Lowdown on the Plus-Up - A Theme Park Podcast
@lowdown-plus-up.bsky.social
We take on all aspects of theme parks - Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, 6 Flags - discussing them in historical context and then finding ways, to quote Walt Disney, to "plus them up!" https://www.lowdown-plus-up.com
Join us for all things Universal as The Lowdown on the Plus-Up pays tribute to the late Jay Stein.
What a story! What a life!
Link in the thread.
#UniversalStudios #JayStein
What a story! What a life!
Link in the thread.
#UniversalStudios #JayStein
November 28, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Join us for all things Universal as The Lowdown on the Plus-Up pays tribute to the late Jay Stein.
What a story! What a life!
Link in the thread.
#UniversalStudios #JayStein
What a story! What a life!
Link in the thread.
#UniversalStudios #JayStein
This week we salute Jay Stein on The Lowdown on the Plus-Up. He passed away on November 5th at the age of 88.
If Walt Disney invented the American theme park, Jay Stein modernized it. While other companies chase Disney, Disney seems to be chasing the Universal that Jay built.
Link in the thread.
If Walt Disney invented the American theme park, Jay Stein modernized it. While other companies chase Disney, Disney seems to be chasing the Universal that Jay built.
Link in the thread.
November 24, 2025 at 3:33 PM
This week we salute Jay Stein on The Lowdown on the Plus-Up. He passed away on November 5th at the age of 88.
If Walt Disney invented the American theme park, Jay Stein modernized it. While other companies chase Disney, Disney seems to be chasing the Universal that Jay built.
Link in the thread.
If Walt Disney invented the American theme park, Jay Stein modernized it. While other companies chase Disney, Disney seems to be chasing the Universal that Jay built.
Link in the thread.
Jay Stein - Universal Theme Parks First Visionary: Dead at 87.
The news is trickling in, but it looks like Jay Stein, the most important person in theme parks after Walt Disney, has passed away.
More in the thread...
The news is trickling in, but it looks like Jay Stein, the most important person in theme parks after Walt Disney, has passed away.
More in the thread...
November 7, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Jay Stein - Universal Theme Parks First Visionary: Dead at 87.
The news is trickling in, but it looks like Jay Stein, the most important person in theme parks after Walt Disney, has passed away.
More in the thread...
The news is trickling in, but it looks like Jay Stein, the most important person in theme parks after Walt Disney, has passed away.
More in the thread...
Corrections from recent episodes:
Sinister Seymour wasn't in a 3 Stooges movie. He was a voice for "The New 3 Stooges" cartoon.
Wolfman Jack grew up in Brooklyn, not Jersey.
Irving Kirschner wasn't a producer of "Star Wars". Kirschner directed "The Empire Strikes Back."
More in thread...
Sinister Seymour wasn't in a 3 Stooges movie. He was a voice for "The New 3 Stooges" cartoon.
Wolfman Jack grew up in Brooklyn, not Jersey.
Irving Kirschner wasn't a producer of "Star Wars". Kirschner directed "The Empire Strikes Back."
More in thread...
October 31, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Corrections from recent episodes:
Sinister Seymour wasn't in a 3 Stooges movie. He was a voice for "The New 3 Stooges" cartoon.
Wolfman Jack grew up in Brooklyn, not Jersey.
Irving Kirschner wasn't a producer of "Star Wars". Kirschner directed "The Empire Strikes Back."
More in thread...
Sinister Seymour wasn't in a 3 Stooges movie. He was a voice for "The New 3 Stooges" cartoon.
Wolfman Jack grew up in Brooklyn, not Jersey.
Irving Kirschner wasn't a producer of "Star Wars". Kirschner directed "The Empire Strikes Back."
More in thread...
Before Elvira was the Queen of them all, Vampira!
We couldn't do a show about Knott's Scary Farm without talking about her. Here's a little taste of her TV show (in the comments).
It's the newest Lowdown on the Plus-Up podcast: Knott's Scary Farm!
