This week, Team Mousetalgia takes a look at a few selected moments from 2019 to reminisce about the good, the bad, and the Oswalds. We talk about our favorite movies and television (we're talking about you, Mando); list our top dining experiences (the Craftsman Bar, Club 33, Disneyland's hub and even the Tokyo resort make the bill); share our favorite purchases (Haunted Mansion mugs and Disneyland tickets, both old and new); discuss our favorite new books (do we really need to mention that Marc ...
Dec 31, 2019•53 min
Merry Christmas! This week, Team Mousetalgia wishes you and yours a very happy holiday season as we discuss Christmas celebrations at Disneyland with a trip report from Jeff. Jeff talks about this year's Candlelight Processional with guest narrator Lin-Manuel Miranda, and we also discuss holiday food and drinks, Club 33 seating for the fireworks, and Drew Tablak's performance of "Silent Night." Also - our favorite Disney Christmas memories, and a little Baby Yoda talk.
Dec 23, 2019•56 min
This week, Team Mousetalgia welcomes former Cast Member Matthew Emerson to the show, and we talk about Matt's extensive career at Disneyland, with topics including the grand opening of Star Tours, tales of being a Jungle Cruise Skipper, his time as Manager of Club 33, and celebrity encounters with Fess Parker, the Mouseketeers, Liz Taylor, and more. Then, Jeff and Kristen offer our review of and our responses to Frozen II (with spoilers). Jeff offers a few hot takes on the story, Kristen has som...
Dec 15, 2019•1 hr 16 min
This week, Jeff reviews five new Disney books, and Dave, Becky and Kristen offer trip reports covering a variety of topics, including: a rainy Thanksgiving trip including dinner at Wine Country Trattoria; Calla's first thrill rides (including the Haunted Mansion and Goofy's Sky School); food options at the Festival of Holidays; and Becky's and Button's first trip to Galaxy's Edge. Plus - a "mom fail," Jeff buys a copy of the New York Times from Nov. 13, 1940, the latest entries in the pantheon o...
Dec 08, 2019•1 hr 4 min
This week on Mousetalgia, we begin with Kristen's review of a stay at TownePlace Suites by Marriott, and we weigh the pros and cons of budget lodging within a quick drive from Disneyland. Then, we share "This week in Disney history," covering topics including Tokyo Disneyland, Candlelight Processional, Britney Spears, Walt's birthday, and a Snow White preview. Then, we review a pair of Disney books useful for both holiday planning and gift giving, including "The Art of Hand Lettering: An Inspira...
Dec 01, 2019•54 min
Happy Thanksgiving! This week, Team Mousetalgia celebrates the start of the holidays at Disneyland. First, Tim Babb from the "Can't Wait For Christmas" podcast returns to share Five Golden Things about Disney and the holidays - see if you agree with his list of favorite Christmastime features and happenings. Then, Mike Van Eaton joins us to talk about the next auction at Van Eaton Galleries, "A History of Disneyland and Walt Disney World." We talk about this latest in a series of incredible Disn...
Nov 24, 2019•1 hr 15 min
It's might be freezing around the country, but Mousetalgia keeps your toasty this week with a supersized episode! First, we speak with Mousetalgia listener Wendy Brown, who completed the monumental task of viewing every Disney theatrically released film in order. We find out some of her favorite films, some of the challenges she met while seeking out the films, and learn a little bit more about the history of the Walt Disney Studios. Then, diving further into Disney movie madness, we offer our t...
Nov 18, 2019•1 hr 38 min
This week, Team Mousetalgia takes you to the floor of Mouse-con 2019, the fifth annual yearly gathering of Bay Area Disney fans hosted at the Crowne Plaza Inn in Concord, CA. We share our live recordings of some of the goings on, including discussions of our purchases, the cosplay, our presentations, and the convention itself. Plus, we feature audio from two of the special guests' presentations, including animator Willie Ito, who tells us how he got started in the field of animation and what it ...
Nov 10, 2019•43 min
Let's dive into the mailbag! This week, listeners get philosophical, talking about the value of Fantasyland attractions, the merits of World of Color "Villainous!," girls trips to the resort, Vinylmation woes, and a special segment with listen feedback to Kristen's recent questions about Walt Disney World. Also, we take a brief look back at the production of The Black Hole and chat about this groundbreaking film. Plus - Jeff's quest for Chilling Thrilling vinyl, Kristen's tale of a lost iPad, Da...
Nov 05, 2019•1 hr
This is Halloween, which means it's time for Team Mousetalgia's annual treat! This year, we welcome New York Times Bestselling Author Matthew Reinhart back to the show to discuss his latest book "Star Wars: The Ultimate Pop-up Galaxy." Matthew discusses the challenge of creating more innovative and transformational pop-up paper designs, and we do a little nerdy Star Wars talk as well. Then, Jeff talks about a few of Marc Davis' ideas for the Haunted Mansion storyline, and we celebrate the pletho...
