The Mad Chatters Podcast | Walt Disney World and Around the Disney Universe

This week we're celebrating Epcot's 35th birthday by looking back at how this unique park came to be. From Walt's original concept for the "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow" to 1982's "EPCOT Center" and even into the future, we're doing a deep dive into Epcot's legacy and what there is to love about it. Also on this week's show, we discuss the "Munchies and Merch" at Walt Disney World...

All aboard the Walt Disney World monorail, your highway in the sky and your direct access to the ten delicious table-service restaurants at the three deluxe resorts near Magic Kingdom. On this week's show, we take a grand circle tour around the Seven Seas Lagoon in order to highlight the sit-down offerings at Disney's Contemporary, Polynesian Village, and Grand Floridian Resorts, including Chef Mi...

We've always claimed to be your very important date with the happenings at Walt Disney World and around the Disney universe, and on this week's show we truly are taking you "around the Disney universe," from Marceline, Missouri to Paris, France. On show 155, Jeremy reports on his recent visit to the Walt Disney Hometown Museum in Marceline, while Matt fills us in on his trip to Disneyland Park and...

Even though it's only the first week of September, Halloween Time and the fall season are in full swing at Walt Disney World. On this week's show, Matt and Derek give a full report of their visits to the Disney parks last week, including a neat VIP experience at Festival of the Lion King, a ride on the revamped Mission: SPACE, and a spooky good time at the first Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Par...

This week we're celebrating Labor Day by sharing our picks for the five best ways to take a break, relax, and rejuvenate at Walt Disney World. From our favorite people-watching spots to the attractions that do the best job of refreshing our bodies and minds, we highlight our favorite ways to take a vacation from your vacation. Also on this week's show, we sit down with Brent Young and Dina Benadon...

If you're planning a trip to Walt Disney World and you haven't been in the last five years, your vacation experience will look a lot different now that Disney has rolled out MyMagic+. On this week's show we highlight the main features of the My Disney Experience app and give our personal tips for how to make the most of FastPass+, Mobile Ordering, and other MyMagic+ features during your Disney vac...

On August 13, Disney fans said goodbye to two classic Walt Disney World attractions: Ellen's Energy Adventure (aka Universe of Energy) and The Great Movie Ride. On this week's show we honor these two rides by looking back at their origins, discussing our favorite elements of the attractions, and talking about what their closings mean for the futures of their respective parks. Also on this week's e...

Let the games begin! For our 150th episode we invited tons of special guests to join us for an epic game night, and as we suspected, they all came ready to compete (and entertain). Now it's your turn to play along! Test your Disney knowledge in games like "What Year Is It?" and Disney Buzzword. Try to beat our contestants to the punch in a round of Disney Password. Then, finish it off by listening...

Please stand clear of the doors – The Mad Chatters Podcast will depart momentarily. On this week's show we're highlighting three modes of transportation that have strong ties to Disney parks: the skyway, the monorail, and the peoplemover. Not only do all three of these transportation methods offer an above-ground alternative to cars and boats, but they also were all very new to the U.S. when The W...

Dreams are make believe . . . But could they all come true? To discover the answer to that question, we're going deep inside Mickey's imagination, where we'll encounter princesses, a fire-breathing dragon, and all the forces of evil, all while searching for the true reason Fantasmic has been such a popular show since it debuted in Disneyland 25 years ago. Celebrate this epic nighttime spectacular...

An official name for Star Wars Land! A Mickey Mouse attraction! A restaurant set in space! We wanted big news, and the D23 Expo delivered! On this week's show we break down the biggest announcements that were made at the 2017 D23 Expo in Anaheim, including big changes for Epcot, a TRON coaster in Magic Kingdom, and much more. In another round of Chatter Jeopardy, we put a Disney spin on the classi...

Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, It's A Small World – Many of the classic attractions for which Disney parks are known can be found on both U.S. coasts. The assumption, therefore, is that Magic Kingdom is simply a replica of Disneyland. In reality, though, the two parks are different in many ways. On this week's show, special guest Jeff Birou (@ jetsetterjeff ) helps us take a closer loo...

