Mousetalgia! - Your Disneyland Podcast

Today, Mousetalgia celebrates Disneyland's 68th birthday with trip reports, touring tips, and a discussion of the current Disneyland experience. We also talk about the current Van Eaton Galleries Disneyland auction (starting today!), and look back at a 1964 program in which Disneyland and Tivoli Gardens swapped Tour Guides. Plus - Tim visits Walt's apartment, Kristen offers a July 17th-only offer - and more. Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com

This week, Jeff talks about his history with the Walt Disney Family Museum, and by referencing the signatures in his souvenir book, takes you on a walk back through the first decade of special guests and various events at the museum. Plus, we take a look at the 1962 "Dixieland at Disneyland" event, and wonder what it might have been like to participate in Disneyland's early special ticketed events.

Rabbits, Kitties and Dogs - oh, my! This week, Jeff and special guests Tina and Julia discuss a plethora of Disney's cuddliest companions. First - Tina and Julia describe a 35th anniversary screening of Who Framed Roger Rabbit at the Casto Theatre featuring an appearance by Charles Fleischer, the voice of Roger Rabbit himself. Then, Jeff and Julia review Disney Cats and Dogs, the newly-installed exhibit at the Walt Disney Family Museum running through January 14, 2024. Plus - a look back at Walt Disney's July 4th weekend in Marceline in 1956, and a new Soarin'-style ride is scheduled to open in Monterey, CA.  Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com

This week, Jeff takes you into his library to discuss a few literary topics. We talk to Nebraska State Poet Matt Mason about his recently published book of poetry about Disneyland, and the essence of Disney fandom. Then, we look at three recent official Disney cookbooks from Insight Editions and compare and contrast their contents. Finally, we discuss getting started with your own Disney book collection - where to turn, places to seek out signed books, and how the Disney company is responding to the explosion of unauthorized books. Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com

Mousetalgia Ep. 696: Pixar's Elemental This week on Mousetalgia, Kristen returns and joins Jeff to discuss Pixar's latest offering, "Elemental." We discuss the critical reception the film received, our own perceptions and reactions to this deeply personal film, and try to rememnber when Pixar stopped being funny. We also discuss The Muppets Mayhem, The Little Mermaid, and American Born Chinese - and look forward to a flaming hot summer. Reach us at comments@mousetalgia.com  

Episode 695: Welcome back to Mousetalgia! Jeff soft-relaunches the show with a few thoughts about Mousetalgia's past, present and future, and then dives into a couple summer-y trip reports: a wine tasting at George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch, and a visit to the Aulani Hawaii Resort and Spa, featuring a review of 'Ama 'Ama's recently revised menu and general tips for visiting the popular island destination. Opinions or suggestions? Let us know at comments@mousetalgia.com.

No. 52: The Women of Star Wars from October 15, 2018 Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com This week, author and self-proclaimed geek Amy Ratcliffe joins Mousetalgia to talk about "Star Wars: Women of the Galaxy," her new book profiling 75 female characters from the Star Wars universe. Covering personalities throughout all of Star Wars from the original trilogy through "Star Wars: Resistance," the book covers an exhaustive herstory of the entire world of Star Wars, deriving content from the films, books, comics, and television shows. Amy talks about the process of writing the book, what the various stories mean to her, and her thoughts and memories about Carrie Fisher. Also this week: Kristen talks about D23's free spooky 25th anniversary screenings; Disney releases Otter Box phone cases; Storyteller Cafe goes full buffet; we launch "Becky in the Sky with Diamonds" - our new segment on booking hotels and Expo hotel planning; and we premiere a haunting poem.

