Imagination Skyway

Do you love the music of Walt Disney World? The optimistic ambience of EPCOT's World Celebration, whimsical sounds of Magic Kingdom, organic vibes at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and cinematic orchestrations of Disney's Hollywood Studios each set the tone for the theme parks, as do the music loops found at the hotels (each one carefully curated to match the theme of the resort). In this episode, we di...

How do you capture the feeling of blasting through the cosmos on Space Mountain? In the 1990s, Imagineers Eddie Sotto and Aarin Richard were tasked with adding a synchronized on-board audio track to Space Mountain in Disneyland California and creating a synchronized on-board audio track for the brand new Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris. In this episode of Imagination Skyway, we journey into the...

In this post-Disney Magical Express world, there are many ways to get between Orlando International Airport and your Walt Disney World Resort hotel. My transportation of choice is JLS Exclusive Transportation , a small business I've been using and promoting for the last few years. Whether you're looking for an airport transfer (to anywhere in Florida) or a special night out, JLS can accommodate al...

Walt Disney World is unveiling new Audio-Animatronics updates across multiple attractions. Guests can meet a brand-new Benjamin Clawhauser figure in Zootopia: Better Zoogether! at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, enjoy upgraded Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff figures in Frozen Ever After at EPCOT, and zoom into Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets with the first-ever Muppets Audio-Animatronics, including...

The Beak & Barrel Pirates of the Caribbean tavern is the latest lounge to open at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. This immersive dining location (for all ages) brings guests into the world of Pirates of the Caribbean (the ride and the film franchise). Complete with a rowdy pirate crew, an affable parrot first mate (Rummy), story-driven details, and savory food and drink, The Beak & Bar...

The Cake Bake Shop and GEO-82 are two new dining experiences in the EPCOT Resort Area, both opening in 2025. The Cake Bake Shop is a family-owned small business run by Gwendolyn Rogers at Disney's BoardWalk, featuring breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner at the main restaurant and baked goods at the adjacent bakery. GEO-82 is the newest adult-exclusive lounge at EPCOT (all guests must be 21 or old...

Disney Destiny, the newest member of the Disney Cruise Line fleet as part of the Disney Wish class of ships (along with the Disney Treasure), sets sail on November 20, 2025. With a heroes and villains theme, the Disney Destiny will feature Disney, Pixar and Marvel characters who will spring to life as guests enjoy legendary dining, iconic entertainment, daring adult escapes, family friendly attrac...

Destination D23 2025 took place at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort at Walt Disney World. This year's theme marked "A Journey Around the Worlds of Disney" and featured several panels, including a Walt Disney Studios Showcase, a Disney Villains presentation, a chat with Roy P. Disney (grandson of Roy O. Disney), Three Caballeros panels, an exploration of the life and career of X Atencio, a Disney 8...

The Swan and Dolphin are Marriott Bonvoy properties that have been at Walt Disney World since 1990 (their sister Marriott property, Swan Reserve, opened in 2021), and they hosted my family for a two-night stay at the Swan on a recent trip to Central Florida. As a good neighbor hotel officially with Disney Deluxe Resort benefits, the Swan is located in the EPCOT Crescent Lake resort area with easy...

Disneyland Hotel was the first hotel or resort to feature the Disney name. Opened by Jack Wrather in partnership with Walt Disney, the Disneyland Hotel was not officially owned by The Walt Disney Company until Michael Eisner's Disney tenure, but it has been delighting Disneyland guests with Disney-themed spaces since October 1955. Today, the Disneyland Hotel includes four towers (Adventure Tower,...

Disney Adults have an affinity for Disney Parks, Disney Animation, Disney Consumer Products, and other Disney Experiences. They make frequent visits to Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, or any other Disney Destination. They prioritize Disney movies and watch Disney shows. They decorate their home with Disney designs, and they yearn for more Disney experiences.   In this episode, I...

Walt Disney Imagineering invited me on a very special and exclusive tour of their headquarters at 1401 Flower Street in Glendale, California. This tour gave me the chance to chat with Imagineers, visit multiple Imagineering departments (model shop, sculpting, sound, animation, and R&D), attend demonstrations and presentations, and experiment with some innovative Imagineering technology. I got...

