, especially at Universal and especially I like, they're all weird. The first time we rode Velas, James got stapled in and he was very displeased. Okay. And then

if you're like scared of the ride you're about to go on and then you get that right before, which throws you. Yeah. I got to be nervous before a podcast or a live show and then I get stapled right before. Right. Right. Now I got to talk for two hours. I'd be thrown. Yeah. It's going to, I am so excited about the Fast and Furious coaster

at Universal Hollywood, but I am worried about the stapling that will, in inevitably happen to me. We should staple you in for a live show. See if it affects your performance. If it's for the live audience, I'll do it. You know me. Again, tighter.

Tighter. The audience can come up and do it if they want. The audience can each, everyone in the audience can do a. Every 10 minutes. All right. We've got ticket number one for five. Okay, come on down. It's your turn to steep a mic.

I've been waiting for this for a long time. Buckle in, motherfucker. So stapling has been a headache for us recently But you've just described I haven't registered this or talked about it on the show There are a few rides, yes, where it is on you In addition to braving the roller coaster You also have to like press those feet together

And make sure that you don't lose your own belongings Which is a whole other little challenge suddenly That like you can't really get lost in the ride If you're also shoving a bag in between your feet That's a stressful thing I just always wonder like what's the kind of calculus they do of like, well, this ride, I guess we don't really need to do the lockers. Like, it's going to cause a backup, you know, in the line if we do the lockers.

It's not, this one's not so bad. I guess we can just have them hold their stuff. But we won't put in the little bags they can put their stuff in. They can just put their stuff between their feet. So what I, I just like put my leg in, like my bag strap. Good tip. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. All right, that's a good strategy.

Yeah. But what I always have is. Like, I always bought, like, one little trinket for my son or, like, a sunscreen or something. So all I've got is a little bag. Yeah. And maybe I'm putting other stuff in. And I don't think I can stretch that thing around my, then it turns into a baby girl fit. Yeah.

Like, like, cranking my, like, tied off around my cap. I'm trying to put on stockings. Yeah. Yeah. No, it's a tosiery now. I feel like under the shirt or something. Yeah, I've done that. Yeah.

Oh, maybe into a belt loop. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, that's a good idea. I switched, I mean, I switched, I, for the first time ever, did fanny pack last Orlando trip. I bought, I bought that Florida, it just said Florida across it. Perfect. And it was really good to cram everything in and then you just put it across your, whatever, your crotch or your chest, like whatever is comfortable on, depending on the harness situation. I feel like also if you kind of just own the 90sness of the fanny pack and the fact that we got a lot of retro universal styles and neons and stuff, just.

like make it a flashy goofy. I want to make it a cool current Patagonia. Well, I looked cool doing it. So, but I mean I know, I've been thinking about it since. Yes, of course. Jason, you know. Yours I know. You know I do know. Yeah. You couldn't stop saying it.

I've been thinking about getting a fan, because I don't have one. And we were at a convention this last weekend in Chicago, and a fan came up and gave us a fanny pack full of weed. Wow. Nice. I now have a fanny pack and a bunch of weeds. So thank you. random lady i won't tell everyone you need i won't uh out you but thank you yeah yeah a little baking soda in that fanny pack it'll just be ready like fanny pack yeah yeah so i guess it was a sign

that that's now my theme park fanny pad now could that could that travel like the candy suitcases discussed earlier or did you take care of it all before you left no he brought it back it was fine oh really no problem oh that's good to know actually okay she wasn't for me but for You know, but for someone else. Yeah, yeah. And she was definitely a fan. She wasn't trying to get rid of evidence. As far as I know.

Hey, take this. Oh, thank you so much. This ride, though, okay, because we're heading forward, because it's a, like, I think we all did enjoy this attraction and the spinning is really cool. And there's kind of some, like, weird, I don't know, fake out is the word, but that you go forward, but then you go back the other way, and then you're getting a little hang time going back up the track and just hanging and spin in. like there's for a short little ride there's neat moments I think yeah but then we're maybe a little

bit chintzy in our kind of whatever the barn you go through yeah you go through a barn and it's I remember going on and I had a friend who'd gone on it already and he was like make sure and it's it's bad when you go on a ride and you have to have someone be like make sure you're looking a certain way to see the theming or else you'll kind of miss it so it's like he was like make sure you're looking up when you're going through the the barn to see the werewolves in there. Because there's these big werewolves that are kind of hanging from the ceiling

and they're cool. I don't think they're animatronics. You kind of move past them pretty quickly. Statues. A lot of Hagridz has a lot of statues and rise in resistance. Yeah. Yeah, which is if you see it right, if you get a flash of it, I feel like I went on it twice and one, I saw it

and it, you know, spooked me, and then another time I didn't see it at all. Yeah. But then at the end, was this thing. that I've missed entirely because then it kind of ties things but you land and it sort of ties things back to the like the camp thing because there's like a big banner

and it says beware of the moon or something. Yes, it's oh my gosh, why am I blanking on the poem? It's the last line of the poem. Oh, oh. It's the poem in the wolfman. In the Q and the bookman. Yes, oh my gosh, that's so bad I am blanking on

the... That's okay, yeah. You're closer than we would be. Let me see. So it's illustrating the last line of the poem. Yeah. Okay. So it's, oh, I guess it's not the actual, it's like the wording, but yeah. So it's, you're basically cursed to be a werewolf.

Like you, I guess the story of the ride is you are a werewolf now. Oh, see, I miss that. Yeah. Oh, I am. But I guess you would miss that because you're so distracted by this, like, yeah, the department store mannequin but like yassified department store mannequin who's standing there in like a like an i dream a genie kind of look this like sexy um like i don't even know what is the character do we know no i think she has a name because it's yeah i think she's named in that preview video i was talking

about i'll see if i can figure that out yeah she definitely has a name um it's just so funny because in the original movie, like all these characters, like you have like the traveler camp and they're very much like not, they're not like sexy characters. But then there's this lady who's at the end of this ride who I think is supposed to be some kind of

again, like descendant of these characters. It's just so funny. She's not an animatronic or anything. It's just, I don't know. Again, it's like a... Just looking at a lady. It's just, it's always a bummer when you can tell. It's like, oh no, I think we ran out.

of money kind of thing. They did hear too, because it's being built up. Like, this is the, you know, this ultimate, you know, no expenses spared kind of place. Yeah. The ride is her day job, like, but her passion is selling like curses and spells on TikTok or Etsy. She's definitely the TikTok account where you're scrolling and it's like, if you scroll to this stop, you were meant to see this kind of video. Yeah.

Let's see, as it not, this, I think a lot of the walls with Jason end up being that Mike and I are not on TikTok. Are you, are you not on TikTok? I will get sent TikToks and I will have to re-download it. Yes, this happens to me a lot too. Every three weeks, somebody sends me a TikTok and I have to re-download it. Yes, my phone deleted it because you're not using this. Yeah, yep. And then I go back on it.

So this is really the wall. They said this is a TikTok thing is the world of spell binding has come to. I mostly watch people on YouTube recap TikTok drop. so my knowledge of this is only going to go so far but I guess just like new agey TikTok or like the Tumblr

witch from a few years ago was like full on stealing bones like was full on grave robbing the hell really? Yeah whoa yeah a lot of weird stuff on Tumblr back in the day still is the group of

oh my gosh I'm gonna get the details of this wrong but there was like that group of like, witches on Reddit or something who are trying to hex the moon or something. Do you remember when I'm talking about? Like, she's definitely hanging out in that sphere of the internet.

But then elder witches or Wiccans were like you are playing with fire trying to hex the moon. And there was a schism in the online Wiccan community because people were trying to hex the moon and it was like, you can't hex the moon. It's dangerous. Can I just say also that now I've looked up, what did I, what did I Google, Tumblr Witch, stealing bones?

Yes. And what this led me to is a Wikipedia that summarizes the whole controversy, which dubs the whole thing, bone gazi. Wow. And I love this. Might be a little dated. What I like here is that like we, we, all scandals are gaites. It's everything, everything is gait. Bone gauzy is very, they found a new way because gait means nothing.

Right. Might as well, you could, that's a, that's a less of a. Slant. And that puts it in a time and place for me. Oh, sure. It was 2015-16, so yeah. Yeah.

