EPISODE SUMMARY

The most powerful special effect at Disneyland isn’t a projection or a firework. It’s water—dyed, pumped, and choreographed to keep illusions seamless, landscapes lush, and guests grounded. 

In this episode, Kelly and Pete unravel the surprising, ingenious, and deeply odd engineering behind one of Disneyland’s most overlooked systems: the park-wide dark water network that connects Storybook Land, the Motorboat Cruise, the Snow White Grotto, the Adventureland Treehouse, the Jungle Cruise, and the entire Rivers of America.

Along the way, we pay tribute to Rob Reiner, Gil Gerard, Bob Burns, and Imagineer Eddie Sotto. We also explore the enduring importance of Peter Renaday, original voice of Mark Twain and the first Ghost Host. This episode weaves history, engineering, Imagineering lore, and personal stories into one of the richest deep dives we’ve done yet.

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⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro  
02:00 Remembering Rob Reiner, Gil Gerard & Bob Burns  
09:45 Tribute to Imagineer Eddie Sotto  
12:30 What Is Disneyland’s “Dark Water System”?  
14:50 How the Water Flows (Storybook Land → Motorboat Cruise → Matterhorn → Snow White Grotto → Carnation Creek → Adventureland → Jungle Cruise → Rivers of America)  
32:10 Jungle Cruise Waterfalls & Mosquito Abatement  
38:30 Swiss Family Treehouse / Adventureland Treehouse Water Loop  
45:20 The Truth About “Well #1” (137 feet, not 1300 feet)  
56:00 Riding the Mark Twain & the peaceful design of the river  
01:06:00 Peter Renaday – Mark Twain, Ghost Host & Disney legend  

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🔍 KEYWORDS
Disneyland dark water, Rivers of America engineering, Storybook Land water system, Motorboat Cruise, Snow White Grotto waterfall, Carnation Creek, Plaza Gardens, Adventureland water channel, Jungle Cruise ecosystem, Mark Twain riverboat, Peter Renaday ghost host, Eddie Sotto, Bob Burns, Rob Reiner, Gil Gerard, Disneyland engineering, Imagineering history, Disneyland plumbing system

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📎 REFERENCES
E-Ticket Magazine #18 – Jansen Brothers (Dark Water System)  
Kelly's Article About Frontierland and the False History of the American West - https://boardwalktimes.net/we-need-to-talk-about-frontierland-ad54b31a1fe1

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🎧 FOLLOW US
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lowdown-on-the-plus-up-a-theme-park-podcast/id1737456626  
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3PEPHJQk2t8TQON1mzJHWR
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsUeUre1Atv5XRqr4CX1R2s1TVCAz7jvL 
Boardwalk Times: https://boardwalktimes.net

#ThemeParkPodcast #DisneylandHistory #Imagineering

Thanks for listening!

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Universal Studios' evolution from modest Tram Tour to the top challenger for the theme park throne was due to the fierce drive of one man: Jay Stein.
Intense, ambitious and sometimes frightening, Stein let his competitiveness and, later, his seething rage against the Walt Disney Company forge an entirely new path for theme parks. By the time he left the company in 1993, it was no longer the underdog, but an innovator that the rest of the industry - Disney included - had to keep up with.

Stein passed away on November 5th.  Join us in remembering the legend and celebrating his life.

Obituary: https://boardwalktimes.net/universal-studios-theme-park-visionary-jay-stein-dead-at-87-32b3158eaa0a

Thanks for listening!

We'd love it if you would give us a review on your podcast platform of choice: iTunes, Spotify, etc... They're really helpful.

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Midnight seances, glow-in-the-dark ghosts, and a gorilla that always breaks loose—our journey into haunted-house history starts where theater met sideshow and never looked back. We trace the first British walkthroughs of the 1930s, the packed spook shows that turned movie palaces into after-hours carnivals, and the scrappy showmen who transformed empty storefronts into seasonal scream factories. 

From the U.K. to postwar Japan, if you love theme parks, horror design, or the mechanics of a perfect fright, you’re in the right place.

