Disney Insights

We return to our multi-part series on the heritage of Disney Springs at Walt Disney World. In this podcast we look at the advent of Pleasure Island. Here we look at its history since opening in 1989 adjacent to the Walt Disney World Village. Running next to the Empress Lilly this attraction took on the role of competing against Church Street Station in downtown Orlando. We look at the attractions,...

When Walt Disney recalls the making of his first park, Disneyland, he spoke of days when he sat on a bench eating peanuts. There's a reason they call it a park. This podcast explores the joy of just that. When at Walt Disney World there's nothing like grabbing a favorite snack and enjoying a park bench. We explore those options from Magic Kingdom to Disney's Animal Kingdom, from churros to cupcake...

In our previous podcast, Part I, we chronicled two years of a pandemic that was highlighted by Covid, the Black Lives Movement, and the Presidential Certification by Congress. Titled similarly, this podcast is Part II, but is now called the hastening fall of Bob Chapek, not the long fall. We now move into the last three months of 2023, which in some ways has been nearly as turbulent as the precedi...

Two years ago this month Walt Disney World and Disneyland closed its gates. As events were unfolding world-wide Bob Chapek was named the CEO of The Walt Disney Company, replacing Bob Iger. While some highlights stand out, it has been a painful experience for most involved during this time period. Much of this has been played out not just during a time of Covid, but during a time frame that stretch...

I announced in a post/podcast in December six missing Disney resort hotel options. One of them was announced this week. Disney Vacation Club will build additional villas at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. We look at the announcement and then discuss the pros and cons of this addition, as well as the general response. This addition means that we're saying goodbye to the luau, which has practica...

It's Spring at Epcot and that means the International Flower & Garden Festival is well underway. We'll bring you our three favorite gardens, topiaries and culinary kiosks. But then there's much more as we look at whether you get the bang for your buck with Genie+. Is this park worth it? What about getting an exclusive Lightning Lane option for Ratatouille? Can you do this? Or is there another way...

It's now been a few weeks since guests to include publicists, podcasters and bloggers have experienced Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser. What was excitement originally turned 180 degrees just months before the premiere of this new cruise-style experience. Reviewing the reports of at least ten who have visited, we take a look at everything from the arrival to visiting Batuu; from the cabins to the cu...

It's been a while since we dedicated an update to Disney's Animal Kingdom. From the parking lot to Maharajah Jungle Trek, we catch up on this vast and entertaining park. Included is a conversation about whether Fox's Ice Age would ever be a right fit for the park. We talk about what's still missing from the park, and what's not. Have you heard about the 50th anniversary Gold Coins? We visit Mombas...

In an earlier podcast , we spoke about some of the great things happening technology wise at Disney, even as it relates to IT. We'll look at real challenges Disney is facing and how they have consistently struggled with making improvements, adopting innovation, or working across the board instead of in silos. We'll consider how organizations like Disney are re-looking at whether they should have a...

This week Disney announces a new business segment to their Disney Signature Experience. Called Storyliving by Disney, and it is a set of planned communities with a Disney-designed aesthetic and customer service experience. Bloggers and others are referring to it in the same way Epcot was initially thought conceived by Walt himself, which it is not--nor does Disney draw that comparison. It is also...

January and February were always weeks where Epcot seemed especially dead. But Epcot's International Festival of the Arts has not only helped fill the park, it's become a classic of its own. From the rainbow colored lights of Spaceship Earth to the sights and sounds of Disney on Broadway at the American Gardens Theatre, we explore what's new and what's returned to this annual event. We talk about...

The Main Street Confectionary has always been a part of the Main Street USA experience in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. But it hasn't always been the same over the years. We begin 50 years ago with the original history of the store, compare it to other Magic Kingdom style parks, show how it has grown over the years, and how the new store just recently opened is remarkably different than...