Walt Disney—A Magical Life opened at Disneyland on July 17, 2025 (the 70th anniversary of Disneyland) in the Main Street Opera House (to be rotated with Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln). With Walt Disney One Man's Dream as the opening sequence, this new attraction features the first-ever Audio-Animatronic figure to depict Walt Disney. On July 15, I had the honor of attending a special media preview...

Walt Disney Imagineering invited me on a very special and exclusive tour of their headquarters at 1401 Flower Street in Glendale, California. This tour gave me the chance to chat with Imagineers, visit multiple Imagineering departments (model shop, sculpting, sound, animation, and R&D), attend demonstrations and presentations, and experiment with some innovative Imagineering technology. I got...

Disneyland Park is celebrating its 70th (platinum) anniversary this year. Over the next year, guests who visit the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California will get to enjoy a new "Celebrate Happy" anniversary song recorded by the Jonas Brothers, special entertainment, anniversary decor and merchandise, festive food and drink, attraction updates, and unique experiences. World of Color Happiness, P...

Walt Disney Imagineers create lands and attractions that often represent real places. From the bustling streets of Harambe to the colorful gardens of the France Pavilion, Walt Disney World offers guests the chance to experience and learn about other parts of the globe. While our discussion isn’t collectively exhaustive, we discuss some of our favorite examples of the ways in which the Imagineers t...

Walt Disney Imagineers create lands and attractions that often represent real places. From the bustling streets of Harambe to the colorful gardens of the France Pavilion, Walt Disney World offers guests the chance to experience and learn about other parts of the globe. While our discussion isn’t collectively exhaustive, we discuss some of our favorite examples of the ways in which the Imagineers t...

Magic Kingdom includes some of the most iconic Disney songs of all time. From "it's a small world" to Grim Grinning Ghosts, Yo, Ho! (A Pirate's Life for Me), The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room and beyond, Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World includes music that spans generation of Disney fans. Meanwhile, newer musical scores and area music loops, including the soundtracks to TRON Lightcycle Run and Country B...

Magic Kingdom includes some of the most iconic Disney songs of all time. From "it's a small world" to Grim Grinning Ghosts, Yo, Ho! (A Pirate's Life for Me), The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room and beyond, Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World includes music that spans generation of Disney fans. Meanwhile, newer musical scores and area music loops, including the soundtracks to TRON Lightcycle Run and Country B...

Disney Imagineer Tom Mulally supported the media and video production team as a Principal Media Designer between 1991 and 2016. Installing media at Tower of Terror, Spaceship Earth, Star Tours, Conservation Station, Rafiki's Planet Watch, Enchanted Books of Mystery, and various projects at Disneyland, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Shanghai Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Walt Disney World, Tom helped...

Disney's BoardWalk (Inn and Villas) opened in the EPCOT Resort area in 1996 and remains one of the most highly-coveted deluxe resorts at Walt Disney World. With its convenient access via Friendship boat, walkway, and Disney Skyliner to EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios (buses are offered to Magic Kingdom, Disney's Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs), Disney's BoardWalk is perfect for EPCOT fest...

The Disney Wish set sail with Disney Cruise Line in 2022 and became the largest ship in the fleet (the same size as its 2024 sister ship the Disney Treasure and soon the 2025 Disney Destiny). With spaces dedicated to the fantastic worlds of Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar, this ship offers Disney's signature service experience, luxurious amenities, spacious staterooms, and delectable dining....

Island Tower opened at Disney's Polynesian Villas and Bungalows on December 17, 2024. As a modern addition to Disney's Polynesian Village Resort and the newest Disney Vacation Club property at Walt Disney World, Island Tower brings the adventurous spirit of Polynesia to life with some of the best views available of Seven Seas Lagoon and Magic Kingdom.   In this episode, we discuss everything you n...

Disney's Polynesian Village Resort opened at Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971, making it only one of two opening day hotels on property (the other is Disney's Contemporary Resort; Fort Wilderness Campground opened at a month later). Inspired by the South Pacific, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort feels like its own tropical oasis on Seven Seas Lagoon (a short monorail or boat ride away from M...

Noel MacNeal is a puppeteer, writer, and Emmy award winning director whom many Disney fans will recognize as Bear from the Playhouse Disney series, Bear in the Big Blue House (now on Disney Plus). In addition, Neal has performed on such series as Sesame Street, Eureeka’s Castle, Little Shop of Horrors, Between the Lions, Blue’s Clues, The Muppets Take Manhattan, The Book of Pooh, and more. In this...