Mousetalgia Best Ear Ever No. 51: Eddy Collins, VIP stories from October 3, 2016 Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com This week, Mousetalgia welcomes special guest Eddy Collins, who has spent decades with the Disney Company. Collins started doing custodial work at Disneyland and eventually became Global Sales Manager and a spokesperson for the resort. Eddy talks about his first job at the park as a sweeper, and how he quickly became a prestigious VIP tour guide, then moved to guest communications and management, and on to special events for the opening of Disney's California Adventure (after a run-in with the Disneyland Ambassador program and roles in TV/radio broadcasting). Eddy talks about managing Disneyland's international publicity, becoming the resort's Global Sales Manager, and the importance of a little pixie dust. Eddy also dusts off the plaid vest and takes us back in time to his days as a VIP tour guide, with stories about Ted Dansen and his family, Disney Legend Robin Williams, Ed McMahon, and o

No. 50: Spin & Marty, The Muppets from Dec. 5, 2011 Talk to us at comments@mousetalgia.com Spin and Marty speak at the Walt Disney Family Museum, and Team Mousetalgia report from the event. Tim ‘Spin’ Considine and David ‘Marty’ Stollery tell the secrets of their popular serial made famous by the Mickey Mouse Club television show, and share stories about being child stars. Also, remembering Walt Disney on his birthday, and our review of "The Muppets." Plus - gingerbread, holiday music... and Kristen invades Walt Disney World!

No. 49: Journey Into Imagination; David Koenig from July 28, 2014 Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com. David Koenig offers a look behind the scenes at the process of writing the best "behind the scenes" Disney parks books! From surprising anecdotes to the massive undertaking of documenting Walt Disney World's history, Koenig discusses his various books and his opinions about successful attractions, cast member secrets, and the art of bringing fantasy to life. Koenig talks about Universal's impact on the Disney parks, dealing with Disney's legal arm, and how pulling back the curtain on Disney park operations can make fans love the parks even more. Also, Mousetalgia goes back to Walt Disney World again as Dave, Becky and Kristen discuss a special fundraiser featuring Tony Baxter discussing Journey Into Imagination, the beloved extinct attraction from EPCOT Center. Tony talks about the original proposed EPCOT architecture, the origins of the attraction, and the unlikely genesis of Figment! Plus, our favorite

No. 48: Walt Disney's Hollywood and the beginning of the Walt Disney Company from January 24, 2011 Let us hear from you: comments@mousetalgia.com Visit Walt Disney's Hollywood: In this week's episode, Jeff takes us on a tour of Walt Disney's Hollywood, with stops at his first home and the first studio where Walt's "Alice" short films were created. Other stops include the infamous Snow White Cafe on Hollywood Boulevard, Paty's Coffee House (which Walt would visit from time to time) and Walt's final resting place in Forest Lawn. Also - Jeff reports on the Disney Pops and Pipes organ concert at the grand El Capitan Theater, the Disney Soda Fountain serves up TRON Sundaes... and more!

No. 47: Disneyland Hotel secrets from October 17, 2011 Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com Go back in time and visit the Disneyland Hotel of the '50s and '60s in this special resort edition of Mousetalgia! This week, we welcome historian Donald Ballard to the show, to share his stories, research, and secrets about the early days of Disneyland's first hotel. Learn about the Wrather family's investment in Walt Disney's vision, and discover how the Disneyland Hotel developed over decades from a glorified motor inn to the unique resort it is today. Also, from a men-only club to $2,500-per-night suites, you'll learn fascinating stories about the creation of this world-famous destination. Plus - a press report from a preview ride of the Haunted Mansion in 1969 - and more!

No. 46: Walt Disney and World War II from May 30, 2011 Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com Walt Disney and World War II: In this special Memorial Day episode from 2011, Team Mousetalgia reports on a weekend event at the Walt Disney Family Museum about the Walt Disney Studios output during World War II, featuring presentations by historian Paul F. Anderson. Learn about the various projects and films that the studio created during this critical period of American history. Also - take a closer look at one of the more famous propaganda films, "Victory Through Air Power," which Walt Disney believed would help end the war and save lives. Plus - an exclusive presentation of a 1943 radio program featuring Walt Disney talking about "Victory" - and more!

