September 22, 2026 update: After a 34-year career as a theme park journalist, I am ending my regular, weekly articles. (I may emerge from my retirement stupor to pen a special story every now and again. If you choose to subscribe, I might occasionally pop into your email inbox.) Much of the information below the divide was relevant when I was posting weekly. For those who may be interested, I’m leaving the info, so you can get a sense of what my Substack was about.
Do you love theme parks? Me too. And amusement parks (which are distinct from theme parks), roller coasters and thrill rides, themed attractions, water parks, decked-out cruise ships, and anything else that falls under the broad category of themed entertainment. Let’s geek out together, whaddya say?
Subscribe and once (sometimes twice) a week you’ll find a missive from me in your inbox. There will be ride reviews, plenty of news, an occasional deep dive into an attractions-related topic, tales of my park adventures, recommendations, anecdotes, and other musings. I’ll inject some humor and keep things light (this is an industry about the pursuit of fun after all) while keeping you informed and entertained.
Sure, I’ll be sharing plenty of news and content about the Disney parks. And Universal as well. However, I’m crazy about virtually all parks and attractions. So expect articles about SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Dollywood, Six Flags, Legoland, and many others–including some you may not have heard much about, but really should discover. Places such as Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park at Coney Island in New York, Santa’s Village in New Hampshire, Silver Dollar City in Missouri, or tiny Quassy (below), a charming trolley park in Connecticut. (What‘s a trolley park, you ask? That would make a great About Theme Parks article.)
I’ll also be writing about food at the parks, because if there’s one thing I like almost as much as the first drop on a great coaster, it’s the first bite of an epic dish.
There are no ads on About Theme Parks, nor are there attempts at clickbait gotchas or SEO pandering. Instead of writing for algorithms or editors, I write for subscribers.
About Arthur
I’ve been at this for more than three decades, and I’ve been having a ball visiting parks in Orlando, Southern California, countless other places in the U.S., and elsewhere around the globe. I was there for the grand opening of Shanghai Disneyland, for example. (And, OMG, Pirates of the Caribbean Battle for the Sunken Treasure is extraordinary.)
My articles appeared regularly in USA Today for many years, and I’ve written for a number of other publications and outlets including Vox Media, the New York Post, Thrillist, The Boston Globe, The Denver Post, and Paste Magazine. I’ve also been the theme parks “expert” at the top-10 online travel site, TripSavvy, as well as the theme parks “guide” at its predecessor, About.com, for a total of 20 years. I report about the business side of the industry for Funworld, the magazine that the trade association, IAAPA, publishes.
Reporters and producers frequently seek my expertise and opinions about the amusement industry, and I have been cited in many national publications and newscasts. I have been featured on CBS This Morning, CBS Sunday Morning, CNBC, and The History Channel, as well as on numerous radio shows. I am also a frequent guest on many podcasts.
Savannah College of Art and Design invited me to speak to the students and faculty of its School of Entertainment Arts, and Walt Disney Imagineering invited me to address its creative professionals.
Email Arthur at arthursaboutthemeparks@substack.com.
