The DANK Pod - A Disney Adult Adventure

DANK Pod: A Disney Adult Adventure - Freemiums turned premiums

• Nat January Ash & JP

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Freemiums Turned Premiums: Disney's Evolving Strategy

In this episode of the DANK Pod, the hosts dive into a lively discussion about Disney's shift from offering free perks to charging for them. They explore a range of topics including the transition from free FastPass to the Genie Plus and Individual Lightning Lane systems, the discontinuation of the Magical Express, resort parking fees, and changes in the Magic Bands and PhotoPass services. The conversation is interspersed with pop quizzes, personal anecdotes, and a look at how these changes compare to offerings by Universal Studios. The episode concludes with light-hearted banter and plans for future park visits.

00:00 Introduction and Forum Discovery
00:20 Welcome to the DANK Pod!
00:42 Pop Quiz Time
01:32 Discussing Disney Freemiums Turned Premiums
02:06 The Pope Pipe and Current Affairs
05:15 PhotoPass and Premium Passes
12:23 Magical Express Discontinuation
23:36 Fast Pass to Genie Plus Transition
26:19 Defining Mansplaining
26:43 Cost Analysis of Theme Park Rides
28:01 Express Pass and Lightning Lane Comparisons
32:00 Magic Bands and Their Value
37:12 Parking Fees and Resort Stays
40:04 Freemiums and Park Maps
41:49 Club Cool and Coca-Cola Samples
48:25 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I went down

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Cool.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

hole to see if Beverly was really sold in Italy, and I'm in this forum from 2007.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Dang baby. 2007.

JP:

There was, was it like a GeoCities website? Well,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

because somebody had family traveling to Italy and they told their family, Hey, find me some Beverly, bring me some Beverly back.

Nancy:

Welcome to the DANK Pod! Join us on our chaotic adventure of what it means to be Disney Adults. Like, follow, comment, and share wherever you listen. Send any questions or feedback to us at the dank pod at gmail.com This week we're chatting about Disney freemiums turned premiums. Let's get DANK!

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Dang time

JP:

What? I had some questions for you. Pop quiz. Pop quiz. Daners. Do you guys know what I'm gonna ask? Oh, January, right outta the gate. Yeah. Have fun. Guidepost number one there. What's what are the other two guideposts? Natalie, you're on. Kick us up A guidepost here.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

be real

JP:

Be real. You got it. You got it. Ashley, you got the third one.

Ash:

Don't yuck. Somebody's yum.

JP:

Oh, you guys are three for three tonight. I like that. I like that We

Ash:

had answers to all of your questions so far. Uhhuh. I just wanna take a moment to recognize all of us for all of the pop quizzes you throw at us so far. We knew this episode. We knew next week's episode. We knew our, we

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

it. I think

Ash:

crushed it.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

this is a rat. Good, good session

Ash:

You know what, you know what? We earned a, we earned a pizza from Pizza Hut. That's what,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Oh.

JP:

what is what's the, what's today's show about? Oh, sorry.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Babe.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

It is about Disney providing. Free services, but now charging for it. Then what?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Ooh,

JP:

Freemiums turned premiums.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

yeah, that's, that's what the producer

JP:

That

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

You have you, the, the producer's very particular about

Ash:

particular,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

uses, we? We can't deviate. We're gonna hear about it later, how you're gonna

JP:

yes, definitely Heads will roll mostly downhill off with her head. That's I learned it from Alice in Wonderland.

Ash:

Alice a princess.

JP:

Alice is not a princess. She's actually just a, an normie. Yeah, she's an normie. We'll learn more about the Normies next week. Do we have a new Pope yet?

Ash:

No Pope.

JP:

No. Pope the.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

how often do I know they don't come out until it's decided. Right?

Ash:

Mm-hmm.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

that

JP:

Most of'em stay in the closet the, their entire career.

Ash:

But boom.

JP:

Do, do you need,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

nights.

JP:

yeah. Do you need to know the, the collaboratorium schedule?

Ash:

I didn't even know there was a schedule. Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

You

JP:

they, they vote.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

up? So wait, do they have a media manager? How do you get that job?

JP:

I think you gotta be a very, very good person. I'm very, very good person.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I'm a good

JP:

Yeah. You got,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

though.

JP:

you're out. Actually, depending, the old, the old Pope would've been in, you'd have been, you'd have been,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

been

JP:

he was very accepting. Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

why JD got rid of him. Oh my God. That's, we gotta,

Ash:

I'm hoping for JD bumped

JP:

off the pope. I love that. Yeah. No, they voted at one, one, like one. PM Eastern. And that's gonna confuse, that's gonna confuse the executive because he's gonna think they waited for us to be awake before they voted. He's not gonna realize that they voted according to their own schedule. So they voted at 1:00 PM Eastern and everybody had to keep their eyes peeled on the Pope pipe to see what kind of smoke was coming out. Pope Pipe black smoke means that no pope, no new Pope, they couldn't reach a two thirds majority from the papillary Congress. And pap and white smoke means that they got, they, they chose a winner. And so right now they, they voted and it was black smoke. So six more weeks of winter and such a mess. I know, right? And we are, the next vote will come in at 4:30 AM Eastern. So look for that update. I am awake at that hour, so I will be, my eyes will be,

Ash:

oh, make sure you let me know if we have a new pope.

JP:

Oh yeah. I'll be, my eyes will be glued to the Pope pipe. Pope Pipe. There was like one seagull or something like that. On the roof at the Pope Pipe camera. Oh, the, yeah. And a seagull. That seagull is famous now. The entire comments were just like, Pope, Pope Gold for the wind. And I'm just like, these people are idiots. Anyway, current affairs. Are we ready? Should we, should we get down on the premiums? Turn premiums or freemiums turn premiums.

Ash:

Let's, good day.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Premiums turn.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

premiums.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I'm with it. I'm with it. What do you,

JP:

What do, what do?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

you,

JP:

do we have a list?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

o You know, it's funny, you should ask'cause I had Googled it.

JP:

You Googled it. Okay. All right. Well,

Ash:

that's fair.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I

Ash:

I.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I have my own, like in my mind. But aside from that, I had other curiosities. I'm like, Hmm, I wonder if I, like, I know I'm sure of other stuff, but like, I wouldn't know what they are.

JP:

Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

you gotta know to know, you know?

JP:

Alright. Well

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

and, and you have to be alive at the time, you know?'cause sometimes things change. Before

JP:

before we're we arrive? Yeah, let's do one at a time. So what's the first one on your list?

Ash:

Yeah. What you got?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I wanna do my real life. I don't wanna go to my list. You're, you're outta control

JP:

What do you mean what, well,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

on my

Ash:

wants to go on her vibes first.

JP:

Oh. Oh, okay. Is what she said. Oh, sorry. I thought you said your real life. Like what's, like Yeah. What's in her mind? What's in your mind? Well, what do you, what do you, what are you perceiving as a, as a premium today that you was free in the past?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I, I know January has one in mind, so I'm not gonna take it away from her.'cause I could tell, I could see it in your

JP:

Mm.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

But for me. It is the photo pass when you used to do the premium pass that it was included in it.

