Episodes

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

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.”

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

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

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, Marriott’s Gaylord resorts are turning their glass atriums into mini-comic-cons with a DC-branded summer slate, headlined by a 17,500-sq-ft lantern trail of 24-ft heroes, to lure families who might skip a theme-park trip. Philip and Scott ask whether strategic portfolio pruni...

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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?

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

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.

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

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?

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.

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

Scott is unavailable this week, so we're airing a panel discussion from IAAPA 2024. The panel, "IAAPA Fireside Chat: Inspiring Minds of the Industry," combines large and small attraction operators to discuss 2024 and industry trends.