Disney At Work Podcast

Big new announcements have been made at Disneyland Paris and whole new lands and experiences are opening at Tokyo Disney Resort. We not only look at some very new ideas for what could be in a Disney theme park, but we see how some of this could be coming to Disneyland or Walt Disney World here in the United States. Perhaps not the show, but the concepts, the intellectual properties, special technologies and ride vehicles. We'll look at resorts here at Disneyland Paris, happenings at Disney Village and the Disneyland Paris Park, and then go over to The Walt Disney Studios Paris park for what are massive and major changes. Lots of implications for the American parks, so join us for this Disneyland Paris announcements. __________________________________________________ My new book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. _________________________________

May the 4th be with you! This podcast is a replay that celebrates all things Star Wars in a very unique way that ties also to The Golden Girls, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and a man by the name of Andrew Gold. It has great insights so join us as we share this unique podcast. __________________________________________________ My new book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. ________________________________________________________ More Disney Insights can be found below! Disney Insights YouTube Page--Check it out and subscribe. DisneyInsights.com--So many resources at our home site. Be sure to subscribe to receive notice of upcoming podcasts. Disney Insights Facebook Page--Come join and interact in conversation with others. The Wayfinder Society--Disney Insights Patreon Page--More Disney Insights to interact with, while supporting the podcast. Here

o much of what was the Disney-MGM Studios over the years has come and gone. Only one attraction remains as it was largely designed during its opening. This park is perhaps more radically different than any other Disney park between its opening and the present. And yet there are some really wonderful gems that were there when the park opened, and they are still here today. We look at those timeless pieces and what makes them such treasured keepsakes of what is Disney's Hollywood Studios today. Each of them may have some surprises you may not have known until now. So join us for Disney-MGM Treasures From 35 Years Ago. ________________________________________________________ My new book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. __________________________________________________________ More Disney Insights can be found below! Disney Insights YouTube Page-

It seems hard to imagine that Disney's Hollywood Studios opened 35 years ago! The first park to open under the leadership of Michael Eisner, the Disney-MGM Studios as it was known then has a storied past. How it got started, why it became the way it did, and how it competed with Universal Studios is the stuff of movie legend. Join us as we look at how an idea became Walt Disney World's third theme park; how it struggled to move from a half-day concept to a full-day park experience; how it came to add the MGM name; how it sought to imitate Universal and how Universal in turn sought to imitate Disney; and how the park was so popular in its first weeks of operation that it turned away guests before it even reached its official opening time. Join us as we learn lessons and insights from the opening of Disney-MGM Studios 35 years ago! _________________________________________________________ My new book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other

Over the last couple of decades Disney has been attentive and has invested seriously in supporting guests with disabilities. I suppose it was a slow news day, Disney social media influencers decided to call fire in the Lightening Lane. Headlines and statements were irresponsible, and in most cases, just wrong. We will look at Disney's history is providing accessibility. We will look at the statements and changes Disney is looking to enact, and I will offer honest and candid feedback on what is working and what may be the challenges moving forward. All of this comes in the context that I have two Autistic children, one of which struggles to function in tight spaces without impacting the experience of others. If you really want to understand what is happening, join us on this podcast where we will explore the challenges and efforts Disney makes. _________________________________________________________ My new book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my t

This May and June Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park, and Disney's Pleasure Island will be 35 years old. The only way this would have occurred is if there were employees to make that happen. By this time the market for available front line employees was tight as Universal was preparing to open its first theme park, and other competitors and hoteliers in the area were needing people as well. The answer was to intentionally create a place for people to go to get a job as a Walt Disney World cast member. The design of this unique facility offers many insights as to how to attract potential hires. This work may be more virtual these days with a wide range of online tools, but the messages from this facility and its unique hiring processes still stick. Join us for hiring lessons from 35 years of the Disney Casting Center. _________________________________________________________ My new book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my

The Walt Disney Company held its annual meeting of Shareholders. This event was seminal in that it concluded a feud between outside investors and Disney. It allowed Bob Iger to emphasize a message of 'Renewed Strength'. But there is more to learn from all of the tea leaves of this presentation. We'll discuss not just some of the many facets of where Disney is and what it intends to do moving forward, but focus largely on parks and experiences--to include new insights on the Padora/Avatar attraction coming to Disneyland Resort., and its possible tie to an announcement about the Autopia this week. We'll also look at Bob Iger's own response to Universal's Epic Universe being built just down the way, and how Disney has been "strategically" anticipating this addition for over ten years. So join us as we look at the results and insights of Disney's 2024 Annual Shareholder's Meeting. __________________________________________________________ My new book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights is available! Now availa

