Imagination Skyway

Since I started the Imagineer Podcast, I've had the honor of building so many amazing Disney friendships, and in that span of time, many have reached out to me directly to ask questions regarding vacations to Walt Disney World or Disneyland, becoming a Cast Member for the Walt Disney Company, and even how to stay connected to the magic when back at home. In today's episode, I'll open my inbox (ema...

When I first created the Imagineer Podcast, I wanted to pay homage to Walt Disney Imagineers, the creative geniuses who design and create the Disney Parks & Resorts. That's why I'm incredibly proud to be able to share an interview I had with a retired Engineer, Guy Spagnoli, who knows a thing or two about Walt Disney Imagineering. Guy is not only a gifted and experienced Engineer; he's also a cari...

As the Disney Parks continue to evolve, there are times when attractions we love must sadly close to be replaced by another. One of those attractions at the Magic Kingdom was The Timekeeper, a show that existed in Tomorrowland between 1994 and 2006 (and at Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland in the late 1990's and early 2000's). In today's episode, we'll step into our "podcast time machine" to e...

When you visit Walt Disney World, one of the most important decisions is deciding which attraction to visit first. At Disney's Animal Kingdom, I usually recommend that you head straight to Flight of Passage first thing in the morning (unless you are able to get a FastPass+). In fact, it's usually best to show up at least 30 minutes before the park opens in order to reduce your wait time in the sta...

Throughout the last few decades and especially in the last 15 years, The Walt Disney Company has engaged in several licensing partnerships and a handful of major acquisitions. Most notably, the last two decades have brought us Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel and now Fox, providing so many new opportunities for experiences in the Disney Parks. In this Imagineer Podcast episode, we discuss the significance...

One of the most intense attractions at Walt Disney World is Mission: SPACE, located in Future World at Epcot. In its current version, Mission: SPACE offers two experiences, Orange Team (the original attraction that takes Guests to Mars on a centrifugal simulator) and Green Team (a tamer version of the attraction that takes Guests on an orbit around the Earth). In today's episode, we'll explore the...

Epcot has so many attractions, yet most Guests tend to spend a majority of their time in Future World. When it comes to World Showcase, many skip over the "smaller" attractions, which include Reflections of China and Impressions de France. In today's episode, we'll unwind in World Showcase together and experience these two attractions in binaural audio. Grab your favorite snack or beverage from th...

One of the things that makes a visit to Walt Disney World extra magical is staying at one of the many Resorts on property. With a wide selection of Value, Moderate, Deluxe, and Disney Vacation Club Resorts, Walt Disney World offers an array of hotel experiences. In this episode, we'll explore some of our favorite places to stay, as well as the parts of the Resorts that we love most. Which Resort a...

World of Color has been delighting Guests at Disney California Adventure Park since June 11, 2010. With over 1,200 dancing foutains and incredible special effects, it's one of the most impressive nighttime shows ever designed. World of Color Celebrate was a special overlay during Disneyland's 60th Anniversary (2015) that paid tribute to Walt Disney himself. In today's episode, we discuss World of...

Walt Disney World features some of the best dining opportunities at any major theme park, and that includes the Quick-Service locations. In this podcast episode, we'll uncover our favorite places to eat for a quick bite at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom. We'll also discuss our favorite places for a quick meal outside the parks including Disney Spri...

Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain has been delighting Guests at Disney's Animal Kingdom since 2006. As the premier roller coaster at the park, this attraction features so many incredible details and quite a rich backstory. In this bonus episode, we'll uncover the full story of the attraction, details, engineering and more fun facts. What do you love most about Expedition Everest...

"If you can dream it, you can do it!" I sign off every podcast episode with this philosophy, and Horizons at Epcot was the attraction that brought this mantra to life. Although this attraction has been extinct since 1999, it has won over the hearts and imaginations of millions of Guests around the world, and its optimism and spirit are still celebrated today. In this episode, we dive into the hist...

