Just one evening at the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World can be full of so many amazing things to see and do. And yet, there are also these moments when one wonders what is happening and why? We go through such an evening as this, and cherish amazing moments like holiday lights on Main Street, U.S.A., the newly revised and gorgeous Mickey's PhilarMagic, and Disney's Enchanted Fireworks. And with all of this, it is off set by some comments made about reducing food portions, unbelievable price h...
Nov 19, 2021•38 min•Ep. 321
In our first cruise since the onset of COVID, we boarded the Disney Fantasy for what was to be a three night getaway. Despite new protocols, this was probably one of our favorite and most memorable of our eight Disney cruises. I share seven highlights from this cruise, almost all of which were new experiences we had not encountered before. From changes to protocol to new entertainment and offerings, our experience on board the Fantasy will make you consider taking a Disney Cruise experience soon...
Nov 16, 2021•43 min•Ep. 320
Join us as we set sail from Port Canaveral on board the Fantasy ship of the Disney Cruise Line. For my wife and I this is our first voyage in two years and we'll give you the highlights of signing up, registering online, showing up at Port Canaveral, getting tested and finally boarding the ship. This is the first of our podcasts on revisiting the Disney Cruise Line. Join us!
Nov 11, 2021•19 min•Ep. 319
Recently we had the opportunity to visit the new Snow White's Enchanted Wish at Disneyland, which replaces as a dark ride the previously titled Snow White's Scary Adventure. We look at the original version of this attraction, and how it was changed in 1984. We then compare the new experience today and note all of the individual scenes that have created for a "happily ever after" while still keeping many of the "scary" moments the attraction has been known for over the decades. This is the origin...
Nov 07, 2021•39 min•Ep. 318
There has recently been an intensified attention drawn on Disney CEO Bob Chapek in the last month. On one end of the spectrum, the CEO has been the subject of a petition on change.org to have him removed. As of the time of this writing, some 65,000 have signed. In truth, this petition was started a long time ago, but a week or so ago it got feverish attention where people signed in droves. Still that fever has temporarily subsided, and 65K worth of signatures isn't much to write your Disney boar...
Nov 04, 2021•47 min•Ep. 317
Recently I had the opportunity to do a date night with my wife at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. Orlando has many choices as to where to dine. I don't do food reviews of places to eat. But when we choose to eat a table service meal at Walt Disney World we are looking for a dining experience, not a place to eat. This review is not a food review, it is a review of the dining experience. That experience was one of the poorest I have ever had at Walt Disney World. More than just sh...
Nov 02, 2021•34 min•Ep. 316
It won't take long before you realize who has really made Halloween amazing at the Disney Parks. We look at both Walt Disney World's offering and Disneyland's offering to compare the two experiences. We look at theming, ambience, added attractions, entertainment, food and so much more. Even if you don't attend and pay for their exclusive parties, there's still Halloween goodness to be found. As we ready for this Halloween, we'll look at who does it best, as well as what could be improved.
Oct 28, 2021•26 min•Ep. 315
Imagine you had a chance to visit the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in the days, weeks and months right after opening. What would it have been like? Together with legendary (but alive) Disney historian Jim Korkis we explore those earlier times. We talk about attractions that that have come and gone like the Greenhouse Flower Shop or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. We talk about entertainment like the Diamond Horseshoe Review, the Liberty Square Fife & Drum Corps and the Pearly Band. Remem...
Oct 26, 2021•41 min•Ep. 314
David Zanolla and I get together to discuss Day Three in trying to deal with Genie. In particular, David is all over the idea of grabbing a few at the beginning of the day and then stacking the FastPasses towards the end of the day. We not only set off to do this at the Magic Kingdom--joining other resort guests at the start of their day, but then David later visits Disney's Hollywood Studios and even Epcot, utilizing lightning lane passes via Genie+ and select attractions. We look at how much t...
Oct 24, 2021•43 min•Ep. 313
Do you need Genie+? We explore what it's like in this Lightning Lane world of visiting Disney's Hollywood Studios without any of the cost extras that have been put in place in the Disney Parks. Our family gets in line for Rise of the Resistance, and enjoys a number of attractions, many of which are walk well before the park closes. This comes on the heals of having spent a day at Magic Kingdom using Genie+, where we share with you the ongoing saga of not even being able to book on the system....
