The Magic Kings Podcast

The anticipation has reached a fever pitch. The stage is set. Magic Mike is finally making his triumphant return to Disney World! (And for anyone who's counting...yes, we've squeezed 4 episodes out of Mike's trip planning...but tbh we could have done 40) We talk last-minute preparations, keeping the kids as grounded as possible, and the final itinerary for Mike's 13-person extended...

We're calling back the white smoke! Some last-minute convos with Magic Mike's family meant we returned to the inner sanctum for a final, official Lightning Lane conclave. We talk park strategy, who's doing what Single Pass rides, and mapping out our days around dining reservations. Did we squeeze 3 episodes out of planning Mike's trip? Don't be surprised if we stretch it to 4,...

We are closing out our Disney World attraction rankings by park with the Magic Kingdom! This week, we're blessed to be joined by fan favorite (and favorite in our hearts) Andres of the Real Dads of Boston ! We may not have agreed on everything.... This turned out to be just about the wildest ranking in the wilderness! Ready to put our rankings to the test at the Magic Kingdom? Steve is a trave...

The Great Big Beautiful Dads are blessed to have an extremely special guest this week: Sometimes Ben ( @SometimesBen ) of the incredible Disney World is Awesome podcast!!! Ben joins Steve, Mike, and Also Steve for a conversation about Universal Orlando. Ben is a big Universal fan, and Ben and Steve try to sell Mike and Also Steve on a Universal Orlando trip. We talk Express Pass, the Universal &qu...

The Great Big Beautiful Dads are tackling a hot topic in Disney World trip planning: Park Hopping! (Shout out to Hoppers, in theaters now -- just a coincidence) Tune in to learn our best tips for going from park to park on your Disney World vacation. Should you get the Park Hopper tickets? Which parks are the best for hopping? How would you tackle all 4 parks in one day? Listen in to find out! Rea...

Magic Mike and Steve are back in the conclave to continue the planning of Mike’s upcoming Disney World trip. The anticipation is building and this solemn task takes on new weight as the departure date draws near. Come along as we slice and dice Mike’s park days, talk Tier 1 and Tier 2, ponder park hopping, and deliberate the important questions to arrive at our white smoke moment. Ready for your o...

We are back with the next installment of our official rankings of the attractions in each park! We’re at Magic Mike’s favorite park this week: none other than EPCOT! This week we are blessed to be joined again by EPCOT aficionado, Steve’s cousin Melanie! We each ranked the rides and shows in EPCOT, averaged them out, and came up with the Magic Kings Podcast OFFICIAL attraction rankings! Ready to m...

Your old pal Steve traded in his ears for a broomstick and headed over to Universal Orlando for a few days! Joined by special guest Mary Kate for some sibling adventure time, they tackled the three theme parks of Universal Orlando, Steve went to some fantastic trainings, and they had a magical time! Listen in as we break down our experience from the perspective of tried and true Disney people. Spo...

Steve and special guest, his sister Mary Kate, went to EPCOT After Hours! Tune in to learn all about Disney After Hours events and hear about their experience at EPCOT! Did they get on all their must-do rides? Did they eat a million free snacks? Is Mike gonna do an After Hours event on his trip and post up at Yorkshire County Fish Shoppe? Tune in to find out! Disney World announced fantastic deals...

One of the Great Big Beautiful Dads, Steve, is joined by Sabine, the actual beauty of the marriage, the ride photo GOAT, for a very special episode! Sabine turns the tables and subjects Steve to a Disney trivia challenge. Does Steve actually know what he's talking about? Will Sabine accomplish her treasured goal of knocking Steve down a peg? Tune in to find out! Ready to learn some Disney trivia f...

We brought our expert panel BACK to rank the rides and shows of Disney’s Hollywood Studios! With so many of Disney World’s marquee attractions, plus a few hidden gems, this park was not easy for us to rank. Some of our results may shock you! Ready to see how these rankings stack up? Disney announced fantastic deals for Summer 2026, including 2 free hotel nights/park tickets when you book a 4-day/n...

The Great Big Beautiful Dads entered the trip planning conclave. Mike’s extended family trip is coming up fast, and we need to confer on the most sacred part of Mike’s Disney World experience: the food. Join Mike and Steve as they navigate the contours of Mike’s trip and make tough decisions that will shape the fate of his vacation. Did they send up the white smoke in the end? Tune in to find out!...

