Bookmark This Page; The Disney Company in China, a podcast series

When the missus went on sabbatical I recorded a six-part series for the Pink Monorail Podcast on how the Disney Company started doing business in China. If you want to listen to the entire series then Bookmark This Page.

Disney in China, Episode 1

Disney in China, Episode 2

Disney in China, Episode 3

Disney in China, Episode 4

Disney in China, Episode 5

Disney in China, Episode 6

Have you ever visited any of the Disney parks in Asia? Tell me about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 25: Disney at the Fair

Heya friends, I spent the summer of 2025 recharging my creative batteries, and working on side projects. One of which was to continue the podcast series featuring the missus. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, until we had a family emergency and had to stop working on it for 7 months. We are back on it through 2026. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast Manufacturing the Magic Ep 25: Disney at the Fair In the 25th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid journey to Flushing Meadows. There, they shine a spotlight on the four attractions that the Imagineers created for the 1964–1965 New York World's Fair. Including the two that Disney Legend Bob Gurr designed. Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• What Disney attractions were influenced by the Magic Skyway at the Ford Wonder Rotunda?  
• How many Ford Mustangs were sold at the Fair?
• Where could you go to see “Nuclear Fusion?”
•  What Hollywood star talked Walt into doing “it’s a small world?”
•  What Disney character was the victim of ball-bearing attacks? 

Are there any current or former theme parks, or attractions that you love? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 24: Disneyland’s First Four Years

Heya friends, I spent the summer of 2025 recharging my creative batteries, and working on side projects. One of which was to continue the podcast series featuring the missus. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, until we had a family emergency and had to stop working on it for 7 months. We are back on it through 2026. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast Manufacturing the Magic Ep 24: Disneyland’s First Four Years 

In the 24th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid discuss how Walt reacted in the late 1950s to the increasing competition his family fun park faced in the themed entertainment space. More to the point, which now-classic attractions were added to Disneyland during this era. Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• What did the Skyway look like when it first opened?
• Why did the Pack Mule & Stagecoach get a name change?
• How did the House of the Future come to be?
• What was the main difference between Disneyland’s Submarine Voyage and the sub ride over at Pacific Ocean Park?
• What does ALWEG stand for?

Are there any current or former theme parks, or attractions that you love? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 23: Looking Back at Pacific Ocean Park

Heya friends, I spent the summer of 2025 recharging my creative batteries, and working on side projects. One of which was to continue the podcast series featuring the missus. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, until we had a family emergency and had to stop working on it for 7 months. We are back on it through 2026. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast Manufacturing the Magic Ep 23: Looking Back at Pacific Ocean Park In the 23rd installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid head down to the water. To be specific, Santa Monica, California. Where CBS tried to get in the theme park business by radically reimagining a 30-year-old amusement pier. Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about:

• What was the original name of the first amusement pier in this location?
• What nearby amusement park did Abbott Kinney build?
• What was the first attraction on “The Million Dollar Pier?”
•  Who narrated POP’s 1958 guidebook, and made an appearance in the Park?
• What were the only two rides added to POP?

Are there any current or former theme parks, or attractions that you love? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 22: Disneyland’s Sister Parks – Part Two

Heya friends, I spent the summer of 2025 recharging my creative batteries, and working on side projects. One of which was to continue the podcast series featuring the missus. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, until we had a family emergency and had to stop working on it for 7 months. We are back on it through 2026. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast Manufacturing the Magic Ep 22: Disneyland’s sister parks – Part Two 

In the 22nd installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid continue their look at C.V. Wood (the original president of Disneyland). In particular, what happened when Wood decided to enter direct competition with Disney and subsequently established his own theme park design company? Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• Why was Pleasure Island called “The Disneyland of the Northeast?” 
• What became of that theme park’s mechanical Moby Dick?
• Which city in Arizona did C.W. Wood help develop?
• What were the Six Flags Over Texas upon the opening of that theme park? 
• What are they now? What was the first runaway mine train coaster? 