JP:

Hmm,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

then now even if you have the premium pass, you have to pay additional for it.

JP:

which one's the premium pass? Would we, are we calling like the the in credit pass? In credit pass? Is that the, the,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

we, we can call it whatever you like. I don't, I don't, I know

JP:

I have.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I know. Back then it was, it was called premium.

JP:

How, how, how much, how much was the premium pass back then?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I, I think you might have me confused with, with Chase banking. I don't recall

Ash:

were just like, take my money.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Right.

Ash:

We don't wanna know at that time

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I, I mean I had the, like the, again, it was the top tier. It had the photo pass, it

Ash:

the water,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

water parks. It included the ESPN

Ash:

water parks. Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Yeah.

JP:

So the past,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

for January. I.

JP:

oh, never say those words aloud out again. Ever

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Not, I,

JP:

as,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

downgraded to January. No, no. For January. Ridiculous.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

were also included with like run Disney races and holiday parties. You used to get the downloads

JP:

no longer like you, you sign up for those events, they're no longer part of the event.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

You,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

did. You already, did you just know that?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

memory maker or do individual downloads now.

JP:

Interesting.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

a matter of fact, piggybacking off of that, when you did the photos, you used to be able to do cool filters and little effects to them.

Ash:

And that's it. Now they choose it for you when you pay for it. Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

your, you get your picture, and then you

Ash:

Dang. Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

pay for, for anything else you want. If you wanna look at it more than once. No, I'm just kidding. But

JP:

Yeah, no, we,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

expire sooner, I feel like, I don't know.

JP:

the pictures in the app, but you gotta download. Yeah. I think it's like, it's a short period of time where they like hang onto it

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I'm sad'cause I lost a lot. Like I have to, there's some that I've downloaded, but I, I have to go in and like clear out like this last year and stuff.

JP:

if only you had a place to print them and store them.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I know. I'm so excited about it.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

If only you would download them

JP:

So I, I, I had a question.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

your, eat your fucking snack.

JP:

I had a question. How, how long ago did you start taking advantage of PhotoPass? Like what are we talking like 10 years ago?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

always had it since day one.

JP:

What's day one?

Ash:

How long have you had your past?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

my first,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

photo pass pictures.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I have my, my, know if I, you don't

JP:

The, the here, the,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I've had, I've had the past since 2013

JP:

okay. Okay, cool. So like, the reason I'm asking is like, before things were like.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

without break and all they've done is increase my prices and take away my benefits. But it's fine. Let's keep going.

JP:

My thought, my thought process here was what, how much well my thought process here was what did they do before there was that digital solution? Were you able to just go and get them printed for free

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

You're thinking of the 19 eighteens. And I don't know those years.

JP:

then

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

told you 2013, and that was already digital.

JP:

back in the 19 hundreds?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

on

JP:

Okay. That's what I was, that's all I was checking on. I was just wanna make sure and see if it was like, if it was something that we had to that wasn't that it, it transferred into like a digital realm during, but you've all, you've been digital since 2013 with it. Which tracks cool beans? Yeah, we, we popped for the, we did the photo benefit on our, on our pass. We attach it to my pass this year. And. Yeah. So for, for me, the value was there, but for you, the value was free at one point, right? So there are two different perspectives, right? So I didn't have it included in my past previously as part of the package. So when I saw it and it was like, I think it was like a hundred bucks add on, I was like, yeah, that's cheap, easy, fun, you know, let's do that. But for somebody from your perspective, looking at it through your lens where this was previously part of the package and now they're like, give us an extra a hundred bucks. You're like a hundred bucks for what I already bought, you know, like,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

exactly. And also this is also the whole, are you, this is the whole purpose of the thing we're talking. Of course, the new people aren't gonna know what the premiums are.

JP:

Mm-hmm.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

This is the whole, okay, keep going.

JP:

Yeah, no, I'm just, I'm just telling you like the the perspective that, that we bought, from my perspective and seeing it through your lens as well is very interesting. So I feel like a benefit like that. So it's like, think of it like cell phones, right? So when you had, when you had a good value cell phone plan, you could stay in it.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

try to defend their charge? Because if you're gonna do that, we're gonna shut this down right now.

JP:

No, I, I don't think I'm gonna defend their charge. I'm gonna def maybe a little bit I'll defend it

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

It sounds like you

JP:

to, to

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

you try to gaslight me about it. But let's go

JP:

no, to newcomers. So if you, if you were, if you're new to it, like charge'em if you had, if you were

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

in like we've discussed in the

JP:

Yeah, but we we would, yeah, exactly. It would be like that. The, you, you, if you continue it without breaks. Then you consecutively the same tier. Have you,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

even thought about how long until you made me think about it. And now you've really upset me.

JP:

lemme ask you, lemme ask you a follow up question. Night ruined, did you?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Not even for Covid. I never had a gap.

JP:

but did you,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

people were like, oh, I gonna go because of, and then

Ash:

you wanted passion, sir?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

refuse to let it go now because he's scared that, because after everything

JP:

Ooh.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

you know how they had that, like, it was only the

JP:

Mm-hmm.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

who already had it that continue to use it,

JP:

Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

had a break. Hey, I'm how would you make me think about

JP:

Let me ask you another question. Lemme ask you a follow up question.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

What.

JP:

Have there, you said that you changed past years. That's an abandonment of a plan. When did you

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

it's not. You know why? Because they make you change it every year. So if they kept it consistent, then I will keep the same plan. How about that? They're the ones who do not renew every year. Like example,

Ash:

It's a new contract. It's,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

it is, don't, don't come at me,

JP:

oh, no. Well, I'm, I'm like, so I'm struggling here because we renewed this year to the same plan,

Ash:

but it's a new contract.

JP:

It is a new contract, yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

That's the point. It's a new contract

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

a new contract.

JP:

Hmm. It's how we get you. Hmm. Very interesting.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

And even having the same,

JP:

It doesn't matter.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

You were still getting charged again. I

JP:

Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

the same I the same one consecutively bro.

JP:

Yeah. Okay. Okay. 72 points to Natalie. What's our now that Natalie's angry and fired up? I love that. Good start. What's our next, it wouldn't be a, it wouldn't be a good podcast week without getting Natalie fired up. First thing.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I cannot.

JP:

It's why it is why we're here. It's why I exist. What what's our next, what's our next premium to give thought to

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

the, the magical Express.

JP:

what's that?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Which was complimentary airport transportation for Disney

JP:

Okay, babe.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

remember when I said real

JP:

Hold on, Nana. Hold on.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

a list.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

bus service.

JP:

list is she reading off of?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

You know she's looking at her iPad and I thought you were gonna say, because we previously talked about it before, the lightning late passes, but it's fine. Just read your this,

JP:

Damn. Both of you

Ash:

are so mean. This

JP:

let's let's, let's take a time out. Natalie, you can't yuck Somebody's yum. That's guidepost. That's a guidepost.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

me think about how long I've had this past.