The Great Big Beautiful Dads got an expert panel together to create an official Magic Kings Podcast ranking of all the rides and shows in Disney's Animal Kingdom! Tune in to find out what Steve, Mike, Ashlee, and Also Steve think are the must-do rides and shows, and which ones don't necessarily make the cut. There was not agreement across our esteemed panelists -- things got a little spicy!! Want...

The Great Big Beautiful Dads are freezing up here in cold New England. So our minds are wandering to summer at Disney World! Nervous about going to Disney World in the summertime? Don't be! We go through all the strategies to beat the heat, avoid big crowds, deal with rain, and even how to outsmart hurricane season. Plus, summer always comes with amazing Disney deals that make it that much mor...

The first year of the Magic Kings Podcast has come to a close! The Great Big Beautiful Dads are singing Auld Lang Syne to 2025. We look back at our favorite moments from the year, reveal the top episodes, and take a look at 2025 at Walt Disney World. We also talk about what surprises might be in store for 2026! Upcoming trips? New destinations?! Ready to make your 2026 Disney dreams a reality? Ste...

Here's a little bonus present to unwrap this Christmas morning. About 6 months ago, Steve was recording 3 episodes one day. Well, there was a fourth episode that Steve forgot about. Fran wanted to get in on the fun, and recorded a little something with Steve that day. Steve forgot about it until recently (oops!) but here it is for all to hear! Listen in to hear a discussion of special memories...

Nothing brings you back to Disney World quite like hearing all the sounds that make it such a magical place. From atmospheric music, chimes, performers, ride music, and everything else -- once you hear that sound, you're back in the magic. The Great Big Beautiful Dads are keeping it light this Christmastime and sharing their favorite sounds of Walt Disney World. Get in touch with us to share yours...

The Great Big Beautiful Dads are joined by Dia, Disney World aficionado, foodie, and all-around VIP. Dia has had the pleasure of going on TWO VIP tour days at Walt Disney World in 2025 #goals. She breaks down her experience, what the VIP tours are all about, and how many snacks one group of 10 can eat in a single Disney day. The Great Big Beautiful Dads are gunning for that record. Steve is a trav...

The Great Big Beautiful Dads are donning now their gay apparel and taking you through the holidays at Walt Disney World! We talk Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, Jollywood Nights, the Candlelight Processional, the Merry Menagerie, ride overlays, cookie passports, and much more! Get in the holiday spirit and join the Skyliner Squad on this yuletide adventure! Giving the gift of a Disney tri...

Steve is joined by his cousin, fellow Disney fanatic Melanie, who shares her experiences of her recent quick trip to Disneyland, including the Oogie Boogie Bash! Steve and Melanie compare notes on World vs. Land, get into the Treat Trails, and get to the bottom of Tower of Terror vs. Mission Breakout. Biggest lesson: Steve needs to get out to Disneyland ASAP!!! Want to book your Disney Parks trip?...

Disney World dining afficionado Magic Mike is driving buses, monorails, boats, and Skyliners this week to highlight some awesome dining options at Walt Disney World resorts! From values to moderates to deluxe, character dining, high-end meals and exceptional quick bites -- we break down some of our favorite places to eat at the fantastic Disney World resort hotels. Hope you're ready to gobble...

The Great Big Beautiful Dads have been to Disney World many times, both as kids and now as adults. On this episode of the Magic Kings Podcast, we go through the 5 things that each of us likes even more now than we did as kids! This is not things that we have only done as adults, or that are even geared towards adults -- for a discussion of Disney Adulting, see Episode 13 . We talk slow boat rides,...

Need your cup filled by a Disney World conversation? This episode is for you! Tune in to hear the strange but true tales of refillable mugs, Magic Bands, geckos, and Salvador Dali with Steve's sister, special guest Mary Kate (MKReads26 on TikTok and Instagram). We also recap the parts of her August trip that Steve and family did not join, including a topic we have shamefully yet to cover on th...

On this week's episode, the winner of the first annual Magic Kings Podcast Fantasy Draft is revealed. Tune in for the SHOCKING results! And the Great Big Beautiful Dads, aka the Beverly Boys, play a little game of Blind Rankings with the rides/shows/restaurants/resorts that, like Hall of Famers Kurt Warner and Ben Wallace, went undrafted. Contact Steve to help plan your next Disney vacation! S...

IT'S GAME TIME! The Great Big Beautiful Dads welcome podcast legend Also Steve for an extremely fun episode. We went head-to-head to pick our own little Disney Worlds in a fantasy sports-style draft! We pick rides, shows, restaurants, snacks, other attractions, and more to create our own mini-Walt Disney World. Did someone steal the Tiki Room from Mike? Tower of Terror from Also Steve? The che...