Mousetalgia! - Your Disneyland Podcast

Let's talk CHOC: it's not too late to get involved with the 2015 CHOC Walk in the Park, the time-honored fundraiser coming to Disneyland Resort Oct. 11. Zach Abrams from CHOC joins us to talk about the upcoming event and describes some of the features of this 25th anniversary stroll through Disneyland before it opens to the public. Then, we hear a detailed description of the first Jungle Cruise Sunrise Safari Breakfast hosted at Disneyland Park, which provided a few lucky guests the chance to eat during sunrise on the shore of the African Veldt amidst the animatronic wildlife, and then help the skipper narrate on their own private cruise back to civilization. Finally, Kristen reports on D23's screening of Aladdin in celebration of the Diamond Edition release of the classic film. After the fans voted and selected Seattle as one of three cities to host the screening, D23 arrived with special guests and surprises in tow, and Kristen reports on the event. Plus - Disney cracks down on Disney Dining Buddy; finding

Team Mousetalgia discusses "American Experience: Walt Disney," and we offer our first impressions and questions - then we welcome Disney historian Joseph Titizian back to the show for a balanced critical perspective on the documentary from a friend of the Disney/Miller family. Titizian discusses new information from the Walt Disney Archives on Walt's own words about his childhood and his relationship with his father; the truth about Lilian Disney; Walt's feelings about Snow White and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; critical missing information in the film's own narrative; fascinating never-seen footage from the animators' strike; and where the film gets it right and gets it wrong about Disneyland's place in mid-century history. We also wonder why Cal Arts and the World's Fair are absent, despite being critical elements of Walt's life. Also, Mousetalgia's Force Friday wrap-up: BB8, Star Wars pajamas and Legos rule the day, as well as Star Wars edibles. Plus - another Mousetalgia listener wins

Mousetalgia jumps to the Outer Rim this week to talk about Star Wars Land, and we offer our take on the recent news about the planned 14-acre galactic space port. We discuss how guests will enter the land, and wonder "What about Star Tours?" We compare the "orange crates" from 2013's D23 Expo (which suggested upcoming Tattooine-based attractions) vs. the current plans for an unknown planet. Kristen still wants Star Wars out of Disneyland altogether, and we ponder whether Marvel is destined for Disney's third gate in Anaheim. Then, Mousetalgia welcomes Disney voice actor Pete Renaday back to the show to talk about his roles and career with the studio. Pete talks about his start with the Disney company, and how he went from being a messenger at the studio to voicing Henry, the star of the Country Bear Jamboree. Pete talks about the studio in 1959; an uncomfortable close encounter with Walt; working on screen tests and films; and finally moving into voice acting. Bonus: Pete's tips on voicing Mickey Mouse! Plus

This week, Mousetalgia offers an Emporium of topics, including: More D23 Expo tales from the floor, including an encounter with Dick Van Dyke and Kim Possible; a review of the new Disney Animation "Short Films Collection" on Blu-ray; a return to the Lucasfilm theater for a presentation from Disney Legend Tony Baxter and Imagineer Josh Shipley on Vintage Disneyland; and a conversation with Pixar animator Mike Wu. Wu discusses his years at Walt Disney Feature Animation during the studio's second golden age, then talks about moving to Pixar and working with Brad Bird on the Incredibles and Ratatouille. We also discuss "Ellie," Mike's recent book from Disney Press, which is an inspirational story of an elephant that discovers her artistic side. Plus - a new Disney book club, Star Wars soup, Lasseter almonds, listener reviews of Disneyland's "Tahitian Terrace" event and the Walt Disney Family Museum - and more!

Join Team Moustalgia on another in-depth look at the 2015 D23 Expo, including a closer look at the Walt Disney Archives exhibition and a few of the panels and presentations. First, we talk about "Disneyland: The Exhibit," an extensive display of memorabilia, props and ephermera from Disneyland's 60 year history. We also have exclusive commentary on the exhibit from Disney Legend Tony Baxter and Walt Disney Archives Director Becky Cline. Next, Dave and Kristen talk us through the "Magic Behind the Muppets" panel and the "Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios" presentation, featuring the upcoming slate of features including Gigantic, Moana, The Good Dinosaur, Toy Story 4 - and more. We also briefly discuss the "Walt Disney Parks and Resorts" presentation, and also visit "Safari So Go - 60 Years of the World Famous Jungle Cruise," "Disney in Concert: A Silly Symphony Celebration," and "It's Game Time: Disney Interactive Takes the Stage." 

