Influencer Session with Johnny Metro

Socially Powerful interviewed Disney and theme park expert Johnny Metro (@johnnymetro77) who found his passion for theme parks after moving to Southern California. He spends his days researching tips, tricks, and hidden secrets for his followers. Johnny’s goal is to spread positivity through his content with a focus on genuine and unique stories rather than chasing trends. He uses TikTok as his primary social media platform and Instagram for a more authentic community experience. Johnny values organic content that sparks emotion and avoids forced trends. Johnny has worked with brands like Bose and Philz Coffee, and he believes influencer marketing should prioritize community over follower count. He expects audience migration in the future due to potential TikTok bans.

Johnny Metro @johnnymetro77

We caught up with Disney and theme park pundit, John Masters, or as he’s better known online @johnnymetro77, to talk all things community, carefully-curated Feeds, and content experimentation. If you want to know more about life as an online theme park/movie/TV aficionado, then keep on reading!

When did your love and in-depth knowledge of theme parks and rides begin?

When I moved to Southern California from the East Coast a few years back, I was really able to take in all the amazing theme parks the area has to offer.  Being a passholder at these incredible parks means I spend most of my days researching all the tips, tricks, and awesome hidden secrets for all my followers to enjoy.

@johnnymetro77

Why are 3D rides blurry??? #waltdisneyworld #flightofpassage #avatarflightofpassage #ratatouille #wdw #wdwattractions

♬ original sound – Johnny Metro

How has the increased demand for more niche, authentic creators impacted your content?

I decided a while back I wasn’t going to be the first creator to jump on every brand new little update to each park — that frees up my content to be more genuine and shows my followers the true real side of what it’s like to enjoy the parks.

What is your main goal for creating content?

My main goal is to really bring a positive vibe and energy to everything I experience and in turn make people feel good. I’m not interested in making “controversial” content just to get views, I want to tell a unique story of my own.

@johnnymetro77

CHOC walk in a hurricane! #disneyland #disneyparks #chocwalk #anaheim #tropicalstorm #anaheim #california #mickeymouse @Hojo Anaheim @CHOC

♬ The Big Country (Main Theme) – Jerome Moross

Which platforms do you predominantly use? 

TikTok has been my biggest platform but lately I’m really enjoying also using Snapchat and Instagram.

Which do you prefer for posting, and for community building? 

I think the community really feels genuine on Instagram the most, because it’s the sort of place you follow your friends and family. A follow from anyone there is very important to me and I like to curate my Feed very carefully.

How does community engagement vary on your chosen platforms?

TikTok is amazing, but since my videos are shown to brand new people there every day, the community is a tougher issue. Going Live there helps bring my followers together a lot of the time to really engage with me directly.

What is your favorite type of content to create, and which works best for your audience? Is there a juxtaposition?

Lately my favorite content is where I personally give my followers an awesome story about how I enjoyed a park or facts about a park they didn’t already know!I think my audience loves my most natural and real-feeling content, basically anything that sparks an emotion.

I really think that works for any creator overall — just being yourself and trying to naturally convey to your audience interesting things they’ll want to learn about. Things that don’t work as well might be content that feels forced or maybe trying to chase a trend that doesn’t feel very normal to me. It’s not always easy to know what your audience will love but testing all sorts of videos always helps.

Do you have experience working with brands? How do you decide which brands you would like to work with?

Yeah I’ve worked with countless brands over the years and mostly I just like to hook up with whatever campaign they currently have going.  I have my dream brands of course but I really like to look out for campaigns that fit my mold and do more of the unexpected when it comes to brand content.

Some of my favorites are Bose, Philz Coffee, Hot Topic, Her Universe, Box Lunch Gifts, Solgaard Luggage, Casely, Fuel Rod and ReliefBand.

How do you foresee the influencer marketing space changing within your niche in the next 12 months?

With a possible TikTok ban on the horizon, the next 12 months could be very tricky — but I think if any creator has cemented an audience they will follow them to any platform.

Based on your experience, what is one thing you would advocate to change about the creator industry?

I’d like to change the fact that brands and corporations look at followers first when they think of someone to sponsor — content creation is no longer about followers, it’s about the community that particular creator has made.

How do you balance your online and offline lives?

It’s not the easiest thing to do, believe me, because your online persona is basically 24/7 — I try to give myself breaks to avoid burnout but also being a small business owner my life is VERY busy.

What is a piece of advice you would give to your younger self when starting out in content creation?

Just post and don’t worry about the numbers! Try out every kind of content because early on it’s all about finding your voice — the early days are actually awesome because you don’t have as much stress or worry and it’s really freeing. Try to keep that open mind and energy whether you have 10 or 10k followers.

@johnnymetro77

The Great Muppet Caper: How Those Fuzzy Cyclists Did It! Remember that iconic scene in “The Great Muppet Caper” where Kermit and the gang take London by storm on two wheels? It’s a hilarious and impressive sequence, but there’s more to it than meets the eye (or froggy green eyeball). Here’s the behind-the-scenes magic that brought those felt cyclists to life: Masters of Marionette: For close-up shots where Kermit shows off his impressive bike skills, the puppeteers used marionette rigging. This allowed for precise control of the puppet’s movements, making it look like Kermit was truly pedaling and balancing. Radioactive Rides (Not Really): While there wasn’t any actual nuclear power involved, some of the bikes were radio-controlled! This allowed for smooth movement during wide shots and scenes with multiple Muppets cycling together. Two Wheels are Better Than One (Connected One): For those grand group shots with a whole Muppet peloton, a clever trick was used. The bicycles were connected by rods hidden between the wheels. This kept them upright and allowed the puppeteers to move them all at once. Fake It Till You Make It: Sometimes, it’s all about camera angles! For scenes where Kermit is riding side-by-side with Miss Piggy, their bikes were actually connected by a hidden bar. This gave the illusion of two independent riders without the complexity of separate controls. These ingenious techniques, combined with the Muppet performers’ talent, brought the bicycle chase scene to life. It’s a testament to the creativity and dedication of Jim Henson and his team that even decades later, this scene remains a fan favorite! Next time you watch “The Great Muppet Caper,” you’ll appreciate the hidden secrets that made those fuzzy cyclists such a wheelie good time. #themuppets #muppets #greatmuppetcaper #muppetsecrets

♬ original sound – Johnny Metro