As Rafiki once asked in Mickey's Jammin' Jungle Parade, "ARE YOU READY FOR THE PARTY?!" On this week's show, guest Matthew Parrish (host of WEDWay Radio and The Thirty20Eight) joins us for another Mad Q Party, in which we answer ten off-the-wall questions about the Disney universe. Our latest hypothetical extravaganza has us dreaming up movie-themed restaurants at the parks, naming our dream podca...

No theme park is perfect. In its 45 years of bringing us magical moments, breathtaking environments, and technological breakthroughs, even Walt Disney World has stumbled once or twice. On this week's show we count down our picks for the top five worst attractions Disney has ever given us, from boring shows to loud cars to rides that left us wondering what the Imagineers were thinking. (And yes, bi...

An entire episode about pre-shows? Wait a minute . . . I love that idea! This week we have an open discussion about attraction pre-shows at Walt Disney World by answering the question, "What qualities do the best pre-shows possess?" We visit rides like Tower of Terror and Soarin' and characters including Dr. Marsh and Sergeant C4703BK2704-90210, and we give our own take on what makes a pre-show gr...

Fresh off of a ten-day vacation at Walt Disney World, the Mad Chatters have plenty of catching up and reporting to do. With so many brand new experiences to discuss, including Pandora, The Music of Pixar LIVE, and Happily Ever After, we're anxious to share our thoughts with each other and with you listeners. Joining in the conversation this week is special guest Aaron Wallace, who helps us break d...

Our culinary tour of Epcot concludes this week as we visit the table service restaurants in Japan, Morocco, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada. We read the menus and give our personal thoughts on places like Teppan Edo, Chefs de France, and Rose & Crown Pub and Dining Room. (Be sure to check out episode 136 if you didn't catch Part 1.) Also on this week's show, we do some Armchair Imagineering...

Get that Netflix queue ready! On this week's show we share our picks for the films that will best prepare you, educate you, and give you all the Disney feels before you take a trip to Walt Disney World. From obvious films that have ample representation in the parks to non-Disney films that will help you better appreciate the details, we recommend plenty of movies to help you pass the weeks and mon...

While planning for a WDW vacation is exciting and magical, it also can be stressful and burdensome, especially for first-timers who aren't sure which added expenses are worth the cost and which are unnecessary. While there is no "right" answer when it comes to money and Disney, on this week's episode we discuss five optional add-ons and give our two cents on whether or not they are worth the cost:...

At last we see the lights, and it's like the sky is new! On this week's show, join us for a closer look at the best lamps, light bulbs, and spotlights throughout Walt Disney World. We go park by park, "highlighting" the best lighting techniques used by Imagineers to bring that special touch of magic […]

This week we're bringing you up to date on all the latest happenings at the Walt Disney World Resort, from the biggest news (Baby Groot! Johnny Depp! Driverless shuttles?) to an on-the-scene report from our most recent trip. We share stories from the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, the 28th birthday of Disney's Hollywood […]

Bienvenidos! We invite you to join us as we continue to make our way through the table service restaurants at Walt Disney World. This week our series takes us to Epcot, where we read the menus and give our thoughts on the restaurants in Future World and the Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, and Italy pavilions. Eateries […]

Disney's Hollywood Studios is turning 28 years old this week! While the park might not be its best self right now, the future is bright. And so is the past . . . In honor of the park's anniversary, special guest Jeff DePaoli joins us this week as we go back in time and take […]

Does Star Wars Land belong in Disneyland? Will Walt Disney World get its own Club 33? What in the world is happening at Epcot? These are some of the hot topics being discussed within the Disney community, and this week we want to get in on the conversation. Join us as we address these issues […]

Incorporating a film into the Disney parks is an art. It requires a delicate balance in which Imagineers must give the movie justice and the treatment it deserves without making it feel forced or shoehorned into a certain space. On this week's show, we chat about those times when the Imagineers nailed it. From entire attractions to single, […]