Parkcast - The UK’s Original Theme Park Podcast

As theme park enthusiasts we've all probably heard of IAAPA - especially their incredible expos. But the organisation does so much work behind the scenes in the attractions industry. I'm joined by Peter van der Schans who is the Executive Director and Vice President of IAAPA ESA for this episode to chat about why IAAPA exists, what it's done for theme parks and amusement parks globally and what we can expect from the Europe Expo in London in 2026.

Mark Lofthouse from Neon Skull is my guest on Parkcast this week. He's a theme park and amusement industry veteran (he won't mind me saying that) with over 18 years experience in creative roles. We're talking about what it takes to make it in this hugely competitive industry, how far passion will get you and the challenges facing jobs like his. And we're taking a look at some of the specific project's Mark has been involved in including terrifying scare mazes and the new ride openings at Crealy this year.

Port Aventura is a park I've loved for over 25 years. It's home to some great rides and attractions including the incredible Shambhala. But recently it's started to get a bad rep for operations, essentially destroying some of the experience for guests. Alex Brindley joins me again this week - he's a big fan of the park and has just returned from a week there. So does his experience tell us the park is improving or getting worse, and is it one you should still be looking to visit?

Hyperia has been renamed Flipzeria as part of a new sponsorship deal and we aren't enamoured with it! In this episode we're looking at theme park sponsorships over the years - which ones have worked and which ones haven't. But also, WHY have they been success or not? We're drawing on our combined experience of negotiating commercial deals and asking, should you ever just take the money? And dare we mention Oblivion and Fanta.....

Phantasialand is a theme park I've loved since my first visit. It has some absolutely world class theming and attractions and I've enjoyed all my visits there. So much so, I insisted on taking my best mate Glenn with me on my most recent trip as even though he lives in Germany, he's never been! There are still so many things I love about the park, but this trip also flagged up a few issues that I'll definitely think about before visiting again. We talk through the good and the bad in this episode! As an aside, voting for the UK Theme Park awards is open until 28th August. If you enjoyed this episode or my content generally, I'd obviously love your support in the content creator category. The website you need is ukthemeparkawards.com

Voting for the UK Theme Park awards is now open! Lawrence Roots who founded the awards joins me this week to talk about why he thought we needed them, how they've grown and what they mean to the UK theme park industry. You can vote now and you don't to vote in every category if you dont want to. I should also say I'm nominated in the content creator category - very unexpected but appreciated. You don't need to vote for me - but please make your vote count!

Paultons Park is rapidly becoming an enthusiast favourite park. A string of exciting but well thought through ride installations, combined with excellent operations, attention to detail and owners who really embrace the theme park community means it's been a park we've raved about for ages. Lawrence from the park is back on Parkcast to chat about how the launch of their new area Valgard has gone, including the opening of their new Eurofighter Drakon, and the exciting plans for 2027 which will see the park open the UK's first water coaster.

We were all a little bit worried last year that we were about to lose another theme park for good. So we were delighted to hear Lightwater Valley had been saved and bought by the Mellors Group - highly regarded showmen and owners of Fantasy Island in Ingoldmells. In this episode I'm joined by James Mellors to talk about his route to owning parks, and his big plans for the future.

If there's one thing every theme park enthusiast has, it's opinions.... This week I'm joined again by Glenn and Alex, as we discuss some of your unpopular ones, and they share some of their own. So, do all rollercoasters have a shelf life? Is Swarm really the best coaster at Thorpe Park? And are Mad Houses actually pointless? We'll cover these and a lot more! Let me know if you agree or not....

Blackgang Chine is the UK's oldest theme park - but how does a park on an island just off the south coast of England stay relevant and still delight guests over 180 years after opening? Laura Baxter - Head of Marketing and Dan White - General Manager join us on Parkcast this week to share some of their secrets!

Last week I got sent an anonymous message containing details of plans for a new rollercoaster at Alton Towers. Project Horizon has been on the minds of enthusiasts for years, with rumours constantly swirling about what it was going to involve and if it would even happen at all. One thing I've been told is that the planned attraction I was sent the info on is definitely on the cutting room floor. In this episode I talk through what I was sent and ask you, are you sad it's not happening in this form?

