By |

Episode 421: In this week’s episode of “Traveling with the Mouse,” we’re diving deep into a rather ‘un-bear-lievable’ incident that had Magic Kingdom buzzing with more than just enchantment. Just when you thought Disney had showcased every character in its arsenal, along came an unexpected, furry, four-legged guest wandering into the Magic Kingdom. That’s right, a real-life bear made its grand entrance, and it wasn’t a bear from the Country Bear Jamboree. This surprise visitor caused quite a stir, leading to half of the park temporarily shutting down. We delve into this curious event, discussing the park’s response, and the eventual safe removal of our forested friend.

While the bear certainly stole the spotlight, it wasn’t the only headline-grabber. Major investments are on the horizon for Disney parks globally, signaling ambitious plans for expansion and enhancement. Yet, in a paradoxical twist, Disney’s stock didn’t seem to mirror the enthusiasm of these announcements. We delve into the financial intricacies, speculating on possible reasons and the broader implications for the Walt Disney Company.

Use our special link TWTM to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid
plan.

By |

Episode 416: Pack your bags, don your Mickey ears, and prepare to journey across the country with us in this exciting episode of “Traveling with the Mouse”. Our co-host, Jason, recently embarked on a captivating trip to Disneyland, California with his son Andrew. Jason takes us along, regaling us with tales of his adventures in Walt’s original theme park. One of the highlights of his trip, and certainly a segment you won’t want to miss, is Jason’s experience on the Main Street tour. It wasn’t just any tour; this unique journey culminated in a visit to Walt Disney’s very own apartment above the fire station on Main Street. To stand in the space where Walt once stood. The highlight of the Trip for his son was Avengers Campus at Disney’s California Adventure park. They spend a lot of time there and got a lot of merch there too! But, as all Disney aficionados can attest, every Disney park visit brings its own set of comparisons, especially for those of us who have Walt Disney World engraved in our hearts. The discussion inevitably veers towards comparing similar attractions between Disneyland and Walt Disney World. We also hit on something that does make Disney World truly special, Epcot. That is what Jason seemed to miss the most while visiting Disneyland and one thing that proves just how unique and groundbreaking Epcot truly is.

Use our special link TWTM to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid
plan.

By |

Episode:413 Hello, Mouseketeers! Prepare for an exciting episode of “Traveling with the Mouse” this week as we delve into all the Disney news that’s been making waves and offer a sneak peek into Jason’s upcoming adventure at Disneyland!

First up, we venture into the world of Disney news, which has been anything but quiet recently. The ongoing feud between Disney and the state of Florida continues to capture headlines. We break down the latest updates in this complex saga, shedding light on what it means for the theme park and its guests. Next, we tackle a rather unusual piece of news. In a surprising twist, a Disney hotel has been branded as one of the ugliest buildings in America! We dive into the details of this article, questioning the criteria used for such a dubious honor, and discussing whether we agree or disagree with this controversial claim. But it’s not all drama in the Disney universe. We share some happier news for Disney Vacation Club members, who are being treated to discounted VIP tours. We break down what this means for members and how it might enhance their Disney experience.

Shifting gears from the buzz of Disney news, we join Jason as he previews his upcoming trip to Disneyland! As a seasoned Disney Ride Challenge runner and co-host of “Traveling with the Mouse”, Jason’s trip previews are always packed with valuable insights and tidbits. From planning strategies to must-visit attractions, Jason shares his expectations and goals for this exciting journey to the Happiest Place on Earth.

By |

Episode 408: Welcome back, fellow Disney enthusiasts, to another exciting episode of the Traveling with the Mouse podcast! This episode Jon and I catch up on the latest news and rumors and we can’t help but chat about our latest Disney World trips. We will go more in depth in next week’s episode but we had to cover some of the details of our recent vacations. In the news, we have a new pricing structure for Disney Genie Plus that goes into effect June 27th. The Reflections resort may not be dead in the water after all. The Dinosaur attraction at Animal Kingdom has seen better days. It’s almost like they are ready to pull the plug on it. And in some ways they already have. Indiana Jones meet and greet is coming to Disneyland and Walt Disney World is gearing up for 4th of July. In our next episode, we’ll be diving deep into our respective experiences with our trip reports so stay tuned.

