Our favorite theme park parody account on social media, Fake Theme Park, is celebrating its 10th anniversary next month. That’s right, Fake Theme Park has been around for a decade now. Time flies when you’re having fun! 

The celebration begins on July 5th, counting down to their first-ever tweet on July 12, 2010 (“It wasn’t very good,” creator Jason Ginsburg claims).

Other festivities will include:

• The first-ever podcast interview of the park’s beloved diva, Princess Rainbow, played by voice actor Ivy Dupler

• “The Jimmy Jaguar March,” a new comedy song co-written with theme park composer Nick Hutson

• Contests to give away copies of the two @FakeThemePark books, If The Princess Rolls Her Eyes, Your Wish Will Come True (2018) and You Must Be This Tall to Exit the Park (2019)

The mastermind behind Fake Theme Park is Jason Ginsburg, a former employee and VIP tour guide at Universal Studios Hollywood for almost 10 years, and comedy/screenplay writer. He is also a digital TV producer who has created web series for the Science Channel, National Lampoon and more.

I had the opportunity to speak again with Jason and pick his brain about the 10th anniversary of his little monster.

, Fake Theme Park Celebrates 10 Years of Shenanigans
Creator of Fake Theme Park, Jason Ginsburg

MiceChat: Wow, 10 years of Fake Theme Park! Congratulations! Or should I send my condolences instead?

Jason Ginsburg: Ha! I do wonder if all that energy could have gone into something more productive. Instead, I gave it to fans on social media, for free. Though the books do generate a little income. I now realize no one should get into Twitter for the money.

MC: Did you think Fake Theme Park would last this long? When did you realize, “Hey, people are noticing this?”

JG: I did watch the engagement tick up from, well, zero, to a few likes and retweets, to dozens and sometimes hundreds. That’s when I realized it was resonating with some people —to my surprise, many current and former theme park employees.

I didn’t expect to still be doing it a decade later, but there’s still fodder for comedy. As theme parks evolve with Harry Potter and Star Wars and now pandemic policies, it brings new opportunities for jokes. That makes the account a great way to regularly flex my comedy muscles. So much of my writing goes nowhere, it’s very satisfying to write something that’s seen by people around the country and beyond.

MC:  What are you most looking forward to during the 10th anniversary celebration week?

JG: While I do enjoy looking back, I’m most excited to share the new collaborations. I used to work with Ivy Dupler, who’s now an accomplished voice actor, and it was a thrill listening to her bring Princess Rainbow to life. Creating the Jimmy Jaguar song with Nick Hutson, an actual theme park composer, was delightful. The anniversary has brought me back to the Season Pass and Opinions May Vary, two podcasts that I thoroughly enjoy. And of course, it’s connected me once again to MiceChat, my favorite theme park blog!

MC: What are your top 3 moments from the last 10 years of Fake Theme Park?

JG: First has to be the “I’m a Theme Park Princess” music video. It was my first chance to “show” the park to fans, while also satirizing Disney princess songs. Writing it with the talented Brandon Sturiale and seeing a real FTP princess embodied by Diana Sharber (another former co-worker!) is one of my favorite accomplishments.

Revealing my identity was another. People may not know that I posted anonymously for seven years. When I finally revealed myself, I got lots of publicity and was even featured in the Orlando Sentinel. And it landed me another interview with MiceChat.

Lastly would be the first time I live-tweeted the Disney Christmas Parade —I mean, my park’s parade, which just happens to mirror what’s happening on TV. Fans responded in real-time and it blew me away. It was a fun, shared experience. It’s become a holiday tradition in my household to watch the celebration and point out the ridiculousness of it.

MC:  What are some of the funniest responses you’ve received to your tweets/Facebook posts?

JG: I’ve received so many over the years, it’s hard to pick one. I will say that I’m constantly impressed by the imaginations of the account’s followers. I’m particularly touched when people tag their friends. It means I’ve struck a chord, and get to be part of their inside joke.

MC: What does the future hold for Fake Theme Park? Any sneak peeks into the next (hopefully) 10 years?

JG: I have no plans to stop in the near future. This celebration isn’t a farewell. There might be one more book in me —a trilogy has a nice ring to it. I’ve always wanted to create a map of the park, filled with visual jokes like Where’s Waldo, and I’m looking for an artist to help make that happen. And I’m working on more audio pieces, like the park’s escalator loop.

But I realize there may come a point where I’ve told every joke, or the fans feel they’ve heard them all. At that time, I will “close” the park and try to gracefully cede the spotlight to someone else who wants to goof on theme parks for a while.

Let’s Hear From You

Many thanks to Jason Ginsburg for allowing us to interview him. We’re looking forward to the next Zany decade of Fake Theme Park. Buckle those seatbelts . . . or just wing it.  

, Fake Theme Park Celebrates 10 Years of Shenanigans

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Amy VandenBoogert
Amy VandenBoogert
Amy is lucky to live in beautiful Tampa Bay, Florida and frequently visits the Busch Gardens theme park in that city. You can find Amy's updates on Busch Gardens and other Central Florida attractions in MiceChat's Orlando Parkhopper columns.