The DANK Pod - A Disney Adult Adventure

DANK Pod: A Disney Adult Adventure - Best Photo Spots

• Nat, January, Ash, JP

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Exploring the Best Disney Photo Spots 

In this episode of the DANK Pod, hosts dive into a lively discussion about their favorite photo spots across various Disney parks, focusing on capturing the magic of being Disney Adults. The conversation begins with the chaotic fun of Animal Kingdom, where comical photo spots and scenic views are highlighted. Next, the hosts explore the vintage charm of Hollywood Studios and the visually immersive Star Wars area. Epcot's plethora of photographic opportunities are also featured, from iconic landmarks to festival setups. The episode wraps up with thoughts on Magic Kingdom’s most picture-perfect spots and reflections on the evolving nature of Disney parks. Listeners are invited to join in on the fun, share their own favorite Disney photo spots, and send feedback to The DANK Pod team.

00:00 Introduction and Warm-Up
00:28 Welcome to the DANK Pod
00:43 Best Photo Spots in Animal Kingdom
01:50 Funny Photo Trends at Animal Kingdom
02:40 More Photo Tips and Personal Stories
11:44 Exploring Hollywood Studios
25:44 Exploring Epcot's Hidden Gems
26:14 Favorite Photo Spots at Epcot
29:10 Magic Kingdom Highlights
41:18 Disney Park Changes and Nostalgia
41:34 Universal Studios and Nighttime Disney
43:06 The Haunted Mansion and Park Evolution
44:54 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up

JP:

Pop quiz,

Ash:

not the pop quiz.

JP:

Get what? What, what's it? Okay. Natalie's there with the, have fun. Thank you. Natalie. Who's next?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

don't yuck. Someone's yum.

JP:

My absolute favorite. What's last Ashley?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

It's a little depending on the day.

Ash:

Be yourself.

JP:

Be yourself. I love that. Right? Cool. That's like

Ash:

the genie, right? Be EEE yourself.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Oh, I love that, Jeanie.

JP:

Are we ready to get Dan?

Ash:

Let's get Dan.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Good day.

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 talking about the best photo spots! Let's get DANK!

JP:

What what, what are we talking about tonight?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Best photo spots.

JP:

Perfect.

Ash:

January came primed. She's

JP:

ready for it. She's ready for it. I figured, I figured this was a good topic because two things. One, Natalie likes pictures. Natalie knows where all the best picture taken spaces are, and this is, these are gonna be like her photo hacks.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Wow. Nobody, that's a, you're, you're mistaken.

JP:

It's a lot of pressure, right?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah,

JP:

I,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

lot of pressure.

JP:

I like I like taking pictures, but in a different way at the parks. That sounds weird. I like exploring different angles of things at the parks. So who, who wants to get started? Let's, let's go park by park,

Ash:

park by park

JP:

and then just discuss what the best spaces are. Anybody opposed to that?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

No. All, all of it.

JP:

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Very little. Sorry.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

The judge has ruled.

JP:

yeah. January, which part should we start with?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Hmm. Let's start with Animal Kingdom.

JP:

Oh, okay. Okay.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

okay. All right.

JP:

So I want, I would like to say that the most comical and popular photo spot is to get to pose in between the I and the m in the sign. Is that, so that way you can get anal kingdom

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

You would like that one.

JP:

Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

understand.

JP:

Mm-hmm. Even January, the look on Jan January's so confused. It's a thing like go on social media and look up, like they, they'll pose like their significant other in front of the gates where it's like a NI. Right. And they'll go and put their head right between in the middle, so then it looks like a and a L Kingdom on other side of them. On another side. Yeah. And I take it and be like, ha ha, look at what we did to you. So that's that's mean is it? I don't like it. Some people do it for to be comical. Mm-hmm. I'm not, I've never done it to you, you know?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

photo.

JP:

Yeah. Yeah. But it's a very popular thing to do,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

think what the first one that comes to mind for me, at Animal Kingdom is when you're crossing into Africa, taking the, the bridge and you can see Everest

JP:

mm-hmm.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

just in the, on the right hand side. that you can see like, and then you're gonna be like, I'm taking that trek to.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Wow. That

JP:

Trick

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

funny. There's this one guy he is got, he's got a great angle. It's kind of

JP:

I the Everest.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

No, she's looking

JP:

Oh, she's looking up the anal kingdom.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Oh,

Ash:

Yeah.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

one because this one

Ash:

Delayed reaction.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Don't ask a stranger to take your photo at Animal Kingdom.

JP:

Yeah, I think that's a setup. Yeah. I think when they do stuff like that, it's a set, they knew what they were doing.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Good though.

JP:

do people, like, I know this to be a fact for Natalie. When Natalie sees somebody struggling to take a picture, Natalie will volunteer to take that picture for She does. It's, it's good, right, that you do that. What I like to do, yeah. I get even I'll, I'll agree to take the picture and I'll take like five,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

You said agree and you also said I offered. So

JP:

like Yeah. You see that struggle, but I'll, like if somebody gives me their phone and is like, Hey, can you take a picture? Oh yeah. Every time I'll say yes, but I'm gonna turn your camera around. I'm gonna snap a few of me too and then turn it back around. And there are lots of strangers from the parks who have pictures of me in their phone.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Or in the deleted folder.

JP:

Yeah. But likely in their deleted folder. But I'll do it. I'll do it every time.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I, I like to do that. I, I went through a phase. I do that, I do that with my friends, but not with fingers. I really don't care. But with when I find a phone, I'll try to record a video of myself or take pictures of us before we return it. like the last, I, I was actually at a rave and I found one and then what we like, they like left, left us. We had to take it to lost and found, left a, like a video. I was like, I hope that you get to see this, or like, it's in your cloud or something. But I'm returning it to the lost and Bound. Like, I hope you get this.

JP:

Oh, you do a photo like that, you take a a video like that. I thought you were like, here's us having a good time with your phone that we definitely didn't steal.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

No,

JP:

this.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Like if, if I'm able to return it to somewhere like more, but like a festival that, that,

JP:

So you're like, Hey.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

and found.

JP:

Yeah, yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I, I don't know. That's, I was like, I really hope that

JP:

If,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

this,

JP:

like, if you have it connected to like your cloud, like with an iPad or something like that, hey, like, oh, here's my phone. She returned it here.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

you're lost. Don't tell, don't let them tell you it's not there.

JP:

That,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I dropped it off.

JP:

that's next level shit right there for sure. I'm so that's good.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

JP:

Yeah. What about you, Ashley? You got a, you got a favorite right off the gate. Right out of the gate at eight at the ak

Ash:

I think an underrated spot because it gets all the attention for the rides is the, like the avatar land in Pandora. There's, it is just Sally, so pretty. And I think there are mul and because things are so high up there, right? Because they have floating mountains. Is that what they call them? I think? Yeah. Mm-hmm. So it's, it's not just, you know, surface or eye level things. It's things that are way, way up there. And I think if you take the time and the effort, you'll, you'll get a really. Really, really spectacular photo out of it.

