The Bobby Bones Show – August 23, 2025

Episode: Was Epic Universe EPIC? Scuba’s Kids Are In Their New School
Host/Guest Voices: Bobby Bones (A), Scuba Steve (B), Morgan (F), Additional Show Members (G), Ads/Promos (C, D, E, F)

Episode Overview

This episode of The Bobby Bones Show dives into two major themes:

1. Scuba Steve's kids adjusting to a new (private) school, comparing private vs. public education, and reflecting on the pressures of standardized testing.
2. Morgan's full review of Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe theme park, with detail on all the lands, rides, food comparisons to Disney, and the highs and lows of the experience. The discussion evolves into a passionate theme park nerd-out, including favorite coasters, vacation tips, and nostalgia for classic parks.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Scuba Steve’s Kids Adjust to Private School

• Adjustment & Class Size:
  [03:04] Scuba Steve shares that his kids are loving their new private school, largely due to smaller class sizes and more personalized attention.

  "Their energy is completely different from where they were last year to now, so it's awesome." — Scuba (B) [03:17]

• Private vs. Public School:
  [03:34] Reflecting on his own experience in Florida public schools with standardized testing and its negative impacts:

  "All we did all year long was learn this test. So we didn't really actually learn what we should have learned…" — Scuba (B) [03:50]

  [05:22]

  "We should be absorbing the information. Whereas, I feel like in private school… there isn’t this whole need to make sure we pass a stupid test." — Scuba (B)

• Testing Anxiety:
  [05:22] Bobby and Morgan relate, noting how standardized tests lead to performance anxiety and short-term memory learning.

2. Work-Life Balance in Radio Careers & Vacation Realities

• Nonstop Work Life:
  [07:00] Scuba Steve discusses balancing different vacation schedules, ongoing work interruptions, and how even during vacation he’s still "on call" due to the nature of radio production.

  "Even though I go on vacation, I still find myself answering emails or working in the evening every night. So I’m on vacation. But yeah, I’m actually not." — Scuba (B) [08:12]

• Culture of Always Being Available:
  [08:58]

  "I envy other people in other jobs when their job is done, they can literally walk away from it, turn it all off. … When they go on vacation, they’re legitimately on vacation…" — Scuba (B) [09:30]

3. Epic Universe – The Theme Park Deep Dive

General Overview

• Initial Impressions:
  [11:00] Morgan shares that Epic Universe exceeded her expectations, especially Nintendo World:

  "Oh my gosh, Scuba. It was so awesome. The Nintendo world was as cool as they made it seem… you walked in, just very much felt like you're part of the video game." — Morgan (A) [11:00-11:16]

• The Five Lands/Universes: [20:37] Morgan lists the five universes:

  • Celestial Park
  • Harry Potter (Ministry of Magic)
  • How to Train Your Dragon
  • Super Mario/Nintendo
  • Monsters

Ride Experiences & Standouts

• Donkey Kong Ride

  • Wait time:

    "We had to wait like, a total of five hours… it wasn’t worth a five hour wait. No ride at all combined, total." — Morgan (A) & Scuba (B) [11:21-11:59]

  • Impact: Experience was overshadowed by excessive wait.

• Mario Kart

  • Rode twice; "awesome." [12:07]

• Harry Potter (Ministry of Magic)

  • New ride praised for insane details and theming—queue as impressive as ride.

  "The Harry Potter Ministry of Magic one was insane. … It's the top one." — Morgan (A) [13:23-13:38]

  • Missing Newt Scamander from Fantastic Beasts; only appears in a related show, not main ride. [12:22–12:34]

• Monsters Unchained: Frankenstein Experiment

  • The surprise hit for Morgan.

  "I did not anticipate to love Monsters as much as I did. … Monsters Unchained, it's called the Frankenstein Experiment, was one of my favorite rides." — Morgan (A) [20:47–21:09]

  • Ride is a "visual, cool experience," not a coaster. Short wait times, highly recommended. [21:09–21:49]
  • "That's the most underrated ride, I think, at Epic Universe…" — Morgan (A) [21:53]

• Stardust Racers

  • Duel coaster, inspired by the legendary Dueling Dragons.

  "They actually kind of mimicked it because people were sad that Dueling Dragons went away… with Stardust Racers, but like an improved version." — Morgan (A) [26:06]

  • Scuba reminisces about Dueling Dragons, hidden entrances, and tricks. [23:12–24:49]

• How to Train Your Dragon – Hiccup’s Wing Gliders

  • Morgan: not personally connected, but kids will love it. [27:09]

• Coaster Rankings (from Morgan's boyfriend):

  • Tier 1: VelociCoaster, Stardust Racer
  • Tier 2: Hagrid's, Guardians of the Galaxy, Tron, Hulk, Wing Gliders, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
  • Tier 3: Space Mountain, Flight of the Hippogriff, Curse of the Werewolf, other Monster rides
  • Tier 4: Donkey Kong (citing long waits and kid focus) [40:02–40:32]

Logistics & Planning

• Fast Passes & Early Entry:
  [15:42] Morgan confirms fast passes are "worth it" and allow visitors to experience the whole park in one day with early entry.

