Unbuilt: An Unrealized Theme Park Podcast

We're back!! 

Join us for an epic three-week journey this November as Ryan O'Reilly recounts his September 2026 European journey alongside his cohost Ryleigh Dorman. This week, we explore the Netherlands' beloved Efteling!

There may be future Unbuilt content in the future, stay tuned!

In this epilogue episode of our show, we look back on the 75 main feed episodes we have produced and glean any insights we have made since we started in 2021. In addition, we look at the cutting room floor of various projects we considered discussing, and select our favorite unbuilt ideas!

This is the conclusion of a three-and-a-half year project, and we hope you enjoyed it and thank you for listening. You can reach us on various social media. We'll meet again, some sunny day...

Happy holidays!

You didn't think we weren't going to torture Dorman one more time, did you? In this final holiday episode, we look back on O'Reilly's childhood memories with "Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas" and unlock a truly wretched piece of Christmas coal that we're certain many people are bizarrely fond of. Nostalgia's a hell of a drug!

In this final yuletide archive ep, Dorman and O'Reilly discuss their favorite holiday specials growing up.

From a year ago, Ryan explores the Vegas Sphere and sees the Darren Aronofsky film Postcards from Earth in all of its crazy glory!

In our series finale, we take a look at one of Walt Disney's final failed dreams: an indoor theme park in St Louis filled with attractions you may recognize.

Stay tuned in the future for our epilogue episode and more archive releases!

Hi folks! Enjoy this special early archive episode! Tomorrow we release the series finale of Unbuilt, but in the meantime enjoy this look back at Knott's Scary Farm 50 and a discussion of the Haunted Mansion Parlor.

In Sept 2023, Ryan O'Reilly did a mega Orlando trip including Disney World, a cruise and Retro Magic! Hear all about it!

Follow the compass of your heart along with Ryan O'Reilly to Japan as he takes you on a three hour long PLUS journey to Tokyo Disney, Universal Osaka and beyond!

In this archive episode, both Ryans look back on the theme parks of their youth!

In this archive episode, we look at the then-found artwork of unbuilt attractions from Marcelo Vignali and more!

Remember the 2023 Haunted Mansion movie? No? Well to celebrate the spooky season, here's a reminder as we review it, and in some cases... not review it.

New York, New York!

We travel to the heart of Times Square to look at several attractions that are quite, let's just say, commercial.

In this SUPER-SIZED, nearly three-hour-long podcast, Ryan Dorman recounts his 2023 trip to Japan including a visit to Tokyo Disney Resort!

What's that? You've never heard of this? Well this is an Unbuilt EXCLUSIVE about a ride slated to replace Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin at Mickey's Toontown based on the 2017 DuckTales reboot!

Welcome landlubbers, today we explore the time that Disney bought a boat and a plane and sought to use that into a plot to take over an entire California city, that was also likely part of an extortion plot to convince the city of Anaheim to do their bidding! Also, there was a whole theme park!

Ka-Chow! It's a bonus 90 min episode EARLY where we go OFF about the D23 Horizons Parks Panel! Whether it's Lightning McQueen filling in the Rivers of America or Mike Wazowski yeeted the Muppets out of their courtyard, from Avengers to Villains, from Indy to the Madrigals, from various overseas Marvel projects to overpriced lounges, we got all the discussion!

As we look ahead to D23 2024, we look back at last year's announcements with this previously bonus-only look at Destination D23!

Today we have a split episode for you: first, Ryan Dorman talks about his trip to Aulani and we catch up on several news items, then we discuss some unexplored concepts for the Tokyo Disney parks!

This year, Ryan Dorman enlists us to watch five short films on Disney+:

Le Pupille

May the 12th Be With You

Growing Fangs

Twentysomething

The Little Matchgirl

An episode roars back from the dead this week to make up for the lack of a new episode this week!

From August 2021, we discuss the crazy ideas that Bob Stupak and his ilk had to attach to a 1000ft tower he was building in Las Vegas!

We also discuss the then closure of the NBA Experience.

From June 2023, we begin our bonus episode release, previously never before released to the public! Here Ryan O'Reilly tells us about his trip to Six Flags Over Texas plus more!

Today we take a look at a redo of DCA's Paradise Pier where the Disney Villains would've taken over California Screamin!

From March 2023, Ryan O'Reilly gives his report from Super Nintendo World and MORE!

We dive under the sea to explore the original version of The Little Mermaid ride which suspended guests under and above the fathoms below!

Plus, we talk Tiana's Bayou Adventure in a discussion that surely everyone will agree with and be very normal about.

Get ready for a real Scamifornia Adventure as we look at the Spirit of California project slated for Tracy, California in 2012, which totally didn't rip off a failed Disney theme park.

Also, Ryan O'Reilly gives his trip report to Kentucky Kingdom and Holiday World.

In this archive release, the two Ryans finally meet in person and discuss classic family-friendly Vegas!

A Monday Unbuilt release?! Yes unfortunately I had to rebuild this episode which meant a delay but there will be another archive release on Friday! Lucky you!

For now: we head to the D23 Expo in 2022 to ruthlessly mock it and all of the inane blue sky wonder that is and will forever be Beyond Big Thunder.

We look at the unmade Inventions pavilion for EPCOT written by advertising comedy legend Stan Freberg! Come for the wacky queue antics, stay for the singing Thomas Edison!

Today we triumph thru Ryan's head cold to examine Stan Freberg's quirky Inventions pavilion pitch featuring a queue that's a ride, a giant light bulb and a singing Thomas Edison!

Next on our archive series we head back to August 2022 to hear Ryan O'Reilly's trip report to Northern California and experiencing the Walt Disney Family Museum, and so much more!

Today we follow up The Disney Cancellation Special with Universal! Join us as we look at various ideas such as a James Bond stunt show, a Potter VR broomstick ride, a noisy Seuss walkthrough, an Apollo 13 roller coaster and much more!

Continuing our archive series with a look at a very boring film that helped inspired a very not-boring unbuilt land, Discovery Bay!

Today is a double episode: first, I recap my tour of Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, then we explore various never-made themed resorts at Walt Disney World including the east coast version of New Orleans Square!

Once again, I apologize about the audio issues as our recording software captured the wrong microphone. I will do my best to ensure this does not occur again.

Early on in the podcast, we had the unique and wonderful chance to interview the former VP of Knott's Berry Farm Creative, Robin S Hall! This is a very fascinating interview, please enjoy.

Jaalin Harvey returns to discuss another Atlantis-themed attraction, this time the infamous Fire Mountain, a transforming coaster wrapped inside a volcano that would've towered over Adventureland.

This week, the archive series continues with our Muppets Haunted Mansion review!

In a totally not-transparent attempt to discuss the world's largest Bass Pro Shop in a pyramid, we explore an alternative plan to put a theme park in the guts of the infamous Memphis Pyramid!

This week in our archives dive we go back to 2022 and Ryan O'Reilly tells Dorman about his trip to RetroMagic and more!

Today we head into the Enchanted Forest and discover Jay Rasulo's original, meet-and-greet intense version of Magic Kingdom's New Fantasyland. Prepare to make a lot of birthday cards for Princess Aurora!