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Episode 513: After a short break, we are back together again! We’re jumping right back into the magic. Jon just got back from his latest trip to Walt Disney World, and he’s got plenty to share, from the rides and resorts to the latest park updates and a few surprises along the way.

In the news, we discuss the updates coming to Frozen Ever After and Ratatouille at Epcot. These are getting some updates that will be much appreciated. We also got the news that Soarin is going to get a fresh new film for America’s 250th birthday next summer. Soarin over America will is scheduled to be a temporary offering but we can’t help but speculate what might be included in our flight over America.

For Jon’s trip this time he went on a budget friendly mission and stayed at an Air BnB for that was located very close to Walt Disney World. He also got some really good on ride footage of several attractions. Check out our youtube channel for updates. Jon also had a change of opinion about Fantasmic. His review may surprise you.

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Episode:456 Welcome back, Disney fans! In this episode of Traveling with the Mouse, we’re diving into some firsthand experiences and exciting updates from the Disney parks. Grab your Mickey ears and join us as we explore the magic!

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: Passholder Preview

Adam and Jason had the incredible opportunity to preview Tiana’s Bayou Adventure twice this past weekend. With the official opening just around the corner on June 28th, we’re here to share all the details and our thoughts on this highly anticipated attraction. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is a nice addition to the Disney parks, offering a fresh and engaging experience that honors the beloved film. We can’t wait for everyone to experience it starting June 28th!

Test Track

Test Track 2.0 has been a thrilling favorite, with its high-speed adventures and interactive design elements. Our last ride was filled with nostalgia and excitement, appreciating all the elements that made this version special. While we’re sad to see Test Track 2.0 go, we’re excited about the possibilities for its refurbishment. We discuss our hopes for the new version, including more immersive storytelling and cutting-edge technology.

Other Disney News

With the massive construction project at Epcot now complete, we discuss the new features and attractions that have been unveiled. Communicore Hall is very underwhelming especially after what was originally planned for Epcot prior to 2020. This entire area is the finally of a severely cut back and watered down project. It painfully shows with this lackluster area in my favorite park.

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Episode 441: Welcome back to “Traveling With The Mouse,” where episode 441 brings us an exciting blend of Disney enchantment both at sea and on the tabletop. This time, Jason returns to the fold, not just with tales from the high seas aboard the Disney Magic but with an infectious new obsession – Disney Lorcana, the latest card game craze sweeping through the Disney fandom.

Jason takes us through a detailed exploration of the game, highlighting some of the most interesting and valuable cards in his collection. For those uninitiated, Disney Lorcana is more than just a card game; it’s a dive into a richly imagined world where Disney characters wield incredible powers in stunning artwork

Jason also just returned from a 5-night voyage on the Disney Magic, setting sail from New Orleans. Despite the Disney Magic being one of the fleet’s older members, Jason reveals how its recent updates breathe new life into the vessel, making it stand shoulder to shoulder with its larger counterparts. He walks us through the highlights of his journey, from the unique ports of call to the onboard entertainment that makes Disney cruises unforgettable.

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Episode: 436. Welcome back to another episode of the Traveling with the Mouse Podcast! In Episode 436, we wrap up Adam’s boys trip report to Walt Disney World, dive into some delectable dining experiences, and bid an emotional adieu to a beloved classic, The Country Bear Jamboree. One of the most heartfelt moments of Adam’s trip was his final visit to The Country Bear Jamboree. This classic attraction, beloved by many, has been a staple at Disney parks since 1971. In this episode, we take a nostalgic trip down memory lane, discussing the history of The Country Bear Jamboree, its inception, and the joy it has brought to generations of Disney fans. This episode is a blend of delightful culinary adventures and a heartfelt tribute to a Disney classic. The Country Bear Jamboree will always hold a special place in our hearts, and we eagerly await the new experiences Disney will bring to continue the legacy of this cherished attraction. Join us in celebrating the memories and looking forward to the future of Disney magic!

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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 378: Prices are on the rise once again at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. We discuss our disgust with the particularly egregious price hikes. Like genie plus and some of the food and drink increases. We sadly predicted the increases at places like Baseline Taphouse. We know that prices will enviably go up over time but this increases are substantial at a time when Disney is well above inflation on most prices. undenounced to him, Jason got to visit on the last weekend before these prices were increased. He did a split DVC stay starting at Rivera and ending at Animal Kingdom Lodge. He tested out Magic Band Plus and met up with some friends who are non regular guests. We get to hear what they thought of all of the new things to experience at Walt Disney World.

