I see this question more frequently than I expected to. Thanks to technological advances, I’ve been able to successfully build a business based entirely around Theme Park travel while living about 1200 miles away from Orlando. TLDR; You can be a Theme Park Content Creator if you don’t live in Florida.
In my case there are a variety of things that helped with this, and these will help you as well.
Before ever tackling the monster that is Social Media Marketing, I was already a hobbyist photographer of many years and I’m the person in my family who’s always behind the camera.
I started learning how to edit videos when I was in Middle School, and that skill was incredibly transferable. What is CapCut if not a simplified, touch screen Final Cut?
I LOVE roller coasters… and planning… and food. Years of researching a big family vacation gave me invaluable information. I have an obsessive need to share it with anyone who shows the slightest bit of interest.
All of that to say, you do not strictly need to live nearby. You can share your knowledge and skills with your audience from afar.
When you DO travel to your favorite Orlando or California based theme parks, film everything. Use Live Photos to capture brief video clips. Take photographs of your food before you eat it. Photograph your outfits before you set out for the day.
Get Memory Maker, which provides you access to unlimited digital downloads go all of your Photopass photos. (When you buy this from a travel agent up to 4 days before your trip you can get it for $30 less than full price!)
There is also an Enchanted Extras option called a Capture Your Moment photoshoot, where you get your own Photopass Photographer for 30 minutes, and they will take pictures of up to 8 people in a party. Oftentimes people do this to celebrate a special occasion but it is easily used for content creation.
I’ve also created a 90 days of Content calendar to help new creators know what to do with all of that footage when they get home.
Some post ideas will just come innately but a guide can be helpful for organizing your thoughts and stretching your goals and ideas.
Take B-roll in the parks. You’ll want clips of things like roller coasters speeding by, costumed characters dancing around or waving, parades, cavalcades, and fireworks.
(Avoid filming other people without their permission, and try to avoid sharing photos or videos of other people’s children.)
Make posts when you attend other amusement parks too. Do you have a local amusement park with rides and fun treats? Maybe a water park? Take advantage of your summer weekends by creating related content from near home.
Around home there are always going to be other opportunities to create content as well. Working your way through a Disney Cookbook, or unboxing blind box toys (like Wishables), or planning Disneybounds can all be ways to work Disney into content you create at home.
Going to see Universal movies or writing listicles or even watching the Simpsons at home can be a way to create Universal Content at home. I typically default to Harry Potter related things. My Sister in Law’s bachelorette party was Harry Potter themed so I shared pictures of the treats I made and the things we did.
Another excellent way to create niche content when you’re away from the parks is to compare other things to Disney – last year I created a video talking about how the Renn Faire was like Disney because of the Dole Whip, Pickles, Fairytale Cottages, “thrill” rides, etc.
When I go to TJMaxx or Target I make videos about Disney/Universal finds. (These are even funny on occasion.)
I have a list of reels ideas so long that I can’t find time to make them all. This is both a blessing and a curse. It makes it hard to step away from my phone, but it also means I’m NEVER bored.
If you’re creating long form videos (Youtube), depending on how you manage your content you can use the same clips in a LOT of videos, and if your voiceovers are interesting enough people do not even notice. This wouldn’t work as well for Vlogs but it really does work for any applicable B-Reel.
As I’ve discovered recently, you can also write a blog from anywhere. I’m fond of blogging on my evening commute home from my day job. This is a great way to spend time and share value with your followers between trips!
If your hope is to monetize your content and be a paid content creator, there are also several ways that you can do this from home. It’s not just about getting a Reels Bonus or being accepted into the Creator Fund. You can sell digital downloads (like my 90 Days of Content Guide), apparel , classes , and consulting sessions.
You can also do different kinds of affiliate marketing. I’ve become partial to Benable which is an invite only platform for commissionable recommendation lists, and Amazon Influencers. On both of these platforms I create lists to share with travel clients, friends and family, and the internet at large!
What are you passionate about? Long form videos? Short form videos? Blogging? Photography? Choose a format (or two), and you can create no matter where you live!
What questions do you have about next steps? Comment down below!
Please share this with your theme-park-loving buddies if this would help them!
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