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Scott Swenson, ICAE

Scott Swenson, ICAE Profile Photo

For over 30 years, Scott Swenson has been bringing stories to life as a writer, director, producer, and performer. His work in theme parks, consumer events, live theatre, and television has given him a broad spectrum of experiences. In 2014, after 21 years with SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, Scott formed Scott Swenson Creative Development. Since then he has been providing impactful experiences for clients around the world. Whether he is installing shows on cruise ships or creating seasonal festivals for theme parks, writing educational presentations for zoos and museums or training the next generation of attractions professionals, Scott is always finding new ways to tell stories that engage, educate and entertain.

Legoland Shanghai Hits 2 Million: What China's Fastest Park Launch Means
July 20, 2026

Legoland Shanghai Hits 2 Million: What China's Fastest Park Launch Means

Legoland Shanghai passed 2 million guests in its first year, the fastest any LEGOLAND resort has reached that mark. We break down the numbers behind the milestone: an 80% family guest base, 230,000 minifigures sold, and a guest pool expanding well beyond the Yangtze River Delta. Then we turn to what Delta and the big banks just revealed about the travel economy. Premium seats outsold coach at Delta for the first time in a summer quarter, average trip costs jumped 24%, and 53% of Americans say th...
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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What Comcast’s Split Means for Theme Parks
July 5, 2026

What Comcast’s Split Means for Theme Parks

A historic day for our industry as Comcast confirmed it will separate into two independent publicly traded companies, one focused on entertainment and one focused on connectivity, through a tax-free spin-off of NBCUniversal, expected to be completed within roughly 12 months.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags' Nugget Fiasco and Private Equity Takeover
May 31, 2026

Six Flags' Nugget Fiasco and Private Equity Takeover

Six Flags found itself at the center of a chicken nugget fiasco this week, amidst a power struggle on its board.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Epic Universe Turns One & Disney Sued Over Facial Recognition
May 24, 2026

Epic Universe Turns One & Disney Sued Over Facial Recognition

Learnings from 1 year of Epic Universe, and why we need to take extra care explainging AI use to guests.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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United Parks' Q1 Misses & Sphere Lands at Yas Island
May 17, 2026

United Parks' Q1 Misses & Sphere Lands at Yas Island

United Parks Q1 was rough across the board, and Abu Dhabi has more announcements.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags' Regional Pass Moat & D'Amaro's Disney+ Pivot
May 9, 2026

Six Flags' Regional Pass Moat & D'Amaro's Disney+ Pivot

Six Flags and Disney both had excellent earnings calls, but they seem to have opposite strategies.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags St. Louis Closes Early Over Teen Fights & Disney's Halloween Push
May 4, 2026

Six Flags St. Louis Closes Early Over Teen Fights & Disney's Halloween Push

Six Flags St. Louis updated and reinstated its chaperone policy following fights in the parking lot on opening day.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Comcast Q1: Universal Parks Up 24%, Asia Slowing
April 27, 2026

Comcast Q1: Universal Parks Up 24%, Asia Slowing

Comcast's Q1 earnings call delivered good news almost across the board, and we break down what it means for the theme parks division.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags Brings Back Park Presidents at 10 Parks
April 19, 2026

Six Flags Brings Back Park Presidents at 10 Parks

Six Flags is reinstating park president positions at 10 of its parks, less than a year after eliminating the role. This is the first major structural change under new CEO John Reilly, who, after his listening tour, described a chain that suffered from inconsistent standards and a lack of accountability after the 2024 Cedar Fair merger. When you lose a park president, you lose accountability and coherent differentiation planning. Corporate can drive real economies of scale, but corporate don't al...
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Disney Cut 1,000 Jobs — But Not in Theme Parks
April 12, 2026

Disney Cut 1,000 Jobs — But Not in Theme Parks

Disney is laying off 1,000 employees across film, streaming, and marketing as it continues to shed costs and reorient itself.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags' New Chairman, Merlin's Attendance Drops & Maya Culture as IP
April 5, 2026

