Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is synonymous with Halloween at Walt Disney World. But that event is now sold out. Are there other options? Absolutely! There is so much to see and do--and eat. We'll canvas the whole of it at Walt Disney World to include some fun and scary things you can do, activities you can be involved in, food, beverage, photos and more. From Magic Kingdom through the other parks out to the resorts and Disney Springs, there's a little bit of Halloween for everyone every...
Oct 04, 2023•36 min•Ep. 471
Previews are well underway for Journey of Water: Inspired by Moana. But it’s also inspired by Epcot! This is really what Epcot was always about–learning and interacting and inspiring and entertaining all at one time. In a simple, but not simplistic manner this walk-through experience does all this and more. We look at the various elements of this new attraction and how it truly complements this new section now called World Nature. Is it a sign of good things to come? We’ll see as we look at not ...
Sep 28, 2023•45 min•Ep. 470
Destination D23 had considerable publicity around that, with social media agents blogging, vlogging tweeting and podcasting the highlights to fans the world over--but mostly at Walt Disney World. We'll cover some additional details and aftermath of that. We'll consider some additional thoughts on what was announced there. But almost under the radar this week was an entirely different presentation targeted not to fans but to investors. This includes a promise to invest some 60 billion dollars in ...
Sep 22, 2023•50 min•Ep. 469
Josh D'Amaro hosted a major presentation at Destination D23 where many new and newly revised attractions were announced as well as the details of many attractions already announced. We go into detail and study each of them. We also talk about attractions and other offerings not mentioned at all, yet still very much in the works. And we talk about projects announced only a year go that seem to have gone on the cutting block. In short, there are well over 50 attractions, hotels, entertainment offe...
Sep 10, 2023•53 min•Ep. 468
Disney Cruise Line announced the inaugural sailings for the Disney Treasure, as well as many of the details about their newest ship. Joining me is David Zanolla of Zanolla Travel, who will help me to study the details of this announcement, and how it compares to the more recent Disney Wish. We will look at the itineraries, the overall design, new dining and lounge concepts, entertainment, staterooms and so much more. The Disney Treasure is unique and there will be some very cool additions to thi...
Sep 06, 2023•41 min•Ep. 467
Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant or Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Paris is perhaps one of the most beautiful buildings Disney has ever created in its empire of themed attractions. This podcast takes you inside and out, down to the dragon and up to the spires, and then even beyond to the courtyard. Three shops compliment the castle experience, and a wonderful princess dining experience is approximate in this area I refer to as the French Quarter of Fantasyland. From park opening unti...
Sep 03, 2023•40 min•Ep. 466
This week we met up with a light saber celebration to commemorate the opening of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge in Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. This greatest addition to the Studios park came with enormous anticipation. We'll dial back the clock to commemorate those moments and talk about the most galactic memories I've had experiencing this corner of the cosmos. We'll also go through the land, the attractions, the food/beverage, the retail experience and more as we note what works ...
Aug 28, 2023•44 min•Ep. 465
We podcast directly from Epcot where we seek out some cozy and quiet corners around Epcot. As we move through the park we discuss happenings around property, from the new Moana attractions coming to the resort; from a new Figment meet 'n' greet; Construction on CommuniCore; Reedy Creek employees losing Disney park pass benefits and the lack of attendance in the parks. And we sample new offerings at Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival. This podcast comes with lots of insights about how...
Aug 24, 2023•57 min•Ep. 464
Welcome Foolish Mortals! The Haunted Mansion is one of the most beloved attractions ever created for a Disney theme park. It has entertained millions since its original opening in 1969 at Disneyland and has been in one form or another in Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. What makes this attraction work is the creative compromise that Disney Imagineers sought to put into it over the years. We talk about that compromise rare among artists--and how one has to jump "off the page"...
Aug 16, 2023•30 min•Ep. 463
Everyone loves to play" arm chair" Imagineer, so when new attractions or the details around those attractions are announced we immediately question, "what's going on? Why are they doing that". But on our "to do" list of "First World Problems" we can sometimes be too quick to not just speculate but downright criticize something long before it opens to the public. Turning to the Disney parks we look at examples of that, but moreover, look at how we do it in our own Imagineered lives. With new attr...
Aug 08, 2023•51 min•Ep. 462
I'm so excited to share with you a big announcement of something I've personally been working on for some time. After that we are going to share important news of this week that may have huge bearing on the company moving forward. Tom Staggs and Kevin Mayer, both former executive leaders of The Walt Disney Company, have returned to solve some its biggest issues tied with ESPN and the long-term prospects of network/cable television. We'll share the story of how we got to this place, and why it ma...