Enjoyed the ride? Follow the show, leave a rating on your podcast app, and share this episode with a friend who loves a good scare. Your reviews help others find us.

Thanks for listening!

We'd love it if you would give us a review on your podcast platform of choice: iTunes, Spotify, etc... They're really helpful.

And get in touch and let us know about YOUR Plus-Ups for the attractions we've talked about! We'd love to tell them on the air.

Come visit us on Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram, or whatever social media you like. Just look up Lowdown on the Plus-Up and you'll probably find us. Or drop us a note to [email protected] and let us know any questions or comments about how YOU would like to plus-something-up!

We are a Boardwalk Times production.
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Halloween didn’t just arrive at theme parks; it was engineered, rehearsed, and unleashed from a fog-soaked street in Buena Park. We dive into the wild origin story of Knott’s Scary Farm, tracing the DNA from mid-century horror hosts to the first freestanding mazes, the invention of roaming monsters, and the culture of sliders sparking their way through Calico. It’s a saga packed with scrappy ingenuity, late-night TV legend, and a berry (boysen) farm that accidentally became the Godfather of haunt season.

We unpack the rise of Sinister Seymour’s razor-edged hosting, the disco-chaos of Wolfman Jack (including a gloriously unlicensed “Star Wars” detour), and the polished power of Elvira, whose partnership with John Paragon made legendary Vegas-style Camp. From the early witch’s gallows that genuinely chilled to The Hanging’s later pop-culture satire, we examine where tone elevates fear and where it dilutes it. Then we step inside the design shop: Dominion of the Dead’s monochrome beauty, classic illusions like Spidora, and a philosophy that favors original concepts over IP—teaching generations of builders to craft story with light, sound, and movement.

We also wrestle with the boundaries. Trapped’s extreme interactivity brought waivers, safe words, and ethical questions that tested the Knott’s ethos. By the end, you’ll see how Knott’s Scary Farm didn’t just influence Universal and Six Flags—it gave seasonal events a blueprint for scale, artistry, and atmosphere.

If this journey made you feel the fog rolling in, subscribe, share with a fellow haunt fan, and leave a review with your favorite Scary Farm memory or maze. What should come back: a serious, cinematic set piece or a new master of ceremonies to lead the night?

Thanks for listening!

We'd love it if you would give us a review on your podcast platform of choice: iTunes, Spotify, etc... They're really helpful.

And get in touch and let us know about YOUR Plus-Ups for the attractions we've talked about! We'd love to tell them on the air.

Come visit us on Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram, or whatever social media you like. Just look up Lowdown on the Plus-Up and you'll probably find us. Or drop us a note to [email protected] and let us know any questions or comments about how YOU would like to plus-something-up!

We are a Boardwalk Times production.
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Ray Bradbury had a fascination with themed entertainment since he first attended the 1939 New York World's Fair, but was it merely as a casual observer or did he actually get his hands dirty?
We invited noted Ray Bradbury scholar, Dr. Phil Nichols, to talk about it all: Ray's relationship with Walt Disney, his fascination with urban design, his work on EPCOT Center, and even how Ray might very well be responsible for the concept of a food court.
We even got to hear about some attraction concepts that Bradbury worked on but were never built.

Join us for the straight dope on the brilliant Ray Bradbury!

===============================================================

If you'd like to listen to any of Phil's terrific podcasts - Bradbury 100 or Science Fiction 101 - you can find information on them here: bradburymedia.co.uk 

He also has his YouTube channel, Bradbury 101, right here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKLDIIgbxgIsUjaY_4IG90yvfaO9wWIRf

Thanks for listening!

Thanks for listening!

We'd love it if you would give us a review on your podcast platform of choice: iTunes, Spotify, etc... They're really helpful.

And get in touch and let us know about YOUR Plus-Ups for the attractions we've talked about! We'd love to tell them on the air.

Come visit us on Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram, or whatever social media you like. Just look up Lowdown on the Plus-Up and you'll probably find us. Or drop us a note to [email protected] and let us know any questions or comments about how YOU would like to plus-something-up!

