Parkcast - The UK’s Original Theme Park Podcast

It’s about time for another trip across the pond! We’re joined by our favourite US-based enthusiast and industry insider Mark Rosenzweig, and there’s a lot to talk about! From Epic Universe previews, to Top Thrill 2 finally reopening, a Canadian coaster to get really excited about and just a general look at how parks in the US are holding up - we’re doing it all in this episode!

A few weeks ago UK theme park fans got the news we had all been waiting for - Universal are going to be building a park here! Set to open in 2031 it could be a game changer for the UK industry and will undoubtedly bring a world class park experience to our shores. There was only one person we could get back on to dissect what we know so far - our friend Lawrence from Universally Bedford.  In this...

In this episode we continue our chat with former Alton Towers Resort Operations Director and General Manager Francis Jackson.  Francis talks to us about how building cohesive teams hugely impacts ride operations, why we see staggered openings and we find out what his “Just Gotta Ride it” rollercoaster is.

We’re delighted to bring a theme park legend back to the UK for this episode! Francis Jackson was both Operations Director and General Manager at Alton Towers from 2016 - 2023 and his personable style and viral social media videos gave him renowned status amongst enthusiasts and the general public.  Now living back in his native Australia and working globally as an attractions industry consultant,...

35 years ago on the 11th April 1990 Vampire opened at Chessington World of Adventures. Along with the much acclaimed Bubbleworks, the rides were the focus of Transylvania, the first truly themed area at a theme park in the UK. In this episode we celebrate both rides by chatting to the creative genius who brought them to life and made them the special attractions we have known and loved - John Ward...

We’ve all got one….. This week it’s been over to you as we ask - what are your unpopular theme park opinions? From SLC’s to POV’s - we’re covering off the unpopular opinions you sent in; and whether we agree or not…. We’ll be revisiting this topic so if you have your own please send it over!

As theme parks have started to reopen for the 2025 season, things haven’t all been plain sailing. As theme park enthusiasts we often get called overly critical, so do we care too much? Do we notice things and get worked up over things your average park guest wouldn’t? Or are we right to push for higher standards for everyone?  In this episode we talk about the Alton Towers 2025 opening day which d...

Despite our climate we’ve always had a strong line up of water rides in the UK, but are we starting to fall out of love with them? Especially the classic log flume?! In this episode we look at some of our favourite water attractions - past and present - and discuss what we think the future of water-based rides could look like. 

The UK theme park enthusiast community has been left reeling from the shock announcement of the closure of Oakwood Theme Park in Wales. This week we’re joined by RCCGB Chairman Andy Hine to look back at the park over the years and try and work out what went wrong? Is there any chance Megafobia can be saved and what does the future hold for the park once held in such high regard by enthusiasts and...

Ride closures, park closures and even resorting to justgiving pages to raise money - it’s been a tough week in the UK theme park industry. This week we dissect the news from Chessington, Oakwood and look at Blackpool Pleasure Beach’s opening weekend. Are there any positives, and are things going to get worse before they get better?!

Dark rides provide us with incredible thematic experiences in theme parks, but do we value them enough in the UK? This week we’re joined by two experts in creating world leading immersive attractions - Andy Sinclair-Harris and Alex Tyrell from Katapult a themed attraction design company based in Derby.  With projects at Disney and Universal under their belts, they talk us through the theatre of cr...

When plans for Saudi Arabia’s first theme park emerged many enthusiasts assumed it would never get off the ground. Now nearing completion, the park will open in 2025 and the plans have become reality. In this episode Bex chats to Neil Dwyer - VP Operations about his humble beginnings at Camelot Theme Park in the UK through to heading up this incredible project. And of course we discuss the most an...

There have been shockwaves through the UK theme park industry this week with news emerging that Merlin are making sweeping cuts in their entertainments teams. Bex and Kev are joined by Kip Hakes who has quit the content creator programme in protest over it. But what do these changes mean for us as theme park fans and guests? And do entertainments matter anyway?