All right. So for more information on Bon Gazi, consult your local Wikipedia. Yes. The best, too, is, like, Darkmoor, it does, it takes, it's supposed to take place now, like the story of Victoria Frankenstein. It is supposed to be modern day because she's the great, great granddaughter of Henry Frankenstein. It is, like, it's 2025 in there? Yes.

It's supposed to be modern. it's 20 so that mannequin could be hanging out on like wick and tumbler she could know she could have been one of the people trying to like hex the moon and she could have known about what if she got hexed and that's why she can't move oh my god there it is oh yeah it's it's canon she got cursed oh my gosh she can never get on her phone again i've been watching the same ticot for three minutes while the cars were can you swipe up for me someone be a deer reach out of the car and swipe this away. Oh, that's just a movie trail.

I don't need to see the trailer for Happy Gilmore 2. It's out. This is, okay, so well, so I'm glad we talked to some Chris of the War Wolf. I feel like, and definitely the monsters unchanged should be on the table, but I feel like if this is the Dark Universe episode or the Dark Moore episode, as you said, the name of the town here,

I think like this is definitely a good chance to talk about the stuff between the attractions, which I think is all, is all wonderful. I mean, first things, first, I guess, the mythology. Yes. You taught us something just now that it's a bit as modern. And that it's set, so it's set after all of the stories,

and I heard a universal creative person say that it's like all of the events of the films and everything all created Darkmoor. This is all the aftermath of, so it doesn't reset or reboot any of the classic Universal Monster movies. Yeah, so if you're talking to any of the walk-around characters, which all also makes this land so great. And I think it's what makes this land and Isle of Burke so great is the walk-around characters. It's what makes, I think those two lands may be the best in terms of just immersion, in my opinion.

And, like, just the sense of, like, you're somewhere else and you're in another place. Like, just, I don't know. It's so cool to just walk around and just talk to people and get a sense of, like, oh, this is a lived-in place. As far as like visual spectacle, like the Harry Potter area is like is just stunning. And again, like I said, a jaw dropper. But in terms of just feeling like it's existed forever, Darkmore and Isle of Burke really hit the spot. For places that are brand new, that is wild. It's so, it's so cool.

And that the performers feel like they've been doing it for a long time, even though it's, yeah. There's already this weird, this like sense of community there, even though it's brand new. It's so awesome. And, yeah, the walk-round characters are, great. I hope they get to keep doing the walk-around stuff because I feel like Universal gets to do, they get away with stuff

Disney can't, which is a lot of fun, but also I think people, maybe, I've already seen people get maybe weird with it. I don't know if you've seen, again, this is like TikTok stuff with, like, Igor's very popular, the Invisible Man, very popular.

There's some Igor's stands that are, maybe crushing a little too hard. The cry, yeah, invisible man stands. An invisible man gets a little, he gets a little sexy. I like. Is he, I guess he, I mean, he's kind of a gentleman. I like this kind of, like, this jacket and ascot kind of way he dresses.

Oh, my goodness. He kind of goes insane throughout the original mood. Like, the thing that makes him invisible kind of drives a man. My reference one is mainly the Chevy Chase one, so that's why I need to be taught about the. He goes pretty insane, too. Yeah. He, um, I don't know. He's kind of got.

this like almost fan of the opera thing going on where like I feel like women are very into it myself included uh so he I did I saw the video yes you seemed you you were very starstruck so I'm just like oh man I'm it's it's kind of a thing we're like you know how they had to get rid of Jack Sparrow because people got weird with him I'm just like wait no I guess that's why we've talked about that before that people were too horny I think they've brought him back I think they've soft launch checks because it's like okay can everyone behave themselves It's unclear what, because the timetable on this, their timeline is on this,

because yes, we've heard a long time ago that at least in Disneyland, he was gone for many years. And I don't know if it was like literally people were flashing him or I don't think people were fainting because they were like, I think there was like literally something like people were flashing Jack Sparrow. But then he wasn't, I feel like he was in Orlando like in the last 10 years more than he was out here.

So I don't know. And I haven't seen an official word, but that's what I always heard is that women. couldn't control themselves. Yes, yeah, I've heard that too. And I think because the walk-around characters, especially in Dark Universe, you know, they're not as friendly.

Or they can be a bit more adult. I think maybe people think they can behave that way in return. So I just hope no one takes it too far, gets too weird and they take it away, you know. Can I ask, because when I was there, he was just sort of lingering up like a little bit above, I forget it was a little bit of a platform somewhere. Yes, during previews, when I was there,

they had him up on, like, his little stoop. So I kind of had to talk. It was like a Romeo and Juliet kind of situation when we met. Okay, because I took a photo of myself and him, but I didn't communicate. Is that, so is the sexiness coming from the performer talking to them? Yes. Oh, I see.

I see. There's videos I've seen on, someone sent me a video because I'm such an invisible man, Stan, a video of him talking to this woman. he comes up and he walks over to her and like puts his he's not touching her or anything but he like comes up and like puts his hand like right next to her neck and is like talking into her ear I was like what the I was like they're going to take this away you guys this is crazy no one get weird it's really cool but no one get weird for right winners it's like oh my god cancelled I'm also saying just as I cursory Google image I'm seeing things like here's a

TikTok caption that says When the Invisible Man calls me a moron. Yeah, he also is an asshole. He's mean too. He'll make you. He's kind of mean. But you know sometimes you like someone being a little mean to. Well, he's nice to if you flatter him. Like in my video with him, he's my

favorite Universal Monster. Yeah. Because he's such a dick. So when we went to go meet him, I mean, I had an Invisible Man shirt and everything. I just, I love that movie. So we went to go meet him and he was very nice to me. He was a dick to my husband, um, which is a lot of fun.

Yeah. Um, so it just depends. Uh, is he channeling what? Claude Raines? Yes. This is always channeling Claude Rains. Uh, the original Invisible Man. Um, that's interesting.

I'm trying to think if there's even another character, like, walk around character and theme parks that are like, is similar to that. Like, not, is, like, is Captain Hook ever whisper anything in your ear? Like, maybe like a beetle juice, but even Beetle juice is more fun. Friendly. Yeah. No, it's, it's, it's. It's not like a romance.

There's a, oh, a six flags, a Peppy Lapewue walk around character. Like Chucky at Horror Nights. Maybe. Oh, he goes full R-rated. Yeah. Because they say, Horror Nights is an R-rated. Yeah. This is more.

This thing where it's like kind of like psychologically like domineering or something. This is, this is, this seems like a whole new level. This is not what I'm getting at. That's what I mean is like there's, I don't think there's been anything quite like this, which is why I'm like, okay, everyone, let's be normal about it. Yeah, we will break this. Let's be normal. Don't post it online.

No one can find out. There's also, I know, my wife worked in theme parks for many years, and she's like, the day we're at Epic Universe, and she's like, oh, a lot of people are doing heat sets. So, like, shorter sets or they modify the costume. Yes. So there is Walkbound and Visible Man with this big leather jacket. But I think the day we were there, he was just, like, in a vest and a shirt sleeves. Yes, that's how.

We met him in just the later costume. Oh, yeah, I'm seeing that. Yeah, he has a jacket that he will shed. So, well, that's nice. Every so. And then, yeah, Igor also, I've seen there's been issues with two. Because he's also, he's like the most popular. Yeah.

Victoria's assistant. I mean, everyone loves him. He's so funny. He's got his little bag of, like, body parts that if you ask him to show you, he will. He's super cute, but I've seen people get very, you know, entitled with the actor which is unfortunate uh yeah there was a video of like i think it was like a family that just like i think wanted a picture and like the dad just grabbed him and kind of like yanked him and turned him around so that he'd be in the picture and i'm like man we're gonna get all

these cool things taken away you know i don't know it's it sucks to see i don't know yeah these are these are human beings like they're humans what's in his bag it's all just it's like body parts it's like it's like disembodied legs and hands and he talks about openly about creep robbing yeah he's like yeah i got these i got these great clothes you just had to go through the grits yeah he will also roast you basically walking around dark universe is just getting insulted the entire time he'll just scream at people looking away and startled them or if someone talks to him like oh way lay me alone yeah he's cool there's yeah and i see the like there's an there's an there's an attractive attractive air to there's a style to

yes he called out I had uh because this is not my natural hair color he called out my roots he called out I was like Jesus wow devastating fair call but damn wow that's yeah Disney it's all it's psychological abuse

from these characters two really sweet if that's not quite your your speed two very nice characters are the monster and the bride they're super super cute so they play them kind of like we are new to the world and we are just learning and they're kind of sweetly naive so it's it's a the the monster is supposed to be the monster from monsters unchained where he is brand new i think he is supposed to be like three years old he's a baby yeah and the bride is supposed to be the bride from bride of frankenstein she's like hundreds of years old at this point. So she's almost like this mother figure to him. So she's almost like his handler in these meet and greets where she is like, okay, we're meeting people and she's explaining, you know,

humans are our friends. And it's a very cute dynamic when you meet them. Oh, geez. This isn't that because this was in Universal Hollywood, but I, on my birthday morning, I went up there with just my five-year-old son and we sat and had a churro in just kind of that general. or all open area in the middle where they're showing the Fast and Furious car and we were just talking and all of a sudden

like his eyes just he just goes white and just goes dad and like you see something that's scaring the hell out of him and then I look back and it's Frankenstein and Brad Frankenstein

like both they've they've just been working him from behind my back from far away and what I turned and saw like it scared me too I and think about being my son who doesn't know

who these characters are really So it was just really happening for him. And they walk up and he's trepidious. But then we have the most fun interaction where they're like, she can only kind of talk a little. But I'm explaining me and my theme park garb that's me say, oh, that's a visor.

