Vacationeers Theme Parks & More

In this episode of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast, Tom and Jon are talking all about water park All-Day Dining at Aquatica Orlando and Adventure Island. At Aquatica Orlando, Tom and Jon both used the All-Day Dining plan on the same day. The plan cost $44.99 per person and allowed them to get an entrée, side or dessert, and fountain drink every 90 minutes during park hours. They co...

In Episode 270 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast, Tom is joined by Jon for a packed theme park news episode covering major stories from Disney, Universal, United Parks, Six Flags, and more. The big breaking story this week is Fun Spot America Atlanta announcing it will permanently close after its final operating day on August 2, 2026. Tom and Jon discuss what that could mean for A...

In this episode of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast , Tom welcomes back Dave from the Adventures by D and Dave’s Dugout Grill YouTube channels. Dave discusses his first-ever visit to Six Flags Over Texas , sharing his initial thoughts on the park, what the overall day was like, and the rides he was able and not able to experience during his visit. From first impressions to ride reac...

This week, we break away from our normal format because Tom was not prepared — but it’s his birthday month, so cut him some slack. Tom and Jon “kick” things off with a look at the FIFA® World Cup 2026 Experience at LEGOLAND Florida, then head over to Universal Orlando Resort where FIFA has taken over CityWalk and the Universal Mega Movie Parade has returned for the summer. Tom also shares details...

In Episode 267 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast, Tom is joined by Jon to talk through a busy week of theme park updates, food reviews, and in-park testing. We start with some “old breaking news,” including Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure no longer being included with Universal Express beginning July 1, plus the news that Bad Bunny will voice a pizza character named...

In Episode 266 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast, Tom and Jon recap a packed week of theme park visits, including AquaGlow at Aquatica, Pass Member perks gone wrong, Soarin’ Across America, Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, Expedition Odyssey Fire & Ice, and Peppa Pig Theme Park.  They also discuss HHN’s newly announced Sinners house, the Mandalorian and Grogu upda...

In Episode 265 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast, Tom is joined by Jon to break down their full Busch Gardens Tampa All-Day Dining 2026 experience from Saturday, May 9. The park was open from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, giving us a full 12-hour window to put the dining plan to the test. We ate at multiple locations across the park, including Zagora Café, Zambia Smokehouse, BG Cuban Café...

In this episode of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast, Tom is joined by Jon to catch up on recent theme park visits, livestreams, food reviews, and a packed round of theme park news. We start in The Queue with updates from SeaWorld Orlando’s Seven Seas Food Festival, Universal Orlando’s UOAP Bonus Benefits, EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival livestreams, House of Blues, Gideon’s Bakeh...

Tom is joined once again by Kris and Dave from Adventures by D and Dave’s Dugout Grill for a coaster-filled theme park road trip episode! In Episode 263 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast , the group talks about Kris and Dave’s recent visit to Six Flags Over Georgia during opening weekend, including their thoughts on the park, operations, rides, food, and overall experience. They a...

In Episode 262 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast , Tom is joined by Jon for a packed episode covering Orlando theme park news, recent park visits, coaster rankings, and the final rotation of SeaWorld Orlando’s Seven Seas Food Festival menus. We kick things off in The Queue with Jon’s Top 10 Coasters, Tom’s trip to see Collective Soul at Hard Rock Live at Universal Orlando, Sofia’s...

On this episode of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast , Tom welcomes back Ian for a coaster-packed conversation as they each rank their top 10 roller coasters they’ve ridden. With Tom’s coaster count at 229 and Ian’s at 206 , there is plenty of track record behind these rankings. Along the way, they also give some love to their honorable mentions and call out a few rides that landed o...

Welcome to Episode 260 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast! This week, Tom and Jon cover personal updates, theme park news, the latest Halloween Horror Nights speculation map, and a listener-driven main topic built around Chris’s Orlando vacation planning questions. In The Queue, Jon talks about breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace, Tom talks about Easter weekend at the Pier 60 Sugar San...

On this episode of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast, Tom and Jon are back to break down the latest theme park news and talk about food, coasters, and a whole lot more. Jon shares his experience visiting SeaWorld San Antonio and trying the All-Day Dining , including what he ate, how the value compared, and whether it is worth it. We also cover: United Parks’ two current lawsuits Hall...