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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 353: This week Adam recently return from an Easter trip to Walt Disney World! This episode is all about the much needed getaway. I stayed at Gran Destino but I spent quite a bit of time at the Polynesian. I talk about the significance of that resort and why it means so much to me. It was nice to be back and reflect on good times that I’ve had there over the years. I also have more in Genie Plus. I go through the frustrations but also a glimmer of hope for the future. My family enjoyed the Flower and Garden festival and the easter egg hunt at Epcot. I got lucky with a table at La Cava! I also discovered a new lounge that will become a new regular at Hollywood Studios!

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Episode 349: This week Jason has return from his family trip to Walt Disney World. He traveled with his family who hasn’t been in a few years. He explains how he felt being his family’s tour guide in the Genie Plus era. For the first time in a while he had several rope to rope days in the parks and he spend a lot of money on lightning lanes and Genie Plus. We start the episode by going over the latest news. Jason catches up on the latest shenanigans involving the Disney CEO. There’s also a big tall DVC tower coming to the Polynesian resort. We give our thoughts on that.

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Episode 343: Today we welcome James back to the show! James is Jon’s brother and although he has technically been on the show before, this is the first time we have properly had him on the show as a guest. James just returned from Walt Disney World after a week long trip! He and his family did a split stay and Caribbean Beach and the Polynesian. They rented DVC points for their stay at Polynesian and he talks about that process and why it works well for them. This was their first trip since the pandemic started so they experienced several firsts for them. They did try out Disney Genie on multiple days of their trip and he gives and honest opinion on it. They also experienced several different dinning experiences including a character meal. We also find out that James is the first one of us to actually go see the Hall of Presidents in this century and that his dream job would be to do maintenance work on the monorails.

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Episode 342: Jon just returned from a trip to Walt Disney World! He goes through his trip in which he stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge. He gives his review of the resort and his recommendation for room location. He also had several dining reviews at places like, Coral Reef, Boma and Skipper Canteen. He also tried Genie Plus for the first time and he gives us his experience with that. Now that we’ve all had experience with it, should we give our list of pros and cons? Let us know!

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Episode 339: Jason just return from an impromptu trip to Walt Disney World. He is the first of us to try out Genie Plus and the individual lightning lane for a couple of attractions. Jason gives us his opinion on it and lets us know how he would improve it. Before we get to all of that we did cover some of the news. There was a new parade of emergency vehicles on Mainstreet recently but not the kind that we want to see every night. Bob isn’t happy about his reputation but will he do anything to reverse that? We also all weigh in on the galactic start cruiser and its questionable marketing strategy. Also, we acknowledge that we recorded this episode on December 15th…55 years since Walt left us.

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Episode 333: In this episode, Jon walks us through his most recent trip to Walt Disney World. With the 50th anniversary in full swing, he lets us know what the crowds were like and his thoughts on seeing the new nighttime spectaculars in person. He also enjoyed a meal at Steakhouse 71 and gives us all of the details! I personally can’t wait to eat here. Jon also finally made it on Rise of the Resistance. He gives us his review. Meanwhile, Jason is out this week because of a back injury but we plan to all be back next week to discuss the roll-out of Disney Genie. Jon and I wrap up this episode by discussing the attractions that will be pay only. Some are good and some are bad. It will be interesting to see what the lines will be like once this goes live next week.

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Episode 330: Jason and I preview our trip this weekend to Walt Disney World! We discuss some of the latest news including the latest from Space 220, the 50th anniversary merch is here, and the new flavors at Club cool. The CEO of Disney made some more comments this week about guest yield and how much he loves the reservation system. Rise of the resistance is temporarily pausing the boarding groups but for how long? Jon and Jason both made trips to Six Flags over Georgia this month. We finally have everyone awake and ready to talk about their experience there. We of course can’t help but compare it to Disney and there’s some interesting findings that Jon and Jason report. Also, see if you can guess why there’s a breaking bad character in this episode’s featured image?

