Those Happy Places

Join two hosts as they unravel the fascinating connection between immersive theater and theme parks. They explore whether theme parks can truly be classified as immersive theater, highlighting iconic experiences like Sleep No More and Galaxy's Edge. The discussion dives into the role of audience participation and storytelling in attractions, showcasing unique interactive events like Ghost Town Alive. With insights into the evolution of engagement in performance art, this episode reveals the captivating blend of entertainment realms.

In this collaborative episode, join Buddy and Alice as they attempt to answer the question of just who we can consider the “Author” of our favorite theme parks, rides, and attractions. What can we learn from the history of Film, Television, and Video Games? Where does the identity of each major Theme Park company come from? Can any individual truly be said to be the direct architect of a themed attraction?Content Warning: This Episode contains a discussion about the transphobic remarks made by the author of the Harry Potter franchise, and its effects on the connected themed lands and attractions.Trans Lives Matter. Donate to The Trevor Project to protect LGBTQ+ Youth.Other topics include: The Auteur Theory of Filmmaking, the Studio Theory of Filmmaking, The Duquesne Theory of Theme Park Authorship, the Role of Famous Imagineers, Walt Disney as Author or Studio Head, Death of the Author, and the appeal of the Imagineer as a concept.Be sure to visit our Patreon for all of the cool Passholder benefits, stretch goals, and an exclusive, long-lost episode of Those Happy Places! Join us on our Discord Server!Those Happy Places is Produced by Alice White and Edited By Buddy Duquesne. Our theme song is Golden Gate by the California Feetwarmers, Featuring Phil Alvin.Additional music comes from Kevin Macleod. All Tracks Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. Tracks in this Episode: Bummin on Tremolo, Secret of Tiki Island, Crinoline Dreams, Awesome Call, No Good Layabout, George Street Shuffle, Mighty Like Us, Samba Isobel, Fireflies and Stardust, Mining by Moonlight, Court of the Queen, Universal, Pale Rider, Floating Cities, Poppers and Prosecco, Long Stroll, In Your Arms, Off to Osaka

In this sporting episode, join Alice and Buddy as they reminisce about the Walt Disney Company’s first forays in the realm of professional sports as they attempt to unravel the source of a team’s identity and legacy. Can a trilogy of films, an animated series, and an upcoming sequel series on Disney+ make an NHL expansion team an instant success? How can we tie our local identity to a sports franchise—even brand-new ones? Just how similar are sports teams and theme parks, really?All this and more on this episode of Those Happy Places!Be sure to visit our Patreon for all of the cool Passholder benefits, stretch goals, and an exclusive, long-lost episode of Those Happy Places! Join us on our Discord Server!Those Happy Places is Produced by Alice White and Edited By Buddy Duquesne. Our theme song is Golden Gate by the California Feetwarmers, Featuring Phil Alvin.Additional music comes from Kevin Macleod. All Tracks Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. Tracks in this Episode: Bummin on Tremolo, No Good Layabout, Samba Isobel, Long Stroll, Mister Exposition, Opportunity Walks, Apero Hour, Casa Bossa Nova, Bossa Antigua, Smooth Lovin, Awesome Call, Mining by Moonlight, Off to Osaka, In Your Arms

In this Mighty episode, join Alice and Buddy as they discuss the similarities between Sporting Events and Theme Parks. Just how closely related are these two seemingly disparate forms of entertainment? What is the significance of the Dodger Dog? Have you ever heard the tragedy of the Long Beach Ice Dogs? Why is Gritty?All this and more on this episode of Those Happy Places!Be sure to visit our Patreon for all of the cool Passholder benefits, stretch goals, and an exclusive, long-lost episode of Those Happy Places! Join us on our Discord Server!Those Happy Places is Produced by Alice White and Edited By Buddy Duquesne. Our theme song is Golden Gate by the California Feetwarmers, Featuring Phil Alvin.Additional music comes from Kevin Macleod. All Tracks Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. Tracks in this Episode: Bummin on Tremolo, Hyperfun, Casa Bossa Nova, Mighty Like Us, No Good Layabout, Samba Isobel, Getting it Done, Quirky Dog, Opportunity Walks, Hep Cats, Off to Osaka

