Discovering the history, stories, and secrets behind the details of your favorite theme parks!

I’m Amanda, the co-creator of Where In The Park (WITP) and a lifelong theme park enthusiast who’s fascinated by the hidden details most guests walk right past. My co-hosts are my husband, Kevin, and my mom, Kim—and we have a shared love of themed environments, storytelling, and park design. We've won many image-based scavenger hunts at Disneyland, and turned that passion of discovery into self-paced seek-&-find games that highlight the details in theme park design.

The Where In The Park Podcast explores the history behind the details at theme parks—especially places like Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, and other U.S. parks. We dive into topics like building facades inspired by real-world architecture, hidden tributes to Imagineers and creatives, and how themed spaces tell stories beyond the rides. We also share behind-the-scenes context with exclusive interviews from those with first-hand experience with these details, and from our work creating seek-and-find games that encourage guests to slow down and notice those small details while walking the parks.

Our listeners are theme park fans who love learning “the why” behind what they see—park history buffs, creatives, Imagineering and design enthusiasts, frequent visitors, and casual fans who want to experience the parks in a deeper, more meaningful way. If you enjoy discovering hidden details, architectural storytelling, and the intentional design choices that bring theme parks to life, this podcast is for you.
 

We started the Where In The Park Podcast because we were already having these conversations off-mic. We’d walk through theme parks pointing out architectural details, hidden tributes, and storytelling choices, and asking "why is that there?" or "what is the story behind that?" We realized most guests never hear the “why” behind what they’re seeing, if they have even noticed the details at all. We also realized that there are some topics that are not widely covered or rooted in facts. There was a large gap in the market for hyper-detailed theme park history.

All three of us are podcast listeners, and we love how podcasts allow for deeper dives than social media or short-form video. Our goal was to create something that felt like walking through a park with a knowledgeable friend or unofficial VIP Tour Guide—curious and rooted in research. But we also wanted something that's easy to digest. Most episodes are 30 minutes or less, so you can listen on the way to work or while walking from the Mickey & Friends Parking Structure to the front gate.

The podcast launched in May 2025. From deciding to do the show to releasing our first episode took about a year of planning, testing audio setups, outlining episode formats, and building a sustainable workflow. We wanted to start with a solid foundation rather than rushing the first release.
 

We release episodes every Friday. Producing an episode includes days to weeks of research and writing the script, then about two hours of recording, editing, writing descriptions, and creating supporting content for our blog and social channels. The blog on our website not only includes the recording and script, but also images and resources referenced for the episode, allowing listeners to go down the rabbit hole and dig deeper into the topics.

We balance podcasting alongside running a small business and other full-time work, so clear workflows are key. We divide and conquer, all 3 of us taking different topics to research, write, and record. Working ahead and planning future episodes has been huge.

The podcast is currently self-funded. Our primary cost is the hosting platform, as we use free recording and editing tools. The show is a passion project and long-term brand investment rather than something we expect to be immediately profitable.
 

Right now, the podcast is not sponsorship-driven. Our focus has been on building a valuable, evergreen library of content and growing an engaged audience. If and when we work with sponsors, we want them to be genuinely aligned with our audience and values.

The biggest return from podcasting has been relationship-building and learning. We’ve had the opportunity to speak with creatives, designers, and people with first-hand experience working in themed entertainment, which has expanded our understanding of how these spaces are made.

Podcasting has also strengthened our brand and creative process. It’s sharpened how and where we research and how we translate complex design ideas into something accessible. It’s also given us a meaningful way to connect with listeners who share our curiosity about themed environments and storytelling. Hearing feedback from listeners that they learned something new, or saw details in a new way by listening to our show, has been truly fulfilling.
 

We record with a simple home studio setup using Blue Yeti microphones, and we record and edit in Audacity before uploading to Buzzsprout.

Guests typically come from industry connections, theme park communities, or people whose work aligns with the details and stories we’re covering. The guests we have had so far have been connecting in person or via email, introducing ourselves, and sharing how their insights can help us dive deeper into the topics we're covering.

Each episode starts with deep research through multiple sources and media outlets (documentaries, books, web articles, etc.) We then write the script to keep the episode conversational and educational. For interviews, we then prepare a list of questions for the guest ahead of time, record over Zoom, and use the video for YouTube and audio for all other platforms.
 

Most listeners find us through podcast platforms and social media, with our website and blog serving as a hub for deeper dives and show notes. We also repurpose episodes into written content and short-form clips to meet listeners where they already spend time.

We include podcast business cards with every order of our games on WhereInThePark.com to drive traffic to the podcast, which drives traffic to the blog and games.

Social media and our existing community have been the most effective marketing channels so far, especially when paired with searchable, evergreen topics. Because many episodes focus on specific locations or details, we’ve seen long-tail discovery from people searching for those topics.

We prioritize consistency over viral tactics—showing up regularly, optimizing titles and descriptions for discovery, and creating content that remains useful long after release.
 

Start with a clear point of view. There are many podcasts in every niche, but your perspective and lens are what make your show distinct. Don’t wait for perfection—your first episodes are allowed to be learning experiences.

Build a sustainable workflow early. Batching, outlining, and simple systems matter more than fancy gear. Consistency will grow your show faster than chasing trends.

Helpful resources for us have included listening to podcasts in our niche, studying how great hosts structure conversations, and using simple audio platforms like Audacity. We also leaned on the guidance of our business coach, Kimberly Brock, who has had her successful She's Just Getting Started podcast for years, and we have been part of her membership programs since Where In The Park's inception, for both the business and the podcast.
 

You can find everything about the Where In The Park Podcast, including episodes, blog posts, and resources, at:
https://www.whereinthepark.com/podcast

Our interviews do not have a blog component, but you can find them on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts.

We have a private Facebook Group for the podcast: Where In The Park Explorers. That’s the best place to follow along, discover new episodes, explore the details we talk about on the show, and share your own stories and photos. https://www.facebook.com/groups/whereinthepark

You can also follow us on your favorite social media platform @WhereInThePark