Six Flags' New Chairman, Merlin's Attendance Drops & Maya Culture as IP

Six Flags appointed Richard Haddrill as executive chairman of the board, replacing Marilyn Spiegel (who stays on as lead independent director). Haddrill comes from the gaming industry — he was CEO of Bally Technologies and executive vice chairman at Scientific Games. The move continues the board refresh that Jana Partners demanded, and it puts more pressure on CEO John Reilly to deliver results now that the "board is in the way" excuse is gone. Merlin Entertainments reported its 2025 annual r...
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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TransWorld 2026 Recap: Robot Pigs, Chocolate Arms & Rising Insurance Costs
March 30, 2026

TransWorld 2026 Recap: Robot Pigs, Chocolate Arms & Rising Insurance Costs

We recap the world's largest Halloween trade show.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags Pushed to Sell | Sesame Sues SeaWorld
March 23, 2026

Six Flags Pushed to Sell | Sesame Sues SeaWorld

Jana Partners sent a letter to the Six Flags board pushing the company to explore a sale and replace board chair Marilyn Spiegel — just one week after the Travis Kelce brand ambassador announcement. We break down what Jana actually wants, why the timeline doesn't add up, and what this means for CEO John Reilly's turnaround plan. Then: Sesame Workshop filed a federal lawsuit against United Parks to terminate their licensing agreement. United Parks stopped paying royalties in September 2025, took...
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags just sold 7 parks for $331M - here's what happens next
March 8, 2026

Six Flags just sold 7 parks for $331M - here's what happens next

Six Flags is selling seven of its parks to EPR Properties for $331 million in cash, but will they sell more? We think so.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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United Parks: Buybacks, Assets, and a Missing Plan
March 1, 2026

United Parks: Buybacks, Assets, and a Missing Plan

United Parks & Resorts reported fiscal 2025 results this week; Revenue, attendance, net income, EBITDA were all down.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags Q4 Earnings: A New CEO, a 27% Margin, $5.1B in Debt, and a Lot of Obvious Ideas
Feb. 22, 2026

Six Flags Q4 Earnings: A New CEO, a 27% Margin, $5.1B in Debt, and a Lot of Obvious Ideas

Six Flags posted Q4 2025 results this week, and the results weren't good.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park Files for Bankruptcy: What It Means for the Industry
Feb. 15, 2026

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park Files for Bankruptcy: What It Means for the Industry

Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on February 9 after a $116 million wrongful death judgment - this episode is about what it means for the industry.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags' Regional Passes & Disney's New CEO
Feb. 8, 2026

Six Flags' Regional Passes & Disney's New CEO

Six Flags is rolling out a simplified season pass structure and Disney has a new CEO.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Universal’s Flywheel Is Working
Feb. 1, 2026

Universal’s Flywheel Is Working

Comcast’s Parks division crossed $1 billion in quarterly EBITDA for the first time in Q4 2025, driven by a 22 percent increase in parks revenue and a 24 percent increase in EBITDA.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Doubling Down: Six Flags Expands Grad Nights & Disney Pivots Galaxy’s Edge
Jan. 25, 2026

Doubling Down: Six Flags Expands Grad Nights & Disney Pivots Galaxy’s Edge

Six Flags is expanding Grad Nite in 2026, adding Knott’s Berry Farm and Carowinds to a program the company has relied on for years; Meanwhile, Disney is poviting the story of Galaxy's Edge.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Is Six Flags Preparing to Sell More Parks? What the Filings Suggest
Jan. 18, 2026

Is Six Flags Preparing to Sell More Parks? What the Filings Suggest

A new set of trademark filings has raised fresh questions about Six Flags’ long-term portfolio strategy.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Buying Time is Expensive: Six Flags Aims to Refinance $1B
Jan. 12, 2026

Buying Time is Expensive: Six Flags Aims to Refinance $1B

Six Flags has announced a major debt refinancing, issuing $1.0 billion in senior notes due in 2032 at an 8.625% interest rate to retire bonds coming due in 2027.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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The State of the Attractions Industry in 2026
Jan. 4, 2026