On Episode 258 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast, Tom and Jon are back to talk theme park news, Orlando happenings, and what they’ve been up to lately. In the news, Butterbeer Season has officially arrived at Universal Orlando with new treats across the Wizarding World, Waymo self-driving robotaxis are now operating in Orlando, and Six Flags has confirmed the sale of seven parks t...

In Episode 257 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast, Tom is flying solo after a technical glitch forced a full re-record — because sometimes the show must go on. This week we dive into major theme park industry updates and some real-world experiences: 🦈 Barracuda Strike gets its official opening date at SeaWorld San Antonio 🎸 A Luke Combs “Category 10” country bar is coming to Univ...

🎢 Welcome to Episode 256 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast! This week we’re diving into festival season in Florida — from SeaWorld Orlando’s Seven Seas Food Festival (including sampler card value + my personal “winners and misses”), to Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras (food booths, tribute store love, and parade observations), and a full rundown of our day at the Florida State Fair...

Tom and Jon are back with Episode 255 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast — and we’ve got a packed show with updates, rumors, festival talk, and a Halloween survey from United Parks for some intrigue. News we cover: Universal Orlando Resort announces Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift (plus what it means for Fast & Furious: Supercharged) Universal Mardi Gras: International Flav...

In Episode 254, Tom is joined by Jon, Dave, and Kris for a full 2025 stats breakdown—YouTube performance, podcast numbers, park visit tracking, ride counts, and the takeaways your data is screaming at you. Plus: Disney Springs news, a Disney+ arbitration controversy update, a Universal Epic Universe incident making headlines, SeaWorld’s “duck lawsuit” dismissal, Disney summer deals, and Cool KIDS’...

Welcome to Episode 253 of the Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast — and our first episode of 2026. After a short break from the news desk, Tom and Jon are back with a packed episode covering major industry headlines, park changes, Disney announcements, and a full Rumor Report segment where the fog rolls in and the fact-checking clocks out. In this episode, we discuss the passing of SeaWorl...

It’s the final VacationCheers episode of the season and the last podcast of 2025, so naturally we went big. In Episode 252, Tasseled Tom is joined by Caroling Kris for a holiday-packed rundown featuring a Tennessee Christmas weekend, festive theme parks, concerts, and haunted holidays. We kick things off with a Christmas-filled trip to Pigeon Forge, including our stay at the Hampton Inn & Suit...

Central Florida goes full sleigh-bell chaos, and we’re here to break it all down. In Episode 251 of the VacationCheers Podcast , Tom is joined by Jon as they kick things off with Jon’s firsthand experience at Holidays at LEGOLAND Florida , before diving headfirst into the heavy hitters: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s Christmas Town , SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas Celebration , and Holidays at Universal...

Episode 250 is here — and it’s time to take a victory lap. In this milestone episode of Vacationeers Theme Parks & More , we celebrate 250 episodes by breaking down the podcast by the numbers . From the most-discussed parks and seasonal spin-offs to co-host appearances, episode lengths, and how the show has evolved since Episode 1 in 2017, this episode is all about the journey. We look back at...

Welcome to Episode 249 of the VacationCheers Podcast ! I’m your jolly host, Twinkly Tom, joined by Christmas Kris, and today we’re diving face-first into Florida’s holiday trifecta: ❄ Now Snowing at Celebration 🎄 Jollywood Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios 🧊 ICE! at Gaylord Palms We break down the atmosphere, entertainment, food, surprises, and all the cozy-chaotic fun each of these holiday e...

🎢 Vacationeers Theme Parks & More Podcast – Episode 248 Disney just debuted Zootopia: Better ZOOgether inside Animal Kingdom’s Tree of Life, replacing It’s Tough to Be a Bug , and we’ve got thoughts — including Tom’s favorite part! We also talk: 🦅 Soarin’ Across America (new version coming Summer 2026) 🐭 Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure returning in 2D 🎭 Six Flags’ DC Heroes Fest replacing Hol...

In the final VacationScares Podcast of 2025, Tom is joined by his skeleton crew of Jittery Jon, Deceased Dave, and Cremated Kris as they descend upon Atlanta for a triple-dose of terror! From the blood-soaked brilliance of Netherworld Haunted House, to the screams of Six Flags Over Georgia’s Fright Fest, to a rush of RMC airtime at Fun Spot America Atlanta—the crew breaks it all down. They share e...