May the 4th be with you! This podcast is a replay that celebrates all things Star Wars in a very unique way that ties also to The Golden Girls, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and a man by the name of Andrew Gold. It has great insights so join us as we share this unique podcast. __________________________________________________ My new book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service a...
May 04, 2024•35 min•Ep. 501
o much of what was the Disney-MGM Studios over the years has come and gone. Only one attraction remains as it was largely designed during its opening. This park is perhaps more radically different than any other Disney park between its opening and the present. And yet there are some really wonderful gems that were there when the park opened, and they are still here today. We look at those timeless pieces and what makes them such treasured keepsakes of what is Disney's Hollywood Studios today. Ea...
Apr 30, 2024•40 min•Ep. 500
It seems hard to imagine that Disney's Hollywood Studios opened 35 years ago! The first park to open under the leadership of Michael Eisner, the Disney-MGM Studios as it was known then has a storied past. How it got started, why it became the way it did, and how it competed with Universal Studios is the stuff of movie legend. Join us as we look at how an idea became Walt Disney World's third theme park; how it struggled to move from a half-day concept to a full-day park experience; how it came t...
Apr 25, 2024•31 min•Ep. 499
Over the last couple of decades Disney has been attentive and has invested seriously in supporting guests with disabilities. I suppose it was a slow news day, Disney social media influencers decided to call fire in the Lightening Lane. Headlines and statements were irresponsible, and in most cases, just wrong. We will look at Disney's history is providing accessibility. We will look at the statements and changes Disney is looking to enact, and I will offer honest and candid feedback on what is w...
Apr 22, 2024•47 min•Ep. 498
This May and June Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, and Disney's Pleasure Island will be 35 years old. The only way this would have occurred is if there were employees to make that happen. By this time the market for available front line employees was tight as Universal was preparing to open its first theme park, and other competitors and hoteliers in the area were needing people as well. The answer was to intentionally create a place for people to go to get a job a...
Apr 09, 2024•45 min•Ep. 497
The Walt Disney Company held its annual meeting of Shareholders. This event was seminal in that it concluded a feud between outside investors and Disney. It allowed Bob Iger to emphasize a message of 'Renewed Strength'. But there is more to learn from all of the tea leaves of this presentation. We'll discuss not just some of the many facets of where Disney is and what it intends to do moving forward, but focus largely on parks and experiences--to include new insights on the Padora/Avatar attract...
Apr 03, 2024•44 min•Ep. 496
BREAKING NEWS! Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight's District has come to an Agreement! More at the end of the podcast! We come to you from deep in the jungle of Disney's Animal Kingdom to not only tell you the latest and greatest on what's happening at Disney's Animal Kingdom, but how these connect to major happenings across the Disney universe. The big news is in Dinoland, but Asia, Africa, Pandora and Discovery Island all have some thing to share. We'll look at what's potentially...
Mar 27, 2024•51 min•Ep. 495
You can learn a lot about what's going on at Disney by spending a little time at the Magic Kingdom of Walt Disney World. My recent visits there provide background and context for a number of things that are going on or are set to happen. Like the song from Disney's Princess and the Frog, "We're Almost There". Or so it seems. We'll check out every land around the Magic Kingdom and talk about what's going on. New ticket packages and new announcements. From the parking lot tram to Happily Ever Fire...
Mar 21, 2024•59 min•Ep. 494
For months now Disney has been in a proxy fight with several outside entities in the strategic direction of Disney moving forward. In taking the offense, this week Disney filed with the SEC a statement of how it will move forward. There are four key priorities the company has during this time to strategically transform. Our focus is Experiences Growth--particularly in the theme parks. We will explore what that means and how that is defined by CEO Bob Iger in this announcement. What is the compan...
Mar 13, 2024•52 min•Ep. 493
This last week a business program I delivered took me to Kansas City, where Walt moved to around age 10, and where he returned to after serving in the Red Cross during World War I. If Disneyland's Main Street U.S.A. symbolizes Marcelline, Missouri, then Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom Main Street should symbolize Kansas City. We'll talk about the sights I saw and the impressions I had. It is a story of family struggles, of bankruptcy and dreams of a new life. Walt and Roy had a unique experien...