At this point in the closed season we’re all really feeling the coaster blues. But with just a week to go until many UK parks start to open at least some of their attractions for Feb half term - where should we be looking to get a theme park visit under our belts? Bex and Kev are joined by Kip Hakes to look at what the UK has to offer theme park fans and families this Feb half term. 

Love them or hate them - IP’s are a familiar sight at Theme Parks. But are they stifling creativity and as park guests, do we crave more? Or do we love being able to immerse ourselves in the worlds of characters we know and love? With Universal UK looking more likely by the day one thing is for sure - we are only going to see more in our parks! Were joined by Lawrence from Universally Bedford to l...

This week Bex and Kip are joined by Sam aka Coastertog! With only a few weeks left of the UK closed season we’re looking ahead to 2025 and looking forward to getting back into our favourite parks. Whilst 2025 may not share the same hyped ride openings of 2024 - is there still plenty to look forward to as a rollercoaster enthusiast?

This week Kip Hakes is co-hosting and we’re joined by Glenn Robertson aka The Notable Stranger. If you’re a theme park fan you’ll have heard his work at Blackpool Pleasure Beach as the mastermind behind the Icon, Big One and Valhalla themes. In this episode Glenn talks us through his unlikely route into music composition, how he caught the ear of Amanda Thompson, and some of the incredible detail...

Parkcast is back for 2025! And if you’re anything like us you’re dreaming of sunnier days and possibly an epic theme park adventure. But with the closure of some classic attractions, should 2025 be the year you book your Walt Disney World holiday?! Radio legend and self-confessed Disnerd Andy Goulding from The Most Magical Podcast on Earth joins us with all his suggestions, hints and tips to help...

And with that the Parkcast 2024 season comes to a close; and we're wrapping up the year with a festive treat! In this special episode, enjoy a bite-sized Christmas buffet-esque selection of highlights from the podcast. Relive some of the best moments with our incredible guests, including John Wardley and Digital Dan. We'll revisit topics like Universal UK, Merlin’s chaotic year and even those craz...

It’s been a turbulent year for Merlin Entertainments with their CEO stepping down just a few weeks ago, a challenging theme park season for ride reliability and signs of financial struggles. But with a new Minecraft IP on the horizon and the success of Nemesis Reborn and Hyperia, is it enough to turn things around? In this episode we’re joined by renowned blogger and vlogger Kip Hakes to work out...

Theme Park Content Creator legend Digital Dan joins us for this week’s episode and we’re putting him on the spot! With news of The Blade’s removal, we’re looking further ahead to the future of some of Alton Towers’ most iconic rollercoasters. But if one had to go - which would he happily lose?! Plus we find out which coaster Dan would say you’ve “just gotta ride”.

We all love a good theme park rumour, especially when they turn out to be true. Sadly the rumours in this week’s episode never came to be.  Whether through change in direction, or simply by the fiction of the fan forums, we discuss the rumours around UK parks & potential ideas for new attractions that never came to pass.

With the closed season underway in the UK we’re setting our sights abroad for our Winter rollercoaster fix. But when it comes to the ultimate family theme park trip, where should you go - Disneyland Paris or Efteling? Can the fairytale charm of Efteling hold its own against the magic of Disney? We dive into the details and help you decide in this episode!

Our favourite theme park creation game is back and better than ever! Planet Coaster 2 was released last week and we're chatting to game director Rich Newbold. He's taking us through all the awesome new features and additions to help you build the theme  park of your dreams. We're also asking if those manufacturer names are just coincidental.....

In this episode, we take an in-depth look at a park that, just a few years ago, faced an uncertain future. Join us as we explore the attractions that have shaped its history, discuss the positive transformations made since Looping Group took over, and share our predictions for what lies ahead.  Spoiler Alert: We don't think it's a Drunken Barrels themed area.....