JP:

Yeah. Good times. Good times. How about you, January, you got an animal kingdom space

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I mean, there's a classic Tree of Life, but.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

course. Yes.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Are we doing hidden jumps or We're doing like photo spots.

JP:

just photo spots. Where do you live? Where do you like to take photos? At the parks,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Okay, I see. Yeah. Definitely treated life.

JP:

I like to get close to the tree of life to take the photos.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

also what I, I appreciate about the, the tree of life and like photo ops is like. Coming into that like main area, like in front,

JP:

Mm-hmm.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

like how it has the animals carved into the wood.

JP:

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Like not the tree, but like the outside part.

JP:

The

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

if

JP:

bark

Ash:

like the trunk.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Yeah, like I guess, I guess they're trunks. I don't know. Like it's not real. I don't

JP:

Yeah, I like, I, I like to go around it and take pictures of it as we go around the tree.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Oh, no, no. See you're talking about the trunk of the tree?

JP:

Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I'm talking about the trees on the other side. I'm here. I can touch this one. I can touch it. And it's an animal. carved animal.

JP:

Okay.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

On the side that you're on

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

On the side that I'm on. Not the I

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

before you cross the water to get to the tree. So it's on your side.

JP:

I

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

It's on your, like your, like you're, when you

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I, I got it.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

there to take the picture, blah, blah, blah. When you get closer again, it's still on your side The tree has several carved out animals in front of it. Not again on your

Ash:

Not on the, like, main piece.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

side.

Ash:

Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Yeah.

JP:

Okay.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

We gotta look for it.

JP:

Yeah,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Hey, I'm gonna show you, show Ashley

Ash:

I feel like we have not fully explored Animal Kingdom, even though we've been a bunch of times. It's just so hot there. We've yet to make it on a cold front day.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Oh, yeah. We have to do that like during, you know, October

JP:

very cool. So I like that stuff. So, at Epic they have something similar carved into a log.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I just feel like epic crept in.

JP:

Yeah. So it's gonna,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

about epic all the

JP:

it's gonna creep in. We're gonna co

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

You know what,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

epic.

JP:

we're gonna cover'em. Don't worry.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

we're a little, you know,

JP:

Can come, we can make plans. We're going into December. You can come, we'll go in December.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I just buy a ticket just to epic, or I

Ash:

Yeah.

JP:

Yeah, you should. I,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

or I have to get Universal and epic.

Ash:

no, like right now, they're only selling Epic by the day by itself.

JP:

No, that's not true.

Ash:

Well, so yeah, you can buy a multi-day package, but you can't just buy single days.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Jenny's question. She's already looking it up. Don't even, she, she

JP:

Huh,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

that.

JP:

sorry. And then

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

You

JP:

five, five topics later, she'll comment on it as if we're in the same, same, same conversation. I love that. So yeah, I do. So I,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

so true. I love him so much.

JP:

I like taking pictures of the sculptures like that though, as, and that was the, the intended reference there of like, so if there's that log or like a bench, I like to take that and just like do a forced angle from a different perspective. And sometimes I'll take from a whole bunch of different angles around that inanimate object to try to get some good lighting or just a good a just a, a different shot of it. But I, I do, I appreciate those carved those carved pieces. And I don't know if they're carved or molded or whatever, but it's definitely an artistic piece.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Yeah, no, for sure. Agreed.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

It is the number one question in FAQs,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Oh my gosh.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

the answer is yes.

JP:

Cool. Yeah. December we're going again.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

yes. You can buy a single day.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

A one day at Epic Universe starting June 1st of 25.

JP:

Sweet. I love that. Love that for you. So we fully hope to see you there. Any like how do, like, I think when I was, when we first went to Animal Kingdom years ago I think I took like, I was into taking different pictures, but not like very, not pictures. You'd be like, Hey boss, here are some pictures from my vacation. It was like underneath the big dinosaur. I took pictures and I was like, those lights look like nipples.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I can't,

JP:

Yeah, I know, right? Like, that was like, yeah, let's take that picture. Or I think I took like really shitty blackberry pictures for a while.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

why's a blackberry?

JP:

The Blackberry? Yeah. Mm-hmm. But yeah, so like, go ahead. Sorry.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I was just thinking how I was wanting a blackberry pearl.

JP:

Right with a little track ball.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Yeah. But, but this was cuter than the regular Blackberries'cause it wasn't as big.

JP:

Yeah. I, I, I had a Blackberry because I think I was young and poor and needed internet connection and you could dial up through your Blackberry at that time and you could get it through like T-Mobile. So although it was, yeah, you could like just convert it over instead of a hotspot, you could just dial up through it. And then you had unlimited data from T-Mobile at that time until they caught on. Yeah. So, so I used to do that a ton.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

So,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

times.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

did you guys know about the dark more monster makeup experience?

Ash:

there's not much we don't know about Epic. Yeah.

JP:

That's outta left field.

Ash:

I.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

already,

Ash:

I could,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

of construction. They approved

Ash:

yeah. They had to go through us.

JP:

Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

you don't,

JP:

I got, I had to sign off on the blueprints. Yeah.

Ash:

I'll send you some videos on that January.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

That's pretty cool.

JP:

How about are there any other places inside of Animal Kingdom that you'd like to take photos of?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

All right. Let's see.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

So we did the Tree of Life, we did the bridge. We talked about Pandora. There's actually a spot over the opposite side of the tree, instead of like the entrance so you can get the

JP:

Mm-hmm.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

and it's kind of like more secluded and some people walk by it. It actually, I think it might have the photo spot sign now. Maybe.

JP:

Like the Kodak, the yellowish and red sign. Take a picture here. Make a magical moment.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding.

Ash:

Bro, you're trying to activate him. Nah,

JP:

I'm not falling for it. I didn't fall for it there. You took a breath. I just, yeah, just take a beat. Good job. Take a beat. Take a beat. Should we cruise to a different park? What park are we going to next

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Oh yeah. Okay. Where do we wanna go? Where do we wanna go? Oh my gosh.

JP:

Us to a new park?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

new Park Hollywood Studios.

JP:

Okay. Classic. Classic.

Ash:

We've got some prime spots in Hollywood studios.

JP:

Yeah. There's a ton to explore in Star Wars Air area.

Ash:

Not even just like, that's just the icing. Yeah. Like there's so much more.

JP:

Yeah. Natalie, where would you go first? Where's your first, where's your number one?

Ash:

Number one?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

like the entrance with like the little like Mickey World thing on top of that little store that's in the middle. Then it's like they have all the photo like spots on the other side.'cause they're getting like the Chinese theater.

JP:

Yep. Mm-hmm.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

But I, but I want it sooner'cause I want that too.

