I’m confused as to why they couldn’t just keep doing the pod indefinitely even if they had no sponsors. I mean, plenty of podcasts don’t make any money but they still stick around. Podcasts in general don’t necessarily have to make money in order to continue. Unless Ryan and Byron are both getting paid to do this pod (which I feel like they probably aren’t), I see no reason why they couldn’t just keep doing it for free. Move to a cheaper set or separate this pod from the Watcher brand or something like that if need be, but there’s no reason it has to be financially viable unless Watcher is just spending a ton of money to keep this pod going (which I also don’t think is the case; pods are cheap to make). Obviously I hope and pray for sponsors every week, but if push came to shove, I hope Ryan and Byron can just do whatever they need to do to be able to keep it going. Most podcasters out there do it for free anyway, so I hold out hope that it would continue every week if they have to stop doing it on Watcher because of finances.
@@STSGuitar16yes, if they truly enjoy it as a hobby. But discounting the time and effort that the podcast requires would be doing Ryan and Byron a disservice.
@@MollyMA13 I mean, there are plenty of well-researched podcasts out there that operate on much lower budgets and retain similar production quality. I think the whole streaming service thing has revealed that Watcher truly is spending way more money than they should across the board. A podcast doesn’t need to have movie level production. Apparently they had a different theme park pod back during covid and did that for fun as a hobby, so I’m sure they both absolutely do enjoy doing the pod. All of Watcher just needs to downsize a bit and this wouldn’t be an issue to begin with. They just have stupidly inflated production costs on stuff that could be done for much less while still being professional production.
Alicia is the PERFECT narrator for her channel. She shares information with such clarity, without gushing or going on and on. She comes across as as professional honestly, but with a strong hint of excitement in her voice. Love listening to her. Others could learn from how she delivers updates.
She says she basically has to remind herself that when it says the hotel rooms are “themed” that it isn’t themed to an IP because “this is a theme park, they just mean it matches the park’s theme” But like, nowadays, the fact that it DOESNT mean themed to an IP is wild and new and awesome. If anything I hope that the thing Disney tries to copy is not fear-shoving IP into literally everything
Exactly! There's an awesome family-run theme park in Oregon (Enchanted Forest, if you're curious) that has an awesome Western Town, and an incredible Haunted House, and a fantastic Medieval Village--and all of them are highly immersive without being linked to a particular IP. 😊
@@ThemeParkStop ah, well. You're not obligated to use things you're good at for "noble" causes. But, I'll bet your materials would make a fascinating book!
Please never stop doing this podcast. This and Pod Watcher have been literally the best Monday - Tuesday wombo combo for improving my mental health! Y'all rule!
Came here from Spotify to share that, as a WDW cast member, I have talked with so many people about this podcast! I even met other listeners in line for ToT the other day, all because I overheard them talking about it and joined in! I’ve also learned more about some attractions here than I had on their backstage tours! For Your Amusement is very beloved and it definitely hits the mark (especially here at WDW and especially with cms)
I don't think there was ever any doubt Alicia Stella would pop up at some point, but a whole discussion on Epic Universe is not what I imagined and I love it. She's an absolute legend in the theme park sphere.
i completed a couple callbacks for epic universe entertainment this week and listened through this video on my flight home. there's some stuff y'all shared in here that i didn't even know about. i was already pretty stoked, but now -- holy SHIT am i SO EXCITED and HONORED at the prospect that i could help open this park in some capacity. wish me luck, y'all!! 😍
I am a 46 yo mother of 4 sons, ages 24,'19,16 and 13 and they are excited but me and their Dad are way more excited then they are 😆. We are 2 big kids that will never grow up and never stop riding roller coasters and rides. I have ate , slept and breathed everything Alicia has put out about Epic Universe the last few years! Especially Dark Universe! I came across your pod cast on her channel today and it was great!
I’ve been watching Alisha’s videos for literally years and was convinced she was a voice actor someone had hired. She’s incredible and has an amazing voice to deliver information. She’s incredible!!!
Please continue this. As someone who hasn't visited theme parks in a while, this is reigniting my childhood love for them. It's also helping me plan out my theme park trips when I visit the US.
So...I've never seen this podcast before, but since I'm a HUGE fan of Alicia Stella of ThemeParkStop, this came up in my feed. WOW! Absolutely loved this episode. And yep, I subscribed. Downloaded it before my flight from Shanghai to Dallas took off, and it made part of that long flight go by a bit faster. I didn't want it to end. (The podcast, not the flight.) It was my first time actually SEEING Alicia talk at length. I'm used to hearing her on the podcast & news updates, and it made me an even bigger fan. She's so enjoyable & likable to watch. Love her sense of humor. Her laugh and smile are infectious. 😊 I'm glad it introduced me to you guys. You had me laughing the whole time. Really enjoyed the whole show, and the questions were perfect. Can't wait to see more.
Love how she starts all humble but you two hype her up so much that by the end of the video she's referring to herself as the nostradomus of theme parks
I think my biggest "Concern" for Epic Universe will definitely be operations. It could all go sideways if the park isn't run well, if attractions aren't maintained, staff isn't treated well and aren't willing to go the extra mile. All these complex, cutting-edge attractions are hopefully able to operate smoothly without constantly breaking down due to all the fiddly moving parts required.
An interesting thought, and something that I'm mildly concerned about. I guess the only way to truly find out is to go at least 50 times just for a sample size, of course. - Ryan
As a theme park person since I was a young child, discovering this podcast has made me feel like I wasn’t alone in my nerd-ism. Thank you guys! I’m inspired to start my own Themed Entertainment RU-vid channel thanks to you guys and other RU-vidrs!