Aug 02, 2023•29 min•Ep. 461
It's still very much summer, but the Fall Food & Wine Festival for Epcot is on. We head over to the park to check out all the latest happenings. We taste test and review a dozen entrees, and we share our thoughts on a number of returning offerings. If you've never been to Epcot's premiere Food & Wine Festival, or if you only come once every couple of years, or if you are an annual pass holder, we have insights for you to help you make the best of this experience. Along with myself, my da...
Jul 28, 2023•43 min•Ep. 460
It was a privilege to experience Disneyland as it takes center stage in celebrating the 100th anniversary of Disney. This is what the 50th anniversary for Walt Disney World should have looked like! We chronicle all of this, but we also talk about other fantastic events happening. Rogers the Musical is really worth seeing, and San Fransokyo is well underway. Indiana Jones has been re-touched with more chills and thrills than I've ever seen in the many years I've been. And then there is the newly ...
Jul 25, 2023•38 min•Ep. 459
I just spent a week at Disneyland. I don't know that this is a trip report. If it is, it's one of the most unusual chronologies that you may ever heard. At the heart of this four day journey is an opportunity to celebrate my autistic son's 21st birthday with my wife and daughter. It's hard to imagine any day that wouldn't be nearly perfect at Disneyland. But this one is a roller coaster of expectations, emotions and joys. And there's a little bit of a twist at the end of it all that asks the que...
Jul 21, 2023•39 min•Ep. 458
In the last 24 hours a number of insights have surfaced. It began with an announcement that the Disney board has voted in favor of Bob Iger's contract being extended as CEO through 2026. CNBC's David Faber asked some real questions on what's working and what's not. This includes selling cable networks such as ABC; putting ESPN into streaming mode; and buying Hulu from Comcast. He then defends the attendance slump at Walt Disney World, which was the headline on CNN today. Finally, Iger discusses ...
Jul 14, 2023•27 min•Ep. 457
Our tenth Disney cruise took us to the waters off Alaska where we spent 7 nights on board the Disney Wonder. Our last podcast told you about the experience onboard the ship and our efforts to make this cruise happen. Sailing mostly in the waters of the Bahamas and the Caribbean, taking a cruise with Disney is usually more about the experience of being on board the ship and less about different excursions. But Alaska is so much more. Our excursions were for the most part amazing and became very m...
Jul 11, 2023•41 min•Ep. 456
There are many reasons for going on a Disney Cruise, and for many, visiting Alaska is a big bucket list item. Combine the two and you make for a wondrous journey. Join us as we take in the Alaskan waters on board the Disney Wonder for an 8-day, 7-night journey. We discuss the many decisions one has to make in determining if, when and how to take this cruise. We talk about the opportunities and issues around boarding in Vancouver. And then we talk in detail about being on a Disney cruise ship not...
Jul 05, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 455
When added up, it's been a busy June at both Walt Disney World and at Disneyland. We'll cover some important headlines--from Disney dealing with governors in Florida and California, to changes in the Genie+ program; to new shows and lands coming to Disneyland; to new attractions and holiday parties here in Walt Disney World. Join us for this June Disney update!Special Announcement! Jim Korkis needs your help! The 72-year-old, internationally-respected Disney historian who has authored thousands ...
Jun 29, 2023•33 min•Ep. 454
Sixty years of the Enchanted Tiki Room doesn't just mean a lot of decades of bird shows, although that number is enormous. Opened on June 23rd of 1963, The Enchanted Tiki Room represents Walt Disney's first foray into Audio-Animatronics, a new "space age" technology that allowed inanimate characters to perform on cue--and even talk. Six decades of Abraham Lincoln, swashbuckling pirates, singing dolls, Big Al, Dinosaurs, Mark Twain, Figment, Extraterrestrial Aliens, Avatar Shamans and Dancing Bab...
Jun 19, 2023•41 min•Ep. 453
You see it all the time, headlines that say attendance is down at Walt Disney World or Universal's Epic Universe is going to take away all the business from Disney. Well, is it? We have a strong sense of how parks are faring after the pandemic, now that TEA (Themed Entertainment Association) and AECOM (Architecture, Engineering ,Construction, Operations and Management) has released its Global Attraction Attendance Report for 2022. From this we can begin to read the TEA leaves (get it?) as to how...
