Being a Fan of Disney: The Podcast

I recap the Being a Fan of Disney discussion and vote for the Fall 2023 version of our Best/Favorite MCU Character and Project! I really enjoy the discussions and I hope you do too! Video of this recap with visuals is available at . You can follow along with the class, podcast, Take 1 episodes, and interviews/visits by following me on Twitter/X @chavardphd. You can keep up with the class by jointi...

I am joined by Stan Solo for the 4th time (!!!) to talk about planning a Walt Disney World vacation in a budget-friendly manner. Stan makes several solo visits and has shared with others his tips for making a budget-friendly visit to the Most Magical Place on Earth! So, I wanted to talk with him to hopefully help anyone that may be making their first trip (or planning their first trip) to WDW! Vid...

In this episode, Jon Rogers joins me to talk about his fandom of Disney, Indiana Jones , Star Wars , and his upcoming fan film The Mirror of Amun-Ra ! This was a very fun conversation and I really enjoyed getting to learn about his creative process. You can engage with Jon via the following: Facebook page for “The Mirror of Amun-Ra” - https://www.facebook.com/cleopatrapryce Facebook page for Jonat...

In this episode, Bee Eldridge from University College London stops by to talk about her research dealing with the representation of motherhood and aging in Disney princess movies. This was a very fun conversation and I learned a tremendous amount! Video of this visit is available at https://youtu.be/VxNnoeGsoWE . You can engage with Bee via social media @bee_eldridge on Twitter/X.  You can follow...

In this Take 1 episode, I combine the summaries for the last three discussions and votes we had in the Spring 2023 semester. I cover the summary of the Best/Favorite Votes for Disney/Pixar Movie, WDW Attraction, and Disney Movie. Video with graphic is available at https://youtu.be/ZmfMvsgSBBU . You can follow along with the class, podcast, Take 1 episodes, and interviews/visits by following me on...

In this episode, Dr. Suzanne Onstine from The University of Memphis joins us to talk about her expertise in archeology, and the accuracy of the Indiana Jones franchise. This conversation was a lot of fun for me, and I hope you enjoy it as well. Video of this visit is available at https://youtu.be/_SaD1rr9EeM . You can engage with Dr. Onstine via email at sonstine@memphis.edu. You can follow along...

Dr. Robyn Muir joins the class to discuss her love of Disney, and Disney Princesses in particular. We discuss her upcoming book "The Disney Princess Phenomenon" in which she details how Disney Princesses have been presented and consumed throughout the companies history. This was a great conversation, and video of this visit is available at . You can engage with Dr. Muir via Twitter @DrRo...

In this episode, I was excited to be joined by Holly Wood-Crawford of the Grand Circle Tour Podcast and Marvelous on Mainstreet to talk about her fandom and living close to Disneyland. We don't talk a lot about Disneyland, so it was really fun to get her insight as a Southern California local who regularly attends the park. We also talk about the transformation of Disney's California Adventure and...

This is the full discussion of the Best/Favorite MCU Character and Project Vote in the Spring 2023 class! I always really enjoy talking with the students about these votes, and am regularly reminded about the differences in fandom! This was a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy! You can follow along with the class, podcast, Take 1 episodes, and interviews/visits by following me on Twitter @chavardphd....

This Take 1 episode is a recap of our discussion on the Best/Favorite MCU Character and Project for the Spring 2023 semester. Video of this episode along with visual aid is available at https://youtu.be/pu8HXuvZnDk . I always enjoy these discussions with the students and I hope you do as well.  You can follow along with the class, podcast, Take 1 episodes, and interviews/visits by following m...

In this class, Dr. Brett Nachman joins me to talk about his Disney fandom, his Notably Disney podcast, and his research on how to better deliver education to people on the Autism spectrum. We discuss his research, and his thoughts on how Disney may help fans on the spectrum. This was a truly enlightening discussion, and I enjoyed it very much. Video of this visit is available at .  You can fo...

This class features a roundtable on Disney Musicals with Greg Heilman, Dr. Brett Nachman, and Professor Barbara Burgess-Lefebvre. We talk about what a musical is, some of our favorite musicals numbers, shows, and moments. You can engage with Greg Hellman through his podcast Heilman and Haver , Dr. Brett Nachman through the Notably Disney podcast, and Prof. Barbara Burgess-Lefebvre through via emai...

