Todd Martens
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Todd Martens
@toddmartens.bsky.social
1.2K followers 400 following 140 posts
Columnist for LA Times | I cover video games, immersive entertainment & theme parks. | I take a lot bad pics of Disneyland | I also like cats | [email protected]
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toddmartens.bsky.social
Todd Martens @toddmartens.bsky.social · Jan 22
Science can explain a broken heart. Can science help cure one? This is a deeply personal story that I spent the better part of the last year living and reporting. Please read if you’re able to.
Science can explain a broken heart. Could science help heal mine?
Science shows that heartbreak doesn't just hurt emotionally. It can affect our brains and immune systems. I asked researchers if science could also mend my broken heart.
www.latimes.com
toddmartens.bsky.social
Berated, mocked and told to get on all fours: This buzzy L.A. show tests the limits.

www.latimes.com/travel/story...
Berated, mocked and told to get on all fours: This buzzy L.A. show tests the limits
Candle House's 'The Pineapple' teases an alien encounter. Then it becomes intimate, aggressive, otherworldly and psychedelic.
www.latimes.com
September 18, 2026 at 12:14 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
Dating is hard. And complicating matters, was it possible my cat could be seen as, if not an outright red flag, a deterrent?

There is research on the romantic desirability of men with cats. It’s not encouraging.

www.latimes.com/lifestyle/st...
Cat daddy problems
Everyone has heard of the 'crazy cat lady.' But being a cat daddy comes with its own cultural stigmas. One study, at least, argues men with cats are less dateable than men with dogs.
www.latimes.com
September 9, 2026 at 2:20 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
Cats, it turns out, are conversationalists. And good news for cat parents: Studies suggest they’re often attempting to talk to us.

www.latimes.com/travel/story...
Cats want to talk to us. Scientists are trying to decipher the meow
Cats are conversationalists. Researchers suggest the meow has evolved over centuries as a tool to better communicate with humans.
www.latimes.com
September 9, 2026 at 11:46 AM
toddmartens.bsky.social
The race against time to turn the Tower of Terror into Guardians, and Joe Rohde on the challenge of working with Marvel characters

www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
The story behind Disney's heated decision to turn Tower of Terror into Guardians of the Galaxy
Fans initially decried the makeover. I talk to famed retired Imagineer Joe Rohde, who led the project, about the hectic race against time to get it right.
www.latimes.com
September 8, 2026 at 6:27 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
“Sinners” as a haunted house, and why I’m slightly concerned about HHN’s approach to Nikki from “Obsession.”

www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
'Sinners' and 'Obsession' as haunted experiences? How Universal Studios recreated the terror
As horror films become more complex, so do their theme park events. A look at how Universal reimagined Ryan Coogler’s 'Sinners' as a haunted house and Curry Barker’s 'Obsession' as a game for Hallowee...
www.latimes.com
September 1, 2026 at 6:22 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
The Disney theme parks in their fan service era

www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
Disneyland is entering its fan feedback era
In their commitment to redesigning Tomorrowland, company execs are sending a message to the their most devout theme park audience: We're one of you and we're listening.
www.latimes.com
August 19, 2026 at 3:30 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
Disneyland is finally remaking Tomorrowland, exec announces at D23

www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
Disneyland is finally remaking Tomorrowland, exec announces at D23
Plus an update on Villains Land, a closer look at Orlando's version of Cars Land and other major Disney theme park news announced at the convention.
www.latimes.com
August 16, 2026 at 4:30 AM
toddmartens.bsky.social
Disneyland is at a crossroads. New documentary ‘Worldbuilders’ hints at what's next www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
Disneyland is at a crossroads. New documentary ‘Worldbuilders’ hints at what's next
D23 arrives this week and there's renewed attention on Disneyland's future. I talk to Leslie Iwerks, whose film zeroes in on the parks' enduring mission of being places of play.
www.latimes.com
August 11, 2026 at 7:36 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
The coaster is expected to operate from 9 am to 7 pm through much of August. Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will be open till 10 pm during Halloween Horror Nights.

www.latimes.com/travel/story...
Universal Studios to dampen 'disturbing' coaster screams with sound barriers, says councilmember
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, currently in a soft open phase, has come under attack from residents in the nearby Toluca Lake neighborhood.
www.latimes.com
August 11, 2026 at 7:33 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
Soft open expected today
rollercoasterphilosophy.com Jeremy Thompson @rollercoasterphilosophy.com · Aug 5
I was very happy to talk to Todd for this article about Monty's legacy, including its potty humor!
toddmartens.bsky.social Todd Martens @toddmartens.bsky.social · Aug 4
Knott’s Montezooma’s Revenge was revolutionary — with a launch that ‘kicked you in the face’

www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
August 6, 2026 at 6:22 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
Knott’s Montezooma’s Revenge was revolutionary — with a launch that ‘kicked you in the face’

www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
Knott's Montezooma's Revenge was revolutionary — with a launch that 'kicked you in the face'
After four years, Knott's Berry Farm is about to open the refurbished and reimagined Montezooma: The Forbidden Fortress. A look at what made the 1978 coaster so special.
www.latimes.com
August 4, 2026 at 11:22 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
The review: Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift. A reminder that theme parks are where we go to imagine the impossible.