JP:

Mm-hmm.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

And I actually, to be honest, just coming in, I like their entrance. How like the Hollywood studios, I was like retro

Ash:

Yeah. Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I

Ash:

Super classic.

JP:

I think that park photographs really well at night

Ash:

because it's very retro.

JP:

Yeah. Yeah. And it lights up really well. And then down that Hollywood studios and if you can get calm night with some water or like stumble across like a little puddle that you can get some good reflection kind of action, you can get some really cool shots.

Ash:

Do you, do you miss the, that's

JP:

$8 bottle of water.

Ash:

Do you miss the big sorcerer's hat?

JP:

I do. And I don't, like, I used to like the sorcerer hat as the weenie, the leanie. Yeah. All, all of Walt Disney's parks are built around the weenie. Every Walt Disney World Park, every Disney park is built around a weenie, a weenie, an icon. So the castle, the, the ball, the tree of life. It's all, and it's typically

Ash:

Oh, so there's no weenie?

JP:

Well, I think like in the hat competed for it with

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

the

JP:

the tower

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Of the town.

JP:

and I, and I think that for a while. Oh, it was an icon. Yeah. I see what you're saying. What Walt would call it, the weenie.

Ash:

I didn't know he called them weenies.

JP:

Yeah, that's pretty interesting. It's very phallic anyway. Also that, yeah, so I think like at that point between the, the tower of terror and the and the hat, I think those two maybe had that face off, but I think the hat was supposed to be temporary to begin with.

Ash:

Oh.

JP:

I knew I

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

never even got to see the hat.

Ash:

really,

JP:

you didn't miss out on much. It was just a giant cat with a pin trading. I was gonna say there was pin

Ash:

trading underneath. It wasn't inside or anything. It was all exposed, yeah. In the middle of everything.

JP:

And it was parked at dead center. You know where the stage is in front of the theater.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Yeah.

Ash:

Yeah.

JP:

So it was like right there. So yeah, so I think like, no, I don't miss that. I don't miss that. It was good to see and to, to maybe like tick that box. But I mean, I'm not writing home about it. I saw this giant replica hat and go to the Brown Derby and get the same effect,

Ash:

I guess. So

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Interesting.

Ash:

I think the Tower of Terror, however, is a really good photo spot. It's just

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah.

Ash:

10, especially if you can get it like at Twilight or right at night when the lights are starting to pop up.

JP:

Unintended. See what I have to deal with. I, I think the Star Wars, for me, it's the Star Wars space where you have all these iconic in the movie, kind of like the, the at ats. You know, before you get into that. Star Wars area is fun. It is

Ash:

themed very well. Like, for it, it's not like overly clean. Right? Like it, it looks like it's seen some shit.

JP:

Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Mm-hmm.

JP:

I think at that point oh, and when you get to like Inba two, it's gone really well.

Ash:

His eyes lit up. You guys, you couldn't see it.

JP:

When I, when I first saw the Millennium Falcon, I was like, did you tear up? I didn't tear up, but I was like, damn.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

That's

JP:

Like, because I

Ash:

teared up when I saw Isle of Burke.

JP:

Oh, the North North Kaki Dam. Came out. I was like, dang you. It was good. It was, it was. That's one of the most immersive and stunningly executed Star Wars Yeah. Spaces, I think in the, on the entire property.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I like how they take the space.'cause like you see the music change, like you don't really have rides. Like you really do get, like, I feel like the immersion does build up

JP:

Mm-hmm.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

like the best'cause like,

JP:

The only thing that, the only thing that breaks the frost dissolve is starwars.'cause star tours is outside of the frost dissolve, and then so you come, you come in, you go through that and, and so you have to go past it and then through the frost dissolve and then into bet two and you lose some continuity. I wish they would extend it out or create, or find some way to incorporate it into. That world, that space would really complete it.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah. I see what you mean.

JP:

Should we hop to another park?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

We're not done.

JP:

Oh, sorry. My bad. Tell me more. Say more. Say more.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I love in front of the guitar at rocking. That's, I

JP:

Oh,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

that.

JP:

I don't

Ash:

think we've been back there in a long time. Well,

JP:

no, I thought we went back there. It's like, it's a, like a mute.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I see. I'm thinking like right before you walk into that area,

JP:

Yeah,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

they have like the arch.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Mm-hmm. And I like, yeah, we we're good. We can move on. I just want, we couldn't forget about the guitar. It's so good.

Ash:

I like how none of us are amazed by Toy Story land.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I really do. I was just thinking like photographic, like I haven't, I haven't walked around taking pictures of stuff, but I really like, like it's so, I like feeling like a toy, like you're their size. But I haven't sat there and like photographed it to be

Ash:

I was gonna say, the character meet and greets are probably the best part of that side, but it's not something I would go actively looking for on a regular basis.

JP:

So I think I would take photos there, but I don't think that it's. I don't think it lends itself to that because you are shrunken down to that, that size of a toy. I think the best photos would come from a higher perspective. So you could see yourself as a toy.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah.

JP:

And I think that takes away from,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

take'em for the group.

JP:

how am I gonna get up that high?

Ash:

You're the tall one.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

if they had a photo opportunity in that way. Right.

JP:

Yeah. I like, so like, yeah, I, I would love and I think that would be great. But I think, like Natalie said, like it's, you're immersed in this. I'm a toy, I'm shrunken down, I'm walking in Andy's footprints, I'm in, I'm playing with his, his erector set.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

literally in the ground.

JP:

Yeah. Yeah. I don't know how they got shoe that big. Even Shaq was impressed. Yeah. I think that's I think that's part of the magic there. If I were to take a picture. I really can't in that space. I don't know that I could think of a place that I like, a spot that I'm like, Hey, I really, this was a unique place to take a picture. I think we have to dig deeper. Let's make a note for that, Ashley. Next time we go back to Hollywood Studios

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

smaller side though too, isn't it?

Ash:

and always so crammed.

JP:

A lot of people love that space.

Ash:

Yeah. Especially for the littles.

JP:

Yeah.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

like the drum line.

JP:

Oh, like, okay. When they come marching through.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah.

JP:

probably, so that's it. That's the photographing the experience is probably really, that's a really good flex. Good job. Thank you for calling that out.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah, because they just look so realistic and their shoes just make it so much more like, oh my God.

JP:

It makes me think like. The little, the little army men. Like we had those when were kids and it was like, how cheap were those toys? They were just legit. A hunk of plastic and savannah's like rolling around with an iPad lined with, she's like lead paint, like, yeah. Known to cause cancer in, in California. Nowhere else though. So we were good. No, but no small parts for you to chew and swallow and choke and die on,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

man.

JP:

but definitely violent toys. PPP

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Pew, pew, pew, pew, pew.

JP:

Ready for a new park. Where are we going? Take us around January. Where we headed to next?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Your favorite

Ash:

Your favorite.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Epcot

JP:

Fuck.

Ash:

There's just a plethora of opportunity at Epcot.

