In journalism, an entrepreneurial spirit can transform a personal passion into a niche beat. As more reporters go independent, some have built audiences around specialized interests like theme parks, capitalizing on big stories like the $7 billion opening of Epic Universe this summer.
To see how journalists can turn a topic of interest into a beat, the Institute spoke with two leading theme park journalists, Robert Niles and Carlye Wisel.
Niles runs the Theme Park Insider, a digital guide to the world’s top theme parks. He also regularly contributes to a theme park column for the Orange County Register.
Wisel is a theme park journalist and travel writer whose work has appeared in Vanity Fair, GQ, The New York Times, and other outlets. She also hosts the Very Amusing Podcast, which focuses on all things theme parks.
Here are their tips for carving out this kind of beat.
This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
For those unfamiliar, what is theme park journalism, and how does it fit into the larger media landscape?
Wisel: I’ve covered theme parks for over a decade now. Essentially, I’m a travel journalist whose beat is themed destinations. My work consists of anything from attending a stranger’s Walt Disney World wedding to covering park openings to interviewing John Stamos about his theme park fandom on my podcast, Very Amusing.
It may sound niche, but theme park coverage folds into nearly all other news topics: Entertainment, technology, business, finance, government, and even public health, in regards to monitoring wastewater levels when Walt Disney World’s theme parks were reopening during the pandemic. It has afforded me the opportunity to report many different kinds of stories, despite all being tied to the same location.
At the end of the day, whether I’m yelling into my phone about a soft pretzel or interviewing an engineer on how a new patented ride technology was created, I’m reporting on one of the biggest corporations in the world, and the layers within that remain endlessly fascinating to me.
Why are we seeing a surge of interest in theme park coverage now?
Niles: Disney and Universal are investing billions of dollars in their parks and in expanding them around the world. Disney just announced an expansion to Abu Dhabi, while Universal is building in the UK.
Domestically, the industry has seen acceleration in M&A activity, with Six Flags and Cedar Fair merging under the Six Flags banner, and privately-held Herschend acquiring the Palace Entertainment chain from Parques Reunidos. So there’s a lot happening on this beat.
Of course, it’s also fun. While there is much financial, personnel, and safety news to report, reviewing a new roller coaster or theme park land are perks that few other beats in the field can match.
Wisel: Social media has laid the groundwork for so many more voices to participate in discussions of all kinds of news, while also allowing the audience to also be more active participants.
Years ago, I’d write about a new theme park hotel for a travel magazine and the comments would live on the website or Facebook. Now, not only are more people organically originating theme park-related stories, but the technological ability allowing those posts to be remixed and reposted — or comments to be easily replied to with videos — means each discussion can offer multiple touchpoints, increasing the longevity of a single news item.
My podcast’s hotline, 747-CHURROS (a real number!) offers listeners the opportunity to call in and comment or ask questions about stories we’ve told on air. That kind of back-and-forth is so much more intimate and involved than theme park discussions ever were before.
We’re also seeing an absolute boom of growth at the moment. The Walt Disney Company has invested billions into new themed experiences, Universal just opened Orlando’s first new theme park in over 25 years, and Disney Cruise Line is launching an unprecedented number of cruise ships. There is so much more to talk about, and so many more ways to do it.
What opportunities exist for journalists to build a career on this beat and how can someone start pitching these kinds of stories?
Wisel: The possibilities are endless, but one must be hyper-focused on what interests them about themed destinations. Really homing in on what excites you about Walt Disney World — and what has not yet been done — will often yield the most success.
More often than not, my colleagues and I will publish wildly different stories about the same subject. The more granular you can get about what interests you, about what gives you that “huh” moment where your journalist brain wants to dive in deeper, the better.
Also, don’t be afraid to tackle something that seems slightly outside your wheelhouse! The first half of my career was solely focused on Disney and Universal theme parks, but as the cruise industry continues to grow, I have expanded to cover that in depth and I absolutely love it.
Niles: With influencers crowding this space, the theme park beat is becoming a tough one in which to have new voices heard. The industry is top-heavy, meaning that there are no opportunities for locally-focused coverage in most communities.
That said, with expansion — especially into markets such as the Middle East — there are abundant opportunities for journalists based in those regions to get started on this beat.
How can journalists provide this type of coverage on a limited newsroom or independent budget?
Niles: You pretty much have to live near a major industry community to cover this beat, unless you have a robust travel budget. That means living in Southern California or Orlando in the U.S.
But if you do, annual passes to the parks are a relatively inexpensive investment that will allow you plenty of first-hand reporting opportunities. Attending industry events such as the IAAPA Expo in Orlando also provide countless opportunities for networking with potential sources.
Add in self-training on examining local government planning and building documents, and you will have almost all of what you need to get started.
Wisel: I’ve only ever been freelance in this capacity, but if I was attempting to cover theme parks from within a newsroom, I’d push for service-y social coverage — people will always need help visiting these destinations because there is so much to know!! — and SEO. Theme parks can be some of the trickiest travel destinations to navigate, so there is an unlimited need for advice, guidance and help.
What can theme park journalism tell us about how people want to experience news and storytelling today?
Niles: Across all beats, people crave expertise. Millions of people visit these parks each year, providing them with experience and insight that a reporter on this beat must exceed.
It’s not hard to get people to pay attention to theme park stories. That allows you to present with more depth and detail than audiences are willing to sit for on other beats. If you can immerse yourself in this industry, getting to know the insiders while retaining the perspective to advocate for consumers, you can find abundant storytelling opportunities on this beat.
Wisel: Theme park journalism has taught me there is no “right” way to tell a story. The basics of journalism serve as the foundation to everything I do, even if it doesn’t look like it on the surface. If I yell into my phone about Disney Parks’ skip-the-line passes or ticket pricing more often than I sit down to file a magazine story, nothing is done without the precision and execution of a journalist.
Same goes for perspective. I did very well as a freelancer, but I really found success by infusing my own voice into what I do, as much as it bends the “rules” for reporting. Leaning into my bold opinions and embracing social media very early in my career has led me down a path I wouldn’t have anticipated, which is building a community of like-minded friends who tune in for more than just “theme park news”. Next year, we’re launching our first-ever podcast group trip — Amuse-a-Palooza 2026!