Join Team Mousetalgia on a tour of the floor of the 2015 D23 Expo, where we'll examine the various pavilions and attractions scattered throughout the enormous biannual Disney fan convention. We take a look at the various queues, and examine the StagePass and StorePass systems D23 has in place to attempt to ease the pain of standing in lines. We'll visit the Disney Dream Store, Mickey's of Glendale, and the Disney Store to see what went right in retail, and what went wrong. We visit the Imagineering and Parks and Resorts destinations to learn more about Avatar's looming approach at Animal Kingdom and to discover many of the secrets of Shanghai Disneyland. We also talk freebies and discuss our favorite giveaways, with a special empahsis on the Animation pavilion and its plethora of artistic offerings and animator signings. Finally, we look forward to next week's show about the panels and presentations with a quick look at the Walt Disney Studios presentation, with its surprising Star Wars news. Plus, a listener

Team Mousetalgia answers your email this week as we recover from the D23 Expo weekend. Topics include: places to find a drink at the resort; the best way to search the Mousetalgia archives; Haunted Mansion Holiday facts; the Disneyland Legacy Collection CD set discussed; CV Wood's Heritage Square; "When You Wish" - a Disney stage show currently performing in Utah; D23 - is the gold membership worth the cost; a listener reviews DCA's "Disney Calfornia Story Tour"; touring Disneyland through the eyes of a child; seeking out Haunted Mansion merchandise; and navigating Disneyland Resort during Halloweentime - is adding Mickey's Trick or Treat party to a vacation worth the extra ticket? Plus Disney tattoos - the Mousetalgia crew's dream ink!

This week, Team Mousetalgia offers some Expo prep as we welcome Kevin Kern from the Walt Disney Archives to the show to discuss the Archives exhibit at this year's D23 Expo, and what you can expect to see at the exhibit. Kern also talks about his role at the archives, as well as his work helping to develop the presentations to occur on the Archives stage at the D23 Expo. Next, we welcome author and historian J.B. Kaufman back to the show to talk about Walt Disney Records/Fairfax Classics' latest project, "The Silly Symphony Collection," an 8-hour-long collection of soundtracks from all 75 Silly Symphony shorts presented on 16 vinyl LPs. Kaufman gives us some insight into the original cartoons that Walt Disney produced from 1929-'39, and explains the importance of this period of work from Walt and his animation studio. The set will be available for preorder beginning at the D23 Expo, and there will be a live concert performance of some of the works offered at the Expo as well. Plus, one lucky listener will win

Walt Disney's fascination with steam locomotives takes center stage this week as Mousetalgia visits Walt's Barn in Griffith Park to learn more about Disney's love of trains. From his childhood chasing trains in Marceline, through his home steam engine at Carolwood, to the trains his studio built for the Disney parks - you'll get a crash course on why Walt was so moved by the notion of live steam from docent Doug Marsh from the Carolwood Society about Disney's trains and the current exhibition at Walt's Barn, "The Trains of Disneyland." Then, Mousetalgia is pleased to welcome William "Sully" Sullivan to the show to talk about his 40-year career with the Disney company, which Sully started as a Jungle Cruise skipper at Disneyland in 1955 and ended as Vice President of the Magic Kingom park as a Disney Legend with two windows on Main Steet at WDW. Sully talks about working at Disneyland, the New York World's Fair, at the Magic Kingdom, and much more. Plus, a review of the Anaheim Marriott, more D23 Expo prep - a

Visit to Disneyland on July 17, 2015 with Jeff and Kristen as they report from the park on its 60th birthday with location recordings as well as thoughts about the day. We listen in on Michael Colglazier's speech, visit New Orleans Square to catch Queenie and the Royal Street Bachelors, and even catch the new Disneyland Band in one of its first day performances. Also - Kristen does a rain-soaked VIP Tour, Jeff attends a D23 panel with a host of Disney Legends to learn even more about Disneyland's early days, and we discuss Fantasmic dining packages. Plus - a chance to win souvenir park maps and a July 17 "I was there!" button; a tiny Ant-sized movie review - and more!