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Episode 303: This week Jason and I returned from Walt Disney World and we give our trip report of what it was like during President’s Day weekend. Also, let us know if you like the new format for the trip reports! First we cover some of the news of the week like some financial reports for the Walt Disney company and the subscriber count for Disney plus is nearing 100 million. Disney Dining plan will remain unavailable for the foreseeable future and the Park Pass system is here to stay for now. The park hours remain all over the place but seem to be getting extended each week. More construction is continuing in preparation for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary later this year. In the trip report section, Jason and I talk about our experience at Pop Century resort, the Skyliner Bar crawl that we attempted and getting a boarding group for Rise of the resistance for 2 days in a row and showing up late to see what would happen. We talk about the different dinning experiences that we had this time including Olivia’s, Ale & Compass, and my birthday dinner at California Grill.

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Episode 299: We got to experience a VIP tour at Walt Disney World! We tell you what it was like and if we think it is worth the price. Before we get to that we did have a few news stories to cover like, Disneyland discontinuing their Annual Pass program. We speculate as to what they will have in its place once the pandemic is over. The Muppet show is coming to Disney+ and Hall of Presidents is closed for the addition of President Joe Biden. Jason and I went on a trip this past weekend to Walt Disney world so we have a trip report. We stayed once again at the Gran Destino tower at Disney’s Coronado Springs resort. We experienced The festival of the arts, Rise of the resistance, and the new ratatouille…walkway. Also during this trip we took a VIP tour and went to all 4 parks and got to see some backstage areas with our very knowledgeable tour guide, Homer. We tell you what we thought of our first experience on a VIP tour!

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Episode 294: Today we hear Jon’s thoughts on his recent trip to Walt Disney World. First we cover some news headlines. McDonalds temporarily halted the distribution of the Runaway Railway Toys. Legendary Disney Imagineer Joe Rhode announced his retirement…We wonder if it is just the timing for him or was there any pressure for him to step down. Disney Springs will get a highspeed rail station in the coming years, where will it go and how will that impact travel to Walt Disney World? Park Hopping is going to return to Walt Disney World in January, we talk about potential strategies for hitting multiple parks. We also give some more construction and refurbishment updates. Jon talks us through the good, the bad and ugly of his trip to Walt Disney World. There were some issues with food service and room maintenance at Caribbean Beach but overall the convenience of the skyliner was a big plus. He got to do Runaway Railway and it was a big hit with the family but there was some disappointment with Rise of the Resistance. Crowds were also an issue at times. Will he go back again anytime soon?

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A few pictures from our Leap Day trip to Walt Disney World. (swipe side to side on Mobile)

Beautiful day at the Haunted Mansion
Transformation on the Castle for the 50th has begun
RIP Mr. Toad
Melvin
Big Al
I like this shot of Henry and Teddi Barra
Liver Lips McGrowl
Castle From Big Thunder
Teddi Barra
The Five Bear Rugs
Who doesn’t love the Country Bear Jamboree?
I like that they give these out now at Splash Mountain
Hands Up!
Bacon and Eggs from The Wave!
Ratatouille Construction Update
The overflow Queue for Ratatouille
Approaching Ratatouille from the Skyliner
Regal Eagle Smokehouse
Bridge Construction update from Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom
3 meat platter from Reagal Eagle
Do they have health codes on Batuu?
R2D2 it is you!
Main Street right before the parade!
Does anyone notice this sign any more?
Festival of Fantasy parade
Tron in the foreground, Space Mountain in the Background
Fun day at Magic Kingdom comes to an end
The Castle reflecting on Rivers of America
Small World Queue
Would could they be doing to this part of the Queue?

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141FFA0D-DD6D-4747-BA77-1266BF44CFD1Episode 259: Better late than never! This week we had a delay in our recording schedule because of our recent Disney trip but we have so much news to cover that this is a jumbo episode of Traveling with the Mouse! Disney has a new CEO and Walt Disney world has a very bad week full of ride issues. Spaceship Earth has an official refurbishment date and the Emperor is in fact a clone in Rise of Skywalker. Jason and I went to Disney World this weekend and Jason got to ride Rise of the Resistance for the first…and second time but it wasn’t without drama. We had some really good dining experiences and we survived the crowds and short park hours. This is a big episode…get ready!

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5339BB03-F63A-494A-A821-B8C0CFB3AC39Episode 258: On Today’s show Jason took an impromptu visit to Disneyland in California! He gives us a live trip report as he is experiencing Disneyland for the first time. Apologies in advance for the audio quality of this episode…We had to sacrifice some quality in order to bring in Jason live at Disneyland. We did discuss some news including the new Chewie mode for Smuggler’s Run that is breaking the Disney internet, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway ride-through details and the New Disney Cruise-line Itineraries for 2021. Don’t worry, we will cover the big news that broke this week soon!