Almost every one of us remembers visiting a theme park, whether you remember getting a massive ball of cotton candy and a delicious slushy or screaming as you rode the scariest ride in the park because you felt brave that day. Theme parks are nearly everywhere, from Disneyland in Paris to Six Flags Magic Mountain in California and Alton Towers in England! Over the years, these places have been about the thrills and the comfort and freedom they offer.

They are a space for people to simply exist in the moment and bond with their loved ones. However, theme parks have been more than just a fun day out for one person in particular. They have catalyzed change, transforming his life in ways he never thought possible.

Meet Jesiah Olson

Photographer: Ben Walter

Jesiah Olson is a theme park content creator and explorer. Now, that’s not something you hear every day! Jesiah’s documentation of his fun-filled adventures and experiences at various theme parks has earned him over three hundred thousand followers on Instagram under the username National Coasters. The Teen Magazine sat down with Jesiah to ask him about his unique career.

Take the Quiz: Which Theme Park Should I Visit Next?

Take this quiz to see where you should have your next theme park adventure!

Getting Started

One of our first questions to Jesiah was about how he decided to create theme park content. He happily shared with us, “When I was 7, my parents moved us to California for my dad’s work. We’d come from Chicago, so I wasn’t familiar with much; however, both he and my mom decided it’d be a good idea to get season passes to Disneyland.

As my sisters and I got accustomed to California, Disneyland just became an integral part of our lives, and I grew to love it. I have fond memories of getting pulled out of school early to go to the parks. I never stopped being excited to go. Eventually though, and after I made a few close friends at school, I also branched out to Knott’s Berry Farm, where rides like GhostRider and Xcelerator caught my attention. Good fun; however, I discovered Six Flags Magic Mountain shortly thereafter. And Six Flags captivated me more than anything I’d ever seen. I got gifted a GoPro in 2018 (intended by my father to be used for surfing), but I took that little camera on a roller coaster instead.”

And as they say, the rest is history.

Since that day, Jesiah has created high-quality and engaging content, which has kept his audience both entertained and excited for his next theme park visit!

A Day in the Life of a Theme Park Content Creator

Despite how effortless Jesiah makes it seem, creating theme park content is a meticulously planned process. Jesiah and his team arrive to prep hours (yes, hours) before the park opens. During this time, he discusses several things with the park’s management, such as filming guidelines and getting a feel of the park itself.

A few hours later, the park opens, and he starts shooting. Once the gates open, it’s non-stop action. “We head out with an escort and go ride to ride,” Jesiah explains. Many parks have strict rules on filming, so having a supervisor ensures everything runs smoothly. After a full day of shooting, the cameras are put away, and Jesiah finally enjoys the park as a visitor.

Photographer: Gio Gioia

Photographer: National Coasters

Never Losing the Spark

Often, when content creators gain a huge following, their craft begins to feel less enjoyable and more like something they must do rather than something they would like to do. This may result in a loss of authenticity and the very spark that drew their audience to their page in the first place.

I remember when my favorite YouTube group suddenly stopped posting. Their subscribers (me included) proceeded to spam their accounts and the channel’s Instagram page. We even started a hashtag!

They finally uploaded a video a few days later, but you could tell they weren’t themselves, which people expressed in the comment section. A week later, they announced they were closing the channel and going their separate ways because they no longer enjoyed making content.

With such a large platform and the pressure of high-activity content, we were curious how Jesiah managed to maintain his spark and enthusiasm over the past seven years. His secret?

Balance.

He dedicates separate days to filming and enjoying himself, ensuring his passion for content creation remains intact. When time is tight, he knows when to set the cameras down in the evening when the crowds thin out, striking a perfect balance between work and personal life.

“That’s our opportunity,” he says, ensuring that the magic of theme parks never fades into just another workday.

Memorable Moments and Gifts

Content creation opens doors to unique experiences. For Jesiah? It was an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of a theme park’s latest roller coaster: Helios in Austria, Fantasiana. Jesiah and his team were the only ones to see the blueprints and construction areas and even climb onto an existing coaster for a closer look. “We weren’t allowed to film any of it,” he admits, “but we got to take home a roller coaster wheel as a gift.” This unexpected yet cherished memento is a testament to content creation's unique rewards.

The Bumps Along the Way

As with theme park rides, content creation also has moments where you feel like screaming your heart out because the road to success is paved with too many obstacles. Jesiah encountered his most significant challenge in Japan.

He recalls Fuji-Q Highland in Japan as one of the most difficult parks to cover. “They are extremely strict on filming,” he notes, recalling how he was only allowed to capture footage on one ride. Beyond that, slow operations and high winds interfered with his equipment, making the visit far from ideal. But this didn’t deter the creator from continuing to film his craft and having fun.

Jesiah also credits his resilience to his supportive fans and has one story to share with us. “I remember on one trip, I had a kid with autism recognize me. He told me he loved my videos but then didn’t say much. The mother appeared and explained that he would watch our content every night before sleeping.

He’d ordered all my merchandise, and she said he was probably my biggest fan. As I found out, his dream was to visit Six Flags Magic Mountain, but they weren’t ever going to be able to take him. I rode a ride with them and told him all about Six Flags and my experiences there. He probably asked me a million questions before I said goodbye. I’ll never forget that.”

Advice to Aspiring Content Creators

For anyone looking to follow in his footsteps, Jesiah had one piece of advice: “Don’t overthink it. Find a unique way to approach your passion, be consistent with it, and be hard-working! I think anyone in any industry will find success by doing that.”

Rapid Fire Questions

1. Favorite ride of all time?

From the queue experience to the ride itself, I would have to say Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure. I think it’s one of the most amazing examples of a complete attraction package.

2. What's the best theme park snack?

When I was a kid, my buddy and I would hang out at Six Flags Magic Mountain all day. We always had grape Mike and Ike’s in line, so I’d probably say those.

3. If you could live in any theme park for a week, which one would it be?

For a whole week? Universal Studios Japan! There’s so much to do and explore!

4. Describe your dream theme park in three words.

Immersive, Quality, Memorable

5. Roller coasters or water rides?

Roller coasters! Although, water rides can allow for some truly amazing and interesting theming.

6. What's the craziest theme park experience you've ever had?

Sometimes drop towers will stall at the top of their structure due to high winds or other issues. One time, my group and I got stuck on the top of the 335-foot Falcon’s Fury at Busch Gardens Tampa. We were probably up there for 10 minutes before being dropped; it was terrifying.

7. A theme park you haven't visited yet but want to?

Warner Bros. Movie World in Australia! The park looks fantastic as well as their flagship roller coaster DC Rivals HyperCoaster.

8. What's the one souvenir you always buy at theme parks?

I almost always buy a pin when I visit new parks; either of an attraction I liked or the park itself. I have a bunch of lanyards I place them on. It’s a lot of fun!

9. If you could design your own ride, what would it be called?

I’ve always been intrigued by Cambodia's Angkor Wat and its surrounding temples. I could call the ride The Fall of Ta Prohm or something... Maybe a dark, action-based attraction with a loose storyline on the fall of its empire? Angkor’s temples are genuinely incredible.

10. Which is the most underrated theme park, in your opinion?

This might be random to some, but Bayern Park in Bavaria, Germany, is a beautiful park entirely built around its landscape. It’s incredibly unique, diverse, and family-friendly. Check out Wildwasser-Rafting, which is a very bizarre water-raft attraction.

Keep Up with Jesiah

Photographer: Nicole Olson

If you loved reading about Jesiah and his incredible story, you can check out his Instagram and YouTube. Thanks for reading, and take our quiz to see which theme park you should visit next!