Most theme park fans think they could run a theme park. Josh Heywood does exactly that at Crealy Theme Park in Devon. In this episode he talks us through how he got there, some regrets and his big plans for the future. It's incredibly eye opening and Josh is an infectious breath of fresh air - so full of passion for the park and the industry as a whole.

The UK's newest, and in my opinion best, flat ride opened at Blackpool Pleasure Beach on May 21st. Aviktas - the huge Intamin gyroswing - has been eagerly anticipated since the ride was announced early last year. I was lucky enough to be invited to the media launch and in this episode I'm joined by my two companions at the event - Glenn Robertson aka The Notable Stranger who did the ride soundtrack and Alex Brindley who was the MC on the day. But did it live up to our expectations and what's it really like to attend a media day? This episode also features interviews with Amanda Thompson OBE and Peter van der Schans - Vice President and Executive Director IAAPA EMMEA.

The last time Mark Rosenzweig was on Parkcast he caused uproar when he said he thought Nemesis at Alton Towers was overrated and that Inferno at Thorpe Park was the best inverted coaster in the UK. So this week we've got him back to talk us through his top rated inverted coasters and its a subject he knows a lot about, as he's ridden every single inverted coaster in the USA. I think his No.1 might surprise you!

It might be a pipe dream for most theme park enthusiasts, but Matt Conridge has just bought his own park - Trago Family Fun Park in Devon. In this episode we find out why he decided now was the right time to take the leap into the attractions world, how he's finding it and what his plans for the future are. You'll find Trago Family Fun Park near Newton Abbot in Devon and as Matt tells us, it's free to enter and pay to play once you're there. It would be great to show Matt some support for this new venture and hopefully we can watch the park continue to develop over time!

May 2026 is a huge month for UK theme parks. With Valgard at Paultons, Aviktas at Blackpool Pleasure Beach and World of Paw Patrol at Chessington all opening, we're looking at the positive things happening in our parks, and why they're so important....

We've spoken about Alton Towers a lot on Parkcast. And through all of it Kev has always remained a loyal fan, willing to forgive any minor inconveniences because of his love of his home park, his happy place, and the park that made him love theme parks. But in 2026 something has changed for him. With staggered openings, closures and questionable decisions, have Alton Towers finally pushed him too far? Lets chat about it in this episode!

It's no secret that theme park enthusiasts LOVE Europa Park. We love the slick operations, the ride line up, the iood, the innovation....it's a park that really cares about guest experience. But do regular guests feel the same as we do? I sent my non-enthusiast best mate Glenn, who happens to have Europa Park as his local park, to see what he makes of it and if it lives up to my expectations. Whilst he's not a thoosie, he does write music for theme parks and you'll know him by his incredible soundtracks for rides and Hot Ice at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. You can stream all his scores on Spotify whenever you want a BPB fix at home.

Our friend from the US Mark Rosenzweig is back on Parkcast this week. After his mini series on achievable US Theme Park road trips in our last series, we were asked by a listener "how does Mark think UK parks compare?". In this episode we set about answering that as Mark talks us through his experiences of visiting large UK attractions like Alton Towers and Blackpool Pleasure Beach, as well as smaller parks such as Lightwater Valley and Adventure Island.

This week we're joined by Robbie Jones, Insight Director at Katapult who are themed attraction designers based in Derby. We all know theme park fans are full of opinions and ideas, and sometimes it feels like nobody is listening! Last year Katapult commissioned a survey of Theme Park super fans, to find out what we really think, and what theme parks and attractions might be able to take away from our experiences. We discuss the results of that survey in this episode, including some of our surprising priorities! We also talk about Katapult's newest research project - where alongside Drayton Manor and the University of Birmingham, they'll be looking at how attractions can improve experiences for Neurodivergent guests. You can find out more about Katapult on their website - www.katapult.co.uk And if you're a neurodivergent theme park fan who'd be interested in taking part in their paid research - here's the link: https://www.katapult.co.uk/paid-opportunity-to-join-a-neurodivergent-consultation-group-for-the-phd-project-neuroinclusion-in