By |

Welcome to Traveling with the Mouse, the podcast that takes you on a journey through the magical world of Disney! In this episode, we bring you the latest news and have some fun with AI by having it write a game for us to play. But First up, we have some exciting news for all the Disney fans out there. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party tickets are now on sale! This is one of the most popular events at Disney World, and it’s not hard to see why. So if you’re planning a trip to Disney World this fall, be sure to grab your tickets before they sell out. Next, Disney has announced a new discount on lightsabers at Galaxy’s Edge. The Galactic Starcruiser has also extended its discounts this summer to Disney Visa card holders. Moving on, we discuss the latest incident involving the fire breathing dragon. This time during a performance of Fantasmic at Disneyland. Finally, we have the latest drama with the Reedy Creek Improvement District. We end the episode with a little game that AI created for this episode.

By |

Episode 398: This week we have a special guest and our first repeat guest to the show, Nathan Firesheets. You have probably heard by now that he just completed the Disney global ride challenge where he completed every operating ride at all 12 Disney parks across the globe in 12 days. The challenge itself is no small undertaking. Disney currently operates 12 parks across the globe, each with its own unique attractions and experiences. Nathan had to not only ride every operating ride at each park, but also navigate the logistics of travel between them. During the interview, Nathan shared some of the highlights of his journey. He talks about why he decided early on which route he was going to take and why this only recently became possible again. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the Disney Global Ride Challenge is the sheer variety of experiences that Nathan had. Each park has its own unique flavor, and we asked Nathan what his favorite ride is at each Disney park in the world. If you’re interested in hearing about Nathan’s Disney Global Ride Challenge from the challenge running perspective be sure to listen to our supersize episode of Traveling with the Mouse. We dive deep into the details of his journey, and who knows? Maybe you’ll be inspired to take on a challenge of your own, whether it’s riding every ride at a single park or exploring all 12 Disney parks across the globe.

By |

Episode 390: In this episode of Traveling with the Mouse, we dive into the exciting new developments at both Disneyland and Disney World. First up, Tron Light Cycle Run…Disney has released new information regarding its rider experience. Not only will there be lockers for riders to store their loose items, but an on-ride photo will also be available to capture the excitement of the journey. Next, we take a closer look at Woody’s Roundup Rodeo BBQ, the new dining experience at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The family-style menu has been revealed. We discuss what we look forward to trying but the real test will be the price. We just hope that it will be on par with other family style restaurants like Liberty Tree Tavern. Runaway Railway has finally opened at Disneyland there are some slight differences between the Disneyland and Hollywood studios versions.

By |

Episode 389: Today the gang is all back together and we discuss the latest Disney news! Splash Mountain is now closed at Walt Disney World and work on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has already begun. We discuss that and how people are reacting to the new Parking lot sections at Epcot. Enchanted Tales with Belle is finally returning as is some more meet and greets that previously hadn’t returned since covid. Is this finally everything that has been closed since covid started nearly 3 years ago? We learned that Bob Chapek got a $20M severance package. The Starcruiser is starting a non-discount, discount promotion. It is still having trouble filling the very expensive 2 day cruises.

By |

Episode 369: We catch up on the Disney news of the week. Disney had a big earnings call this week and the profits are back up to pre-pandemic levels. We talk about how the parks are a big reason for that and what it could mean for future developments. Disney remains silent about magic key renewals as they try to increase guest yields. We discuss how that could impact things in a negative way in the long term. Meanwhile a new update to Genie plus creates a problem with park hopping and securing lightning lanes. Also, what’s up with Chapek’s Beard?

