Can you please teach our AI how to write a YouTube video essay?

For those people keeping score: Updating a classic theme park attraction is bad, because nostalgia is important. A song in a movie that (appears to) return to a character's previously established backstory is bad, because nostalgia is for losers.

The greatest mystery of the modern era has been solved

Spending the day at the Sausalito Cetacean Institute. On the lookout for Humpback Whales

Celebrating the changes to the Carousel of Progress the way Walt would have wanted, taking the train.

Hey, if anybody needs help covering Universal Kids Resort when it opens, I am an available theme park journalist with two kids under 10.

I am all for Carousel of Progress updating, but man, it is going to be WEIRD for it to open in the 1960s

The only group on the list that actually qualified as "iconic"

Good friends, cold beer, an evening fire pit, and my new Disneyland bucket hat. Welcome to summer.

It's kinda wild that my return came in the form of photography and not words, but it's good to be back.

The Disney Dance Party at DCA included music from Kpop Demon Hunters and the Trolls franchise and it strikes me what a position Disney is in that they can do that but if somebody played "Let it Go" during a Universal Studios Dance Party there would be riots.

"Two - Whenever Grogu is not on screen, all the engineers should be pressing the 'Where's Grogu?' button."

Been through all the new planets of Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run. A lot of fun, more interactive. Engineers even have their own dedicated "Grogu button" that puts him on screen every time you press it.

New Logo, and a new beginning of sorts for me. I'm here on temporary assignment for @laughingplace.com to cover KIDS RULE SUMMER at Disneyland Let's GOOOOO

Oh man, look at the line outside the Toy Story Parking Lot at 6:45am. Maybe it is a "fan-favorite landmark"

Heading to the office

Goodbye Park Hopping limits at Disneyland Resort. Beginning June 9 Park Hopping guests will be able to move between parks before 11 am.

It's a week of pretending like I'm working again. (I am, a little)

Hmmm... somebody I know predicted that was going to happen. I wonder who it was... themeparkdirk.substack.com/p/the-game-o... Follow my Substack for more correct answers about the theme park industry.

This literally used to be my job, and while being unemployed sucks pretty bad, the bright side is I don't have to do this anymore.

I took a look at the potential candidates for the job of President of Walt Disney World. No, I didn't put my name on this list (but if they want me, I'm available) The Game of Walt Disney World's Throne open.substack.com/pub/themepar...

Vahle stepping down shouldn't be that big a surprise. Whether or not he wanted the Disney Experiences job, the fact that he didn't get it means he's reached the end of his road at Disney.

Been working on cleaning up my borderline hoarder mom's house. Came across some old cassette tapes, many unlabeled. Asked if she still had a cassette player around to see what's on them. She dug up this...

So far, the biggest hurdle to continuing to cover the theme park industry professionally is that every publication that already does so already has people doing it. I know those people, many of them are friends of mine, and they are, almost without exception, awesome.

Getting laid off has been a wild ride because not having a daily job is strange, and looking for work is incredibly stressful.

A new piece on Subtack on the two closures announced today, which I have very different feelings about. A Tale Of Two Theme Park Closures open.substack.com/pub/themepar...

Farewell, eventually, to the best theme park restaurant, which I agree is the best theme park restaurant. authory.com/app/content/...

Invited to check out a special preview of #TheMandalorianAndGrogu    This is the Way to spend #MayThe4th

The truth, it burns.

Look, it's hard enough trying to find work as it is. Can we stop laying off literally everybody else to make the job market even more of a nightmare????? Apologies if my gallows humor doesn't land. My condolences to everybody covering gaming at the AV Club.

"Why are all the journalists laid off now" this is why. Pretty simple.

I hadn't written anything in a while and was getting stir crazy, so I set up a Substack to write about today's big change at Disneyland and why I am both excited and sad. If you like this, please read/share and let me know, and I'll keep doing it. themeparkdirk.substack.com/p/eulogy-for...

have no idea if my high school humanities teacher is still alive, but I'm fairly certain if she reads this it will kill her

The correct answer is Team Mickey Ice Cream Sandwich

Today was a step in the right direction, and a reminder that you can accomplish a lot simply by not being an asshole

Access to the sum of all human knowledge, and it doesn't know the man's been dead since I was 13

Find somebody who loves you the way Disney loves Yvette Nicole Brown

Still a little bummed it's all covers, but a solid set

Wait, we're not just getting "Han Solo" We're getting "Dancing Kinnect Han Solo?" SWEET

Thank you all for your kind words, signal boots, and new followers. Exactly what the future holds for me is obviously unclear, but I already have a couple of potential leads, and I will obviously still be here (probably more than ever) with theme park news and snark.

The irony that I was starting to write a story about Disney's layoffs, which will now forever go unfinished, when I got the news

Anyway, so here's my last theme park story for CinemaBlend, with a not-at-all sensationalized take on the Epic Universe news. www.cinemablend.com/theme-parks/...

In a move that is unfortunate, though not entirely unexpected, I was just let go from CinemaBlend. If you have a publication or website that covers the theme park industry, or if you want to START covering them (I've launched the section before), I'm open to work.

DAMMIT JOSH!

"There was an accident. About an hour ago, a small jet went down inside New York City. The President was on board."

The Chris Prattening of Theme Park Music

The good news is somebody got him his cup of coffee. The bad news the coffee is in Florida.

The Wrap's story on Avatar suggests the planned Disneyland Resort expansion may not happen, and honestly, I wouldn't hate it. www.cinemablend.com/theme-parks/...