That's a visor. Regenstein can't talk. But then she's taking it. She took my visor and like spun it around her arms like a hula hoop and then gave it to him and he tried to steal our food. and then she shoved the visor back on my head but upside down and this whole, I just,

I don't think I knew this characterization of them as these weird monster children who were just who were delighted but confused and scared of everything they see. It was all, my son was talking about it for hours after. Like what a neat. So that, and from watching video of it, the epic universe seems like a next degree of that.

Yes. But those monsters are lovers. Yes. Yes. Yeah, and this is different, right? I'm just asking, actually. Yeah, it is. Yeah, the story is still probably.

Because in Hollywood, that's the original monster. I needed that for myself to know. Yes. I needed that to just clarify. And in Hollywood, it's not the Darkmoor timeline. It's a timeline where they, Frankenstein and Bright of Frankenstein live on Carnaby Street with the Scooby-Doo game. That's right. Yes, they're right next to the Scooby-Doole-D mythology.

Sometimes, Doc is there. Yeah, yeah. Maybe Beatlejuze. Maybe a big bird, who I believe is from a movie called Migration. That's right. I saw him last time I was there. The big birds, my son loved the big bird too, but I was, you know, I have to be his source of who's that?

And I was like, can't help you there, buddy. No idea. When we were down there in 2023, every time you turned on the TV in the hotel room, it would just auto loop the migration trailer. Oh. Two years ago? Yeah. Where was I?

Raising the child? Who is the voice of this bird? Is it Kumail or is it a female? Is it Aquafina? Taylor Swift, I think, had a song in the movie or in the trailer. They used a Taylor Swift song. Apologies, audience.

We're learning on the air. We're much, much like Bright of Frankenstein. Yes, exactly. We're learning. We are new to this migration. I will say that I think all the characters, you know, as much as like, you know, they're, you know, I guess depending on how you interact with them,

they're funny, they can be mean. I think they're really good at just, they're good at gauging, like, temperature and you know they're not just going to be automatically dicks as soon as you walk into the land you know oh sure yeah yeah again this is Hollywood but I could feel

these characters I could feel them like scaling I think if my son had burst in tears oh yeah change the plan but knowing that he's seeing that he oh he's down to play there's a little skill there for sure because we interviewed and we have some of this interview in our dark universe video on our channel but we got to interview

one of the creative directors for the land and we were talking about just the kind of ethos of it and he was saying that he wanted it to be something very different from Halloween horror nights where he's like this is not meant to be like scary this you're not meant to feel like scared to round a corner in this land necessarily it's like you're meant to feel um like you are one of the monsters kind of when you're here so you're meant to feel like the monsters here are your friends um oh wow yeah like

So everything's like unsettling and icky, but you're not going to, there's not jump scares. Right. Yeah. This is, you're meant to feel at home in Darkmore. This is not like, oh, God, I'm somewhere unfamiliar. I'm somewhere where I should feel nervous or scared. It's like a homey kind of creepy. I would say more of a haunted mansion, Tim Burton, kind of spooky, but not, you know, I shouldn't be here kind of scary, which I think is very sweet.

That's cool. They convey that completely. I really enjoyed your video also and I looked up that gentleman who Peter Carcillo I was curious where he came from what else he did he was a Disney person. Yes. Senior creative director

of Magic Kingdom, all of it? I think so and an art director on Shanghai Tomorrow. Oh my gosh, he was so interesting after that interview and we were talking about like Fangoria and stuff. I was like man we could have just talked about weird horror stuff for hours. I really really

wanted to keep talking to him. So he's a fellow traveler, as it were, per horse. That's what it shows. It really shows. That's a lot of, there's a big, is Fangoria in Texas now? Is based in Austin or somewhere around? Okay. So when you mentioned that earlier, I was like, oh, is that Fangorian?

I was just filming stuff with them yesterday. They were doing chainsaw awards stuff. Oh, cool. I think it's cool, too. It's also, it's always exciting when you. realize oh universal took Disney people or Disney took Universal people when they like when the best

of the best or kind of when they like gotten yanked over here to work on this cool thing it's always a good thing like sports teams yeah yeah yeah it's getting traded somebody's leaving somebody's getting a higher bid you know that's what happened in sports Jason yeah there you go excuse deep sports knowledge same word from before

I did text you a new Phillies pitcher a video the other day because he is a full wrestling-style walkout. Like he has graphics and like the Undertaker bells play and the lights go down and then it cuts to like Cal's music. I believe he did not know what those Undertaker Bells were at first.

Oh, who put together, you know? But he went along with that. He like pitches a ball in the bullpen and then struts out and the camera follows him. Yeah, we're just a couple of guys who share sports stuff. Yeah, sports. We love the way that the sports. Sports guys strut. That's what we love.

We love regular strut lovers. And we think of Imagineers as sports as athletes. Regular, yeah, that's what we do. Red blooded things to say, yes. The other characters, I mean, is this, well, this is a character because she, like, she is, I just, I don't know who she is, other than what she does, but, like, the violinist. Oh, yeah, where she tells stories. Oh, see, this I don't know.

I just, I maybe saw her walking past, but I don't know the full deal. Yeah. That's interesting. Yeah, she, like, tells classic universal monster story. She tells different ones, too. Oh, wow. Yeah. Like ones that aren't, like, less major.

Yeah, I try to remember which one, I think we caught her telling Fandom of the Opera. I'm trying to remember. Is that the biggest character? I was going to say not represented, but he's in the ride. Yeah, yeah. But not, like, massively represented. Yeah. Yeah, although his anitronic is.

Oh, it's crazy. It's kind of kicks you off. It's like that's a bit, that's a moment that great animatronic and the flames really let you know what you're in for for us that ride. Also, when it's broken down, it's scarier in a different way. Oh, geez. Oh, no. She will play a violin piece and then she'll be like, and one day a woman, 50 feet tall attacked. yeah exactly it's awesome yeah uh yeah but i i think all that i think they've made good on that

atmosphere and like the hey besides the character literal atmosphere you got that fountain that's just like oozing you got a lot of fog happening there's a lot of fog a lot of daytime fog it's pretty intense if you end up at that that main fountain that's just like gurgling all day which turns blood red at night. Yes. I was reading the wiki for the land because I was curious if there was any lore that I had kind of missed and apparently that

fountain, the lore of the land is there was a big war with the vampires and apparently there was a truce and part of that truce is that the villagers have to occasionally make sacrifices to the vampires and they do it by like

throwing human sacrifices into the fountain and that's why it's like blood red. Oh, so, like, maybe it just happened before you got there when that, oh, that's cool. Just super cool. Is the vampire war referred to and nodded to in paintings in the steakhouse? Yes. Got it.

Okay. Because the Burning Blade Tavern is the monster hunter bar. But Das Steakhouse is the steakhouse run by the familiars, the humans that the vampires enslaved. Gotcha. I have a funny da Steakhouse story to personally to me because that a lot of the like quick service restaurants open around like 10.30 or so in the morning so you can have a really early lunch or just get a snack.

So I went in there to buy the reusable soda cup and it is very dark in there. By design, it is very dark. So we bought the cup, we filled it up with the Dark Universe soda, and then we were trying to figure out the way out and just started heading for doors that looked like it was laid outside. We kind of got lost in there. Yes. I got a little lost, trying not to ram a scooter into, like, the fixtures.

