The Season Pass: The Essential Theme Park Podcast

*Subscribe @ iTunes* TSPP 2015 is taking a look back at the biggest story of 2014—Universal Studios Florida’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley! It’s a full review of this amazing, immersive, new WANDerland in the original Orlando Universal Studios park with The Season Pass’s Doug Barnes & Brent Young, plus special guests: Arthur Levine (Theme Parks Guide for about.com), Len Testa (Co-Author of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World/Creator of Touring Plans), and Josh Young (Owner/Editor of ThemeParkUniversity.com).  Discussion on Diagon Alley, interactivity, Gringotts ride, Hogwarts Express, food, merchandise, marketing, and more!  Also, the gang continues on beyond Diagon Alley, to the Cabana Bay Resort, Sapphire Falls, Universal’s City Walk vs. Downtown Disney, Star Wars in WDW, Avatar Land, SeaWorld Orlando’s future, Legoland Florida, WDW Resort, and Orlando Florida’s future! A huge collection of Orlando excitement…enjoy!   Links: about.com- Theme Parks Theme Park University Touring Pla

*Subscribe @ iTunes* This week the Season Pass Podcast returns to the Baxter residence for the fourth TSPP with Disney Legend and WDI Advisor, Tony Baxter! Doug Barnes (Owner/Producer of the Season Pass Podcast), Brent Young (Creative Director/President of Super 78), Robert Coker (Owner/Editor of thrillride.com), Ryan Harmon (President of Zeitgeist), and Tony, discuss the creative process and design behind Disneyland Paris, redeveloping Disneyland's Tomorrowland for the 1998 update, and much more on WDI, Disney, and Leadership.  This is a classic, Enjoy!   EPISODE SPONSORS: O-Zell Soda - www.o-zell.com  *Use Promo Code "HOLIDAY14" to get 25% off your entire order at www.o-zell.com expires 1-31-15...do it now! ;) I Can Break Away Blog -icanbreakaway.blogspot.com    Links: MiceChat Touring Plans Pixie Vacations Season Pass Closing Song - Wheels by Enuff Z’nuff on iTunes   Check Out The Season Pass Podcast Website at: www.seasonpasspodcast.com   Follow Us On Twitter! - www.twitter.com/theseasonpass Like the TSPP

*Subscribe @ iTunes* TSPP is back for the 2014 Thea Awards and TEA Summit podcast finale.  The BIG word for the TEA Summit Finale is GLOBAL!  Discussions on the Thea Awards with recipients: Titanic Belfast’s Tim Husbands (CEO), Conal Harvey (Director of Harcourt Developments), & John Doherty (Creative Director); Carrousel des Mondes Marins (Marine Worlds Carousel)’s Pierre Orefice (Director of the Machines de L’ile) & Francois Delaroziere (Artistic Director of Machines de L’ile); Polynesian Cultural Center’s P. Alfred Grace (President/CEO), Michale Lee (President of Michael Lee Design), & Pat Scanlon (Producer/Project Director of Michael Lee Design); The Mind Museum’s Maria Isabel Garcia (Curator); Gardens by the Bay’s Dr. Kiat W. Tan (CEO).  And to close this celebration of Global Themed Entertainment, another amazing conversation with Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Executive and globe traveler, Joe Rohde.  A discussion on his recent trip to Mongolia and the creative process behind Disney Anim

*Subscribe @ iTunes* TSPP is back at the 2014 Thea Awards and TEA Summit to talk with the Thea Award winners for the Revolution Tru-Trackless Ride Systems, Oceaneering Entertainment Systems. Doug, Brent and Robert sit with Bill Bunting (Manager of Business Development for OES) and Dave Mauck (Vice President & General Manager of OES) to discuss their journey into the themed entertainment industry, the purpose behind Oceaneering, and their remarkable new ride system, the Revolution.  OES’s Matt Kent also returns to TSPP for the conversation as well.  Enjoy   Links: TEA Website Oceaneering Entertainment Systems Walt Disney Birthplace  O-Zell Soda MiceChat Touring Plans Pixie Vacations Season Pass Closing Song - Wheels by Enuff Z’nuff on iTunes   Check Out The Season Pass Podcast Website at: www.seasonpasspodcast.com   Follow Us On Twitter! - www.twitter.com/theseasonpass Like the TSPP Facebook page! - www.facebook.com/theseasonpass   Contact us: doug@seasonpasspodcast.com brent@super78.com robert@robertcoker

