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Episode 509: This week on Traveling with the Mouse, we’re shaking things up and letting spontaneity take the wheel. Sometimes the best Disney trips are the ones where you don’t over plan every second, and that’s exactly what we’re diving into.

A Tale of Two Trips

We’ve got two very different adventures on the horizon, and each comes with its own approach:

Jon’s Walt Disney World Trip – Jon is keeping things budget-friendly while also testing out some of the “underdogs” of Disney dining. You know those restaurants that always seem to get roasted in reviews? Jon wants to find out if they’re really that bad—or if maybe they deserve a little redemption. Consider it his very own “Disney Food MythBusters.”

Adam’s Disneyland Trip – On the other side of the country, Adam is taking the no-plan plan. That means going with the flow, making decisions on the fly, and embracing a relaxed Disneyland experience. Sometimes the magic is found in the moments you didn’t script out weeks in advance.

Spontaneity in the Parks

We chat about the balance between planning and winging it. With Lightning Lane systems, dining reservations, and virtual queues, Disney can often feel like a military operation. But there’s still plenty of room for unplanned surprises—the kind that make the best memories.

The Beak & Barrel Time Limit

Yes, our favorite new pirate-themed watering hole at Magic Kingdom has a time limit, and we break down what that means for guests. Is it fair? Is it frustrating?

✨ Special thanks to our friend Jolly Jolly, an expert travel advisor who can help make your next adventure stress-free. Whether you’re planning a Disney vacation or looking beyond the parks, Jolly Jolly takes care of the details so you can focus on the fun. https://www.foratravel.com/advisor/jolly-jolly

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Episode 484: Last year Disney has launched its newest iteration of the skip-the-line service, and we’re diving deep into Disney MultiPass, breaking down how it works, our experiences using it across all four Walt Disney World parks, and the best strategies to maximize your time.

We begin the episode catching up on some recent news stories like the closing date for Tough to be a bug and The fix for a long time issue with Rise of the Resistance out at Disneyland. The old Star Cruiser building is being turned into office space and we’ve noticed that a lot of little cleanup projects have begun around the parks as a result of increased capital expenditures this year.

We spend the bulk of our time talking about maximizing the Multi-pass system. Jason joins us as we discuss the key differences to this system and how to effectively use this version of Disney’s skip the line offering. We go through each park and give our suggestions and strategies on how to best navigate each of the 4 Disney World parks.

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Episode 433: If you’re planning a magical trip to Disney World in 2024 and want to avoid the crowds, our latest episode is a must-listen! We delve deep into the crowd data from 2022 and 2023 to uncover trends and clues for this year’s attendance patterns. We’ve pinpointed what are statistically the best times to visit Disney World in 2024. These periods promise lower crowd levels, offering a more relaxed and enjoyable experience. In this episode, we also cover the latest news and updates from Disney World. We preview the upcoming Festival of the Arts at Epcot and the new popcorn bucket that is sure to draw a crowd. Disney has also released a number of good discounts from the spring all the way through the fall.

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Welcome back to another episode of “Traveling with the Mouse,” where we dive deep into the latest Disney developments and share our candid thoughts and experiences. In Episode 431, we’re exploring the new wonders of EPCOT, reviewing the latest adventure from our favorite archaeologist, and reflecting on a family’s first Disney trip gone awry.

Luminous, has finally made its debut at EPCOT, and we’re here to spill our thoughts. Does it live up to the legacy of its predecessors like IllumiNations and How does it compare to Harmonious and EPCOT Forever? We discuss the visuals, music, and overall experience of this new show, providing you with everything you need to know before your next park visit.

The construction walls are (mostly) down, and EPCOT’s World Celebration area is now open to guests! We take you through the transformed space, discussing what’s new, what’s changed, and how it impacts the overall EPCOT experience.

Next, we switch gears to the silver screen with our review of the newest Indiana Jones movie, “The Dial of Destiny.” Jon and I delve into our perspectives on the film and its place in the iconic franchise. We also discuss the broader picture of how Lucasfilm has been managed under Disney’s stewardship.