JP:

There are. There is.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

there are so many. Oh my gosh. The rest of the podcast

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Have you guys.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

now be about, I've got.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Have you done the, the specialty camera where it does like a 360

JP:

We haven't, not, not, not there. Mm-hmm. Did they do it there?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah. They do it there in front of the ball. a

JP:

Oh,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

left of the ball. It's

JP:

sorry. I'm so sorry. There's a joke in there I'm not gonna touch. But yeah, no, I think I, I would like to, I'd like to try that because that, that sounds cool. Natalie, do you have a favorite spot to start off with,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I mean, to start off

JP:

to start off?'cause I know you have a bunch.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

yeah.

JP:

It's your, it's your, that's your, that's home. That's your happy place.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

it is. It really

JP:

I didn't think you'd be so attracted to the balls.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

It's, it's a big ball, so I feel like, okay. Coming in off rip. You gotta get the, the entrance then coming

JP:

Wait, which entrance?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

the, the main,

JP:

Okay, cool. Not the back door.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

no, not the back door. And then you remember how it used to have like the, the like on the side, like the plaques of everybody who paid like X amount to be on, know, now they have it on, they moved it, different look. It's a different, it's a whole different thing. don't remember? It

JP:

I, I don't re I don't remember did. Mm-hmm.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

like the entrance, so I like to get the ball off for it. if I can get that, if, if

JP:

Are you saying, are you saying off, off rip RIP? What are you saying? You like to get the ball off, off rip.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

the beginning.

JP:

What does that,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I like the ball when we first walk in.

JP:

okay. Is that what off rip means?

Ash:

Isn't a rip like a musical note like.

JP:

A riff.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

That's

Ash:

Mm.

JP:

But I don't understand the lingo that you're using. Please, please speak in Gen X for me.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

to do a codec?

JP:

I have no idea what's happening.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

All right. That's okay. So I like to get'em in the beginning. Get the ball. I like

JP:

Just tell me what off rip means. Is it mean does off it

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

figure it out. We're

JP:

does it, does it mean in the beginning? Where does that language come from? Like right off the rip. Like you just ripped open the bag. Is that what we're saying?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

off the beginning, if that's what it, that's what it

JP:

Okay.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Offer it.

JP:

Okay. Off rip. I'm gonna try to work that in a conversation at work tomorrow with a COO.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

in 1960s.

JP:

What the No it was not. So you're older than I am. Off rip. I I am off, off rip. I belonged right outta my mom's vagina in the eighties. How, wait, what year were you born? Don't say that out loud because

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I can't

JP:

All right. So off, off rip. Do you like to get the ball off? Rip?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Jonathan, for your information

JP:

Thank you.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

slang from the beginning immediately right away.

Ash:

Off the rip.

JP:

Off the rip. Okay. Off the rip. Cool. Now I feel now I'm now not to be confused with rip off. Yeah. Now I'm in the, now I think that's why your brain was glitching. No, I just did not know. I was like, I don't understand. Okay, cool. Off the rip balls. Got it

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

So, to get that and then I like to go to the other side get, what's it called now?

JP:

off the rip.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I don't, I, I

JP:

What are we talking about? The, the Skyliner? That one.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

No, not

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I

JP:

Oh,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

the, but like the center, like, like the center part that was closed forever. Now it's open. Now it's like you can walk through it. I don't

JP:

the, not the World Showcase. The one where Walt hangs out.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

So it's right outside of the the store where you pick up your magnets in

JP:

Oh, sh I know what you're talking about.

Ash:

I don't know what the space is called.

JP:

Gen the Gencor. The, the Camico Camico Hall.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

commun core hall is there with

JP:

Oh

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

The communic court across to the right. But the first, lemme tell you something.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

honestly, it's, it's,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

and I don't know shit about Disney, he's like, don't you, aren't you on a podcast about Disney? And he likes to embarrass me about it, what I need to do better.

JP:

yeah.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

like a

JP:

Yes.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

sit.

Ash:

I just don't know what they called it.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

yeah,

JP:

All right. Yeah. Okay, so I'm pulling up a map. So you're saying that, so Camico Hall in Plaza

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I think it's the plaza, right?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Is it the Plaza? see.

Ash:

battle Plaza was inside.

JP:

Oh,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

with

Ash:

this is an outside space, isn't it?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Ebco

JP:

I don't know. Yes. That what that land is.

Ash:

Pause for editing

JP:

what that land is called. Called. Yeah. I just let it run. Let n belay that belay Let her run straight and through. Yeah, we're gonna edit this out, don't worry. I hope.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Oh, but look, so you can see it. D Deep minor changes. Epcot.

JP:

Yeah, yeah. I'm, look, I'm, I'm looking. I pull the map and the, my Disney Experience app so I can see it.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

you got it. So you don't, so you don't need me anymore.

JP:

I mean, I always need you.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Oh. Sure.

JP:

out where the hell I put up. Caught now.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

But aside from all that, my favorite favorite is when from Japan, when you're

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

You

JP:

It's not even in like, are you serious?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Yeah, I,

Ash:

I feel like we missed several worlds

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

yeah, we missed a lot. Well, I don't want to, I'm not

JP:

World celebration.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Is that what it's called?

JP:

That's good. The center there. So when you come off the ball, right, right off the rip, come on, come pass the ball. And then next on the rip is the world Celebration, which is a circular plate, circular place where the new Walt statue is.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah, I think you're right. I think that's a world of celebration.

Ash:

That's weird.

JP:

And then it goes, it narrows down into that pathway across the water

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Interesting.

JP:

before you get to World Showcase.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

them have dancers like in rings, like they were hanging from rings

JP:

Oh,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

during concert.

JP:

oh, very nice. Yeah.'cause they have that, that whole theater space there for our stage shows and stuff like that. Very cool.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I, I like to get, go to Japan and go over where you can see the ball again. But it's like, if you can get it in that, in like the, what is it? Like the, the Tory gate?

JP:

Oh yeah, I see, I see. I dunno what they actually call it, but I see what you're saying.'cause it is almost directly across from the ball.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

yeah. Yeah. You could do it. It's gotta stand properly. It

JP:

I, I like getting it across the water as well too.'cause there's the, I almost wanna say like that shady spot next to, there's like a little food joint maybe it's spice. Was it Spice Road Table. And there's a little like space out, off to the side across from Morocco.

Ash:

I was gonna say Morocco.

JP:

And then you have this little, you can see it at the friendship boat. Leaves that dock or whatever boat they have there. Leaves that dock. Mm-hmm. To go across the world showcase. And you capture it in the middle of the water. You get like this good postcard shot on a nice day. Looks good with the ball in the background too. The

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

the ball

JP:

ball. You

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

ball

JP:

gotta get the ball right off the rip

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

off, off it.