Oct 21, 2021•35 min•Ep. 312
We visit the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World on the first day of the new Genie, Genie+ and Lightening Lane program. We look at what it involves to get it set up in the morning prior; we discuss the differences between booking at a hotel or off property; We look at some of the challenges in booking and whether you can book attractions at other parks whether it's with Genie+ or with select attractions. We look at wait times in the parks for those on standby and we have a showdown when you down'...
Oct 19, 2021•37 min•Ep. 311
Part of the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World was the premiere of Disney KiteTails at Disney's Animal Kingdom. We look at this surprisingly cute little offering, which includes two shows, one based on Disney's The Lion King and the other based on Disney's The Jungle Book. We also share other happenings going on throughout the park to include 50th anniversary offerings and more.
Oct 18, 2021•26 min•Ep. 310
Many fans are aware of the Look and Life magazines which came out with covers and articles about the opening of Walt Disney World in October of 1971. Because it didn't have a cover photo, few have remembered Time Magazine's offering, and even less have referred to it. For me personally, it was the very first introduction to me of Walt Disney World in Florida. Its essay, maps and photos unfold little known details and insights of what the park was like on its opening days. From hatless Dumbos to ...
Oct 14, 2021•52 min•Ep. 309
In the last hours of a weekday news cycle Disney chose to release further details around their new Genie+ product, which will launch on Tuesday, October 19th. That's a sign as to whether or not guests will be happy with what's being laid out before them. Along with David Zanolla, we study those details, to include pricing, availability to on-property and off-property guests (not to mention annual passholders) as we as what attractions will be included under Genie+ and what will be available for ...
Oct 09, 2021•50 min•Ep. 308
Disney has called Harmonious one of its most complex night-time spectaculars. In truth, Harmonious is ambitious. We look at how we got to this point in time, and examine the show in depth. We look at the song list for this show, and consider comparisons to the earlier Magic Kingdom fireworks show of Happily Ever After. We study all of the technical aspects that make up this show, and how it comes together. And then there is Beacons of Light: Epcot, which is a game changer and stands far apart fr...
Oct 07, 2021•57 min•Ep. 307
It's not a small thing when a new fireworks show appears at Walt Disney World, and with the 50th Golden Anniversary of Walt Disney World, the Magic Kingdom has a new show in the form of "Disney Enchantment". We talk about the entire experience of seeing the show for the first time on October 1st 2021, of the crowded conditions, and of the show itself. We'll look at its technical merits and importantly, the sound track of the show. We'll compare it to its predecessors, especially "Happily Ever Af...
Oct 04, 2021•47 min•Ep. 306
We are here on the morning of Walt Disney World's 50th Golden Anniversary at the Magic Kingdom. Here we have a chance to see the new welcome Cinderella Castle Show. We have a chance to see the head of Walt Disney Attractions Josh D'Amaro and visit with Jeff Vahle who is head of the Walt Disney World Resort. We check in with several woman who were hosted the original preview center. We check in on all the lands to see opening day attractions that were here in 1971. It's a full day and we present ...
Oct 01, 2021•30 min•Ep. 305
Tomorrow Walt Disney World will begin its celebration of it's 50th Golden Anniversary with an 18 month celebration. When you come to visit, what will you see? We'll cover all of the happenings in the parks with attractions, entertainment, decor, food & beverage and more. We'll also examine what isn't happening, what is missing in action. Is it possible that Disney will announce and premiere other offerings over the next 18 months? We'll look at that and much, much more as we canvas Walt Disn...
Sep 30, 2021•42 min•Ep. 304
In a space nestled between competing Disney California Adventure attractions, Disney Imagineering has created an entirely new place devoted to the Marvel super heroes. Avengers Campus is truly a unique themed land, with impressive rides, attractions and other offerings. We will look closely at this campus setting, explore its two major attractions, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout! and Web Slingers: A Spiderman Adventure. As the Avengers assemble on campus we'll look at a host of entert...
Sep 27, 2021•43 min•Ep. 303
With one week to go prior to Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary, we talk about what's new as the resort prepares ahead. We begin at Epcot with a look at the new Club Cool and Celebrations Shop. The Space 220 Restaurant has also opened. Should you go see it? We see statues at all four parks, and in the case of Disney's Hollywood Studios, it may suggest the future of Voyage of the Little Mermaid. All this happens as Rise of the Resistance moves from a virtual queue to a standby queue in advance ...
