Soarin' Around WDW

Our France trip recap is finally here! Join us as we kick off our two-part recap with the unforgettable journey from North Carolina to Paris, including a last-minute flight change that completely altered our travel plans. From our first impressions of Paris and exploring iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame, and the Seine River, to sharing our favorite food, transpor...

One hundred episodes later... what a journey it's been! In this special milestone episode, we're taking a look back at how Soarin' Around WDW got its start, sharing some of our favorite memories from the past 100 episodes, and reflecting on the moments that made this adventure so rewarding. From unexpected growth and unforgettable collaborations to behind-the-scenes challenges and some...

Welcome back, Flight Crew! ✈️ This week we’re continuing our Parks of the Past, Present & Future series by diving into all of the behind-the-scenes tours and Enchanting Extras currently offered at Walt Disney World. From nighttime safaris at Animal Kingdom Lodge to Segway adventures through Fort Wilderness, EPCOT greenhouse tours, scuba diving inside The Seas pavilion, and the ultra-expensive...

Join us as we break down all the details of our upcoming trip to France and Disneyland Paris! We're sharing our travel plans, where we're staying, how we're getting around, and what we're most excited to experience during our first visit to Disneyland Paris. From the iconic Disneyland Hotel and our park plans to character experiences, must-do attractions, and even champagne on Main...

Welcome back, Flight Crew! Today we're continuing our Parks of the Past: Behind the Scenes Tours series with Part 2, exploring even more discontinued Disney tours that gave guests exclusive access, fascinating stories, and unforgettable experiences throughout Walt Disney World. In this episode, we're diving into three fan-favorite tours: Marceline to Magic Kingdom – A storytelling-focused...

Today we’re kicking off a brand new section of one of your favorite podcast series: Parks of the Past, Present and Future! Over the past couple of years, we’ve explored extinct attractions, current offerings, and future hopes for every Disney park—and now we’re expanding the series even further by diving into Disney’s Behind the Scenes Tours. In Part 1 of our “Past” tours series, we’re looking bac...

What time is it? Summertime! Nostalgic Nights is back, and this week Madi returns to the podcast to continue our High School Musical journey with the iconic summer sequel, High School Musical 2, the movie that somehow made country clubs, baseball choreography, and dramatic golf course solos feel like the biggest event of 2007. Before the movie discussion, we catch up on some Disney news and trip u...

Jambo, Flight Crew! We are back for Part 2 of our deep dive into one of Disney’s most unique and immersive attractions: Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Last episode, we explored the origins of the attraction, the creation of Harambe, and the original poacher storyline. This week, we head back out onto the savanna to focus on what truly makes Kilimanjaro Safaris so special: the anim...

Jambo, flight crew! Step with us into the savanna as we kick off a brand-new Treasured Attractions deep dive on one of Disney’s most ambitious experiences: Kilimanjaro Safaris. In Part 1, we trace this iconic attraction all the way back to Walt Disney’s original dream of bringing real animals into the parks, and how that vision finally came to life with the opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 19...

Planning a Disney vacation but worried about the cost? You’re not alone! And the good news is, it doesn’t have to break the bank. In this episode, we’re sharing exactly how we make Disney work for our family of four without sacrificing the magic. From booking strategies and where to stay, to food, souvenirs, and some of our favorite underrated money-saving hacks, we’re walking you through everythi...

In this very special episode of Soarin’  Around WDW , we’re joined by a guest who brings decades of Disney memories to the table, my step-mom Doreen! From attending the 1964–1965 World’s Fair as a young girl to experiencing the early days of Walt Disney World, her story is a true walk through Disney history. We take a trip down memory lane as Doreen shares her first visits to the parks, favorite c...

We’re back to wrap up our Greece Pavilion concept in this second half of Parks of the Future Part 5 ! If you joined us last week, you experienced the thrills of Fire of the Aegean, and now it’s time to bring the rest of this EPCOT pavilion to life. In this episode, we shift from thrills to atmosphere as we fully design the heart and soul of the pavilion: the dining, entertainment, and guest experi...

This week on Soarin’ Around WDW , we’re diving back into our Parks of the Future series with a truly epic armchair imagineering session, and we’re not doing it alone. Joining us are our favorite creative minds from the Idiot’s Guide to Imagineering: Stephen and Marissa! Together, we set our sights on EPCOT’s World Showcase and tackle one of the biggest “what ifs” in Disney history: adding a brand-...