#KnottsScaryFarm #Vampira
We couldn't do a show about Knott's Scary Farm without talking about her. Here's a little taste of her TV show (in the comments).
It's the newest Lowdown on the Plus-Up podcast: Knott's Scary Farm!
#KnottsScaryFarm #Vampira
October 30, 2025 at 12:43 AM
Before Elvira was the Queen of them all, Vampira!
We couldn't do a show about Knott's Scary Farm without talking about her. Here's a little taste of her TV show (in the comments).
It's the newest Lowdown on the Plus-Up podcast: Knott's Scary Farm!
#KnottsScaryFarm #Vampira
We couldn't do a show about Knott's Scary Farm without talking about her. Here's a little taste of her TV show (in the comments).
It's the newest Lowdown on the Plus-Up podcast: Knott's Scary Farm!
#KnottsScaryFarm #Vampira
Before Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, before Oogie Boogie Bash and Mickey’s Not So Scary, before Six Flags’ Fright Fest there was Knott’s Scary Farm.
Join us as Pete and Kelly explore the wild and wonderful history of the Godfather of Theme Park Haunts!
Link in the thread. #KnottsScaryFarm
Join us as Pete and Kelly explore the wild and wonderful history of the Godfather of Theme Park Haunts!
Link in the thread. #KnottsScaryFarm
October 28, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Before Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, before Oogie Boogie Bash and Mickey’s Not So Scary, before Six Flags’ Fright Fest there was Knott’s Scary Farm.
Join us as Pete and Kelly explore the wild and wonderful history of the Godfather of Theme Park Haunts!
Link in the thread. #KnottsScaryFarm
Join us as Pete and Kelly explore the wild and wonderful history of the Godfather of Theme Park Haunts!
Link in the thread. #KnottsScaryFarm
Last time on The Lowdown on the Plus-Up we invented a theme park based on Ray Bradbury's writings. This week, we invited a Ray Bradbury expert to tell us the reality of the relationship between the great writer and theme parks, Walt Disney, and lots more!
Dr. Phil Nichols joins us!
Link below...
Dr. Phil Nichols joins us!
Link below...
October 21, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Last time on The Lowdown on the Plus-Up we invented a theme park based on Ray Bradbury's writings. This week, we invited a Ray Bradbury expert to tell us the reality of the relationship between the great writer and theme parks, Walt Disney, and lots more!
Dr. Phil Nichols joins us!
Link below...
Dr. Phil Nichols joins us!
Link below...
With AWS knocking out half the internet earlier, I thought I'd hit this again...
In 1937 Orson Welles read a poem live on the radio, Though few people recall the event now, it changed everything.
My piece on "The Fall of the City."
Link in the thread...
#OrsonWelles
#CitizenKane
#WaroftheWorlds
In 1937 Orson Welles read a poem live on the radio, Though few people recall the event now, it changed everything.
My piece on "The Fall of the City."
Link in the thread...
#OrsonWelles
#CitizenKane
#WaroftheWorlds
October 20, 2025 at 9:15 PM
With AWS knocking out half the internet earlier, I thought I'd hit this again...
In 1937 Orson Welles read a poem live on the radio, Though few people recall the event now, it changed everything.
My piece on "The Fall of the City."
Link in the thread...
#OrsonWelles
#CitizenKane
#WaroftheWorlds
In 1937 Orson Welles read a poem live on the radio, Though few people recall the event now, it changed everything.
My piece on "The Fall of the City."
Link in the thread...
#OrsonWelles
#CitizenKane
#WaroftheWorlds
Last time on The Lowdown on the Plus-Up we invented a theme park based on Ray Bradbury's writings. This week, we invited a Ray Bradbury expert to tell us the reality of the relationship between the great writer and theme parks, Walt Disney, and lots more!
Dr. Phil Nichols joins us!
Link below...
Dr. Phil Nichols joins us!
Link below...