Donate to Black Lives MatterDonate to The Trevor ProjectJoin Buddy and Alice as they cover the rise of Tiki Culture in the United States—from its origins in post-prohibition Tiki Bars, to its relationship with soldiers returning from World War II, to the invention and somewhat artificial spread of the Aloha Shirt. How do we collectively imagine Tiki Culture—and how much of Tiki Culture is even distinctly Hawaiian?All this and more on this fourth episode of Birds of Paradise: A New Miniseries from Those Happy Places!CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank descriptions of colonialist actions. While we do not graphically describe violence, its effects within the story are evident. All told, it’s a bit of a downer, and may warrant some discretion.Be sure to visit our Patreon for all of the cool Passholder benefits, stretch goals, and an exclusive, long-lost episode of Those Happy Places! Join us on our Discord Server!Those Happy Places is Produced by Alice White and Edited By Buddy Duquesne. The Theme of Birds of Paradise is The Lonely Bull by Scotch & Soda (Max McMillan)Additional Tracks: Pingpong Voodoo by Narcotic Syntax. Acapulco 2000 by Jack Fetterman and the in Hi-Fi Music Direction, Bongo Avenger by Eric and Ryan Kilkenny, Exotica Revisited by Jeff Chenault and Andrew Izold, Shaken Not Stirred by Br. Cleve and His Lush Orchestra, Drift by Jan Fornell, Spy Perfume by Skip Heller’s Hot Seven, Jungle Village by Der Plan, and Venom by HybeAll Tracks Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

Join Alice and Buddy as they attempt a somewhat comprehensive look at the history of the Hawaiian islands as they relate to the United States—from re-discovery in the late 1700’s to the eventual Annexation and Statehood of Hawaii in 1959. They also talk about the rise of the Hawaiian Pineapple Company—known today as the Dole Pineapple Company.After all that, they get back to Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room to ask the question—knowing the history, how does the attraction avoid confronting its colonialist roots? What would audiences in 1963 have thought about the show? How are we meant to feel about it today?All this and more on this third episode of Birds of Paradise: A New Miniseries from Those Happy Places!CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains frank descriptions of colonialist actions. While we do not graphically describe violence, its effects within the story are evident. All told, it’s a bit of a downer, and may warrant some discretion.Be sure to visit our Patreon for all of the cool Passholder benefits, stretch goals, and an exclusive, long-lost episode of Those Happy Places! Join us on our Discord Server!Those Happy Places is Produced by Alice White and Edited By Buddy Duquesne. The Theme of Birds of Paradise is The Lonely Bull by Scotch & Soda (Max MicMillan)Additional Tracks: Pingpong Voodoo by Narcotic Syntax. Acapulco 2000 by Jack Fetterman and the in Hi-Fi Music Direction, Bongo Avenger by Eric and Ryan Kilkenny, Exotica Revisited by Jeff Chenault and Andrew Izold, Shaken Not Stirred by Br. Cleve and His Lush Orchestra, Drift by Jan Fornell, Spy Perfume by Skip Heller’s Hot Seven, Jungle Village by Der Plan, and Venom by HybeAll Tracks Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

Join Alice and Buddy as they talk a bit more about what makes Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room such a unique attraction. How does it engage every sense—even taste? How does it present its sponsorship by Dole? How do the Pre-Show and Show relate to one another? Why, pray tell, are the hosts Birds?All this and more on this second episode of Birds of Paradise: A New Miniseries from Those Happy Places!Be sure to visit our Patreon for all of the cool Passholder benefits, stretch goals, and an exclusive, long-lost episode of Those Happy Places! Join us on our Discord Server!Those Happy Places is Produced by Alice White and Edited By Buddy Duquesne. The Theme of Birds of Paradise is The Lonely Bull by Scotch & Soda (Max MicMillan)Additional Tracks: Pingpong Voodoo by Narcotic Syntax. Acapulco 2000 by Jack Fetterman and the in Hi-Fi Music Direction, Bongo Avenger by Eric and Ryan Kilkenny, Exotica Revisited by Jeff Chenault and Andrew Izold, Shaken Not Stirred by Br. Cleve and His Lush Orchestra, Drift by Jan Fornell, and Jungle Village by Der PlanAll Tracks Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