Welcome back, foolish mortals… it’s time to close the creaking doors on our Treasured Attractions series all about the Haunted Mansion. In this final episode, we explore how this iconic attraction expanded far beyond its walls to leave a lasting mark on Disney parks, films, and fandom. From the bold and divisive Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay inspired by The Nightmare Before Christmas, to interna...

In Episode 87 of Soarin’ Around WDW, we’re back with Part 2 of our Walt Disney World trip recap! From a smooth arrival and easy app check-in to soaking in everything our resort had to offer, we’re breaking down the rest of our stay. We also take a step back and talk about our much-needed rest day. Recharging by the pool and enjoying some delicious meals, including a fun character breakfast at Topo...

We are back from our Walt Disney World adventure and kicking off our trip recap series! In this episode of Soarin’ Around WDW, I’m joined by my dad as we relive our Hollywood Studios day, our first park day of the trip and one filled with early mornings, changing plans, and a whole lot of Disney magic. We start from the very beginning: rope drop strategy, Skyliner tips, and what it’s really like t...

Happy Wednesday, foolish mortals! After a brief Haunted Mansion hiatus (thanks to all of our recent trip content), we’re finally climbing back into our doom buggies and continuing our journey through one of Disney’s most legendary attractions. In this episode, we’re traveling around the globe to explore the different versions of the Haunted Mansion found in Disney parks worldwide. What originally...

In this episode, we’re taking you along for all the pre-trip planning for our upcoming Walt Disney World vacation! From rope drop strategies to snack must-haves and Lightning Lane plans, we’re sharing exactly how we’re preparing for a magical few days in the parks with our girls. We walk through our full itinerary starting with arrival day and our first stay at Disney's Art of Animation Resort...

We’re back with Days 3, 4, and 5 of our Valentine’s Weekend at the Disneyland Resort and this one is PACKED. From a full day at Disney California Adventure Park to soaking in the magic at Disneyland Park and wrapping it all up in Downtown Disney District, we’re breaking down everything, including alllll of the crowds. And yes… we ate. A LOT. 🤭 Snacks, snacks, and more snacks, plus THREE new sit-d...

Part 1 of our Valentine’s weekend recap at the Disneyland Resort starts with travel day: how everything unfolded getting there and how I prepped mentally and strategically for what ended up being a massive park day. At one point, I thought I might need to complete 53 total attractions in a single 16-hour day across both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park . I’m breaking down: How...

In Episode 2 of the Haunted Mansion portion of our Treasured Attraction series, we return to the gates of the esteemed mansion to explore what lies beneath the cobwebs and candlelight. This week, we dive into the most widely accepted combined legend of the attraction, piecing together generations of tragedy, curses, and ghostly residents.  We break down the layered backstory of figures like Master...

In this episode of Treasured Attractions , we begin our journey through one of Disney’s most iconic attractions: The Haunted Mansion . Part One takes us back to the very beginning, exploring the long development of the attraction—from its earliest concepts in the 1950s to its opening at Disneyland in 1969 as the last attraction Walt Disney personally influenced. We discuss the many Imagineers who...

In this episode, we’re officially kicking off our Valentine’s Weekend trip to Disneyland with a full pre-trip planning breakdown! We’re sharing how this unexpected West Coast trip came together thanks to a work conference, why we decided this would be a kid-free getaway, and how we made it all work financially while already having another Disney trip on the books. We dive into travel logistics , i...

Using our WED Wheel and listener polls, we set out to design a resort that feels like it has always belonged at Walt Disney World. One rooted in story, nostalgia, and thoughtful theming rather than characters on every wall. Olivia pitches a Frontierland-inspired resort influenced by the lore of Big Thunder Mountain, blending subtle storytelling with outdoor adventure and family-friendly pricing. M...

We’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of a Disney Channel phenomenon that defined a generation: High School Musical . In this very special Nostalgic Nights episode, we revisit the movie that taught us it’s okay to want more than one dream, ask whether Sharpay Evans was actually the villain, and determine if “We’re All in This Together” still holds up two decades later. For this watch-through, I f...