October 20, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Last time on The Lowdown on the Plus-Up we invented a theme park based on Ray Bradbury's writings. This week, we invited a Ray Bradbury expert to tell us the reality of the relationship between the great writer and theme parks, Walt Disney, and lots more!
Dr. Phil Nichols joins us!
Link below...
Dr. Phil Nichols joins us!
Link below...
In 1937 Orson Welles read a poem live on the radio, under extremely strange circumstances.
Though few people recall the event now, it changed everything.
My piece for Fanfare on "The Fall of the City."
Link in the thread...
#OrsonWelles
#CitizenKane
#WaroftheWorlds
Though few people recall the event now, it changed everything.
My piece for Fanfare on "The Fall of the City."
Link in the thread...
#OrsonWelles
#CitizenKane
#WaroftheWorlds
October 19, 2025 at 11:46 PM
In 1937 Orson Welles read a poem live on the radio, under extremely strange circumstances.
Though few people recall the event now, it changed everything.
My piece for Fanfare on "The Fall of the City."
Link in the thread...
#OrsonWelles
#CitizenKane
#WaroftheWorlds
Though few people recall the event now, it changed everything.
My piece for Fanfare on "The Fall of the City."
Link in the thread...
#OrsonWelles
#CitizenKane
#WaroftheWorlds
A couple of errata for this ep of The Lowdown on the Plus-Up:
Bradbury's book about the making of "Moby-Dick" is "Green Shadows, White Whale."
We mispronounced an Imagineer's name; it's Joe LanZISero.)
The story that made Marta Becket famous was in National Geographic, not Time or Life.
Mea Culpa.
Bradbury's book about the making of "Moby-Dick" is "Green Shadows, White Whale."
We mispronounced an Imagineer's name; it's Joe LanZISero.)
The story that made Marta Becket famous was in National Geographic, not Time or Life.
Mea Culpa.
October 9, 2025 at 2:38 PM
A couple of errata for this ep of The Lowdown on the Plus-Up:
Bradbury's book about the making of "Moby-Dick" is "Green Shadows, White Whale."
We mispronounced an Imagineer's name; it's Joe LanZISero.)
The story that made Marta Becket famous was in National Geographic, not Time or Life.
Mea Culpa.
Bradbury's book about the making of "Moby-Dick" is "Green Shadows, White Whale."
We mispronounced an Imagineer's name; it's Joe LanZISero.)
The story that made Marta Becket famous was in National Geographic, not Time or Life.
Mea Culpa.
We talk about Marta Becket quite a bit in our new episode: Here's Ray Bradbury talking about her, too!
youtu.be/P869Tf-h9m0...
Listen to the new Lowdown on the Plus-Up, Ray Bradbury’s Theme Park — The Great Electric Time Maze wherever you get your podcasts! #Disney #RayBradbury #ThemePark #EPCOT
youtu.be/P869Tf-h9m0...
Listen to the new Lowdown on the Plus-Up, Ray Bradbury’s Theme Park — The Great Electric Time Maze wherever you get your podcasts! #Disney #RayBradbury #ThemePark #EPCOT
October 8, 2025 at 11:52 PM
We talk about Marta Becket quite a bit in our new episode: Here's Ray Bradbury talking about her, too!
youtu.be/P869Tf-h9m0...
Listen to the new Lowdown on the Plus-Up, Ray Bradbury’s Theme Park — The Great Electric Time Maze wherever you get your podcasts! #Disney #RayBradbury #ThemePark #EPCOT
youtu.be/P869Tf-h9m0...
Listen to the new Lowdown on the Plus-Up, Ray Bradbury’s Theme Park — The Great Electric Time Maze wherever you get your podcasts! #Disney #RayBradbury #ThemePark #EPCOT
Lowdown on the Plus-Up presents: Ray Bradbury's Theme Park - The Great Electric Time Maze
lowdown-plus-up.com/
lowdown-plus-up.com/
October 5, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Lowdown on the Plus-Up presents: Ray Bradbury's Theme Park - The Great Electric Time Maze
lowdown-plus-up.com/
lowdown-plus-up.com/
Disney has been weirdly obsessed with the Alien franchise since the '80s.
