309: Theme Parks and Horror, with Cuppycup

We’re back and we’re learning about protein spills. What sounded like an innocent sexual innuendo has turned out to be more scatological than any of us would have liked. The unpleasant realities of theme parks are well hidden behind twee language and cute costumes. Happily, once we strip them away, we can find some good horror inspiration. Although we do wish it all smelled a bit better.

Main Topic: Theme Parks and Horror

This episode, we visit the topic of theme parks, amusement parks, funfairs and the like, looking for Call of Cthulhu inspiration. As with so many things rooted in childhood joy, theme parks can easily turn into something nightmarish in both our imaginations and in reality. We dip into personal experiences, urban legends, and our own wild ideas, looking for both the roots of these fears and ways of bringing them into our games.

There is something of a focus on Disney parks in our discussion, only because our guest host used to work for Disney, as did Matt’s wife, Tiff. This gives us a wealth of personal anecdotes to draw upon.

Our Guest Host

We are delighted to welcome back Cuppycup! Cup, of course, has been on the podcast before, discussing Louis Wain with us a few years ago. He is best known as the mastermind behind the award-winning actual play podcast Ain’t Slayed Nobody, where you will also find regular appearances by Scott alongside some of our other guest hosts, including Ross Bryant and Josephine McAdam.

As well as ASN, Cup is producing a new Call of Cthulhu podcast called Walking Shadows, with Ross Bryant as Keeper, and a cast that includes Becca Scott, Rashawn Scott, and Zach Reino. The first episodes should be out within the next couple of months.

And Cup’s first published scenario, “Deadwood on Lane 8”, will be out on the Miskatonic Repository soon. This is a 1990s Pulp Cthulhu extravaganza that puts the cosmic firmly into cosmic bowling.

If you want to keep up with all these projects, you can follow Ain’t Slayed Nobody on Bluesky or join their Discord server.

Links

Things we mention in this episode include:

• Hersheypark
• Dutch Wonderland
• The Wonder House
• Hershey’s Chocolate World
• Tivoli Gardens
• Lammas Fayre in St Andrews
• Waltzers
• Chairoplanes
• Alton Towers
• Air (now Galactica) at Alton Towers
• The Smiler at Alton Towers
• Accident on The Smiler
• Jersey Shore Boardwalk
• Ghost trains
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
• Walt Disney World
• Reedy Creek
• Splash Mountain
• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
• Murder Can Be Fun
• “Death at Disneyland”

• Disneyland
• People Mover
• Tomorrowland
• Night of Joy
• Space Mountain
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
• Final Destination 3
• Oblivion at Alton Towers
• Pirates of the Caribbean ride
• Urban legends about Disney
• The Haunted Mansion
• Pepper’s ghost
• Mr Toad’s Wild Ride
• Crinkley Bottom
• Pripyat Amusement Park
• “UNLAND” from Fear’s Sharp Little Needles
• “UNLAND” on Ain’t Slayed Nobody
• Little Fears
• Uncanny valley

• Five Nights at Freddy’s
• Child’s Play franchise
• Squid Games
• Disney utilidor system
• Westworld (1973)
• Maeve Fly by CJ Leede
• Jurassic Park (1993)
• Y2K problem
• Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios
• Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• World’s Fair
• The Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace
• The Festival of Britain
• South Bank Centre
• It’s a Small World
• Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
• Great Moments With Mr Lincoln
• The Hall of Presidents
• Bleeker Trails
• Medicine show

Recommended Media

• The Magic Wagon by Joe R Lansdale
• Funland by Richard Laymon
• Twilight Eyes by Dean R Koontz
• The Funhouse by Dean R Koontz
• The Funhouse (1981)
• The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
• “Perchance to Dream” episode of The Twilight Zone
• “The Tale of Laughing in the Dark” episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark
• Goosebumps
• Poltergeist (1982)
• John Wayne Gacy
• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
• Nightmare Alley by William Lindsay Gresham

• Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury
• “The Greatest Show in the Galaxy” from Doctor Who
• “Humbug” from The X-Files
• Carnivàle
• Freaks (1932)
• Carnival of Souls (1962)
• Escape From Tomorrow (2013)
• Futureworld (1976)
• Westworld
• Down Darker Trails
• Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom by Cory Doctorow
• Native Tongue by Carl Hiaasen
• Bad Monkey

News

A Weekend With Good Friends

Summer 2025 will see the return of A Weekend With Good Friends! This, of course, is the online convention organised by our lovely listeners, taking place on the Good Friends Discord server.

Key dates are:

• GM signups: 23rd of April – 7th of May
• Player signups: 22nd of May – 5th of June
• A Weekend With Good Friends: 13th – 15th of June

Games and panels will run throughout the weekend.

We shall share more details are they become available.

Scott on Fear of a Black Dragon

Scott recently joined Jason Cordova over on Fear of a Black Dragon. They discussed the Call of Cthulhu scenario “The Necropolis”, written by Leigh Carr, from the Gateways to Terror collection. Jason and Scott delved into what makes “The Necropolis” such a perfect introduction to Call of Cthulhu, examining some of the tricks it uses to be tightly focused and accessible to newcomers.

If you want more, you can also hear Scott run “The Necropolis” as a live game for How We Roll at PodUK 2019.

Matt and Scott on RPG Reanimators

Both Matt and Scott have been recording with RPG Reanimators, and our respective episodes are now out. Matt discussed “The Burning Stars” by David Conyers, from Terrors From Beyond, offering his personal tips and insights. Scott talked to the crew about his own scenario “UNLAND”, from Fear’s Sharp Little Needles, revealing things he might change about the scenario and some of the content that never made it into the published version.