The State of the Attractions Industry in 2026

This episode is structured as an environmental SWOT analysis of the attractions industry, intended to support 2026 strategic planning.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Universal Considers New Middle East Theme Park
Dec. 29, 2025

Universal Considers New Middle East Theme Park

Universal Destinations & Experiences has begun early planning for a theme park in Saudi Arabia, according to an exclusive Wall Street Journal report.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags Swaps Coasters for Toons
Dec. 21, 2025

Six Flags Swaps Coasters for Toons

Six Flags Magic Mountain has delayed its highly anticipated “first-of-its-kind” coaster to 2027, and will instead add a Looney Toons Area.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Netflix, Warner Bros., and what it means for Theme Parks
Dec. 15, 2025

Netflix, Warner Bros., and what it means for Theme Parks

Netflix announced plans to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a $72 billion deal - a deal that will shake the very foundations of the theme park industry.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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The 2026 Guest Is Chasing Childhood Memories
Dec. 7, 2025

The 2026 Guest Is Chasing Childhood Memories

A new report reveals how Gen Z and Millennials plan to travel in 2026.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags Appoints a New CEO — What It Means for the Parks
Dec. 1, 2025

Six Flags Appoints a New CEO — What It Means for the Parks

Six Flags has appointed John Reilly as its new CEO—a leader who spent 21 years at SeaWorld and later held top roles at Palace Entertainment, the parent company of regional parks like Kennywood and Lake Compounce.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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IAAPA Expo 2025: Indoors, Interactive, and Value-Driven
Nov. 24, 2025

IAAPA Expo 2025: Indoors, Interactive, and Value-Driven

IAAPA Expo 2025 set a new record with 38,520 verified attendees, more than 28,000 qualified buyers, and an expanded floor featuring over 1,100 exhibitors.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags Bets on Travis Kelce as Disney Faces a Cable Crisis
Nov. 16, 2025

Six Flags Bets on Travis Kelce as Disney Faces a Cable Crisis

Disney’s stock dipped 7% after its latest earnings show cable is collapsing faster than expected.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags Plans More Park Closures — Here’s Why It Makes Sense
Nov. 9, 2025

Six Flags Plans More Park Closures — Here’s Why It Makes Sense

Six Flags is doubling down on its “smaller and more nimble” plan, prioritizing core parks and openly confirming that more closures or sales are on the way.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Halloween Special: Trends, Tropes, and Takeaways
Oct. 31, 2025

Halloween Special: Trends, Tropes, and Takeaways

From Hollywood to Florida and New York to Oregon, this year’s Halloween season proved that the industry is evolving—just not abandoning its roots.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Travis Kelce Buys into Six Flags & TEA Global Experience Index
Oct. 26, 2025

Travis Kelce Buys into Six Flags & TEA Global Experience Index

Kansas City Chiefs star—and Taylor Swift’s fiancé—Travis Kelce now owns a 9% stake in Six Flags alongside hedge fund Jana Partners, instantly making the struggling park chain a national headline. Former Cedar Fair CEO Matt Ouimet, however, wasn’t impressed—publicly calling out the board for “cycling through CEOs, destroying value, and failing to show ownership” while urging the next chief executive to rebuild with leaders who actually understand entertainment. Philip and Scott unpack what Kelce’...
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags’ Leadership Shake-Up and the Qiddiya Confusion
Oct. 19, 2025

Six Flags’ Leadership Shake-Up and the Qiddiya Confusion

Six Flags is losing more of its board - what will happen next?
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Disney Raises Prices—Is the “Happiest Place on Earth” Now for the Wealthiest?
Oct. 12, 2025

Disney Raises Prices—Is the “Happiest Place on Earth” Now for the Wealthiest?