I literally RUN to watch Alicia’s videos every time they release. It’s so cool to learn more about her process and even her as a person. I haven’t been this excited for a youtube upload in a long time!!
I'm getting better at hiding it. Every week it feels like a personal punishment to have a dumb ass bit of my own making rubbed in my face lol it's penance - Ryan
I LOVE THIS PODCAST, NEVER STOP I'm jealous of Alicia's amazing detective skills and reporting, and I can't wait for Epic Universe! ! Also, you shouldtotally do a Villain Con video because it would be hilarious.
Alicia is the queen of theme parks! She speaks of finding "her people;" I am her people! I love this podcast and Theme Park Stop so much! Thanks Alicia!
I think Universal’s food options have been improving significantly. Not only has quick service quality and selection improved, but the new concession offerings have been nice. Don’t even get me started on the Mardi Gras booths, some of those options are amazing and wish they were year round
Now I want to see a Villain Con episode just to see a ride totally fail the world class test. What other rides would miserably fail the FYA World Class Test?
Everything talked about for this park sound so amazing and even the expansion rumors. Like this just seems like it’s going to be mind blowing and universal is truly going all out. I hope it lives up to the hype and Disney then tries to answer, a win win for us theme park sickos
Alicia posted about their appearance on your pod, so now expect a good chunk of the Theme Park Stop audience (which just hit 100k subs), to come accross and listen. ❤❤❤❤
I’m a theme park fan, not a Universal fan particularly, but when I tell you I’m chomping at the bit for info on UEU. My son and I have been following news since the opening of Super Nintendo World at Universal Japan. He was 5!! He is 7 now and by the time he gets to UEU he will be 9 and tall enough to ride all the important rides to him. We have been following TPS updates so closely and are so thankful for her dedication!
oh my goodness thats so sweet 🥹🥹 i’ve been a theme park fan since i was probably 8 or 9 (when defunctland first started!!), epic universe was announced when i was 13 and now i’ve graduated high school!! excited for you and your son 🥰🥰
This is such a great podcast! Honestly never had a huge interest in theme parks before, but hearing you guys talk about things with such passion and knowledge has definitely sparked something. Thanks for being the inspiration for booking my first Disney trip and greetings from Frontierland in Paris! :)
So glad you guys talked about Epic Universe without ducking on the Disney parks. I swear sometimes the theme park community gets too competitive when if you ask me, both parks are great and have historically pushed each other to go bigger and better.
Legit this pod gives me the theme park fix that my location/brokeness keeps me from 🥹 planning a bday party next year at the nearest theme park too hehe
I can't wait to see all your reactions once you actually get to visit the park. It sounds incredible and it's so great seeing your enthusiasm for it. When I was 13 (I'm now 50) my family did a grand theme park vacation of Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm and Magic Mountain. It was an amazing experience but that was the last time I've been to one. They're not really accessible to me now but I love to live vicariously through this podcast. It's so much fun!
So a few months from now in Japan at the end of April until the beginning of May is Golden Week which is a week long gauntlet of national holidays here when A LOT of people take a vacation. If Donkey Kong is opening in Spring, it'll be open by Golden Week.
This one will be such an interesting comparison for when you all get to finally go and seeing the results. Please do this all together again after the park opens!!
Alicia's explanation of Universal announcing new stuff shows the major difference between Universal and Disney. Disney wants to drag out the PR for years but we see the Blue Sky plans that change a lot by the time it opens. Universal waits as long as they can to announce what is being built. We don't know if cuts were made to Universal's plans.
Expansions for Luigi’s Mansion and Legend of Zelda would make my inner child so freaking happy. Throwing out all the manifesting for Legend of Zelda somewhere in the future!
50:42 H. H. Holmes? It truly would be a Dark Universe if Universal was taking design cues from noted serial killer H.H. Holmes. I know you probably meant H.G. Wells but the idea gave me a chuckle.
Just discovered this podcast but I am obsessed with theme parks. So happy to see y’all working with my favorite theme park creators 😭 it truly makes me so happy
Really appreciate this as someone who didn't know Epic Universe was even a thing until the announcement vid dropped. I'm so happy they finally decided to make a HTTYD world and ride, like I audibly gasped in excitement when they revealed it. I understand they were probably waiting for the technology to be more advanced before making it, but having a movie franchise with dragon riding seems like a gold mine for a theme park. It's crazy they waited THIS long to make something for it, especially when it's one of Dreamworks' most successful properties, but it's happening nonetheless and I can't wait to watch vids from afar with how expensive this park is gonna be 😭
I listen to this and Pod Watcher weekly, and they just get better and better. Love you guys. Keep up the great work. Also, I can't wait for the epic universe. It's going to be life changing
I’m laughing through this entire podcast of just getting me excited for this park, I will have to be sent to a physic ward the moment I’m walking through epic universe of excitement and I won’t stop laughing of disbelief that it’s finally here
Ryan should check out the new universal monsters comics (rn Dracula and the creature from the black lagoon), which ive just realized is probably low key marketing for this park
A part of me would like to see some of those interactive elements, like the wands, implemented into the ride queues. But the other part of me knows that it would just hold up the line more lol. I just think it would be so fun and kill some time in line if you could do things like that. I absolutely LOVE Universal and the concept of theme parks. We keep going back to Universal because of Harry Potter, but I'd love to do Disney too. For some reason, I've never thought to look up podcasts for these things. I would absolutely look up Alicia's podcast! I had no idea that all the information I was getting about Epic Universe these last few year was from one person and they have a podcast. I would love to hear more things from her and be of her people!
Okay now we need a subseries where you guys do entire parks rather, my google sheet where i track all this has unlimited cell numbers, so i can keep going forever
