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Episodes

June 15, 2025

Disney’s Midjourney Lawsuit: Can Copyright Contain AI?

Disney and Universal just opened Hollywood’s first heavyweight copyright war against Midjourney, arguing the AI was trained on “countless stolen works.” Philip and Scott debate the case and what it means if your park’s creati...

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June 8, 2025

Five TRENDS You Can’t Ignore: Mergers, Velvet Ropes, and the Rise of …

In this special, we examine the last 18 months of news to surface the largest trends in the theme park world.

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June 2, 2025

Family Culture or Central Control? Herschend’s Acquisition & Six Flag…

Herschend finalized its acquisition of Palace Entertainment’s 24 U.S. attractions with a $1.1 billion leveraged loan—and vows 2025 will be a “listening year.”

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May 26, 2025

Six Flags Presses “Reset”

"The Great Reset," Six Flags' new strategic plan, aims to reach 58 million in annual attendance and $3.8 billion in revenue by 2028.

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May 19, 2025

Magic, Money, and the Middle East: Disney’s Record Quarter

Disney’s stock jumped 7 % after a blockbuster Q2 - and we breakdown why.

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May 11, 2025

Pruning Parks, Powering Up Hotels: Six Flags Shutters as DC Invades G…

Six Flags/Cedar Fair’s first post-merger casualty is Six Flags America, erasing 70 full-time and 700 seasonal jobs and $3.5 million in local tax revenue—freeing capital for “marquee” investments elsewhere. At the same time, M...

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May 4, 2025

Can Universal Turn Spring Into “Second Halloween”? Inside Fan Fest Ni…

Universal Studios Hollywood is stress-testing a brand-new revenue season with Fan Fest Nights—12 evenings of Comic-Con-meets-HHN running April 25-May 18th from 7 p.m.–2 a.m.

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April 28, 2025

Comcast's Cash Machine: Can Epic Universe Replace Dying Cable?

Cord-cutting continues to threaten Comcast, but it sees hope in its theme parks.

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April 19, 2025

INSIGHTS: The Uncertainty Epidemic

Philip reads the inaugural "Green Tagged: Insights" newsletter analyzing what he calls "The Uncertainty Epidemic" affecting the attractions industry.

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April 18, 2025

What United Airline's Strategic Shift Signals for Theme Parks & Touri…

Travel patterns are changing. United Airlines' latest earnings reveal a strategic pivot as they prepare for two economic scenarios in 2025, cutting domestic flight capacity by 4% while seeing surges in both premium and budget travelers.

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April 12, 2025

Universal Studios UK: A £50 Billion Brexit Comeback Strategy for 2031

We break down Universal’s newly announced UK theme park, set to open in 2031, its location just 35 minutes from London, the promise of world-class immersive lands, and the potential to draw 8.5 million visitors in its first year.

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April 9, 2025

BONUS: Catalyzing Social Connection- IAAPA Chair Massimiliano Freddi’…

In this bonus episode, we present the complete remarks from Massimiliano Freddi, IAAPA Chair of the Board and Wonderwood CEO, recorded at the IAAPA North America Summit. Hear Freddi’s powerful perspective on why attractions should become catalysts for...

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April 6, 2025

Disney's Operational Magic: Key Insights from IAAPA's North America S…

IAAPA's North America Summit (Mar 30-Apr 01, 2025) at the Disneyland Resort featured insightful presentations from Disney executives on the thoughtful redesign of Toontown.

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March 31, 2025

The US Has a Branding Problem: Tourism Decline Threatens Theme Parks

International tourism to the US is projected to decline by at least 5% this year instead of the expected 9% growth, threatening a $72 billion reduction in total travel spending.

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March 24, 2025

Park Power Play: Herschend's Bold Acquisition Reshapes the Theme Park…

This week we analyze Herschend's strategic acquisition of Palace Entertainment's U.S. properties, potentially establishing them as a major third-place challenger in the theme park industry.

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March 16, 2025

Tariffs & Terror: Why and How Universal is Diversifying in an Unpredi…

Amid tariff concerns and market volatility, we explore how Universal is strategically diversifying its entertainment portfolio.

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March 8, 2025

Six Flags & United Parks Earnings: Optimism or Trouble?

Six Flags reported a $206 million net loss for 2024—but investors are cautiously optimistic.

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March 2, 2025

Will Horror Unleashed Succeed? And, Is China’s Tourism Coming Back?

Universal’s Horror Unleashed is officially opening in Las Vegas on August 14th—but will it succeed? Meanwhile, China’s tourism industry is rebounding, but will it be enough?

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Feb. 23, 2025

SPECIAL: LIVE From The IAAPA Middle East Trade Summit in Riyadh

Come with us to IAAPA's Middle East Trade Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Feb. 16, 2025

Fantasy Springs Boosts Tokyo Disney as Universal Tests LARPing

Tokyo Disney Resort is thriving with Fantasy Springs and seasonal events driving record-breaking revenue, while Universal Studios Hollywood is experimenting with a bold new event: Fan Fest Nights.

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Feb. 10, 2025

Disney Q1 FY25 Earnings Deep Dive: Parks, Streaming, and ESPN’s Next …

Is Disney’s success unstoppable? Despite rising ticket prices, hurricanes disrupting domestic parks, and the looming Epic Universe, Disney still delivered a strong quarter.

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Feb. 3, 2025

Merlin Slashes Entertainment Jobs as Trump’s Tariffs Loom

Trump’s proposed tariffs could drive up costs for theme parks, and Merlin Entertainment is cutting live entertainment across multiple locations—but what does it all mean for the industry?

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Jan. 26, 2025

Trump Policies and Theme Parks: Labor, Tariffs, Drones, and Ride Safe…

Immigration reform, tariff hikes, federally controlled ride safety, and drone regulations - The Trump Administration's policies will shake up the theme park industry, and we must be ready.

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Jan. 20, 2025

California Wildfires & TikTok Shutdown: Lessons for Attractions

This week, we connect two seemingly unrelated stories—the devastating California wildfires and TikTok’s temporary shutdown—to explore a common theme: crisis planning.

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