JP:

I, I, I am trying to, I'm trying to take your side. Natalie, I'm trying to take your side side. We gotta, do we need to hit a Reese? Do we need a time out? Do we need to shake it out? Yeah,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I don't know what that was, but

JP:

that was Cinderella. Get to the ball. I thought we covered that.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

But yes, I, I did see that on the list, babe. Thank you. Keep going. Tell us more about it.

JP:

yeah, tell us more. Talk. Let's talk, let's talk about that one. Which one did you say? Free, free hitching a ride to and from the airport.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

So the magical express discontinuation,

JP:

Okay.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

it was a huge perk that family swine into Orlando could use. It was free, it was direct, and it was immersive from the airport. Disney ended it in 2022 and leaving guests to find their own transport.

JP:

Did you use it?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

So it was a loss of the Disney bubble, especially if you're doing a resort experience.

JP:

Did, did you use it or No. Okay.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

well, we live here, so we wouldn't,

JP:

Well, you never know, like if you were getting a ride home, we don't have a home same year schedule home. Yeah. I don't, I'm not trying to, I'm not trying to impose it on you, but how do you feel about that?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I, I didn't use it, but I actually did work it when I worked at the airport. And it was a pain in the fucking ass for the workers. There so convenient for them, I'm sure for the guests, but

JP:

So do you blame them?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

the

JP:

Yes. The work? The work? No, the Disney for getting rid of it.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I mean, being that there was

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

'cause they ended in 22. Had to make up the money

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

a all

JP:

oh, okay. I see what you're saying. You're, you're, you're, you're saying that COVID is to blame for, for the, for that, for the shutdown?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

cuts.

JP:

Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

also and being like learning that that was a free service. They, they had Disney employees at the airport collecting the bags, it's like, that's

JP:

Mm,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

they're saving. So I can get that, you know?

Ash:

interesting. Hold

JP:

on. Are you saying that Disney's saving money? So it should go to Natalie?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

No, I never, I never said

JP:

Oh, because you, I thought you said that they're saving money, so I could get that. I can understand that.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Jesus. Oh my God.

JP:

I thought we covered that. You can't talk to me like that.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Oh my God.

Ash:

It's gonna be a long night.

JP:

Goodness. Just breathe. Okay. So I, I think, and we, and we've heard like some interesting stories about that, and they're bringing, I don't know that they're bringing. The transport back. There's, I mean, yeah. I'm gonna be honest. I, I don't blame them for that one.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

For the The magical Express.

Ash:

It sounds tedious as fuck. I mean,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Well, I

Ash:

if you think about it,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

it, if somebody came to Orlando only for Disney, it's

JP:

added benefit because,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

it takes you to the resort. You're spending all your times in the park, which they were already transporting. You do all the restaurants.

JP:

but I don't, I don't think that's happening anymore, especially with the expansion of universal people are spending they're flying, they're coming in and they're staying at a competitively, a competitively priced resort, and then they're taking non Disney days and leaving the bubble. And if you.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

the, the benefit to this, if I'm not letting, make sure it's, it's the same thing that I'm, I'm thinking about as a matter of fact the fact that you didn't have to deal with your luggage.

JP:

They brought that back.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

you just checked it at, at the, at, at your flight, if you're staying at a busy resort, you didn't have to worry about waiting for your bag. You, we all know how that that can take forever. can, it can be time consuming. It could be annoying. get off the plane and you go onto your Disney bus. Disney employees would collect the Disney bags that the airline workers would separate for them would load their Disney and would load their, their buses.

Ash:

That seems crazy to me. I would never leave my luggage.

JP:

Yeah. I mean, I, I don't know that I would with a whole ass stranger, but, but they brought elements of that back. Now if you are staying at a value resort and flying, I wanna say it was like JetBlue. Something like that. Or maybe it was like Southwest, it's very recent, whatever it is that Yeah, that you can check in your luggage and you'll take your luggage to and from the airport for you from the resort.

Ash:

I just wouldn't,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

a fee for it?

JP:

Stay at the, at the value resorts

Ash:

it

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

only the value resorts. That kind of doesn't make any sense to

JP:

currently. Right. Yeah. I I hear you on that one. Like, you think it would be like, stay at our, at our top tier resorts and get this perk. But yeah, no, they were, I think right off initially with a rollout for bringing it back. It's stay at our, stay at a value resort and you can take advantage of this perk which is interesting. Like you, like you pointed out I think it's a very costly endeavor, right? Anytime you're, anytime you're transporting people back and forth and then you run the risk of them, they're coming to stay with you, but they're not spending all their time with you, so you're investing, who else should like. It's hard, like I get why they did it. Do you wanna try to keep people in the bubble and limit their exposure to places outside of your bubble so that way every dollar that a family spends stays within Disney. But when,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

it that way.

JP:

I mean that's the whole, that's

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

you,

JP:

that's the point.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

it as a very much way, but they don't have to even all, like all this is literally eliminating, is waiting for your bags after. They're not saying you can't stay at another resort. You might stay only one day there and the rest of the time at somewhere else. It

JP:

That's the point.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I, it's, it's not like Right, but that's what I'm saying, like whether they check your bag or not, that's not gonna change.

JP:

Yeah, but the, the pro, the program is more than just checking bag. It's transportation included, right? So it's, we pick you up at the airport, we get your bags, we get everything taken in, give you this white glove concierge service for staying at a Disney resort and like staying inside the bubble. As people venture outside the bubble, that becomes less of a, of a, a solid investment for Disney and more

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

me an example of venturing outside the bubble during that

JP:

go to Universal.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Right. But during that process,

JP:

No. Like imagine, so

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

what I'm not

JP:

I, I pick Ashley up and we go for a date and I take her to the restaurant and I get her new clothing and we go shopping and I take her back to a house.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

that down, Ashley, don't forget,

JP:

And I take her back to a house that she's staying at, that she's rented from me. Right. And I, so now I've done her hair, done her nails, fed her, dressed her up, and then she calls up a Tinder date and leaves and goes out on a date wearing the clothing and, and the makeup and the hairdo that we just covered.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

but you're, but you're, but you're not, you're, the thing is that you're applying

JP:

Mm-hmm.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

value to products.

JP:

Yes.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

doing is,

JP:

You don't think, you don't think that there's value in what they're, what they're offering

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

they're convenience.

JP:

but value. There's no gas, there's not a vehicle

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

The, it's the convenience. That's

JP:

that all has.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

under the convenience. They don't have to rent a car, they don't have to get an Uber.

JP:

Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

that's, it was,

JP:

Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

is that

JP:

That stuff's not free, but.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

right. I I, I

JP:

an, it's an investment that Disney is in making in their customer. And if that customer ventures outside of the bubble, then it's wasted dollars.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I need to, I'm not understanding like all those, there's, I'm sure some of course don't leave, but by using that service, by no means does it say that they're not, or they will venture outside of the bubble.

JP:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It just, but eventually the amount of people who will take advantage of that service and then go leave the bubble and spend dollars at a competing establishment eventually that makes it not worthwhile for Disney to maintain that program.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Hmm.

JP:

So then what they do by rolling out, Hey, we'll do your luggage to and from the airport but not the transportation that ensures that if you want that convenience factor, you have to stay with us because if you up and leave Eve, you come into our bubble. And then you up and leave.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

it was offered though. That's why I'm not understanding what you're, what you're saying.

