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Join us for episode 506 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! After nearly a year behind construction walls, Jurassic Park River Adventure is finally due back at Universal’s Islands of Adventure on 17 December 2026, a month later than first promised. So before it reopens, we’re reading out some of the harshest reviews this 1999 classic has ever received. Broken dinosaurs, soaking-wet riders and a T. rex that’s seen better days: we go through the one-star complaints and decide whether they’re fair, or whether people just didn’t read the “you will get wet” signs. We also look at how the ride came to be. It started as a $110 million Hollywood original that cost more than the film itself, and Steven Spielberg skipped the final drop at the 1996 preview. Plus, what’s been happening during this year’s refurb, from a new neck for the Ultrasaurus to a whole new track, and why Orlando’s version is the last original of its kind in the US. Will the refurb fix the complaints, or are we in for more of the same? Have a listen, then let us know your own Jurassic Park River Adventure verdict.

Join us for episode 505 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! Universal is coming to the UK, and the rumour mill hasn’t stopped turning since. In this episode, we go land by land through everything that’s been whispered, leaked and speculated about for the Universal United Kingdom Resort in Bedfordshire. We dig into which franchises are most likely to make the cut, which ones feel like wishful thinking, and how the park might be laid out based on what we’ve seen from Universal’s other resorts. Along the way, we weigh up the credible rumours against the fan fantasies, and share our own picks for the lands we’d love to see when the gates open. Got a rumour we missed or a land you’re desperate for? Let us know.

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.

Join us for episode 499 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! We've done something a little different this week, we've put every ride, show, restaurant and bar at EPCOT under the microscope and ranked the lot from best to worst. But we didn't just take Google's star ratings at face value. A place with a handful of reviews can look like it's beating somewhere with thousands, so we ran every score through the same kind of formula IMDb uses for its Top 250 — pulling the small-sample scores back until they've earned their place. What's left is a ranking of what's actually rated highly, not just what got lucky. Along the way, we: Crown the highest-rated attraction in the park (and debate whether it deserves it) Work out which iconic sit-down restaurant is coasting on atmosphere rather than food Expose the quiet underdogs that score far better than their reputation suggests Argue about the ride we reckon is genuinely the weak link — and whether nostalgia is clouding the judgement Sort out what's worth your time and money on your next trip, and what to skip Plus, we get into our D23 predictions — what we think Disney has up its sleeve, the announcements we're hoping for, the ones we're dreading, and the wilder rumours we reckon might just come true. Expect some bold calls we'll almost certainly be held to later. If you've ever wondered what's genuinely worth doing at EPCOT — and what's coasting on hype — this is the episode for you.

Join us for episode 498 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! Our big Orlando trip is almost here, so this week on Theme Park Trader we’re joined by two very special guests — Ryan’s sister Charlotte and his nephew! With the countdown well and truly on, we chat through the plans for the trip, what everyone is most excited about, the parks and attractions at the top of the list, and all the inevitable chaos that comes with taking a big family holiday to Orlando. Expect plenty of Disney and Universal talk, questionable planning decisions, family disagreements and a few predictions about what’s actually going to happen once we get there. The holiday is nearly here. What could possibly go wrong?

Join us for episode 497 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! We've done something a little different this week — we've put every ride, show, restaurant and bar at Disney's Hollywood Studios under the microscope and ranked the lot from best to worst. But we didn't just take Google's star ratings at face value. A place with a handful of reviews can look like it's beating somewhere with thousands, so we ran every score through the same kind of formula IMDb uses for its Top 250 — pulling the small-sample scores back until they've earned their place. What's left is a ranking of what's actually rated highly, not just what got lucky. Along the way, we: Crown the highest-rated attraction in the park (and debate whether it deserves it) Expose the snack spot whose glowing rating completely falls apart under scrutiny Work out whether one of the most hyped, hardest-to-book spots in the park is quietly one of its worst Argue about the ride that genuinely underwhelms — and the one nostalgia won't let us criticise Sort out what's worth your time and money on your next trip, and what to skip If you've ever wondered what's genuinely worth doing at Hollywood Studios — and what's coasting on hype — this is the episode for you.

Join us for episode 496 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! This week, we’re going behind the screams as we speak directly to Universal about Halloween Horror Nights 35. In this exclusive interview, we dig into what guests can expect from this year’s event, how Universal approaches bringing HHN to life and what makes the 35th anniversary such a major moment for Halloween Horror Nights. We also uncover a few exclusive details about HHN35 that you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re counting down the days until the fog returns, planning your first-ever visit or simply obsessed with everything Halloween Horror Nights, this is an episode packed with insights straight from Universal themselves. What are you most excited to experience at HHN35? Let us know in the comments!

Join us for episode 495 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! Guests DESTROY Beak and Barrel & BaseLine Tap House in this week's episode of Theme Park Trader! But first — is table service dining dying at Walt Disney World? With guests now dropping serious money on Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Premier Pass before they even step through the gates, more and more visitors are skipping sit-down restaurants altogether. So is Disney's answer to grab those lost guest dollars... bars and lounges? We dig into why spots like The Beak and Barrel and BaseLine Tap House might be exactly where Disney wants you spending instead — lower commitment than a two-hour ADR, no huge kitchen overhead, and premium-priced drinks with a themed backdrop. Then it's time for the main event: we read the most BRUTAL guest reviews of Magic Kingdom's pirate lounge The Beak and Barrel and Hollywood Studios' BaseLine Tap House. From "a tavern full of disappointment" to complaints about pricing, portions, queues and theming that didn't live up to the hype — nobody is safe. Do you agree with the reviews? Have you visited either lounge? Let us know in the comments!

Join us for episode 493 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! How much does it REALLY cost to build a Disney World ride? In this episode of Theme Park Trader, we rank the 10 most expensive attractions ever built at Walt Disney World — and then adjust every budget for inflation, which completely reshuffles the list. A ride from 1999 might still be the most expensive Disney has ever built. We cover the $500 million price tag on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, why Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance's building permits said $78 million when the real number was closer to $450 million, the legendary "Disco Yeti" — one of the most expensive animatronics ever built, broken since 2006 — and how Tiana's Bayou Adventure cost $142 million for what's technically a retheme.

Join us for episode 493 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! Every theme park fan has a list of petty pet peeves, and today we're airing all of ours. We count down the worst theme park icks — ranked by rage — from slow walkers and parade curb-savers to ring-light vloggers and Disney adults who can't take a single critique. Building all the way to the number one offender, everyone secretly hates. We even confess the ones we're guilty of. No one's safe, including us.

Join us for episode 492 of the Theme Park Trader Podcast! In this episode of Theme Park Trader, we’re talking through our upcoming Orlando plans, from where we’re staying and what parks we’re hoping to hit, to the food, attractions, and chaos we’re already overthinking. We also get into the latest Disney transport restrictions at Walt Disney World, what they could mean for guests, and whether Disney is slowly making it harder to enjoy the resort without extra planning, extra spend, or a spreadsheet worthy of NASA. Expect Orlando excitement, Disney transport moaning, a bit of trip-planning panic, and the usual Theme Park Trader nonsense.