In this class, Prof. Barbara Burgess-Lefebvre stops by again to discuss her recap of the Themed Entertainment and Attractions Academic Society symposium that is held every November at the IAAPA conference in Orlando, Florida. We talk about the symposium and IAAPA, and also the future of themed entertainment. Video of this visit is available at https://youtu.be/Vx8b6PjWVlw . This was a lot of fun a...

In this class, I am joined by Roger Palmer for the third time to discuss the year that Disney+ had in 2022, and issue facing the service moving into 2023 and beyond! We also talk about the streaming entertainment space, the move of more streaming platforms introducing ad-tier pricing, the role of live sports entertainment on streaming services, and our thoughts on the future of World Wrestling Ent...

In this Take 1 episode, I discuss the implications of Apple TV+ airing Major League Soccer (MLS) matches on an extra paid service. This, along with the path Amazon took with airing Thursday Night Football on Prime Video for all subscribers offers two potential paths for companies moving forward wanting to stream live sports entertainment. I also discuss the ability of technology companies to offer...

This class provides information about Disney's influential acquisitions of ABC/ESPN, Pixar, Marvel, LucasFilm, and Fox. I discuss some of the details of the acquisitions, how those have influenced the studio and parks, and the future of potential moves and mergers of The Walt Disney Company. Video of this class with graphics is available at https://youtu.be/klE5ScNtisg . I hope you enjoy this and...

This Take 1 episode discusses the updated chronological order of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), according to Disney+ and external sources. Video of this episode with graphic is available at https://youtu.be/jFXD08OrThs .  You can follow along with the class, podcast, Take 1 episodes, and interviews/visits by following me on Twitter @chavardphd. You can keep up with the class by joining...

This episode provides the full discussion and vote of the Best/Favorite WDW Attraction for the Fall 2022 Class. Stick around after the vote to hear student impressions of 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever', questions, and the conclusion of the semester. This semester has been a lot of fun and this class was very engaged with the material and discussion! It is truly and honor to get to teaching this...

This Take 1 episode offers a summary of the Best/Favorite WDW Attraction discussion and vote. Video of this summary with graphic is available at https://youtu.be/x8ya6C7hb-o . This was a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy it. The full discussion of WDW Attractions, along with class questions, brief student reactions to 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever', and the class conclusion is available in Class #...

This Take 1 episode is a little different, in that I provide an audio of a topical essay I wrote with Timothy Ryan about the role live sports entertainment can play in the future of direct-to-consumer streaming. Please let me know your thoughts on this audio of an important essay, and if it is welcomed by listeners then more can be added in the future.  You can follow along with the class, po...

In this class, Lee Cockerell, joins us again to discuss the news that Bob Iger returned as CEO of The Walt Disney Company, and the lessons that can be learned from the current situation. Video of this visit is available at https://youtu.be/lREsvMSgD-U . It is always great talking to Lee and learning from his vast experience. You can engage with Lee via www. LeeCockerell.com and listen to his podca...

This Take 1 episode is a brief summary of my thoughts and some of the initial questions raised by the news that Bob Iger has replaced Bob Chapek as CEO of The Walt Disney Company. Video of this episode is available at https://youtu.be/VqMs0bXfeP0 .  You can follow along with the class, podcast, Take 1 episodes, and interviews/visits by following me on Twitter @chavardphd. You can keep up with...

In this class, we are joined by best-selling author Ridley Pearson again to talk about his books Kingdom Keepers and Cautionary Tales ! I love getting the chance to talk with and listen to the stories Ridley tells about his writing and inspiration! Video of this visit is available at https://youtu.be/GAhpAVANZnU . You can engage with Ridley via social media @RidleyPearson and through his website w...

This is the full discussion and vote for the Fall 2022 class regarding the Best/Favorite Disney Animation Movie! This was a great discussion, and I am very impressed with the amount of insight and engagement the students provide this semester about their choices and reasoning! You can follow along with the class, podcast, Take 1 episodes, and interviews/visits by following me on Twitter @chavardph...

This Take 1 episode is a summary of the Fall 2022 discussion and vote for the Best/Favorite Disney Animation Movie! It was a lot of fun and I always really enjoy these discussions with the students. Video of this Take 1 episode with graphic is available at https://youtu.be/uuYpub50g2s . You can follow along with the class, podcast, Take 1 episodes, and interviews/visits by following me on Twitter...