JP:

Yeah,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

they weren't offering it just'cause you were going to the fucking park. That's cute.

JP:

yeah,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

go ahead and go, go to the park.

JP:

yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

to be staying at the resort.

JP:

a cost. What I'm saying is it's a cost that Disney is absorbing and that people that other businesses are benefiting from. So Disney absorbs all the costs, but Universal gets a benefit.

Ash:

And you're saying it was less likely before, like five years ago, that wasn't happening?

JP:

I think it's happening more today than it was back then. And the pandemic put a strain on a lot of systems.

Ash:

Yeah. But it didn't stop until 22.

JP:

Yeah. The pandemic put a lot of strain on a lot of systems when they were coming back. They were coming back to to losses, not to, they weren't. Nobody was winning. Coming outta the pandemic, winning

Ash:

my name.

JP:

Yeah, so I, I see the value gone for the consumer, but I can also see why, like, it, if it's bad for business, it's just bad. And that just strikes me as something that need, needed to be reevaluated. So they ceased the the program and then brought back evaluated. They're still gonna evaluate it. It may start at this value resort and then begin to trickle out to other tiers, but it might just sunset January. How do you feel about it?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

It's insane that they would start with a valley resort. I'm so shock by it. Like it's so not.

Ash:

feelings.

JP:

Normies don't deserve benefits.

Ash:

No. Hell no.

JP:

I like that. I threw a grenade out there and Ashley was like, no, no.

Ash:

Fuck those guys. I'm the one investing.

JP:

Holy. She didn't mean that. Normy

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

shit.

Ash:

you gonna tell me that the day that you have an express pass and you bypass all those dummies in a

JP:

regular line, don't. Oh, stop. We

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Oh

JP:

we're not calling'em dummies. Ashley, that's harsh. Why are you so mean to, why are you so spicy that he accused us of being spicy? Why are you So, I'm feeding

Ash:

off of y'all's energy.

JP:

We are feeding off of each other here. No, no, no, no, no. Okay, so, so January, did we get your final thoughts on that? Like what are your, what do you, what do you, how do you feel, how does it make you feel On the inside? On the inside?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I think it's both,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I don't,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

know,

JP:

Both. What?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

it's both.

JP:

Yeah,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

both.

JP:

about both.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Both of your guys' point of view. It's both.

JP:

Okay. Jury's still out. Okay. Jury, still out? She, she's trying. Thank you for being diplomatic January. We appreciate that.

Ash:

January is not neutral. I like it.

JP:

Very, very neutral. She's

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

love you, baby.

JP:

if

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

if I was a resort stayer who continuously came year after year and did like and enjoy that service, it would kind of be a bummer to lose it,

JP:

Yeah, I agree. It would definitely be a bummer to especially if you counted on it for any,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Yeah.

JP:

you, part of your offsetting the cost. If that was a determining factor for you to stay for you to even come in the first place.

Ash:

I'm confused.

JP:

I know

Ash:

when they were transporting the luggage, were they also transporting the people?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Yes,

JP:

Oh, was it in the same vehicle,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

you, have you? Yes.

JP:

ma?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

seen like,

JP:

The mirrors.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

cruise line buses

JP:

Mm-hmm.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

okay. You guys out there, I forget.

JP:

But mirrors, I, I've seen mirrors.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

like the, it's a giant what is it? Coach bus?

JP:

Oh, okay. Like a sprinter.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Like mirrors?

Ash:

Okay. Yeah.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

they're the big buses.

JP:

Oh, okay. Like Greyhound.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

You like Greyhound?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Like Greyhound.

JP:

Okay. That, that makes sense.

Ash:

That part I didn't understand. Yeah. Now I can see why they're more upset.'cause I was like, what is it? Why would they just transport luggage?

JP:

So, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's not the, it's not just the luggage thing, Ash. It's, it's the people, the people part too. But now if they step that down, transporting luggage is easier and less liability than transporting people at the same time. It's very interesting

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

yep, yep, yep. When you're aching. Yep, yep, yep.

JP:

for some bacon,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Yep, yep, yep.

Ash:

Is true. No, very. This is very true. No jokes told there. Yeah.

JP:

Don't tempt me with a good time. What's what's our next a freemium turn premium?

Ash:

Yeah. What's our next vibe?

JP:

Got another vibe.

Ash:

Vibe check.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

me the eyes?

JP:

I'm not giving you highs. I haven't gave, I haven't given

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

you the eyes. Say the one that you, that we talked about. Say it.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

so Fast Pass going to or turning into Genie Plus and Individual Lightning Lanes.

JP:

I,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Fast Pass was free. You know, let the guests skip the lines by reserving ahead. Anyone with the ticket could get it.

JP:

I feel like

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

was like in the morning, right? Like you would just pick, you would pick a time.

JP:

Yeah, but you could only have so many at the same time. Right. I feel like Natalie is ready. It is like aching for this one.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Oh no, it was for Bay'cause.'cause we talked about it. So I want

JP:

Oh yeah. Talk about what you talked about then. Tell me about that. You have to buy two request

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

for

JP:

day

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

in addition to get Lightning

JP:

or you buy the light.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

lane?

JP:

You know, that's a great question. I, I understood it as you buy a lightning lane. And Lightning Lane was a version of Genie Plus, like it's Genie plus Lightning Lane Single or Lightning Lane. Multipass. Multipass. Actually, you know what, you can get just an individual lightning lane,

Ash:

so you can buy lightning lanes for individual rides. Mm-hmm. But Genie Plus, I think you get, is it a package? A select, yeah, a selection.

JP:

Say say the Aion. A Sele. A select of, yeah, you're right. So you can get like a pre-portioned package of if you do Genie Plus.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Plus.

JP:

Or you can get, and then you can supplement with individual lightning lanes

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Mm.

JP:

you can get the Multipass Multipass.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

how do you feel about the pricing from$15 up to 25 plus per ride?

JP:

So,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Like rise of the resistance?

Ash:

I mean, they got us.

JP:

I'm not I'm not too, honestly, you know, I'm not too upset with that

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

that's

JP:

per person.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

So if I had to do 25 per ride,

JP:

How many rides? How many rides you going on?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

It'd be$50 for one ride. If it was 25

JP:

So you, well, for one ride it'll be 25

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Well

Ash:

person. Yeah.

JP:

Correct. Mm-hmm.

Ash:

That's what she said.

JP:

Yeah. Yeah. It's a 25.

Ash:

I mean it, yeah,

JP:

like at Natalie, Natalie, it's, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You, you're talking about like for like a family, but we, we we're looking at this from an individual aspect, right? Because there are families who have.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

We're a unit, so we look at our finances as one,

JP:

Yeah. I don't,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

$50.

JP:

with that, but we're just,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

The

JP:

but for, we're looking for the case study. It's one person.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

study.

