Homepage for Joshua Coyston
Personal
Outside of academia, my main enthusiasm is all things theme parks.
I enjoy visiting theme parks, having visited 77 different theme parks across 14 different countries, in 3 different continents. I've ridden 394 different roller coasters (as of August 2024). I also enjoy learning about them; from how they operate, to following construction of rides all over the world.
Some of my favourite theme parks (not in order)...
Phantasialand (Brühl, Germany)
Parc Astérix (Plailly, France)
Efteling (Kaatsheuvel, the Netherlands)
Walibi Belgium (Brussels, Belgium)
Djurs Sommerland (Nimtofte, Denmark)
And some of my favourite rides (not in order)...
Chiapas, Phantasialand
Taron, Phantasialand
Taiga, Linnanmäki (Helsinki, Finland)
Skyrush, Hersheypark (Hershey, PA, USA)
Lost Gravity, Walibi Holland (Biddinghuizen, the Netherlands)
And a huge honorary mention to The Clinic, an alone theatrical Halloween experience at Walibi Holland!
I also attempt to run a theme park related blog: Just Another Theme Park Blog
In what's left of my spare time, I am trying to learn German, and always appreciate any advice, tips and help from other learners or native speakers!
Me at Legendia, escaping a cage...
Non-Academic Work
I am involved with XScream Escapes, a set of escape rooms designed by the Figaro Bros. I help with the day-to-day running of them, as well as puzzle and design ideas.
One of our rooms, The Watcher, won Best New Horror Room Escape at the Scare Awards at ScareCON 2022.
Between finishing my BSc in summer 2015 and starting my PhD in January 2019, I worked within the theme park and leisure attraction industry, specifically with Merlin Entertainments. Some key roles I held:
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Market Analyst
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Training Assistant
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Park Excellence (Queue) Coordinator
I worked with all levels of staff (from hosts to senior directors), ultimately improving KPI scores, helping to develop staff and push the business forward in several areas. See my CV for more details
That one time I appeared
on Countdown...