BREAKING NEWS! Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight's District has come to an Agreement! More at the end of the podcast! We come to you from deep in the jungle of Disney's Animal Kingdom to not only tell you the latest and greatest on what's happening at Disney's Animal Kingdom, but how these connect to major happenings across the Disney universe. The big news is in Dinoland, but Asia, Africa, Pandora and Discovery Island all have some thing to share. We'll look at what's potentially happening with the advent of Indiana Jones, Encanto, Zootopia and more. We'll talk about Animal Kingdom's own Joe Rohde's new announcement, and what's happening for the 30th anniversary of Disney's Lion King. There's much to talk about, to include attendance in the park and big records being set at Orlando International Airport. Join us for this very insightful visit to Disney's Animal Kingdom. __________________________________________________________ My new book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights is available! N

You can learn a lot about what's going on at Disney by spending a little time at the Magic Kingdom of Walt Disney World. My recent visits there provide background and context for a number of things that are going on or are set to happen. Like the song from Disney's Princess and the Frog, "We're Almost There". Or so it seems. We'll check out every land around the Magic Kingdom and talk about what's going on. New ticket packages and new announcements. From the parking lot tram to Happily Ever Fireworks. From Tiana to Tron. Let's look at insights at what's happening at Magic Kingdom and beyond __________________________________________________________ My new book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. __________________________________________________________ More Disney Insights can be found below! Disney Insights YouTube Page--Check it out and subscr

For months now Disney has been in a proxy fight with several outside entities in the strategic direction of Disney moving forward. In taking the offense, this week Disney filed with the SEC a statement of how it will move forward. There are four key priorities the company has during this time to strategically transform. Our focus is Experiences Growth--particularly in the theme parks. We will explore what that means and how that is defined by CEO Bob Iger in this announcement. What is the company's strategy for theme parks? We will also look at other recent announcements and how they are shoring up that strategy moving forward. Based on these insights, we'll project forward as to how Disney will begin to spend 60 billion dollars in the theme parks worldwide in the next years to come. Also, what could 1000 undeveloped acres or 7 new lands do for Disney? We'll also talk about other key points Disney is making at this time in addressing their challenges with Peltz, Perlmutter and Rasulo, as well as Blackwell's o

This last week a business program I delivered took me to Kansas City, where Walt moved to around age 10, and where he returned to after serving in the Red Cross during World War I. If Disneyland's Main Street U.S.A. symbolizes Marcelline, Missouri, then Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom Main Street should symbolize Kansas City. We'll talk about the sights I saw and the impressions I had. It is a story of family struggles, of bankruptcy and dreams of a new life. Walt and Roy had a unique experience in Kansas City that prepared them for what lay ahead in California. We'll share all of it and then we'll liken it to our own lives and life experiences. __________________________________________________________ My new book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. __________________________________________________________ More Disney Insights can be found be

Have you taken time to see some animated features on Disney+ that go way back into Walt Disney’s own vault. During the 1940s you will find Disney animated features like Melody Time, Saludos Amigos, and Make Mine Music. These were known as package films, similar to Fantasia, but with far less attention to detail. They compose the War Era, which was during World War II and its aftermath. This era was between the Golden age of Disney which included Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and the Silver Age which started with Cinderella. Fun & Fancy Free is one of those anthology films of the War Era, and is the title of a chapter that describes how Walt and his brother Roy got through a period that was actually anything but fun and fancy free. It’s just one chapter in my book, A Century of Powerful Disney Insights, and it has implications in many ways to Disney’s own challenges today. Join us for anything but Fun and Fancy Free. __________________________________________________________ My new book, A Century of Po

As a park, Epcot has in many ways evolved over the years--especially in what we have always known as Future World. But which version of Epcot is the best version? We look very carefully at Epcot's timeline over the decades to determine if there was a time and place when Epcot was at its very best. And we consider the possibility that the Epcot of today is perhaps better than any other version of Epcot over the years. Not only do we look at attractions, but consider everything from entertainment, to retail, from dining to fireworks. And we make a strong case that the Epcot that we all loved so much somewhere in the past may not be as good as the Epcot that you find today at Walt Disney World. Join us as we ask, "is today's Epcot the Best Epcot ever? __________________________________________________________ My new book, "A Century of Powerful Disney Insights" is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership

In an unexpected last minute turn of events, I ended up having the opportunity to visit the Disneyland Resort. My focus was on Disneyland Park as well as the Downtown Disney/Hotel District Area. We'll visit these locations to see what's new and what's happening here at "The Happiest Place on Earth". We'll look at new offerings such as Adventureland Treehouse, Pixar Place and Tiana's Palace. Speaking of Tiana, we look at its impact on the park as well as recent announcements of when Tiana's Bayou Adventure will arrive. We'll then look at entertainment happenings to include Mickey's Mix Magic and the incomparable Magic Happens. We'll also look at where Disneyland is in terms of receiving the permissions and authority to direct its own zoning in moving forward. Could Disneyland have a third theme park? We'll explore that and we'll finish up with some tips for how to make your Disneyland visit the best possible. __________________________________________________________ My new book, "A Century of Powerful Disney