JP:

word. January. Do you have any favorite spots at at Epcot? The

Ash:

Epcot.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

At Epcot. Let's see.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Wow.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Oh my God, I'm so excited for test track

JP:

Distraction.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

in front of the Guardians of Galaxy Ship.

JP:

Oh, that's a good shot.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Mm-hmm.

JP:

I'd like to spend more time photographing that one too. I think that could have a very good kind of like antiquey sort of look to it. Good vibe. How about you, Ashley? Any

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I, I, oh,

Ash:

Natalie's? Very excited about something. Yeah. I need to understand.

JP:

Tell me more, Natalie.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I like the Ouie fountain in Paris.

Ash:

very nice. Yeah,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

cute,

Ash:

it was very cute.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

and if you're lucky, they'll put in your photos.

JP:

Oh.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Ooh. For a fee. No, I'm

Ash:

small fee.

JP:

For small fee, you don't even,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

your

JP:

you don't even get a discount for having tuition, tuition pass over college tuition. Yeah.

Ash:

I like that bridge that's back there. So like where the skyliner drops in the back? I don't know. I don't think that's a specific country, right. So it, but you come out of there and you have left England, but it's before France, so it's that bridge back there.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

if you will,

Ash:

Yeah. I like, I like that bridge a lot, but it, again, it's, there's not a lot of coverage out there, so it's just so hot. I need like, like four consecutive weeks of cold fronts so that I can properly explore the parks.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I like it. I support it.

JP:

I like the different festival setups and to take pictures of kind of what's going on at the festival. So like more so. The,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I, I

JP:

the

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

topiaries, so don't copy. Go ahead, keep going.

JP:

more so the, the in flower and garden festival to see some of the bunches of the flowers lined up. And how, like, I just like the, the vibrant colorways. I think they do a really good job with the gardens over there too. I'm not a huge fan of the topiaries because I feel like they're cheater, topi topiaries for the most part.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Talk to Josh about that.

JP:

I, I'm trying to feel, feel, Hey,

Ash:

Josh.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Off for it. I'm gonna tell you something.

JP:

Right, right off the rip. I, where else, where else could we go?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Journey of water.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Ooh.

JP:

that is always a good one.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

It's

Ash:

Where's that one? Oh, the Moana one? Mm-hmm.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

The

Ash:

Yeah.

JP:

Mm-hmm.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Mm-hmm.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's good. I like that.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Gotta go back you guys.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I like, I also like it. There's a certain spot where you can stand, when you're going into the showcase, if you go. Right. So starting off with Canada if you get it at the right, like, like when a train's passing by and you can get the world in the back and you can get like the, it's just, you can, you can get so much in one shot. It's a, it's a really good

Ash:

It's a timing thing.

JP:

Absolutely. Yeah, I think there's just great, great, great shot to take at these parks.

Ash:

Lots of opportunity.

JP:

Yeah. Should we hop hop on over to

Ash:

your favorite?

JP:

My real favorite? Your real favorite. The kingdom

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Magic Kingdom.

JP:

so magical.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I had like to take a picture on the tram.

Ash:

Tram

JP:

with Oh, hmm. I see what you're saying. Mm-hmm. I don't like riding the tram, but I'm not gonna yuck your yum. So you take the tram, we'll, race.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I was just kidding. I don't

JP:

Oh, I think it's a good idea to take pictures of like, all the experiences. I think the tram is the first ride that many people get to experience, so I'm not even mad at it

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

it's the only ride.

JP:

for some people. Some days it'd be like that. Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Yeah.

JP:

I, yeah, I'm with it on that one. I like I like that. I, you know what I don't like about Magic Kingdom besides the getting there part.

Ash:

The people part

JP:

that too. I don't like the picture in front of like before you, like when you get in the gate and you're just in that, that like flat spot before you cross through the buildings. I don't like that.'cause it's just so hard to get everything in that shot. And so they just take a picture of you dead center in front of the, in front of the garden area. But there's like, there's, in order to make that shot, capture what you're in front of, you have to like zoom out. So you're just like two ants on a log

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

It's like, I'm so excited I made it here. I need proof that I touched

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

pretend you're,

Ash:

before shit goes sideways in the next 10 hours.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

and you're a toy,

JP:

Yeah. You know. Exactly. But I, that's why I don't want pictures like that.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Okay, keep going.

JP:

I do like, so I think one of the, one of the coolest things to photograph are. At Park opening off the rip when they have Natalie, why is your head lower? Like, why are you, like, is it, will you, why do you have a look of shame on your face right now for teaching me that? Yeah. So at Park opening off the rip, they do a song and like a parade and like, you know, to help.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

a song with.

JP:

Yeah. Have you never have you, oh shit, I forgot who I'm talking to.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

to opening

JP:

You haven't? Oh, there's a whole

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

not

JP:

I haven't,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I have never in my life been to Disney at opening.

JP:

oh,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I've ever been there is maybe an hour after opening. Like, why would I have to be, I live in Florida, why would

JP:

Hmm.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

there?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Some

JP:

Dang.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

dropping.

JP:

I, I think I,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

You

JP:

when we.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

photos, better

JP:

Yeah, well the experience, the experience is what changes for me, it's'cause you have, so the way they used to do it, like the train would roll up into Main Street, USA and everybody's kind of outside and they're like, do a little, do a little ski skit thing and then you open up the park. But some of the characters that were on the train, and it can be very different characters will get off and kind of walk with the crowds through the, through the park, through Main Street USA and they'll disperse through the day. So I think the photo that I like I'm most interested in taking is like, let's say Mary Poppins is, was on a train. She gets off the train now she's got her para, her powersol and her little gloves and her, her hat. And she's kind of just meandering through and saying hello to people as we, everybody opens up the park and the characters disperse. Taking that picture of. Her in motion with the candid, joy, joyous look of others as the park opens up. I think that's a cool, that's a cool candid shop.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

so bad. Just just get a photo. Just get a photography

JP:

I would,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

it.

JP:

I,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

just, just pull the trigger. You know you want

JP:

I would work for Disney. I don't wanna work at Disney. Does that make sense? Like I, I would run, I'd like to run data for them but I don't wanna

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

To

JP:

be at.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Josh on the line for you.

JP:

Okay.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Excuse

JP:

Give did I tell you? Oh,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Can

JP:

sidetracked. I did email him this week with a, with an opportunity. So it was somebody on, somebody on t yeah, on TikTok. Somebody a woman had posted that she needed a a tampon. And in this, in today's society, the machines that they have at the parks were coin operated to put these coins in. She's like, I live my life cashless. What the heck? And she was like, you need to get mini on this. Do better Disney, you know, give these things out for free. And I'm like, okay. So I was like, so I took a screenshot of it and I emailed it to Josh and I was like, Hey, we could do this. We could make this like, we could, let's bump it up from 50 cents to a dollar. We'll take a credit card at the machine or cash, right? And I said if you'd like, I can put together an action plan to, to handle this changeover, and we can do some comparison to see if it's a profitable endeavor. We can do a test segment at one of the parks and see if it's worthwhile rolling out globally. He has not replied,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Damn.

