Parkcast - The UK’s Original Theme Park Podcast
The UK’s Original Theme Park Podcast Reviews. News. Tips. Opinions. Rollercoasters - Parks - Rides Parkcast is a UK based theme park podcast bringing you all the latest news from theme parks across the globe, interviews with influential people in the theme park industry along with money saving tips, tricks and suggestions to enhance your day out. Join us, it'll be quite a ride!
Episodes
July 4, 2025 • 53 mins
Fastracks are definitely a divisive issue amongst theme park fans. In this episode we talk about the pros and cons and debate whether Fastracks have become a necessary evil part of ensuring a great theme park day out. We also look at examples of parks where Fastracks simply aren’t an option, and where they are almost essential. Thank you to all the Parkcast listeners who also contributed their thoughts for this episode!
Mark as Played
June 27, 2025 • 70 mins
This week we are doing something most theme park enthusiasts dream of doing - planning a USA theme park road trip! With the help of our friend Mark Rosenzweig from 3DX scenic, we’re looking at potential itineraries that make sense logistically and will tick off some bucket list coasters and parks without leaving you exhausted! Mark has carefully planned several potential trips drawing on years of enthusiasm and park visits. Wh...
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June 20, 2025 • 52 mins
2025 seems to be the year of the theme park VIP experience. We’ve seen more and more on offer and often they give us theme park nerds exciting unprecedented access to our favourite attractions. But are they really worth the cost and are “VIP” elements at theme parks going too far?
Kip Hakes is fresh from the Chessington Tomb Blaster experience so in this episode we find out what he thought of it, and was it worth it?!...
Kip Hakes is fresh from the Chessington Tomb Blaster experience so in this episode we find out what he thought of it, and was it worth it?!...
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June 13, 2025 • 51 mins
After the shock closure of Oakwood earlier this year we’ve been on edge about the future of some other UK theme parks. But recently there has been talk that the park could be saved by a mysterious local who promises they have the backing to bring it back to its former glory. There’s also been an odd job advert for a park ops manager to help reopen another “much loved park”.
In this episode we’re joined by Danni from O...
In this episode we’re joined by Danni from O...
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June 6, 2025 • 57 mins
2025 has seen huge announcement after announcement in the theme park world. It’s an exciting time to be a theme park fan so who better to join us than writer of “Theme Park Fan: The Musical” himself - Nick Hutson.
You’ll have heard Nick’s work at Chessington or during the Oakwood fireworks but he also famously wrote and recorded a full musical about being a theme park fan.
In this episode we talk about that ...
You’ll have heard Nick’s work at Chessington or during the Oakwood fireworks but he also famously wrote and recorded a full musical about being a theme park fan.
In this episode we talk about that ...
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May 30, 2025 • 38 mins
It’s official - everyone is talking about Paultons Park. This family theme park has grown from strength to strength over the last decade and just a couple of weeks ago they announced they had no plans to stop.
This week I’m joined by Kip Hakes who went to the Super Fans event and got all the details about their new Ghostly Manor attraction and their future investments. We discuss why enthusiasts are getting so excited...
This week I’m joined by Kip Hakes who went to the Super Fans event and got all the details about their new Ghostly Manor attraction and their future investments. We discuss why enthusiasts are getting so excited...
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May 23, 2025 • 72 mins
This week we’re joined by industry veteran turned consultant Mark Shaw. Having cut his teeth at Thorpe and Chessington alongside legends like John Wardley and Glenn Earlam, Mark headed down under to turn around Adventure World in Perth. He took a park that was consistently scoring low on guest satisfaction to become the highest rated in Australia.
In this episode he tells us how he did it, and why creating fantastic ...
In this episode he tells us how he did it, and why creating fantastic ...
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May 16, 2025 • 82 mins
Strap in park fans because this is a long one!
This week I’m dissecting my trip to Universal’s newest theme park Epic Universe! Having booked an impulsive 5 day trip to go and check it out, was it worth it?
We’ll go through the portals discussing the highlights of each area of the park, and anything to note along the way.
And how does visiting make me feel about Universal coming to the UK?!
This week I’m dissecting my trip to Universal’s newest theme park Epic Universe! Having booked an impulsive 5 day trip to go and check it out, was it worth it?
We’ll go through the portals discussing the highlights of each area of the park, and anything to note along the way.
And how does visiting make me feel about Universal coming to the UK?!
Mark as Played
May 9, 2025 • 51 mins
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!
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May 2, 2025 • 71 mins
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 episode we look at ab...
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 episode we look at ab...
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April 25, 2025 • 39 mins
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.
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.
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April 18, 2025 • 44 mins
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, we’re delighted to h...
Now living back in his native Australia and working globally as an attractions industry consultant, we’re delighted to h...
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April 11, 2025 • 45 mins
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 Wardley.
John takes us t...
John takes us t...
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April 4, 2025 • 28 mins
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!
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!
Mark as Played
March 28, 2025 • 52 mins
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 didn’t go as well as h...
In this episode we talk about the Alton Towers 2025 opening day which didn’t go as well as h...
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March 21, 2025 • 44 mins
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.
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March 14, 2025 • 61 mins
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 the public?
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March 7, 2025 • 41 mins
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?!
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February 28, 2025 • 56 mins
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 creating dark ...
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 creating dark ...
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February 21, 2025 • 53 mins
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 anticipated rollercoaster in yea...
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