Mousetalgia! - Your Disneyland Podcast

This week, Team Mousetalgia speak to some of our favorite guests from the past 13 years of our show, including Beci Mahnken of Mouse Fan Travel, former Imagineers Josh and Croz, Disney historian Joseph Titizian, former Disneyland Tour Guide Barbara Brock, Disney Geek Jeffrey Epstein, author/Imagineer Chris Merritt, and podcaster/comedian/superstar Tim Babb. Join us for all sorts of fun and insightful conversations!

This week, Mousetalgia is jam-packed with history and fandom. First, we welcome D23 VP Michael Vargo back to the show to give us a peek at the newest D23 Gold Member gift and to chat about the latest happenings at D23 and how things have shifted during the pandemic. Next, Dave reports on last week's D23 press event announcing the upcoming 2022 D23 Expo, giving us the first announcements and notes about the event. Then, we welcome Disney artist and historian Kevin Kidney back to the show to share some of his research and stories about the making of Walt Disney Pictures' Swiss Family Robinson and Disneyland's Swiss Family Treehouse. Plus - a big announcement.

This week, Team Mousetalgia celebrates Downtown Disney's 21st anniversary by noting our favorite retail and dining options in the district. Then we talk about the past few weeks of Disney happenings, including Disney shows and movies, recent books, and gifts we gave or received this holiday season.

It's time for the annual Mousetalgia AMAs, and you, the listeners, did not disappoint with a wide variety of intriguing inquiries for us to tackle on this week's show. We talk about Mousetalgia's five year plan, attraction wait times, the worst Disney Park food, favorite Disney attractions, favorite Disney gifts, things we love besides Disney, Disney shows we are eagerly awaiting, favorite characters, VIP tours with annoying celebrities, debating Genie Plus, Small World scenes, what would Walt do?, where is Becky? the height of the Dwarfs - and so much more.

This week, Team Mousetalgia (with returning guest Tim Babb) welcome 2022 by taking a look back at the past year in Disney, discussing our favorite movies, books, theme park experiences/additions, favorite Disney purchases, favorite Disney eating experiences, best Disney+ shows, and we offer our first ever Pollyanna Awards, discussing the things we are most thankful for from 2021.

Merry Christmas! In this special holiday episode, Team Mousetalgia celebrates yuletide with a Candlelight trip report and a very special guest. First, Jeff was able to visit Disneyland for this year's Candlelight Processional, and shares a brief report about the event, waiting in line for Rise of the Resistance, and blowing off Zachary Levi. Then, we welcome Imagineer/author Chris Merritt back to the show to talk about Marc Davis' Enchanted Snow Palace, an attraction Davis conceptualized that was never realized in the parks. We discuss Davis' vision, the scenes and characters, and the history behind the development of the attraction. Season's greetings to you and yours from the entire Mousetalgia crew!

This week, Dave and Becky report on spending Thanksgiving weekend at the Disneyland Resort with the kids. We talk about the food situation at the park, including new reviews of Lamplight Lounge, GCH Craftsman Bar and Rancho del Zocalo. We talk about the state of the Disneyland restaurants, churros, the current types of character interaction opportunities, and dealing with queues and children. Plus - a review of the Karmel Shuttle Service, and today is Dick Van Dyke's birthday, so we celebrate with our favorite DVD memories!

What makes a monster - and what makes a man? Jeff recently attended a performance of Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Hale Center Theater in Orem, Utah, and Jeff reviews the performance and talks about the process of bringing stories like "Hunchback" to the stage. We talk about Victor Hugo's original book, the new theatrical version, and the differences between the characters in the play and the animated versions of the story. Plus, we list our top six favorite Disneyland holiday celebrations - and more!

This week, Jeff and Dave chat about the recent Mouse-Con 2021 event held at in Concord, California on Nov. 7. Jeff spoke at the event about the Haunted Mansion (natch) and attended some panels, including a Disneyland Hotel panel with Don Ballard and a Pocohantus panel with voice actor Irene Bedard. Jeff reviews the panels, discusses the other special guests, and talks about the Disneyana for sale - including some vintage Disney Catalog merch purchases. Plus - our favorite convention memories!

This week, spend some time feeling the Disneyland magic straight from Main Street, U.S.A. with Mousetalgia. Our guest is former cast member Bruce Edwards, who spent a few years in the late '70s as a magician and prankster in the Main Street Magic Shop. Bruce shares his memories of growing up with Disney and finally getting a job at the park, and talks about his co-workers and his path toward becoming a professional magician, his memories of pulling pranks on the guests, and his life after leaving the magic shop. Plus - our favorite magic shop memories! Find Bruce's new book "Nothing Up My Sleeve But Pixie Dust" at www.bruceedwardsbooks.com.

All of Mousetalgia ended up at the Disneyland Resort for a weekend in October, and this week, we talk about our experiences as the resort continues to recover from the pandemic shutdown. We discuss the Disneyland Resort Hotel service and give quick hits on the variety of eating options, including reviews of the Craftsman Bar, River Belle Terrace, Napa Rose, Lamplight Lounge, Carnation Cafe, and Cafe Orleans. Plus - Kristen visits Club 33 and brings back a drink recipe to share - and we tell two cautionary tales about Disneyland balloons.

