In this episode, Adam Sandy and Mark Lofthouse sit down with Andy Westfall, Senior Director of Strategic Planning and Development at Herschend Family Entertainment to explore the creative process behind some of the industry’s most beloved parks, including Dollywood and Silver Dollar City. Andy reveals the secrets to crafting authentic, emotionally engaging experiences, with a focus on the stunning Wildwood Grove at Dollywood.
Adam and Mark say, “We’re thrilled to bring you this episode, offering a genuine look at the passion driving our work—you’ll even catch a blooper that made it into the final cut! Tune in and join us as we pull back the curtain on what it takes to create magic in the world of theme parks.”
Dollywood has a reputation for being the world’s friendliest theme park. In May 2024, Eugene Naughton, president of Dollywood Parks, brought blooloop up to date on the the resort’s ambitious development plans.
The Theme Park Academy
Produced in partnership with blooloop, Theme Park Academy is a new podcast which looks behind the scenes at the theme park business.
Hosted by industry insiders Mark Lofthouse (senior manager of business development at RWS Global) and Adam Sandy (roller coaster sales and marketing director at Zamperla), Theme Park Academy is a go-to source for everything related to the business side of theme parks and themed attractions.
The first episode introduced the podcast and took a look at trends in the industry. In the second episode Mark and Adam were joined by Dominic Wray, the managing director of Blackgang Chine, to delve into the world of nostalgia.
Checkout all podcast episodes here.