JP:

I'm sorry.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Like the word endeavor.

JP:

I, which is interesting because, did I say that?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah.

JP:

Oh, okay, cool.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

good.

JP:

I was like, for, for a minute. I was like, did she hear me say something? I don't think I said, huh? Did I say profitable endeavor?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yes.

JP:

Okay, cool.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

endeavor.

Ash:

your sanity. Yeah,

JP:

questioning my sanity. I, I, I like the word profitable because of the, the consonants that are in the word. Hmm.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Oh

JP:

Look, the look at, look at January's mouthing the,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I

JP:

the salis.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I was doing the siz.

JP:

Yeah. It's yeah, profitable. I think it just sounds profitable. I don't know. It's a good, I like, we're, we're way off the track. Natalie's rubbing her temples. And then there's also the back on track, the holiday theming.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

It is it, it is a ride, bro. It's just their paint is meant to like.

JP:

Oh, like, not go away green, but like blend in blue or something like that. Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

is,

JP:

What's the,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

know.

JP:

do you know what the name of the blue is? Ashley? It's like blend in blue or like. What are

Ash:

we

JP:

talking

Ash:

about?

JP:

The Disney's Shade of Blue. What's it called?

Ash:

Who knows the answer to that?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

You would

JP:

there.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

he took the keys to the Kingdom tour.

JP:

Well, you took the keys to the Kingdom tour. What's the name of the, what's the name of the shade of Blue? January?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

She's not sharing. You have to. We were, we were sworn to secrecy.

JP:

Oh my goodness. I'll look it up here. Disney Blue Paint is called What? The internet is not helpful.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

They have Blue Wonder Darling Blue bi ba Story Time Blue, Adventure Space Hero Blue. These are often used in conjunction with go away green and bend and blending blue.

JP:

Blending blue.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

blue.

JP:

Did I say blending blue or I said blending blue. Yeah. Yeah, they use that at Epcot a lot at the skyline. To, to stop people from looking in.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

they do a good job

JP:

Yeah. They do a fantastic job.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

So.

JP:

think the part, the castle is an obvious one, but I don't like that you can never get in front of the castle with enough space to take a good picture.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah. It's always like,

JP:

Yeah. You gotta get creative.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

yeah. I

JP:

Or even

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

to take your picture with Walt you come in on the bench

JP:

No,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

flag pole?

JP:

no. I, I think I like, there's more, I, I almost like to take, go into the stores and take closeup shots of the decorations in the store. Like, I, I think of them as like, set the decor. And I, for the most part, I think I'm just looking for Easter eggs in those, in those spaces.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

There. Do you ever, is there any kind of, like, is there any wall that you'd like to take pictures in front of by chance?

JP:

There's a wall that I'm naturally most attracted to. Do you know which one it is? But I don't have to go take pictures by it.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

What? What's you, what do you, you're attracted, what's the wall?

JP:

It's the bicycle mural. When you walk into Magic Kingdom. Yeah, it's on the right hand side. Next at, by the backside of the confection area.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

That's what I thought you were gonna say. Oh, okay. I, I thought I consider that more of a billboard,

JP:

Yeah. I mean, sure, sure.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Yeah, you could be, you could be a bill,

JP:

Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I, I, I'll rip I understand what you mean. So, the, I, I, like, I, my, my, my shot you know, I can't always get is when you're on formerly known Splash Mountain. That was the last time I wrote it, so that's what I'm gonna call it Right before you drop taking a picture of the whole park.

JP:

So is that, is that like your Gulf of Mexico?

Ash:

Huh?

JP:

She's like, I'm call it Splash Mountain'cause that's, that's, that's what she's gonna call it.

Ash:

Well, she said it was the, that's what it was called the last time she was on it. Did the golf,

JP:

which one have you been to? Which golf were you at? I'm just curious.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I still was at the Gulf of Mexico and I was there last weekend.

JP:

I love, I love you. I'm sorry, I'm just giving you a hard time. Keep going.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

but I, I like that. I had, I took a shot, I took that shot when I was a kid, like on, on film. where that picture went.'cause I was a child and my mom

JP:

Like 1, 1 10 film like kind of like the thin camera. What kind of camera was it?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Probably 45

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

It,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

millimeter.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

it was the one that had the, the, the, remember the one that had the, the, the film that looked like this and had the little two things

JP:

Yeah, one 10. Thank you. January one 10 is the film.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

One

JP:

No, listen, I know what kind of film Natalie had'cause we was both the same kind of poor.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Oh my gosh.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

And then there's a wall over on the way to tomorrow end. That was like, it, it had a wave. Like they, even if I'm not mistaken, the wall even has a lounge fly.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah, it does.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

it was like, it became a whole thing.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

It's a hashtag too.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

it's a, oh yeah. It's a hashtag

JP:

That's like a whole vibe. Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

if you guys are about that wall, like about walls. I know it's not the Berlin wall, but, you know,

Ash:

I don't think Jonathan has an affinity for standard backgrounds. He's always trying to find like unique angles and. Be damned what's in the background kind of thing. Like his background is sky and earth.

JP:

Well, so the shots that I'm

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

no

JP:

fire close, the shots that I, that most interest me. Like, I think I sent you guys a, a few shots. That one little lady holding a napkin and a teddy bear up in that picture. That's from Epcot little Train Depot e thing. That's just a,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

hand down there.

JP:

yeah, I put my hand down there, what I do. So I have a, I, you never know. But yeah, like that's the kind of like, I don't, I like, I like those, they mean nothing to anyone. Like you take that picture, put that somewhere and nobody has any idea what that's from, but I know where it's from. That's the kind of shot that in that interests me. So I get why people are attracted to like the massive backdrops. I'm just,

Ash:

you're not that guy.

JP:

Yeah. Yeah. But I do like, the different perspectives. So I was gonna, like, one of my favorite places to take pictures of is the the splash pad because I like to see the water moving. So I think if you can get a good shot of the, like fo if you could take a portrait shot where it just focuses on like a burst of water moving through midair, like just past its peak of the, of the arc, like on its way down. And then get a like blurry background where you know that the people in the background are having a great time, but you're not focused on any one of them. The focus is on the fun that the water's having.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I love a good water shot,

JP:

Right?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

when it's being shot up or, or like special. Oh yeah. It's a good, sounds good.

JP:

Yeah. That's interests me also, the animatronics. If you can get'em to a point where you think, like they might leap out at you, like you're like there, like, you know, it's like, like it's almost freaky. Like, oof. I'll send you a shot. I took off like a statue. At Epic. At Epic.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Wow. I, I'm gonna be honest,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

we're gonna take a shot every time they say

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I, I hadn't seen one 10 film.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Oh.

JP:

That's'cause you were too rich.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

What kind of film did I see?