JP:

Yeah. It's like, what ha Like Ashley and I are one person and let's say we all go to the park together and you wanna get a lightning lane, or sorry, Ashley and I are two people, but sorry. And sometimes we merge like Legos. But let's say we all go to the, get your hand off your temple. Sometimes if we all go to the park together and there's four of us, are you saying it's a hundred dollars? Yes. So the case study is, it is just 25 bucks per person, per ticket holder.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

in the

JP:

Yeah. Yeah, yeah,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

she said 50 for two,

JP:

yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

you,

JP:

Definitely.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

mans.

JP:

No, it's not. That's not what mansplaining is. He wasn't, let me tell you exactly what mansplaining is. Mansplaining it. I'm fucking

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Oh my goodness.

JP:

bro. Oh my goodness. Stop trying to woman splain me here. Next you're gonna pop out with the power of, okay. I think

Ash:

we've just identified the way that each of our minds works, right? So he's thinking of himself and what it costs him.

JP:

That's not at all. Don't impose don't put that. Don't, don't put that you want me, Rick, Ricky, Bobby. That's not what I said. Yeah. We

Ash:

were just talking about the individual costs. Meanwhile, air January is, is talking about the, the family, right? Like what it costs for her and her and her person.

JP:

Yeah. I, I said, I definitely looked at it from the individual perspective because there are other people who will say like, Hey, how much will this cost per person? It costs 25 bucks on? Is that on a, on average? How, what's the most it can be? I think that's the top two for, for the, for the

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

in, I gotta see,

JP:

in. Yeah. I.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

going in the app.

JP:

I'm interested in what the lowest price is and what the highest price is for. And people have done, like, people have done the math on this, on the cost comparison between the two market rivals. Actually what was, how much was the

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

is people, you guys.

JP:

no, no, no. People would be like other bloggers and stuff like that. Ashley, what's a, how much did we pay for our

Ash:

I don't think that's a fair comparison. Why? Because it's opening day.

JP:

Yeah. No, but how much did, how much did it cost?

Ash:

Oh, a lot. It's like two 70 a person, two 70 a person. But again, that's opening day, a brand new

JP:

park. So, and there are, there are 12 rides there, 10 of two of which 13 don't have 13. How many have Lightning have express pass cues?

Ash:

Three do not.

JP:

Three do not. So there are 10 with Express pass cues. 270 a person. That's 27 per ride. And they're single use rides, so we can't just repeat, repeat, repeat. So

Ash:

at this park at this time, correct. Yeah.

JP:

So that's, that's the benchmark at the as par, so this is a freemium at the, at U Universal with the Premier Pass, you get free Express after 4:00 PM every day.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

nice.

JP:

Yeah. For one ride. Yeah. For one ride. You can go like, well, I mean, so you can use it on multiple rides. Any ride that has Express Pass, you can use it once per that ride. But yeah. So that's, that's a good freemium comparison. But

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Yeah,

JP:

what, January, what do you, what do you, what do you come up with? For costs?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

varies by day.

JP:

Mm-hmm.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I'm looking at like next Saturday, if you wanted to do Lightning Lane for tron,$21 per guest.

Ash:

That ride in my opinion.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Guardians 18 per

Ash:

Mm-hmm.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

guest. Rise of the resistance. 22, I guess

Ash:

That's a lot.

JP:

What's the highest? I feel

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

highest. So you can do Multipass,

JP:

like's,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

only get up to three experiences

JP:

huh?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

then they like tell you what the experiences are.

JP:

So Multipack, I got one for you. So,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

And those are like$27,

JP:

okay, so market rate,$27 at the highest tier, but there's some bargains to be had

Ash:

pro. Don't hit us with your logic.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

in Magic Kingdom.

JP:

So when the parks opened, originally at Disneyland, there were ticket ticketed rides. So you had, you bought like a ticket book and those ticket, you had like an e ticket. For like the fair? Yeah, like the fair. So. And then as time went on, they changed their ticketing structure and the the gate price went up. The etic books or the ticket ride ticket books went away and everything started to become inclusive in that gate price. And now what's happening is everything is still inclusive, but so many people want to visit and experience the attraction at the same time that they're just like, we need to create a pathway for somebody to buy their way to the front of line, right? For

Ash:

bitches like me.

JP:

So I think it's a more, I think it's competitive pricing, honestly, compared to their market rival

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

sounds like it is. It sounds like, but again,

Ash:

doesn't feel good.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

free.

JP:

the ticket I.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

then, okay.

JP:

Say it. Natalie, go on that one.'cause that is the ticket. That's what I'm, that's the thing. Go. Natalie, tell me more. Dig in. Light your eyes up. Dig in. I love it. Dig.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I'm tired. Ugh.

JP:

Sorry. Preach it. Natalie, preach it. Tell me

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

fine. It's

JP:

stop, Natalie, don't stop. What are you doing? You are on the precipice of letting of

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

No, you just wanna activate me. It's fine. I'm good.

JP:

No, so, but Natalie's right. So, the, here's where Disney messed up. They gave it away for free. If they had never had free FastPass booths, no matter how it was, like, you'd only have like one at a time for a period of like three hours or something weird like that, right? And everybody could go scan their pass and it would spit out a ticket with a return window, right? Like come back at 10 30. If they had never done that at all. We would not be having this conversation. You'd be, we, the conversation we'd be having is, that's a very competitive pricing structure, but Disney messed, Disney messed up. Disney messed up a Aron, and they, they gave it away for free. They, they let the, they let the cat outta the bag and now they try to reel it back in. They let the genie outta the bottle and they're to suck that bitch right back in. And maybe that's why they call it Genie Plus they trying to rope it back into the bottle.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

putting it back in the bottle, in the lamp. Really?

JP:

Yeah. In the limp for sure. Any final thoughts on the, on the Express pass or Lightning Lane stuff?

Ash:

Do you think they always planned

JP:

to no

Ash:

charge for it?

JP:

Mm, no. If they always planned to charge for it, I don't think they would've offered it for free in the first place.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I think, I think they would want you to get a taste of it.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Oh.

JP:

Like drugs. Drugs

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Yeah. The first time it's free.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

to remember

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

That's how I did my drugs

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

to the terminal to get the

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

jk.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

pass, you

JP:

had to have what? A ticket.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

No, you had to have the, the magic band.

JP:

No,

Ash:

no.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

So wasn't it

JP:

Mm-hmm.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

it was a ticket

JP:

Yeah.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

bands,

JP:

And it was just a paper, paper card.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

to sell more magic bands?

JP:

So that bring, thank you for pivoting over to magic bands because magic bands used to be free with the resort stay

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

The magic bands were also free upon every renewal. They sent you a new one,

JP:

no longer. Right?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

holders.

JP:

And I, I, I'm gonna be honest.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

you know, I don't, I didn't need it. I get it. Like, I understand you saving the 2 cents that it takes print out that magic band. It's

JP:

It.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I get it. I, but,

JP:

that. Everything at Disney costs 2 cents. How much is that right? Cost. It costs 2 cents. It costs, I get it. It costs you 2 cents. I get it. Walt 2 cents cost you 2 cents. What's that? Mickey shaped pretzel. You plunk$15 for, I get it, Walt, you gotta put, you can't afford to put that much salt on my pretzel, but it cost you 2 cents.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Cents.

