Monorail Tales: A Disney Fan Podcast

Join us as Steve, Sheila and Thomas get together to talk about Thomas's Fourth of July weekend trip to Disneyland with his family, including a new lightsaber, a memorable character encounter and a birthday surprise on the journey home. Thomas shares his experience checking out the new offerings at Galaxy's Edge and building his very own lightsaber, with his friend Stephanie joining him to share th...

Join us as Sheila welcomes first-time guest Alex Smith to the show! Alex is married and a dad to three children, ages 13, 11, and 4, and for the past three years has been sharing his love of Disney through his blog, "Second Dad to the Right." Alex shares the story behind the name of his blog and how what started as his own Disney adventure has turned into a family affair. His children have gotten...

Join us as Bill, Sheila, and Thomas welcome back past guest Peyton Columbus to share the story behind what Peyton calls his best Disney moment ever. Ever since he was a child, Peyton had dreamed of meeting one of Disney's rarer characters: Bullseye from Toy Story . That dream finally became a reality this year with a little help from his friend Thomas. After two years of friendship and plenty of D...

Join us and "Be Our Guest" as Sheila, Bill, Gary and Ric celebrate the music that has become such an important part of our Disney lives. Disney music has a way of finding a permanent place in our memories. Sometimes a song takes us back to a favorite movie, sometimes it brings back a special moment in the parks, and sometimes it reminds us of a person or a time in our lives that we never want to f...

Join us as Sheila welcomes past guest and good friend Abigail Bourque back to the show to share her recent trip to California with her sister, Emily. The main focus of their trip was to see a stage show performed by Team StarKid, an American musical theatre company. But Abby also had a longtime dream of spending a day at Disneyland, and this trip gave her the perfect opportunity to finally make th...

Join us as Gary and Matt Fernando share all about a very special family vacation aboard the Disney Destiny. This four-night sailing out of Fort Lauderdale marked the first time Gary, Matt, and their parents had all cruised together, and there was plenty to celebrate. Gary, Matt, and their dad were each celebrating milestone birthdays of 40, 45, and 75. Their wives joined them for the trip, along w...

Join us as Sheila, Bill and Ric take a look at what's coming to Disney+ in September! There is plenty to talk about this month, including the Disney+ premiere of Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu , along with its official podcast and a new LEGO Star Wars special. Disney+ also adds Spider-Man: Far From Home , Spider-Man: No Way Home , Kraven the Hunter , new episodes of Disney Jr. Ariel – The Li...

Join us as Sheila talks with Megan Lewis, owner of Dreamland Nannies, about the childcare services available to families visiting the Orlando, Florida, and Anaheim, California, areas. Dreamland Nannies offers several options for parents looking for an extra pair of helping hands while on vacation. A nanny can accompany the family for a day in the parks, or fully babysit the children while Mom and...

Join us as Sheila and Ric talk with Patrick, Amber, and their daughter Lydia about their latest Walt Disney World adventure! Staying at Port Orleans Riverside, the family packed their days from rope drop to park close with plenty of rides, food, firsts, and a little unexpected Disney magic along the way. They share highlights including an incredibly close encounter with a rhinoceros on Kilimanjaro...

Join us for a cruise recap with a first-timer twist! Sheila is joined by Ric and his wife, Brandi, along with a very special first-time guest—Brandi's mom, Debbie! The group recently set sail aboard Royal Caribbean's Enchantment of the Seas from Port Tampa Bay, with stops in Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Perfect Day at CocoCay. For Debbie, it wasn't just her first time on Enchantment —it was her first...

Join us as Luis and Ric swing into the latest chapter of Spider-Man on the big screen with a spoiler-filled discussion of Spider-Man: Brand New Day . They look back at their own history with Spider-Man and how they were first introduced to the character before talking about what, if anything, they did to prepare for the new movie. They also talk about trying to avoid spoilers leading up to seeing...

Join us for our first-ever 9th Anniversary episode! (It only took us nine years to finally have one.) Only seven weeks late. We like to think of it as an Extended Magic Hour. Show #513 (Don't worry. Ric has a spreadsheet somewhere that explains all of this. Probably.) Nine years, 638 episodes including specials and bonus episodes-and somehow they keep letting us make more. 174+ guests, and 17 coho...

