Distory with Kate & Kirk

How many references to the Twilight Zone can you find in the library of the Hollywood Tower Hotel? Drop in with us on this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk as we check into the Hollywood Tower Hotel to decipher the history, secrets, and stories hidden within the design. In this episode, we focus on identifying the artifacts found in one half of the Echo library preshow room, discovering wha...

There are details of the Hollywood Tower Hotel story that even the most seasoned Tower fans miss, but the key to understanding them is all hidden within the attraction’s preshow video. Drop in with us for this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk as we head back to the Tower of Terror in Hollywood Studios, this time focusing on the library preshow for this iconic attraction. Along the way, we t...

What questionable (and triggering) statues were once proposed for the lobby of a version of the Tower of Terror? Drop in with us on this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk as we check into the Hollywood Tower Hotel to decipher the history, secrets, and stories hidden within the design. In this episode, we focus on the library hold area where guests wait to enter the preshow. After exploring s...

What seemingly innocuous prop in the Hollywood Tower Hotel lobby is actually foreshadowing our future in the Tower of Terror? On this episode of Distory with Kate and Kirk, we take a seat on some dusty couches to discuss symbolism, history, and meaning in the Tower’s lobby. After discovering some bizarre faces and the hidden meaning of the Hollywood Tower Hotel logo, Kirk teaches us how to make so...

How are some of the lobby props in the Hollywood Tower Hotel connected to an iconic Walt Disney show from the 1950s? In this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk, we check into the lobby of the Hollywood Tower Hotel to uncover what secrets have been decaying before us right in plain sight in the center of the room.  After finding some stickers on the ceiling and discovering the origin of the ch...

It’s no secret that Cast Members are the heart and soul of Disney’s attractions, and the Hollywood Tower Hotel Bellhops are no exception. But how does their etiquette, performance, elaborate costumes, and community make the bellhops truly special? Drop in with us on this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk as we check into the Hollywood Tower Hotel and are greeted by a living artifact of the T...

Hidden under layers of dust and cobwebs, the objects on the Concierge Desk of the Tower of Terror have their secrets, scandals, and connections to the Twilight Zone that most people completely miss.  In this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk, we check into the lobby of the Hollywood Tower Hotel to uncover what secrets have been decaying before us right in plain sight at the Concierge Desk. A...

Theft, true crime, and unbelievably expensive antiques… the lobby of the Hollywood Tower Hotel holds more incredible stories than are evident on the surface. Drop in with us on this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk as we check into the lobby of the derelict Hollywood Tower Hotel to decipher the history, secrets, and stories hidden within the design. In this episode, we focus solely on the l...

The Hollywood Tower Hotel has a few secrets on its verandah, and odds are you’ve walked by them without even knowing they were there.  Drop in with us to the Hollywood Tower Hotel as we saunter through the patio, verandah, and balcony of this iconic Disney attraction! In this episode of Distory, we explore the Imagineering details most guests miss while waiting in line for the Twilight Zone Tower...

Being a Disney content creator is a profession that might look fun from the outside... but what is it REALLY like? On this special bonus episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk, we dive into the "Distory of your Distorian hosts" to have a candid chat about how we got to be creators, what our daily lives look like, and some advice for anyone who is trying to pursue their own dream. Along...

Creepy clues are hiding in the landscaping of the Tower of Terror’s exterior queue…. but only if you know what to look for. Drop in with us to the Hollywood Tower Hotel as we step into the queue of this iconic Disney attraction and explore the Imagineering details most guests miss while waiting in line for the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. In this episode of Distory, Kirk takes us on a tour of th...

Someone connected with the Tower of Terror actually disappeared... but no one ever talks about it. Drop in with us on this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk as we creep closer to the derelict Hollywood Tower Hotel to decipher the history and warnings hidden within the design. As we step off of Sunset Boulevard and walk up the driveway, we pull out rare original Imagineering storyboards and s...

What does a cocktail shaker and a 5-gallon canister of kerosene have to do with the Tower of Terror? Drop in with us to the Hollywood Tower Hotel as we explore the story, mechanical design, and construction of the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror! This episode of our Distory with Kate and Kirk podcast explains how the complicated ride system operates, with some unique details and information from the...

