Mousetalgia! - Your Disneyland Podcast

Disneyland for newbies: Planning your first trip. When to go, what to expect, and where to stay if you've never been to the park before. Should you stay on property or in the surrounding neighborhood? What's best for families? Which hotels can save you money with free breakfasts? How are crowds in the park throughout the year, and what time is probably best for you to take your trip? What about dining reservations? What's the best way to get to the park - driving or flying? And which airports are the best - and what's the best way to get to your hotel from the airport? We share our tips and tricks on all of these topics, and more. Plus - we list our first stops upon entering the park. SPECIAL NOTE: Time is running out to join Mousetalgia at our "Wildest Breakfast in the Wilderness" on Saturday, March 23. Join us for a private breakfast buffet in the Tomorrowland Starcade before the park opens to the public. Tickets are $48 per person - visit mousetalgia.com to buy tickets or for more information.

This week on the Mousetalgia podcast, we celebrate the 47th anniversary of the opening of Country Bear Jamboree in Bear Country at Disneyland. Disney voice actor Peter Renaday returns to the show to talk about how he became Henry, the host of Country Bear Jamboree, and we also veer off to reminisce a bit more about the passing of Ron Miller, Pete's role in the Haunted Mansion, and some Country Bear trivia we bet you've never heard before. Then we go on to discuss a variety of Bear Country topics, including a look back at the Mineral King project; Disneyland's marketing of the new land and bear show; and the variety of Country Bear shows that followed the original. Plus - Kristen talks about Disneyland's attic, Jeff gets rosy, Becky discovers the Star War, and Dave discusses Emma Thompson vs. John Lasseter. Also - Mousetalgia announces a special private breakfast INSIDE THE TOMORROWLAND STARCADE just for listeners on March 23. Visit facebook.com/mousetalgia for details.

In the past two weeks, the Disney fan community was rocked with the news of the passing of two legendary names in the history of the Walt Disney Company. On February 9, Ron Miller - the son in law of Walt Disney and CEO/President of the company for many years - passed away at the age of 85. Miller helped bridge the gap between Walt Disney's personal enterprise and the international entertainment corporation that the Disney company would become, and was president of the Walt Disney Family Foundation, which is responsible for the Walt Disney Family Museum. Then, on February 15, Dave Smith passed away at the age of 78. Smith was responsible for developing the Walt Disney Archives for the Walt Disney Company, which he started in 1970, and was regarded as the highest authority on the history of everything related to Disney. In today's episode, Team Mousetalgia share stories of our personal interactions with both of these men, who were so important to making the Walt Disney Company what it is today.

This week, Team Mousetalgia dips into the mailbag to answer some more of your questions about Disney-related topics, including: Disney tattoo ideas; taking large family groups to the park; Club 33 protocol and menu options; hunting down Disney cartoons and shorts; Taschen's Disneyland book; taking balloons on a plane; celebrating Mickey Mouse at Disneyland; a trip report featuring the Walk in Walt's Disneyland Footsteps guided tour - and more! Also - don't forget to mark your calendar for Mousetalgia's meet-up at Disneyland on March 23-24! Details to follow, but find the event at facebook.com/mousetalgia for more information.

The Walt Disney Family Museum is celebrating its tenth anniversary year, and Team Mousetalgia reports on the happenings that will be coming throughout the year. From a report on the museum's outreach efforts to an overview of the various events that will be coming in 2019, we cover it all. As a bonus, we'll listen to legendary Disney animator and historian Andreas Deja speak about the upcoming exhibit "Mickey Mouse: From Walt to the World," which he is curating for the museum, as well as some inspiring words from Sirron Norris, an artist commissioned by the museum to create an original work for the upcoming Mickey Mouse exhibition. Then, Jeff talks about another event at the Walt Disney Family Museum about Walt Disney's family in Chicago. Plus, romantic Disney songs, more on the search for Mickey Ice Cream Bars, and more information about the Magical Mousetalgia Meet Up at Disneyland on March 23-24. Find our more at facebook.com/mousetalgia

This week, Team Mousetalgia welcomes Beci Mahnken, CEO of MEI/MouseFan Travel, back to the show to share her expertise on planning those summer vacations to the Disneyland Resort in a year that promises many exciting - and possibly challenging - changes. Beci shares her top five tips for a successful and fun vacation, regardless of the park's circumstances. Also - we talk about Disney treats in the supermarket, and share our Disney dream foods. Plus, Kristen reviews the books of Bill Peet and talks about his artistic sensibility.

This week, Team Mousetalgia welcomes Michael Vargo, Vice President of D23, to the show to talk about the upcoming D23 Expo and the state of D23 - what members can look forward to this year, new opportunities, and that amazing membership pin set for 2019. Then, we start preparing for this year's D23 Expo with a Mousetalgia therapy session including questions and concerns about the 2017 Expo and anticipation for this year's event, and a variety of topics including planning for your daily schedule, choosing panels and events, planning for hotels and touring, and associated topics. Plus - A Galaxy's Edge comic book is coming, Mickey paddle pops are on the shelves, and DVC has some changes affecting resales. Also, SAVE THE DATE: Team Mousetalgia is coming to the Disneyland Resort for the weekend of March 23 and 24, and we are planning some epic meet up opportunities! We hope to see you there!