We are a Boardwalk Times production.
Boardwalk Times, https://boardwalktimes.net/
Boardwalk Times store, https://boardwalktimes.store .

Whether he was disappointed with how his work for EPCOT Center turned out or he was simply inspired to do it again, Ray Bradbury created his own vision of a theme park: The Great Electric Time Maze.
Impractical, economically unviable and centered around completely untethered Blue Sky concepts, this midwestern phantasia of a park is right up our alley! 
Join us as we zoom through time, battle dinosaurs with our Electro-Guns, narrowly escape from the Mechanical Hounds and drown in the Sea of Eats in the park that only the greatest science fiction writer of the 20th century could have conceived.

Thanks for listening!

We'd love it if you would give us a review on your podcast platform of choice: iTunes, Spotify, etc... They're really helpful.

And get in touch and let us know about YOUR Plus-Ups for the attractions we've talked about! We'd love to tell them on the air.

Come visit us on Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram, or whatever social media you like. Just look up Lowdown on the Plus-Up and you'll probably find us. Or drop us a note to [email protected] and let us know any questions or comments about how YOU would like to plus-something-up!

We are a Boardwalk Times production.
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Boardwalk Times store, https://boardwalktimes.store .

EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of The Lowdown on the Plus-Up, Kelly and Pete return to their nerd roots to explore the theme park legacy of Star Trek. From the original 1966 series to Deep Space Nine, the two dive into Gene Roddenberry’s ideals, the franchise’s optimism, and the surprising role Lucille Ball played in making the show possible. We discuss the rise and fall of Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton—a massive, immersive attraction featuring the DS9 Promenade, Quark’s Bar, Klingon Encounter, and later Borg Invasion 4D.

We also talk about how Universal took the franchise into their theme parks.

And we cover the fan-made continuation series Star Trek: New Voyages/Phase II, the Elvis-impersonator-turned-Captain-Kirk who built the entire Enterprise in upstate New York, and how the evolution of fan productions influenced the modern Trek landscape.

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⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro – Energizing the bridge  
01:04 What is The Lowdown on the Plus-Up?  
02:09 Why Star Trek endures from 1966 to today  
05:40 Star Wars vs Star Trek – emotional ties  
06:10 Lucille Ball’s essential role in Star Trek’s creation  
07:05 Growing up with the original series  
07:35 Gene Roddenberry’s contradictions & progressive vision  
09:41 Star Trek’s ideals vs cynicism  
50:45 The Las Vegas Hilton attraction – Star Trek: The Experience  
51:17 DS9 Promenade, Quark’s Bar & the Dabo game  
51:42 Klingon Encounter – history, design & Gary Goddard  
52:35 Landmark Entertainment, Luke Mayrand & major set designers  
53:00 Paramount’s investment & Trek writers involved  
01:20:53 James Cawley & the New Voyages fan film sets  
01:21:30 Cameos from George Takei, Nichelle Nichols & more  
01:22:30 Elvis pays for Star Trek – the fan film financing story  
01:23:12 How fan productions preserved Trek’s legacy  

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🔍 KEYWORDS
Star Trek The Experience, Las Vegas Hilton attractions, Deep Space Nine Promenade, Quark’s Bar, Klingon Encounter, Gary Goddard, Landmark Entertainment, Star Trek theme park, Star Trek fan films, James Cawley, Star Trek New Voyages, Phase II fan series, Gene Roddenberry history, Lucille Ball Desilu, theme park history, science fiction attractions, DS9 sets, Trek optimism, Star Trek fandom

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📎 REFERENCES
Boardwalk Times – https://boardwalktimes.net  
Star Trek Original Series Set Tour - https://startrektour.com

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🎧 FOLLOW US
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lowdown-on-the-plus-up-a-theme-park-podcast/id1737456626  
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsUeUre1Atv5XRqr4CX1R2s1TVCAz7jvL 
Boardwalk Times: https://boardwalktimes.net

#StarTrek #ThemeParkHistory #StarTrekTheExperience #Imagineering #ScienceFictionHistory

Thanks for listening!