JP:

work on your budgeting if you Yeah, we're gonna call you Natalie. 2 cents. Cha ching.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

They

JP:

Yeah, no, it's I, I'm picking up what you're putting down. I, I feel for you with that, it's a, it's a struggle, right? We, the thing with magic bands that really got me excited was the idea that you could now track. Purchases. And when you can track purchases like that, you can really understand customer buying habits and and then market to them specifically. So if I had a, if I'm visiting your parks, and I, and, and I made purchases and swipe my magic band for discounts and I ended up with a purchase history that was, that leaned towards Epcot related purchases, I. The next festival that popped up for that was at Epcot. You might send me email reminders, more pointed email reminders to try to get me to come back and spend money on that. Or a new spirit jersey that was, this is the retail nerd in Yeah, that was doll whip

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Yeah, I know it's hard.

JP:

that's, it's very hard to live this life. Someone's gotta do it though. But yeah, like, so I see the benefits to that. I, I will say that like I'm, if I was a guest staying at the hotel and it used to be free and now I've gotta pay for it, the val, I do not see the value in the magic band. Plus do you?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Oh, band. What's Magic Band? Oh, like

JP:

The one you gotta charge?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

interesting that they came out with magic bag, especially with the prevalence of smart devices.

JP:

Yeah. Yeah.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Also with them giving you the option to have a digital pass on your cell phone

JP:

Mm-hmm.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

you know, wear wearable tech. So

JP:

Agreed. Agreed.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I think they are competing with themselves when they make that digital pass available.

JP:

Do well.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

And then how, how much of the firework experience or. You know, the little touches throughout the park where it gives you feedback.

JP:

There's not enough of those,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

for

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Interaction. Interaction, I think is what you're looking for.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I maybe there's more benefit for children. You know, like that's a little bit of magic. But I don't know so much for the adult.

JP:

are you? How many magic band pluses are you getting for kids? Are you.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

First off, this is dank, so we're not getting anything for kids.

JP:

Thank you Natalie.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I leave, I leave, I leave my kids in the, in the car with the windows cracked.

JP:

You crack them.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I'm,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

God.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I'm just

JP:

Yeah, I was gonna say, don't crack the, you can't, don't crack those windows. What's wrong with you? We don't crack windows in this house. Let those kids in the car, they gotta learn what it's like to grow up the way we did the back of a station wagon. No seat belts. You got outta line. Your parents just stood on the brakes.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Oh my God.

JP:

I live my life.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

This is the way I live.

JP:

Yeah. So I don't see the value of the magic band Plus, although, I mean, I get why you might charge for a magic band. I don't even charge my magic band up. I just, it's passive for me. And I used to, to tap into the parks and I use it to tap for photo pass stuff, but I don't, unless it just holds a charge for six months, seven months at a time, I, I don't charge it up.

Ash:

What does the charger even look like?

JP:

It's in your car.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

you spend like 40 bucks on that? On

JP:

because it was like, it was, it, I think right now pretty much what you can buy are just magic man plus, and then I got boy black.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

boy, black,

JP:

It just made sense to me.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

interesting.

JP:

So yeah, so that's, that's kind of, that's where I, that's where I live. But I like, so I don't know if I would pull my cell phone out all the time. I don't know if I like that part. I keep my, I took the magic band puck out of the wristband and I put it into a puck holder and I strapped it to a, a badge reel. So now I just use a carabiner and I put it on whatever, if it's on my, if I don't have a bag, it goes, clips to my belt, and then I just zip it out, tap it, and then release it and like flies back in. But I do the same thing with universal, with the, with the hard pass, the plastic pass. I keep it on the bad reel and pull it out when I need it. I'm not a lanyard guy.

Ash:

Never a lanyard guy. No.

JP:

All right. What else? What other freemiums we got?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

From, go ahead babe.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

So other freemiums for a short period,

JP:

Oh,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

the resorts were charging for parking

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Weren't.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

through

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Oh,

JP:

are they, they're not doing that anymore.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

No,

Ash:

Really? That's interesting.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

was a reversal in 2023,

JP:

So they learned their lesson.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

so they were charging anywhere from 15 to 25 per night for hotel guests

JP:

They, they were charging four guests to park on property.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

yeah.

JP:

we were probably too poor.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

At, at the hotel. At the actual resort.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Even deluxe resorts weren't exempt.

JP:

That sucks.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Well that explains, when did that end?

Ash:

23, I think she said.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

2023.

JP:

That sucks a whole lot. I don't wanna be, I'm like straight up here. I, I cringe when they want to charge me for parking at a hotel that I'm paying to stay at. That I channel my inner Natalie.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

that applies to life, bro. Like, you understand. They charge par, you know,

JP:

I,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

parking at apartment complexes.

JP:

oh,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

It makes me so

JP:

that's why we moved. We got, so I got into a fight lawyer that they were, I was like threatening lawyers. Ooh. It was bad. So I can't

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

so I can't, like, how do you,

JP:

for a,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

par

JP:

for a parking pass, but you know, I live here. I don't understand. They're gonna charge

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

you to

JP:

pass.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

It's ridiculous.

JP:

insane. They might be careful. They might

Ash:

don't give them id. Yeah.

JP:

Don't shout that stuff out. But yeah, they we went to go stay at the new, any other, like most of the resorts that we go to stay at we're, I'm sorry, we should say we're off property for a lot of stuff, but when we go to Disney, we've been staying on property because the, the value for us to stay on property is equivalent for us to stay off property, but then we can use Disney transportation. So, but when we go to Universal, it's not common for us to stay on a universal property. Right. So, well you've never wanted to. Yeah, it just didn't strike me as something I wanted to do. But we went and stayed at the Helios Grand and they were like$35 for parking. I was like, fucking hell. You know, we're staying here tonight. Right? Like it's, it was like$550 a night to stay here. You're gonna charge me you're nickel and dime me for 35 bucks. Well, it

Ash:

if, I think it felt worse because as the annual pass holders that we are for Universal, we've never paid for bar.

JP:

Yeah. It's just not

Ash:

a thing. Like never like we get free valet with, but at the

JP:

new park, we do get free. They're extending the free valet to, to that park, to that property.

Ash:

But like, not if you stay at the hotel.

JP:

Yeah. When you guys wanna, when you, when y'all wanna go, let us know. We will, we will valet you right in. We will teach you about the sweet life.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

how kind. Thank you.

JP:

We try. We try Exactly. We, it's, we, you know, it's like working a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

How charitable of you?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

So he's saying, we're homeless,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Yeah. No, we're unhoused.

JP:

Uncultured is what he applied. Un uncultured. Is that what I love you guys?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Wow.

JP:

okay. Yes. Parking is an issue for sure. What else? What else we got

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

That I think that's that's all I know from life.

Ash:

from life?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I saw had five things on'em, January.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

So these are like smaller things. Back in the day the park maps would have time guides,

JP:

Okay.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

with the prevalence of technology, they've really shifted all of that to the app.