The dog days of summer have settled in at last, But Disney+ is making August fly by fast. Join Steve, Sheila, and Luis as we sniff out the biggest new arrivals headed to Disney+ this month. We'll wave our wands as Wizards Beyond Waverly Place returns with more magical fun, Then race through the galaxy where Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi has only just begun. We'll cheer for Camp Rock...

Join us as Sheila and Ric chat with friend Carly Grezlik about her recent Walt Disney World vacation with her family. For Carly, it was her first visit to the parks in more than three years, and this trip was extra special as she introduced her husband, Matt, and 12-year-old daughter, Kerrigan, to the magic for the very first time. Along for the adventure was daughter Riley, celebrating her 19th b...

Join us as Steve, Sheila, and Thomas get together to talk about the Star Wars May the 4th weekend at Disneyland, California, which Thomas attended. Thomas starts by sharing his adventure and discussing the new changes to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, including new characters and a new musical background score by John Williams. He also describes the nighttime show, "Shadows of Memory," which is like a...

Join us as Steve and Sheila welcome first-time guest Officiant Katherine T. Imundi to Monorail Tales! For the past decade, Katherine has been helping couples celebrate one of life's biggest moments by officiating weddings throughout the Orlando area, including at Walt Disney World. In this episode, Katherine discusses several of Disney's wedding locations and shares how she helps create ceremonies...

Join us as Sheila is joined by Jodi to talk about her recent trip to Disneyland, where she attended a Disney Travel Agent Education Program. After not visiting Disneyland for 25 years, Jodi was excited to experience all the changes that have taken place over the years. She even arrived a day early so she could explore both parks before the education program began. Along the way, Jodi shares some f...

Join us as Bill and Ric are joined by good friends Tyler and Katrina Lee as they share all the details from their unforgettable trip to Aulani, Disney's beautiful resort in Hawaiʻi. From flights and rental cars to spending a night at a nearby hotel before checking into Aulani, Tyler and Katrina offer practical tips and tricks that helped make their vacation smoother and more enjoyable. They also t...

Join us as Steve and Sheila take you through everything coming to Disney+ and Hulu during the month of July! From exciting new originals and returning favorites to documentaries, sports, and family entertainment, they'll help you sort through the month's biggest streaming releases. With Ric unable to make the recording, Steve introduces everyone's newest favorite co-host, "Styrofoam Ric," who does...

Join Al for his first-ever solo episode of the Monorail Tales Podcast as he dives into the exciting news that Disney Stores are making an epic comeback! With a successful opening in Pittsburgh and another planned for Paramus, New Jersey, in fall 2026, Disney fans have plenty to celebrate. Along the way, Al shares the history of the Disney Store, memorable stories from his days as a cast member, an...

Join us as Sheila welcomes first-time guest Dianne Allen to the show to share her Disney side and what Disney means to her. Dianne grew up in the Orlando area and began visiting Walt Disney World just a few years after the park opened in 1971, giving her a unique perspective on how Walt Disney World has evolved over the decades. Now living in North Carolina, Dianne still finds her way back to the...

Join Luis and Ric as they revisit the movie that helped launch the modern superhero era: X-Men (2000). More than twenty-five years after its release, does the film still hold up? The guys discuss their favorite scenes, standout performances, memorable moments, and the casting choices that helped define Marvel movies for an entire generation. Beyond the action and special effects, they also explore...

Join us as Sheila and Gary welcome one of Gary's longtime friends, Meredith, a relative Disney newcomer, along with her cousin Cam, a seasoned Disney aficionado. Together, they share stories from a recent Walt Disney World vacation that included two children and their grandparents, offering a unique multigenerational perspective on experiencing the magic. Meredith reflects on what it was like navi...

☀️🏰 Monorail Tales: Disney+ Summer Preview Spectacular 🌴🎢 Summer is heating up, and so is Disney+! Join host Patrick as he welcomes Sheila, Steve, and yes, Ric - back from the land of taxes, for a sunny stroll through the biggest Disney+ premieres, returning favorites, bonus features, documentaries, livestreams, and more arriving this month. From new adventures under the sea with Ariel to a ret...

Join us as we celebrate our 500th episode with a brand new game where iconic Disney foods battle it out for ultimate bragging rights! From legendary snacks to decadent desserts and magical breakfasts, our hosts must decide: 🍽️ Is it a SNACK… a SAVOR… or an instant SKIP? 🚫 Expect passionate debates, questionable opinions, surprising upsets, and enough Disney food talk to leave everyone hungry befo...