Sams Disney Diary: The Podcast

A Walt Disney World opening day attraction based on the Disneyland original, It's a Small World, has entertained guests since its initial debut at the 1964 New York Worlds Fair. The second of its kind, Walt Disney Worlds It's a Small World, recently received an updated color scheme. Part of the park's preparations for the World's Most Magical Celebration, the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Let's take a ride on the fantasyland classic. Thanks for watching, and be sure to subscribe or more. https://youtu.be/sQFYg-A6Iz0

runDisney races will return to Walt Disney World Resort this fall, kicking off the runDisney 2021-2022 race season! The season will include four events: Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon in November, the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend: January 2022, Disney Princess Half Marathon in February, and the runDisney Springtime Surprise in late March 2022. Visit rundisney.com for more. The Time-honored flag retreat ceremonies returned to Walt Disney World and Disneyland, just in time for the 4th of July festivities. The flag retreat ceremony occurs daily at both iconic Disney parks, so please check with Guide for event timing Through August 12, the Disney Springs Flavors of Florida festival brings together over 30 restaurants and shops to celebrate the sunshine state. Disney shared a foodie guide that included Amorette's Florida Sunset Éclair, Chef Art Smith's Tender Fired gator bites, and Floradora cocktail. The city works pour hours has grouper tacos and a golden honey margarita. The Coca-Cola rooftop bar ha

Walt Disney Worlds Hall of Presidents, a Magic Kingdom Opening Day attraction with direct ties to Walt Disney, and the 1964 New York World’s Fair. For more on the history of the attraction and the 2017 version of the Hall of President, featuring the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump, be sure to check this video link above. At the end of this video, – This video – is the full version of the 2021 Hall of Presidents, featuring the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden. Along with a quick look at the interior lobby displays. Thanks for watching, be sure to subscribe for more; you never know just what we’ll see. https://youtu.be/8X93enrQo1U

Fireworks are Back!!! Both Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom and Epcot have restored the nighttime fireworks, with Happily Ever After returning to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Epcot forever returning to Walt Disney World Epcot! Covid-19 social distancing precautions have been relaxed, with attractions returning to full capacity – and Pre-Shows returning. Including Dinosaur, Mickey, and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, The Haunted Mansion, and more! In California, Mickey’s Mix Magic returns to Disneyland to light up the night, celebrating Mickey and Minnie. Additional dining offerings have opened at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. It’s a long list at Disneyland, including Tiki Juice Bar, Alien Pizza Planet, Ogas Cantina, Docking Bay 7, The hungry Bear, Refreshment Corner, Corn Dog Castle, and Trader Sams at the Disneyland Hotel. Disney World Offerings include Sebastian’s Bistro at Caribbean beach, Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village, The Tusker House at Animal Kingdom, and the New BoardWalk Ice Cream S

Nov. 12, Holiday entertainment, whimsical decorations, seasonal food and drinks, special merchandise, and more are all part of the 2021 2021 holiday season at Walt Disney World Resort. And this year, all of the celebrations honor the resort's 50th anniversary during the World’s most magical celebration. At Magic Kingdom Park Main Street, U.S.A. will be decked for the holidays with seasonal décor and in the evening, special holiday projections will appear most nights on Cinderella Castle, alternating periodically throughout the night with the castle’s transformation into a Beacon of Magic as part of the park’s 50th-anniversary celebration. “Disney Very Merriest After Hours,” a new ticketed event, begins Nov. 8 and continues on select nights through the holiday season. The four-hour experience features “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks,” Disney characters throughout the park, holiday music and décor, treats included, and more. The event will be open to a limited number of guests after regular park ope

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring, The Three Caballeros, is housed within the pyramid-shaped Mexico Pavilion at Walt Disney World’s Epcot. The attraction opened in April 2007, replacing the El Rio Del Tiempo attraction, becoming the first World Showcase attraction to feature Disney characters! The Three Caballeros from the 1944 Disney Film of the same name. Like every Disney attraction, the grand fiesta tour has a story. As we make our way to the rear of the Mexico pavilion, the attraction begins with concert posters. It appears that we are just in time for a three caballeros’ performance tonight!!! We board our boat for a scenic ride around a Mayan pyramid with an active volcano in the distance. The boat passes by the main dining area for the San Angel inn Restaurante. A node to Disneyland’s Blue Byou restaurant and the Pirates of the Caribbean. As we make our way down the opening tunnel, we See Panchito and Jose introducing themselves, only to realize that Donald Duck is Missing?! Dónde Está Donald Duck? The search