By |

Episode 357: Today we answer the age old question…Will the Disneyland PeopleMover ever return to operation? Actually, we don’t answer that definitively because nobody knows for sure. What we do know is what it will take and that will require a lot of work and a lot of money. We also cover some news and we start a conversation on Disney’s Polynesian resort but it evolves into discussing Disney resorts in general. We do have a lot of fond memories at the Polynesian and we will dig into that more in future episodes. However, in the short term we have a lot of travel coming up. Jason and I have a Disney cruise (my first one) and Jon and James are both taking trips to Walt Disney World in June. There’s lots of content coming up for what will be a busy summer!

By |

Episode 352: On this episode, Jon and I have a discussion about Disney CEOs. We talk about the good and bad from each one and even have a little fun ranking them from best to worst. We start with some news discussion. The major topic of the week is the Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind had an official opening date. Passholder and DVC previews were also announced but as of the time of this episode there isn’t any confirmation of dates. Disney is also planning more solar farms and affordable housing in Florida. Out in Disneyland there will be the first entry of Encanto into the Disney parks by way of the projection show on the front of It’s a Small World. We speculate about them adding an Encanto piece to the Enchantment fireworks as they did some after hours testing recently at Magic Kingdom. We’d love to see Encanto included! Now, back to the CEOs…We’d love to hear your rankings so let us know!

By |

Episode 323: Jon and I are holding down the fort while Jason is on vacation. We cover the flood of Disney Parks news that is coming out these days. We have major details on the Star Wars Galactic Star Cruiser. We break down the sample itinerary and the pricing that was released. Spoiler alert, it aint cheap. DVC members and Passholders are getting a preview of Ratatouille before the October 1st opening (another spoiler, I got my preview booked). Disneyland announced their new passholder program which will be called the Magic Keys. We also discuss some of the news surrounding the Scarlett Johansson lawsuit against Disney. Could Chapek have avoided this? After, the news we do one of our attraction deep dives. This time we are talking about Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster! It recently celebrated its 22nd anniversary on July 29th. We go through the history of this attraction and give our thoughts on what we think the future will be.

By |

Episode 316: In this episode we talk some Disney news and then preview an upcoming trip to Walt Disney World this weekend! We start with some Disneyland news…Soon out of state guests will be welcomed back. Also, Disneyland’s newly reimagined Jungle Cruise will be opening in July. The big news of the week out of Disneyland however, is that the Spiderman Adventure attraction will require a boarding group once it opens. This means that guests will have to choose between Spidey and Rise of the resistance at the start of the day. In Disney World news, we continue to see restrictions lifted and talks of capacity expanded. It looks like Minnie Vans could be returning and the monorail had a Badger problem. After the news, Jason and I discuss our upcoming trip this very weekend to Walt Disney World. We are trying out a DVC resort and are staying together in a 2 bedroom villa. Look out for us on social media this weekend!

By |

Episode 313: This week we have a lot of Disney news to cover…From Disneyland to Cruise line and Star Wars! We begin with the re-opening of Disneyland and talk about some of the things that have changed like having to shorten Rise of the Resistance, The secret entrance to Haunted Mansion and the new Snow White attraction. It’s good to see Disneyland open again. We move on to the Disney Cruise Line news and cover the new info on the Disney Wish and Jon talks about whether or not he want to book this ship for his next cruise. Next we discuss some of the updates at Walt Disney World like the upcoming removal of the temperature screenings and the return of some more character meals. Lastly, we cover the Star wars news of the week. The new lightsaber that everyone want but probably isn’t anywhere near ready to sell made its debut this week in a short video. The Star Wars cruiser looks to be delayed until next year but we got to see some new concept art. Is anyone going to book this as soon as it is available?

By |

Episode: 312. Yeah, we waited 7 hours to ride the PeopleMover this week, but it was totally worth it! We were among the very first park guests to ride after being down for over a year. Jason and I recently returned from a trip to Walt Disney World where we got upgraded to the Grand Floridan. We enjoyed several trips to our favorite bars and lounges on property. We watched the Electric Water Pageant from our hotel room. We had one fantastic table service meals and one not so fantastic meal. We explored Tom Sawyer island and compared the experience to that of Rise of the Resistance….You’ll see what we mean. In the news we discuss the newest update to the Jungle Cruise and Disneyland is open once again! We talk about the latest Ride Every points challenge and the recent controversy surrounding it.