And I started to go towards this door. The employees kind of like out of character was just like, that's the kitchen. That's the kitchen. Go right, not that way. And so that was almost my tale of terror. And you ignored them and just hit the gas.

I hit the gas to try and steal the item that I think is just called fish on a stick. Somebody just got away with 30 fish on a stick. He's dragging them behind him. The fish are going everywhere. The violinist has slipped. on a fish Yeah, steakhouse is cool

That's what I love the idea I didn't really get to I just did a quick walk through there Anyone eat there? No, he ate Yeah, I know I didn't eat there either It is one I do kind of have an aversion To the dyed buns

I'm not terribly excited I felt this way at Not Scary Farm long ago I don't know that I need to eat anything That is jet black I and it's gross But I've heard It turns your poop colors.

Yeah, I was going to break out the poop. It turned in poop colors. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like blue, yeah. Because it's like a blue. It's not, I think it's like not really, yeah. It doesn't make it all the way. It doesn't become pure black.

Right. I mean, look, look, Jason had a black colored, what, slurpy? What did, what was it? You had something that was a weird color last time you were in Orlando. Am I, am I incorrect? You did. No, you did. We talked about it in the live show.

Oh, okay. I just can't remember what it was. Yeah, it was probably a drink or slurpee. Oh, was it Shrek? Was it the Shack cheese? Maybe the green cheese. Was it the swamp dog? Oh, it might have been the swamp dog which had the green cheese baked into the dough.

Oh, no. Of the thing. Ew, ew. Yeah, I don't really want to do it. As much as I like fake colors, I don't necessarily want something changing the composition or the... That suggests bad things that are happening in your body. And yes, look, I'm in the land of monsters. and curses, but that doesn't mean I want one

for real. Yeah. I would rather drink real blood than eat faith. He's more sense. I got blood in me, I'll put more blood in you. Oh, sure. Yeah, that'll get along with the rest of my body. Yeah. Did anybody get to spend ample time in Burning Blade Tavern? Because I didn't make it in their house.

I have. Okay. Yeah, mostly the first trip in April. Yeah, we got to see, I mean, stood around, waited for that thing to light up. It's so cool. Yeah. Did you get to see it light up at night? Yeah, yeah. Kind of when I wasn't just like peripherally while talking to somebody and then like, oh wait, shit. I forgot about that. School as hell. I didn't see it happen. Or I saw it light up, but my husband saw it light up when an actor, occasionally they have actors who are playing like townies run out like they do like a little thing. Like they'll run out screaming about. Yeah, they'll do like a little kind of miniature, not even like a show, but they'll have kind of dialogue with they'll run out and kind of do like a little.

like a bit, I don't know, not a bit, but. At night, too, they're from the center of town, back to the Burning Blade. There's sound cues and lighting to make it look like there's town folks running to go lighted on fire. It's so cool. You'll see kind of shadows. Yes, shadows, almost like of people moving and like flickering flames heading towards the back of the area. And then it lights up on fire. Yeah.

It's really cool. Yeah, that's cool. I don't want to be so, I don't want to be negative, so negative, but like, I definitely built up the inside of what that would be in my mind and it's kind of just a big box. It is, yeah. And I was like, like, there were certain things in my mind I built up a little more. I guess maybe space is the issue, but I was like, oh, it's going to be so cool and you have to hang out even like, I didn't have to be on the level of like the bar in Star Wars land.

but still I'm like I was kind of a stand around here and so like I just wanted it to be a little more something yeah I did like the um if you look at all this stuff on the like behind the bar I don't know if any of you noticed the I think it's frozen in a block of ice there's the nod to the thing yeah yeah yeah I think that's so cool yeah there's neat little things behind the bar yes but yeah I see what you mean I want to like I like a hangout I want to hang a little bit. Like a local haunt kind of. Yes, I want that. You didn't like the convenience of an outdoor service window. I did like the outdoor service window. I do appreciate that. Wait, can I shout something out from the video, your video?

You and your husband are in the concept art. You think you're in the concept. We're, we think it's, it feels presumption. But like, we had so many people send this to us and we were looking at it. And, like, we both have those exact clothes. And, like, we're in the horror section of the park. It just looks exactly. You know what I mean?

It's so weird. There's kind of an illustration of a couple in Burning Blade. It just looks exactly like us. It's so weird. I just want to believe it's us until it's confirmed it's not us. There's a different piece of art. I forget whether it's the portal or the town center. And Peter and Ketra from Ordinary Ventures are like, are we in the concept art?

Maybe, you know, who knows? Here's my question. Who's craved do we have to rob to get in this concept? Something, yeah. Well, they name that, you know, they name that Tune Town place after us, Good Boy Grocers. That's right. That is true. I also, I've started to wonder if there's a depiction of me in one of my favorite spots in Disney World, the Dolphin Hotel.

I haven't brought this up, but I might as well live test this on you guys. this weird kind of like chalk painting of a guy and kind of like grab the grab and go sandwich and coffee place. He just feel like this is kind of a little bit me. Oh my gosh. The listener will have to wait on this or we'll post it. But I took a photo going like, is it? And a little like kind of the, I don't know, it's kind of the shirts I wear.

And there's, you know, it's brown hair and it's a little bit like sleepy eyes, which I think I have increasingly with my children. If you showed this to me and you were like, I got this. caricature done. I'd be like, yeah, it's a really great likeness. That's the test, I guess. Yeah, yeah. Holding up a coffee and it's, I don't know.

It's a little, I, I'm fairly certain this predated the podcast, so I can't go saying, I don't think I can claim this, but if you're at the Dolphin, look for this. But he does have final draft to open on a laptop. Usually specific software-wise. Yeah, yeah. He's at a laptop looking stressed out as hell. he's debating switching to that other screenwriting software that all the directors is like oh is this better it's well I'm glad I'm glad I focus group that I think yeah okay well let's just assume I'm just gonna declare that that's a depiction of me in the dolphin yeah I'm proud to have I'll see it but the fact that there's other who was ordinary adventures yeah yeah that I feel like lends credence to it maybe being yeah it's possible that's so funny there was also a Canaan Thompson was in the some art, too.

And then they, like, took it away. Oh, no. Because, like, someone was like, hey, why do they just draw Keenan in there? And then, like, the next time. And then, like, the next time they were like, somebody was like, hey, you can't do that. You got to get them out of there.

Like, can't just do. So, I think there's, like, little secrets, yeah. No. Hidden Keynes. If anyone is listening, like, you always have permission to put any of us in concept art. Yeah. Of course.

That's cool as hell. I'm not going to allow that with my image. It's the fun of plausible, deny. building. Right, you know, you gotta have fun with him. That whole everything you describe kind of the light show that ties everything together. I think that's a real success of

this land of this portal and that one thing we haven't talked about is that flow of energy, of dark energy that is consistent from before you even get in there that's like striking whatever the like electrical

the pole whatever we call. Yeah, there you. That's good. on the outside of the portal and that factors very much into the ride. Like that flow of dark energy is this neat, just like, I don't know, the river that runs through the entire operation. Well, I think it's lightning

to power Victoria's experiments. Oh, that is lightning being channeled into... Above the Frankenstein Manor. Okay, okay, that makes sense. And that light show you get on the outside of Frankenstein Manor. Very cool. It's really cool.

It's really worth hanging out outside. there for a while and incredible at night i mean that's the the bummer and we've said this before too yeah the park close what time does it close uh 5 p.m no early bird that's no it's like i don't know but sometimes it's closed decently before it is dark and i've talked to people who didn't get to see it any of it at night much less dark universe and that's the yeah you just want dark universe to be open until three in the morning yeah yeah i don't know why because yeah previews it was open so late and And I remember the whole, I mean, the takeaway for us was like, yeah, this park's the best at night.

So I don't. It's an Orlando problem. Yeah. As far as things not staying open late. Post-COVID especially. So I don't know why it's an Orlando. I don't know why. Because, yeah, we've had the same gripes about the Disney parks.

And this becomes a problem for us with our kind of quick whirlwind trips where we're kind of on West Coast time and never leave West Coast time. So we're vampires. We're out. We're up late. And then with the immense pressure to be up at 7 a.m. For whatever the hell. Well, we had to, yeah. I mean, we definitely stretched it when we were at Epcot with Mr.