Peek beyond the magic of Disney Parks to discover what's Behind the Attraction! The all-new Disney+ original series, From Executive Producers Dwayne Johnson (yes that Dwayne Johnson, and Yes we will be going behind the Jungle Cruise Attraction), along with producer Brian Volk-Weiss of (The Toys that made us, the movies that made us just to name a few), we get to explore how Imagineers filled the Haunted Mansion with 999 happy haunts, how the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ transformed into Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! and why Space Mountain took so long to launch. From the 1950s to today, from Jungle Cruise to "it's a small world" to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, Disney Parks attractions have amazed millions. And this Disney+ original series is the story of how they did it. With archive footage and interviews with the people that did it, it is a firsthand account of the ideas that lead to the attraction we all know and love today. https://youtu.be/Pi8FQ9zwx2g  

Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular was a nighttime show at Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios that debuted in 2016. Based on the Star Wars franchise, the spectacular featured fireworks, projection mapping, fire, lasers, fog effects, searchlights, and more. The Hollywood Studios Chinese theater is the background for the projections along with some surrounding buildings. As the show evolved and the Star Wars franchise grew, the show was quietly updated with scenes from Rogue One, the Last Jedi, Solo, and The Rise of Skywalker. The show begins with a brief narrated prologue of the 1977 premiere of Star Wars at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California. The main show is divided into segments dedicated to battles, heroes, creatures, romance, and villains. The dramatic opening shot from A New Hope begins the sequence showing various battle scenes from Takodana, Hoth, Jakku, the Death Star, and Starkiller Base. The next segment, dedicated to the series' heroes, features Rey, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and

Avengers Campus, an entirely new land dedicated to discovering, recruiting, and training the next generation of Super Heroes, will open June 4, 2021, at Disneyland Resort, inside Disney California Adventure Park. Guests who are lifelong fans of Super Heroes and those discovering them for the first time are invited to team up with the Avengers and their allies to live out their Super Hero dreams in this fully immersive land that mixes innovative technology and fun for all ages. “We are so excited to soon welcome our guests to Avengers Campus, our first land dedicated to Super Heroes,” said Ken Potrock, president, Disneyland Resort. “Here, our cast members will unite to help guests of all ages find their superpowers and create special memories.” https://youtu.be/hUWAayutABM

Summer is here, and Walt Disney World continues to open additional dining experiences and attractions, including Character dining at Chef Mickey's, reintroduces the famous all-you-care-to-enjoy dinner starring the Fab Five. Over at the EPCOT Resort area, the Cape May Café at Disney's Beach Club Resort has reopened, and at Animal Kingdom, the Tusker House Restaurant is taking reservations Speaking of Animal Kingdom. The Festival of the Lion King is back at Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom. The show has a few changes, all with safety protocols in mind – the Celebration of the Festival of the Lion King continues to combine dance, music costumes, and the magic of Disney Live entertainment. And While you are at Animal kingdom, don't miss the newest addition to Kilimanjaro safari a new baby zebra born on the savanna on May 17. The Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser has been added to Walt Disney World park maps and the My Disney Experience app. Be sure to check out our "Everything we know so far", including a look at

As you board the Star Cruiser along with all of the other passengers, you are stepping into the story; you have a front-row seat in this Star Wars Adventure. This isn't a hotel, this is a galactic cruise, and you are about to be immersed with your fellow travelers into the Star Wars universe We will be cruising aboard the Helicyon, a glamorous starcruiser, on a two-day, two-night voyage – boarding and depart with your fellow passengers – Just like a Disney Cruise Line voyage. It's a first-of-its'-kind vacation experience when guests become the heroes of their own stories. Disney is touting the experience as "Storyliving," where everything is connected, and you are transformed into the Star Wars universe. The Halcyon is known for its impeccable services and exotic destinations. Guests will stay in well-appointed cabins, experience exquisite dining, and out-of-this-world entertainment with an excursion to the planet Batuu. This isn't a hotel, you check-in for two days and lives the adventure. There is no bus to

Spandellatori de sandselpocro | Epcots Italian Flag Throwing Troupe | 2015 | World Showcase https://youtu.be/HyIdShMDF5k[/embed

An attraction based on Winnie the Pooh dates back to 1977 and the "Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" Animated feature.  Imagineers made multiple attempts to bring pooh Bear to Disneyland – but Pooh Bear didn't make the cut for Disneyland's new fantasyland in 1983 or Mickey's Toon town in 1993.  In fact, Roger Rabbit's cartoon spin was based on a "spinnable" honey pot designed for a Winnie the Pooh attraction that never happened. A resurgence in Pooh's popularity in the mid-1990s, and the New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh animated series,  led to the development of a Winnie the Pooh attraction in Walt Disney Worlds' magic kingdom.   The Many Adventure of Winnie the pooh would open in June of 1999, replacing the popular Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.  You can find a hidden Mr. Toad in the Walt Disney World Attraction, a framed photo of Mr. Toad passing the dead for the building to Owl. [caption id="attachment_13871" align="alignleft" width="300"] The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (Disneyland vs Walt Disney World)