Nick’s ERT: Nick and The Universal Trackers.     Join Nick as he sits with Tim and Jenn Tracker (from Youtube.com/thetimtracker) to discuss his trip to Universal (with a bit of Disney thrown in for good measure!).  

*Subscribe @ iTunes* TSPP is back at the 2014 Thea Awards and TEA Summit for more conversation on the award recipients. This episode is all about the SPECTACULAR!  Discussion on the creative process behind Universal Studios Japan’s The Song of an Angel with Mike Davis (Executive Producer of Universal Studios Japan), The Fire Test at the Dutch Railway Museum (De Vuurproef, Het Spoorwegmuseum) with Paul Van Vlijmen (Director of Het Spoorwegmuseum) & Evelien Pieterse (Exhibition Coordinator), Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson ONE with Welby Altidor (Director of Creation-Images, Events and Lifestyle division of Cirque du Soleil), conversation on theme park “baby boomer" market research with Jill Bensley (President of JB Research Company) & NormaLynn Cutler (Principle of Cutler Enterprises), and the deep purposes behind Audio-Animatronics with Thea Lifetime Achievement recipients Garner Holt (Founder of Garner Holt Productions) and Bob Gurr (Disney Legend/Former Imagineer).  Remembering the amazing Thea A

*Subscribe @ iTunes* TSPP closes out its biggest Halloween coverage year ever with a MASSIVE Hauntastic Special at the official home park of the Season Pass Podcast, Knott’s Scary Farm for Halloween Haunt 2014! Discussion on the bold new direction of Knott’s Haunt, creative process behind the new scares, dissecting new mazes Voodoo & Tooth Fairy, plus conversations with the brilliant people behind this year’s event…   Interviews with: The Mistress of the Dark, Elvira Voodoo Maze Designer, Brooke Walters Creator of Special Ops: Infected, John Cooke Gunslinger’s Grave Designer, Gus Krueger Digital Media Marketing, Brad Jashinsky Possessed’s Maggie Reynolds, herself, Josie Tucker   Join Jeff Tucker (Entertainment Supervisor at Knott’s Berry Farm), Doug Barnes (Owner/Producer of The Season Pass Podcast), Robert Coker (Owner of thrillride.com), and Mike Maryman (Owner of Evil Episodes) for the biggest Halloween podcast TSPP has ever produced.  PLUS, Halloween event reviews from TSPP listeners Shawn Marshall &a

*Subscribe @ iTunes* This week, TSPP goes back to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo, CA) for Fright Fest 2014!  Discussion on creating the annual event with Terry Overstreet (Director of Entertainment), updates at SFDK with Nancy Chan (Communications Manager), and dissecting SFDK’s newest scare maze Boathouse at Blood Lake with Charles Laureano (Rides Supervisor/Scare Master).  Also, stereo narratives of five scare mazes.  Tons of scary thrills, enjoy!   Links: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom MiceChat Touring Plans Pixie Vacations Season Pass Closing Song - Wheels by Enuff Z’nuff on iTunes   Check Out The Season Pass Podcast Website at: www.seasonpasspodcast.com   Follow Us On Twitter! - www.twitter.com/theseasonpass Like the TSPP Facebook page! - www.facebook.com/theseasonpass   Contact us: doug@seasonpasspodcast.com brent@super78.com robert@robertcoker.com   Call the Hotline with Park Trip Reports, Podcast Comments, or Anything else you would like to announce. –1-916-248-5524   Thanks to each one of you for