Are higher prices a reset for quality and capacity, or the next step in making Disney a luxury brand?
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Stardust Racers Reopens: Safety, Accessibility, and Universal’s Toughest Balancing Act
Oct. 5, 2025

Stardust Racers Reopens: Safety, Accessibility, and Universal’s Toughest Balancing Act

Universal has sparked controver over the reopening of Stardust Racers at Epic Universe, following a fatal incident earlier this year.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags Questions, IAAPA Europe, & Lego's Acquisition
Sept. 28, 2025

Six Flags Questions, IAAPA Europe, & Lego's Acquisition

This week, we respond to your comments from last week's show regarding Six Flags. Scott recaps his visit to IAAPA Expo Europe; Lego invests £200 million in the acquisition of Lego Discovery Centers from Merlin; and a New immersive art venue, Atlas9, opens in Kansas City. Listen to weekly BONUS episodes on our Patreon.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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More Guests, Less Money: Six Flags’ Big Problem
Sept. 22, 2025

More Guests, Less Money: Six Flags’ Big Problem

Six Flags reported 298,000 more visits this summer, a 3% attendance bump compared to 2024. But guests spent 7% less on admission, pulling overall revenue down 2% even as food and merch ticked up.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Halloween Trends 2025: What Guests Really Want (and What That Means for Your Attraction)
Sept. 17, 2025

Halloween Trends 2025: What Guests Really Want (and What That Means for Your Attraction)

Only 19% of U.S. adults say they want “scary vibes” this Halloween—while 30% plan to wear multiple costumes and 70% say organized events are steady or increasing. Philip and Scott unpack the annual HalloweenCostumes.com survey and why it matters: the demand for cute, funny, and cosplay-style experiences is growing faster than gore, audiences are starting to plan earlier, and AI is already a factor in how people search for inspiration. They also discuss how rising competition and budget-conscious...
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Art the Clown Harassment? Navigating Safety Challenges at Theme Parks
Sept. 8, 2025

Art the Clown Harassment? Navigating Safety Challenges at Theme Parks

How can we keep roaming characters safe at theme parks?
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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HHN’s Festival Future: Crowds, Comfort, and Casual Fans
Sept. 1, 2025

HHN’s Festival Future: Crowds, Comfort, and Casual Fans

Halloween Horror Nights Orlando is quietly reshaping its playbook; will it work?
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Vegas Tourism Slumps, Disney and Epic Surge—What Story Do the Numbers Tell?
Aug. 25, 2025

Vegas Tourism Slumps, Disney and Epic Surge—What Story Do the Numbers Tell?

Las Vegas has logged six straight months of year-over-year visitor declines, with June alone down 400,000 guests amid economic jitters, inflation, and weaker Canadian travel. Is Vegas a canary in the coal mine for U.S. leisure spending—or just a regional wobble?
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags Adds Haunted House Fees—Will Guests Pay for What They Once Got Free?
Aug. 17, 2025

Six Flags Adds Haunted House Fees—Will Guests Pay for What They Once Got Free?

Legacy Cedar Fair parks are moving to the Six Flags model this Halloween, requiring a new $10–$20 Haunted Attractions Pass for mazes—and an extra $15 for The Conjuring house.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags’ $100M Loss, CEO Exit & the Season Pass Gamble
Aug. 10, 2025

Six Flags’ $100M Loss, CEO Exit & the Season Pass Gamble

Six Flags posted a nearly $100 million loss in Q2—down from a $55 million profit a year ago—on 1.4 million fewer visitors, a smaller base of season passholders, and what it calls “adverse weather.”
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags Cuts —What Happens When Cost Savings Kill Return Visits?
Aug. 4, 2025

Six Flags Cuts —What Happens When Cost Savings Kill Return Visits?

Six Flags just canceled its Christmas and Halloween events at multiple parks - will this save cost or cost more in lost visitors?
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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What Makes an IP Popular? Lessons from Comic-Con for Theme Parks
July 27, 2025

What Makes an IP Popular? Lessons from Comic-Con for Theme Parks

What makes an IP popular today? It’s not just the box office or streaming stats—it’s the fans who show up, dress up, and wait five hours for a free experience.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Asia’s Comeback? IAAPA Asia & Legoland Shanghai’s Opening
July 14, 2025

Asia’s Comeback? IAAPA Asia & Legoland Shanghai’s Opening

Asia was expected to become the new theme park capital of the world—then the pandemic hit. Where are we now?
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Holiday Nostalgia, Living Art & After-Dark Upsell—3 Plays for Year-Round Repeat Visits
July 7, 2025