No. 45: Newsies '15 tour, Disneyland '55 from March 9, 2015 Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com Mousetalgia carries the banner and reviews the current touring production of Newsies, which landed recently in San Francisco. We discuss the differences between the film and the touring production, and even some differences between the Broadway show and the current tour. Souvenirs, dancing, the music - we cover it all. Then, Dave and Becky review Disney on Ice: "Let's Celebrate," and describe the experience. (Hint: bring a kid!) Also, the Mallett family joins us to discuss visiting Disneyland almost 60 years ago in 1955 when they won a radio contest in the Golden Horseshoe and rode down Main Street in the fire truck with Abbott and Costello, and they also share their memories of the park as they grew up with it through the decades. Finally, the team participates in the recent "Story of Disneyland" auction, and we report back on our successes, failures, and some of the highlights of this much-anticipated auction

Mousetalgia's Best Ear Ever #44: Swiss Family Robinson, New Orleans Square from Nov. 26, 2018 Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com. 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.

Mousetalgia's Best Ear Ever #43: A history of Disneyland's Candlelight Processional from Dec. 24, 2018 Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com. 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.

Mousetalgia's Best Ear Ever #42: Docter and Merritt on Marc Davis, Gary K. Wolf on Roger Rabbit from July 16, 2018. Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com. It's an emporium of toontastic proportions today as Mousetalgia invites you to listen in as we re-live our latest adventures. We interview Pixar CCO Pete Docter and Imagineer Chris Merritt about their upcoming book about Marc Davis at a recent event hosted by the Walt Disney Family Museum, and then Jeff talks to author Gary K. Wolf about creating the characters from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" as we note the 30th anniversary of the seminal film based on his intriguing novel. Also, Jeff talks about experiencing Disneyland in a heat wave, and what happens when MaxPass suddenly goes down in the middle of the day. Plus, quick hits on Antman and the Wasp, a vintage Disneyland cookie recipe, and runDisney's Incredible Running Shorts.

Mousetalgia's Best Ear Ever #41: Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room from June 27, 2016. Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com. Team Mousetalgia celebrates Audio-Animatronic history by welcoming Disney historian and author Jeff Kurtti back to the show today as we investigate Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. Join us on the lanai as we reminisce about the history and development of this famous attraction, from its roots as a proposed Chinese restaurant through its present day acclaim with the recent resurgence in the popularity of Polynesian culture. Kurtti, author of "Walt Disney's Imagineering Legends," talks about the early days of WED Enterprises, the cultural trends that enabled the Tiki Room to succeed, and the famous Sherman Brothers song that ties the whole show together. Also - we unveil the secrets to some of Trader Sam's most closely guarded drink recipes, and take a look at the grand opening of Shanghai Disneyland.

Mousetalgia's Best Ear Ever #40: An Incredible evening at Pixar from June 11, 2018. Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com. Dave and Becky traveled to Emeryville in 2018 to see a Super VIP screening of "The Incredibles 2" at the Pixar Animation Studio and Mousetalgia reports from the event. Women in Animation (WIA) hosted an exclusive screening of the new film at Pixar, and Dave and Becky were able to attend. During the event, attendees were able to meet and speak with female animators, artists and filmmakers involved with the production. We discuss the Pixar campus, stories about Brad Bird, the techniques of modern computer animation, the status of women in the field of animation, and finally offer a spoiler-free glimpse at the new installment in the Incredibles franchise. Bonus: a spoiler-free review of "Bao," the short presented before Incredibles 2. Plus - Pirate Redd joins the the Pirates of the Caribbean; John Lasseter will be leaving the Walt Disney Company; Solo box office disappoints; and more.

No. 39: A conversation with Disney Legend Alice Davis (on the '64 World's Fair) from December 15, 2014 Contact us at comments@mousetalgia.com Disney and the World's Fair - Disney Legend Alice Davis talks to Jeff about attending the 1964 World's Fair, and she shares some personal recollections of her time visiting the Fair with Walt Disney and her husband Marc Davis, one of Walt Disney's "Nine Old Men." We also discuss the Walt Disney Family Museum's second recent presentation of "Walt Disney: A Giant at the World's Fair," and recap some of the memorable moments from that event. Also - Jeff shares an update on his customized Captain America action figure, and we discuss buying annual passes to Disneyland when you aren't a local - the perks, pitfalls, and possibilities. Plus, our dream corporate sponsors for Disney attractions: Taco Bell, an Audio-Animatronic Oprah, Hawaiian Airlines, Tesla - the possibilities are limitless!