*Subscribe @ iTunes* This week, TSPP goes back to California’s Great America for Halloween Haunt 2014!  We dissect the creative process and development of Haunt and the HUGE leap forward CGA took this year to create a scarier, more intense, unbelievably enjoyable event.  Great conversations with Clayton Lawrence (Entertainment Manager/Haunt Master) and Roger Ross (Public Relations Manager) about the consistent upgrading to the park, creating new experinces (the Great America Pavillion) with the new Levi's Stadium and 49ers, and creating themed experiences rather than just extreme (teen) attractions.  Tons of ghoulish fun happening at CGA and it’s open through November 1st!  So go to HAUNT if you’re in the Bay Area!  Seriously…you’ll thank us. ;)  Enjoy the bloody podcast!   Links: California’s Great America Great America Pavillion MiceChat Touring Plans Pixie Vacations Season Pass Closing Song - Wheels by Enuff Z’nuff on iTunes   Check Out The Season Pass Podcast Website at: www.seasonpasspodcast.com   Follow

*Subscribe @ iTunes* This week, TSPP goes back to Universal Studios Hollywood for Halloween Horror Nights 2014!  We dissect the creative process and development of HHN and its new mazes with the Creative Director of Entertainment Production, John Murdy.  A great conversation on the origins of this year’s amazing attractions, plus a small selection of live walk through clips of the environments from the Horror Nights event (recorded Oct. 4, 2014).  Enjoy and sleep peacefully. ;)   Links: Universal Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights MiceChat Touring Plans Pixie Vacations Season Pass Closing Song - Wheels by Enuff Z’nuff on iTunes   Check Out The Season Pass Podcast Website at: www.seasonpasspodcast.com   Follow Us On Twitter! - www.twitter.com/theseasonpass Like the TSPP Facebook page! - www.facebook.com/theseasonpass   Contact us: doug@seasonpasspodcast.com brent@super78.com robert@robertcoker.com   Call the Hotline with Park Trip Reports, Podcast Comments, or Anything else you would like to announce. –1-916-

Nick joins Season Pass Holder Matthew Summers to guide him through his first scare maze event - at Thorpe Park's Fright Nights. They also spend the easier part of the day doing Legoland (for the first time) and Chessington World of Adventures. We also feature an interview with Sean Coogan, who's Thorpe Park's live entertainments manager. Closing out the episode is a discussion with Lee Conway, Nick and Matt. Along with many other fun surprises down the dark path of the Thorpe Park movie studios. Enjoy!’  

*Subscribe @ iTunes* This week Window to the Magic takes over the Season Pass Podcast for a binaural haunted adventure thourgh all the mazes of Knott’s Scary Farm Haunt 2014.  Surround yourself with the Macabre.  Spoiler alert: This audio contains all five Skeleton Key Rooms.   Links: Window To The Magic Podcast MiceChat Touring Plans Pixie Vacations Season Pass Closing Song - Wheels by Enuff Z’nuff on iTunes   Check Out The Season Pass Podcast Website at: www.seasonpasspodcast.com   Follow Us On Twitter! - www.twitter.com/theseasonpass Like the TSPP Facebook page! - www.facebook.com/theseasonpass   Contact us: doug@seasonpasspodcast.com brent@super78.com robert@robertcoker.com   Call the Hotline with Park Trip Reports, Podcast Comments, or Anything else you would like to announce. –1-916-248-5524   Thanks to each one of you for listening to the show.  Your support is extremely appreciated.     © 2014 Season Pass Podcast

*Subscribe @ iTunes* Season Pass Podcast Halloween Coverage is back for 2014 and the team visits a new haunt experience for TSPP—Dark Harbor at The Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA!  Doug Barnes, Dusty Sage (MiceChat.com), Robert Coker (thrillride.com) and Norm Gidney (MiceChat.com) sit with Dark Harbor's Creative Director & Production Designer, JJ Wickham, and Co-Talent Director, David Wally, to discuss the event, their journeys into the industry, and the challenges that come with creating such an immersive attraction in the competitive Southern California haunt market.  Amazing scary stuff, enjoy!   Links: Dark Harbor at The Queen Mary MiceChat Touring Plans Pixie Vacations Season Pass Closing Song - Wheels by Enuff Z’nuff on iTunes   Check Out The Season Pass Podcast Website at: www.seasonpasspodcast.com   Follow Us On Twitter! - www.twitter.com/theseasonpass Like the TSPP Facebook page! - www.facebook.com/theseasonpass   Contact us: doug@seasonpasspodcast.com brent@super78.com robert@robertcoker.com   Cal

