Distory with Kate & Kirk

What three unexpected characters show up inside of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train? In this episode of Distory, we hop aboard Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World to ride through Disney’s newest Snow White attraction. On our way, we spot some recycled pieces from an old ride we’ve seen before, hear about how Dopey got his ear wiggle, get mad about sticking tommies, and discove...

What hidden stories can be found in the trees in Disneyland? In the Distorian's Lounge with Kate this week, we return to Disneyland to tell 10 more tree-mendous tales of unique trees in Disneyland that all have stories to tell. From condolence trees to ones that trick your perception of the park, these stories include some obscure details that even the biggest Disney history fans may not have...

What untold stories from Snow White’s history are hidden in the queue of Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train? In this episode of Distory, we walk the queue of Walt Disney World’s Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train to discover not only some fun interactive features that the Imagineers added for guests to discover, but also some hidden secrets you may not even realize are nods to the classic 1937 animation. Kirk takes u...

WDW’s new fantasyland was not planned to look like the one we have today. In this episode of Distory, we visit the dilapidated Fantasyland of the Magic Kingdom of the late 90s and early 2000s to watch how Imagineering’s major overhaul of this land evolved over time. Along the way, we find some lost concepts of major areas that were scrapped, including a Cinderella attraction that is not *quite* li...

Is this the most unhinged attraction that Disney has ever created? In this episode of Distory, we head back to the 1971 version of Snow White’s Adventures in Walt Disney World. We start by finding ourselves in a dark dwarf’s cottage (with a bizarre guest) before encountering many MANY jump scares by the terrifying witch, whose hands have a secret. We race through the mine before discovering a craz...

What made the WDW 1971 version of Snow White’s Adventures the most scary version of them all? In this episode of Distory, we head to Walt Disney World’s Fantasyland to be terrified by the 1971 attraction Snow White’s Adventures. We start by discussing the Towering Talent of Claude Coats and his influence in these classic attractions, and do a quick tour of some lost Fantasyland ride concepts befor...

How did Imagineering fix a major flaw in Snow White's Scary Adventures? In this episode of Distory, we head back to Snow White's Enchanted Wish to discover some details that no one notices in the attraction. As we ride through the second half of this iconic ride, we compare and contrast the previous iteration of Snow White's Scary Adventures with the changes that were made to make the...

What tiny detailed changes did Imagineering make to this iconic ride that most people miss? In this episode of Distory, we do a side-by-side comparison of Snow White’s Scary Adventure and the first half of Snow White’s Enchanted Wish, going over all of the many changes between the two versions of this attraction. Along the way, we hear from Imagineering about how they respected the history of this...

Why does the Evil Queen have such a large collar? And how did guest behavior change the way this ride was structured? In this episode, we dig dig dig into the history of Disneyland's Snow White's Scary Adventures, including the meaning behind some significant scenes. Throughout our ride through this terrifyingly delightful attraction, we encounter some obscure animation history, discover t...

What was the real reason Disneyland’s Fantasyland rides were expanded in 1983? In this episode of Distory, we time travel to Disneyland in the early 1980s to look at some original WED Imagineering documents that tell the story of New Fantasyland’s construction, including Snow White’s Scary Adventures. From demolition to the inspiration for the new design, we discuss the changes from Walt’s Fantasy...

Why do Disney’s Snow White rides have so many dungeon scenes? In this episode of Distory, we continue our Snow White series by braving the original Disneyland Snow White ride called Snow White and Her Adventures (or Snow White’s Adventures, it didn’t seem to matter much back then, so pick your favorite). After seeing some concept art that doesn’t stray too far from the feature film, we hear from A...

Who was Snow White's mother? And what other critical information is missing from the feature film? In this episode of Distory, we start a new series on the history of the Snow White attractions of the Disney parks. But before we can discuss the rides, we have to pay homage to the first-ever full-length feature animation that made it all possible: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In this episod...

Is there a superior version of Pirates of the Caribbean in the US Disney parks? In this episode of Distory, things get a little heated as we debate which version of Pirates of the Caribbean is best: Disneyland or Walt Disney World. Using historical stories, statistical facts, and present-day perspectives, we both try to prove that one ride clearly comes out ahead. Along the way, we have some fun t...