If you're traveling to Walt Disney World in the summer, it's important to prepare for the heat and humidity. Central Florida between late May and early October can get incredibly hot, especially during the peak times in July and August when the parks are the most crowded. Knowing how to stay cool can make your vacation more enjoyable and help you feel your best each day. On today's episode, we sit...

Whether your first trip to Walt Disney World was 1971 or 2001, there are attractions that have come and gone throughout the course of the park's history. As Walt Disney once said, "Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world." While the changes made are often for the best (and the new attractions are ones that we grow to love), the...

One of the many reasons we love Disney movies is the amazing soundtracks that countless artists, musicians, producers and composers work so hard to create. The music of the Disney movies helps to capture the emotions we feel while watching our favorite films, sometimes without even a single lyric. In this podcast episode, a small group of us sit around the table to chat about our top 10 Disney sou...

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the Imagineer Podcast proudly presents a spectacular festival pageant of nighttime magic and imagination. Learn the history and details of the Main Street Electrical Parade, the longest parade to ever run at the Disney Parks and Resorts from Disneyland to Walt Disney World and even across the globe (Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris). What is your earliest...

Sit back and "be our guest" in this podcast episode as we discuss our favorite full-service restaurants across the Walt Disney World Resort, from the Magic Kingdom to Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and more. We share our favorite restaurants for food, ambiance, characters, and all-you-care-to-eat fare, plus our favorite moments and exper...

One of the best part's of any trip to Walt Disney World (if you fly into Orlando International Airport) is boarding Disney's Magical Express, a complimentary service that Disney offers to Guests staying at a participating Walt Disney World Resort hotels.   In this podcast episode, we hop aboard Disney's Magical Express for a trip from Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Disney's Pop Century Res...

Jambo, everyone! On this episode of the Imagineer Podcast, we head over to Disney's Animal Kingdom to take a ride on Kilimanjaro Safaris, the cornerstone attraction at the park that opened on April 22, 1998. In a rather special episode, I'll take you back 11 years ago to ride on one of my last safaris working as a Cast Member on the Disney College Program at Kilimanjaro Safaris in 2007. Special th...

Ka Chow! In today's podcast episode, we head over to Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort to enjoy a 360-degree binaural audio ridethrough of this attraction, plus a few pieces of trivia you might not have known about Cars Land and Radiator Springs Racers. What are your thoughts about Radiator Springs Racers and Cars Land? How does this attraction rank on your list of favorite...

Hey howdy hey! In today's podcast episode, our group discusses our favorite Disney-Pixar movies from Toy Story to Coco (and everything in between). We sort what we believe ranks on the A list, B list, and C list for Pixar, talk about our favorite Pixar characters, and share some of our favorite Pixar easter eggs and moments.   Which Pixar movies rank highest on your list? What falls within your A...

In this podcast episode, we explore Disney's Enhanced Motion Vehicle (EMV) dark ride attractions, including an HD binaural audio ride-through of Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California and an HD binaural and source audio ride-through of Dinosaur at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World, Florida. Disney first created the EMV-style attraction (patented) in 1995 and t...

  Hey, screamers! In today's podcast episode, we'll take a virtual ride on California Screamin over at Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort. This episode includes some history and fun facts about this Paradise Pier attraction, as well as the source audio for the roller coaster's soundtrack. Will you miss this attraction, or are you more excited for the Incredicoaster opening w...

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... This week's podcast episode explores the entire Star Wars saga, including Episodes I-VIII (Phantom Menace through The Last Jedi) and Rogue One. We discuss our favorite movies (spoiler alert: The Empire Strikes Back is high on all of our lists), favorite jedi, favorite sith, favorite battles and more. For the first time, this podcast episode was recorded...

Sivako! In today's podcast episode, we head back to the moon of Pandora to take a ride on the back of an ikran (banshee) with a binaural ridethrough of Flight of Passage. This binaural recording includes the preshow with Dr. Stevens, the preshow with Dr. Jackie Ogden, and the full attraction itself. This podcast episode is part 2 of 2. On our previous episode (Episode 9), we explored the other par...