*Subscribe @ iTunes* From Scare LA 2014, it’s the event review show recorded on location, August 9 & 10.  Audio from the show floor, plus interviews with Scare LA’s Head of the Education Department, Ben Dickow, and the Art Director of Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood, Chris Williams.  Also, interviews from the 2013 Haunted Hollywood Sports Media Event.  Scary Fun!! Enjoy!   EPISODE SPONSORS: INCLINED2LOOP.COM SERPENTINE FIRE by Jon Binkowski & Stephen DeWoody   Links: Scare LA Universal Studios Hollywood Halloween Horror Nights Haunted Hollywood Sports MiceChat Touring Plans Theme Park Adventure Pixie Vacations Season Pass Closing Song - Wheels by Enuff Z’nuff on iTunes   Check Out The Season Pass Podcast Website at: www.seasonpasspodcast.com   Follow Us On Twitter! - www.twitter.com/theseasonpass Like the TSPP Facebook page! - www.facebook.com/theseasonpass   Contact us: doug@seasonpasspodcast.com brent@super78.com robert@robertcoker.com   Call the Hotline with Park Trip Reports

*Subscribe @ iTunes* From Scare LA 2014, it’s the Garner Holt: I Was A Teenage Haunter panel.  Recorded on August 10, Garner Holt discusses how he started his business as an ambitious young teen wanting to create haunted houses and theme park rides in his backyard, malls, and anywhere else he could legally (for the most part) build his palaces of entertainment.  This is the live feed in-front of an “Undead Audience!”  Moderated by Doug Barnes of the Season Pass Podcast.  Enjoy!   EPISODE SPONSORS: MAGIC BAND BUDGET SERPENTINE FIRE by Jon Binkowski & Stephen DeWoody     Upcoming Events: MiceChat Queen Mary Dark Harbor VIP Event Friday, October 03 2014, 6pm-12am   Links: Scare LA The Themed Entertainment Association Disneyland Haunted Mansion Disneyland Tokyo Haunted Mansion Hong Kong Disneyland Mystic Manor Knott’s Berry Farm MiceChat Touring Plans Theme Park Adventure Pixie Vacations Season Pass Closing Song - Wheels by Enuff Z’nuff on iTunes   Check Out The Season Pass Podcast Website at: www.seasonpassp

*Subscribe @ iTunes* TSPP’s first podcast from the 2014 Scare LA Halloween Convention. The Season Pass is celebrating the 45th anniversary of the beloved Disneyland classic, The Haunted Mansion. Doug Barnes,  Brent Young, Robert Coker, and Theme Park Adventure’s Rick West sits with Disney Legend Alice Davis to discuss her career in Walt Disney Imagineering, stories of Walt and Roy Disney, creating the Haunted Mansion & Pirates of the Caribbean, the difficulties of working as a strong woman in the industry, and of course, many beautiful stories of her late husband, Disney Legend Mark Davis.  The team also sits with Jeff Baham of doombuggies.com to discuss the panel “When Hinges Creak” which he moderated with Alice and Disney Legend Bob Gurr, the origin of doombuggies.com, the fascination behind the Haunted Mansion, his new book The Unauthorized Story of Walt Disney’s Haunted Mansion, and much more! Enjoy and celebrate with us.   EPISODE SPONSORS: SERPENTINE FIRE by Jon Binkowski & Stephen DeWoody   Upc