Mar 06, 2024•34 min•Ep. 492
Have you taken time to see some animated features on Disney+ that go way back into Walt Disney’s own vault. During the 1940s you will find Disney animated features like Melody Time, Saludos Amigos, and Make Mine Music. These were known as package films, similar to Fantasia, but with far less attention to detail. They compose the War Era, which was during World War II and its aftermath. This era was between the Golden age of Disney which included Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and the Silver Ag...
Feb 29, 2024•26 min•Ep. 491
As a park, Epcot has in many ways evolved over the years--especially in what we have always known as Future World. But which version of Epcot is the best version? We look very carefully at Epcot's timeline over the decades to determine if there was a time and place when Epcot was at its very best. And we consider the possibility that the Epcot of today is perhaps better than any other version of Epcot over the years. Not only do we look at attractions, but consider everything from entertainment,...
Feb 21, 2024•39 min•Ep. 490
In an unexpected last minute turn of events, I ended up having the opportunity to visit the Disneyland Resort. My focus was on Disneyland Park as well as the Downtown Disney/Hotel District Area. We'll visit these locations to see what's new and what's happening here at "The Happiest Place on Earth". We'll look at new offerings such as Adventureland Treehouse, Pixar Place and Tiana's Palace. Speaking of Tiana, we look at its impact on the park as well as recent announcements of when Tiana's Bayou...
Feb 15, 2024•57 min•Ep. 489
No Disney Cruise is "typical" and this is no "typical" Disney Cruise review. Our family spent four nights on the Disney Dream which sailed out of its new home in Fort Lauderdale. We look at the good, the bad and the "Petroleum Port" ugly of that arrival experience. We then set sail only to arrive in Nassau, where the U.S. State Department has issued a travel advisory after some 18 murders on that small island since January 1st. We look at the realities of that as well as talk about our family's ...
Feb 07, 2024•52 min•Ep. 488
Universal has taken a step to showcase its upcoming new park, Epic Universe. While many have known much about what was going into the parks, official status was given to the different lands and key attractions. In particular, details were given around the centerpiece land, Celestial Park, which serves as an entrance and hub to four other lands, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic; Dark Universe; How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk; and Super Nintendo World. All this plus ho...
Jan 31, 2024•41 min•Ep. 487
My recent visit dining at Disney's Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World made me realize that this is a great place for Magic Kingdom guests who are looking for a place to get away during the craziness of being in the park. There are three particular dining experiences that caters to many tastes and makes it easy to enjoy a finer dining experience than you might get at Magic Kingdom. David Zanolla of Zanolla Travel and I take you through three locations at Disney's Contemporary: Contempo Cafe...
Jan 23, 2024•33 min•Ep. 486
It's January and that means Epcot's International Festival of the Arts--which really looks more like Epcot's Annual Figment Festival. Figment is everywhere--except in a well-designed attraction. Still, it is the most popular non IP Disney character in any North American Park (Duffy holds reign in Asia) and like the original attraction, it represents creativity and the arts--and that's what's always been part of this festival. Join us as we visit Epcot and experience the food, the art, the entert...
Jan 17, 2024•38 min•Ep. 485
Disney has announced this week that the Country Bear Jamboree will be closing on January 27th of this year, with a promise of re-opening as the Country Bear Musical Jamboree "later this summer". We talk about Disney's news and the new upcoming show. And then we talk about why we love the Country Bears and their significance to the park and to the original heritage of Walt Disney World. Disney has also hinted and suggested that more announcements of things to come to Magic Kingdom are on their wa...
Jan 10, 2024•32 min•Ep. 484
Greetings and Happy New Year! As we embark on 2024 I wanted to bring to you a conversation I had with Betsy Jordyn, a former Disney Cast Member and organizational development leader. She works with consultants now, but she speaks of a time when the internal organizational development was almost an outside consulting group to getting Disney’s organization to the next level. The research she and her team did unearthed what eventually became the Basics initiative, which was an effort to unify Guest...
Jan 03, 2024•44 min•Ep. 483
Having touched on 2023 last week in review, let's see what 2024 has in store. It's going to be a unique year, and I don't think with new attractions/offerings being announced just last week, that even we have seen all that will still come to guests in this upcoming calendar year. Still, we'll share what we know as we go across Disney parks worldwide to see what's happening with over 30 new attractions and offerings. Join us as we overview all that is coming--or that we know is coming--in 2024! M...
