Connecting with Walt - A look into the history of the man behind Mickey Mouse, Disneyland and Walt Disney World

In this episode, Michael and Tom continue the history of the 1942 classic Saludos Amigos by chronicling the research trip to South America that preceded the animated feature. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Sources: Websites/Articles: The Good Neighbor Films – Saludos Amigos, The Three Ca...

In this episode, Michael and Tom chat with influential animator, author, educator, and historian John Canemaker about his upcoming book The Art of John Canemaker: An Animator's Garden . Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Michael and Tom celebrate Halloween with a haunting look at the 1983 Ray Bradbury fantasy Something Wicked This Way Comes . Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Sources: Websites/Articles: Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) for The Great Disney Movie Ride Something Wicked...

In this episode, Michael and Tom chat with author Karen Fang about her book Background Artist: The Life and Work of Tyrus Wong , whose watercolors are featured in Walt Disney's Bambi . Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Michael and Tom begin the history of the 1942 classic Saludos Amigos by discussing how the film, and the research trip to South America that preceded it, came to be. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Sources: Websites/Articles: Saludos Amigos, Wikipedia The Good Neighbor Fi...

In this episode, Michael and Tom finish up the history of Journey Into Imagination at EPCOT with a look at the updates the popular attraction has received over the years. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Sources: Websites/Articles: 40 Years of Sparks - The Complete History of Journey Into...

In this episode, Michael and Tom celebrate the 10th anniversary of Connecting with Walt by taking a trip back in time to the Walt Disney World of 1975. There they are joined by Tony Spittell from the legacy Disneyland Podcast and the trio plan their day at the Magic Kingdom with a classic ticket book in hand. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Co...

In this episode, Michael and Tom join Figment and the Dreamfinder on a ride-thru of Journey Into Imagination as the story of that EPCOT pavilion continues. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Sources: Websites/Articles: 40 Years of Sparks - The Complete History of Journey Into Imagination by...

In this episode, Michael and Tom, along with special guest Anita, discuss the second and final day of this year's Destination D23 event held recently at Walt Disney World. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Michael and Tom, along with special guest Anita, discuss the first day of this year's Destination D23 event held recently at Walt Disney World. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Michael and Tom talk about a private event leading up to Disneyland's 70th that Michael attended. The event included several presentations focusing on the history of Walt Disney and the Disneyland Resort, including Michael's discussion of the never made "Rainbow Road to Oz". Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt...

In this episode, Michael and Tom discuss a presentation that Michael attended at Walt Disney Imagineering and the Grand Central Air Terminal, D23 Spotlight Series: Disneyland Fond Memories of the Past, hosted by Stacia Martin and Becky Cline, the Director of the Walt Disney Archives. Michael also shares a brief history of the Grand Central Air Terminal. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments...

In this episode, Michael, Tom, and their special guest Mary Jo discuss their experiences surrounding July 17th, 2025, Disneyland Park's 70th birthday, including new magic and special events. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Hilbert Museum of California Art Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...

In this episode, Michael and Tom begin the history of Journey Into Imagination pavilion at EPCOT, including how everyone's favorite purple dragon came to be. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Sources: Websites/Articles: The EPCOT Legacy: Gather, Store, Re-Combine – A History of Imagination...

In this episode, Michael shares with Tom his thoughts about two events he attended at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. The first talk, Directing at Pixar, featured four directors discussing what it's like to direct a Pixar movie or television show. The second, Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Jim Henson Company, featured host Yvette Nicole Brown navigating the history of the...

In this episode, Michael and Tom continue their chat with their friends from the legacy Disneyland podcast team discussing Disneyland's 70th Anniversary Celebration, including a review of the A Story of Celebration: 70th Anniversary Guided Tour. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Hilbert Mus...

In this episode, Michael and Tom are joined by their friends from the legacy Disneyland podcast team who share their thoughts about Disneyland's 70th Anniversary Celebration. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel OzCon International - Discount code: CWOZCON2025 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...

In this episode, Michael and Tom continue the celebration of the Disneyland Resort's 70th Anniversary with a look at how Paint the Night made it's way to Disneyland Park. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel OzCon International - Discount code: CWOZCON2025 Sources: Websites/Articles: Babes in...

In this episode, Michael shares with Tom his thoughts about two events he attended at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco that focused on Walt Disney Imagineering. First up, Imagineer Eddie Sotto shares the challenges of building Disneyland Paris. Then, WDI President Bob Weis talks about his start in Imagineering through his transition to management. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History...

In this episode, Michael and Tom chat with Emmy Award winning animation producer Melinda Dilger, who got her start in the classic Disney television shows Goof Troop and House of Mouse. More recently, Melinda has worked on series for Netflix, including Arcane and Blue Eye Samurai. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter...

In this episode, Michael and Tom chat with author Neil O' Brien about his book After Disney: Toil, Trouble, and the Transformation of America's Favorite Media Company , which covers the years following Walt Disney's passing through the beginning of the Michael Eisner and Frank Wells era. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on...

In this episode, Michael and Tom kick off the celebration of the Disneyland Resort's 70th anniversary with a look at Davy Crockett in Disneyland, including a review of the television miniseries and theatrical releases, along with the impact the King of the Wild Frontier had in the theme park. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Wal...

In this episode, special guests Colin Ayres and Dwayne Burgess share information about this year's OzCon International, a convention being held this summer in Burbank which will focus on Walt Disney's connection to The Wizard of Oz series of books and celebrate the 40th anniversary of Disney's Return to Oz. Then, Michael and Tom take a look at the history of the popular Epcot International Flower...

In this episode, Michael and Tom take a walk down Main Street in Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom to look at several of the windows that honor developers and planners of the theme parks. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Sources: Books: People Behind The Disney Parks: Stories of Those Honor...

In this episode, Michael and Tom sail to Little Mermaid's Island, an unaired television show that was developed for the Disney Channel with the cooperation of Jim Henson's creature shop. Links: Michael’s Disneyland History Segments Important DIS links and more information! Connecting with Walt on Twitter Dreams Unlimited Travel Sources: Books: Disney Never Lands: Things Disney Never Made by Jim Ko...