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 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 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 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 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 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.

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 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.