Dec 27, 2023•47 min•Ep. 482
2023 has been unlike any other. But it has been a busy one. There is much to review as we look back at what has been happening in Disney's parks world-wide over the last twelve months. We check out not only the U.S. parks of Walt Disney World and Disneyland, but also international parks around the world. We'll look at what's happened at both parks and resorts and how they have taken the theme park experience to its current form. My new book, "A Century of Powerful Disney Insights" is available! ...
Dec 20, 2023•35 min•Ep. 481
Other than Walt Disney himself, there is in my mind no other individual who has made such a dent on what people know as the Disney theme park experience than Dick Nunis, whose passing has been made public today, December 13th, 2023. He is a Disney legend, and without his leadership, projects like Magic Kingdom and Epcot and Typhoon Lagoon would have never gotten to the finish line. His leadership was as impressive as any individual involved in the parks. And his leadership style--it was many tim...
Dec 13, 2023•38 min•Ep. 480
Finally! After what has been years of waiting, the center piece of what was formerly Future World is reopening as World Celebration in Epcot. We cover the opening day and what this central promenade looks like during the day time and night. It's like a brand new hub--only for Epcot and not Magic Kingdom. We also take the opportunity to see the premiere of Luminous on its first night as a replacement to Harmonious. This is a pivotal day for Epcot, the culmination of some 25 additional attractions...
Dec 06, 2023•58 min•Ep. 479
35 years ago my wife and I came to Walt Disney World for the first time. It was 1988 and I had big bucket dreams of visiting since opening in 1971. We were finally established with our first child and a new one on the way. We set a course for Florida. Disney’s Hollywood Studios was still a year away, but Epcot was something totally unlike anything I had seen in my years at Disneyland, and the Magic Kingdom was supposed to be something far bigger than the original “Happiest Place on Earth” The ex...
Nov 29, 2023•53 min•Ep. 478
Happy Thanksgiving! The season has arrived with Black Friday and a lot of holiday shopping ahead. No doubt, if you are a Disney fan, something on your list to Santa includes something Disney. There are so many retail choices when it comes to buying your favorite Disney merchandise, but all of that had a beginning. From my newest book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights, we'll share with you that story, and about one of the little known Disney legends who not only brought Disney merchandise to...
Nov 23, 2023•34 min•Ep. 477
I was asked recently by a listener which resort hotels should they stay at when visiting the Disney Parks in Asia. This is a great question, as huge new attractions and lands are opening in all three parks in the days and months to come. If you've never been before, or if you are thinking of doing it again, this is the time to start planning--especially in the wake of these offerings opening up. We'll visit Shanghai Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disney Resort and Tokyo Disney Resort. We'll talk about...
Nov 14, 2023•44 min•Ep. 476
In this episode we'll celebrate a personal milestone for myself. Then we'll visit two fountains at Disney's Hollywood Studios and at Disney California Adventure. These fountains anonymously acknowledge William Mulholland and his contribution to bringing water to the state of California. He was a key figure in Golden Dreams, an early Disney California Adventure presentation that celebrated the heritage of the Golden State. He was even the namesake of an early Disney roller coaster attraction. We'...
Nov 07, 2023•34 min•Ep. 475
So thrilled to have Rick and Sherri Williams--great friends of mine and advid Disney enthusiasts. They live in Orlando, so they're in the parks all the time. But they had never done a Disney cruise. And their first one ended up being The Disney Wish. This gives us a view of how this ship feels to a Disney fan who doesn't have the assumptions that come from voyaging on the other previous four ships. We'll hear their thoughts on the experience, what they loved the most and how they chose to spend ...
Oct 24, 2023•43 min•Ep. 474
I am sharing this podcast on the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company. Founded on October 16th, 1923, Walt and Roy agreed to produce a series of Alice cartoon shorts. It was a start that was clouded by bankruptcy, unemployment and illness. But that start has endured and is now one of the most successful--if not the most successful--entertainment companies in the world. We celebrate the anniversary today by sharing with you the first chapter in "A Century of Powerful Disney Insights Volum...
Oct 16, 2023•18 min•Ep. 473
I'm pleased to announce that my newest book, "A Century of Powerful Disney Insights" is now available on Amazon . This book is tied to the 100th anniversary of The Walt Disney Company being commemorated this month. Volume 1 shares the Walt and Roy Disney years from 1923 through 1973. In introducing this book, I've invited my son, Cameron Kober, to interview me and discuss the book. Very much like myself, Cameron works with organizations to improve their leadership and employee experience--in thi...
Oct 10, 2023•40 min•Ep. 472