Join Team Mousetalgia live from the Pacific Northwest Mouse Meet as Jeff and Kristen report on the annual event. First, take a tour of the show floor and experience the Mouse Meet from the guests' perspectives, then go behind the scenes with Mousetalgia and special guest Imagineer Joe Herrington, and Disney voice artists Mark Silverman, Margaret Kerry and Pete Renaday. Joe Harrington talks about creating soundscapes and audio for some of the parks' most beloved attractions, and the voice panel discuss some highlights from their careers. Then, listen in as Mousetalgia re-creates the famous "Story and Song from the Haunted Mansion" record album with the original voice of the Ghost Host, Pete Renaday! Plus, D23 Expo news, Claire Keane, and a baby arrives!

Happy 60th, Disneyland! Team Mousetalgia offers our advice for dealing with the crowds at Disneyland on its 60th birthday, and then we take a look back at Disneyland's origin story to see how different (and similar) things were back in 1955. We'll take you back to opening day (when four-person-wide lines stretched a mile down Harbor Boulevard) on a brief tour of the original attractions that are no longer with us. Learn why the New York Times called the park "everything exciting and wonderful to a child's eyes... that will surely take years off the shoulders of countless adults, too" just days after the gates first opened. Plus - renewing vows at Disneyland, Danny Kaye on Disneyland's 25th birthday, and more.

Everything D23 Expo: This week, Mousetalgia talks to Kristin Rodack, a director with D23, to learn more about the upcoming D23 Expo to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center August 14-16. Get tips and hints straight from the source as we learn about some of the magic in store for Expo attendees. StagePass, StorePass, the massive Hall D23, and the Expo floor are all examined and explained. Plus, we get personal and describe our goals and thoughts about the weekend - Kristen hopes for a single success per day; Jeff is looking for freebies and giveaways; and Dave lists Mousetalgia's survival tips for navigating the Expo, which include topics like sustenance, appropriate clothing, lodging, dealing with lines, and stashing burritos in our backpacks. Also - Walt Disney's silhouette, Death Star beach balls, Fantasia cheesecake, and The Astronaut Wives Club.

Jeff does Disneyland's Diamond celebration and reviews the Matterhorn updates, Paint the Night, World of Color - Celebrate, the T Party Diamond Edition - even breakfast at Flo's. Also, Disneyland goes 101: How much downtime is acceptable for new attractions and effects? We also discuss new merchandise, summer trip planning, and more! Plus, Mousetalgia attends Fathom Events' "Insider Access to Inside Out," and we discuss the nationwide event, then Mousetalgia reviews the groundbreaking film. Also - Michele Shocked, Star Wars cereal, WDW scat, and more!

Team Mousetalgia shares Disneyland travel tips and more in this week's listener email show. Topics include: Disneyland's 60th anniversary Diamond Celebration; using Fast Passes at Disneyland; tips on visiting Aulani from an Oahu resident - including comments on the weather, eating offsite, taking day trips and more. Also - confessions of a self-labeled Disney hater; The Running of the Hoods is explained in detail; Disney World regulars have questions about an upcoming trip to Disneyland regarding hotels, airports, traveling to the Walt Disney Family Museum; and a Disneylander asks questions about taking the family to Walt Disney World. Plus - Disney's Silly Symphonies are coming to the D23 Expo; and reviews of "The Legacy Collection: The Music of Disneyland," Marvel studios' "Daredevil," and Disney Vans.