On October 24, Jeff married Julia at the Disneyland Resort, and we have all the details for you in this week's episode! We talk about the food, the ceremony, the venue, the 5:00 am photo session inside of Disneyland Park, the talented performers, and working with Disney Fairy Tale Weddings and White Rabbit Photo Boutique. Plus - our memories of the Skyway.

Help us usher in the holidays at the Disneyland Resort with a musical celebration! This week, we welcome special guest Tim Babb to the show to discuss our top 20 favorite instances of holiday music in the Disney parks. Also - a look back through history at an animation exhibit introducing Song of the South to Georgians, and Kristen reviews books: Birnbaum's 2022 Official Walt Disney World guidebooks for adults and kids, and "Tales of Courage and Kindness," a new storybook about a variety of Disney Princesses that can facilitate conversations between parents and their children.

This week, Mousetalgia gets spooky for Halloween week with a variety of spook-sational items. First, Jeff reports from an event at the Walt Disney Family Museum with Gonzo the Great and Pepe the King Prawn sharing stories from the making of "Muppets Haunted Mansion," and then we speak with Kirk Thatcher, the director of the special, who talks about the genesis of the project and some of the experiences he had filming the show. Then, we speak with Kelly Younger, who joined Kirk and Bill Barretta as a writer for the special. Kelly talks about the nature of writing for Muppets, stories about developing the songs in the show, and the success of the special. Next, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Haunted Mansion Holiday with Disney artist Tim Wollweber, who worked on the design and construction of the original Haunted Mansion Holiday, and continues to be involved with the annual centerpiece gingerbread Haunted Mansion, Halloween Time at the parks, and the design of various tiki mugs for Trader Sams - among num

This week, we celebrate the debut of "Winnie the Pooh: The New Musical Stage Adaptation" in New York on Theatre Row with a hundred acres of fun! First, we discuss our history with the willy, nilly silly old bear, and talk about the variety of ways Pooh has touched culture over the past century. Then, we chat with Matthew Lish, Puppet/Prop Coordinator and Lead Puppet Builder for the brand new off-Broadway production of "Winnie the Pooh." Plus - a Haunted Mansion moment about Disneyland fun maps!

This week, we turn our attention to the east as Walt Disney World celebrates its first half century of making magical memories. We welcome Beci Mahnken, CEO of Mouse Fan Travel, back to the show to breakdown all of the latest news from the resort's 50th anniversary celebration, including attraction news, resort and hotel happenings, new shows and dining experiences, and much more. Plus - Kristen reviews new books celebrating Walt Disney World's 50th, and we offer tips for folks attempting to return to Disneyland after all of the pandemic-era changes.

This week, Jeff takes you along on his tasting trip to Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa for his rapidly-approaching Disney Fairy Tale Wedding. We talk about the menu, the pastries and cake options, some clarifications from Jeff's initial wedding report - and, of course, Jeff answers the question about the authenticity of the Bengal Barbecue skewers. Plus - Trader Sam's unveils a new Haunted Mansion-themed tiki mug, and Jeff dives into the thick of it. Also - McDonalds makes more Disney Parks-themed Happy Meal toys, and we discuss.

It's the spooking season, and we are welcoming October with a spectre-tacular eek-isode of Mousetalgia. First, Jeff takes us back in time and walks us through his 2003 trip to the sets of Walt Disney Pictures' "The Haunted Mansion," and Kristen offers 31 days of Disney-related treats for Halloween. Everything from playlists to pastimes, boos to books - and even a recipe for "Goofy's Green Fish Mousse" (and a Mousetalgia challenge to boot!) From scary Disney movies to YouTube recommendations, we offers ways for you to bring the spooky to every day of October through Halloween. Plus - our top underrated Disney films, and more!

This week, we talk about rings prehistoric and nuptial as we discuss the new Marvel Studios film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, as well as planning a Disney Fairytale Wedding at the Disneyland Resort. First, Kristen and Jeff talk about the new film, which is Kristen's favorite in the Marvel pantheon. We give a spoiler-free review and consider the characters, the romance or lack thereof, and the new stage being set by Marvel for the future of their tales of the Avengers. Then, Jeff is getting married at Disneyland next month (!) and discusses the process of planning a Disneyland wedding. We talk about getting started, relative pricing, wedding photos in the park, and how to customize the ceremony to make it your own. If you've ever considered getting married in the park, you won't want to miss this episode! Plus - win a free "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Advent Calendar of Ghoulish Delights" from Insight Editions.

This week, Mousetalgia is pleased to welcome Disney Legend Hayley Mills to the show. Enjoy our insightful chat about her time spent making films for the Disney Studios as a child, her family life, her career before and after Disney, and her relationship with her parents and Walt Disney himself. Plus - listen for a chance to win a copy of Hayley Mills' new memoir "Forever Young" signed by Hayley herself!