This week, we start the Mousetalgia podcast with a conversation about Disneyland ticket prices - are comparable resort experiences ever going to change public perspective of the value of a Disney vacation? Will corporate greed become a new narrative, or is supply and demand the final answer? Dive in with us. Then, the Nine Old Men exhibition closes at the Walt Disney Family Museum, and Jeff reports from a talk at the museum featuring a conversation between Don Hahn and children of five of the Nine Old Men. We talk a bit about how the Disney animators differed from each other, and how their legacies continue today. Also - Sleeping Beauty turns 60 soon, so we talk about the film's history - the costs, the impact of the movie, and Mary Costa's Tennessee accent. Finally, Academy Award-winning director John Canemaker joins the coversation to speak about the making of Sleeping Beauty, Eyvind Earle's "simplified gothic" style, and Marc Davis' incredible design of Maleficent.

This week, Team Mousetalgia invites you to listen along as Jeff tells the tale of New Year's Eve 2018 at Disneyland. The story involves wall-to-wall people, Santa Ana Winds, cancelled performances, and overpriced food - and advice on finding the magic despite the odds. The team also discusses John Lasseter's return to the animation industry, and we try to make sense of what we do know, what we don't know, and the potential pitfalls and promises that might be a result of his rapid return to the limelight. Also, Jeff offers the first book reviews of the year ("Han Solo" and "Inventing Disneyland") - and more.

This week on the Mousetalgia podcast, it's anything goes as Dave, Becky, Jeff and Kristen answer questions you posed on our social media for a special AMA (Ask Mousetalgia Anything) episode to kick of 2019. Topics include Mousetalgia's origin story, our favorite characters and attractions, our thoughts on crowds at Disneyland and how they will impact the park this year, Autopia, how we make the show each week, park admission prices, churro carts - and more.

It's time for Mousetalgia's annual year in review show! We discuss our top Disney films from 2018, favorite Disney dining experiences (Bengal BBQ vs. those corn dogs), favorite moments (Fantasmic, meeting Minnie), favorite Disney merchandise, and we hand out the infamous Oswald Awards (for when something didn't appear to go as planned). Plus - our Disney resolutions for 2019, favorite Disney ornaments, a report on "Home for the Holidays" at the Walt Disney Family Museum with Bob Gurr, and more!

Merry Christmas! This week on Mousetalgia, we talk Candlelight with Disney historian Joseph Titizian. Joseph talks us through the history of the Candlelight Processional, and then takes us behind the scenes of this year's 60th anniversary of the ceremony, including some samples from this year's performances. Then, Kristen and Jeff discuss Mary Poppins Returns with a spoiler-free review, a discussion about the score and songs, and our tuppence regarding the differences and similarities between the new film and the 1964 classic. Also, in a new segment called Disneyland Notebook, we discuss two topics: the latest developments in character interaction at the parks - selfies with the characters - and Disneyland starts revoking annual passes from passholders who buy merchandise at a discount and then resell it online. Also - our holiday park memories, and more.  

This week on Mousetalgia, Disney author and historian Jeff Kurtti joins us to talk about everything Mary Poppins: the history, the cultural impact, the new film - and his new book "Practically Poppins In Every Way." But first, we share our insightful and frank conversation with Academy-Award winning filmmaker Brad Bird about his early career with the Walt Disney Studios and lessons in animation that he learned from Walt Disney's Nine Old Men. Plus - Disneyland holiday churros reviewed; Princesses on tour; joining Mary Poppins' fantasy world - and Mousetalgia is added to Pandora.

  This week, Mousetalgia takes you to the parks for some holiday dining updates. First, we review "Mickey's Tales of Adventure" Breakfast Buffet at Storyteller Cafe - omelets, prime rib and Froot Loops, oh my! We discuss the revised menu offerings and enhanced character interactions which have made the new buffet at the Grand Californian a popular dining destination. Plus, Becky offers a review of Thanksgiving Dinner at Storyteller Cafe and its underwhelming kids' menu for the biggest dining evening of the year. Also - fall crowds make park touring tricky, so we talk about making the most of your MaxPass. Then, Kristen eats her way through the Festival of the Holidays at Disney California Adventure - Holiday Ham Shanks, Cranberry Sangrias, Lox and Everything Bagel Nachos, Roasted Turkey Sliders, and more (including Peppermint Ice Cream Sundaes and a rainbow of churros!) Plus - listener reports from "Mickey: The True Original Exhibition" and "The Art of Mary Poppins Returns" exhibit at Disneyland, and our favo

