Make it Magical: A Disney-centric Podcast

Spooky tales are abound today as we unveil Ken Anderson’s next proposed concept for the Haunted Mansion. This one focuses on the story of Bloodmere Manor. Prepare yourself for more hairy arms, lonesome ghosts, creepy phone calls, and your host…. Walt Disney? Wait, are you serious? Yes, even Walt somehow gets a starring role in this spooktacular storyline all thanks to Ken Anderson (he knows things...

Welcome, foolish mortals, to the next chapter of our Haunted Mansion deep dive series. We kindly invite you join us today as we take you on a detailed journey through Ken Anderson’s first conceived storyline for Disneyland’s very own walk-through Haunted House. Things are about to get real spooky and swashbuckling, as we tell you the tale of the Legend of Captain Gore. This concept was entirely ma...

Today we’re not just talking about any old theme park. We’re covering one that’s extra special and was born with a purpose and optimism of the future in mind. We call it… EPCOT! But we couldn’t do this alone, we had to bring in some help. We have the pleasure of being joined by our two swashbuckling friends, Greg and Cori from @piratesofthepolynesian. We talk the past, the present, and the future...

We had the pleasure to sit down with Caitlin who is a Disney Cruise castmember and talk about what it is like working for the cruise line. She is currently a member of cruise staff who are responsible for all the fun activities around the ship! We want to thank her so much for both providing us with a fantastic time on our last sailing as well as sitting down with us and nerding over Disney Cruise...

It’s time to end our Fox and the Hound discussion by covering more stories, drama, and fun facts behind this Disney animated feature! But most importantly, we finish off this episode with the moment we’ve been waiting for…. Did Clayton’s heart shatter upon watching this film for the first time? Brace yourselves friends, because we’re talking about THAT scene today (you know, the one that emotional...

Welcome to another edition of Clayton Watches! This is the series where we get Clayton to watch a Disney animated film he’s never seen before. This week we deep dive into the often forgotten, but highly dramatic film that marks a true turning point for the future of the Disney Studios…. The Fox and the Hound. Emily may have gone a bit overboard on research for this one (even though she says too mu...

This week we revisit Club 33 and are sitting down with someone who has had the privilege to go not once, but twice...Kelsey from the Lost Weekend Co. We talk about her experience going and what it was like inside the mythical club. Check out Kelsey's small shop, Lost Weekend Co. She has the best subtly Disney inspired planners and 2025 is just around the corner! Check out our official website...

We have an exciting episode this week, recapping our trip down to southern California to do some things that aren't just going to the parks! We were lucky enough to go on a Walt Disney Studio tour experiencing all the history the studio has to offer to both Disney movies and the Disney parks. But of course in true Make it Magical fashion, we made it extra, and literally walked in Walt's...

Last week, we discussed the finding the right location for the Mansion as well as what inspired the look and feel of the exterior of the Mansion. But what were some of the inspirations for the interior? We're not talking about ghosts or haunted stories just yet, but what places around the country that would serve as a bit of an inspiration for the look and feel of the inside of the mansion it...

We have received your sympathetic vibrations and will now continue our tour…This week on Uncovering the Haunted Mansion, we talk about the forgotten Imagineer. Many Haunted Mansion fans will know of Marc Davis, Rolly Crump, Claude Coates, and Yale Gracey, but while there were countless other imagineers that worked to bring the Mansion “alive”, none might be more important than the legendary imagin...

Welcome, foolish mortals, to our Uncovering the Haunted Mansion series! In this mega deep dive, we’ll be covering this classic attraction’s history all the way from initial concept to its current forms around the world. But don’t be frightened, we are here as your Ghost Hosts to guide you through it all. Today, we kick off this journey by covering Walt’s potential inspiration and very first concep...

The finale of our recap of our mega WDW & Disney Cruise trip! Today we will cover our final few days on the Disney Fantasy going to St. Thomas, another day at sea, and of course Disney's Castaway Cay! The fun didn't end for us though at the conclusion of our Disney cruise as we were lucky enough to be able to go to the parks for one more day, hitting some beloved favorites in true Ma...

