In this episode, Rob shares what it’s really like working across Orlando Florida’s theme park scene. He brings Main Street, U.S.A. to life as a Dapper Dan at Walt Disney World, but he also shifts into a completely different gear performing as a mime at SeaWorld. Rob talks about how switching between these worlds sharpens his skills, protects his voice during busy seasons, and shows just how flexible performers have to be in a gig driven entertainment industry.

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In this morning’s AM Coffee, Royce dives deep into two parallel crises the loss of human value in culture and the accelerating fusion of tech and entertainment.

The episode opens on tragic shootings at Brown University and a Hanukkah event in Australia, reflecting on how society’s “disposable culture” erodes our sense of life and legacy. Royce argues that we’ve stopped teaching the value of life itself, replacing meaning with consumerism, fleeting trends, and disposable relationships.

From there, the conversation pivots to Disney’s new $1 billion investment in OpenAI and its integration with Sora, licensing over 200 Disney characters for generative AI use.

Royce connects the dots between this deal, the ongoing Warner Bros.–Netflix merger battle, and the hyper consolidation, where a handful of tech oligarchs control all media, commerce, and even your digital wallet. A walled garden economy that trades freedom of choice for algorithmic convenience.

Yet, amid this dystopian forecast, Royce leaves listeners with hope: opportunity still exists as long as we stay self driven and value authenticity over automation.

Thank you Anne, Kim Taylor, and many others for tuning into my live video with Eng Scott! Join me for my next live video in the app.

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Thank you Jane B In NC🌼, Karlee-Wont-Give-Up, Kim Taylor, Teresa, and many others for tuning into my live video with World Ablaze! Join me for my next live video in the app.

This past week, I took Under the Influence on the road to IAAPA, the global expo for amusement and attraction professionals. From playground design to dark ride innovation, I explored how the world’s most creative minds are fusing classic fun with cutting edge technology, and what it means for the next generation of play.

SoftPlay — Where Childhood Memories Were Built

I kicked things off with Kelly from SoftPlay, the team behind the iconic McDonald’s PlayPlace. For over forty years, SoftPlay has shaped the way we climb, crawl, and imagine, creating 40,000+ play structures worldwide.Their latest innovation, The Hive, blends physical adventure with interactive tech, a 20-foot gamified obstacle course using sensors and LED scoring to bring kids (and grown ups like me) into the action.

When I mentioned my long time character Joe Coconut, Kelly confirmed SoftPlay could even turn him into a full scale themed playground. (Yes, a Joe Coconut jungle gym might actually happen someday.)

Sally Dark Rides — Turning Stories Into Worlds

Next up, I sat down with Lauren from Sally Dark Rides, a company with nearly 50 years of storytelling magic. What started as animatronic display work in the 1970s has evolved into immersive experiences like Justice League, SpongeBob’s Crazy Carnival Ride, and Sesame Street’s Cookie Parade.

Lauren described how Sally balances heritage with modern tech from trackless vehicles to 360° mini dark rides compact enough for family entertainment centers. Every ride is still built on a core philosophy: story first, technology second.

⚙️ Weigl Controls — The Brains Behind the Magic

Then came Travis from Weigl Controls, whose team powers everything from animatronics to pixel lighting across major theme parks. Their ShowForge software makes show control as intuitive as video editing, helping even students program robots and lighting rigs.

Travis revealed a new education bundle that lets young creators learn professional grade show control for around $1,400, proof that theme park engineering isn’t just for Imagineers anymore.

Bandai Namco — From Pac-Man to Gashapon

To wrap up, I caught up with Frank at Bandai Namco, offline. The legendary name behind Pac-Man and Tekken they are going beyond arcade nostalgia, and leading a U.S. revival of Gashapon capsule machines. They also continue expanding their portfolio of coin pushers, sports arcades, and family attractions.

As we discussed fixing Epcot’s Gashapon machines, it was clear that Bandai Namco’s mission mirrors this episodes theme: bridging generations of play.

The Takeaway

From molded plastic to motion tracked pixels, the industry’s innovators are proving that play never gets old; it just gets smarter. The magic lies in that delicate balance between nostalgia and innovation.

Thank you TerribleSoftware, Keena Leonard, and many others for tuning into my live video with World Ablaze! Join me for my next live video in the app.

In this episode, Royce sits down with Jon Roberts, Manager at PTZOptics, film-school grad, AV industry veteran, and co-host of the Worthy Podcast. What starts as a light reunion from their first meeting at Infocom quickly turns into a deep, nerd-level conversation about film history, Oscar upsets, live-streaming tech, automation, NDI protocols, and the future of interactive content.