Ash:

The app

JP:

they're getting rid of some of the park maps. And so I fully recommend if you go, don't sleep on the park maps. If you're out there listening loves and you're going, I, I'll pick up a stack of maps. I send them to people. Like, if you, if you don't live locally and you like the, the charms that I make, if I'm sending you a charm, I'll put a park map in with that charm. And it's just, you know, from the park that I pick up, picked up the penny. It's, a lot of times it's just a nice little touch. And for somebody who lives in like Ohio or something like that, it's like, oh, this is a cool piece of the park here that I can unfold. And, you know, the kids tear it up or whatever. Who, who the hell cares? But don't sleep on the map. Sometimes there's it's

Ash:

another freemium that's just going away.

JP:

It is, it is. And sometimes they'll do, if you go on a special day. They'll do special park maps. So I'm, I, I wasn't there on May 4th, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had done a special May fourth's day. Did they do it

Ash:

for Animal Kingdom's anniversary?

JP:

On the anniversary they did a special park map for it and we picked up a, a few, and then I picked up a set of pennies. And then when I listed the set on eBay to resell, I put the park map from the anniversary on with, as part of it. I didn't charge for the park map but I was just like, it is a nice touch. Here you go. What bitches. Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Is so thoughtful.

JP:

yeah, don't sleep on those park maps. They're nice. If you're looking for, if you're looking for a cheap souvenir, set of pennies is five bucks. Pair it with a park map, put a little bow on it and maybe go stop at the at TJ Maxx and get a$5 coffee mug. Strap'em all together and you get a nice polite little sub$10 gift to bring back for somebody as a souvenir. And they'll use that. They'll throw the map away, but they'll use that mug every time. They'll think about it. You were saying though, January, keep going.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Other small things like club Cool. Used to be different. They used to have a bigger selection of free international Coca-Cola samples. still free, but the selection is smaller.

JP:

You now, y'all went to club Cool. A whole bunch. Or have you seen the, have you seen shrink ation taken over there?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Oh, we haven't been lately.

JP:

Have you what, what flavors did they offer in the past that you think you're, you may be missing?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I couldn't tell you. I just know the ones stay away from Beverly.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I don't know. Like, how, where is it from? Is it France?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Beverly might be Italy.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Oh, Italy.

JP:

Okay.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

How did Italians drink Beverly in Italy.

JP:

With your mouth. Same

Ash:

with vodka.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

When do Italians.

JP:

Oh yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Oh, it was discontinued in 20, in 2009 in the Italian market. It can still be, wow, they're over here having a sample discontinued.

Ash:

I was gonna say, that's why it sucks.

JP:

Yeah. Hey, if it discontinued, they just have VA copious amounts of it in the back that they have to plow through. They have all the syrup. They're like, let's just give this shit away for free.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

They definitely have to have gotten rid of that. It says that it was, even though it was discontinued there, it can still be sampled at World of Coca-Cola Museums in Atlanta, Las Vegas and Coca-Cola locations at Walt Disney World. Orlando,

JP:

I so wanted to go to the Coca-Cola museum in Atlanta, but instead we went across the street to the aquarium.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

the Atlanta Aquarium.

JP:

Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I'm gonna, I'm, I'm gonna take January to swim with the whale Sharks.

JP:

Are you really to swim with them? They can't eat you. They can't eat you at all.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I've done it before.

Ash:

I didn't know you could swim. I'm pretty

JP:

sure. Yeah. We saw Natalie that day. We were there when you killed the beluga. I

Ash:

did not kill the beluga.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Wow.

Ash:

You need to stop saying that. It's offensive

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Did,

Ash:

to me. You asshole. Sorry. My bad.

JP:

No, it was pregnant and so we exercised a whole bunch of white privilege that day.

Ash:

Oh yeah.

JP:

So we went to, we grabbed lunch and you could sit outside, you know, in this like lunch area kind of thing. And one of the ballroom doors was open just a, a bit. And like, so, the people we were there were like, Hey, let's just walk inside this room because what's the worst that can happen? They'll just tell us to get out. Right? So we went in and it has like, on one side it's, it, it's a ballroom, right? So on one side there's a, a beautiful view of like the whale shark tank where people are swimming in it with the whale sharks and their scuba gears and stuff. And on the other side there's like this other viewing window for this. Like beluga, yeah, like a

Ash:

private viewing of the. Of the beluga tank.

JP:

And it was and that, that particular one was pregnant, but Ashley sat down like, crisscross applesauce in front of the tank and like put her hand on the glass and the beluga would come swim really close to it and, and press they are known gently press her belly across Ashley's palm Palm v's. Hand.

Ash:

They're known to rub against the glass. Yeah. It's a thing that they do. They do it with the kids on the other side too. But I probably sat there like, like one of your 30 or 40 minutes for like 45. Like I was not interested in lunch. I just interested in, it was every time she

JP:

put her hand up the Ballou, she was interacting with this beluga, this pregnant beluga who pressed the belly up against and come back around and pressed the belly up against and the calf didn't survive. Birth,

Ash:

actually it did. It survived like three to six months, by the way, calves die. It was devastating.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Why are

Ash:

never let me live this down.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Why are you,

Ash:

It's one of the best memories.

JP:

It

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

maybe if you never gave it that energy, it wouldn't have lasted that long. Maybe it

JP:

So

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

been like,

JP:

you gave that,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

lasted a

JP:

you gave that cap six months. That's why they don't let us. In the sanctuary at Animal Kingdom, you're so,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Unbelievable. You're terrible. You're so

JP:

oh my goodness. January. What, what are the frees premiums gone? Free or premium? Gone? Premium that we have?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Let's see. So,

JP:

so far we,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

talked about FastPass turning into Genie or Individual Lightning Lane,

JP:

mm-hmm.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

the Magical Express Discontinuation Resort parking fees from 2018 to 2023, charging for Magic Vance and the photo pass cost increase.

JP:

Mm-hmm.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

That's all I got you guys.

JP:

Okay.

Ash:

That's it.

JP:

There were what's that?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Okay. No, go ahead.

JP:

Oh, there was I wa I, there was one that I thought might come up and I was prepared to defend Disney over it. And so now I don't know if I wanna bring it up.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Do it.

JP:

Some people view the Disney Plus restrictions. So, now I don't pay the Disney Plus bills. It comes outta Ashley's account.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

What do you mean restrictions?

JP:

So

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

They change

JP:

login sharing, device limitations. Ads.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

all doing that though. They're, that's, that's a way it's I don't, and it wasn't supposed to be happening in the first place, so it's not really, nah, it's all right.

JP:

Okay. All right.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

it.

JP:

Okay.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

that being said, let me think.

JP:

Yeah. Have you been charged for your magnets yet? Because they cost, what do they cost? Like 2 cents.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I, I probably Negative 2

JP:

How many magnets did you guys get this month?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

We haven't gotten any this

Ash:

It only gets it when you re

JP:

Oh, when you re-up. We got four. Four magnets came in the mail.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

They're gonna, they're gonna double the price of your path next year.

JP:

One of our passes is gonna go up next year. We spent a, we, we did get the photo, the photo pass this year. I think that when, like, when Ashley and I go up next, I, one of the things I wanna start to do is I think I'd like to take more photos with Ashley at the park.

Ash:

Bro, you don't even like me.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

listen, just embrace it. It's okay.