Are there any current or former theme parks, or attractions that you love? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 21: Disneyland’s sister parks – Part One

Heya friends, I spent the summer of 2025 recharging my creative batteries, and working on side projects. One of which was to continue the podcast series featuring the missus. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, until we had a family emergency and had to stop working on it for 7 months. We are back on it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast Manufacturing the Magic Ep 21: Disneyland’s sister parks – Part One In the 21st installment of this educational series, Shelly and Noe Valladolid talk about what happened when C.V. Wood (the original president of Disneyland) went off in 1956 and set up his own theme park design company. This episode takes a close look at Freedomland & Magic Mountain Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• How many theme park designers did C.V. Wood take with him when he exited Disneyland?
• What was the first theme park that Wood worked on after he stopped working for Walt?
• How was Freedomland’s opening day much like the one that Disneyland experienced back in 1955?
• What similarities did Magic Mountain have with Walt’s original family fun park?
• Who were some of the stars that performed at Freedomland? 

Are there any current or former theme parks, or attractions that you love? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 20: More tales from Disneyland’s early days

Heya friends, I spent the summer of 2025 recharging my creative batteries, and working on side projects. One of which was to continue the podcast series featuring the missus. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, until we had a family emergency and had to stop working on it for 7 months. We are back on it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast Manufacturing the Magic Ep 20: More tales from Disneyland’s early days

In the 20th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid talk about the land search for Walt’s family fun park. More to the point, how the Company settled on “Disneyland” as just the right name for this project. Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• Where Disneyland was initially supposed to be built?
• Which cities inspired Main Street, U.S.A., and the Park’s Opera House?
• Who said that “… Disneyland will not be a commercial venture”?
• What did the Stanford Research Institute discover?
• And what was Walt’s greatest fear in regards to this project?

Are there any current or former theme parks, or attractions that you love? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 19: Drawing up plans for Disneyland

Heya friends, I spent the summer of 2025 recharging my creative batteries, and working on side projects. One of which was to continue the podcast series featuring the missus. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, until we had a family emergency and had to stop working on it for 7 months. We are back on it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast Manufacturing the Magic Ep 19: Drawing up plans for Disneyland 

In the 19th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid talk about what happened in September of 1953 prior to Roy O. Disney’s fateful flight out to NYC. They also talk about how the material that Walt’s brother showed to executives at CBS, NBC & ABC to sell them on Disneyland was created. Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• How did Herbie Ryman’s “Lost Weekend” with Walt REALLY go down?
• Which “Lands” were initially proposed for Walt’s family fun park?
• How did Walt go about securing all of the funding that was needed to build Disneyland?
• Who were the Park’s original sponsors?
• How did C.V. Wood go about recruiting Disneyland’s participants?

Are there any current or former theme parks, or attractions that you love? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 18: How Walt riding the rails led to rides at Disneyland

Heya friends, I spent the summer of 2025 recharging my creative batteries, and working on side projects. One of which was to continue the podcast series featuring the missus. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, until we had a family emergency and had to stop working on it for 7 months. We are back on it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast Manufacturing the Magic Ep 18: How Walt riding the rails led to rides at Disneyland 

In the 18th installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid explore how Walt Disney’s lifelong fascination with trains impacted the development of his family fun park. Special guest Roger Colton sheds light on this specific aspect of Disneyland history. Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about:

• Why is Walt’s visit to the Chicago Railroad Fair in 1948 considered such an important moment in the development history of Disneyland?
• Which specific Disneyland attraction was inspired by Walt & Ward Kimball’s stop at Greenfield Village?
• How the miniature steam train Walt had set up in the backyard of his Holmby Hills home influenced the design of Disneyland?
• Which lands at Disneyland Park were directly influenced by what Walt & Ward saw at the Chicago Railroad Fair?
• How many steam trains did Disneyland Park have in its fleet?

Are there any current or former theme parks, or attractions that you love? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 17: Further Advancement in Animatronics

Heya friends, I spent the summer of 2025 recharging my creative batteries, and working on side projects. One of which was to continue the podcast series featuring the missus. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, until we had a family emergency and had to stop working on it for 7 months. We are back on it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast Manufacturing the Magic Ep 17: Further Advancement in Animatronics In the seventeenth installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid continue their look back at the history of themed entertainment. This time around, they're joined by veteran Imagineer Joe Lanzisero, who looks back at how AA figures were developed for the Disney Parks. Throughout today's episode, listeners will learn about: 

• How Electro the Robot wowed folks at the 1939 New York World's Fair
• How "Project Little Man" influenced the creation of "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln"
• Where Disneyland's animatronic graveyard is located
• How animatronics wizard Garner Holt got his start with Chuck E. Cheese
• Plus Joe's terrific new kids book, " Lemonade, the Yellow Bear" 

 