We'd love it if you would give us a review on your podcast platform of choice: iTunes, Spotify, etc... They're really helpful.

And get in touch and let us know about YOUR Plus-Ups for the attractions we've talked about! We'd love to tell them on the air.

Come visit us on Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram, or whatever social media you like. Just look up Lowdown on the Plus-Up and you'll probably find us. Or drop us a note to [email protected] and let us know any questions or comments about how YOU would like to plus-something-up!

We are a Boardwalk Times production.
Boardwalk Times, https://boardwalktimes.net/
Boardwalk Times store, https://boardwalktimes.store .

Pete takes mercy on Kelly, who's been under the weather, and does the heavy lifting on our follow-up to last season's "Rude Mechanicals - Jungle Cruise: The Early Years."
Bill Evans is back to see the fruition of the project he began over 35 years prior. His dream becomes a reality in the best way!
Disney doubles down on immersion with unintended consequences!
The jungle grows, transforms, and becomes something even more mysterious as it tries to embrace the Forbidden Eye of Mara!
Join us!

Thanks for listening!

We'd love it if you would give us a review on your podcast platform of choice: iTunes, Spotify, etc... They're really helpful.

And get in touch and let us know about YOUR Plus-Ups for the attractions we've talked about! We'd love to tell them on the air.

Come visit us on Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram, or whatever social media you like. Just look up Lowdown on the Plus-Up and you'll probably find us. Or drop us a note to [email protected] and let us know any questions or comments about how YOU would like to plus-something-up!

We are a Boardwalk Times production.
Boardwalk Times, https://boardwalktimes.net/
Boardwalk Times store, https://boardwalktimes.store .

It's a brief, Mid-summer (Don't get in the bear!) minisode.

Ever wondered what's really happening with Disneyland Forward? Dive into this revealing mini-episode where we crack open the truth behind Disney's highly publicized expansion plans in Anaheim. 

https://boardwalktimes.net/disneylandforward-what-exactly-is-it-3f4c79bf93c4

A new full episode in a few weeks!

Thanks for listening!

We'd love it if you would give us a review on your podcast platform of choice: iTunes, Spotify, etc... They're really helpful.

And get in touch and let us know about YOUR Plus-Ups for the attractions we've talked about! We'd love to tell them on the air.

Come visit us on Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram, or whatever social media you like. Just look up Lowdown on the Plus-Up and you'll probably find us. Or drop us a note to [email protected] and let us know any questions or comments about how YOU would like to plus-something-up!

We are a Boardwalk Times production.
Boardwalk Times, https://boardwalktimes.net/
Boardwalk Times store, https://boardwalktimes.store .

Jaws was a lynchpin to Universal's theme park success, both in California and Florida. It was also one of the biggest headaches the parks ever dealt with.

Join us for the return of the J-Bang(!!!) as we pick apart what happened, follow the recriminations and discuss some amazing behind-the-scenes theme park designers who worked on this ambitious, and occasionally reckless, attraction.

It's so much Jaws goodness that you're gonna need a bigger boat. 

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Special shout-out to Dustin McNeill's excellent "Adventures in Amity: Tales from the Jaws Ride" (https://www.harkerpress.com/jaws)

And to Sam Gennawey's "Universal vs. Disney" (https://shop.adventurewithkeen.com/product/universal-vs-disney/)

Thanks for listening!

We'd love it if you would give us a review on your podcast platform of choice: iTunes, Spotify, etc... They're really helpful.

And get in touch and let us know about YOUR Plus-Ups for the attractions we've talked about! We'd love to tell them on the air.

Come visit us on Bluesky, Mastodon, Instagram, or whatever social media you like. Just look up Lowdown on the Plus-Up and you'll probably find us. Or drop us a note to [email protected] and let us know any questions or comments about how YOU would like to plus-something-up!

We are a Boardwalk Times production.
Boardwalk Times, https://boardwalktimes.net/
Boardwalk Times store, https://boardwalktimes.store .