Death Kissed Traveler

Marissa Benson

Death Kissed Traveler dives into the dark history of theme parks, carnivals, circuses, and roadside attractions—where joy turned to tragedy, and the dead may still linger. From deadly ride malfunctions to haunted midway games and circus disasters, each episode uncovers the chilling true stories amusement tried to bury.

  1. 1d ago

    Spooky Squad: Dead Air Part 2

    Welcome back,  When we last left off, our hosts were in a perilous position, coming to you from an abandoned radio station with a Halloween broadcast that had gone awry. Forced to continue the show (and continue enduring some seriously unsettling tales recorded by their friends in the Collective), the entity on the phone has not only started to make those stories a reality,  but It has now begun to learn who they are.. All hopes of escaping alive are starting to seem lost after Brandon fails to make a break for it...but will a ghostly host, back from the past, be the one to save this group and end this curse once and for all? Or will things only continue to get worse for our five podcasters from here? It’s time to keep the broadcast going, are you ready to tune back in? Credits:  We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who was involved in the making of this episode.  This episode was a collaborative effort of the Creators Collective.  A special thanks to hosts, Missy, Emily, Valerie, Brandon, Amanda and Niamh and guest hosts Ale and Tom.  Episode artwork by Amanda.  Script by Missy.  Editing by Niamh, Missy and Emily And a huge thank you to all our contributing podcasts,  Do You Dare? Podcast Grimly Podcast Canadian Creepies Podcast Terrorific Podcast  Down the Crooked Path Podcast Rowan and Pine Podcast Tea, Tales and Talks Podcast Skip or Scream Podcast Creepy Shit Podcast Something Strange Podcast Unknown, Unsolved, Unseen Podcast Death Kissed Traveller Podcast Moon Brews Podcast Macabre Mondays Podcast Not My Ghost, Not My Problem Podcast  It Came From The Maritimes Podcast  And Thick Thighs Creepy Vibes Podcast If you enjoyed this episode please consider checking out our fellow creators, following them on socials, subscribing, rating and reviewing.  *Ad included at the beginning of this episode is for The Creators Collective and you can find them and all of the podcasts involved in the creation of this episode by following the link below: https://linktr.ee/CreatorsCollectivePodcasters And from all of us at the Collective,  We wish you a very spooky, very happy Halloween!

  2. Oct 23

    The Disneyland the Wasn't: Nara Dreamland

    🎡 Nara Dreamland Part 1: Japan’s Abandoned Disneyland Before it became one of the most famous abandoned amusement parks in the world, Nara Dreamland was built as Japan’s answer to Disneyland. In Part 1, we dive into the strange history of Nara Dreamland, founder Kunizo Matsuo, his visit to Walt Disney’s Disneyland, the park’s opening in 1961, and the attractions that looked shockingly similar to Disney classics — including a castle, monorail, Main Street-style entrance, and Matterhorn-inspired coaster. But Nara Dreamland’s story would eventually take a much darker turn. How did one of Japan’s biggest theme parks go from a magical family destination to an eerie abandoned park filled with rusting roller coasters, overgrown rides, and urban explorers? This is the rise of Nara Dreamland — Japan’s infamous abandoned Disneyland. 🎧 Listen now to Death Kissed Traveler, the podcast exploring amusement park accidents, abandoned theme parks, dark tourism, haunted attractions, roller coaster history, and the dark side of theme parks. #NaraDreamland #AbandonedThemePark #AbandonedDisneyland #JapanThemePark #JapanHistory #ThemeParkHistory #AmusementParkHistory #AbandonedPlaces #UrbanExploration #DarkTourism #DisneylandHistory #RollerCoasterHistory #DarkHistory #ThemeParkPodcast #DeathKissedTraveler

