The Themed Attraction Podcast is a show dedicated to showcasing theme park industry knowledge, history, and innovations through in-depth interviews with the masters of the craft.

Each episode features conversations with respected and award-winning theme park experts and innovators telling their personal stories of attraction development from the ground up. Episodes focus on the variety of disciplines utilized to develop an attraction or park from blue sky to sketchbook, from design to dedication day.

The show is hosted by Storyland Studios’ Chief Creative Officer, Mel McGowan, a seasoned themed entertainment designer and master planner. Mel’s career includes a decade-long stint with The Walt Disney Company, participating in the design and construction of Disney’s California Adventure and Downtown Disney. He went on to launch his own design, architecture, and themed entertainment firms, providing creative leadership for projects around the world. 

“I’ve always felt that there are plenty of unsung heroes in the themed entertainment industry,” says Mel. “They’ve created some of the top human magnets on the planet and yet the vast majority of people have no idea who they are. We want this podcast to give them a chance to showcase their amazing and creative stories,” 

The Themed Attraction Podcast’s first guests include theme park design luminaries such as Tony Baxter and Tom Morris, as well as current generation experts Ryan Harmon, Josh Shipley, and Josh Steadman, along with industry author Sam Gennawey.

McGowan’s co-host, Freddy Martin, is a show writer, author, and journalist for theme park industry publications including InPark Magazine and ThemedAttraction.com. The podcast is produced by Dr. Barry Hill, an author and professor of audio engineering at Lebanon Valley College.

The Themed Attraction Podcast is one of the features of ThemedAttraction.com, a theme park industry news and information site providing interviews, stories, and insights about themed entertainment design.