• Hotels:
  [16:04] Morgan recommends Terra Luna (budget-friendly, new, futuristic); Scuba notes that staying at certain Loews hotels grants you built-in front-of-the-line access. [16:10–16:32]

• Getting There:
  Epic Universe is separate from the main Universal campus; shuttle buses connect the parks. No Hogwarts Express-style train between Epic and others. [17:07–17:21]

Park & Land Impressions

• Super Mario/Nintendo:
  Themed queue, immersive experience, but rides suffer from long waits.

• Harry Potter:
  Still the emotional centerpiece; rides and world-building are top-tier.

• Monsters:
  The sleeper hit—fantastic experience, no crowds.

• How To Train Your Dragon:
  Fun, especially for kids.

• Celestial Park:
  Least engaging, mainly restaurants, one key coaster (Stardust Racers).

Food

• Disney still "wins food," Universal "now edges out Disney in rides."

  "Universal has definitely out edged Disney in the rides now… but Disney still holds that food." — Morgan (A) [28:44–28:48]

• Favorite bites: insane garlic stick, confetti cookie, Butterbeer crepe. [28:00–28:31]

Classic Universal Rides

• Men In Black:

  "Always push the red button when he says don't, because then you get a hundred thousand points." — Scuba (B) [29:07]

• E.T.:

  "It smelled straight from the 80s, like Rainforest Cafe." — Morgan (A) [31:57]
  Funny stories about employee name substitution, and Scuba admitting he collected E.T. ride cards as a kid. [30:21–32:01]

4. Disney Parks: The Good, The Bad, The Expensive

• Disney Nostalgia:
  Scuba laments the skyrocketing costs, commercialization, and loss of the original family-oriented experience at Disney.

  "Now it's just straight... oozing with greed. It's gross." — Scuba (B) [44:15]

• Lightning Lane/Genie+:
  Major frustration over Disney’s new ride reservation system—more fragmented and expensive than ever. [41:20–42:54]

• Planning & Pricing:
  Scuba estimates a 5-person trip to Disney would easily hit $10,000 (not including extra spending), making Universal a better value option if they don't "get greedy." [44:35–45:42]

5. Theme Park Dreaming, Tips, and Nashville Rant

• Annual Pass Perks:
  Scuba reminisces about $10/month passes in Orlando, longing for the days when theme parks were attainable and stress-free:

  "That was the best thing about an annual pass is you would leave. You could go there, and there was no pressure to ride everything." — Scuba (B) [52:04]

• Nashville Needs a Theme Park:
  Riff on why Nashville should have its own local theme park (country music-themed?), instead of relying on Dollywood or Broadway for entertainment.

  "This is a place that needs one. ... Give me a theme park, National Chamber of Commerce. I'm passionately asking you for a theme park." — Scuba (B) [52:44–53:50]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On waiting in line at Epic:
  "We had to wait like, a total of five hours... It wasn’t worth a five hour wait. No ride at all combined, total." — Morgan (A) & Scuba (B) [11:21–11:59]

• On private school differences:
  "Their energy is completely different from where they were last year to now, so it's awesome." — Scuba (B) [03:17]

• On the most underrated Epic Universe ride:
  "That's the most underrated ride, I think, at Epic Universe..." — Morgan (A) [21:53]

• On old Disney vs. now:
  "I miss Disney in the 90s... It was a thing families could go... Now it's just straight... oozing with greed. It's gross." — Scuba (B) [42:54–44:15]

• On annual passes and stress-free visits:
  "The best thing about an annual pass is you would leave. You could go there, and there was no pressure to ride everything." — Scuba (B) [52:04]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:04] – Scuba on kids thriving in private school
• [07:00] – The reality of vacationing in radio, email interruptions
• [11:00] – Morgan deep-dives into Epic Universe, Nintendo World
• [12:07] – On Mario Kart & Harry Potter rides
• [20:37] – Description of five Epic lands/universes
• [21:09 – 21:49] – Monsters Unchained ride recap
• [23:12–26:19] – All about Dueling Dragons/Stardust Racers
• [28:44] – Universal edges out Disney on rides, Disney still #1 for food
• [29:07] – Men In Black ride tips
• [31:57] – E.T. ride nostalgia
• [41:20] – Disney Lightning Lane, cost and access complaints
• [44:35–45:42] – Budget for family trips, why Universal is now a value
• [52:04] – The joy of annual passes, pressure-free theme park days
• [52:44] – Nashville needs a theme park campaign

Final Thoughts

This episode turned into a passionate, funny, extremely informative theme park roundtable. Morgan and Scuba’s genuine love for Universal and Disney theme parks shines through personal stories, practical travel tips, a can’t-miss rundown of the best– and worst–rides, and thoughtful reflections on how theme parks and family experiences have changed over time. Their candor about school systems, career sacrifices, and their plea for a Nashville theme park keep the tone relatable and entertaining throughout.

For anyone craving a detailed, inside-scoop review of Epic Universe or gearing up for a Florida theme park trip, this episode is a must-listen.