What joke is present in Disneyland Paris's Big Thunder that most guests don't notice? We’ve come to the end of our epic 20-episode series featuring Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, but we have time for one final ride on a runaway train as we hop aboard the best version of this attraction in Disneyland Paris. As promised, Kirk packs us some miner's lunches before we talk about a mistake T...

How is the Tower of Terror connected to Disneyland Paris's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad? In this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk, we continue our exploration of the "crown jewel" of all the Big Thunder Mountain Railroads, the one in Disneyland Paris. After a brief discussion of concept and construction, we check out all of Pat Burke’s amazing antiques in the queue, including...

What hidden stories can be found in the trees in Disneyland? In the Distorian's Lounge with Kate this week, we tell some tree-mendous tales of unique trees in Disneyland that all have stories to tell. From secret tributes to almost-stolen trees, trees acquired on a budget, and others that hold special meaning for all of us, this episode is full of unique, obscure Disneyland landscaping that wi...

What makes Disneyland Paris's Frontierland the BEST version of all Disney parks? In this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk, we arrive at the "crown jewel" of all the Big Thunder Mountain Railroads in our series, the one that graces an island in Disneyland Paris. But in order to understand what makes this mountain the best version that Tony Baxter and the Imagineering team ever...

What secret tributes can be found in Big Grizzly Mountain to several attractions that came before it? In this episode of Distory with Kate & Kirk, we laugh our way through the creative storytelling of Hong Kong Disneyland's Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars. Starting with the backstory of Grizzly Gulch's resident bears (and a huge gold nugget), we then move through into the ride t...

What piece of Disney history is hanging in Tokyo's Big Thunder Mountain? On this episode of Distory, we wrap up our visit to Westernland in Tokyo Disneyland as we hop aboard a runaway train and compare the layout of this version of Big Thunder Mountain with the ones found in Disneyland and Magic Kingdom parks. Along the way, we talk homesteading, sludgy pancakes, cowboy coffee, and bats (both...

What celebration in Disney history wasn't really a celebration? We’re celebrating 100 episodes of Distory with Kate & Kirk with a fun episode dedicated to six unique celebrations throughout all of Disney history! Kirk’s three stories take us (via a few hats) to a galaxy far, far away, a nauseating (or creative?) overlay, and a long-forgotten magical tribute. Kate’s three stories head back...

Walt insisted on having THIS on main street USA... and now it’s gone. In the Distorian's Lounge with Kate this week, we explore the unique history of Disneyland’s West Center Street. Starting with some beautiful (but plastic) displays, we discover the reason for the pickle cart on East Center Street, take a ride in the Carnation milk truck with Walt, find some bizarre cheeseburgers, and discus...

Is Tokyo Disneyland's Big Thunder really just a copy of the U.S. Disney parks? On this episode of Distory, we head overseas to the wilds of Westernland in Tokyo Disneyland to attempt to dig up some history of Disney’s third iteration of Big Thunder Mountain. Along the way, we briefly discuss how this park came to be, find some new mining equipment we haven’t seen before (and some we have), get...

What story is the mining equipment telling us on Big Thunder Mountain? On this episode of Distory, we complete our ride through of Walt Disney World’s Big Thunder Mountain, pausing to notice all the details and history along the way. We begin by discussing what Kirk calls the “Ram Trick” (and Kate insists is not a thing) before discovering an abandoned mine, a dangerous saw, and a few somewhat lac...

Why is the mine in Big Thunder named Dave V. Jones? And who exactly is dancing in the Gold Dust Saloon? On this episode of Distory, we step aboard the Big Thunder Mountain trains in Walt Disney World to ride through the attraction, pointing out obscure history, details, and hidden gems along the way. After dodging some rubber bats and admiring some old cacti, we make a U-turn into the Town of Tumb...

Is there a hidden canary in Big Thunder’s queue? This episode of Distory is truly for the birds as we head into the ventilation room of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Walt Disney World. As we finish our exploration of the queue, we discuss one of the oldest popular forms of animation from the 1800s, resuscitate some canaries, and find some very dangerous rocks. Kate discovers a few more connecti...