This weekend Splash Mountain ended at Walt Disney World after more than 30 years of operation. Soon Disneyland, which built the first Splash Mountain, will close as well. While there may be controversy of its replacement, there is no question, this attraction was a brilliant Imagineering masterpiece. Led by designers like Tony Baxter and Bruce Gordon, this attraction did what no other ride or attraction could do--especially for Disneyland and later for Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disneyland. We ...
Jan 22, 2023•36 min•Ep. 411
This month marks the 20th anniversary of Performance Journeys, the company I founded not long after I left The Walt Disney World Company. In celebration of that event, I wanted to share how my career has tied in with Disney over the decades. In the weeks to follow I will share a three part series of my history, to include my years working as a leader for The Walt Disney World Company, as well as my years following as I shared best practices of Disney around the globe. This podcast that you will ...
Jan 18, 2023•56 min•Ep. 410
It's been too long since guests have had the privilege of riding the Walt Disney Railroad, closed over four years ago when construction began on Tron. Still, good things are worth the wait and this attraction is lovelier than ever. We board at the Main Street U.S.A. station and take a scenic journey around the Magic Kingdom. There's much to discuss along the way, such as the upcoming closure of Splash Mountain, potential new attractions to come in Frontierland, and the new track layout at Tron L...
Jan 15, 2023•42 min•Ep. 409
The week is already on a roll as many announcements have been made even in the last 24 hours. We'll review each of them to include an opening date for Tron as well as dates for new fireworks shows. More news awaits with changes made to Genie+ and to Annual Passholder perks. Did we mention free parking at the Disney resorts? Plus Disneyland has some changes as well. Then we head out to the high seas where David Zanolla offers us insights as to how the first Pixar Day at Sea has gone. It's a busy ...
Jan 10, 2023•34 min•Ep. 408
One of the reasons that Pirates of the Caribbean since it opened in 1967 is my favorite attraction is because there is so much attention to the details. I've been on it literally hundreds of times and in four different versions across the globe--and yet I still see new details from time to time. Imagine that the attraction was not only taken to the next level, but that there was an entire land supporting that attraction. That's what we are looking at in this podcast. The real gems in Treasure Co...
Jan 06, 2023•40 min•Ep. 407
After the first day of the New Year, what are we to learn about the Disney Parks at Walt Disney World. We walk through a day at Epcot to discover how things big and small, great and stupid, all come down to one total experience. Genie+ plays a big role here. Parking lot trams played no role, but we do talk about the return of the train over at Magic Kingdom. Journey of Water--Moana, and wait times at Guardians? We talk about it. Would you wait four hours to see Harmonious? Hmmm. Come join me as ...
Jan 03, 2023•44 min•Ep. 406
Happy New Year! We ring in a new calendar year with the most comprehensive lineup of what's happening at Disney in 2023. And we're not just sharing what new attractions are on their way, but rather, what are key events will kick off those new offerings. Big press events and milestones are key to when things may be coming your way, and we'll look at all of that. Critical to this is just when all of this is happening, so we'll project when you may want to plan your next Disney vacation, whether it...
Dec 30, 2022•44 min•Ep. 405
Let's look at the past year not from some list of what happened, but how that list of what happened tiers up into three important lessons any organization should take from Disney out of 2022. These lessons clearly illustrate the importance of customer loyalty, i.e., Disney fans; How demand really inflates price; and why delivery must exceed expectations. We'll bring you examples of how this has occurred throughout all of 2022, and then help you understand the implications to your own organizatio...
Dec 27, 2022•41 min•Ep. 404
One of the truly wonderful experiences Disney Parks and Attractions offer are uniquely themed dining experiences. Some of the most memorable are those that bring you to a nighttime setting where you dine among the stars all the while being indoors. We look at all of them, represented in nearly every Disney resort from Shanghai to Disneyland; from Walt Disney World to Disneyland Paris. From the original legendary Blue Bayou Restaurant to the more recent Barbosa's Bounty; From elegant table servic...
Dec 21, 2022•29 min•Ep. 403
Disney has stated that the 50th anniversary for Walt Disney World goes on until March 31st of 2023. But is that really the case? We canvas the entire Florida property to see if the magic is still calling you to this golden anniversary. From new entertainment to attractions; from food & beverage to anniversary merchandise, we look at whether you can really still celebrate or whether the World's Most Magical Celebration has really moved on. Are you still the magic, or are you too late for Walt...