Now with Alien: Earth, they have finally merged with the Xenomorph.
Was it worth it?
boardwalktimes.net/a...
#Alien
#Disney
Now with Alien: Earth, they have finally merged with the Xenomorph.
Was it worth it?
boardwalktimes.net/a...
#Alien
#Disney
September 17, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Disney has been weirdly obsessed with the Alien franchise since the '80s.
Now with Alien: Earth, they have finally merged with the Xenomorph.
Was it worth it?
boardwalktimes.net/a...
#Alien
#Disney
Now with Alien: Earth, they have finally merged with the Xenomorph.
Was it worth it?
boardwalktimes.net/a...
#Alien
#Disney
We were surprised to see the great Jeri Taylor's face during the "In Memoriam" section of the Emmys.
An important Star Trek writer who wrote one of TNG's greatest episodes, "The Drumhead" as well as creating the Cardassians and presiding over Voyagers best years.
#StarTrek
lowdown-plus-up.com/
An important Star Trek writer who wrote one of TNG's greatest episodes, "The Drumhead" as well as creating the Cardassians and presiding over Voyagers best years.
#StarTrek
lowdown-plus-up.com/
September 15, 2025 at 2:35 PM
We were surprised to see the great Jeri Taylor's face during the "In Memoriam" section of the Emmys.
An important Star Trek writer who wrote one of TNG's greatest episodes, "The Drumhead" as well as creating the Cardassians and presiding over Voyagers best years.
#StarTrek
lowdown-plus-up.com/
An important Star Trek writer who wrote one of TNG's greatest episodes, "The Drumhead" as well as creating the Cardassians and presiding over Voyagers best years.
#StarTrek
lowdown-plus-up.com/
Today would've been the 105th birthday of the greatest of all Disneylanders, Wally Boag.
If you loved the Golden Horseshoe Review, or The Enchanted Tiki Room, or gunfights in Frontierland; you loved Wally.
Lots about him and his contributions on our episode: Calamity Boag!
lowdown-plus-up.com/...
If you loved the Golden Horseshoe Review, or The Enchanted Tiki Room, or gunfights in Frontierland; you loved Wally.
Lots about him and his contributions on our episode: Calamity Boag!
lowdown-plus-up.com/...
September 13, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Today would've been the 105th birthday of the greatest of all Disneylanders, Wally Boag.
If you loved the Golden Horseshoe Review, or The Enchanted Tiki Room, or gunfights in Frontierland; you loved Wally.
Lots about him and his contributions on our episode: Calamity Boag!
lowdown-plus-up.com/...
If you loved the Golden Horseshoe Review, or The Enchanted Tiki Room, or gunfights in Frontierland; you loved Wally.
Lots about him and his contributions on our episode: Calamity Boag!
lowdown-plus-up.com/...
2 of our favorite things in the world are Star Trek and Doctor Who. Did you know about the very subtle crossovers between the 2 this year?
The Doctor told Belinda that he ought to "go visit" the Star Trek Universe....
More Star Trek goodness on last week's episode!
boardwalktimes.net/t...
The Doctor told Belinda that he ought to "go visit" the Star Trek Universe....
More Star Trek goodness on last week's episode!
boardwalktimes.net/t...
September 11, 2025 at 8:53 PM
2 of our favorite things in the world are Star Trek and Doctor Who. Did you know about the very subtle crossovers between the 2 this year?
The Doctor told Belinda that he ought to "go visit" the Star Trek Universe....
More Star Trek goodness on last week's episode!
boardwalktimes.net/t...
The Doctor told Belinda that he ought to "go visit" the Star Trek Universe....
More Star Trek goodness on last week's episode!
boardwalktimes.net/t...
When we did our last episode, it hadn't even really occurred to us that we were approaching Star Trek Day!