*Subscribe @ iTunes* This week the Season Pass Podcast is back at the TEA Summit 2014 for a very special conversation with Disney Legend Marty Sklar. Marty is the Former Ambassador for Walt Disney Imagineering and worked under Walt Disney since the beginning of Disneyland.  He shares his beginnings in the industry, past Walt stories, and his crazy tour for his new book Dream It! Do it!  Classic Disney greatness is littered throughout the conversation.  Enjoy!   EPISODE SPONSORS: HALO Branded Solutions at PromosForParks.com   Upcoming Events: MICECHAT Knott’s Scary Farm Halloween Haunt 2014 September 27, 2014 - 2:30pm-2:30am   Links: Dream It! Do It! by Marty Sklar on Amazon MiceChat Touring Plans Pixie Vacations Season Pass Closing Song - Wheels by Enuff Z’nuff on iTunes   Check Out The Season Pass Podcast Website at: www.seasonpasspodcast.com   Follow Us On Twitter! - www.twitter.com/theseasonpass Like the TSPP Facebook page! - www.facebook.com/theseasonpass   Contact us: doug@seasonpasspodcast.com brent@sup

*Subscribe @ iTunes* This week the Season Pass Podcast returns to the Baxter residence for another nostalgic chat with Disney Legend and WDI Advisor, Tony Baxter! This is TSPP’s THIRD interview with the highly acclaimed retired Imagineer; as Doug Barnes (Owner/Producer of the Season Pass Podcast), Brent Young (Creative Director/President of Super 78), Robert Coker (Owner/Editor of thrillride.com), Ryan Harmon (President of Zeitgeist), and Tony, discuss the experience of shredding Walt Disney’s beloved Fantasyland, in Disneyland, for the 1983 update, as well as a lengthy conversation on the creative process behind what many consider the greatest dark ride ever developed—The Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye.  Tons of fun, loads of info, and everlasting Disney love fill this joyous episode.  Enjoy!   EPISODE SPONSORS: O-Zell Soda - www.o-zell.com  I Can Break Away Blog -icanbreakaway.blogspot.com    Upcoming Events: SCARE LA Halloween Convention-August 9 & 10, 2014 Use the code “SCARESEAS

*Subscribe @ iTunes* This week The Season Pass Podcast is back at the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) Summit from April of 2014 to have an in-depth interview with writer and themed entertainment veteran Kile Ozier.  Kile has worked in the industry for over 20 years and has helped in creating great projects such as Universal Studios Islands of Adventure, the TEA NextGen initiative, and much more.  The discussion also goes deep into the new world of themed entertainment business, which has exploded globally, and dives into what responsibilities the industry has when working with low tolerance countries and governments for human rights. It’s not a political look; it’s a discussion on choices, acceptance, and integrity. A very powerful question is presented on this podcast. Take a listen.   Upcoming Events: SCARE LA Halloween Convention-August 9 & 10, 2014 Use the code “SCARESEASONPASS” to save 20% on your tickets!   Links: TEA Website Kile Ozier Website Kile Ozier Blog Kile Ozier Twitter MiceChat Tour

*Subscribe @ iTunes* This week The Season Pass Podcast looks deep into the newest convention to hit Los Angeles, Scare LA!  Doug Barnes and Robert Coker sit with the creators of the Scare LA Halloween Convention, Lora Ivanova & David Markland, along with ThemeParkAdventure.com’s Rick West & Johanna Atilano, to discuss their passions for Halloween, the origins of Scare LA, and what to expect for the 2014 convention, happening on August 9th & 10th!  Robert, Rick and Johanna also will take the audience back to the first ever Scare LA convention (August 2013) and share some of the great tricks and treats that are offered during the event.  Includes LIVE COKER-CAST coverage from the floor of the 2013 event. Is that Eddie Munster I just heard?! Better check in this jam packed super-scare-show!  Halloween in the Summer…a can’t miss. OH! Plus a little discussion on the Garner Holt Panel (Moderated by that guy Doug Barnes) aptly named “I Was A Teenage Haunter!”   Upcoming Events: SCARE LA Halloween Convent