By |

Episode 311: Today we cover the recent news and preview our Disney trip this weekend! That’s right, Jason and I will be at Walt Disney World this weekend for a rare kid-free Disney experience. Disneyland could soon allow out of state guests and the reservations don’t seem to be filling up as quickly as expected. The famous uh, photo opp in the Morocco pavilion at Epcot has been modified. There been a price increase for custom light sabers at Savi’s Workshop. I also follow up on part of last week’s episode where I talked about the part of the Disney World property that Walt Disney himself actually set foot on. I actually found out more to this story. I discovered that the house is still on Disney property but it has just been moved to another location. Here is the link to the article. Jason and I will be in the parks this weekend most likely hitting up the bars and lounges. If you are in the parks this weekend let us know!

By |

Episode 307: It’s time for our annual Disney march Madness bracket! This year we are going to determine the best thing about Walt Disney World! We have categories ranging from Park Icon’s to Signature Restaurants and everything in-between. Before we get to that we do discuss the big new story of the week. The Disneyland concept art that everyone went crazy over this week. While it looks cool we have to take it for what it is….a concept. We hope that some day an expansion to Disneyland can happen but we know in reality that it will be a challenge to get anything built any time soon…for a number of reasons. Ok, back to our Disney World bracket. We have 8 categories of items that we believe make Walt Disney World great. We are going to narrow this list down to one championship winner that will be crowned “The best thing about Walt Disney World! Tune in next week for the exciting conclusion but also tune in this week to hear the exciting round one matchups!

By |

Episode 306: We interviewed our kids about what they love about Disney! Before we get to that we start by covering the big news of the week. The big story of the week is that Disneyland in California finally has a re-opening date! April 30, 2021 Disneyland will be open after an entire year of being closed. There will be some new things to see and do once the park re-opens. Snow White’s Enchanted Wish will debut and Disney is reporting that the Haunted Mansion has also gotten some upgrades. Meanwhile, over at Walt Disney World, Spaceship Earth is receiving some new nighttime lighting effects. Annual Passholders will be getting two (2) magnets in the mail this time. Alright, lets get to the main event…We interviewed our kids (and one best friend) for this episode, 6 in total! We start with the youngest and work our way up to the oldest. Our kids range in age from 2 years to 7 years old. We get a wide variety of responses and rabbit trails but we did manage to get some answers to a very pressing question…Are the Rafts a ride? You know how we feel about it but what do our kids think? We also asked the about the monorail, the skyliner and what their favorite rides are…All in all we had a great time laughing and enjoying what our kids had to say. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

By |

Episode: 305. After our week off we catch back up on the news. There’s actually some major stories to cover this week. Ratatouille has an opening date. Many weren’t expecting it but once you stop and think, the date that the chose does make sense…from a certain point of view. Disneyland finally has the green light to re-open with some major limitations. The new Moana themed rooms at the Polynesian look really nice and shiny! The question remains though, how much are they going to charge for these rooms? Epcot has some new entrance features including some new music. Be sure to tune in next week where we will have 6 special guests…Our Kids (and one best friend) will be joining us. You’ll get to hear straight from our kids what they love about Disney!

By |

Episode 304: Today we play a game of Would you rather? Disney Edition! We came up with several scenarios with varying levels of weirdness they we have to choose between. We had fun coming up with difficult choices to try and stump each other with. So look for choices that include rafts, skyliner, monorail and fastpass! Before we get into all of the fun we do go over some news stories for the week. There isn’t a whole lot to report but there’s always construction updates to give from Walt Disney World and even Disneyland has some to report. Let’s hope that they Taste of Disney event out there will help give the Californians a much needed Disney fix! It also looks like Disney is looking for a hotel manager for the new Star Wars Galactic Star Cruiser. Speaking of Cruises, the Disney Cruise line is cancelling more sailings through most of the summer.