Are there any current or former theme parks, or attractions that you love? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 16: Early Automatons & Animatronics

Heya friends, I spent the summer of 2025 recharging my creative batteries, and working on side projects. One of which was to continue the podcast series featuring the missus. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, until we had a family emergency and had to stop working on it for 7 months. We are back on it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast Manufacturing the Magic Ep 16: Early Automatons & Animatronics 

In the sixteenth installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid continued their look back at the history of themed entertainment. This time around, they focus on some of the innovations Walt Disney helped introduce with his family fun park. Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• How far back in history do automatons go? 
• Who was the first creator to use pneumatics? 
• What sort of control systems were used originally at Disneyland Park? 
• When were Audio Animatronics first introduced? 
• PLUS Special Guest Joe Lanzisero’s experiences working with animatronics 

Are there any current or former theme parks, or attractions that you love? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 15: Old Mill Rides, Dark Rides & Simulators

Heya friends, here is the link to the next episode of the Pink Monorail Podcast. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, and we’re growing it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast: Manufacturing the Magic. Episode 15 The Mechanics of Magic - Old Mill Rides, Dark Rides & Simulators In the fifteenth installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe continue their look at the history of themed entertainment. This episode emphasizes how the industry changed after the First World War. Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• What are the specific components of an Old Mill Ride 
• What is typically found inside of a Tunnel of Love attraction (Besides kissing couples, I mean) 
• Where were the first of these attractions built? 
• When did old flight equipment become fodder for new theme park rides 
• What is considered the first true simulator ride

Do you have a favorite dark ride, or simulator that you love? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you enjoyed this blog, and would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 14: Roller Coasters

Heya friends, here is the link to the next episode of the Pink Monorail Podcast. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, and we’re growing it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast: Manufacturing the Magic. Episode 14 The Mechanics of Magic - Roller Coasters In the fourteenth installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe look at the history of this seminal thrill ride. Which started off as a strictly seasonal offering but eventually grew to become an amusement park mainstay. Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• What are the icy origins of the roller coaster
• What is an Americanski Gorsky
• What was the first looping coaster 
• When was the Golden Age of Roller Coaster in the United States
• What was unusual about the orientation of the seats on early coasters

Do you have a favorite roller coaster? Is there one that you had always wanted to ride? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 13: The Ferris Wheel & the Carousel

Heya friends, here is the link to the next episode of the Pink Monorail Podcast. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, and we’re growing it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast: Manufacturing the Magic. Episode 13 SPECIAL EPISODE The Mechanics of Magic In the thirteenth installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe talk about the origins of two theme park favorites; how the very first carousels & Ferris Wheels were developed & constructed. Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• What do knights have to do with the creation of the very first carousel
• What’s the main difference between a carousel and a merry-go-round 
• How did amusement park operators compel customers to ride the outermost ring of horses on a carousel (which traditionally did not move up & down like the inner circle of horses) 
• How can the very first Ferris Wheel be traced back to the Columbian Exposition 
• How were Pleasure Wheels (i.e., the predecessor of the Ferris Wheel) powered 

Carousels, merry-go-rounds, and Ferris Wheels have a literal timeless charm as they are among the oldest amusement rides in existence. Do you have a favorite version of the classic attractions? Are there any current or former theme parks, or attractions that you love? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 12: Knotts Berry Farm

Heya friends, here is the link to the next episode of the Pink Monorail Podcast. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, and we’re growing it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast: Manufacturing the Magic Episode 12 In the twelfth installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe Valladolid talk about how a small, roadside berry stand in Buena Park, CA eventually grew to become one of America’s most popular theme parks 

Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• How an abandoned berry plant found in a ditch became a thriving family business 
• How the tea room at Knott’s Berry Place eventually transformed into Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant 
• How was the piece for Knott’s “Ghost Town Village” acquired 
• Which piece of the Roaring ’20s is still in operation within the Park 
• How did Knott’s annual Halloween Haunt hard ticket get its start 

Knott's Berry Farm is beloved by locals, and visitors to Southern California. Their chicken dinners are amazing, and their rides are amazing. If you're ever in town I highly recommend it. Have you visited this park? Do you have any memories of it? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 11: Universal Studios Hollywood

Heya friends, here is the link to the next episode of the Pink Monorail Podcast. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, and we’re growing it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast: Manufacturing the Magic Episode 11 In the eleventh installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe talk about how a working ranch & farm in the San Fernando Valley eventually became one of Southern California’s most popular tourist attractions. 

Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• When was Universal City officially founded 
• Which Disney vet designed the Glamour Trams 
• Who built the 50-foot-tall King Kong animatronic for this theme park 
• On what floor of “Back to the Future: The Ride” was Steve Spielberg’s room located 
• Where does the simulated quake that Universal visitors experience during” Earthquake: The Big One” reportedly fall on the Richter scale 

My family, and I do not have a lot of fond memories of this park when I was growing up. It seemed like none of the attractions was ever in working order. Were you ever disappointed when visiting a theme park? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 10: Exploring Coney Island

Heya friends, here is the link to the next episode of the Pink Monorail Podcast. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, and we’re growing it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast: Manufacturing the Magic Episode 10 In the tenth installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe talk about the three great amusement parks that once occupied the southwesternmost section of Brooklyn. For this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• The rowdy early history of this island 
• The Elephantine Colossus and her sisters 
• How the arrest of Coney Island’s “boss” opened the door for Amusement Parks 
• Sea Lion Park, which eventually became Luna Park 
• The “Insanatorium” in Steeplechase Park 
• And the life and death of Topsy the elephant 

The stories of the early American amusement parks were wild. It sounded like visitors were treated to mental, and physical torture for the enjoyment of other guests. Nothing available today compared to the Insanitorium from a century ago. Would you have wanted to visit some of these outrageous parks? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 9: The rise of American amusement parks

Heya friends, here is the link to the next episode of the Pink Monorail Podcast. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, and we’re growing it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast: Manufacturing the Magic Episode 9 In the ninth installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe talk about how – as the 19th Century gave way to the 20th – amusement parks as we know them today began to pop up around the country Throughout this episode, listeners will learn about: 

How Lake Compouce sprang up from a failed explosives experiment 

How Disney’s Boardwalk Resort was originally supposed to feature a selection of classic theme park attractions 

How a young immigrant went from sleeping under an Atlantic City pier to owning it 

The precursor to Disney’s Ford Wonder Rotunda at the 1964 New York World’s Fair 

West Coast amusement parks in Venice and Long Beach, California 

We're now starting to get the framework down for the modern theme parks. There was a lot happening in the early 1900's that would evolve into some great experiences today. Do you have any amusement park stories from your town? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 8: Trolley Parks & Pleasure Gardens

Heya friends, here is the link to the next episode of the Pink Monorail Podcast. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, and we’re growing it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast: Manufacturing the Magic Episode 8 In the eighth installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe talk about how savvy rail & beer companies took advantage of trolley downtime to create new entertainment destinations at the end of the line. Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• How Tivoli Gardens directly influenced the design of Disneyland 
• A Ferris wheel from 1897 that is still operational today 
• Early animatronics in Jenny’s Whim 
• How the rise of the automobile signaled the death knell for trolley parks 

What's the oldest amusement ride that you have ever experienced? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!

Pink Monorail Manufacturing the Magic Ep 7: An explosion of expositions

Heya friends, here is the link to the next episode of the Pink Monorail Podcast. This podcast is designed for Disney fans, amusement park visitors, and history buffs. You’ll learn the roots of the multi-billion dollar theme park industry from ancient history all the way to today. The missus, and I worked hard putting these episodes together through 2024, and we’re growing it through 2025. Click on the picture or link to visit our streaming page hosted on Jim Hill Media. I hope you get a chance to listen, subscribe, and leave a review so we can climb the theme park podcast rankings!

The Pink Monorail Podcast: Manufacturing the Magic Episode 7 In the seventh installment of this educational series, Shelly & Noe talk about what happened in themed entertainment at the start of the 20th Century. How World’s Fairs continued to grow and develop Over the course of this episode, listeners will learn about: 

• The 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St Louis 
• In what ways did the Brussels International Exposition of 1910 influence the design of Main Street, USA
• How did the Exposition Universelle impact Disneyland Paris 
• Where was the other “White City” built 
• Why was the Panama-California Exposition considered a rogue event 

The late 1800's and early 1900's were the golden age of expositions. They would set a template that would be copied by early amusement parks, and eventually theme parks. Have you visited any of the international theme parks? I’d like to hear about it in the comments section. As always if you would like to sponsor me please visit my Patreon page and consider donating each month, even as little as $1 would help make better blogs and even podcasts!