Attractions Experts Q&A: Joanna Hobday

by Kendall Wolf

An accomplished business leader with extensive experience in the location-based entertainment, retail, and attraction industries, Joanna Hobday previously worked at Merlin Entertainments, where she served as Regional General Manager for SeaLife and Legoland. A native of the U.K., Joanna and her family now reside in Orlando.

What theme park souvenir might we be surprised to find on your shelf, and what’s its story?

It’s a Lego mini-figurine of Wonder Woman. It’s very near and dear to me because when I was leaving Merlin Entertainments, my team had this character framed for me in a beautiful display case, and underneath, they wrote, “You will always be our Wonder Woman.” I have kept that (and will keep it) throughout my career until I retire.

It was a small gesture, but it had such an incredible impact. I admit I shed a tear when they gave it to me.

What theme park have you always wanted to visit but have never been to? 

I told my husband just yesterday, “How is it that we live in Orlando and haven’t been to SeaWorld’s Discovery Cove?” So, we will take the children there this summer.

Was there a theme park or attraction that made you want to be in this industry, and how did it inspire you?

When I was growing up in England, everyone would go to Alton Towers Resort. That was the biggest theme park in the U.K., but I had no idea as a child that it would be the first place I would work in the visitor experience industry.

What I loved about it – and what I remember so deeply as a child – is that, as you arrived through the admissions gate, there was this iconic Alton Towers music, and you would hear it all the way until you got to Alton Castle, which people thought was fake (like a Disney castle) but it’s real.

The music had such a dramatic effect – that immersion and then this beautiful historic building. In my child’s mind, I thought I would love to work somewhere like that – and then, low and behold, my first role at Merlin Entertainments was at Alton Towers Resort! The park was built around the castle, and Merlin did an incredible job at protecting the look and feel of the existing building and then integrating the newness of the park.

What was your favorite ride or attraction as a child, and why?

I was a little bit frightened of the theme park rides, but my favorite was at a much smaller theme park called Drayton Manor. It was a pirate ship that swung from left to right really high, and this one went all the way over, so it was a full rotation. It rotated three or four times during your ride.

As a child, I had a fear of the bigger rides, but I succumbed to peer pressure on a field trip and went on it (as you do), and of course, that made me realize there was nothing to be scared of, and who knew I was a closet adrenaline junkie! So that was my favorite as a child – it broke my fear barrier and allowed me to enjoy other park rides.

Was there a ride, attraction, or character that frightened you as a child?

That would be the same one – and in full transparency, I only overcame my fear because of pressure from the other kids. It was not a motivated “I’m going to face this fear and conquer it” situation, but it all worked out well.

I remember that, despite the rules and regulations, people still have things in their pockets, so when you were a bystander, just watching the ride, you would hear coins and keys. This was before the cashless world we live in now, so people’s money and change would fall out of their pockets.

What is your oddest or coolest job in a theme park?

When I was working with the Madame Tussauds brand here in the U.S., we had an agreement with the late Whitney Houston’s family estate that we would create wax figures of her in iconic moments throughout her career. We were going to launch those figures in the Madame Tussauds New York location, but there would be a figure for Las Vegas, one for D.C., and another for Los Angeles. The Merlin team did a fantastic job with her figures, and we were able to unveil all of them simultaneously in New York City with her family present. And it was just unbelievable!

It was so moving to see a parent who had lost a grown adult child be so affected by her being immortalized forever as a wax figure in different moments of her iconic career. While it was amazing to do, it was also incredibly humbling, and I felt very honored that we could recognize this immense talent of a global superstar and yet also somebody’s daughter – and to see that in real time was incredible.

If you were tasked with creating a new theme park food, what would it be?

100% fries in the shape of the most iconic rides. Fries are tried and tested – everybody loves to have fries when they’re out. I’ve seen lots of evolutions of them, but never where they actually replicate popular rides’ shapes and dimensions.

What ride or attraction do you think everyone needs to experience and why?

It’s one that was an incredibly pleasant surprise. I was in New York City a little over a year ago and went to Summit One Vanderbilt, which is an observation experience. It gives you unbelievable views all over Manhattan. To set the scene, you ride up in an elevator with a glass bottom floor, and as you walk out, underneath you are all of the sights of Manhattan – and it is spectacular!

The views are breathtaking, and the concept of being at such a height and being able to see everything is incredible. It takes a while to get your bearings – there’s a psychological hesitation because it feels like you’re stepping out onto nothingness, but I strongly recommend everybody visit. If you want something to give you the emotion of escapism, total wow, and what you could never replicate at home, this ticks all those boxes. I’m always looking for that newness and things that make you go, “Wow!” And Summit was definitely one of those.

You’re a walk-around character for a day; who do you choose?

If I’m going to get this role, I’ve got to be Mickey Mouse, and here is why: apart from being totally iconic and everybody loves Mickey Mouse if I expressed to my son that I was going to be dressing up as a character for the whole day and told him that I was not Mickey Mouse, he would probably think I was insane, and I would lose all credibility with him, so it would have to be Mickey.

What types of attractions would you like to see more of and why?

I am really enjoying attractions that appeal to a broad age group. So, as an adult, there’s nostalgic value, so I will be reliving some of my memories with those brands, but younger generations who may be new to the brand (or know a little about it) also have a memory-creation moment.

Attractions that foster interaction and have broad appeal – I love that trend. We’ve had many people say, “This is for kids” or “This is designed for adults,” I’m seeing that merge so beautifully at the moment, and I think that’s the right way to go.

Did you have any challenges in your career?

I’d be remiss not to say the most significant challenge we all faced in our industry (and many other industries) was Covid. What happens when people suddenly, regardless of intention, cannot come to your business? How does your business pivot? How does it evolve? How does it survive?

Challenges for me are in two buckets. Some challenges are essential because they cause us to innovate and grow, and some can be decimating. It’s all about how you respond to them. That challenge births quite a lot of resilience. They give us some new playbooks and different ways to think about our business models so that we can be prepared should we ever find ourselves in a situation where doors are closed and we can’t even bring guests in.

Can you talk about what you are working on these days?

I was recently appointed CEO of Brite Management, and we’ve got some really exciting projects coming up! We’ll open Nerf Action Xperience and Planet Playskool early this year in Westfield Garden State Plaza, New Jersey, and in the second half, we will launch the Crayola Experience and Nerf Action Xperience in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

What’s really exciting about Pigeon Forge is that this is the first time that destination has had global branded experiences, and it gives a good indication of just how much Pigeon Forge is growing.

We’ve got many other projects in the pipeline for 2025 and beyond (either in confidential discussions or beginning to put pen to paper on agreements), so it’s certainly a case of “watch this space.”

You are going to your favorite theme park; which people (dead or alive) are you taking with you?

For the most part, I’m taking my family (my husband and two young children – a girl and a boy), but being a Brit who lives in Orlando, I have a lot of family in England who love to come vacation in our house. So, if it’s not my immediate family, it’s my extended family – in fact, several are coming over next week.

Writer Kendall Wolf is a long-time consultant in the themed entertainment industry. She has worked with designers, producers, and fabricators to help developers create unique and successful projects around the world. In 2017, she introduced Merlin Entertainments to a development group in Sichuan province for the first Legoland park in China. Kendall continues to consult for the developer to open more themed resorts in China.