Morrow, where we ended up in Epcot two hours past closing. As late as you could possibly be there. We were just being lazy walking around and no one kicked us out. Magical. Yep. That's really great. That does. Yeah.

If you don't care about being on rides, you just want to be in Epcot, which I want to do. Yeah. Everything should be open to midnight at least. Yes. Yeah. That's what we want. Staffing thing. I don't know.

But, yeah, especially this, place where the, you know, I really, I don't know how much we talked about this on the show, but I was thinking I wouldn't, maybe I wouldn't fully get Epic Universe and really like feel a vibe there until getting a lot of nighttime. And then like, yeah, closing is pretty magical. And then the way we did it where we made our way over to the Helios Grand Hotel, what is the bar up at the top? Is it just Bar Helios? Bar Helios. And getting to watch light shows and just look at the land and kind of like from this vantage point relive everything that you saw and see the expansion pads so you know how much more there is to come I think that experience left me going oh maybe I do

love it here it almost feels like a necessary I mean you could have a great time without going to the expensive bar at the top of the hotel but it tied it all together I like it was a little definitely like the magic came from like look at this land that we explore it all day well you know what well help in a few months daylight savings ends so to get dark earlier oh good yes i still the scope of all of it i'm not totally sold on the portals and the separation of the lands sure i do think when you go up to the top of the hotel you see all of it at once and it's very awesome but so like it makes i feel like the lands especially monsters and nintendo the lands being so like walled off make everything feel a little small.

So I feel like when you're at the top of the hotel, especially when you're on the lights around, then you can kind of see, oh, man, this looks how much cool stuff there is. But being in the lands that are really like, I don't know, they all feel a little smaller than they should. Yeah.

And I feel like it's because there's just not an exit in the back of one of the lands. Yes. Well, you don't have, like, you don't have transitional space. You know what I mean? No transitional space. Like that wonderful area that opened up between predator country, now bio country,

and Galaxy's Edge, that path is not a land, but it's a nice place. It's a fade. Yeah. Oh, that's a great way to put it. Like a thematic fade where it fits both kind of is real nice. Yeah, yeah, this magical limbo between Star Wars and the country bears. Like, what a weird that they made that work.

Yeah. And something like that, while there's nothing specifically to do there, it makes everything feel so expansive. Could you imagine, though, if they were able to do Luigi's Mansion fade between Nintendo. in dark universe. Yeah, that's awesome. Oh, my God. That'd be so cool. You could, right?

Or is there like a sliver between those two that's going to be something else? I mean, whatever. Replace it with Luigi's Mancha. That's a great idea. That's been a rumor that that's in the mix, but then Zelda's in the mix, too.

That could also work. Yeah. Zelda might be the first thing. Because all the, like, castle kind of imagery, like, ruins and, like, you could totally. Yeah. Love that. Also, there's aerial photos from the account

by Reconstruct. I would love to be able to see the Monsters from the old Monsters Cafe at Universal Florida where they're all just holding slices of pizza are backstage at Epic Universe on the side. They moved them there. They moved them there.

They preserved them and they had to put them somewhere. I was wondering where those, because I remember when we visited Universal for Horror Nights that one time, I remember there being a Universal Monsters Cafe and was horrified to see it wasn't there this time. Yeah. But they're still hanging. They're still. They're around.

It's a lot. Let me purchase. one for my backyard. It might break the illusion of Darkmoor, but I'd love to see Wolfman chair in a pie. Do we know how many acres Darkmoor is?

Do they have that? Not enough. It's not, well, it's certainly not, but it is a gripe of mine that it should be like twice the size. But I wonder like with even Carsland and like, because Carsland is three acres. That's about 12. 12 or 14? 12, I think is Carsland.

Yeah. Just different ways you get in Carsland. Carsland feels like it's whole. Also, Hull fades. It's so, Carsland just feels like it goes on forever

even though it's like one street and then there's a couple of things that jut out. That's not, and you know what doesn't feel like it goes on forever

is Tune Town because Tune Town's like cornered, it's landed. Yeah. And that's part of the Nintendo thing too which is cool because you block

a lot of stuff out with Nintendo, but then you really feel like I am in a big box. Yeah. I'm standing in a big box. And it's so hot no matter where they built it.

Yeah. Nintendo is cursed whether it's, no matter what end of the It doesn't itself is overheating, just like the classic, N-E-S. Is that what it is? We all need to blow on the Bowser on the Mario Kart ride. That'll make it better.

The rumor about new, like, there is a rumor, and who knows how great, like, how good this is, but, like, the creature from the Black Lagoon, boat ride going in. That's like the... Oh, and they need boat rides. They need high capacity. It's a creepy. swampy boat ride would be fantastic wow so that is a hmm well what's the thought of that like are they going to build past everything are they going to divide that space that isn't that could be

is it pertinent to know is an expansion pad behind really a lot of stuff okay so i think it's behind burning blade yeah it does feel like it's just over kind of coldly back there and then you could sort of like you feel like you see a hotel or a tripotle just a couple of blocks from I four of cutting through the monster's past. Bores of traffic. That's a complaint, but again, this is a temporary. I have a feeling this is going to get rectified. We were talking, we took a little break,

but we were talking about Frankenstein throwing the girl in the lake, and there is a statue of the girl at the entrance of the land. Yes, there is. I think there's so many of the. little touches like that, where if you're a really big fan of the Universal Monsters, it's so cool to see you stuff like that. There's a sign for, like, Jacqueline Hyde with little purple energy going through it. And they, like, talk to each other through a, like, you could kind of go up against a vent or something. Wait, really?

Yeah, I think so. I think there's, like, an audio show. That's cool. Yeah, somewhere in one of those buildings. That's so cool. yeah yeah wait other atmospheric stuff or we haven't talked um i don't suppose you got a monster made over no but i have such a funny story oh great okay okay this is this is like media preview stuff so so this is the this is the thing the i was like what's the proper name the dark more monster makeup experience where you can get made up like a monster i've been calling it

boy bibbidi babbidi boutique that's right yeah yeah not that it's boys only, but. Bukidi-bap-de-bap-di-butty. Yeah. So, yeah, you can get monster makeup done, and it is really, really cool. Like, it's really well-done makeup. The funny thing about media previews, though, a friend of mine had an appointment to go do it, and her time slot was towards the end of, so the way media previews worked was it was, like, all kind of blocked out.

So it was, like, the first half of one day was this land, then the second half is the next land. So they kind of had you go, like, you know, portal by portal. and my friend's makeup slot was like towards the end of our time in dark universe so she's made up like full Frankenstein and they finish her makeup and they look at the time and then I guess someone came over and is like hey um gives her a wet wipe you have to wipe all of that off I'm so sorry really yes as soon as it was on so here's your makeup you have to take all of off now because we were all going over to Harry Potter and apparently it's a thing where

JK Rowling, I think this is a JK Rolling specific thing, did not want other IP or things of that nature of being a C, yeah, did not want monster makeup in. Cool idea, JK. What other ideas you got? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Was that mostly for media print? Because you can't tell like an ear old, like, hey, buddy, take that off. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. I think just in the, like normal.

She'd kick him off the curb. Right. She'd shove his face into a toilet. I'll wash it off for you. Yeah. Clean yourself behind the ears. No, this was just like a media thing where they didn't want. I see.

Okay. For any, if the first photo that leaks. Right. Is a wolf man hunting in Harry Potter in the world. For anyone doing official coverage of the event. event they i guess i see i see i thought it was going to be because it'll spook the dragons right yeah hey waluigi back the line put the hat in a backpack you know yeah that weird monkey won't come out of the suitcase that little yeah that little creep won't come out of

donkey congs in here all right you got to take the puffy hat off oh that's so sad uh okay so it's fun it's this is probably fun in a non-media world yes correct yeah Fun idea. The little store is cute. I got a little cute wolfman for my boy. I like that. I like those little monster, those monster buddies. Yes.

All this stuff is very successful, fun restaurants from fun walk-around. I mean, it feels like we have to at least a little bit talk about the ride. Yes. Not that. I mean, certainly that's its own world of thing. But holy shit, this ride. I mean, this to me is like the unquestioned number one.