  3. Oct 21

    Creators Collective: Halloween Episode Part 1

    Dead Air: A Creators Collective Audio Anthology - Part 1    Welcome,  Tonight we come to you from an abandoned radio station for a very special Halloween two part series to broadcast some of the scariest stories, urban legends and real events live on air.  Five friends have broken in with the plan to create something spectacularly and unforgettably spooky but their night is about to take a twisted turn when something sinister that was lurking within the confines of the building begins to take the forms of the stories they tell…  They are only given one rule - Don’t stop the broadcast if you want to get out alive.  Will they finish their show?  Will they figure out what’s causing all of this?  Will they make it through the terrifying stories recorded by their friends in the Collective unscathed?  There’s only one way to find out and that is to tune in with them…  Credits:  We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who was involved in the making of this episode.  This episode was a collaborative effort of the Creators Collective.  A special thanks to hosts, Missy, Emily, Valerie, Brandon, Amanda and Niamh. Episode artwork by Amanda.  Script by Missy.  Editing by Niamh, Missy and Emily And a huge thank you to all our contributing podcasts,  Do You Dare? Podcast Grimly Podcast Canadian Creepies Podcast Terrorific Podcast  Down the Crooked Path Podcast Rowan and Pine Podcast Tea, Tales and Talks Podcast Skip or Scream Podcast Creepy Shit Podcast Something Strange Podcast Unknown, Unsolved, Unseen Podcast Death Kissed Traveller Podcast Moon Brews Podcast Macabre Mondays Podcast Not My Ghost, Not My Problem Podcast  It Came From The Maritimes Podcast  And Thick Thighs Creepy Vibes Podcast If you enjoyed this episode please consider checking out our fellow creators, following them on socials, subscribing, rating and reviewing.  *Ad included at the beginning of this episode is for The Creators Collective and you can find them and all of the podcasts involved in the creation of this episode by following the link below: https://linktr.ee/CreatorsCollectivePodcasters Don’t forget to tune back in next week for part 2!  Dead Air: A Creators Collective Audio Anthology - Part 2    Welcome back,  When we last left off, our hosts were in a perilous position, coming to you from an abandoned radio station with a Halloween broadcast that had gone awry. Forced to continue the show (and continue enduring some seriously unsettling tales recorded by their friends in the Collective), the entity on the phone has not only started to make those stories a reality,  but It has now begun to learn who they are.. All hopes of escaping alive are starting to seem lost after Brandon fails to make a break for it...but will a ghostly host, back from the past, be the one to save this group and end this curse once and for all? Or will things only continue to get worse for our five podcasters from here? It’s time to keep the broadcast going, are you ready to tune back in? Credits:  We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who was involved in the making of this episode.  This episode was a collaborative effort of the Creators Collective.  A special thanks to hosts, Missy, Emily, Valerie, Brandon, Amanda and Niamh and guest hosts Ale and Tom.  Episode artwork by Amanda.  Script by Missy.  Editing by Niamh, Missy and Emily And a huge thank you to all our contributing podcasts,  Do You Dare? Podcast Grimly Podcast Canadian Creepies Podcast Terrorific Podcast  Down the Crooked Path Podcast Rowan and Pine Podcast Tea, Tales and Talks Podcast Skip or Scream Podcast Creepy Shit Podcast Something Strange Podcast Unknown, Unsolved, Unseen Podcast Death Kissed Traveller Podcast Moon Brews Podcast Macabre Mondays Podcast Not My Ghost, Not My Problem Podcast  It Came From The Maritimes Podcast  And Thick Thighs Creepy Vibes Podcast If you enjoyed this episode please consider checking out our fellow creators, following them on socials, subscribing, rating and reviewing.  *Ad included at the beginning of this episode is for The Creators Collective and you can find them and all of the podcasts involved in the creation of this episode by following the link below: https://linktr.ee/CreatorsCollectivePodcasters And from all of us at the Collective,  We wish you a very spooky, very happy Halloween!

  4. Oct 9

    Behind the Mask: The Darks Side of Scare Acting

    What really happens behind the mask? In this episode of Death Kissed Traveler, we dive into the dark side of scare acting — the world of haunted houses, Halloween events, horror attractions, and the people paid to terrify you. From Halloween Horror Nights scare actors and haunted attraction performers to abusive guests, injuries, panic, burnout, and the psychological toll of working in extreme horror environments, this episode explores what audiences rarely see once the fog clears and the lights come on. We’re talking about the reality of working inside some of the world’s most intense haunted houses, theme park Halloween events, scare zones, horror mazes, and immersive attractions — including the risks performers face from drunk guests, aggressive visitors, physical contact, exhaustion, and unpredictable crowd behavior. We also look at why some guests become violent, what kinds of people scare actors hate dealing with, and the strange line between entertainment and real fear. If you love Halloween Horror Nights, Universal Studios, haunted attractions, scary theme parks, horror history, dark tourism, true crime, amusement park history, or behind-the-scenes theme park stories, this episode takes you beyond the costumes and into the reality behind the screams. Because sometimes the scariest thing inside a haunted house isn’t the monster. It’s the guest. Listen now to Behind the Mask: The Dark Side of Scare Acting on Death Kissed Traveler.   Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson.  Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound.  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathkissedtravelerpodcast/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deathkissedtravel?_t=ZT-90F2Dn2tEU9&_r=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Da6bkCo3o/?mibextid=wwXIfr