Oct 27, 2019•1 hr 1 min
This week, Steve Cantafio from MEI-Travel joins Team Mousetalgia to share tips and tricks for Walt Disney World fans making the trek out west to the Disneyland Resort. Steve shares some of his own advice that comes from his own recent trip planning for a trip to Disneyland, and compares and contrasts the experience with his expertise with the Walt Disney World Resort. Then, Julia joins us to talk about her recent Castle to Chateau Challenge at Disneyland Paris, and the Halloween season at the Pa...
Oct 20, 2019•1 hr 12 min
It's spooking season, and Team Mousetalgia talks Halloween fun and food at the Disneyland Resort! Experience the fun eats and treats throughout the resort with Kristen as she eats her way through Halloween Time - including a report on the Haunted Mansion Tea Party experience at the Disneyland Hotel, and the seasonal offerings at Club 33. Finally, Kristen reports on the Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure, describing the treat trails, the entertainment, the characters, Villains Grott...
Oct 13, 2019•1 hr 10 min
This week, Team Mousetalgia offers a cornucopia of topics in a monster-sized episode to welcome October! First, Kristen celebrates 70 years of Mr. Toad with a smattering of trivia - guess the answers along with us! Then, Becky helps Kristen plan a Walt Disney World vacation, and we cover the topics that every West Coast native should know when planning a trip to Florida. Next, Jeff reviews more Disney books - "Entertaining with Disney" and "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: The Official Black Spire Outp...
Oct 06, 2019•1 hr 39 min
This week. we explore many facets of the current state of Haunted Mansion fandom by looking at three separate current events. First, we welcome Skywalking Through Neverland back to the show to tell us all about the taping of this year's "31 Nights of Halloween Fanfest," which took place at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and will debut on Freeform Oct. 5. Richard and Sarah tell us about the special guests, the deep nostalgia behind this year's show, and then give us a shocking revelation about th...
Sep 29, 2019•1 hr 25 min
This week, Team Mousetalgia offers an Emporium of topics, featuring an interview with Gerald Hudson, who began working for Disneyland as the captain of a Jungle River Boat in 1958 and went on to work for the park in many capacities through the 1960s. Hudson shares many fascinating memories, including a moving account of working at the park the day Walt Disney passed away. Then, Jeff reviews two new books: Jeff Kurtti's "The Art of Disney Costuming: Heroes, Villains and Spaces Between," and Brad ...
Sep 22, 2019•1 hr 13 min
This week, Mousetalgia welcomes author/historian J B Kaufman from the Hyperion Historical Alliance back to the show to discuss his first book for the organization, "The Making of Walt Disney's Fun and Fancy Free." In this first publication from the group's academic monograph series, Kaufman explores little known facts and shares never before seen images from the making of "Fun and Fancy Free," one of Walt Disney's most-loved package films from the 40s. Then, Kristen reports on a live event hoste...
Sep 15, 2019•1 hr 28 min
This week, Kristen returns for a roundtable discussion on the variety of challenges and successes the Disney D23 Expo posed this year as Team Mousetalgia recaps our experiences throughout the entire Expo process, from registration through experiencing the event firsthand. We describe and consider some of the problems we experienced with panel pre-registration; discuss the security and queueing changes this year, and share some of our favorite unforgettable moments from the show floor. Also - you...
Sep 08, 2019•1 hr 18 min
Disney+ unleashed! Star Wars "hotel" announced! Movie news, parks news, and so much more was introduced or explained at the 2019 D23 Expo, and Mousetalgia hosts Jeff and Dave cover part one of our exclusive coverage of the huge biannual Disney fan event. We break down some of our favorite news items and talk about topics including Disney+; "One Day at Disney,", a new documentary series; Avengers Campus, coming soon to DCA; Galaxy's Edge news - and much more. Plus, we discuss the archives exhibit...
Sep 01, 2019•1 hr 28 min
Imagineer memoirs and more fill this special "Expo recuperation" episode of Mousetalgia! First, Jeff and Kristen review two books previewed at the 2019 D23 Expo, beginning with late Disney Legend Marty Sklar's final book, "Travels with Figment: On the Road in Search of Disney Dreams." Then, Jeff reviews Imagineer Kevin Rafferty's new book "Magic Journey: My Fantastical Walt Disney Imagineering Career." Jeff and Kristen compare and contrast the content of the two memoirs, and then we share some o...
Aug 27, 2019•1 hr 8 min
This week, Team Mousetalgia continues to celebrate the spookiest semicentennial of them all - 50 years of the Haunted Mansion. Jeff takes us along to Disneyland to party like the dead at "The Haunted Mansion: Celebrating 50 Years of Retirement Unliving" after hours event on August 9, and we talk merch, characters, the event itself - and that $300 price tag. Then, we go behind the scenes for DoomBuggies.com and Disney By the Bay's "Soiree from Regions Beyond," and discuss another Haunted Mansion ...