Disneyland Is OPEN!!! Avengers campus is set to open on June 4th. The highly anticipated addition to Disney California Adventure Park is a fully immersive land inviting you to team up with the Avengers and their allies and live out your superhero dreams Over a Disneyland, the Haunted Mansion has undergone some ghostly improvements while the park was quiet. Including A lavish landscape adorning the dearly departed pets outside. While inside, you may notice a new design along the portrait hallway. Including the addition of one of the mansion's origin portrait known as "April to December. " Over at King Arthurs Carousel, Walt Disney Imagineering completed an extensive refurbishment of the original 1955 attraction adding 14k gold leaf accents and vibrant details, and bold colors. Each steed was hand-painted with more than 30 colors used, each horse slightly different than the others, and done' miss Snow Whites enchanted wish, and the new attraction poster. In a rundown of the other news: Disney and Friends charac

Walt Disney World is full of unique dining options, and while Disney Hollywood Studios may not have as many sit-down locations as other Disney parks, it sure has some of the most unusual places.  One of my favorites, the Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater.  Be sure to check the latest menu, which includes some of the best burgers around, but the real treat here in the Hollywood Hills Drive-in Movie theater. Walt Disney World is full of unique dining options, and while Disney Hollywood Studios may not have as many sit-down locations as other Disney parks, it sure has some of the most unusual places. One of my favorites, the Sci-Fi Dine-in Theater. A trip back to the 1950s and the old school drive-in theater, complete with your 50s roadster to watch the double feature.   Of course, you’ll be watching while dining.  Clips include “News Flashes from the Future,” a Tom and Jerry Cartoon (at least in this version, remember Tom and Jerry are MGM), clips from monster moves that come straight from the 1950s, and even a clip with

The Great Movie Ride. The opening day marquee attraction of the Disney MGM Studios, and when it closed 28 years later, that last remaining opening day attraction at the park. Located inside the park’s icon, “The Chinese Theater,” the Great movie ride showcased animatronic figures, practical sets, live actors, pyrotechnics, and projections to recreate iconic scenes from classic features throughout motion picture history. (At least throughout the Disney and MGM studios library) Did you know the ride was developed initially as a pavilion for Epcot’s Future World? The “Show Business” pavilion would have been located between the land and imagination pavilion, featured the attraction “Great Moments at the Movies”. When newly assigned Disney CEO Michael Eisner was briefed on the project, it quickly escalated into a Theme Park of its own. Hey, why settle for an attraction when you can have a full working studio. The Disney Studio was born, well, at least the idea, it would take some planning and partnering to see the

For just shy of 11 years, Mulch, Sweat & Shears ruled Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios.   The fan-favorite “atmosphere entertainment” created quite the cult following.  The studios’ official “landscaping crew” doubled as a high-energy “rake and roll” show!  If you visited Hollywood Studios from 2004-2015, you likely ran into them on the streets of America or at the end of Hollywood Boulevard right in from of the sorcerer mickey hat, remember that?  Specializing in classic rock, the landscapers loved to engage the audience with an honorary member playing the cowbell.   According to the official Disney description:  Mow”-sy on over for some classic hard rock, as this energetic cover band performs an unforgettable “rake and roll” show. For just shy of 11 years, Mulch, Sweat & Shears ruled Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios. The fan-favorite "atmosphere entertainment" created quite the cult following. The studios' official "landscaping crew" doubled as a high-energy "rake and roll" show! If you vi

Form the Disneyland Resort’s Hotels, Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park and the Downtown Disney District, Disneyland has a dining adventure for everyone.  This Disneyland Resort Television special showcases every location from 2017. Form the Disneyland Resort’s Hotels, Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, and the Downtown Disney District, Disneyland has a dining adventure for everyone. This Disneyland Resort Television special showcases every location from 2017.

Disneyland Today.  Part of Disneyland in-room television, Disneyland today is a great way to start your day at the Disneyland Resort, getting the latest details and information on happenings thought out the day. Disneyland Today. Part of Disneyland in-room television, Disneyland today is a great way to start your day at the Disneyland Resort, getting the latest details and information on happenings thought out the day.  

With over 25 resorts, Walt Disney World has something for everyone.  No matter what your price range, you’re sure to find theming and an immersive environment.  Each resort has its own unique charm, and some have exclusive activities.  When it comes to value resorts, Disney’s Pop Century is my favorite; it’s a nostalgic look at the unforgettable fads of the 1950s through the 1990s.  The Disney Skyliner station connection the resort and Art of Animation to the Carriean Beach Station, continuing to Disney Hollywood Studios or Epcot isn’t a bad addition at all  When you checked in, did you notice the Shadowboxes along the way across from the check-in counters?   Those shadowboxes tell the story of the decades, the story of the resort.  Pre-Covid, on select days the resort front desk staff would conduct a “Shadowbox Tour.” The icons are unmistakable, from the 1950s Lady and the Tramp, and bowling pins, 1960’s Yo-Yos Hippie flowers, and Play-Doh.  The 1970s 8-Track tapes, Disco and Big Wheel, the 1980s Rubik’s cub