Lastly, we dissect a post from a family whose first trip to Walt Disney World didn’t quite meet their expectations. We break down their experience, pinpoint where things may have gone off course, and offer advice on what could have been done differently. Whether you’re a Disney veteran or planning your first visit, there are lessons to be learned and tips to be gleaned from this discussion.

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Episode 374: This week Jason joins us as he is about to go on a solo Walt Disney World trip. We get his take on the some of the news from D23 as well as some of the News stories of the week. There was a very intoxicated woman who was slowly escorted out of Epcot this week. Kite Tails is officially ending at Animal Kingdom. Mysteriously there was roof work going on at the Play pavilion sight even though there was no update on this project at D23. For the first time there will be cocktails served at the Magic Kingdom over at Skipper Canteen. In Jason’s trip preview we try to guess which song he will get at Guardians of the galaxy. He also discusses his initial plans to see both nighttime shows and see which lounges he can hit up along the way. We will see what all happens next week for his trip report. He will be staying that the Boardwalk in a DVC studio facing the boardwalk/Epcot.

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Episode: 364 This week we have another trip report from Walt Disney World. This time I recently returned from a trip with a group of 14 people. I found out that there are some challenges with a group of that size of course, but also that an enjoyable time with minimal wait times can still be had. With a few tricks up my sleeve we did the majority of our rides with Lightning Lanes. We did all 4 parks each day with a group of 10-14 people and I go through the strategies that I used for each park. It turned out surprisingly well! If I can get a large group through Disney and everyone had a great time then so can you! There will be a part 2 to this trip coming soon. We also cover some news that broke this week. Mainly that Bob’s contract got extended and We now know that Tiana’s bayou adventure will be opening in 2024!

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Episode 332: This week Jon previews his upcoming trip to Walt Disney World! We also revisit our thoughts on the new nighttime spectaculars and see if our thoughts have changed now that we have had a week to mull it over. We also discuss some news like the return of character meets. It will be a modified experience than it was pre-covid but at least the character meets are coming back! Also, the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular is return in December. Cast compliments can now be done on the My Disney Experience app and passholders are soon going to have exclusive effects when entering the parks at the tap-styles. During Jon’s trip this week he plans to see the new nighttime shows in person and will also dine at Ohana and Steakhouse 71. We look forward to hearing all about it next week!

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Episode 212: Today we are going through a timeline of important events when trip planning a Walt Disney World vacation! Those events can start as early as 9-12 months in advance. We talk about the early stages of planning a trip to Walt Disney World which includes things like budgeting and selecting a resort hotel. We then go into the middle phase where you can start booking dining reservations. The final stage of trip planning includes things like selecting fast passes and last minute tips to make sure you are the most prepared that you can be. When a Disney trip is broken down into a timeline like this and can seem much less daunting!

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Episode 206: Today we answer the age old question…How do I decide which Walt Disney World theme park to visit for each day of my vacation? We talk about the factors that go into making that decision. We try to break down those factors in a simple way to help make the choice a lot easier. We know that there are a lot of complexity to planning a Walt Disney World vacation but if you take some time to do a little research then you can save time and money but more importantly add more fun to your vacation!

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In today’s episode we continue going through the 2019 unofficial guide to Walt Disney World and give some more insight into the resorts and theme parks. This guide is really helpful when selecting a resort and room location because of the extensive survey data that touring plans collects. We go through several of those survey results, I think you will find them quite interesting. We may continue with a part 3 soon as we really enjoy discuss this topic. Let us know what you think!

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Today we take a look at the 2019 unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and discuss some of the major topics in the book. We start by going over the top guest complaints from recent Disney World vacations and give our thoughts on those. We also discuss things like the weather patterns in Florida to the Rides that have the most likely chance of experiencing downtime during a typical day. We had a lot of fun with this discussion and will definitely have a part 2 coming soon!