Welcome to our tropical hideaway! Join Alice and Buddy as they embark on a journey to discover the history, cultural impact, and storytelling implications of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room. The classic, beloved attraction opened in 1963, and has delighted guests since then with its catchy melodies and vibrant cast of Audio-Animatronic performers. What makes the show so magical? Perhaps more importantly, what can it tell us about its era, its aesthetics, and its intended meaning?All this and more on this first episode of Birds of Paradise: A New Miniseries from Those Happy Places!Be sure to visit our Patreon for all of the cool Passholder benefits, stretch goals, and an exclusive, long-lost episode of Those Happy Places! Join us on our Discord Server!Those Happy Places is Produced by Alice White and Edited By Buddy Duquesne. The Theme of Birds of Paradise is The Lonely Bull by Scotch &Soda (Max MicMillan)Additional Tracks: In Your Arms by Kevin Macleod. Acapulco 2000 by Jack Fetterman and the in Hi-Fi Music Direction, Bongo Avenger by Eric and Ryan Kilkenny, Exotica Revisited by Jeff Chenault and Andrew Izold, and Jungle Village by Der Plan.All Tracks Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License.

Join Alice and Buddy as they explore a new way of thinking about guests at a theme park—dubbed lovingly (and somewhat jokingly) the Duquesne Taxonomy of Theme Park Guests. This idea comes to us from Richard Bartle, a game designer and researcher, who coined his popular Bartle Taxonomy of Players in 1996. How do parks differ from games through this lens? How can categorizing guests aid in design choices?Also featuring the second appearance of Duquesne’s Mad Labyrinth!All this and more on this scholarly episode of Those Happy Places!Be sure to visit our Patreon for all of the cool Passholder benefits, stretch goals, and an exclusive, long-lost episode of Those Happy Places! Join us on our Discord Server!Those Happy Places is Produced by Alice White and Edited By Buddy Duquesne. Our theme song is Golden Gate by the California Feetwarmers, Featuring Phil Alvin.Additional music comes from Kevin Macleod. All Tracks Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. Tracks in this Episode: Bummin on Tremolo, Long Stroll, Folk Round, Apero Hour, Babylon, No Good Layabout, Bossa Antigua, Samba Isobel, Awesome Call, Mighty Like Us, Deuces, Off to Osaka

Buddy and Alice have been doing this show for two years! In that time, they’ve produced 40 full episodes, dozens of smaller works, and countless tweets. Join them as they explore the idea of rides that could use a few updates, refurbishments, or rebuilds! Featuring submissions from Charles Gustine, Nick Hoffman, Aslam Choudhury, AJ, Liz Lee, and Jim Capron! Plus, entries from Buddy and Alice!All this and more on this celebratory episode of Those Happy Places!Be sure to visit our Patreon for all of the cool Passholder benefits, stretch goals, and an exclusive, long-lost episode of Those Happy Places! Join us on our Discord Server!Those Happy Places is Produced by Alice White and Edited By Buddy Duquesne. Our theme song is Golden Gate by the California Feetwarmers, Featuring Phil Alvin.Additional music comes from Kevin Macleod. All Tracks Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. Tracks in this Episode: Bummin on Tremolo, Bossa Antigua, Casa Bossa Nova, Long Stroll, Secret of Tiki Island, In Your Arms, Off to Osaka, No Good Layabout, Awesome Call, Midnight Tale, Lobby Time, Crinoline Dreams, Royal Banana, Airport Lounge, Netherworld Shanty, Jellyfish in Space, Drankin Song, Samba Isobel, Ultralounge, Opportunity Walks, Local Forecast, Plain Loafer, Future Cha Cha, Floating Cities, Vicious