Ep. 136 – Designing the Ultimate Guest Escape with Mike Whincup

Ep. 136 – Designing the Ultimate Guest Escape with Mike Whincup

From Memory Makers Podcast by Creative Works

May 13, 2026 · 18 min

About this episode

Mike Whincup discusses the design of immersive environments in the family entertainment industry.

In this special edition of the Memory Makers Podcast, Russ Van Natta sits down with a man who wears many hats in the family entertainment industry. Mike Whincup is the Chief Ride Designer at Galaxy Multi Rides and the COO of Do The Beach Franchising while at Amusement 360! Mike shares his unique journey from growing his family’s legacy as the world’s largest mechanical bull manufacturer to launching a highly immersive, beach-themed franchise. We dive deep into the intentionality required to move beyond generic "themed" spaces to create environments that transport guests. Whether it’s painting ceilings "Caribbean Blue" or designing custom fiberglass facades in-house, Mike explains how physical environments directly influence the emotional memories families carry home. "I want people to come in here and forget that they're in Chicago in the middle of winter, and it's going to be bright blue and bright colors." -Mike Whincup Mike reveals the secret to "Do The Beach"—creating a singular, efficient environment that blends soft play, inflatables, and classic attractions into one cohesive world where parents can relax while kids explore.

People in this episode

Host: Russ Van Natta

Guest: Mike Whincup

Topics covered

  • family entertainment
  • themed environments
  • design
  • franchising
  • emotional memories

Keywords

  • guest escape
  • themed spaces
  • family entertainment
  • design
  • emotional influence

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Galaxy Multi Rides, Do The Beach Franchising, Amusement 360

Places: Chicago

More episodes of Memory Makers Podcast

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Memory Makers Podcast podcast page.