Podcast Description — Season 1, Episode 15: Don’t Swim Shamu

A quiet July morning at SeaWorld Orlando turns into one ofthe most unforgettable moments of Mike Patrick’s career. In this grippingbackstage story, Mike—then Director of Operations—recounts the shockingdiscovery of a man who hid in the park overnight and attempted to swim withTilikum, SeaWorld’s largest and most unpredictable killer whale.

From the first frantic radio call to the delicate recoveryoperation that unfolded as the park prepared to open, Mike walks listenersthrough every detail of that extraordinary morning. Along the way, he tracesTilikum’s turbulent history—from his capture in Iceland to the tragedies atSealand of the Pacific, to the unprecedented airborne transfer that brought himto Orlando.

This episode blends operational insight, human tragedy, andthe complex legacy of one of the most famous orcas in the world. And as always,Mike closes with a trivia twist that connects SeaWorld’s origins to the birthof the modern waterpark industry.

A tense, emotional, and unforgettable chapter in the real‑worldstories behind the parks we think we know.

S1 E14 –Sorry Sir, Disney Doesn’t Take American Express (Podcast Description)

Afurious hotel guest. A rejected American Express card. A crowded dining room.And watching it all from the next table… Dick Nunis himself.

In thisepisode, Mike takes listeners back to 1974 and his early days at theContemporary Resort, where a simple credit‑card policy turns into a full‑blownguest meltdown — right under the gaze of Walt Disney World’s most intimidatingexecutive. What follows is a masterclass in staying calm, thinking fast, andsurviving the kind of high‑pressure moment that could make or break a youngcast member’s career.

Alongthe way, Mike shares what it was really like to be a night manager in the earlyyears of WDW: the pagers, the shoplifters, the bathtub floods, the counterfeitbills, and the constant scramble to keep thousands of guests happy before cellphones, computers, or even a reliable credit‑card system existed.

Plus,this episode’s trivia challenge uncovers a massive design flaw at the ContemporaryHotel — one that led to fire alarms, evacuations, and guests being treated forheadaches and asthma… all because of a decision that “should have beenobvious.”

It’s astory about problem‑solving under pressure, Disney history you’ve never heardbefore, and the kind of behind‑the‑scenes moment that shaped the future ofMike’s career.

Ifyou’ve ever wondered what really happens when a guest blows up in front ofDisney leadership… this is the episode.

S1E#13 AdmiralOverboard (“sort of”)

A dawn rendezvous with a Navy destroyer, six‑footGulf waves, a furious Bos’n, and one very determined RearAdmiral—what could possibly go wrong? In thisepisode, Mike rides out with the Coast Guard to welcome USS Mitscher (DDG‑57)into Tampa Bay… only to witness a crushedlanding light, a mangled ladder, and an admiral dangling over open water like ascene from an action‑comedy the Navy never approved.

Along the way, Mike shares the surprising story of America’sfirst parachute rescue mission, the origins of Air Force Pararescue, and aheartfelt tribute to Rear Admiral LeRoy Collins Jr., whose courage, humor, andservice left a lasting mark on Tampa’s sea service community.

Adventure, history, inter‑servicerivalry, and a cigar‑smoking admiral who refuses towait his turn—this one has it all.

S1‑E11 — “Faster Than a Saturn V, Baby”

On Good Friday 2010, Ifinally strapped into the back seat of an F‑15 Eagle after four years of waiting, one groundedjet, and a detour living in Cairo. What followed was the wildest E‑Ticket ride of my life — avertical launch, nine G's, a supersonic run over the Atlantic, and a mock gunpass on a Navy P‑3.

But before we get airborne,we honor a remarkable real‑world rescue: the U.S. Armed Forces’recovery of two F‑15crewmembers over hostile territory in Iraq on Good Friday 2026 — amission that proves why “Bravo Zulu” still means something.

From backstage at a FloridaNational Guard homecoming to VIP treatment at the 125th Fighter Wing, tohanging in an egress harness and praying I didn’t need the barf bag, thisepisode is a full‑throttlelook at what it’s like to ride shotgun in one of the greatest fighterjets ever built.

Plus: your Main StreetTrolley draft horse trivia answer, a few laughs, and a whole lot of gratitudefor the men and women who serve.

Buckle up. This one goesstraight up.

Mike takes an emotional moment to pay tribute to his Dad's passing on 3/28/26, and manages to recover and share a couple of unscripted stories about Harleys and Shoplifters. He also tells how the Polynesian Hotel and the New River Gorge Bridge share several things in common. And how one element of that commonality created quite a problem for Disney guests. Tune in to hear the details.......

S1E9: Two Kinds of Motorcycle

A childhood of banana‑seat bikes and SteveMcQueen reenactments leads Mike into a lifetime of two‑wheel adventures—froma sputtering 90cc Yamaha to a Harley Street Bob at age 60. Along the way comelove bugs, sand‑coveredS‑curves,West Virginia mountain rides, a storm that knocked out power for 11 days, andtwo hit‑and‑runs that changed theway he saw the road. It’s a fast, funny, and sometimes painful ride throughthe machines, mishaps, and memories that shaped a lifelong itch formotorcycles.

Trivia: What were the six‑passenger sailboats Disney once rented at thePolynesian and Contemporary? Stick around for the answer.

S1E8 Almost Died, But I Didn’t Get Hurt Description.

A simple trip to inspect a movie prop turns into a full‑blownaviation thriller when Mike’s Cessnalines up to land on a quiet grass runway…only to find a twin‑engine Beechcraft coming straight at him from theopposite direction with no radio, no lights, and no warning. What follows is asplit‑secondescape, a heart‑pounding near‑miss, and a Twilight Zone twistweeks later that reveals exactly why the other plane never answered a singlecall.

Along the way, Mike shares behind‑the‑scenesBusch Gardens history, the origins of the African Queen Boat Ride, and a fewstories from his early days in themed entertainment. Humor, suspense, and avery lucky break. — this episode has it all.

Podcast Episode Description –S1 E7: “Hope That Anti‑RollbackHolds”

When a brand‑new roller coaster breaks down onthe busiest week of the year, twenty‑four guests end up stranded on a45‑degreelift hill… and a young area manager named MikePatrick finds himself climbing into the sky to get them down. What couldpossibly make the situation worse?

Try August Busch III hovering overhead in a helicopter.

In this episode, Mike takes you behind the scenes of BuschGardens Tampa Bay in 1976 for a true story involving the Python roller coaster,a sheared steel lift shaft, a buried sprocket, panicked riders, a bleedingankle, and a rescue operation complicated by rotor wash. Along the way, you’lllearn what an anti‑rollback actually does, how early Arrow corkscrews werebuilt, and why spare parts inventories became a sacred rule in coasterplanning.

Plus, Mike reveals the answer to this week’s trivia:

Which ride from Busch Gardens Los Angeles still operates inTampa today—and which one didn’t survive?

It’s a story of engineering, adrenaline, leadership underpressure, and the kind of theme‑park chaos you just can’t make up. Buckle in… and hopethat anti‑rollback holds.