No Disney Cruise is "typical" and this is no "typical" Disney Cruise review. Our family spent four nights on the Disney Dream which sailed out of its new home in Fort Lauderdale. We look at the good, the bad and the "Petroleum Port" ugly of that arrival experience. We then set sail only to arrive in Nassau, where the U.S. State Department has issued a travel advisory after some 18 murders on that small island since January 1st. We look at the realities of that as well as talk about our family's personal experience, where our two youngest children--both who deal with Autism--experienced their own ups and downs. Trust me, it really was a good cruise--but I'm ready for my vacation from my vacation. Find out more as we experience a cruise on the Disney Dream. __________________________________________________________ My new book, "A Century of Powerful Disney Insights" is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Lea

Universal has taken a step to showcase its upcoming new park, Epic Universe. While many have known much about what was going into the parks, official status was given to the different lands and key attractions. In particular, details were given around the centerpiece land, Celestial Park, which serves as an entrance and hub to four other lands, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic; Dark Universe; How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk; and Super Nintendo World. All this plus hotels and more. Will this park increase profitability for Universal, or rob attendance from its other two parks? Universal's marketing statement is "This Changes Everything!" So let's talk Epic Universe, offer some thoughtful analysis, and see if it really does. My new book, "A Century of Powerful Disney Insights" is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. ______________________________________________

My recent visit dining at Disney's Contemporary Resort in Walt Disney World made me realize that this is a great place for Magic Kingdom guests who are looking for a place to get away during the craziness of being in the park. There are three particular dining experiences that caters to many tastes and makes it easy to enjoy a finer dining experience than you might get at Magic Kingdom. David Zanolla of Zanolla Travel and I take you through three locations at Disney's Contemporary: Contempo Cafe, Chef Mickey's Character Buffet, and Steakhouse 71. We'll talk not only about our favorite dishes and our preferences in making those dining experiences work, but also talk strategy about how to best fit it into your day at Magic Kingdom. Join us as we talk about Better Magic Kingdom Dining Choices at Disney's Contemporary Resort. My new book, "A Century of Powerful Disney Insights" is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Di

It's January and that means Epcot's International Festival of the Arts--which really looks more like Epcot's Annual Figment Festival. Figment is everywhere--except in a well-designed attraction. Still, it is the most popular non IP Disney character in any North American Park (Duffy holds reign in Asia) and like the original attraction, it represents creativity and the arts--and that's what's always been part of this festival. Join us as we visit Epcot and experience the food, the art, the entertainment, and the retail of this annual tradition now in its 8th year. We'll look at not only why this event is so centered on a purple dragon, but how the attraction itself could better align with the festival itself. PLEASE NOTE: I experienced some kind of sound challenge at around 22 minutes. Spent an hour trying to address it, but you may need to adjust the volume. My sincere apologies My new book, "A Century of Powerful Disney Insights" is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other books

Disney has announced this week that the Country Bear Jamboree will be closing on January 27th of this year, with a promise of re-opening as the Country Bear Musical Jamboree "later this summer". We talk about Disney's news and the new upcoming show. And then we talk about why we love the Country Bears and their significance to the park and to the original heritage of Walt Disney World. Disney has also hinted and suggested that more announcements of things to come to Magic Kingdom are on their way. And by the way, did you know that most people would rather be an animatronic bear? We'll share more in this podcast, so join us as we celebrate the Country Bear Jamboree. My new book, "A Century of Powerful Disney Insights" is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, Leadership and You. __________________________________________________________ More Disney Insights can be found below! Disney Insights YouTube Page--Chec

Greetings and Happy New Year! As we embark on 2024 I wanted to bring to you a conversation I had with Betsy Jordyn, a former Disney Cast Member and organizational development leader. She works with consultants now, but she speaks of a time when the internal organizational development was almost an outside consulting group to getting Disney’s organization to the next level. The research she and her team did unearthed what eventually became the Basics initiative, which was an effort to unify Guest engagement across the board. Betsy and her team brought The Walt Disney World leadership organization together link leadership behaviors to implementing a better Guest experience. Let’s revisit the Disney Basics with Betsy Jordyn. Thanks to Betsy Jordyn for joining me on this podcast! You can learn more about her work here! My new book, "A Century of Powerful Disney Insights" is available! Now available on Amazon! Also, check out my two of my other books, The Wonderful World of Customer Service at Disney and Disney, L