JP:

You saw like, you saw like Fuji film.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

millimeter?

JP:

Yeah. Yeah. That's what you saw.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

it's just that also, I feel like it was like more kid friendly, like less delicate than,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

said it was a more inexpensive one.

JP:

Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

That too. I,

JP:

It is more inexpensive. When you had the 45, you had better quality cameras at that point. We were still, your stuff had your stuff auto advanced our stuff. We had to turn the fucking wheel. We got carpal fucking tunnel

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

wheel.

Ash:

on the disposable camera.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

it was, maybe it was 35 millimeter. I think that's what I'm used to.

JP:

Fucking 1% married up. I, I'm, you know, Ashley and I, our relationship is proof. You don't have to marry rich. You just have to marry somebody with good credit.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

So we got married.

Ash:

I think that was just a bonus for him to start. It was the insurance.

JP:

Yeah. I, I'd go to the doctor if I want to now. All right. Where were we? So yeah, so those are the, those are the things that, that make me feel good when we go to the, when I go to the parks. The how, like anything else before we actually, we could probably wrap it up besides, unless you guys wanna talk about Universal.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

My friend just wrote me actually, and he was like, he likes universal, but not gonna lie, it reminds him of when him and his boyfriend were poor

Ash:

Oh damn, what the fuck?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Why would he say that?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

and they like again, hold passes to both.

Ash:

Geez.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Oh my God.

JP:

I know they're bird rough.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

too funny.

JP:

Rough.

Ash:

Sometimes. I wish we could explore the parks more at night. Disney is not something we've had the luxury really of enjoying in the evening or the nighttime.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

You

Ash:

think that's just an entirely different, like ambiance.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Oh yeah, it's a whole vibe. I like, I like lights. I remember how we talked about how we missed the real lights on the castle for

Ash:

Mm-hmm.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

and now they have the projection.

Ash:

Yeah. I,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

it's a, that was nice to photograph. I like shimmer

JP:

I think I sent you a a photo of one or not a photo. TikTok of that today made me think, I was thinking about you as I was scrolling through TikTok. Yeah. It was like, and it was like those lights around Christmas time and it was like, remember when, what do we have to do to get this back?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Mm. Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

talk

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I don't, I don't know that it's coming back y'all.

Ash:

Josh,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

coming

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

It's too

Ash:

Josh, are you listening

JP:

to bring it back? I mean, you could probably, they could probably figure out the technology for it and apply it. It's, it's gotta be. LEDs. Gotta make it better.

Ash:

Oh, do you know what's really good picture taking opportunities for you husband? Where The haunted mansion?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Mm.

JP:

Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

when

Ash:

It's just not your favorite space.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

and just,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

You still get creeped out by Haunted mansion.

JP:

I mean, so, so I read something the other day, I don't know how true this is, but I heard that Haunted Mansion was built by two was designed by two in very individual imagineers who had different views, different visions. So the first half of the ride is a little bit more lighthearted and the last half is a little darker.

Ash:

Are you questioning that? We watched the whole documentary.

JP:

Did we? Oh, okay. Cool.

Ash:

This is a true story. Yeah.

JP:

Oh, so that's that's true. Yeah. I didn't make that up. That's true.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

more

JP:

cool. Yeah, I just think they, there was this, a dichotomy between like how they thought that this ride should turn out. So the first half is a little bit more lighthearted and more family oriented. And then the second half is just darker, like a little scarier, spookier kind of like freak him out. And I, I don't, and I think if I recall that doc from that documentary, they drug their feet on that, or Walt Drugg his feet on it at Disneyland because he was like, eh, it's, I'm not in a hurry to do this because it's not quite, doesn't quite fit my, the theming that I was aiming for. Yeah.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah.

JP:

And then I think I saw, I don't know if it was a podcast or, or a YouTube video the other day, or they mentioned and this didn't occur to me, but it, you know, now that they said it out loud and I don't know who it is to give'em the credit, but they were like, you know, you go on Pirates to the Caribbean and what do they say? Dead men tell no tales.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah.

JP:

walk 20 feet and that's all it is, is a bunch of 99 dead people telling a bunch of tales at the Haunted Mansion. It's like the continuity. Where is it?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

It's swim more than 20 feet. I need you to get it

JP:

Sorry. My bad. My bad.

Ash:

I think it's, I think the story that they're telling though is that you're dead.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

It's true.

JP:

Well, they could use one more the job opportunity in case everyone's looking. That's why, maybe that's why, and that's why people keep trying to drop people off at the drop their loved ones off at the hundred mansions. They can get that one. Be that one more. Oh, I was talking

Ash:

about pirates.

JP:

Oh,

Ash:

because that's what you were talking about.

JP:

Mm. I like pirates. All right. Yeah. Cool beans. Anyone have anything else to add before we, before we wrap it up?

Ash:

Rapunzel's toilet area.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

oh yeah, I was gonna say, yeah, that's, I mean, that's not our preferred spot, but it is definitely a hot spot the

Ash:

It is really pretty.

JP:

The, the space next to it. The waterfall. Mm-hmm. I like,

Ash:

yeah. Tangled.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Tangled.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

tangled area.

Ash:

Mm-hmm.

JP:

Yeah. I like the waterfall next to it.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

this was Family Robinson Tree.

JP:

Is that still around? They didn't dig that, that sucker up

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I don't know when they're going to, they're like, I, I just, I feel like any day, like it's, they're gonna be like

Ash:

ca chow.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

is coming down. Like I'm surprised it's still up. I'm not gonna lie.

JP:

So I love this for you. How, like, how do you feel about the changes at the park? Just clear the air. Are you, are you for or against the changes at the park?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I don't, it doesn't, I'm not, I'm not crazy. Like there's certain, like for Universal like it made me sad when Back

JP:

What do

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

went away

JP:

Oh yeah. I wish I would come back.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

that was a great ride. I love that.

JP:

The re theming to Simpsons.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

it was replaced with The Simpsons. I never even got to experience the Simpsons.

JP:

It's the same ride. Close your eyes.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

No, I get it, but my visuals are not The Simpsons instead of fucking back to the future. I'm, I wanna go back to the future, God dammit. And

JP:

Awesome.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Yogi at 1.1, that was a similar ride, one point, it was Yogi Bayer, if I'm not mistaken, when I was a kid. And

JP:

That's Ashley, Sarah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

that's definitely fun.

JP:

boo Boo.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

for, for Smash Mountain changing. I'm curious to see how, how they did it as long as like the ride is still fun. I understand that they have to keep it the times like I miss not being able to do it. Like the last time that would've been nice and like the, the first time I went on Splash Mountain, for me it was like, oh, this is

JP:

Mm-hmm.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

book was about.'cause I had the, I had the book in Spanish. never seen any movie or show or series or anything on it.

JP:

Hmm.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

it was like the book finally had some re relevance to Disney my eyes.