Long time, no talk! After being sick for the last few weeks, we are SO EXCITED to be back in the recording studio again. With the Epcot and most importantly, the Flower and Garden Festival portion of our trip covered in last week’s episode, it’s time to hit the high seas with Disney Cruise Line and discuss our journey aboard the Disney Fantasy. Listen in as we recap all the fun we had on the first...

WE ARE BACK!!! It is now time to share all the fun that we had over our recent trip to WDW which was followed by 7 wonderful nights on the Disney Fantasy! Today we talk about our first two days we spent at EPCOT experiencing the Flower and Garden festival for the first time! Stay tuned for more on this recap as we will start covering the cruise next week! Check out our official website: https://ww...

We’re doing something special today and dropping what was supposed to be an exclusive Patreon episode and making it available for everyone to enjoy! We’re playing a game of Disney trivia to see if Clayton can pass these questions dreamed up by a much younger version of Emily. If you like this kind of extra content and want to support the show, head over to our Patreon where you’ll find tons more b...

We’re capping off our Club 33 series by covering all the juicy details on all the clubs featured around the world and the scoop on what it takes to become an official member. Are there really Club 33s outside of the US parks? Ever wondered what’s exactly included with a membership? What’s the approval process? So many questions need answering! Join us for this conversation as we dream about an alt...

This week the Club 33 mania continues with part two! We go inside the club(not literally, but hopefully one day) and discuss all the details of what makes Club 33 distinctly Disney! We also very importantly learn what a harpsichord is and how it differs from a piano! Enjoy as your ghost hosts take you on a guided walkthrough of past and present Club 33.  Look out for more on the Club (where Emily’...

CLUB 33...the mythical place that all Disney fans want to experience. Today we are going deep in da club to learn all about how this exclusive experience came to be! There will be plenty more to discuss next week as we will continue this deep dive. Now, lets channel our best Benjamin Gates and learn the secrets of Club 33! GIVEAWAY RULES: Final day to enter is April 6th 11:59PM PDT and all 6 winne...

We just turned 100!!! To celebrate Make it Magical hitting triple digits, we have one very super-sized celebration episode for you today! First we announce all the details and entry rules for our HUGE giveaway in honor of this podcasting milestone. The rest of the episode is dedicated to reflecting back on this crazy podcasting journey and answering some very fun and personal listener questions. T...

Join us as we take trip down Nostalgia Alley today! Get ready for a big moment as we have our first ever episode completely devoted to comic books and Marvel! We’re talking all things X-Men!! In order to get excited and feel prepared for the upcoming X-Men ‘97 premiere, we decided to give the original X-Men: The Animated Series a rewatch! We dive into the history and creation of the X-Men, discuss...

It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for…. The grand finale to this epic music battle! Hundreds of “note”-worthy songs have entered but only one can win it all! Listen in as we put our finalists head-to-head once more and crown the greatest Disney animated song of all time! Who will it be?!? Check out our official website: https://www.makeitmagicalpodcast.com Make it Magical merch is available...

We’re almost at the end of this music battle! Before we put our finalists head to head in the grand finale next week, we need to battle out all of the songs from the Revival Era. This episode proved extra tough with the stiff competition we got from films like Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Frozen, Moana, and Encanto. Which songs will be crowned as our Top 4? Why does Clayton have such a hard tim...

We are back with the continuation of our Disney music battle! The previous installments were all about what many consider to be some of Disney’s best decades for films and music. Now we’re switching it up and giving those lesser known animated films from the Bronze Age and Post-Renaissance Era their time to shine! Which songs will rise to the top and make it through to the finals?  Check out our o...

Welcome to the thrilling conclusion of our Big Thunder Mountain series! Today we discuss everything from the grand opening on both coasts to creating updated and enhanced versions for international expansion. Thanks for listening and hope you’ve enjoyed this series diving into the history of this iconic Disney Mountain. Big Thunder Mountain 1979 TV Commercial: https://youtu.be/UvpQG24mXX4?si=p5pi4...

Howdy partners! Welcome back to the history of the wildest ride in the wilderness! Today we’ll be digging deeper into this goldmine of a story. Why did Thunder get delayed in Magic Kingdom and head over towards Disneyland? Where would the grand scope of Thunder even fit within the smaller footprint of Walt’s original park? Will this ride ever get approved for construction? What’s the difference be...