I mean, there's certainly the debate with ministry. but I don't know. I mean, you know, the hassle of ministry certainly weighs it down a little bit. And the fact that, like, oh, this is maybe becoming a 10-minute wait. You can do it a couple times in a visit. Yeah. That adds to it. You got to love, you know, cool robots are better than efficiency,

but efficiency scores your points too. In all three of the universal theme parks, not the water theme park, but in all three of the universal parks all the walk everything was really comfortable walking around there but there were certainly people you would go inside to rides or shows and there were plenty of people

but nothing felt too crowded Oh you mean like there's no like bottlenecks Yeah I didn't really feel any bottlenecks And between city walk and all the parks and hotels Maybe it's just kind of evened out or maybe the heat just scared off locals, you know? Yeah, yeah, that's a good thing. I mean, with monsters, I think it is, I probably will be,

like, it's very efficient seeming when it's running. Yeah, I feel like it's like, it's like a people, just because the way it loads, it's like constant. Yeah, Igor built a great machine. Yes, he did. I, but, I mean, God, where'd even begin? It's just, I don't know, kicks ass. It's so cool.

I love that they've, like, this is part of the land, too, but I love that they've invented a viable reason for all the monsters to be around each other and fight. It could be like a little bit. It's exactly what you want in an attraction is just throw all the characters together. Logic, I don't know, it's what you want out of Star Wars or something, but you understand why like that's got to be part of a timeline.

You can't just put those people together. That doesn't make sense. But here they figured it out. They figured out a way where like it's not so high concept, but you get to see, I don't know, Wolfman jump on Frankenstein's back. Yeah. I mean I assume we'll probably just do a separate episode about this

because like when we go with the details because there's a really good attractions producer is this person you know this who follows us her name is Jamie Rowan who just has all these awesome specifically to the ride like facts and little details so like we could probably go over them on a separate episode I think she posted a lot of pictures and like behind you know Easter eggs and behind the scene stuff

I don't know her personally yeah it's just she's following me. I'm not bragging her. I'm just saying, yeah, you have to follow her because she has all these great details about the ride and, like, philosophy and story and stuff

that's involved in it. But, yeah, it is fascinating how they built it. It's almost actually different than I expected it to be. I actually expected it to be a moodyer ride. Me too. A scary moody ride.

They've certainly built it up, like this one's scary, like a maze is scary. And it's got scare. It's absolutely got scares and, like, gross stuff and whatever. But it is like, I think I said this right after

we did it. It is actually, in my mind, more of like what a modern superhero ride would, could be without just screens.

Because it's a big battle between all the characters versus it's because like every time you're imagining like a Marvel ride or whatever, it's like, well, it has to be a screen

because there's no way you can do action without the dynamic action of Marvel has to be a screen. But the way they blend screens on this monster ride with robots, it works pretty well like it works

there's some dynamic movement on the screen stuff but then you just get a monster in your face and a robot moving like the wolf man should move yeah right but if you so striking

if you see like a Hulk's and he's on a screen and he does something and you round a corner and then there's a robot Hulk that takes a swing at you that'd be pretty awesome yes so it ended up being

more of this like big action figure fight ride that I thought it would be it's obviously with horror elements you just did a just a gesture that was like banging two action figures together and that is how it feels it is like and then they go and they start fighting and then they find over here and it rules don't get it's my

favorite ride yeah yeah yeah yeah one of my favorite right no it's very eight-year-old's like fantasy fulfillment it's very much um it is kind of how i feel sometimes when i'm watching like wrestling where i'm like oh i can see the former child that wrote this thing do you know what i mean and it's awesome yeah just a bunch of things fighting each other and it's super cool It's very sweet. But it is interesting because I was, like, when I was like, okay, they're going to do the cucka arm for a horror ride. And I'm like, that is cool because, oh, you're really going to restrict people's movement and you're going to be able to move them around and, like, you can experiment them on them if they're like, if you flip us backwards and, like, we're on a table for, like, you really could slow, do weird stuff that would creep everybody out. Not the case.

Here, ah, my monsters, fire. Like, so, so I was one. It's interesting. And maybe that was the right. choice for like a general audience yeah but i was yes i was expecting a totally different vibe for from it yes me too i love the cuckarm is so funny i love the little pre-show with igor explaining what the ride's going to be we've all ridden it right yeah yeah okay i love the pre-show with eager because they have a miniature cucka arm which i'm very obsessed with with the little

dolls in it yeah um and i have heard i was reading a reddit thread about this apparently um there's been more than a few instances of kids getting to this pre-show and freaking out because in the pre-show, Igor's explaining, here's your ride vehicle that I've invented. And I can move you any which way I want. And he makes this ride vehicle go crazy in this pre-show. He's flinging it around. And apparently, ride operators have had to explain to frightened children that, no, no, no, it's not going to go. It's not going to be like this. Apparently a lot of kids who've been acting very brave up until that point I've had to

I've questioned whether or not they've actually wanted to ride this but the ride itself is not that their parents just explaining no you don't know in 1993 there was these Tower of Terror commercials where it looked like you stood up but there were

there actually were seats because theme parks do need to keep their guests alive yes that is why I did not ride that ride for years because I thought that that's what that ride was Oh, wow. Geez, this thing, this had an impact. It did.

Yeah, yeah. The vacation VHS tape affected me as well. Yeah. They, they, I heard also, I don't know if this is part of what you're saying, but they, in that little zone where they have the, the tiny kook arm, they had to remove a joke. Yes. Yes, yes.

Which is that one of the people in the thing had fallen out and was on the ground. Then the kids started, that was removed, clawing their own eyes out. I think they were. replaced it with like cutesy monsters right? Oh, I think there's just nothing. Yeah, I think there. Oh, okay. It's fun to see them kind of towing the line of like what can we get away with humor-wise in this land. I'm also trying to remember who told me this, but

somebody said that the the hardest cucka arm to program was the tiny one. Really? The tiny one was so hard to figure out to make those precise movements. The other, like, obviously the other thing, I'm sure it's hard on some level, but that tiny thing was a real pain in the ass. to get it to just imitate the big ones. I wonder why.

I wonder if it's like just because it doesn't have as much weight. So just, I don't know. I don't know. I mean, I think that maybe the technology was there already. Yeah. The big ones just with physics. They had to like reinvent it almost. Yeah, I don't know.

I forget who told me that, but that's, yeah, it was like a big pain in the ass to get that thing to do what it wanted. When you all wrote it, did you all get to see the infamous, stack of folding chairs that were in it or no no i don't know have you heard of the folding chairs yeah okay i did not see it in media previews it was like it was a thing everyone was like when you ride monsters on chain right after the creature from the black lagoon pops out if you look to your left there's just like a stack of folding chairs and like curtains that are just there and it's just so I don't know, it almost became like this instant kind of meme inside joke among everyone who was there for previews and media week.

I don't know why we all kind of latched onto it. It just kind of felt weird and camp, and I was wondering if they covered it up already or removed them. But I don't know if those were chairs that were there for like the opening night thing. But we all kind of got attached to them in a weird way. I was curious if they were still there. Oh, I love this. I think there's a couple sections of the ride, especially like right when it opened

that people were like goofing on a little bit. Yes. Because you would see like, I don't know, yeah, a curtain or something. Witness my masterpiece. It's definitely a stack of chairs for if I post a function. I had to put them somewhere.

Yeah, we were inventing stories for them. Like it's if she has company. And they have to be folding chairs because if any monster has a tail, where else is that tail going to go? I rented them from a third-party company, and they still have not come to pick them up. I won my deposit back in my Wells Fargo and howled. The palate is too heavy to move, even for Frankenstein himself.

Yeah, that very much feels like this Starbucks Cup in Game of Thrones or a Mandalorian, where it's just like, oh, yeah, it's so many other things to keep an eye on, stuff falls through the cracks, you know? And it's one of those things where I know if they had left them there any longer, people would get attached to them and be mad if they did get rid of them, you know, kind of thing. Yeah. It's also funny because it's just like there's, when you see like Hohan Manch with the lights on, you go, oh, this looks like shit. Yes.

And like Harry Potter as well, like if I don't know that I've ever had full lights on when I've been on it, but you see videos and you see certain things and you go, oh yeah, some of this, this is not completely like made up to look good in the light. It does feel like that was part of what accidentally or what happened on monsters. even though there's a lot more lights on that ride is that just there were a few spots where they were like, oh yeah, we got to throw something up. There's nothing here.

We got to, yeah, because I would, I don't know if anyone's made a good layout. I would love to see what the layout looks like. Yeah. Overhead. Oh, yeah. Because I am, I don't know what the geography of it. I don't know where I go in the, yeah, yeah.

