90s Disney

AJ, Mike, and Chris invite you to join us at one of Walt Disney World’s premier dining experiences, California Grill. From its beginnings as the Top of the World, to its transformation into a truly unique restaurant, we bring you the story of the people who made California Grill one of the most popular dining destinations in the entire resort. Enjoy the views, pop a bottle of wine, and don’t liste...

We don’t mean to get too negative, but AJ, Mike, and Chris thought it would be fun to share our least favorite Disney attractions. Let us know what we got wrong. Did we pick on your favorite or miss any stinkers?

AJ, Mike, and Chris are ready to ride one of the most infamous Disneyland attractions ever created, Rocket Rods. Go back to the beginning as we uncover the origins of the Ford's Magic Skyway, its evolution into the Peoplemover for 1967's New Tomorrowland, and that ride's transformation into Rocket Rods, the thrill ride anchor to 1998's New Tomorrowland. Get ready to accelerate to 38 mph and then q...

AJ, Mike, and Chris discuss attractions that never were. If we could wave our magic Imagineering wand, what rides and experiences would we make a reality? It's fun to think about how different the Disney parks would be today if there were more Muppets, cowboys, mountains, and Atlantis.

AJ, Mike, and Chris travel back to the days of tuning in to the Disney Afternoon after the school day for a look back at the history of Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers. Discover the show's origins of a spinoff of the Walt Disney animated feature The Rescuers. Explore the ways the show adapted two relatively obscure characters from the 50s into a crime-solving team. Who sang that epic theme song? How...

AJ is very pleased to bring you this exclusive interview with the man who conceptualized Blizzard Beach, Marshall Monroe. We discuss the considerations that went into the park's design, the selection and prep for its location, and the lessons learned from other Disney water parks. Find out about the remarkable connection between Blizzard Beach and the Grand Californian Resort at Disneyland, why th...

AJ, Mike, and Chris invite you to chill at Disney's coolest water park, Blizzard Beach! We dug deep to uncover the history of this one of a kind water park. Learn about the Imagineers that brought the park to life, the back story of that fateful snowstorm, and who helped build some of the most incredible water slides ever seen on a melting ski resort. Grab yourself a Blue Blizzard Margarita (if yo...

AJ, Mike, and Chris continue our journey onto Indiana Jones Adventure to discuss the wide world of what we call Super Dark Rides. We venture outside of Disney to discuss favorites such as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Universal, rides from the international Disney parks, and a few more wild cards. We'll discuss what qualifies as a Super Dark Rid...

AJ, Mike, and Chris kick off year 2 of 90s Disney with our first trip to Disneyland to experience one of the greatest attractions ever conceived by Walt Disney Imagineering, Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye. Join us as we uncover the history, technology, and people behind this one of a kind attraction nestled in the heart of Adventureland. We talk about the effects that have be...

AJ, Mike, and Chris thought it would be fun to talk about many of the resorts around Walt Disney Worlds. We talk about our favorites, least favorites, places we'd like to stay, and what we like to do at many of the resorts. Thrill to stories of 30-year-old Scotch, elevator rides with Winnie the Pooh, and carrying strollers up two flights of stairs. We hope you enjoy this bonus episode!

AJ, Mike, and Chris take you back to the beginnings of the Disney Decade expansion and two of the first new deluxe resorts on property, the Yacht and Beach Club Resorts. Nestled on the shores of the newly created Crescent Lake, these two sister resorts offer laid back elegance and fun. We learn about the architects behind their design, the fantastic dining options, the best resort pool in all of W...

It's our first bonus episode! AJ was very fortunate to chat up the co-director of Atlantis: The Lost Empire and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Kirk Wise! Learn about how the world of Atlantis was created, discover how Hellfire made it into the film, and find the answer to a nearly 19 year long grudge. Kirk and AJ spend over an hour diving deep into how animation is brought to life in two of Disney's...

AJ, Mike, and Chris invite you to take a deep dive (pun intended) into one of AJ's all-time favorite movies, Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Released in 2001 (April Fool's!), this film moved away from musicals and into an exciting journey filled with action, adventure, swash-buckling, and mythology. And who better to tell the tale than the film's screenwriter, Tab Murphy? Tab joins us once again to tal...

AJ, Mike, and Chris guarantee you will never hear a more lively conversation about the creation, implementation, and existence of the FastPass system used across all Disney theme parks. Introduced in 1999 (or was it?), the FastPass system allowed guests to stay out of the line and in the parks. We learn about the father of the FastPass, Greg Hale, and his journey from curious interviewee to the cu...

AJ, Mike, and Chris are back after an unplanned holiday break to kick off 2020 with an in-depth look at the flagship attraction of Disney's Animal Kingdom, Kilimanjaro Safaris. Join us as we spend two weeks exploring the Harambe Wildlife Reserve. We discuss how the attraction has changed over the years, some of our favorite animal encounters, and learn how this massive theme park attraction operat...

AJ, Mike, and Chris ring in the holiday season with our deep dive into the 1992 holiday classic, The Muppet Christmas Carol. Join us as we discuss the production of the first Muppet movie created without Jim Henson, how the classic holiday story of redemption was adapted to work with a... whatever Gonzo is, and how Michael Caine became the first human to hold the leading role in a Muppet film. So...

AJ, Mike, and Chris take one final look at Epcot's long running nighttime spectacular, Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. Debuting in 1999 as Illuminations 2000: Reflections of Earth, this symphony of music, fireworks, lasers, lights, and imagery delighted park guests until September of 2019. Join us as we explore the history of shows featured around World Showcase Lagoon, the development of RoE...

AJ, Mike, and Chris accelerate to 64.9 milers per hour to take you back to the development, opening, and evolution of Epcot's first(ish) thrill ride, Test Track. We take a look at the history of GM's sponsorship of this pavilion from its origins at the 1964 New York's World Fair to the building's original opening day attraction, World of Motion. Learn how the concept of an automobile testing facil...

AJ, Mike, and Chris journey to 1996 and the release of Walt Disney Feature Animation's 37th animated feature, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. We are very proud to feature an interview with the original writer for the film, Tab Murphy. Join in as he an AJ discuss how this incredible film came together, how a classic piece of literature is adapted into a Disney film, how the studio collaborated on the...

AJ, Mike, and Chris invite you to travel back to 1994 and the first major expansion for the Disney-MGM Studios. Sunset Blvd offered extended shopping, dining, a new(ish) theater venue, and a grand new attraction, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. Learn about the real life Hollywood landmarks the inspired nearly every structure on the boulevard, discover the lands and attractions that were almost...

AJ, Mike, and Chris Minotti invite you back to 1993 and the release of the number 3 selling game for Sega's Genesis video game console, Aladdin. We dive into the game's development, including its unique Digicell transfer technology that allowed actual Disney animators to contribute to the game's graphics. We also compare it to the many, many other Aladdin games released across a variety of systems...

Welcome to the first episode of 90s Disney! We're so glad you've joined us as we prepare to journey through the Disney Decade. The Minotti brothers will be your hosts as we revisit fond memories, historical details, and interesting perspectives on one of the most fascinating, successful, and massive periods for the Disney company. From the theme parks to movies and video games, AJ, Mike, and Chris...