Mousetalgia's correspondent Lindsey reports from D23's Destination D, and we bring you the scoop on the latest news and all the happenings from the Disney fan event that was held at the Walt Disney World Contemporary Resort on November 16, 17 and 18. Lindsey discusses the exciting panels, the intriguing exhibits, the exclusive merchandise, and the exciting opportunities she had to interview some of the special guests at the event, including Bret Iwan and Bill Farmer, the official voices of Mickey Mouse and Goofy, and Becky Cline, the director of the Walt Disney Archives. Then, Kristen and Jeff wreck the podcast and discuss Disney's latest animated film "Wreck it Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the Internet." We discuss the cultural impact of the film, the impact of culture on the film, and all those Easter Eggs! Kristen also reveals that somehow, she didn't know the film was going to feature a gaggle of Disney princesses despite the fact that we're pretty sure we'd even mentioned it before on the show. Plus - Jeff ment

Disney artists and historians Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily visited the Walt Disney Family Museum this month to discuss the Swiss Family Robinson, and to talk about their journey to Tobago to search for the film sets from the filming of this astonishing film, and Dave reports on the event. Plus, we take a holiday stroll through the history of New Orleans Square, with a look at the first years of Club 33, and we share some recipes for the Blue Bayou's iconic Clam Chowder. Plus - Uniqlo shirts, Universal's Fun Runs, WDI's Stuntronics, and Kristen calls in a cheesy review.

Mickey Mouse turns 90 on November 18, and we have a spectacular special show for you to celebrate the occasion! In honor of #Mickey90, all of the Mousetalgia family of podcasts have come together to honor the Mouse who started it all. Author/historian/D23 Contributor Jim Fanning joins Team Mousetalgia this week to talk through all nine decades of Mickey Mouse, from the original pie-eyed superstar to the new animated shorts that have brought Mickey full-circle back to his slapstick roots. We talk animation, the Mickey Mouse clubs, Mickey Mouse collectibles, Mickey as a cultural icon, and more. Also - Mousetalgia Minute's Tina and Julia talk about past Mickey Mouse's birthday celebrations; Dateline Mousetalgia's Nicole and Jenn Diz drop by to talk about finding Mickey throughout the Disneyland Resort, and we talk about Mickey through the ages. (Happy birthday to Minnie, too!) Plus - we offer a way to help victims of California's Camp Fire, and we remember the legendary Stan Lee.

Mousetalgia welcomes producer/director Don Hahn back to the show to discuss his latest film, Howard - a documentary of the life and work of Howard Ashman, the legendary lyricist behind hits including "The Little Mermaid", "Beauty and the Beast", and "Aladdin". Hahn discusses the genesis of and story behind his documentary, and answers some questions about working with Ashman and how his life and death had such a profound impact on so many people around the world. We also review Disney's latest film "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms," and we offer a brief take on this new holiday fantasy. Finally, Jeff reports on this year's Mouse-Con Disney fan gathering held in Concord, CA. We talk about the special guests, the event itself, and Dave and Jeff's panel on vintage Disneyland. Plus - Mickey Mouse in New York, and more.

This week, Jeff talks to author/artist Heather Dixon Wallwork about her new novel "The Enchanted Sonata" based on the tale of the Nutcracker, and we discuss her new book in which Clara Stahlbaum is whisked away to an enchanted empire where she must face a magician who uses music as spells while she faces her own future. Heather also talks about her work as a story artist for Disney, and - as a huge Mary Poppins fan - shares some of her thoughts about the upcoming sequel. Then we open the mailbag, discussing topics including... taking a tour of California ending at Disneyland in July; tips for booking hotels in summer 2019; D23 member benefits and studio tour advice; a listener review of Lamplight Lounge; an awkward Haunted Mansion moment that demonstrates the value of cast members; adulting alone at Disneyland; Mousetalgia's past Disney regrets; can't-miss holiday features at Disneyland; dining options for allergic eaters; and Disneyland in the sun vs. Disneyland after dark.

For Mousetalgia's special Halloween episode, the "PDX Sanderson Sisters" - prize-winners from Freeform's Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash - join us to share some behind the scenes secrets from the recent production, which was filmed at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The cosplay trio talk about their origin story, the Freeform show, hanging with Doug Jones, going viral, and life as the Sandersons. Then, in a special spooky Haunted Mansion moment, we wonder: was Walt Disney tracking down the famous ghosts of historical Europe for his retirement home for happy haunts? We report, you decide. Plus - Kristen wraps up a month of spooky musical arrangements by mashing up the Haunted Mansion and Hong Kong's Mystic Manor in a moving arrangement; we share our favorite Disneyland treats; and gingerbread finally comes to the Haunted Mansion. SPECIAL NOTE: Jeff and Dave will be hosting a special panel presentation on Disneyland at Mouse-Con on Sunday, November 4 in Concord, CA. Visit Mouse-Con.com for more info