The Lowdown on the Plus-up - A Theme Park Podcast

The fog rolls in, the surf pounds the seawall, and a laugh echoes across the Sunset—Playland at the Beach is gone, but its spirit refuses to fade. We head back to San Francisco’s Ocean Beach to unpack a park that was equal parts wonder and chaos: the glassy grandeur of Sutro Baths, the Cliff House’s many lives, and a bohemian streetcar village that set the stage for a century of seaside amusements. From Charles I. D. Looff’s menage...

EPISODE SUMMARY

The most powerful special effect at Disneyland isn’t a projection or a firework. It’s water—dyed, pumped, and choreographed to keep illusions seamless, landscapes lush, and guests grounded. 

In this episode, Kelly and Pete unravel the surprising, ingenious, and deeply odd engineering behind one of Disneyland’s most overlooked systems: the park-wide dark water network that connects Storybook Land, the Motorboat Cruise,...

Universal Studios' evolution from modest Tram Tour to the top challenger for the theme park throne was due to the fierce drive of one man: Jay Stein.
Intense, ambitious and sometimes frightening, Stein let his competitiveness and, later, his seething rage against the Walt Disney Company forge an entirely new path for theme parks. By the time he left the company in 1993, it was no longer the underdog, but an innovator that ...

Midnight seances, glow-in-the-dark ghosts, and a gorilla that always breaks loose—our journey into haunted-house history starts where theater met sideshow and never looked back. We trace the first British walkthroughs of the 1930s, the packed spook shows that turned movie palaces into after-hours carnivals, and the scrappy showmen who transformed empty storefronts into seasonal scream factories. 

From the U.K. to postwar J...

Halloween didn’t just arrive at theme parks; it was engineered, rehearsed, and unleashed from a fog-soaked street in Buena Park. We dive into the wild origin story of Knott’s Scary Farm, tracing the DNA from mid-century horror hosts to the first freestanding mazes, the invention of roaming monsters, and the culture of sliders sparking their way through Calico. It’s a saga packed with scrappy ingenuity, late-night TV legend, and a b...

Ray Bradbury had a fascination with themed entertainment since he first attended the 1939 New York World's Fair, but was it merely as a casual observer or did he actually get his hands dirty?
We invited noted Ray Bradbury scholar, Dr. Phil Nichols, to talk about it all: Ray's relationship with Walt Disney, his fascination with urban design, his work on EPCOT Center, and even how Ray might very well be responsible for ...

Whether he was disappointed with how his work for EPCOT Center turned out or he was simply inspired to do it again, Ray Bradbury created his own vision of a theme park: The Great Electric Time Maze.
Impractical, economically unviable and centered around completely untethered Blue Sky concepts, this midwestern phantasia of a park is right up our alley! 
Join us as we zoom through time, battle dinosaurs with our Electro-Guns,...

EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of The Lowdown on the Plus-Up, Kelly and Pete return to their nerd roots to explore the theme park legacy of Star Trek. From the original 1966 series to Deep Space Nine, the two dive into Gene Roddenberry’s ideals, the franchise’s optimism, and the surprising role Lucille Ball played in making the show possible. We discuss the rise and fall of Star Trek: The Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton—a m...

Pete takes mercy on Kelly, who's been under the weather, and does the heavy lifting on our follow-up to last season's "Rude Mechanicals - Jungle Cruise: The Early Years."
Bill Evans is back to see the fruition of the project he began over 35 years prior. His dream becomes a reality in the best way!
Disney doubles down on immersion with unintended consequences!
The jungle grows, transforms, and become...

It's a brief, Mid-summer (Don't get in the bear!) minisode.

Ever wondered what's really happening with Disneyland Forward? Dive into this revealing mini-episode where we crack open the truth behind Disney's highly publicized expansion plans in Anaheim. 

https://boardwalktimes.net/disneylandforward-what-exactly-is-it-3f4c79bf93c4

A new full episode in a few weeks!

Thanks for listening!

We'd lo...

Jaws was a lynchpin to Universal's theme park success, both in California and Florida. It was also one of the biggest headaches the parks ever dealt with.

Join us for the return of the J-Bang(!!!) as we pick apart what happened, follow the recriminations and discuss some amazing behind-the-scenes theme park designers who worked on this ambitious, and occasionally reckless, attraction.

It's so much Jaws goodness that you&apo...

We contend that there is nothing more patriotic than being conned into believing that water runs uphill.

Step into a world where the laws of physics seemingly take a vacation as we explore America's beloved gravity-defying roadside attractions. From the Santa Cruz Mystery Spot to Confusion Hill nestled in California's redwoods, these quirky destinations have been baffling and delighting travelers since the '...

We're wrapping up our first season of theme park adventures with a look back at what we've accomplished and a peek at what's coming in Season 2. From humble beginnings as a "way for our partners to get rid of us for a few hours every week," we're so thrilled at what this has become.

Today is a wrap-up featuring some of what we've covered, current news and a peek at where we're going:...

Step with us into Tomorrowland, that curious realm where yesterday's futures linger in an increasingly static present. Why do Disney fans profess deep love for a land they rarely prioritize visiting? The answer lies in Tomorrowland's remarkable journey from hasty afterthought to kinetic wonderland to its current static identity crisis.

Our live audience at the Howard Johnson's "Suite of the Retro Future...

Step back into the age of sword and sorcery as we unravel the untold story of Universal Studios' most dangerous and innovative attraction: the Conan the Barbarian Sword and Sorcery Spectacular. This legendary stunt show wasn't just entertainment—it was a revolution that forever changed how theme parks approach live experiences.

From Robert E. Howard's complex literary character to Frank Frazetta's iconi...

Join us for part two of the strangest story we've told thus far.
The 1990s launch with a particularly charming story about jet packs, The Rocketeer. But then Kinnie Gibson, Brad Barker, Larry Stanley and Bill Suitor return to pick up a story that involves assault, murder, kidnapping and a giant flying beer can.
Strap in! And remember, when the helmet vibrates, you only have 14 seconds to find a place to land!

...

What if I told you that the man who flew above Disneyland's Tomorrowland in the 1960s wasn't on wires, but strapped to actual jet engines? The remarkable true story of the rocket belt at Disney parks is more fascinating—and bizarre—than you might imagine.

Kelly and Pete explore the surprising origins of personal flight technology, beginning with Wendell Moore of Bell Aeronautics, who adapted stabilization jets fr...

A quick note between talking about the Prince of Darkness and the Darkness of the Future!
Full episode coming very soon.

Thanks for listening!

We'd love it if you would give us a review on your podcast platform of choice: iTunes, Spotify, etc... They're really helpful.

And get in touch and let us know about YOUR Plus-Ups for the attractions we've talked about! We'd love to tell them on the air.<...

In part two of Transylvanian Tumbleweeds we explore the legacy of Dracula-themed attractions, particularly focusing on the Castle Dracula experience at Universal Studios. We discuss the concept of the "JayBang" introduced by Jay Stein and the challenges faced as audience tastes shifted, leading to innovative adaptations in modern amusement parks.

• Exploration of Universal Studios' background 
• Delving ...