Story and technology go a long way back with Disney. Since the advent of sound and Mickey Mouse, Walt understood that technology could not only advance the story being told, but give the organization a competitive advantage in the marketplace. From multi-plane cameras to audio animatronics to streaming on Disney+, Disney has had any number of feats--and hundreds of patents! But what really sets Di...

Recently during a celebration of my daughter's birthday we had a chance to visit Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. There is much that is really great from this restaurant, and for those who have never seen it before, it is a wow experience to walk into. We get first hand from my daughter her take of the experience, which was her first time there, and then I go through...

The title may sound sensational. But in truth, Disney's investment in the Metaverse may be equivalent to building an entirely new theme park. CEO Bob Chapek has spoken about this being potentially a part of Disney+ but encompassing all aspects of Disney, especially in the parks. We'll explore in this podcast what the meta verse is and how the heritage of Disney has led to this moment in time. We'l...

With increasing costs happening at Disney Parks, guests are wondering if they are being "priced out of the market". In truth, is Disney more about making money than ever before? We look at a number of assumptions that guide Disney's financial choices, many of which target their audience focus. We look at ways in which Disney is targeting audiences in a different way, and whether you may be part of...

This last week Bob Chapek, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, penned a letter to all Disney Cast Members. Here he shares his vision of where the company is going while it's seeking to move forward past this pandemic. To that end, he outlines three pillars for moving forward, one on storytelling, one on innovation, and one focused on the customer. We dissect his remarks and consider what implications...

Just yesterday an unexpected opportunity allowed me to visit Jim Henson's Muppet Vision 3D at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. After over three decades, guests still are delighted with this show, and laugh frequently at its memorable one-liners. We take the opportunity to deconstruct the film portion of this experience to understand how so many elements were combined to make this i...

This week Disney's Typhoon Lagoon re-opens for the first time in nearly two years in the wake of a pandemic. In commemoration of this event, I've asked my daughters Jennica and Madison to share with me their thoughts about how both parks compare. We itemize via our comparison sheet what each park has, and how they both compare. Both offer something very unique. If you're planning your next trip, a...

In our last podcast, we noted all of the attractions--over 60--that premiered in 2021. But what about 2022? This year stands to be as amazing as 2021. Not necessarily for the number of attractions and offerings, but for the size of investment. In addition to major rides and attractions, at least three parks (and maybe more) across the globe will be receiving all new lands, complete with rides, att...

Hopes at the start of 2021 was that it would erase the disaster, not prolong the pandemic craziness that was 2020. In truth, there was actually a lot of good that occurred in Disney theme parks world-wide, from Disneyland Paris to Shanghai Disneyland, not to mention the stateside parks of Disneyland and Walt Disney World. It may surprise you that there were not only some 60 different new Disney re...

What's your favorite Disney movie? Most people generally concur up thoughts of animated film classics from Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs to The Lion King to Tangled & Moana. These and more are found in Wonderful World of Animation, a projection show mapped out on the Chinese Theater at Disney's Hollywood Studios. But that show has a companion piece, and recently Disney Movie Magic returned to Disn...

We all know how Roy O. Disney's leadership in the wake of Walt Disney's passing in 1966 ultimately led to the creation of Walt Disney World 50 years ago on October 1st, 1971. But there were two little-known, but important decisions that were made by Roy in the wake of the Florida opening, just weeks later. They would create great consequences for the organization moving forward over the years to c...

From inside Epcot at Walt Disney World we bring this joyous season to you in the form of Festival of the Holidays. From holiday music tied to Beacons of Light on Spaceship Earth, to the organic evolution of the lights at Living with the Land we find Christmas throughout the front of the park. Moving to World Showcase we check out festival goodies, and look at a number of shops and entertainment th...

In this podcast we offer not one, not two but three restaurant reviews. Opening on October 1st of this year was Steakhouse 71 at Disney's Contemporary Resort. Formerly known as The Wave, this restaurant may well be one of the best ways you can celebrate Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary celebration. It is a traditional Seventies' style restaurant, with plenty of memorabilia cherishing the creat...