But hey, synchronicity, right?!
Check it out.
boardwalktimes.net/t...
#StarTrek
But hey, synchronicity, right?!
Check it out.
boardwalktimes.net/t...
#StarTrek
September 9, 2025 at 7:23 PM
When we did our last episode, it hadn't even really occurred to us that we were approaching Star Trek Day!
But hey, synchronicity, right?!
Check it out.
boardwalktimes.net/t...
#StarTrek
But hey, synchronicity, right?!
Check it out.
boardwalktimes.net/t...
#StarTrek
Kelly's in the engine room of The Enterprise for our new episode: Star Trek - Roddenberry's Dream Escapes the Screen!
Join us!
boardwalktimes.net/t...
Join us!
boardwalktimes.net/t...
September 3, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Kelly's in the engine room of The Enterprise for our new episode: Star Trek - Roddenberry's Dream Escapes the Screen!
Join us!
boardwalktimes.net/t...
Join us!
boardwalktimes.net/t...
September 3, 2025 at 2:06 AM
Happy Labor Day!
We have a new episode in the pipeline and it's related to this picture.
lowdown-plus-up.com/
#startrek
We have a new episode in the pipeline and it's related to this picture.
lowdown-plus-up.com/
#startrek
September 1, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Happy Labor Day!
We have a new episode in the pipeline and it's related to this picture.
lowdown-plus-up.com/
#startrek
We have a new episode in the pipeline and it's related to this picture.
lowdown-plus-up.com/
#startrek
Kelly wrote this article about the complicated and troubling history of the only song in Disney's "The Lion King" to originate on the African continent, and how Lebo M paid tribute to it.
boardwalktimes.net/d...
#Disney
#LionKing
boardwalktimes.net/d...
#Disney
#LionKing
August 26, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Kelly wrote this article about the complicated and troubling history of the only song in Disney's "The Lion King" to originate on the African continent, and how Lebo M paid tribute to it.
boardwalktimes.net/d...
#Disney
#LionKing
boardwalktimes.net/d...
#Disney
#LionKing
We're back! It's part 2 of our look at The Jungle Cruise at DIsneyland!
Join us for Jungle Cruise: Evolution - The Indy Years!
boardwalktimes.net/t...
#Disneyland
Join us for Jungle Cruise: Evolution - The Indy Years!
boardwalktimes.net/t...
#Disneyland
August 14, 2025 at 5:35 PM
We're back! It's part 2 of our look at The Jungle Cruise at DIsneyland!
Join us for Jungle Cruise: Evolution - The Indy Years!
boardwalktimes.net/t...
#Disneyland
Join us for Jungle Cruise: Evolution - The Indy Years!
boardwalktimes.net/t...
#Disneyland
Is there any better tribute the the magical world of Disneyland than this room-sized model at the Walt Disney Family Museum, "The Disneyland of Walt's Imagination"?
We think not.
Happy 70th Birthday Disneyland!
We think not.
Happy 70th Birthday Disneyland!
July 18, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Is there any better tribute the the magical world of Disneyland than this room-sized model at the Walt Disney Family Museum, "The Disneyland of Walt's Imagination"?
We think not.
Happy 70th Birthday Disneyland!
We think not.
Happy 70th Birthday Disneyland!
You may know that Kelly had surgery for cancer last year. Now he's raising money for the American Cancer Society and will be running for the ACS team at the Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon.
If you'd care to donate to a very good cause, here's the link: main.acsevents.org/g...
Much appreciated.
If you'd care to donate to a very good cause, here's the link: main.acsevents.org/g...
Much appreciated.
July 16, 2025 at 2:11 AM
You may know that Kelly had surgery for cancer last year. Now he's raising money for the American Cancer Society and will be running for the ACS team at the Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon.
If you'd care to donate to a very good cause, here's the link: main.acsevents.org/g...
Much appreciated.
If you'd care to donate to a very good cause, here's the link: main.acsevents.org/g...
Much appreciated.