It's very disarranting. Yeah, yeah. Another thing about just like, I've, something I've realized is it doesn't translate that great. I don't think there is a, with no offense to any of the great people bringing cameras

and phones into the attraction, posting them on YouTube, which I'm thankful for because it gives you a little bit of a flavor. But that was the one where we got back and I was like to Aaron like, oh, you got to see this right. It's crazy. And we watched a few and none of them conveyed it at all. It really doesn't work to watch after the time. I tried

showing footage to a friend of mine. I'm like it doesn't, yeah, it doesn't translate at all. Oh, I don't know what it is. Yeah, scenes that I thought were some of the coolest scenes I've ever seen. She's just staring at, like, what do you, what do you, when does something happen? No, no, no, if you were on it, I swear. Yeah. But some of that, I guess, I mean, not all, like, that's just a weird light issue and so much of it is darkness and scariness.

But one thing you really don't get if you watch the ride, just right through is the haptic stuff that you're getting shocked so much. Yeah. That happens a ton. Yeah. Which is a real step up of the system over the forbidden journey. Yeah. Yeah, that's, I thought. there would be like a 90-second scene

where you were just getting like slowly shocked by somebody trying to bring you to life. The other thing that doesn't communicate in video so a lot of the story beats communicate but like the sheer scale of some of those animatronics, they're like seven to nine feet tall I don't know but it's like oh yeah I guess

monsters could be very large. Yes, I was going to say I think that's also what doesn't translate to video is Dracula's laying Like, yeah, eight feet tall, it's... Yes, yeah. And there's one mummy that's weirdly giant. Why is she so big? Yeah, yeah, there's a sarcophagus.

Anoxuna moon. Yeah. Yeah, you've got the Brendan Fraser one. I got the Fraser. I got the Fraser. I got the Carlyne. Yeah. We've got it covered.

All mummies represent. Yes, exactly. But is that supposed to be because it's like right in your face or is the mummy sudden... Because in other scenes, the mummy doesn't seem that big. Yeah. confusing. Yeah, I think it's just... Yeah, I'm guessing it's just, yeah, it's a, I don't know. I actually was going to guess and I don't know anything. I think one relief that I had, I think one trepidation in all of this is that I was a little bit nervous of exactly how steampunky all of

these monsters were going to be. And it's really, if you go back to that, uh, that initial concept are just things that they leaked. I mean, we talked about it on the show a little bit, but particularly Dracula. Dracula, everything before the ride was opened, Dracula is so

my chemical romance. He's, it's extremely the vibe. And I was worried this would not, yes, yeah, well, and for you,

maybe, that's an exciting thing. It's like getting halfway to him being a American idiot era. Yeah, yeah. But,

spike tear, frosted tips. But I was not sure, but I think it landed at a happy medium. I was not overly thinking about steampunkiness with any of these

Well he got his cape I mean I think that was the main thing We were concerned about Oh the originally art or they released He didn't have a cape He just had an American Apparel Track jacket from the 2000 Yeah because he had like that

Like he had a little shoulder pads That's right yes Yeah But no cape to we didn't see it At least in that art Yeah I think it works because it's like I think making his costume Instantly kind of

Like it's a little goofy be in a little over design, but I think it works because it'll age well. Like, it's not fashionable to us right now, but that'll keep it from looking dated. Do you know what I mean? Like, in a few years, like it'll just be forever kind of silly looking instead of, wow, that looks like someone designed it in 2024 or whatever. I don't know. Don't tell Mike this vibe isn't cool.

That's the news to you. Well, look, my chemical moments are back. They're doing the black parade on tour right now. So it's back. You're trying to sell them on a black parade dark ride. And it's like, look, you join the big. You join the parade. Yeah.

Yeah. Here's another, here's another picture of him. Yeah. I like, I like, I like, I like where it landed. I like where all these monsters landed. Well, because, I mean, in the 30s one, he's got the big medallion, but he's also practically wearing a tuxedo. Yes, for sure.

I mean, it's a different ride. I mean, when they said, okay, you know. Universal Monster E-Ticket. I was picturing some of the oldest man you've ever seen. Yes. I mean, oldest men robots, which of course, I love robots of old men. And that's what I was imagining in their classic outfits. But it's never going to top all of presidents or Calico Mine Ride.

Old men are covered in theme park terms. Yeah. But I mean, there's definitely a 45-minute slow dark ride. Yeah. With some of the most ancient-looking robots dressed as monsters from the classic films. Yeah, I think it makes sense to just have it where they're like, these are not the ones from those movies. Because I can't imagine those versions of those characters moving as quickly as these do.

It just doesn't visually work. Do you know what I mean? It just would be so off-putting. You have like a long 10-minute dinner scene with Dracula. Yeah, yeah. Your little car pulls up against the table and he like just like tries to talk you and seduce you. What you want is a simulator of what it was like for Ed Wood to, drive Bella Legosi to his house.

Oh, God, that's all I want. Here is stories. Is there what he's mad about? That's right. That store stinks. I don't go in there anymore. There's a stench. I want like a Klaus Kinski Nosferatu scene. Oh, my God. Where it's just unnerving.

Yes. Nothing even really happens. It's just that he's kind of staring at you for too long and you just feel bad. It makes you feel bad. They can use statues and lighting cues for that. It's affordable. Sure. I agree.

Well, look, I wasn't in the planning of this. And they obviously wanted, like, cool, hip, relatable monsters to the youth. That didn't, they weren't tied down to Grandpa's generation, unfortunately. But I want, yeah, I would have, like, a different collection of monsters. Grandpa Munster, for instance, would be on my mind. You wanted an immersive Edward dining where you eat with Vincent and Ophrio, Orson, Wells. Yeah. Or Gary Oldman, Dracula.

Oh, yeah. I would like to see all of those. That could be the monster makeover. Oh, that's what I would ask for. Yeah, big hat. Oh, can I get that in the makeup? Yeah. Yeah.

I don't think they own that one. Oh, yeah, you're right. Yeah, I'm not sure. Damn it. With what you just said, do we think Victoria Frankenstein is hip? I think she's sort of hip. Yes. I think that one got the attempt.

She's cool. I think that's the attempt at least. Sure. The youth look up to her. Something about her I find so interesting. I was talking to some friends of mine while we were waiting in line for the right, we were next to like her portrait, and we're all staring at her. And my friend pointed out, this I thought, was an interesting, like, I think a very purposeful

design choice. She was like, she's extremely, just ethnically ambiguous. Like she, like, she could be black. She could be, like, you can't tell. And I think it's on, like, she's just a very kind of, like, I guess, no pun on. like just universal character, which I think is kind of cool. Yeah, sure.

Yeah, she's like kind of an every woman, you know. I really like her as a character. You know what I? Oh, I was going to say. The other thing, I think that universal creative person posted on Twitter, it's by choice that Henry Frankenstein's portrait is on the ground floor, but she is on the upper floor because she sees herself as above him.

Oh, that's cool. Oh, sure, sure. I'm very glad they made her out of her mind. Yes, yeah, instead of a girl bought. Because that's, yes, that's a, that's happened lately. I feel like we're adding a female character. She's cool and competent. Right.

Traditionally attractive and like, I love that. I love the complex character that is the new Lola Bunny, Space Jam, a new legacy. You're like, but this character isn't any fun. You understand that, right? Yes, because that always feels condescending. Where it's like, yes, I agree. You know, it's like, oh, it's the girl version of this, but she's smart and hip and she's, yeah, where it's, she's boring. You girls, you can punch and kick, too.

Right. You can pose, ride a horse, whatever you want. Right. It's like, no, we also want to view bad shit fucking crazy. Yeah, yeah. And have insane power fans, you know? And the best characters in anything are bad shit crazy. Yeah, yeah, that's what you want to be for sure.

So I'm glad they did that. Love her. Yeah, yeah. She's fun. I don't know. And look, I feel like I've heard people say like the story, what's up?

I don't care. Who can get a certain point? I'll get it. I don't know. Big monster fight. We'll get into it on the full episode. Yeah. We'll get into it.

I mean, it's definitely there if you want it. But if you want to just see the action figure monster fight. Right. Also there. Tired dad gets the big, all the monsters are there. And his kids get to see all the monsters. And he gets air conditioning for the. the 30 minute wait, you know.