Holiday Nostalgia, Living Art & After-Dark Upsell—3 Plays for Year-Round Repeat Visits

Whether it’s Christmas nostalgia, locally led art, or adult evening events, operators have fresh levers to boost replayability and spend beyond peak season.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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The Modern Halloween Event: Gaming IPs, Immersion, and $350 previews
June 29, 2025

The Modern Halloween Event: Gaming IPs, Immersion, and $350 previews

Universal leans hard into gaming IPs for Halloween Horror Nights while Winchester Mysery House doubles down on immersion.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Louvre Walkout Shocks Paris | Netflix House Revealed
June 22, 2025

Louvre Walkout Shocks Paris | Netflix House Revealed

The Louvre closes due to over tourism, and Netflix announces themes for its first FEC.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Disney’s Midjourney Lawsuit: Can Copyright Contain AI?
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.”
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Five TRENDS You Can’t Ignore: Mergers, Velvet Ropes, and the Rise of Festival-First Parks
June 8, 2025

Five TRENDS You Can’t Ignore: Mergers, Velvet Ropes, and the Rise of Festival-First Parks

In this special, we examine the last 18 months of news to surface the largest trends in the theme park world.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Family Culture or Central Control? Herschend’s Acquisition & Six Flags’ Silo Smash
June 2, 2025

Family Culture or Central Control? Herschend’s Acquisition & Six Flags’ Silo Smash

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.”
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags Presses “Reset”
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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Magic, Money, and the Middle East: Disney’s Record Quarter
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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Pruning Parks, Powering Up Hotels: Six Flags Shutters as DC Invades Gaylord
May 11, 2025

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

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...
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Can Universal Turn Spring Into “Second Halloween”? Inside Fan Fest Nights
May 4, 2025

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

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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Comcast's Cash Machine: Can Epic Universe Replace Dying Cable?
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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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What United Airline's Strategic Shift Signals for Theme Parks & Tourism
April 18, 2025

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

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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Universal Studios UK: A £50 Billion Brexit Comeback Strategy for 2031
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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Disney's Operational Magic: Key Insights from IAAPA's North America Summit 2025
April 6, 2025

Disney's Operational Magic: Key Insights from IAAPA's North America Summit 2025

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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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The US Has a Branding Problem: Tourism Decline Threatens Theme Parks
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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Park Power Play: Herschend's Bold Acquisition Reshapes the Theme Park Landscape
March 24, 2025

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

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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Tariffs & Terror: Why and How Universal is Diversifying in an Unpredictable Market
March 16, 2025

Tariffs & Terror: Why and How Universal is Diversifying in an Unpredictable Market

Amid tariff concerns and market volatility, we explore how Universal is strategically diversifying its entertainment portfolio.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Six Flags & United Parks Earnings: Optimism or Trouble?
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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Will Horror Unleashed Succeed? And, Is China’s Tourism Coming Back?
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?
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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SPECIAL: LIVE From The IAAPA Middle East Trade Summit in Riyadh
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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Fantasy Springs Boosts Tokyo Disney as Universal Tests LARPing
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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Disney Q1 FY25 Earnings Deep Dive: Parks, Streaming, and ESPN’s Next Moves | Green Tagged
Feb. 10, 2025

Disney Q1 FY25 Earnings Deep Dive: Parks, Streaming, and ESPN’s Next Moves | Green Tagged

Is Disney’s success unstoppable? Despite rising ticket prices, hurricanes disrupting domestic parks, and the looming Epic Universe, Disney still delivered a strong quarter.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Merlin Slashes Entertainment Jobs as Trump’s Tariffs Loom
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?
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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Trump Policies and Theme Parks: Labor, Tariffs, Drones, and Ride Safety
Jan. 26, 2025

Trump Policies and Theme Parks: Labor, Tariffs, Drones, and Ride Safety

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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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California Wildfires & TikTok Shutdown: Lessons for Attractions
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.
Guests: Scott Swenson, ICAE , Philip Hernandez, ICAE
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