JP:

Gotcha.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

yeah, I, not, as long as it's fun, it's a good time. I, I wish, I wish they were easier to revamp and then maybe like every once in a while they could do like a retro Oh, like this summer we're taking it back to

JP:

Like, like put a skin on it.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Yeah.

JP:

Okay.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Talk to Josh. Develop it. We could do it. We're 3D print the whole thing.

JP:

3D print. Yes. I love that.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Just click into place.

JP:

How about you, January? How do you feel about some of the changes?

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I'm actually excited.

JP:

Okay.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

nice to get a face lift. It's nice to, to refreshing.

JP:

Hmm.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

something

JP:

I, I like that. Ash

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I just, mm-hmm.

JP:

even. Can you, Natalie

Ash:

had feelings?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

But Ashley, you can go first.

Ash:

I was, I mean, after experiencing Epic, right? And, and I That wasn't me. Wasn't, that wasn't me. It was her. No, but I have a point. I promise it's gonna circle back. So after experiencing Epic and seeing, I think I see the vision that Disney has with the villain land having gone to dark more at Epic. I see the vision of, you know, creating bringing new IP to the front for attention. I'm stoked for the cars area. I think that's gonna be a wicked cool experience, especially for the Littles. I mean, not that that's our focus here, but I think, you know, those movies are a lot of fun. I, how many times a week do we say chow? I mean, it's,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

said C the other

Ash:

I know we say it all the time. I believe you the time. You don't have to prove it to

JP:

me. I believe you all

Ash:

the time we say it. And it, it doesn't even make sense most of the time. So I'm stoked for Carsland, I'm stoked for villains land. You know, as much as Jonathan doesn't like the spooky stuff, he loves himself a villain.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Mm-hmm.

Ash:

Yeah, a villains. To be clear,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

villains are just misunderstood people.

Ash:

I don't know about all of them, but I would go with many of them.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

say all of it.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I

Ash:

Right.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

anytime a villain story comes out, I see their point.

Ash:

You see the point?

JP:

Yeah,

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

I understand their side of the story.

Ash:

yeah. Yeah. I'm not opposed. So I'm for the changes, you know, especially when it's bringing classic I Disney IP to the front. So, I mean, splash Mountain being an icon for Disney was, that was great for them for a long time, but then they made it relevant to a Disney movie.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

right.

Ash:

have been something else in there? Be less backlash? Maybe, but probably not.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I hear you. And but also, like I, if they could have just done something like Splash Mountain ores, like verbiage, like Tiana's Bayou, it doesn't even feel like it's a splash mountain, you know what I'm saying?

Ash:

Because it's not though.

JP:

Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

But like, I wish the, okay, this is, let me reread it, let me, okay. I understand the theming change it,

Ash:

Change it.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

like, okay. Like it

JP:

you saying still? Call it Splash Mountain.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

right.

JP:

Okay.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

can't

JP:

Like make it Tiana. It's Tiana's Bayou Adventure. It's clearly Tiana's bio adventure, but then the moniker above the top could still be Splash Mountain. You just got rid of the, the Song of the South. Um

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

right,

JP:

Oh, I see what you're references. Yeah.

Ash:

Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

saying.

Ash:

Josh,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

let

Ash:

listen up.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

get Yeah. Get him on the phone. Like, I, so my, my thing, my one that I hope doesn't like close because I really like it. I, sometimes I worry'cause you know, it's old now. Like, I like, I like Space Mountain.'cause that was like my first.

Ash:

Mm-hmm.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

of like first ride ever,

Ash:

So if, if they dub it buzzes Space Mountain, are you cool?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Yeah, I'm going

Ash:

It's just gonna keep the original name. Got it. Yeah. Re theming is fine, Disney, but don't take away the entire iconic names. Got it. Yeah.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

see.

Ash:

Noted.

JP:

So

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Can you imagine like, like their names and then like, like they get longer and then

JP:

it's just

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

out, just paint X

JP:

a sharpie.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

name, super cartoon style.

Ash:

Natalie?

JP:

I, I think so. I'm for change all the time at these, at these parks. I think that the parks are a living a living piece of, of work. And I think that was the original intent of movies are finite, they're finished. You can't go back and recut them and re-edit them. You could, but you'd have to rerelease it. But once it's out, it's out. Right? The work is done, but the park is dynamic and is ever evolving, right? So I get that at the same time. Right? Here's the capitalism in me. The, I. Amount of IP that they were selling for one Ride. As those numbers go down, in order to keep this park invigorated and sustainable, you have to reinject it with something new to see and something unique injected. Yes, you have to make it sustainable in order to make the park sustainable and viable and profitable,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

Just, Josh, I

JP:

gotta give it new ip,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

is the part where Jonathan just, you know, likes for you to fully understand his understanding of the word profitable,

JP:

sorry Profitable

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Endeavor.

Ash:

endeavor, but like, isn't it?

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

And he could, this could be, this man could be a part of your team. He can

JP:

Yeah.

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

the shit outta shit. I want you to know that

JP:

Sell

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

I, I,

Ash:

the shit outta shit.

JP:

Somebody sent me, somebody sent me a video today and it was like, and it was the two dudes on the subway and they were like, one thing that white people need to stop doing is telling people, calling out other people's autism. And they were like, when, like other cultures don't do that, when they have somebody coming over to the house, they're like, yeah, that's my cousin. He's gonna stand in a corner and just be deep in thought for a while. It's just his thing, you know, let it go. Don't say nothing to him. Right. He's coming over. Or like, yeah. Is two clicks coming over? Who? Two clicks every time he comes to him, we gotta click the switch twice. Right. So we just call him two clicks. We just know. Right. That's, we just know, eh, he's got something. Right. We're cool with it. Right. But get some white folk and be like, he's, he's on the spectrum. He's got autism. Right? And then, right. So he, and then he like follows it up with like, Hey, this is my friend Jonathan. He really likes Excel. Just like you're, he knows. I was like, you're an ass dude.

Ash:

That's called Hot Takes.

JP:

Yeah. But mostly because the other day I went down this rabbit hole with him. I won't go down it now, but later. So excited later. Yeah. So the I was on, I was in a group message with my sister and she was texting me and I said, too hard. Oh no, I gotta go. My bus has activated me and that means that she wants me to fill the spreadsheet. I got so excited. Anyway, the

Ash:

joy on his face right now. You guys has nothing to do with what we were talking about. I

JP:

know. You give me any, give me activated, give me any, you know, here's what it reminds me of. Give me any word. You give me any word I show you. How come from Greek, right? That's like, yeah. You give me any, any CSV. You give me any CSV Josh, I show you profitable endeavor.

Ash:

Bitch. If that's not a shirt,

nat_1_07-02-2025_190131:

And that's how we take

JP:

that's how we, Dan.

january-raine_1_07-02-2025_190130:

Thank.

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 chat about our Disney Every Day Carries. Until next time, stay dank!