Yes, yes, tired of day. You don't need to be tired dead. I mean, I guess I am that. But I think air conditioning is welcome anywhere you can. Oh, yeah. In that place, my God. Heat sensitivity 40-year-old is all so excited for the air conditioning. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

This is we can agree on. Yeah, I am torn about wanting, just wanting the ride. I do want the ride out here. Yeah, I do want it. Yeah. Can you, ma'am, we got that all the time. This is their home. Universal Monsters were born here.

I want something here. And there's, isn't there, is there not, well, what's, you're up on the rumor mill. Where does that go if we get it? I've heard Simpsons. Yeah, but there's not enough room for the ride. Yeah, but something related to Universal Monsters. The tricky thing I think, and I don't know anything, but the tricky thing I think I know is that, that I feel like the Universal Monsters. for a new theme park,

you get a little capital for something that's a little less popular. So since you have to do a bunch of stuff all at once, you can sneak the monsters in. There's so many priorities as far as putting stuff in in Hollywood. I feel like it's going to be down the list. And we're not going to... I mean, I don't think we're getting anything like from Epic

for five years anyway. But I'm just saying I'm worried and I fear that it's way down the list behind Wicked, buy more Nintendo behind a bunch of other stuff so like behind My Chemical Romance Black Parade ride Yeah so I don't know

I hope I'm wrong I hope that's wrong Because we never got any of the unique Islands of Adventure stuff Which maybe it would be out of place But you know like I don't know Like original IP violence stuff Is not really out here

Right and it's I mean we still There's still a ton of stuff on islands We haven't gotten we haven't gotten a new Harry Potter, which is bizarre if you really think about it, like... A lot of that's been there for a long time. Yeah, Daigandale has been there for

oh, like, who know why? Like, the rumors of that coming here have been going on for a decade at this point. And we never got Jimmy Fallon either. We never got Jimmy Fallon. That's still up the list, you know? He had Gunfeld on last night. He had Goodfell was on.

Gutfeld was on, yeah. Oh, polite. Yeah, yeah, yeah. For the first time, huh? We need to assert that if NBC wants to say we're not going anywhere Mr. Trump, sir, we're not canceling our franchise. We'll prove

it by planting this expensive ride right in the heart of Holly. We're investing in Jimmy Fallon. And Gutfeld did a funny thing where he made sure everybody knows that they hang out in the same spots. He's like we were at this place and like specific I'm not sure. He was doing that.

Oh yeah, maybe. Oh yeah. There's a lot of people there though. Yeah. Yeah, anyway. Put Gutfeld on the ride, too. Or give Gutfeld his own ride. You know, it's a new world. Godfeld should have his own, like, desk that flies.

Or no, he doesn't have a desk. He just has a chair. So he should have a full, Gutfeld should have a flying chair ride. That's a simulator. You know, we're placed Born Stuntacular with the Gutfeld ride. Hey, now you're just poking the bear.

No, no, no, no. I'm presenting a good idea. Or, no, it's Gutfeld doing the stunts. Because he's such a patriot. It's such a cool, youthful guy. Yeah, yeah. I mean, the American intelligence service is presented as a little bit Borg, evil.

The Gutfeld's stunt tag. Yeah, we'll do that. Well, what have we missed here? I mean, like, I don't know, closing thoughts or did we miss anything or, I don't know, summation statements. I just wish it's a triumph. It's great. I do wish it was bigger.

I do wish it was bigger. I wish there was a little more getting lost. Because once you get out of just the big castle and then that front area, even though there's cool stuff, it just feels like, oh, this is, you do one loop and you're done. Yes. And I want to get lost a little more. I want to feel a little more confused. Yeah. I wish there were more like interiors you could wander through.

More interiors. Yeah. Or like a forest you could kind of get lost. Yeah, yeah. That would be cool. Yeah. Obviously it was going to be bigger initially, so that's partially budget-wise. I do wish at night it did turn into a little more horror nightsy

Like it like oh past a certain hour You plan and kids have to get out of there at a certain time or else Yeah So I'm like I do I because that was also another part of the promise in my mind of like Oh a permanent horror nights thing That you'll get to go to at a park and it's not like that And I get why it shouldn't be like that during the day probably Because a lot of people don't like getting jump scared constantly

but 7 p.m. rolls around, 8 p.m. rolls around. Sure, yeah. You know, that's the time. Yeah, or you're just, or you had a long sit in the Burning Blade Tavern and you forgot what time it was. Oh, that would be so funny. Now you're a little, now you're a little tipsy. Right.

Things are jumping at you. Oh, the people are gone. People would go, yeah, it would be fun. I mean, it would be fun to force people into that. Because I think more people would, like, oh, it is fun. It is a little fun to get jump scared. Whether you think. it is or not it is fun yeah especially the like the scare zones that's the most fun i think part of

horror nights yeah i wonder if there any plan i mean they're not going to do a horror nights there or anything at least anytime soon but i would be cool around Halloween if there was some cool like vampire army that swarmed at night or something Halloween overlay of the fog john carpenter's the fog oh like you like a walk around tom atkins you can meet yeah that would be really Halloween low overlay of the mist. The fog is the sun. That'd be depressing. With the very dishearting ending.

Yes, that's right. Yes. One right next to the other. Like, wow, the fog is really cool. No, you fool, that's the mist. The fog ended 10 feet ago. That's the new aliens versus predator. Pod versus Mids.

Yeah. Beas can't have all the year round fun, you know. Oh, yeah, we do have that now too. Yeah, yeah. It's opening any... Yeah, I try to get invited to that. Nobody responded. Oh, geez.

But I want to go to Backstreet Boys, and maybe we'll figure out a way to do it by the end of the month. That's ending at the end of the month is Backstreet Boys. Oh, that's your... Oh. Are you prepared for the jump scares

of everybody Backstreet's back? Did they turn into the monsters? No, they fly on a little, like, flying things. Oh, wow. Into the sky, yeah. Okay. And their faces around a mountain or something. There's so much stuff.

I think we're going to the Vegas horror night, or the... or the haunt. Oh, yeah, yeah. Oh, great, great. We will report back. Any expectations, anything you're looking forward to that? I don't really know much about what's there.

I'm excited for Texas chainsaw. I'm ready. Okay. My baby leather face. Jack, the famous mascot is there. The clown. Yeah. Oh, yeah, I got to brush up on my lore.

Yeah. Well, please, yeah, please do. Give us a report once that's up and running. and join us any time because it's a delight talking to you about these things. Chelsea, Rebecca, you survived podcast, The Ride. So happy you came back. Me too. I'm such a delight talking to you.

Let's exit through the gift shop, anything you'd like to plug. And you can find me at Dead Meat on the Dead Meat podcast. I will also be live streaming the Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood Red Carpet. If you want to join us for that, I'm so excited. We're going to be doing the ride carpet And if we can arrange it We will be live streaming going through a bunch of the houses Including the Terrifier House

With a bunch of the cast and crew Hopefully we are trying to organize it with Universal Because it is complicated to arrange things of that nature We're working on it Apparently there is The Terrifier House there is a wet and dry option of the house Have you heard of this? Wet house

Oh boy They said soaked, right? They said like you're going to get soaked I don't know I'm not like so excited by that But I will do the soaked Pulling out the house painting clothes for that house We'll see how our cameraman feels about

Going through the wet version of the house Yeah No question in Jason's mind Wet house Jason got so excited about wet house Because he thought about those socks Getting soaked Oh yeah

The greatest thrill Because I'll get trench foot in the terror fire house I got it Yeah, you buy the I got hoof and mouth disease at the Art the Klan experience And the big fuzzy boys From Finance Freddy's help you dry off

When you hug them and that's saying Yeah they let you touch it They cut that out at the first night Too many weird implications E yeah, ye Well, have fun Stay dry if you wish Unless you're excited for Wet House

As for us, for three bonus episodes every month, check out podcast thread the second gate. We'll get one more bonus episode on our VIP Tier Club three. You'll find all of that at patreon.com slash podcast the ride. Thanks for listening, boy bosses and girl bosses alike. You keep doing you. Forever. This has been a Forever Dog production.

Executive produced by Mike Carlson, Jason Sheridan, Scott Gardner, Brett Bohm, Joe Silio, and Alex Ramsey. For more original podcasts, please visit Foreverdog Podcasts.com and subscribe to our shows on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Keep up with the latest Forever Dog news by following us on Twitter and Instagram at Forever Dog Team and liking our page on Facebook.