Pixar's Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera appeared at the Seattle International Film Festival to introduce "Inside Out," and Kristen reports from the screening and discusses the filmmakers' inspirations, motivations, and obstacles that were overcome in the making of Pixar's latest film. Jeff reviews "Animation Anecdotes," a book by Disney historian Jim Korkis, and TEA reports that while Disneyland's attendance dipped in the first part of 2015, profits continued to rise. What does the future hold for Disneyland - new lands, a new park, or...? Also, Mousetalgia welcomes ARG developer Nick Tierce to the show to discuss his unofficial alternate reality game based on "The Optimist" and "Tomorrowland," and we get his take on what the future might hold for Brad Bird's underrated film. Plus - will Disney parks ever sell tickets with tiered pricing? We discuss.  (Lava director Jim Murphy audio from AU Review/Youtube)

Author and historian J. B. Kaufman joins Mousetalgia this week to discuss Pinocchio, Walt Disney's second animated feature film. Our conversation covers the Disney adaptation's diferences from Carlo Collodi's original Italian morality tale, Walt's vision for the film and his unique characters, and Kaufman's new book, "Pinocchio: The Making of the Disney Epic." Learn about Walt's struggle to create the story adaptation, the film's anthropomorphized characters, and the different animation styles and techniques demonstrated in this groundbreaking movie. We also discuss some of the film's intriguing details, including the otherworldly Novachord in the soundtrack and the sound effects crew's attempts to emulate a whale's sneeze. Plus - "The Fearless Art of Mike Gabriel," using Uber to get to Disneyland economically, CV Wood's role creating Disney's land, a listener's trip to Disneyland with Alice Davis... and more.

Are diamonds anyone's best friend? Disneyland launches its spectacular Diamond anniversary with a 24-hour party at the parks which was by turns fun, chaotic, thilling and frustrating to the tens of thousands of guests who descended on the Anaheim resort on May 22. Team Mousetalgia welcomes Beci Mahnken, owner of Mouse Fan Travel, to the show to report on her experiences at the media preview, the 24 hour party, and the grand opening of Disneyland's new 60th anniversary nighttime spectaculars, including World of Color - Celebrate!, the Paint the Night parade, and Disneyland Forever, the new fireworks show that combines projections, fireworks, and special effects throughout the park to create a show that can be viewed from multiple locations (...or can it?) We also debate Disneyland's wisdom in creating predictable mass confusion with an event guaranteed to draw more people to the resort than the parks could contain. Is the result clever marketing, a tarnished reputation - or both? Also, we revisit Tomorrowland

Mousetalgia visits Storybrooke this week as Jeff goes to RegalCon, a convention for fans of ABC's "Once Upon a Time." We compare this convention with other Disney fan cons, discuss the seminars and offerings, and hear "Once" celebrities Lee Arenberg, Gil McKinney and Beverly Elliott talk about what the fandom means to each of them personally. Then, Team Mousetalgia reports from Disneyland's Tinker Bell Half Marathon weekend, and we discuss the kids' races and the runDisney Expo and hear from Tinker Bell animation reference model Margaret Kerry in person. Finally, we talk about some recent dining experiences at Disneyland, including the recently re-opened Smokejumpers Grill, breakfast and dinner at Disneyland Hotel's Steakhouse 55 (and we ask if bad service negates good food?), and a closer look at the special effects inside of Club 33's Le Salon Nouveau. Plus - Disneyland's 60th anniversary begins! Mousetalgia Matterhorn t-shirts are now on sale at www.mousetalgiastore.com!  

Team Mousetalgia takes you to the blue carpet and the world premiere of Tomorrowland in this week's episode! Join Jeff and Dave as they watch the celebrities descend on Downtown Disney's AMC multiplex to watch Brad Bird's fascinating new movie and report on the goings on. Jeff joins D23 to attend the private after-party in Disneyland's Tomorrowland, and Dave joins in to report from a Lucasfilm screening of the film days later, and we offer our initial spoiler-free impressions of the film. Also, we talk Avengers, and offer some thoughts about the latest installment in the Marvel cinematic pantheon. Next: the Haunted Mansion welcomes back the Hat Box Ghost after nearly 46 years, and we offer our thoughts and responses to the new character, brought back to life with a little digital pixie (or is that mummy?) dust. Plus - the Pacific Northwest Mouse Meet announces the special guests for this year's event, the D23 Expo starts spilling secrets - and more!