Dec 16, 2022•35 min•Ep. 402
We're embarking on a new series here in Disney at Work and Play. Imagineering Explored is an opportunity to deep dive into best practices of Imagineering. We look at what works and more importantly why it works. And on occasion, we'll even make application to life outside Disney's gates. This first podcast in the series looks at great themed transitions that occur in the parks--particularly as you move from one setting to another. These are dramatic transitions that are often so subtle that you ...
Dec 14, 2022•46 min•Ep. 401
Season's Greetings! There's so much to take in during the holidays at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Often in the past we've compared parks, but this time we're going to compare holiday attraction overlays between both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Some of these you may never have heard of, or knew that they offered a holiday version. We will rate attractions as they are given a special yuletide look and feel. From Small World Holiday to Mater's Jingle Jamboree; from Jingle Cruise to Guar...
Dec 09, 2022•27 min•Ep. 400
It's been a while and there have been many developments in the construction of new attractions at Disney Parks worldwide. We take a look at the latest and greatest happenings, particularly here at home in Walt Disney World with Magic Kingdom, Epcot and even Disney's Animal Kingdom. This includes some personal insights around what I'm referring to as Genie+ Inflation. But then we head out to parks across the globe from Disneyland Resort to Shanghai Disneyland. We even talk about the new purchase ...
Dec 06, 2022•41 min•Ep. 399
It's been a little over a year since Space 220 opened at Epcot in Walt Disney World. As part of World Discovery, it complements the out-of-this-world themes found in Mission Space and in the recent Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. So we take the opportunity to grab a reservation and dine among the stars--as well as a few floating astronauts. We'll share what this experience was like, in terms of the Six P's of Promise, People, Place, Process, Product & Price. Does Space 220 truly elev...
Dec 02, 2022•36 min•Ep. 398
There has been much said in the last week the firing of Bob Chapek and the reinstallment of Bob Iger as CEO of the Walt Disney Company. It's difficult to know exactly what happened and when, but it is clear that this is a tale of two leaders, neither perfect, but one with fatal flaws that contributed to a fall of confidence in Disney. We look at a tale of two Bobs, not just to sort out what happened, but as an opportunity to learn some important lessons on leadership. This Disney at Work episode...
Nov 29, 2022•39 min•Ep. 397
Recently I had the opportunity with my daughter along with David & Leah Zanolla to visit Cirque du Soleil: Drawn to Life. This show has just recently achieved its first anniversary this month. This is the second show the Cirque group has hosted at what was originally Downtown Disney, but is now Disney Springs. We will look in depth as to whether this show is worth the ticket to attend. We'll take a look at what makes the show succeed, and how it compares to the original show in this venue, L...
Nov 25, 2022•51 min•Ep. 396
In a Sunday Night special Disney Cast Members received notice that Bob Iger was being reinstalled by Disney's Board of Directors to return as CEO again of the Walt Disney Company. Minutes later media reported the news as well--and all used words like shocked and surprised. This means Bob Chapek has now been entirely removed from the company and that a new chapter has started. We'll look at what had happened over time that led to what has happened in the last few days. Then we'll look at what Bob...
Nov 21, 2022•22 min•Ep. 395
We are overdue for sharing a review of five different formal dining experiences at Epcot. Three are restaurants I've dined in before. One is a new restaurant, and one has been around for a dozen years and I had yet to eat there. It may have been the best experience. Find out as we do a review of Le Cellier in Canada, La Crêperie de Paris, La Hacienda de San Angel, Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria, and Spice Road Table in Morocco. It's one review for five sit down World Showcase restaurants in Ep...
Nov 18, 2022•38 min•Ep. 394
Many people know some thing about Disneyland Paris. They certainly know that it's somewhere around Paris. They may know about the amazing catapult-style launch of Space Mountain, or the Big Thunder Mountain on an island inside the Rivers of America or perhaps the dragon in the dungeon of Sleeping Beauty Castle. But today I'm presenting insider Baseball when it comes to Disneyland Paris, because there are some very unique aspects of the park that many people haven't quite considered. By the time ...
Nov 15, 2022•44 min•Ep. 393
In previous weeks we have been highlighting the 1971 Handbooks given to new Cast Members as they opened up the Walt Disney World Resort. There was a handbook for every land of the Magic Kingdom, and one for Disney's Contemporary and Polynesian Village Resorts. Make sure you check those podcasts out, as well as our show notes found on Disney at Play. But there was no Handbook written for Fort Wilderness Campground. Instead, there was a handbook put together for outdoor recreation. Some of that co...
