If You Told Me 5 Years Ago I’d Be a YouTuber…

If you told me five years ago that I would be a “YouTuber,” I would have laughed and if you really know me, you know why. I don’t like being in the spotlight. I’m not someone who naturally wants to hear my own voice, watch my own face, or be “the one on camera.” The idea alone used to make me cringe.

But there’s another side of me that’s always been stronger than the fear: I love creating things… and I love helping people and that’s exactly what Dutch Theme Park Network started as: a fun hobby with a purpose. I wanted to share my theme park love, but also make it easier for others, first-time visitors, international guests, planners, overthinkers (hi 👋) to have the best day possible.

At first, I honestly expected other people would take over the “being on camera” part. I tried to recruit volunteers (yes, including Joost 😄) and that worked… for a while. But if you want to make a weekly video, which I do.. (I have enough ideas to make a weekly video if I had more time) there comes a moment where you can’t hide behind the camera forever. So I made the choice to step outside my comfort zone and I’m really glad I did.

The awkward truth behind “weekly videos”

Let’s be honest: it wasn’t smooth. It was awkward. It still can be. There were moments where I had to say the same sentence nine times… and then stumble on it again. Moments where I thought: Why am I doing this? I could just go back to “normal” life. No pressure. No camera. No editing at midnight.

And then there’s the learning curve, the learning curve. Not just learning to be on camera, but learning everything around it:

• How to get better shots (and not forget to press record 🙃)

• How to test sound

• How to actually get a message across after stumbling ten times

• How to edit, in general

• How to keep improving without losing the joy

What kept me going (spoiler: it’s you)

So why didn’t I quit? Because of you and especially because of our Patrons. There are people who have supported us for months… even years. That still blows my mind.

Not just with moral support, but with kind messages, shared experiences, helpful tips, and constructive feedback that genuinely made our content better. You don’t just watch you build this with us and that community is the reason we keep going, even in the moments where stopping would be the easiest option.

From phones… to real gear (because of our Patrons)

When we started DTN, we filmed on our phones. Simple, scrappy, “let’s just do it.” Then, thanks to our Patrons, we were able to upgrade to a DJI Osmo Pocket for smoother footage, better sound options, more flexibility, yesterday, we made another step:

We purchased a DJI Action Cam. We can do that because of our amazing Patrons and it means a lot.

With the upgrade we can get more and better on-ride content. More flexible filming days We can combine multiple angles with the Osmo Pocket, which makes our videos more dynamic and complete. And the big one… DTN on two continents in 2026.

In August, September, and October 2026, we’re going to try something we’ve never done before: I will be creating content in the US, while Joost will be creating content in Europe. Two perspectives. Two locations. One shared mission: bringing you along for the most exciting theme park moments wherever we are.

So today we’re sending the love right back to you.

Thank you for believing in us.
Thank you for supporting us.
Thank you for cheering us on through the awkward takes.

You make this possible. Truly.

Want to support DTN? Keeping this website, our blogs, and our vlogs online isn’t free, it costs money to create and maintain everything and you can help me create more time. If you’d like to help us continue, consider joining our community and supporting us on Patreon. Every bit of support helps us keep making new guides and videos.