Everything you know about Sunset Boulevard is a lie. Well, maybe not ALL of it... But you probably don't know why it exists in the first place.  On this episode of Distory, we are checking into the iconic Twilight Zone Tower of Terror to explore the evolution of the attraction's concept. After discovering how the Tower was named, we visit some rare Imagineering brainstorming notes, meet so...

The Tower of Terror was one of two major e-ticket attractions Disney considered for the Sunset Boulevard expansion. So what happened to the other one? In this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk, we check in to a new series exploring the details and history of the Tower of Terror, beginning with its context and backstory. We start with the history of freefall rides and how they evolved over ti...

Disney almost had a Legend of Sleepy Hollow ride, in not one, but TWO different parks.  In this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk , we unearth some rare concepts for an Ichabod Crane-themed attraction by Imagineering—ideas that, much to our chagrin, never saw the light of day. We begin with a brief tour through the history of the Sleepy Hollow portion of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toa...

What would it have looked like if Mr. Toad made a comeback in the Magic Kingdom? In this episode of Distory, we head back to Mr. Toad's in Walt Disney World for one last ride before they demolished this beloved attraction. After finishing our detailed journey through Track B (learning about Disney's oldest criminal along the way), we have a virtual Toad-In as we protest the closure of this...

What are several glaring anachronisms in Walt Disney World’s Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride? On this episode of Distory, we motor on through the first half of Track B in the extinct Walt Disney World version of Mr. Toad, looking for the details and history that have been lost over time. After discussing some silly portraits (and a disappointing motto) in Toad Hall, we crash into the library and find some an...

What artwork appeared in WDW’s Mr. Toad that would NEVER be in a Disney ride today? In this episode of Distory, we head back to Walt Disney World’s extinct Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride attraction to finish motoring through Track A. After going the wrong way down a one way street, we spend some time meeting the inhabitants of Town Square (and discovering some borrowed lamps along the way). Kirk teaches us...

Why did Rolly Crump add a Gypsy Camp to Mr. Toad's Wild Ride? In this episode of Distory, we continue motoring through track A of Walt Disney World’s extinct Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride attraction. As we crash through the kitchen window, we head out into the woods to explore some Rolly Crump posters foreshadowing the camp around the corner. After Kirk does some palm reading and tells Kate’s fortune,...

Did Disney World's Mr. Toad steal design elements from another popular Disney attraction? On this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk, we head back to Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom to motor our way through Track A of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. But we don't get very far on this madcap adventure, since there are so many details to see in Toad's abode. We start by exploring som...

Mr. Toad moved to Florida for the opening of Walt Disney World... but he was never meant to be there.  In this episode of Distory, we hop on over to the Magic Kingdom and explore the history behind why Mr. Toad became part of (yet another) Fantasyland. Along the way, we discuss Rolly Crump (the lead Imagineer of this version) and hear his take on the design of the Magic Kingdom and life in general...

Why does Mr. Toad end up in a very hot place at the end of his ride when he doesn't go there in the book or the movie? In this episode of Distory, we wrap up the Disneyland part of our Mr. Toad's Wild Ride series exploring the history & Imagineering that created this classic Disney attraction. Along the way, we explore secrets in dark prison corners, find a connection to a few famous d...

What subtle signs of judgment are often overlooked in Mr. Toad's London Square scene? In this episode of Distory, we hop back in our motorcar to Mr. Toad's Wild Ride in Disneyland for a deep dive into the history and symbolism found in the London Square and Law Court scenes. Along the way, we hear some often-missed audio, discuss the origins of Lady Justice, and notice some signs that are...

These three things do NOT belong inside Winky's Pub (but we kinda get why they're there.) On this episode of Distory, we pause on our journey to nowhere in particular in Mr. Toad's Wild Ride to have a pint in the pub with Mr. Winky (or is it Winkie...or Winkey?). Before we drive right in and pull up to the bar, we discover Winky's full name (and what it means in context of English history). Kate d...