www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
Universal's 'Fast & Furious' coaster vaunts to the top of SoCal thrill rides
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift has soft-opened at Universal Studios Hollywood. The ride makes an instant impression and prioritizes fun over terror.
www.latimes.com
July 28, 2026 at 6:50 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
Surprise! Universal’s ‘Fast & Furious’ coaster is open, unofficially

www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
Surprise! Universal's 'Fast & Furious' coaster is open, unofficially
The ride is operating in 'technical rehearsals.' Think of it as a soft opening. But theme park guests can finally get on this coaster that's predicted to be the North American ride of 2026.
www.latimes.com
July 27, 2026 at 11:09 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
‘Fast & Furious’ coaster screams rattle quiet neighborhood: ‘Like someone is getting murdered’

www.latimes.com/travel/story...
'Fast & Furious' coaster screams rattle quiet neighborhood: 'Like someone is getting murdered'
When Universal Studios began testing the ride with people on it, Toluca Lake residents were shocked by the screams. They were loud — piercing even double-paned windows.
www.latimes.com
July 24, 2026 at 2:00 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
The best summer attraction at any theme park in America.

www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
Of all SoCal's theme park attractions, this one feels most personal. Catch it before it ends
With dozens of actors who lead guests through scavenger hunts, puzzles and conversations, Knott's Berry Farm's 'Ghost Town Alive!' can't be replicated. A look at what makes it so special.
www.latimes.com
July 21, 2026 at 8:39 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
Meow Wolf taps famed L.A. animation house for its new Los Angeles venue

www.latimes.com/travel/story...
Meow Wolf taps famed L.A. animation house for its new Los Angeles venue
The experiential art firm has entered into a creative partnership with Titmouse, the studio behind popular series such as “Big Mouth” and “Star Trek: Lower Decks.”
www.latimes.com
July 9, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Reposted by Todd Martens
sammyroth.bsky.social
Don't think I agree with @toddmartens.bsky.social, but I love the hot take about the rocket launch at Kennedy Space Center being the best Soarin' scene: www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
Disneyland’s Soarin’ Across America just debuted the greatest scene of any Soarin' ride
The classic hang glider simulator got its patriotic makeover, complete with national parks and brand new smells.
www.latimes.com
July 7, 2026 at 10:01 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
Walt Disney Imagineering last week unveiled a new audio-animatronic pirate, one that’s a preview of the park’s next-gen toys. It’s wow-inducing. It’s also narrative wrecking. And it’s inspiring debates centered around theme parks as places of living art.

www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean goes high tech. And it's losing its mystique
A new audio-animatronic feels like a symptom of our tech-obsessed, digital-drenched age where shiny, needless tools are shoved in our faces daily.
www.latimes.com
June 30, 2026 at 6:05 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
Just how intense is the “Fast & Furious” coaster?

www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
He's been on Universal's 'Fast & Furious' coaster and describes just how extreme it is
I enjoy a good coaster, but I'm a tad squeamish. So I asked a Universal exec for the play-by-play of exactly what riders can expect.
www.latimes.com
June 23, 2026 at 6:06 PM
Reposted by Todd Martens
noproscenium.com
This week on the pod: the L.A. Times' @toddmartens.bsky.social, ARGNet owner @mjandersen.bsky.social, and NoPro's own @kathrynyu.com join host @noahjnelson.com to talk Knott's Ghost Town Alive, a new Harvard Business Review article, and more.

www.noproscenium.com/podcast-seas...
Time For A Little Calico Chaos (Podcast S2, E2)
The L.A. Times' Todd Martens, ARGNet owner Michael Andersen, and NoPro's own Kathryn Yu join host Noah Nelson to talk Knott's Ghost Town Alive, a new Harvard Business Review article, and more.
www.noproscenium.com
June 19, 2026 at 11:07 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
Noise challenges, selecting a film franchise and building on a steep hill. Multiple hurdles had to be conquered to make the groundbreaking ride — which finally opens this summer.

www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
Inside the 10-year journey to create Fast & Furious, Universal's most intense coaster ever
Noise challenges, selecting a film franchise and building on a steep hill. Multiple hurdles had to be conquered to make the groundbreaking ride — which finally opens this summer.
www.latimes.com
June 16, 2026 at 8:45 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
It’s fitting that “Disclosure Day” seems to be polarizing. We don’t live in an era open to empathy, sincerity and optimism, and that’s what this movie offers. But it does so as a response to our moment. I cried for about 15 minutes after credits rolled. This is a top-5 Spielberg move for me.
June 12, 2026 at 6:02 AM
toddmartens.bsky.social
L.A.’s “You Must Be Here for the Reading” is a dance performance disguised as a tarot reading.
www.latimes.com/travel/story...
One of L.A.’s most personal theater experiences is disguised as a tarot reading
Koryn Wicks' 'You Must Be Here for the Reading' relies heavily on audience participation and a willingness to be vulnerable.
www.latimes.com
June 10, 2026 at 1:57 PM
toddmartens.bsky.social
A love letter to the best bar at Disneyland

www.latimes.com/travel/newsl...
How Disneyland became SoCal's unlikely gateway to tiki culture
The Enchanted Tiki Room remains a classic and Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar celebrates its 15th anniversary. Disney's connection to tiki remains strong but there's a little-known story about how it ...
www.latimes.com
June 3, 2026 at 3:41 AM
toddmartens.bsky.social
Want to feel more loved? You’re probably going about it the wrong way

www.latimes.com/lifestyle/st...
Want to feel more loved? You're probably going about it the wrong way
In "How to Feel Loved," Sonja Lyubomirsky and Harry Reis reveal the differences between being in love and truly feeling love. The latter, they argue, is the key to happiness.
www.latimes.com
June 2, 2026 at 12:04 AM