  5. Oct 2

    Whispered Crimes: The Carnival Cult

    In September 1991, 21-year-old carnival worker William “Tony” Ault disappeared from the DeKalb County Free Fall Fair in Indiana. What investigators eventually uncovered was far darker than a simple missing-person case. Tony had become involved with a small group of traveling carnival workers connected by secrecy, occult beliefs, and a disturbing past. One of those men, Jimmie Lee Penick, had already committed murder in Ohio just weeks earlier—and Tony knew about it. Believing he was being invited to join the group, Tony agreed to take part in a private initiation after the fair closed. Instead, he was taken to an isolated farm building outside Auburn, Indiana, where the night turned into a brutal, carefully planned murder. In this episode of Death Kissed Traveler, we follow the full timeline of the case: Tony’s life on the traveling midway, the carnival workers surrounding him, Penick’s previous murder, the events of September 25, 1991, Tony’s disappearance, the discovery of his remains, the arrests, the investigation, the court cases, and the sentences that followed. This true crime story combines dark carnival history, murder, traveling carnival culture, cult-like behavior, Satanic practices, ritual violence, amusement industry history, unsolved details, criminal investigation, and one of the darkest crimes ever connected to the American midway. If you love true crime podcasts, dark history, carnival history, creepy amusement park stories, bizarre murders, cult cases, disturbing historical crimes, and real-life horror, this episode is for you. Step beyond the lights of the midway and into the true story of The Carnival Cult Murder. Death Kissed Traveler — horror, history, hauntings, and the dark side of the amusement world. Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson.  Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound.  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathkissedtravelerpodcast/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deathkissedtravel?_t=ZT-90F2Dn2tEU9&_r=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Da6bkCo3o/?mibextid=wwXIfr

  6. Sep 25

    Guests Gone Wild: Disney & Universal Studios

    Theme parks are supposed to be magical… until the guests completely lose it. In this episode of Death Kissed Traveler, we’re diving into some of the wildest guest behavior to come out of places like Disney and Universal — fights, drunken chaos, bizarre confrontations, security getting involved, and those moments that make everyone nearby stop and stare. I’m also sharing one of my own craziest theme park stories, involving Halloween Horror Nights, an argument in the crowd, security, and a night that ended with police involved. From entitlement and bad decisions to full-blown theme park meltdowns, this episode proves that sometimes the scariest thing in the park isn’t the ride or the haunted house… It’s the guests. deathkissedtraveler.com Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson.  Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound.  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathkissedtravelerpodcast/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deathkissedtravel?_t=ZT-90F2Dn2tEU9&_r=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Da6bkCo3o/?mibextid=wwXIfr

  7. Sep 18

    Shadowed Archives: Lagoon Frightmares

    Step inside the dark history of Lagoon Frightmares, one of Utah’s most popular Halloween events at Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington, Utah. In this episode of Death Kissed Traveler, we explore the history of Frightmares, from Lagoon’s early haunted attractions and classic dark rides to the creation of Frightmares in 1995. We also dig into forgotten haunted houses, retired scare zones, old props, and some of the strangest attractions buried in Lagoon’s Halloween past. Then we go behind the scenes with two Lagoon Frightmares scare actors who share what it’s really like to work inside one of Utah’s biggest haunted attractions. We talk about becoming a scare actor, interacting with guests, favorite scares, behind-the-scenes stories, and what happens inside Lagoon after dark. If you love Lagoon history, Utah haunted houses, amusement park history, Halloween events, haunted attractions, scare actors, creepy stories, and theme park mysteries, this episode is for you. Come with me as we uncover the history, secrets, and scares behind Lagoon Frightmares. visit deathkissedtraveler.com Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson.  Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound.  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathkissedtravelerpodcast/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deathkissedtravel?_t=ZT-90F2Dn2tEU9&_r=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Da6bkCo3o/?mibextid=wwXIfr

  8. Sep 4

    Fatal Fun: X2

    X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain isn’t just a roller coaster — it’s one of the strangest, most ambitious rides ever built. In this episode of Death Kissed Traveler, we’re diving into the wild history of the coaster originally known as X, from Arrow Dynamics’ groundbreaking 4D design and its notoriously difficult development to the massive transformation that turned it into X2. We’ll talk about the rotating seats, insane first drop, technical problems, terrifying reputation, onboard effects, and why this ride still feels completely unhinged more than two decades later. If you love roller coaster history, Six Flags Magic Mountain, extreme rides, amusement park accidents, theme park engineering, and dark amusement park stories, buckle up — because X2 was never meant to be normal. deathkissedtraveler.com Produced by Sun-Kissed Traveler. Visit sun-kissedtraveler.com for a free vacation quote and show sources. Written by Marissa Benson.  Music and Sound Effects Epidemic Sound.  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deathkissedtravelerpodcast/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deathkissedtravel?_t=ZT-90F2Dn2tEU9&_r=1 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Da6bkCo3o/?mibextid=wwXIfr

    Fatal Fun: X2
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4.7
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

Death Kissed Traveler dives into the dark history of theme parks, carnivals, circuses, and roadside attractions—where joy turned to tragedy, and the dead may still linger. From deadly ride malfunctions to haunted midway games and circus disasters, each episode uncovers the chilling true stories amusement tried to bury.

Information

  • Creator
    Marissa Benson
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    69
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Death Kissed Traveler

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