Tokyo Disneyland operator Oriental Land unveiled an ambitious USD 2.1 billion plan to launch an "offshore theme park" cruise by 2028, aiming to reduce its reliance on Maihama operations. This approach mirrors Disney's investment in cruises, which we discussed last week. While Disney has a smaller share of the cruise market, it has significantly less debt. Attendance rates rose from 63% in 2022 to 97% in 2024. Meanwhile, China's theme parks drive inbound tourism, now ranking alongside iconic attractions like the Great Wall and the Palace Museum. These significant shifts underscore global trends toward experiential, human-centric attractions—but did the U.S. get that memo? Get weekly BONUS episodes in our Patreon.

Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Treasure, is making waves with its IP-packed premium entertainment, like the Haunted Mansion Parlor, Tale of Moana, and Plaza de Coco dinner show. In essence, Disney is moving portions of the theme park experience onto their cruise ships, using a highly curated and controlled environment to deliver guest experiences that are no longer possible within the theme parks. Meanwhile, United Parks is taking the opposite approach by outsourcing elements of its food operations to C3, bringing recognizable brands like Umami Burger to their parks. This episode explores how attractions balance control and collaboration to deliver better guest experiences. Subscribe to our Patreon for weekly bonus episodes.

Universal Studios Hollywood’s 2025 event calendar dropped, including dates for Halloween Horror Nights and the debut of FanFest Nights. Plus, we unpack the $5 million lawsuit verdict against Busch Gardens Tampa, discussing its potential ripple effects across the industry. Finally, we look at Disneyland’s 70th anniversary plans, featuring the highly anticipated Walt Disney animatronic and the return of beloved shows like Paint the Night.

Philip and Scott dive into key developments in the global attractions industry. China's theme parks are seeing a massive rebound, with a 71.8% surge in visitors and nearly 98% revenue growth in 2023. Meanwhile, Mexico's Grupo Vidanta revealed groundbreaking details for VidantaWorld’s BON Luxury Theme Park, a $1.3 billion project opening in 2026. Finally, the Mattel Adventure Park opening has been delayed until 2025, reflecting ongoing challenges in the industry, from supply chain disruptions to economic uncertainty. Subscribe to our Patreon for weekly bonus episodes. Now you can gift a subscription to Green Tagged.

Get weekly bonus episodes here. In this week’s Green Tagged, Philip and Scott unpack the networking and education opportunities that defined IAAPA Expo 2024, which broke records with 41,429 total attendees and over 140 educational sessions. Philip reflects on the IAAPA Fireside Chat, where industry leaders highlighted how partnerships like Merlin x Minecraft bridge the digital and physical worlds to drive engagement. Meanwhile, Scott shares insights from the Entertainment Professionals Network session, which spotlighted innovative approaches to talent development and live entertainment. Drawing on his own experiences as a session leader, Scott discusses how education sessions offered attendees practical strategies for elevating guest experiences in a challenging operational environment. Beyond the structured events, we explore how informal networking—on the show floor and after hours—fosters critical peer-to-peer learning. With such a dynamic range of opportunities, IAAPA proves yet again why in-person connections are indispensable for the future of attractions.

Philip and Scott dissect Disney's Q3 earnings, celebrating Disney+'s profitability, billion-dollar blockbusters, and robust park performance. CEO Bob Iger calls it “a new era of growth,” but looming challenges like declining TV assets and leadership succession raise questions. Meanwhile, Six Flags announces a $1 billion investment over two years, featuring record-breaking coasters, dining upgrades, and seasonal events. Will Six Flags’ efforts match Disney’s IP-driven strategy, or is it a short-term refresh? Plus, how does Disney’s storytelling mastery make its ecosystem thrive? Get weekly BONUS shows on our Patreon.

In this week's Green Tagged, Philip and Scott dive into Six Flags' Q3 earnings report and their new three-year plan, "Project Accelerate." With attendance dipping slightly but per capita spending climbing, Six Flags has pivoted to a revenue-over-quantity strategy—a trend echoing the broader theme park industry. Project Accelerate aims to boost attendance to 55 million guests and reach a 35% Modified EBITDA margin by 2027. However, as Philip and Scott discuss, the plan lacks specific, measurable goals and a Big Hairy Audacious Goal. Is this strategy bold enough to inspire transformation, or does it fall short? Join the conversation and let us know if you think Six Flags is on the right path! Listen to weekly BONUS episodes on our Patreon.

Universal promises 2025 will be its biggest year ever, but are those promises genuine or distractions covering up declining park revenue? This week saw two major announcements from Universal. First, Universal’s new experiment in year-round horror, Universal Horror Unleashed, will open in Las Vegas next year – the same year as Universal’s new Epic Universe theme park. Next, Universal released information surrounding the animatronics coming to Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment at Universal’s Epic Universe in Orlando. However, Comcast posted a 5.3% decline in theme park revenue for the third quarter, citing lower attendance at domestic parks. This episode discusses what these reveals mean for Universal’s strategy, attendance trends, and how the new Vegas location could attract horror fans year-round. Listen to weekly BONUS episodes on our Patreon. 

Weekly bonus episodes on our Patreon. It’s our Halloween special! We dive into Fun.com’s costume data to see how IP-driven favorites like Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, and Inside Out define the season, showing Halloween’s unique synergy across homes, media, and theme parks. We then delve into recent haunt visits: Scott’s behind-the-scenes look at Netherworld’s stellar operations and Philip’s trip to Dark at Fort Edmonton, exploring how the event has expanded.

Get weekly BONUS episodes on our Patreon here. Universal Orlando Resort officially announced the opening date for their much-anticipated new theme park, Universal Epic Universe, slated for May 22, 2025. We discuss what this means for the park’s future and how it stacks up against industry expectations. Plus, Disney is launching the Lightning Lane Premier Pass, offering guests a more flexible option similar to Universal’s Express Pass. We discuss how this new offering might change the guest experience and what it signals for the future of queue management at Disney parks. Tune in for insights on these major theme park developments and more!