Sep 24, 2021•44 min•Ep. 302
While I've grown up with Disneyland and have visited throughout so many years, it's been two years since I last visited. My return was a much needed one that was marked with simple charms and a beautiful park. It was filled with Disney characters making surprise visits to beautiful flower gardens spread throughout to churros at every turn. Timeless and beloved attractions awaited us as well as experiences new to us. We revisit Galaxy's edge after two years and check out construction going on in ...
Sep 21, 2021•42 min•Ep. 301
We come to you live from Disneyland where we bring you insights on the issues and concerns with visiting the Disneyland Resort in this unique time. We look at opportunities in pricing and availability of airfares and hotels. WE offer lessons learned when it comes to transportation when visiting the greater Los Angeles area. All of this suggests where you may want to stay when you're visiting. With this we also look at ticketing, reservations, parking, security as well as virtual queues to both R...
Sep 17, 2021•49 min•Ep. 300
We've had a chance to review Remy's Ratatouille Experience last week. Since then we've visited the attraction another three times and have had a chance to really map out the entire extension of the park behind what has been traditionally considered the France pavilion. In size, the addition is the equivalent if not larger of a World Showcase land like the United Kingdom, or Italy. We canvas the entire area of the park, giving our impressions. We also talk about some of the food & beverage we...
Sep 12, 2021•36 min•Ep. 299
Long overdue, we visit Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World not just for an update at what's currently happening there, but as a chance to discuss various happenings occurring throughout all of Walt Disney World. We see preparations occurring throughout the park for Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary. We look at attractions that are re-opening such as Beauty & the Beast: Live on Stage. Crowds have been considerably down over the last couple of weeks at attractions as new as Mick...
Sep 09, 2021•44 min•Ep. 298
The title may seem confusing, after all, there is barely a Disney fan that doesn't know that Walt Disney World opened its doors to its first paid guests on October 1st, 1971. And the official dedication weekend was October 23rd, 24th and 25th, with the last day being the moment Roy O. Disney would dedicate the park. But there's another park opening story, and it's about the first day that families actually came into the Magic Kingdom with available attractions, restaurants and stores all running...
Sep 06, 2021•25 min•Ep. 297
With Ratatouille opening at Epcot, we had a sneak peak at this new attraction to Walt Disney World. Riding it three times in a row gave us some insights that we want to share with you. What's the attraction like, how does it compare, and how popular will it be? We'll discuss the new area that it sits in, the queue, and the ride itself. Are you going to want to ride this? You bet! Will you want to pay extra for this as a Lightning Lane select experience? Hmmm....Find out as we go into the details...
Sep 04, 2021•37 min•Ep. 296
With a few surprises on several levels, the new annual pass program has been announced for the Walt Disney World Resort. Passes will again be sold to all starting September 8th. There are four tiers and we give you the run through of each, discussing not only what is included but what is not. We also look at water park and photo pass add ons, and what they mean. Is it a good value, and how does it compare to what they did before or how Disneyland's program was announced. Be sure to check out the...
Aug 31, 2021•39 min•Ep. 295
Join us for this very action packed Magic Kingdom show where we take happenings from two visits to the park this last week and combine them into one big update. Among the many things happening we check out: Main Street Station Completed 50th Medallion on Cinderella Castle Scaffolding on the Be Our Guest Castle and Mountain New shops, eateries and services re-opened Major paint job on Storybook Circus Ongoing work for the new Tron attraction A new paint job on the entrance to "it's a small world"...
Aug 24, 2021•28 min•Ep. 294
The Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World has been a little slower completing its renovation than Disneyland, but what it offers is fun and so worth checking out. Not only have there been major changes made to the attraction, but there are changes to the queue as well. We'll discuss all of this and how it compares to the Disneyland version. We'll then share some other Jungle Cruise offerings as well. So climb aboard this Disney at Play podcast. More videos and links to include othe...
Aug 21, 2021•32 min•Ep. 293
Well...the genie is out of the bottle, and it offers phenomenal additional costs with itty bitty value. We look at this new Genie program, what is known as Genie+ as well as Lightning Lane, along with it's two options. We compare this to the previous Disney programs of FastPass, FastPASS+ and MaxPass. We talk about changes and additions to the apps, what's happening to virtual queues, and how Disability Access Service guests are impacted. Then we'll project what this means to annual pass holders...
Aug 19, 2021•59 min•Ep. 292