Nov 11, 2022•24 min•Ep. 392
I am thrilled to present this podcast on the rebirth of Fantasmic! at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. My torrid love affair with this beloved entertainment classic is a long one. I'll share my experience with Fantasmic! and what this attraction is like behind the scenes. We'll talk about its sister shows (yes there's more than just Disneyland) and how they compare. We talk about the challenges this attraction has faced over the years, and then go through a scene-by-scene discuss...
Nov 08, 2022•44 min•Ep. 391
This is the last of our 50th anniversary series on the Walt Disney World Resort and the Cast Member Handbooks created in 1971. We have covered the entire Magic Kingdom, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and now we look at the final gem of Walt Disney World's opening, Disney's Polynesian Resort. We’ll look at how the resort was presented originally. We’ll take a look at the original shops, restaurants and recreational facilities that were part of this sprawling resort. This handbook offers insigh...
Nov 04, 2022•41 min•Ep. 390
It's the first of November and so many things have been happening around the world of Disney. We cover many of the highlights today, From price increases to lawsuits, closures to cancelations, drones to barge fires. The last four weeks have been both busy and controversial, and we take a look behind the magic as to what is happening. From Shanghai to Tokyo Disney, from Disneyland to Walt Disney World there is much to share. Oh...and Tron and the Train. Always something to talk about when it come...
Nov 01, 2022•35 min•Ep. 389
We return to our 50th anniversary series. We have covered the entire Magic Kingdom, and now we are going to cover the Vacation Kingdom of the World. We'll take a look at Disney's Contemporary Resort, which was a whole new operation as Disney had never been in the resort business before. We'll look at how the resort was designed, and how it stood out from the conventional hotel of the day. We'll take a look at the original shops, restaurants and recreational facilities that were part of this spra...
Oct 28, 2022•38 min•Ep. 388
The Global Attractions Index Report was recently released by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) and the Economics Practice at AECOM. We look at how Disney has fared in the last four years from 2018 to 2021. This includes both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. And we compare those numbers how Universal is doing on both coasts. Of course COVID played a big role in every park dropping attendance, but how are they faring as they come out the other side? And what is causing those gains and lo...
Oct 25, 2022•43 min•Ep. 387
What happens when a Disney cruise you take is longer than the time you spent planning for it? That's nearly what happened when we chose to go on the Disney Dream with little notice. At the heart of that decision was a change in vaccination policy that allowed our son to board. We'll go into that and the challenges getting everyone on board. But at the real heart of this cruise was the time we spent with our son as well as our daughter. Such an event led to some activities I really haven't done b...
Oct 21, 2022•45 min•Ep. 386
We return to our 50th anniversary series where we see the Magic Kingdom as brand new Disney Cast Members learned about it back in 1971. We've covered Main Street, Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square & Fantasyland. The smallest and most unprepared of all the lands was Tomorrowland. Technically it opened with only two attractions. Yet the handbook offers insights that we don't seem to have from any other source. Those insights were shared with new Disney Cast Members, most of whom had ...
Oct 14, 2022•33 min•Ep. 385
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of hosting a dozen senior directors and managers from a non-profit organization in a week-long program at Walt Disney World. These individuals were wanting to improve the workforce experience back home. This experience encompassed four Disney theme parks in as many days plus visits to two world-class organizations, JetBlue and Give Kids the World. Since many of my listeners have been curious about the kind of work I do and the programs I have offered for nearl...
Oct 11, 2022•43 min•Ep. 384
Welcome to Fantasyland! We return to our 50th anniversary series where we see the Magic Kingdom as brand new Disney Cast Members learned about it back in 1971. Again, Walt Disney World is set to open. You have thousands of new Cast Members, most of whom have never seen a Disney theme park, and you need to orient them to that experience. The only problem is that the park isn’t open or ready yet either. So how do you give them that understanding? Enter a series of handbooks put out by the Universi...
Oct 07, 2022•47 min•Ep. 383
On this the 40th anniversary of Epcot, I feel it well to ask the question: "What is Epcot?" For most every Disney fan out there, the answer is Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. We explore what that means and what its implication is to the world we live in today. Beyond the idea of a physical city, or an eventual world's fair-style experience, I believe that Epcot is more than a brick and mortar theme park. In this Disney at Work episode, I want to consider the notion that Epcot const...
Oct 04, 2022•41 min•Ep. 382