Jun 15, 2023•45 min•Ep. 452
When we started this podcast series examining the lands of Disneyland Park in the Disneyland Paris Resort, we began our first focused podcast with Fantasia Gardens, moved past the Disneyland Hotel, and down the left side of Main Street U.S.A., to include the Liberty arcade. We have then moved through Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Discoveryland. Now we will return to Main Street and move down the right side toward the castle. One might think this is a lot of podcast for what is a l...
Jun 13, 2023•51 min•Ep. 451
The success of Pixar's Toy Story and its sequels have given way to a number of park attractions and offerings in Disney parks around the world. The biggest compilation of these has been in creating Toy Story Lands in Paris, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Orlando. The premise of these lands is the idea that Andy has created his own playground with his Toy Story pals in his back yard. We look at all of these lands with their attractions, food & beverage and retail offerings. We'll compare all these l...
Jun 09, 2023•35 min•Ep. 450
Today Apple made a big announcement. The tech giant announced a new platform, in the same scale as the iPhone, iPad, and the Apple Watch. Apple Vision Pro and its headset is Apple's way of embarking in a major way into virtual reality. It offers many benefits and creates an experience that may be unlike any other platform they have previously sold. To that end, moments later Disney CEO Bob Iger presented on stage at this conference to share that Disney will be making its Disney+ content availabl...
Jun 05, 2023•29 min•Ep. 449
Of all the Tomorrowlands in all the Magic Kingdom-style parks, there is no version more unique than the one in Disneyland Paris, whose title is not Tomorrowland but Discoveryland. Intended to celebrate the scientists and futurists of Europe, the look and feel of this land really stands out above the rest. If steampunk had a theme park, much of this land would serve as home to it. We'll visit the attractions, shops and restaurants of this section of the park as we continue our celebration and exa...
Jun 02, 2023•43 min•Ep. 448
Six years ago this last weekend Disney premiered its newest land, Pandora: World of Avatar. Based on James Cameron’s successful film, this land set a new level of experiences not seen anywhere else. The centerpiece of this experience was Avatar’s Flight of Passage. It is called Flight of Passage because the flight is a rite of passage. We will look at what exactly are those rites of passage that play out in this attraction. Moreover, we will talk about how we are ourselves have our own rites of ...
May 30, 2023•31 min•Ep. 447
We're heading into summer and it's time to think about how to make it work when you're visiting Disney theme parks--particularly Walt Disney World during the summer months. People are often surprised how hot, humid, wet and rainy a typical summer day can be. We're here to give you decades worth of smart steps you can take as you embark on a Disney day during these months. You can still have a great summer vacation--if you follow these practical ideas for enduring the weather. Join us for Beat th...
May 26, 2023•36 min•Ep. 446
As part of the 25th Anniversary of Disney's Animal Kingdom, we want to talk about how this park came to be and the leaders that made it happen. I had the privilege of meeting back up with Rick Barongi, the first animal care zoo keeper hired by Imagineering to develop and make Disney's Animal Kingdom a reality. Roy E. Disney, Michael Eisner, Frank Wells, and Imagineers like Craig Russell, Paul Comstock and of course, Joe Rohde. He shares the role Jane Goodall played in supporting the park and of ...
May 23, 2023•41 min•Ep. 445
While we like going into the weekend with lighter news, this week a couple of key announcements were made, and they are reflective of some tough financial decisions being made particularly at the Walt Disney World Resort. First and foremost, Disney has announced that the Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser will cease operations in a few months. We explore why this is coming to an end, and most importantly, what lessons can be learned from it. Disney has also announced that it is no longer going to re...
May 19, 2023•53 min•Ep. 444
The biggest guest complaint at Disney Parks is how long the waits are. Guests are always wondering how they can enjoy the experience without getting worn out waiting for one ride after another. Tools such as the Disney app showing wait times, or Touring Plans can direct guests as to where to go next when they are in the parks. But those tools don't always offer context as to what is happening that creates that wait time. And sometimes those tools are simply not accurate. How do you determine tha...
May 16, 2023•37 min•Ep. 443
We continue our series focusing on the many lands of Disneyland Paris. This week we explore Fantasyland, which not only built out one of the elegant versions of this land, but sought to create a level of whimsy and magic well beyond just being another European village, which can be found anywhere on this continent. We explore the many attractions, restaurants and retail experiences. A study of all this yields a conclusion that the details of this land create for one of the most lavish and charmi...
May 12, 2023•36 min•Ep. 442