Aug 18, 2019•1 hr 20 min
This week, it's Expo-mania time as Team Mousetalgia look forward to the upcoming D23 Expo in Anaheim, California. We spend a little time reminiscing about favorite memories from past Expos, and then dive into our expectations and hopes for this year's event, which promises many new procedures, experiences and events. We offer a few tips, and then Michael Vargo, the Head of D23, joins us to share some of his thoughts, tips and advice as Expo weekend nears. Also: Disney announces a panel on an unk...
Aug 11, 2019•48 min
Welcome, foolish listeners, to an entire Mousetalgia episode devoted to the home of 999 happy haunts, The Haunted Mansion. This week, Jeff answers questions and tells stories about the history of Walt's storied dark ride in honor of its 50th anniversary on August 9. First, Kristen asks Jeff some Haunted Mansion questions for which she needs answers, then Jeff goes back for the five decades BEFORE the Haunted Mansion's opening to search for possible influences and cultural moments that may have m...
Aug 04, 2019•1 hr 1 min
This week, Team Mousetalgia says "Hakuna Matata" and leaps into the world of the newest iteration of The Lion King. First, we welcome Michael Goldman, author of "The Art and Making of The Lion King," to the show to share some of the insight and secrets he discovered while researching his just-released book. We discuss the power of the storytelling, the incredible technology, and the redesigned characters in this groundbreaking film. Then, Jeff and Kristen review the film, discussing what worked ...
Jul 28, 2019•1 hr 11 min
This week, Team Mousetalgia welcomes author/historian Didier Ghez back to the show to discuss the fifth book in his "They Drew as They Pleased" series titled "The Hidden Art of Disney's Early Rennassiance," with discussion about Mel Shaw and Ken Anderson's work for the Disney animation studio in the '70s and '80s. Didier also gives us some scoops on very exciting upcoming publications about Disney history. Then, we return to our inbox to answer a few more listener emails about trips to the Disne...
Jul 21, 2019•1 hr 5 min
This week, to celebrate Disneyland's 64th anniversary, we take a look at the park through various eras. First, former Disneyland Tour Guide Barbara Brock returns to the Mousetalgia podcast to talk about keeping cool in Disneyland during the hot summers of the '80s, and shares some stories of her time taking guests around the park. Then we take a look back at the ABC live broadcast on July 17, 1955, and finally we learn about Disneyland's custodial efforts as portrayed in a Wonderful World of Dis...
Jul 14, 2019•54 min
This week, Jeff and Kristen take you on a True Life Adventure to Sequim, Washington to visit the Olympic Game Farm, which was home to some of Walt Disney's most famous animal actors in his nature films. The farm's president Robert Beebe talks to Mousetalgia on location about his grandfather Lloyd Beebe, the game farm's founder, about the hundreds of nature films Lloyd shot for Walt and the techniques he used to train wild animals to do specific tricks and motions for the movies. Also - Disneylan...
Jul 07, 2019•1 hr 2 min
This week, Team Mousetalgia tackles Toy Story 4, and offers our no-spoilers review. We talk about the emotional impact of this supposed-final chapter of the Toy Story saga, the power of Bo breaking the mold, what works and doesn't work in the film - and we ponder the future of the franchise, and ask what makes a toy a toy? Then Jeff reviews "Pop-Up Disney: A Mickey Celebration," and takes us to the final weekend of the reservation-based trips to Batuu to visit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in search ...
Jun 30, 2019•1 hr 16 min
This week, Team Mousetalgia welcomes Team Disney's Jeffrey Epstein back to the show talk about D23 Expo prep, and to generally share in our excitement for the upcoming event. Get some tips straight from the top! Then, we dive into the Mousetalgia mailbag and answer your questions, with topics including: Disneyland's MaxPass vs, WDW's Magic Bands; advice for meeting single Disney fans; a look behind the scenes at Mousetalgia's recording sessions and getting to know Team Mousetalgia; Nebraska's Po...
Jun 23, 2019•1 hr 21 min
This week, we have a second week of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge coverage as Jeff files his report from the Outer Rim and shares his own impressions of Black Spire Outpost, the newest themed land at the Disneyland Resort. We talk about crying (or not) when one first encounters the Millenium Falcon, and we review the Smuggler's Run attraction; we discuss Oga's Cantina and see how it's holding up under the pressure of intense popularity; we take a deeper dive into some of the merchandise offerings and...
Jun 16, 2019•1 hr 15 min
Journey to a galaxy far, far away with Team Mousetalgia as Dave reports from his stay on the Outer Rim planet of Batuu from the opening weekend of Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland Park. Dave takes us through his initial impressions of the immersive land, with reports on the attractions, the layout, the shopping, and the dining opportunities, passing along tips and tricks to help you make your own stay at Batuu a day to be remembered. Plus - Jeff talks Aladdin, Becky talks Soarin', and Dave...
Jun 09, 2019•1 hr 12 min