JP:

Don't make me change my mind.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

You know, it's I went down

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Cool.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

hole to see if Beverly was really sold in Italy, and I'm in this forum from 2007.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Dang baby. 2007.

JP:

There was, was it like a GeoCities website? Well,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

because somebody had family traveling to Italy and they told their family, Hey, find me some Beverly, bring me some Beverly back. Back and they said they looked at every store. They asked everyone that they met if they knew where they could buy Beverly.

JP:

They were like the red light district. You can buy her for like an hour at a time. Or they used the, they use the metric system.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

their, what their family was talking about.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Dang,

JP:

They must, maybe it's a pronunciation thing, so like.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Beverly. No, I

JP:

verily, I don't know, like maybe something like that. Maybe they were putting the wrong emphasis on the wrong sali. So every time they went in somewhere they were like, Hey, have you seen Beverly? And they're like, nah, Bev Bev's off today. I dunno what the fuck you're talking about.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

That's funny.

JP:

All right. I guess now's a good time. Any, any final thoughts on this before we check the check the mail?

Ash:

I think I would just like to point out that

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

go ahead, Ashley.

Ash:

gonna say, I think our freemiums at Universal are better, and I'm gonna be sad if we get fucked over by this epic universe nonsense.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

How's Epic gonna screw you over?

Ash:

By adding the park cost to my annual park pass and increasing it exponentially,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Hmm.

Ash:

I'm nervous.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

saying out there?

Ash:

I don't know that there's any actual. I mean, I'm sure there's guesses. And Jonathan has a mental limit, but I think he'll cave regardless.

JP:

Yeah. I don't have any, like, I, I think for me, I think my limit for for the new Park pass upgrades is going to be like 1250 before I would balk at it. And then once it goes up, if it got up to like 1500, I think we would talk about dropping down a tier.

Ash:

1250 is like a$500 increase though, right? Is that what you Yeah, it is.

JP:

That's a pretty significant increase. They would have to, I mean, so here's the thing. Is it, is it a one day park or is it a two day park? I think it's a one day park.

Ash:

I mean,

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

A epic.

JP:

yeah, currently it's a one day park.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

not doing lightning lane, you probably have to go two days

Ash:

Yeah. I mean, I think we were only not pressured because we went for those handful of hours the day before. Yeah. So I think it's at least a two day park. Okay. But I do think there was quite a lot that might not have been open or active or engaged. There's also, we also didn't go to a whole world.

JP:

Yeah. We're, we're boycotting that world.

Ash:

Yeah. But I'm just saying, so I, I don't think it's fair to call it a one day park. There's

JP:

also only one ride experience in that space.

Ash:

Sure. But there's other things to see and do.

JP:

Yeah. Yeah. I would say, I would say there are some rides that we've made a mistake on going on.

Ash:

I don't think so. That I

JP:

don't want to go on again, that I don't have a desire to go on again. But there are some, like, I'm not gonna, I'm not in a hurry. Are you in a hurry to go back to Mario Kart? No. Okay. How about Minecart Madness? Nope. Yeah, nevermind. How about the the, the flying machine from where we try to do like spins, I. And everybody just gets a good forum workout.

Ash:

Oh, in Burke? No. Yeah,

JP:

yeah, that's what I'm saying. There's some stuff that I don't wanna like jump on, so, but it's

Ash:

not to say that it might not get better.

JP:

Yeah, you're right. You're right. Any who? All right. Any, any additional, any final thoughts? Any like really for, for real, legit final thoughts before January passes out?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Look, I have my

JP:

I know when I would say my last

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

my

JP:

name.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

are the the gifts that they would give out that were actual gifts and not just bitch ass magnets.

JP:

how much do you think those maggots cost?

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

a gift? 2

JP:

cents. 2 cents. I'm sorry. My bad. I forgot Natalie. 2 cents up in the house.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

when would you get gifts?

JP:

Yeah. Talk to me about those gifts

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I, I couldn't tell you. I couldn't, it's been so long,

JP:

pens.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

That no, like

JP:

My favorite ones were

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

that it always sticks out is the, this champagne flutes that we got

JP:

you mean passholder gifts.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

pass holder gifts. Yes.

JP:

I gotcha. Yeah, they definitely get cheap on you. You get,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Yeah.

JP:

you have, if you have your champagne in a refrigerator and that refrigerator has a metallic door, you can load it up with magnets. Oh all right, so let's let's check that slot.

Ash:

Check that slot.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

it. Slutty

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

time,

JP:

There's nothing in our slot,

Ash:

bro.

JP:

The builder. Yeah. What the hell? Get it. Fill our slot. Somebody fill our slot. You wanna fill our slot? Send us an email at the dan pod@gmail.com and no.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

part.

JP:

We would love to read your mail.

Ash:

Did we traumatize them, do you think?

JP:

Maybe, possibly. Alright. I love it. All right. Is this a good point? A good, good spot to end? Anyone have any, like anything else to throw in here? A non-related.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Josh gonna be on the show? I.

JP:

You know, I sent an email to him. He hasn't responded yet. I did hear did Josh get his promotion? I heard that he got a promotion, but I'm not, I'm not a hundred percent certain, but I did hear that. Promotion is on the horizon for him. Incoming. Incoming. They did just have their their stock their stock, their shareholder meeting the other day. And they announced, what'd they announced? Ash?

Ash:

I don't know.

JP:

New Park.

Ash:

Oh.

JP:

Not that we're, we're not gonna get to enjoy it.

Ash:

Not the other day.

JP:

Yeah, it was the other day. Well,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

well,

JP:

saw,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I,

Ash:

saw,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

something about it today.

Ash:

yeah, I saw it today.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

not, not, not impressed. I

JP:

Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I'm so like, oh God,

JP:

Where's it?

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

do anything for money.

Ash:

Dhabi.

JP:

Abu Abu Dhabi. Yeah. That's where it's going. Abu Dhabi.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

in, in

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Over there.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

East.

Ash:

Yeah. I was like, oh, that's a choice.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

to take from people over

Ash:

There's a lot of money over there. Yeah.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Yeah, I

JP:

they're not nitpicking.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

the price of.

JP:

They're not nitpicking about FastPass over there.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

I can't.

Ash:

The whole park will be, they're spending

JP:

that oil, money Anybody have any park plans coming up?

Ash:

We do.

JP:

Yeah,

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Oh yeah. We actually just told I told babe, I told you right out loud. It's like we might do Webco next week.

january-raine-_1_05-07-2025_185025:

what day

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

We haven't decided yet. I think I gotta check her schedule

JP:

I think we're doing Hollywood with the Savage. Next, not this Saturday, but next Saturday.

Ash:

There are no lunch reservations to be had

JP:

at, at Hollywood. Yeah. Interesting. All right.

squadcaster-fih2_1_05-07-2025_185025:

Yeah,

JP:

Think out.

Ash:

Think out.

Nancy:

Thanks for tuning into another episode of the DANK pod. Remember to like, follow, subscribe, and share where ever you listen. Send your feedback and questions to us at the dank pod at gmail.com Join us next week when we talk about Disney recipes to make at home. Until next time, stay dank!