The Theme Park Trader Podcast

Join us for episode 504 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! No complaints this time — just credit. We ran through everything Walt Disney World actually got right in 2026, and the dining lineup did a lot of the heavy lifting. We work through the table-service wins — Yak & Yeti, Via Napoli, 50's Prime Time Café, Skipper Canteen, Sanaa, Space 220, and 'Ohana — plus a full Disney Springs day that took in BOATHOUSE, TREX, Planet Hollywood, Summer House on the Lake, and The Polite Pig (whose ordering system gets a proper airing). Chef Mickey's comes up for the experience rather than just the food, Boma lands somewhere around average, and the newer spots earn their place: GEO-82, Beak & Barrel, and BaseLine Tap House. Fantasmic is back in the good books too.

Join us for episode 503 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! We take the kids to Universal Orlando for the very first time, hitting Islands of Adventure and the main park through fresh, young eyes. Then Donna shares her first impressions of Epic Universe — was it worth the hype? First-time thrills, must-do rides, and honest reactions from the whole family.

We just got back from Walt Disney World, and this one's a reckoning. After years of magic, our 2026 trip left us with a lot to unpack — so we're pulling no punches. Join us for episode 502 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! In this episode we dig into everything that's slipping at the parks and resorts: a worrying lack of care around guest injuries, park operations that keep falling short, and Cast Members who turn condescending the moment you raise a complaint. We get into the sharp end of food quality, restaurant bills that keep climbing, and the small indignities that add up — from surprise pool closures at French Quarter to the great ice water saga (yes, that guy). We also cover the encroachment of AI, chronic understaffing on tills (Food & Wine was rough, but even the luxury resorts weren't spared), the state of the animals at the Lodge, our take on Bluey, MNSSHP, and whether Jock Lindsey's still earns its spot. Is Disney coasting on nostalgia while the experience quietly erodes? We think there's a case to answer. Grab a drink and join us.

Join us for episode 501 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! Grace is back behind the mic! A returning favourite, she joins us to spill all the details on her upcoming Orlando adventure, the parks, the plans, and everything she's counting down to. Turns out we won't be strangers in Florida either: our trips are set to overlap, so expect plenty of "we have to do that" moments as we compare itineraries and swap must-dos. From ride priorities to dining hopes, Grace walks us through what's shaping up to be a cracking trip. Grab a drink and join us for the excitement.

Join us for episode 500 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! Stop the press — Dan's not dead! Our original co-host rises from the podcasting grave to join us for the big 5-0-0, and he's brought Orlando stories with him. Dan and his fiancée jetted off to Florida, setting up camp at Disney's Port Orleans French Quarter before crossing the road to see what Universal's been up to. We get the full lowdown: what they loved, what they'd skip, and whether the beignets lived up to the hype. Five hundred episodes, one returning legend, and absolutely no zombies. Grab a drink and settle in.